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have a good long walk； and then a Turkish bath； and then I would just
write to her； and tell her all about it； and you'll see how
beautifully it'll all come straight〃； and in the enthusiasm of advice
Mrs。 Shelton rose； and； with a faint stretch of her tiny figure；
still so young； clasped her hands together。 〃Now do； that 's a dear
old Dick！ You 'll just see how lovely it'll be！〃 Shelton smiled； he
had not the heart to chase away this vision。 〃And give her my
warmest love； and tell her I 'm longing for the wedding。 Come； now；
my dear boy； promise me that's what you 'll do。〃
And Shelton said： 〃 I'll think about it。〃
Mrs。 Shelton had taken up her stand with one foot on the fender； in
spite of her sciatica；。
〃Cheer up！〃 she cried； her eyes beamed as if intoxicated by her
sympathy。
Wonderful woman！ The uncomplicated optimism that carried her through
good and ill had not descended to her son。
》From pole to pole he had been thrown that day； from the French
barber； whose intellect accepted nothing without carping； and whose
little fingers worked all day； to save himself from dying out； to his
own mother； whose intellect accepted anything presented with
sufficient glow； but who； until she died； would never stir a finger。
When Shelton reached his rooms； he wrote to Antonia：
I can't wait about in London any longer； I am going down to Bideford
to start a walking tour。 I shall work my way to Oxford； and stay
there till I may come to Holm Oaks。 I shall send you my address； do
write as usual。
He collected all the photographs he had of heramateur groups； taken
by Mrs。 Dennantand packed them in the pocket of his shooting…
jacket。 There was one where she was standing just below her little
brother； who was perched upon a wall。 In her half…closed eyes； round
throat； and softly tilted chin； there was something cool and
watchful； protecting the ragamuffin up above her head。 This he kept
apart to be looked at daily； as a man says his prayers。
PART II
THE COUNTRY
CHAPTER XVI
THE INDIAN CIVILIAN
One morning then； a week later； Shelton found himself at the walls of
Princetown Prison。
He had seen this lugubrious stone cage before。 But the magic of his
morning walk across the moor； the sight of the pagan tors； the songs
of the last cuckoo； had unprepared him for that dreary building。 He
left the street； and； entering the fosse； began a circuit； scanning
the walls with morbid fascination。
This； then； was the system by which men enforced the will of the
majority； and it was suddenly borne in on him that all the ideas and
maxims which his Christian countrymen believed themselves to be
fulfilling daily were stultified in every cellule of the social
honeycomb。 Such teachings as 〃He that is without sin amongst you〃
had been pronounced unpractical by peers and judges； bishops；
statesmen； merchants； husbandsin fact； by every truly Christian
person in the country。
〃Yes；〃 thought Shelton； as if he had found out something new； 〃the
more Christian the nation； the less it has to do with the Christian
spirit。〃
Society was a charitable organisation； giving nothing for nothing；
little for sixpence； and it was only fear that forced it to give at
all！
He took a seat on a wall； and began to watch a warder who was slowly
paring a last year's apple。 The expression of his face； the way he
stood with his solid legs apart； his head poked forward and his lower
jaw thrust out； all made him a perfect pillar of Society。 He was
undisturbed by Shelton's scrutiny； watching the rind coil down below
the apple； until in a springing spiral it fell on the path and
collapsed like a toy snake。 He took a bite； his teeth were jagged；
and his mouth immense。 It was obvious that he considered himself a
most superior man。 Shelton frowned； got down slowly； from the wall；
and proceeded on his way。
A little further down the hill he stopped again to watch a group of
convicts in a field。 They seemed to be dancing in a slow and sad
cotillon； while behind the hedge on every side were warders armed
with guns。 Just such a sight； substituting spears could have been
seen in Roman times。
While he thus stood looking； a man； walking； rapidly； stopped beside
him； and asked how many miles it was to Exeter。 His round visage；
and long； brown eyes； sliding about beneath their； brows； his cropped
hair and short neck； seemed familiar。
〃Your name is Crocker； i5 n't it？〃 。
〃Why！ it's the Bird！〃 exclaimed the traveller； putting out his
hand。 〃Have n't seen you since we both went down。〃
Shelton returned his handgrip。 Crocker had lived above his head at
college； and often kept him； sleepless half the night by playing on
the hautboy。
〃Where have you sprung from？〃
〃India。 Got my long leave。 I say； are you going this way？ Let's go
together。〃
They went； and very fast； faster and faster every minute。
〃Where are you going at this pace？〃 asked Shelton。
〃London。〃
〃Oh！ only as far as London？〃
〃I 've set myself to do it in a week。〃
〃Are you in training？〃
〃No。〃
〃You 'll kill yourself。〃
Crocker answered with a chuckle。
Shelton noted with alarm the expression of his eye； there was a sort
of stubborn aspiration in it。 〃Still an idealist！〃 he thought；
〃poor fellow！〃 〃Well；〃 he inquired； 〃what sort of a time have you
had in India？〃
〃Oh；〃 said the Indian civilian absently； 〃I've； had the plague。〃
〃Good God！〃
Crocker smiled； and added：
〃Caught it on famine duty。〃
〃I see；〃 said Shelton； 〃plague and famine！ I suppose you fellows
really think you 're doing good out there？〃
His companion looked at him surprised； then answered modestly：
〃We get very good screws。〃
〃That 's the great thing；〃 responded Shelton。
After a moment's silence； Crocker； looking straight before him；
asked：
〃Don't you think we are doing good？〃
〃I 'm not an authority； but； as a matter of fact； I don't。〃
Crocker seemed disconcerted。
〃Why？〃 he bluntly asked。
Shelton was not anxious to explain his views； and he did not reply。
His friend repeated：
〃Why don't you think we're doing good in India？〃
〃Well；〃 said Shelton gruffly； 〃 how can progress be imposed on
nations from outside？〃
The Indian civilian； glancing at Shelton in an affectionate and
doubtful way； replied：
〃You have n't changed a bit； old chap。〃
〃No； no；〃 said Shelton； 〃you 're not going to get out of it that way。
Give me a single example of a nation； or an individual； for that
matter； who 's ever done any good without having worked up to it from
within。〃
Crocker； grunting； muttered； 〃Evils。〃
〃That 's it；〃 said Shelton； 〃we take peoples entirely different from
our own； and stop their natural development by substituting a
civilisation grown for our own use。