phyllis of philistia-第1章

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Phyllis　of　Philistia

by　Frank　Frankfort　Moore






CHAPTER　I。

AN　ASTRONOMER　WITHOUT　A　TELESCOPE。

〃After　all；〃　said　Mr。　Ayrton；　〃what　is　marriage？〃

〃Ah！〃　sighed　Phyllis。　She　knew　that　her　father　had　become　possessed　of　a　phrase；　and　that　he　was　anxious　to　flutter　it　before　her　to　see　how　it　went。　He　was　a　connoisseur　in　the　bric…a…brac　of　phrases。

〃Marriage　means　all　your　eggs　in　one　basket；〃　said　he。

〃Ah！〃　sighed　Phyllis　once　more。　She　wondered　if　her　father　really　thought　that　she　would　be　comforted　in　her　great　grief　by　a　phrase。　She　did　not　want　to　know　how　marriage　might　be　defined。　She　knew　that　all　definitions　are　indefinite。　She　knew　that　in　the　case　of　marriage　everything　depends　upon　the　definer　and　the　occasion。

〃So　you　see　there　is　no　immediate　cause　to　grieve；　my　dear；〃　resumed　her　father。

She　did　not　quite　see　that　this　was　the　logical　conclusion　of　the　whole　matter；　but　that　was　possibly　because　she　was　born　a　woman；　and　felt　that　marriage　is　to　a　woman　what　a　keel　is　to　a　ship。

〃I　think　there　is　a　very　good　cause　to　grieve　when　we　find　a　man　like　George　Holland　turning　deliberately　round　from　truth　to　falsehood；〃　said　Phyllis　sternly。

〃And　what's　worse；　running　a　very　good　chance　of　losing　his　living；〃　remarked　the　father。　〃Of　course　it　will　have　to　be　proved　that　Moses　and　Abraham　and　David　and　the　rest　of　them　were　not　what　he　says　they　were；　and　it　strikes　me　that　all　the　bench　of　bishops；　and　a　royal　commissioner　or　two　thrown　in；　would　have　considerable　difficulty　in　doing　that　nowadays。〃

〃What！　You　take　his　part；　papa？〃　she　cried；　starting　up。　〃You　take　his　part？　You　think　I　was　wrong　to　tell　himwhat　I　did　tell　him？〃

〃I　don't　take　his　part；　my　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Ayrton。　〃I　think　that　he's　a　bit　of　a　fool　to　run　his　head　into　a　hornet's　nest　because　he　has　come　to　the　conclusion　that　Abraham's　code　of　morality　was　a　trifle　shaky；　and　that　Samson　was　a　shameless　libertine。　Great　Heavens！　has　the　man　got　no　notion　of　the　perspective　of　history？〃

〃Perspective？　History？　It's　the　Bible；　papa！〃

Indignation　was　in　Phyllis'　eyes；　but　there　was　a　reverential　tone　in　her　voice。　Her　father　looked　at　herlistened　to　her。　In　the　pause　he　thought：

〃Good　Heavens！　What　sort　of　a　man　is　George　Holland；　who　is　ready　to　relinquish　the　love　and　loveliness　of　that　girl；　simply　because　he　thinks　poorly　of　the　patriarchs？〃

〃He　attacks　the　Bible；　papa；〃　resumed　Phyllis　gravely。　〃What　horrible　things　he　said　about　Ruth！〃

〃Ah；　yes；　Ruththe　heroine　of　the　harvest　festival；〃　said　her　father。　〃Ah；　he　might　have　left　us　our　Ruth。　Besides；　she　was　a　woman。　Heavens　above！　is　there　no　chivalry　remaining　among　men？〃

〃Ah；　if　it　was　only　chivalry！　Butthe　Bible！〃

〃Quite　sotheyes；　to　be　sure。　But　don't　you　think　you　may　take　the　Bible　too　seriously；　Phyllis？〃

〃Oh；　papa！　too　seriously？〃

〃Why　not？　That's　George　Holland's　mistake；　I　fear。　Why　should　he　work　himself　to　a　fury　over　the　peccadillos　of　the　patriarchs？　The　principle　of　the　statute　of　limitations　should　be　applied　to　such　cases。　If　the　world；　and　the　colleges　of　theology；　have　dealt　lightly　with　Samson　and　David　and　Abraham　and　Jacob　and　the　rest　of　them　for　some　thousands　of　years；　why　should　George　Holland　rake　up　things　against　them；　and　that；　too；　on　very　doubtful　evidence？　But　I　should　be　the　last　person　in　the　world　to　complain　of　the　course　which　he　has　seen　fit　to　adopt；　since　it　has　left　you　with　me　a　little　longer；　my　dearest　child。　I　did　not；　of　course；　oppose　your　engagement；　but　I　have　often　asked　myself　what　I　should　do　without　you？　How　should　I　ever　work　up　my　facts；　or；　what　is　more　important；　my　quotations；　in　your　absence；　Phyllis？　On　some　questions；　my　dear；　you　are　a　veritable　Blue…bookyes；　an　/edition　de　luxe/　of　a　Blue…book。〃

〃And　I　meant　to　be　so　useful　to　him　as　well；〃　said　Phyllis；　taking　her　father's　praises　more　demurely　than　she　had　taken　his　phrases。　〃I　meant　to　help　him　in　his　work。〃

〃Ah；　what　a　fool　the　man　is！　How　could　any　man　in　his　senses　give　up　a　thing　of　flesh　and　blood　like　you；　for　the　sake　of　proving　or　trying　to　prove；　that　some　people　who　lived　five　or　six　thousand　years　ago　if　they　ever　lived　at　allwould　have　rendered　themselves　liable　to　imprisonment；　without　the　option　of　a　fine；　if　they　lived　in　England　since　the　passing　of　certain　lawsrecent　laws；　too；　we　must　remember！〃

〃Papa！〃

〃Anyhow；　you　have　done　with　him；　my　dear。　A　man　who　can't　see　that　crime　is　really　a　question　of　temperament；　and　sin　invariably　a　question　of　geographywell；　we'll　say　no　more　about　it。　At　what　hour　did　you　say　he　was　coming？〃

〃Four。　I　don't　think　I　shall　break　down。〃

〃Break　down？　Why　on　earth　should　you　break　down？　You　have　a　mind　to　know；　and　you　know　your　own　mind。　That's　everything。　But　of　course　you've　had　no　experience　of　matters　of　this　sort。　He　was　your　first　real　lover？〃

Phyllis'　face　became　crimson。　She　retained　sufficient　presence　of　mind；　however；　to　make　a　little　fuss　with　the　window…blind　before　letting　it　down。　Her　father　stared　at　her　for　a　moment；　and　there　was　rather　a　long　pause　before　he　laughed。

〃I　said　'real　lover；'　my　dear；〃　he　remarked。　〃The　real　lover　is　the　one　who　talks　definitely　about　dates　and　the　house　agent's　commission。　As　a　rule　the　real　lover　does　not　make　love。　True　love　is　born；　not　made。　But　youHeavens　above！　perhaps　I　did　an　injustice　to　youto　you　and　to　the　men。　Maybe　you're　not　such　a　tyro　after　all；　Phyllis。〃

Phyllis　gave　a　very　pretty　little　laughsuch　a　laugh　as　would　have　convinced　any　man　but　a　fatherperhaps；　indeed；　some　fathersthat　she　was　not　without　experience。　Suddenly　she　became　grave。　Her　father　never　loved　her　so　dearly　as　when　that　little　laugh　was　flying　over　her　face；　leaving　its　living　footprints　at　the　corners　of　her　eyes；　at　the　exquisite　curve　of　her　mouth。　It　relieved　her　from　the　suspicion　of　priggishness　to　which；　now　and　again；　her　grave　moods　and　appropriate　words　laid　her　open。　She　was　not　so　proper；　after　all；　her　father　now　felt；　she　was　a　girl　with　the　experiences　of　a　girl　who　has　tempted　men　and　seen　what　came　of　it。

She　spoke：

〃It　is　a　very　serious　thing；　giving　a　man　your　promise　and　then〃

〃Then　finding　that　your　duty　to　himto　him；　mindforces　you　to　tell　him　that　you　cannot　carry　out　that　promise；〃　said　her　father。　〃Yes；　it　is　a　very　serious　thing；　but　not　so　serious　as　carrying　out　that　promise　would　be　if　you　had　even　the　least　little　feeling　that　at　the　end　of　three　months　he　was　not　a　better　man　than　you　suspected　he　was　at　the　beginning。　There's　a　bright　side　to　everything；　even　a　honeymoon；　but　the　reason　that　a　honeymoon　is　so　frequently　a　failure　is　because　the　man　is　bound　to　be　found　out　by　his　wife　inside　the　month。　It　is　better　that　you　found　out　now；　than　later　on；　that　you　could　not　possibly　be　happy　with　a　man　who　spoke　slightingly　of　the　patriarchs　and　their　wives。　Now　I'll　leave　you；　with　confidence　that　you　will　be　able　to　explain　matters　to　Mr。　Holland。〃

〃What！　you　won't　be　here？〃

Dismay　was　in　the　girl's　face　as　she　spoke。　She　had　clearly　looked　for　the　moral　support　of　her　father's　presence　while　she　would　be　making　her　explanation　to　the　man　whom　she　had；　a　few　months　before；　promised　to　marry；　but　whom　she　had　found　it　necessary　to　dismiss　by　letter；　owing　to　her　want　of　sympathy　in　some　of　his　recent　utterances。

〃You　won't　be　here？〃

〃No；　I　have　unfortunately　an　engagement　just　at　that　hour；　Phyllis；〃　replied　Mr。　Ayrton。　〃But　do　you　really　think　there　is　any　need　for　me　to　be　here？　Personally；　I　fancy　that　my　presence　would　only　tend　to　complicate　matters。　Your　own　feeling；　your　own　woman's　instinct；　will　enable　you　to　explainwell；　all　that　needs　explanation。　I　have　more　confidence　in　your　capacity　to　explain　since　you　gave　that　pretty　little　laugh　just　now。　Experienceah；　the　experience　of　a　girl　such　as　you　are；　suggests　an　astronomer　without　a　telescope。　Still；　there　were　astronomers　before　there　were　telescopes；　and　so　I　leave　you；　my　beloved　childah；　my　own　child　once　again！　No　cold　hand　of　a　lover　is　now　between　us。〃

It　was　not　until　he　was　some　distance　down　Piccadilly　that　it　occurred　to　him　that　he　should　have　pictured　the　lover　with　a　warm　hand；　and　that　omission　on　his　part　caused　him　a　greater　amount　of　irritation　than　anyone　who　was　unaware　of　his　skill　in　phrase…making　could　have　thought　possible　to　arise　from　a　lapse　apparently　so　trifling。

It　was　not　until　he　had　reached　the　Acropolis　and　had　referred；　in　the　hearing　of　the　most　eminently　dull　of　the　many　distinguished　members　of　that　club；　to　the　possibility　of　a　girl's　experiences　of　man　being　likened　to　an　astronomer　without　a　telescope；　that　he　felt　himself　again。

The　dull　distinguished　man　had　smiled。



CHAPTER　II。

HE　KNEW　THAT　IT　WAS　A　TROUBLESOME　PROCESS；　BECOMING　A　GOOD　CLERGYMAN；　SO　HE　DETERMINED　TO　BECOME　A　GOOD　PREACHER　INSTEAD。

Phyllis　sat　alone　in　one　of　the　drawing　rooms；　waiting　until　the　hour　of　four　should　arrive　and　bring　into　her　presence　the　Rev。　George　Holland；　to　plead　his　cause　to　herto　plead　to　be　returned　to　her　favor。　He　had　written　to　her　to　say　that　he　would　make　such　an　attempt。

She　had　looked　on　him　with　favor　for　several　monthswith　especial　favor　for　three　months；　for　three　months　had　just　passed　since　she　had　promised　to　marry　him；　believing　that　to　be　the　wife　of　a　clergyman　who；　though　still　young；　had　two　curates　to　do　the　rough　work　for　him　clerical　charwomen；　so　to　speakwould　make　her　the　happiest　of　womankind。　Mr。　Holland　was　rector　of　St。　Chad's；　Battenberg　Square；　and　he　was　thought　very　highly　of　even　by　his　own　curates；　who　intoned　all　the　commonplace；　everyday　prayers　in　the　liturgy　for　him；　leaving　him　to　do　all　the　high…class　ones；　and　to　repeat　the　Commandments。　（A　rector　cannot　be　expected　to　do　journeyman's　work；　as　it　were；　and　it　is　understood　that　a　bishop　will　only　be　asked　to　intone　three　short　prayers；　those　from　behind　a　barrier；　too；　an　archbishop　refuses　to　do　more　than　pronounce　the　benediction。）

The　Rev。　George　Holland　was　a　good…looking　man　of　perhaps　a　year　or　two　over　thirty。　He　did　not　come　of　a　very　good　familya　fact　which　probably　accounted　for　his　cleverness　at　Oxford　and　in　the　world。　He　was　a　Fellow　of　his　college；　though　he　had　not　been　appointed　rector　of　St。　Chad's　for　this　reason。　The　appointment；　as　is　well　known　（in　the　Church；　at　any　rate）；　is　the　gift　of　the　Earl　of　Earlscourt；　and　it　so　happened　that；　when　at　college　together；　George　Holland　had　saved　the　young　man　who　a　year　or　two　afterward　became　Earl　of　Earlscourt　from　a　very　great　misfortune。　The　facts　of　the　case　were　these：　Tommy　Trebovoir；　as　he　was　then；　had　made　up　his　mind　to　marry　a　lady　whose　piquant　style　of　beauty　made　the　tobacconist's　shop　where　she　served　the　most　popular　in　town。　By　the　exercise　of　a　great　deal　of　diplomacy　and　the　expenditure　of　a　little　money；　Mr。　Holland　brought　about　a　match　between　her　and　quite　another　mana　man　who　was　not　even　on　a　subsidiary　path　to　a　peerage；　and　whose　only　connection　with　the　university　was　due　to　his　hiring　out　horses　to　those　whom　he　called　the　〃young　gents。〃　Tommy　was　so　indignant　with　his　friend　for　the　part　he　had　played　in　this　transaction　he　ceased　to　speak　to　him；　and　went　the　length　of　o