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he can't go there any more。〃
〃Chinese？ What does he do to them？〃
〃Bibles or guns。 Don't ask me！ An adventurer。〃
〃Looks a bit of a bounder；〃 said the racing man。
Shelton gazed at the twitching eyebrows of old Stroud； he saw at once
how it must annoy a man who had a billet in the 〃Woods and Forests；〃
and plenty of time for 〃bridge〃 and gossip at his club； to see these
people with untidy lives。 A minute later the man with the 〃game leg〃
passed close behind his chair； and Shelton perceived at once how
intelligible the resentment of his fellow…members was。 He had eyes
which； not uncommon in this country； looked like fires behind steel
bars； he seemed the very kind of man to do all sorts of things that
were 〃bad form；〃 a man who might even go as far as chivalry。 He
looked straight at Shelton； and his uncompromising glance gave an
impression of fierce loneliness； altogether； an improper person to
belong to such。 a club。 Shelton remembered the words of an old
friend of his father's： 〃Yes； Dick； all sorts of fellows belong here；
and they come here for all sorts o' reasons； and a lot of em come
because they've nowhere else to go； poor beggars〃； and； glancing from
the man with the 〃game leg〃 to Stroud； it occurred to Shelton that
even he； old Stroud； might be one of these poor beggars。 One never
knew！ A look at Benjy； contained and cheery； restored him。 Ah； the
lucky devil！ He would not have to come here any more！ and the
thought of the last evening he himself would be spending before long
flooded his mind with a sweetness that was almost pain。
〃Benjy； I'll play you a hundred up！〃 said young Bill Dennant。
Stroud and the racing man went to watch the game； Shelton was left
once more to reverie。
〃Good form！〃 thought he； 〃that fellow must be made of steel。 They'll
go on somewhere； stick about half the night playing poker； or some
such foolery。〃
He crossed over to the window。 Rain had begun to fall； the streets
looked wild and draughty。 The cabmen were putting on their coats。
Two women scurried by； huddled under one umbrella； and a thin…
clothed； dogged…looking scarecrow lounged past with a surly；
desperate step。 Shelton； returning to his chair； threaded his way
amongst his fellow…members。 A procession of old school and college
friends came up before his eyes。 After all； what had there been in
his own education； or theirs； to give them any other standard than
this 〃good form〃？ What had there been to teach them anything of
life？ Their imbecility was incredible when you came to think of it。
They had all the air of knowing everything； and really they knew
nothingnothing of Nature； Art； or the Emotions； nothing of the
bonds that bind all men together。 Why； even such words were not
〃good form〃； nothing outside their little circle was 〃good form。〃
They had a fixed point of view over life because they came of certain
schools； and colleges； and regiments！ And they were those in charge
of the state； of laws； and science； of the army； and religion。 Well；
it was their systemthe system not to start too young； to form
healthy fibre； and let the after…life develop it！
〃Successful！〃 he thought； nearly stumbling over a pair of patent…
leather boots belonging to a moon…faced； genial…looking member with
gold nose…nippers； 〃oh； it 's successful！〃
Somebody came and picked up from the table the very volume which had
originally inspired this train of thought； and Shelton could see his
solemn pleasure as he read。 In the white of his eye there was a
torpid and composed abstraction。 There was nothing in that book to
startle him or make him think。
The moon…faced member with the patent boots came up and began talking
of his recent visit to the south of France。 He had a scandalous
anecdote or two to tell； and his broad face beamed behind his gold
nose…nippers； he was a large man with such a store of easy； worldly
humour that it was impossible not to appreciate his gossip； he gave
so perfect an impression of enjoying life； and doing himself well。
〃Well； good…night！〃 he murmured〃 An engagement！〃and the
certainty he left behind that his engagement must be charming and
illicit was pleasant to the soul。
And； slowly taking up his glass； Shelton drank； the sense of well…
being was upon him。 His superiority to these his fellow…members
soothed him。 He saw through all the sham of this club life； the
meanness of this worship of success； the sham of kid…gloved
novelists； 〃good form；〃 and the terrific decency of our education。
It was soothing thus to see through things； soothing thus to be
superior； and from the soft recesses of his chair he puffed out smoke
and stretched his limbs toward the fire； and the fire burned back at
him with a discreet and venerable glow。
CHAPTER VIII
THE WEDDING
Puncutal to his word； Bill Dennant called for Shelton at one o'clock。
〃I bet old Benjy's feeling a bit cheap；〃 said he； as they got out of
their cab at the church door and passed between the crowded files of
unelect； whose eyes； so curious and pitiful； devoured them from the
pavement。
The ashen face of a woman； with a baby in her arms and two more by
her side； looked as eager as if she had never experienced the pangs
of ragged matrimony。 Shelton went in inexplicably uneasy； the price
of his tie was their board and lodging for a week。 He followed his
future brother…in…law to a pew on the bridegroom's side； for； with
intuitive perception of the sexes' endless warfare； each of the
opposing parties to this contract had its serried battalion； the
arrows of whose suspicion kept glancing across and across the central
aisle。
Bill Dennant's eyes began to twinkle。
〃There's old Benjy！〃 he whispered； and Shelton looked at the hero of
the day。 A subdued pallor was traceable under the weathered
uniformity of his shaven face； but the well…bred； artificial smile he
bent upon the guests had its wonted steely suavity。 About his dress
and his neat figure was that studied ease which lifts men from the
ruck of common bridegrooms。 There were no holes in his armour
through which the impertinent might pry。
〃Good old Benjy！〃 whispered young Dennant； 〃I say； they look a bit
short of class； those Casserols。〃
Shelton； who was acquainted with this family； smiled。 The sensuous
sanctity all round had begun to influence him。 A perfume of flowers
and dresses fought with the natural odour of the church； the rustle
of whisperings and skirts struck through the native silence of the
aisles； and Shelton idly fixed his eyes on a lady in the pew in
front； without in the least desiring to make a speculation of this
sort； he wondered whether her face was as charming as the lines of
her back in their delicate； skin…tight setting of pearl grey； his
glance wandered to the chancel with its stacks of flowers； to the
grave； business faces of the presiding priests； till the organ began