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！
He retraced his steps； however； and halted half a dozen paces from
their figures。
〃Ask the gentleman！ He spoke to me；〃she was saying in her brassy
voice； through the emphasis of which Shelton could detect her fear。
〃That's all right；〃 returned the policeman； 〃we know all about that。〃
〃Youpolice！〃 cried the woman tearfully； 〃I 've got to get my
living； have n't I； the same as you？〃
Shelton hesitated； then； catching the expression in her frightened
face； stepped forward。 The policeman turned； and at the sight of his
pale； heavy jowl； cut by the cheek…strap； and the bullying eyes； he
felt both hate and fear； as if brought face to face with all that he
despised and loathed； yet strangely dreaded。 The cold certainty of
law and order upholding the strong； treading underfoot the weak； the
smug front of meanness that only the purest spirits may attack；
seemed to be facing him。 And the odd thing was； this man was only
carrying out his duty。 Shelton moistened his lips。
〃You're not going to charge her？〃
〃Aren't I？〃 returned the policeman。
〃Look here； constable； you 're making a mistake。〃
The policeman took out his note…book。
〃Oh； I 'm making a mistake？ I 'll take your name and address；
please； we have to report these things。〃
〃By all means；〃 said Shelton； angrily giving it。 〃I spoke to her
first。〃
〃Perhaps you'll come up to the court tomorrow morning； and repeat
that；〃 replied the policeman； with incivility。
Shelton looked at him with all the force at his command。
〃You had better be careful； constable；〃 he said； but in the act of
uttering these words he thought how pitiable they sounded。
〃We 're not to be trifled with；〃 returned the policeman in a
threatening voice。
Shelton could think of nothing but to repeat：
〃You had better be careful； constable。〃
〃You're a gentleman；〃 replied the policeman。 〃I'm only a policeman。
You've got the riches； I've got the power。〃
Grasping the woman's arm； he began to move along with her。
Shelton turned； and walked away。
He went to Grinnings' Club； and flung himself down upon a sofa。 His
feeling was not one of pity for the woman； nor of peculiar anger with
the policeman； but rather of dissatisfaction with himself。
〃What ought I to have done？〃 he thought； 〃the beggar was within his
rights。〃
He stared at the pictures on the wall； and a tide of disgust surged
up in him。
〃One or other of us；〃 he reflected； 〃we make these women what they
are。 And when we've made them； we can't do without them； we don't
want to； but we give them no proper homes； so that they're reduced to
prowl about the streets； and then we run them in。 Ha！ that's good
that's excellent！ We run them in！ And here we sit and carp。 But
what do we do？ Nothing！ Our system is the most highly moral known。
We get the benefit without soiling even the hem of our phylacteries
the women are the only ones that suffer。 And why should n't they
inferior things？〃
He lit a cigarette； and ordered the waiter to bring a drink。
〃I'll go to the Court；〃 he thought； but suddenly it occurred to him
that the case would get into the local papers。 The press would
never miss so nice a little bit of scandal〃Gentleman v。 Policeman！〃
And he had a vision of Antonia's father； a neighbouring and
conscientious magistrate； solemnly reading this。 Someone； at all
events； was bound to see his name and make a point of mentioning it
too good to be missed！ And suddenly he saw with horror that to help
the woman he would have to assert again that he had spoken to her
first。 〃I must go to the Court！〃 he kept thinking； as if to assure
himself that he was not a coward。
He lay awake half the night worrying over this dilemma。
〃But I did n't speak to her first；〃 he told himself； 〃I shall only be
telling a lie； and they 'll make me swear it； too！〃
He tried to persuade himself that this was against his principles；
but at the bottom of his heart he knew that he would not object to
telling such a lie if only guaranteed immune from consequences； it
appeared to him； indeed； but obvious humanity。
〃But why should I suffer？〃 he thought； 〃I've done nothing。 It's
neither reasonable nor just。〃
He hated the unhappy woman who was causing him these horrors of
uncertainty。 Whenever he decided one way or other； the policeman's
face； with its tyrannical and muddy eyes； rose before him like a
nightmare； and forced him to an opposite conviction。 He fell asleep
at last with the full determination to go and see what happened。
He woke with a sense of odd disturbance。 〃I can do no good by
going；〃 he thought； remembering； aid lying very still； 〃they 're
certain to believe the policeman； I shall only blacken myself for
nothing；〃 and the combat began again within him； but with far less
fury。 It was not what other people thought； not even the risk of
perjury that mattered （all this he made quite clear）it was Antonia。
It was not fair to her to put himself in such a false position； in
fact； not decent。
He breakfasted。 In the room were some Americans； and the face of one
young girl reminded him a little of Antonia。 Fainter and fainter
grew the incident； it seemed to have its right proportions。
Two hours later； looking at the clock； he found that it was lunch…
time。 He had not gone； had not committed perjury； but he wrote to a
daily paper； pointing out the danger run by the community from the
power which a belief in their infallibility places in the hands of
the policehow； since they are the sworn abettors of right and
justice； their word is almost necessarily taken to be gospel； how one
and all they hang together； from mingled interest and esprit de
corps。 Was it not； he said； reasonable to suppose that amongst
thousands of human beings invested with such opportunities there
would be found bullies who would take advantage of them； and rise to
distinction in the service upon the helplessness of the unfortunate
and the cowardice of people with anything to lose？ Those who had in
their hands the sacred duties of selecting a practically
irresponsible body of men were bound； for the sake of freedom and
humanity； to exercise those duties with the utmost care and
thoroughness 。 。 。 。
However true； none of this helped him to think any better of himself
at heart； and he was haunted by the feeling that a stout and honest
bit of perjury was worth more than a letter to a daily paper。
He never saw his letter printed； containing； as it did； the germs of
an unpalatable truth。
In the afternoon he hired a horse； and galloped on Port Meadow。 The
strain of his indecision over； he felt like a man recovering from an
illness； and he carefully abstained from looking at the local papers。
There was that within him； however； which resented the worsting of
his chivalry。
CHAPTER XX
HOLM OAKS
Holm Oaks stood back but little from the roadan old manor…house；
not set upon display； but dwelling close to its barns； stables； and
walled gardens； like a good mother； long； flat…roofed； red； it had
Queen Anne windows； on whose white…framed diamond panes the sunbeams
glinted。
In front of it a fringe of elms； of all trees the tree of most
established principle； bordered the stretch of turf between the
gravel drive and road； and these elms were the homes of rooks of all
birds the most conventional。 A huge aspenimpressionable creature
shivered and shook beyond； apologising for appearance among such
imperturbable surroundings。 It was frequented by a cuckoo； who came
once a year to hoot at the rules of life； but seldom made long stay；
for boys threw stones at it； exasperated by the absence of its
morals。
The village which clustered in the dip had not yet lost its dread of
motor…cars。 About this group of flat…faced cottages with gabled
roofs the scent of hay； manure； and roses clung continually； just now
the odour of the limes troubled its servile sturdiness。 Beyond the
dip； again； a square…towered church kept within grey walls the record
of the village flock； births； deaths； and marriageseven the births
of bastards； even the deaths of suicidesand seemed to stretch a
hand invisible above the heads of common folk to grasp the forgers of
the manor…house。 Decent and discreet； the two roofs caught the eye
to the exclusion of all meaner dwellings； seeming to have joined in a
conspiracy to keep them out of sight。
The July sun had burned his face all the way from Oxford； yet pale
was Shelton when he walked up the drive and rang the bell。
〃Mrs。 Dennant at home； Dobson？〃 he asked of the grave butler； who；
old servant that he was； still wore coloured trousers （for it was not
yet twelve o'clock； and he regarded coloured trousers up to noon as a
sacred distinction between the footmen and himself）。
〃Mrs。 Dennant；〃 replied this perso