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fast asleep。 Asleep or awake； reading or snoring； fat or thin； hairy
or bald； the insulation of their red or pale faces was complete。
They were all the creatures of good form。 Staring at them or reading
the Arabian Nights Shelton spent the time before dinner。 He had not
been long seated in the dining…room when a distant connection
strolled up and took the next table。
〃Ah； Shelton！ Back？ Somebody told me you were goin' round the
world。〃 He scrutinised the menu through his eyeglass。 〃Clear soup！
。 。 。 Read Jellaby's speech？ Amusing the way he squashes all
those fellows。 Best man in the House； he really is。〃
Shelton paused in the assimilation of asparagus； he； too； had been in
the habit of admiring Jellaby； but now he wondered why。 The red and
shaven face beside him above a broad； pure shirt…front was swollen by
good humour； his small； very usual； and hard eyes were fixed
introspectively on the successful process of his eating。
〃Success！〃 thought Shelton； suddenly enlightened〃success is what
we admire in Jellaby。 We all want success 。 。 。 。 Yes；〃 he
admitted； 〃a successful beast。〃
〃Oh！〃 said his neighbour； 〃I forgot。 You're in the other camp？〃
〃Not particularly。 Where did you get that idea？〃
His neighbour looked round negligently。
〃Oh；〃 said he； 〃I somehow thought so〃； and Shelton almost heard him
adding； 〃There's something not quite sound about you。〃
〃Why do you admire Jellaby？〃 he asked。
〃Knows his own mind；〃 replied his neighbour； 〃it 's more than the
others do 。 。 。 。 This whitebait is n't fit for cats！ Clever
fellow； Jellaby！ No nonsense about him！ Have you ever heard him
speak？ Awful good sport to watch him sittin' on the Opposition。 A
poor lot they are！〃 and he laughed； either from appreciation of
Jellaby sitting on a small minority； or from appreciation of the
champagne bubbles in his glass。
〃Minorities are always depressing；〃 said Shelton dryly。
〃Eh？ what？〃
〃I mean；〃 said Shelton； 〃it's irritating to look at people who have
n't a chance of successfellows who make a mess of things； fanatics；
and all that。〃
His neighbour turned his eyes inquisitively。
〃Eryes； quite；〃 said he； 〃 don't you take mint sauce？ It's the
best part of lamb； I always think。〃
The great room with its countless little tables； arranged so that
every man might have the support of the gold walls to his back； began
to regain its influence on Shelton。 How many times had he not sat
there； carefully nodding to acquaintances； happy if he got the table
he was used to； a paper with the latest racing； and someone to gossip
with who was not a bounder； while the sensation of having drunk
enough stole over him。 Happy！ That is； happy as a horse is happy
who never leaves his stall。
〃Look at poor little Bing puffin' about；〃 said his neighbour；
pointing to a weazened； hunchy waiter。 〃His asthma's awf'ly bad； you
can hear him wheezin' from the street。〃
He seemed amused。
〃There 's no such thing as moral asthma； I suppose？〃 said Shelton。
His neighbour dropped his eyeglass。
〃Here； take this away； it's overdone；〃 said he。 〃Bring me some
lamb。〃
Shelton pushed his table back。
〃Good…night；〃 he said； 〃the Stilton's excellent！〃
His neighbour raised his brows； and dropped his eyes again upon his
plate。
In the hall Shelton went from force of habit to the weighing…scales
and took his weight。 〃Eleven stone！〃 he thought； 〃gone up！〃 and；
clipping a cigar； he sat down in the smoking…room with a novel。
After half an hour he dropped the book。 There seemed something
rather fatuous about this story； for though it had a thrilling plot；
and was full of well…connected people； it had apparently been
contrived to throw no light on anything whatever。 He looked at the
author's name； everyone was highly recommending it。 He began
thinking； and staring at the fire 。 。 。 。
Looking up； he saw Antonia's second brother； a young man in the
Rifles； bending over him with sunny cheeks and lazy smile； clearly
just a little drunk。
〃Congratulate you； old chap！ I say； what made you grow that
b…b…eastly beard？〃
Shelton grinned。
〃Pillbottle of the Duchess！〃 read young Dennant； taking up the book。
〃You been reading that？ Rippin'； is n't it？〃
〃Oh； ripping！〃 replied Shelton。
〃Rippin' plot！ When you get hold of a novel you don't want any rot
aboutwhat d'you call it？psychology； you want to be amused。〃
〃Rather！〃 murmured Shelton。
〃That's an awfully good bit where the President steals her diamonds
There's old Benjy！ Hallo； Benjy！〃
〃Hallo； Bill； old man！〃
This Benjy was a young； clean…shaven creature； whose face and voice
and manner were a perfect blend of steel and geniality。
In addition to this young man who was so smooth and hard and cheery；
a grey； short…bearded gentleman； with misanthropic eyes； called
Stroud； came up； together with another man of Shelton's age； with a
moustache and a bald patch the size of a crown…piece； who might be
seen in the club any night of the year when there was no racing out
of reach of London。
〃You know；〃 began young Dennant； 〃that this bounder〃he slapped the
young man Benjy on the knee〃is going to be spliced to…morrow。 Miss
Casserolyou know the CasserolsMuncaster Gate。〃
〃By Jove！〃 said Shelton； delighted to be able to say something they
would understand。
〃Young Champion's the best man； and I 'm the second best。 I tell you
what； old chap； you 'd better come with me and get your eye in； you
won't get such another chance of practice。 Benjy 'll give you a
card。〃
〃Delighted！〃 murmured Benjy。
〃Where is it？〃
〃St。 Briabas； two…thirty。 Come and see how they do the trick。 I'll
call for you at one； we'll have some lunch and go together〃； again he
patted Benjy's knee。
Shelton nodded his assent； the piquant callousness of the affair had
made him shiver； and furtively he eyed the steely Benjy； whose
suavity had never wavered； and who appeared to take a greater
interest in some approaching race than in his coming marriage。 But
Shelton knew from his own sensations that this could not really be
the case； it was merely a question of 〃good form；〃 the conceit of a
superior breeding； the duty not to give oneself away。 And when in
turn he marked the eyes of Stroud fixed on Benjy； under shaggy brows；
and the curious greedy glances of the racing man； he felt somehow
sorry for him。
〃Who 's that fellow with the game legI'm always seeing him about？〃
asked the racing man。
And Shelton saw a sallow man； conspicuous for a want of parting in
his hair and a certain restlessness of attitude。
〃His name is Bayes；〃 said Stroud； 〃spends half his time among the
Chinesemust have a grudge against them！ And now he 's got his leg
he can't go there any more。〃
〃Chinese？ What does he do to them？〃
〃Bibles or guns。 Don't ask