按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
good of you。〃
〃Not at all；〃 the parson answered； I'm only grieved the house is
empty。〃
It was a truly dismal contrast to the fatness of the land they had
been passing through； and the parson's voice issuing from bloodless
lips； although complacent； was pathetic。 It was peculiar； that voice
of his； seeming to indicate an intimate acquaintanceship with what
was fat and fine； to convey contempt for the vulgar need of money；
while all the time his eyesthose watery； ascetic eyesas plain as
speech they said； 〃Oh； to know what it must be like to have a pound
or two to spare just once a year； or so！〃
Everything in the room had been bought for cheapness； no luxuries
were there； and necessaries not enough。 It was bleak and bare； the
ceiling cracked； the wall…paper discoloured； and those booksprim；
shining books； fat…backed； with arms stamped on themglared in the
surrounding barrenness。
〃My predecessor；〃 said the parson； 〃played rather havoc with the
house。 The poor fellow had a dreadful struggle； I was told。 You
can； unfortunately； expect nothing else these days； when livings have
come down so terribly in value！ He was a married manlarge family！〃
Crocker； who had drunk his steaming lemonade； was smiling and already
nodding in his chair； with his black garment buttoned closely round
his throat； his long legs rolled up in a blanket； and stretched
towards the feeble flame of the newly…lighted fire； he had a rather
patchy air。 Shelton； on the other hand； had lost his feeling of
fatigue； the strangeness of the place was stimulating his brain； he
kept stealing glances at the scantiness around； the room； the parson；
the furniture； the very fire； all gave him the feeling caused by
seeing legs that have outgrown their trousers。 But there was
something underlying that leanness of the landscape； something
superior and academic； which defied all sympathy。 It was pure
nervousness which made him say：
〃Ah！ why do they have such families？〃
A faint red mounted to the parson's cheeks； its appearance there was
startling； and Crocker chuckled； as a sleepy man will chuckle who
feels bound to show that he is not asleep。
〃It's very unfortunate；〃 murmured the parson； 〃certainly； in many
cases。〃
Shelton would now have changed the subject； but at this moment the
unhappy Crocker snored。 Being a man of action； he had gone to sleep。
〃It seems to me；〃 said Shelton hurriedly； as he saw the parson's
eyebrows rising at the sound； 〃almost what you might call wrong。〃
〃Dear me； but how can it be wrong？〃
Shelton now felt that he must justify his saying somehow。
〃I don't know；〃 he said； 〃only one hears of such a lot of cases
clergymen's families； I've two uncles of my own； who…〃
A new expression gathered on the parson's face； his mouth had
tightened； and his chin receded slightly。 〃 Why； he 's like a mule！〃
thought Shelton。 His eyes； too； had grown harder； greyer； and more
parroty。 Shelton no longer liked his face。
〃Perhaps you and I；〃 the parson said； 〃would not understand each
other on such matters。〃
And Shelton felt ashamed。
〃I should like to ask you a question in turn； however；〃 the parson
said； as if desirous of meeting Shelton on his low ground： 〃How do
you justify marriage if it is not to follow the laws of nature？〃
〃I can only tell you what I personally feel。〃
〃My dear sir； you forget that a woman's chief delight is in her
motherhood。〃
〃I should have thought it a pleasure likely to pall with too much
repetition。 Motherhood is motherhood； whether of one or of a dozen。〃
〃I 'm afraid；〃 replied the parson； with impatience； though still
keeping on his guest's low ground； 〃your theories are not calculated
to populate the world。〃
〃Have you ever lived in London？〃 Shelton asked。 〃It always makes me
feel a doubt whether we have any right to have children at all。〃
〃Surely；〃 said the parson with wonderful restraint； and the joints of
his fingers cracked with the grip he had upon his chair； 〃you are
leaving out duty towards the country； national growth is paramount！〃
〃There are two ways of looking at that。 It depends on what you want
your country to become。〃
〃I did n't know；〃 said the parsonfanaticism now had crept into his
smile〃there could be any doubt on such a subject。〃
The more Shelton felt that commands were being given him； the more
controversial he naturally becameapart from the merits of this
subject； to which he had hardly ever given thought。
〃I dare say I'm wrong；〃 he said； fastening his eyes on the blanket in
which his legs were wrapped； 〃but it seems to me at least an open
question whether it's better for the country to be so well populated
as to be quite incapable of supporting itself。〃 …
〃Surely；〃 said the parson； whose face regained its pallor； 〃you're
not a Little Englander？〃
On Shelton this phrase had a mysterious effect。 Resisting an impulse
to discover what he really was； he answered hastily：
〃 Of course I'm not！〃
The parson followed up his triumph； and； shifting the ground of the
discussion from Shelton's to his own； he gravely said：
〃Surely you must see that your theory is founded in immorality。 It
is； if I may say so； extravagant； even wicked。〃
But Shelton； suffering from irritation at his own dishonesty； replied
with heat：
〃Why not say at once； sir； 'hysterical； unhealthy'？ Any opinion
which goes contrary to that of the majority is always called so； I
believe。〃
〃Well；〃 returned the parson； whose eyes seemed trying to bind Shelton
to his will； 〃I must say your ideas do seem to me both extravagant
and unhealthy。 The propagation of children is enjoined of marriage。〃
Shelton bowed above his blanket； but the parson did not smile。
〃We live in very dangerous times；〃 he said； 〃and it grieves me when a
man of your standing panders to these notions。〃
〃Those；〃 said Shelton； 〃whom the shoe does n't pinch make this rule
of morality； and thrust it on to such as the shoe does pinch。〃
〃The rule was never made；〃 said the parson； 〃it was given us。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Shelton； 〃I beg your pardon。〃 He was in danger of
forgetting the delicate position he was in。 〃He wants to ram his
notions down my throat；〃 he thought； and it seemed to him that the
parson's face had grown more like a mule's； his accent more superior；
his eyes more dictatorial： To be right in this argument seemed now of
great importance； whereas； in truth； it was of no importance
whatsoever。 That which； however； was important was the fact that in
nothing could they ever have agreed。
But Crocker had suddenly ceased to snore； his head had fallen so that
a peculiar whistling arose instead。 Both Shelton and the parson
looked at him； and the sight sobered them。
〃Your friend seems very tired；〃 said the parson。
Shelton forgot all his annoyance； for his host seemed suddenly
pathetic； with those baggy garments； hollow cheeks； and the slightly
reddened nose that comes from not imbibing quite enough。 A kind
fellow； after all！
The kind fellow rose； and； putting his hands behind his back； placed
himself before the blackening fire。 Whole centuries of authority
stood behind him。 It was an accident that the mantelpiece was
chipped and rusty； the fire…irons bent and worn； his linen frayed
about the cuffs。
〃I don't wish to dictate；〃 said he； 〃but where it seems to me that
you are wholly wrong in that your ideas foster in women those lax
views of the family life that are so prevalent in Society nowadays。〃
Thoughts of Antonia with her candid eyes； the touch of freckling on
her pink…white skin； the fair hair gathered back； sprang up in
Shelton； and that word〃lax〃 seemed ridiculous。 And the women he
was wont to see dragging about the streets of London with two or
three small children； Women bent beneath the weight of babies that
they could not leave； women going to work with babies still unborn；
anaemic…looking women； impecunious mothers in his own class； with
twelve or fourteen children； all the victims of the sanctity of
marriage； and again the word 〃lax〃 seemed to be ridiculous。
〃We are not put into the world to exercise our wits；〃muttered
Shelton。
〃Our wanton wills；〃 the parson said severely。
〃That； sir； may have been all right for the last generation； the
country is more crowded now。 I can't see why we should n't decide it
for ourselves。〃
〃Such a view of morality；〃 said the parson； looking down at Crocker
with a ghostly smile； 〃to me is unintelligible。〃
Cracker's whistling grew in tone and in variety。
〃What I hate；〃 said Shelton； 〃is the way we men decide what women are
to bear； and then call them immoral； decadent； or what you will； if
they don't fall in with our views。〃
〃Mr。 Shelton；〃 said the parson； 〃I think we may safely leave it in
the hands of God。〃
Shelto