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〃When you've travelled like me；〃 he said； as if resolved to speak the
truth； 〃you acquire an instinct in choosing to whom and how you
speak。 It is necessity that makes the law； if you want to live you
must learn all that sort of thing to make face against life。〃
Shelton； who himself possessed a certain subtlety； could not but
observe the complimentary nature of these words。 It was like saying
〃I'm not afraid of you misunderstanding me； and thinking me a rascal
just because I study human nature。〃
〃But is there nothing to be done for that poor girl？〃
His new acquaintance shrugged his shoulders。
〃A broken jug；〃 said he； 〃you'll never mend her。 She's going to a
cousin in London to see if she can get help； you've given her the
means of getting thereit's all that you can do。 One knows too well
what'll become of her。〃
Shelton said gravely；
〃Oh！ that's horrible！ Could n't she be induced to go back home？ I
should be glad〃
The foreign vagrant shook his head。
〃Mon cher monsieur；〃 he said； 〃you evidently have not yet had
occasion to know what the 'family' is like。 'The family' does not
like damaged goods； it will have nothing to say to sons whose hands
have dipped into the till or daughters no longer to be married。 What
the devil would they do with her？ Better put a stone about her neck
and let her drown at once。 All the world is Christian； but Christian
and good Samaritan are not quite the same。〃
Shelton looked at the girl； who was sitting motionless； with her
hands crossed on her bag； and a revolt against the unfair ways of
life arose within him。
〃Yes；〃 said the young foreigner； as if reading all his thoughts；
〃what's called virtue is nearly always only luck。〃 He rolled his
eyes as though to say： 〃Ah！ La； Conventions？ Have them by all means
but don't look like peacocks because you are preserving them； it is
but cowardice and luck； my friendsbut cowardice and luck！〃
〃Look here；〃 said Shelton； 〃I'll give her my address； and if she
wants to go back to her family she can write to me。〃
〃She'll never go back； she won't have the courage。〃
Shelton caught the cringing glance of the girl's eyes； in the droop
of her lip there was something sensuous； and the conviction that the
young man's words were true came over him。
〃I had better not give them my private address；〃 he thought； glancing
at the faces opposite； and he wrote down the following： 〃Richard
Paramor Shelton； c/o Paramor and Herring； Lincoln's Inn Fields。〃
〃You're very good； sir。 My name is Louis Ferrand； no address at
present。 I'll make her understand； she's half stupefied just now。〃
Shelton returned to the perusal of his paper； too disturbed to read；
the young vagrant's words kept sounding in his ears。 He raised his
eyes。 The plump hand of the lady with the Roman nose still rested on
her lap； it had been recased in its black glove with large white
stitching。 Her frowning gaze was fixed on him suspiciously； as if he
had outraged her sense of decency。
〃He did n't get anything from me；〃 said the voice of the red…faced
man； ending a talk on tax…gatherers。 The train whistled loudly； and
Shelton reverted to his paper。 This time he crossed his legs；
determined to enjoy the latest murder； once more he found himself
looking at the vagrant's long…nosed； mocking face。 〃That fellow；〃 he
thought； 〃has seen and felt ten times as much as I； although he must
be ten years younger。〃
He turned for distraction to the landscape； with its April clouds；
trim hedgerows； homely coverts。 But strange ideas would come； and he
was discontented with himself； the conversation he had had； the
personality of this young foreigner； disturbed him。 It was all as
though he had made a start in some fresh journey through the fields
of thought。
CHAPTER II
ANTONIA
Five years before the journey just described Shelton had stood one
afternoon on the barge of his old college at the end of the summer
races。 He had been 〃down〃 from Oxford for some years； but these
Olympian contests still attracted him。
The boats were passing； and in the usual rush to the barge side his
arm came in contact with a soft young shoulder。 He saw close to him
a young girl with fair hair knotted in a ribbon； whose face was eager
with excitement。 The pointed chin； long neck； the fluffy hair； quick
gestures； and the calm strenuousness of her grey…blue eyes； impressed
him vividly。
〃Oh； we must bump them！〃 he heard her sigh。
〃Do you know my people； Shelton？〃 said a voice behind his back； and
he was granted a touch from the girl's shy； impatient hand； the
warmer fingers of a lady with kindly eyes resembling a hare's； the
dry hand…clasp of a gentleman with a thin； arched nose； and a
quizzical brown face。
〃Are you the Mr。 Shelton who used to play the 'bones' at Eton？〃 said
the lady。 〃Oh； we so often heard of you from Bernard！ He was your
fag； was n't he？ How distressin' it is to see these poor boys in the
boats！〃
〃Mother； they like it！〃 cried the girl。
〃Antonia ought to be rowing； herself；〃 said her father； whose name
was Dennant。
Shelton went back with them to their hotel； walking beside Antonia
through the Christchurch meadows； telling her details of his college
life。 He dined with them that evening； and； when he left； had a
feeling like that produced by a first glass of champagne。
The Dennants lived at Holm Oaks； within six miles of Oxford； and two
days later he drove over and paid a call。 Amidst the avocations of
reading for the Bar； of cricket； racing； shooting； it but required a
whiff of some fresh scenthay； honeysuckle； cloverto bring
Antonia's face before him； with its uncertain colour and its frank；
distant eyes。 But two years passed before he again saw her。 Then；
at an invitation from Bernard Dennant； he played cricket for the
Manor of Holm Oaks against a neighbouring house； in the evening there
was dancing oh the lawn。 The fair hair was now turned up； but the
eyes were quite unchanged。 Their steps went together； and they。
outlasted every other couple on the slippery grass。 Thence； perhaps；
sprang her respect for him； he was wiry； a little taller than
herself； and seemed to talk of things that interested her。 He found
out she was seventeen； and she found out that he was twenty…nine。
The following two years Shelton went to Holm Oaks whenever he was
asked； to him this was a period of enchanted games； of cub…hunting；
theatricals； and distant sounds of practised music； and during it
Antonia's eyes grew more friendly and more curious； and his own more
shy； and schooled； more furtive and more ardent。 Then came his
father's death； a voyage round the world； and that peculiar hour of
mixed sensations when； one March morning； abandoning his steamer at
Marseilles； he took train for Hyeres。
He found her at one of those exclusive hostelries amongst the pines
where th