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I could。〃
Again her face grew thoughtful； as though his words had chilled her。
〃I don't see what more you could have done；〃 she answered。
A desire to get close to her； half fear； half ache； a sense of
futility and bafflement； an inner burning； made him feel as though a
flame were licking at his heart。
CHAPTER XXI
ENGLISH
Just as Shelton was starting to walk back to Oxford he met Mr。
Dennant coming from a ride。 Antonia's father was a spare man of
medium height； with yellowish face； grey moustache； ironical
eyebrows； and some tiny crow's…feet。 In his old； short grey coat；
with a little slit up the middle of the back； his drab cord breeches；
ancient mahogany leggings； and carefully blacked boats； he had a dry；
threadbare quality not without distinction。
〃Ah； Shelton！〃 he said； in his quietly festive voice； 〃glad to see
the pilgrim here； at last。 You're not off already？〃 and； laying his
hand on Shelton's arm； he proposed to walk a little way with him
across the fields。
This was the first time they had met since the engagement； and
Shelton began to nerve himself to express some sentiment； however
bald； about it。 He squared his shoulders； cleared his throat； and
looked askance at Mr。 Dennant。 That gentleman was walking stiffly；
his cord breeches faintly squeaking。 He switched a yellow； jointed
cane against his leggings； and after each blow looked at his legs
satirically。 He himself was rather like that yellow cane…pale； and
slim； and jointed； with features arching just a little； like the
arching of its handle。
〃They say it'll be a bad year for fruit；〃 Shelton said at last。
〃My dear fellow； you don't know your farmer； I 'm afraid。 We ought
to hang some farmersdo a world of good。 Dear souls！ I've got some
perfect strawberries。〃
〃I suppose；〃 said Shelton； glad to postpone the evil moment； 〃in a
climate like this a man must grumble。〃
〃Quite so； quite so！ Look at us poor slaves of land…owners； if I
couldn't abuse the farmers I should be wretched。 Did you ever see
anything finer than this pasture？ And they want me to lower their
rents！〃
And Mr。 Dennant's glance satirically wavered； rested on Shelton； and
whisked back to the ground as though he had seen something that
alarmed him。 There was a pause。
〃Now for it！〃 thought the younger man。
Mr。 Dennant kept his eyes fixed on his boots。
〃If they'd said； now；〃 he remarked jocosely； 〃that the frost had
nipped the partridges； there 'd have been some sense in it； but what
can you expect？ They've no consideration； dear souls！〃
Shelton took a breath； and； with averted eyes； he hurriedly began：
〃It's awfully hard； sir； to…〃
Mr。 Dennant switched his cane against his shin。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃it 's awfully hard to put up with； but what can a
fellow do？ One must have farmers。 Why； if it was n't for the
farmers； there 'd be still a hare or two about the place！〃
Shelton laughed spasmodically； again he glanced askance at his future
father…in…law。 What did the waggling of his head mean； the deepening
of his crow's…feet； the odd contraction of the mouth？ And his eye
caught Mr。 Dennant's eye； its expression was queer above the fine；
dry nose （one of the sort that reddens in a wind）。
〃I've never had much to do with farmers；〃 he said at last。
〃Have n't you？ Lucky fellow！ The mostyes； quite the most trying
portion of the human speciesnext to daughters。〃
〃Well； sir； you can hardly expect me〃 began Shelton。
〃I don'toh； I don't！ D 'you know； I really believe we're in for a
ducking。〃
A large black cloud had covered up the sun； and some drops were
spattering on Mr。 Dennant's hard felt hat。
Shelton welcomed the shower； it appeared to him an intervention on
the part of Providence。 He would have to say something； but not now；
later。
〃I 'll go on；〃 he said； 〃I don't mind the rain。 But you'd better get
back； sir。〃
〃Dear me！ I've 'a tenant in this cottage；' said Mr。 Dennant in his；
leisurely； dry manner 〃and a beggar he is to poach； too。 Least we
can do 's to ask for a little shelter； what do you think？ 〃and
smiling sarcastically； as though deprecating his intention to keep
dry； he rapped on the door of a prosperous…looking cottage。
It was opened by a girl of Antonia's age and height。
〃Ah； Phoebe！ Your father in？〃
〃No；〃 replied the girl； fluttering； 〃father's out； Mr。 Dennant。〃
〃So sorry！ Will you let us bide a bit out of the rain？〃
The sweet…looking Phoebe dusted them two chairs； and； curtseying；
left them in the parlour。
〃What a pretty girl！ 〃 said Shelton。
〃Yes； she's a pretty girl； half the young fellows are after her； but
she won't leave her father。 Oh； he 's a charming rascal is that
fellow！〃
This remark suddenly brought home to Shelton the conviction that he
was further than ever from avoiding the necessity for speaking。 He
walked over to the window。 The rain。 was coming down with fury；
though a golden line far down the sky promised the shower's quick
end。 〃For goodness' sake；〃 he thought； 〃let me say something；
however idiotic； and get it over！〃 But he did not turn； a kind of
paralysis had seized on him。
〃Tremendous heavy rain！〃 he said at last； 〃coming down in
waterspouts。〃
It would have been just as easy to say： 〃I believe your daughter to
be the sweetest thing on earth； I love her； and I 'm going to make
her happy！〃 Just as easy； just about the same amount of breath
required； but he couldn't say it！ He watched the rain stream and
hiss against the leaves and churn the dust on the parched road with
its insistent torrent； and he noticed with precision all the details
of the process going on outside how the raindrops darted at the
leaves like spears； and how the leaves shook themselves free a
hundred times a minute； while little runnels of water； ice…clear；
rolled over their edges； soft and quick。 He noticed； too； the
mournful head of a sheltering cow that was chewing at the hedge。
Mr。 Dennant had not replied to his remark about the rain。 So
disconcerting was this silence that Shelton turned。 His future
father…in…law； upon his wooden chair； was staring at his well…blacked
boots； bending forward above his parted knees； and prodding at the
carpet； a glimpse at his face disturbed Shelton's resolution。 It was
not forbidding； stern； discouragingnot in the least； it had merely
for the moment ceased to look satirical。 This was so startling that
Shelton lost his chance of speaking。 There seemed a heart to Mr。
Dennant's gravity； as though for once he were looking grave because
he felt so。 But glancing up at Shelton； his dry jocosity reappeared
at once。
〃What a day for ducks！〃 he said； and again there was unmistakable
alarm about the eye。 Was it possible that he； too； dreaded
something？
〃I can't express…〃 began Shelton hurriedly。
〃Yes； it's beastly