phyllis of philistia-第15章

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　strategist；〃　said　the　explorer。　〃No；　they　wanted　something　beyond　the　mere　fighting　man　to　worship；　and　my　knowledge　of　that　fact　combined　with　their　paeans　of　victoryto　the　/obbligato/　of　a　solid　iron…wood　drum　beaten　with　the　thigh　bones　of　the　conqueredto　keep　me　awake　at　night。　But　one　morning　the　headman　came　upon　me　when　I　was　about　to　boil　my　kettle　to　make　myself　a　cup　of　tea。　I　had　a　small　lamp　that　burned　spirits；　and　he　stood　by　while　I　filled　it　up　from　the　bottle　that　I　carried　with　me。　He　took　it　for　granted　that　the　spirit　was　water；　and　he　was　greatly　impressed　when　he　saw　it　flare　up　as　I　applied　a　lighted　match　to　it。　He　asked　me　if　I　possessed　the　power　to　set　water　in　a　blaze；　and　I　assured　him　that　that　was　something　for　which　I　had　long　been　celebrated；　adding　that　when　I　had　had　my　breakfast　I　meant　to　while　away　an　hour　or　two　by　setting　fire　to　the　ocean　itself。　He　implored　of　me　to　reconsider　my　decision；　and　when　I　had　poured　a　little　spirit　into　the　hollow　of　my　hand　and　lighted　it　in　the　presence　of　his　most　eminent　scientists；　they　said　that　they　also　desired　to　associate　themselves　with　the　headman's　petition。　I　was；　however；　inexorable；　I　walked　down　to　the　beach　and　had　just　struck　a　match　on　the　brink　of　the　ocean　when　the　whole　tribe　prostrated　themselves　around　me；　promising　to　continue　worshiping　me　if　I　would　only　stay　my　hand。　Well；　what　could　I　do？　I　weakly　yielded　and　spared　the　multitudinous　sea　from　being　the　medium　of　what　would　in　all　likelihood　have　been　the　greatest　conflagration　on　record。　From　that　moment；　I'm　happy　to　say；　they　worshiped　me　as　their　supreme　deity；　and　I'm　bound　to　say　that　I　behaved　as　such；　I　was　certainly　the　most　superior　class　of　god　they　had　ever　had；　and　they　gave　me　a　testimonial　to　this　effect　in　case　I　might　ever　be　looking　out　for　a　new　situation。〃

〃That　was　how　you　managed　to　get　such　a　collection　of　birds；　including　my　meteor…bird；〃　said　Ella。　〃But　Phyllis　of　Philistia　is　shocked　at　the　bare　recital　of　such　a　tale　of　idolatry。　Are　you　not；　Phyllis？〃

〃I　think　I　am　a　little　shocked；〃　said　Phyllis。　She　did　not　say　that　her　first　thought　just　then　was　that　the　feather　fan　was　not；　after　all；　the　price　of　blood：　it　was　something　much　worse。　〃It　was　an　encouragement　of　idolatry；　was　it　not；　Mr。　Courtland？〃

〃Scarcely；〃　said　he。　〃On　the　contrary；　it　was　an　honest　attempt　to　lead　them　from　their　idols　to　something　higher　and　better。〃

〃You　are　something　higher　and　better；〃　suggested　Ella。

〃Quite　so；　I　am　a　little　lower　than　the　angels；　but　a　good　deal　higher　than　the　awful　image　which　they　worshiped　before　I　turned　up；〃　said　he。　〃The　whole　tribe　admitted　in　the　most　honorable　manner　that　I　was　by　far　the　best　god　they　had　ever　had；　they　had　not　an　unlucky　day　so　long　as　they　worshiped　me；　and　I　retained　my　Winchester　and　a　full　supply　of　cartridges。〃

〃The　testimony　was　flattering；〃　said　Ella。　〃But　still　Phyllis　is　shocked。〃

〃I　am；〃　said　Phyllis。　〃I　believe　in　God。　Mr。　Courtland　believes　in　a　Principle。〃

〃Anyhow；　I　led　some　thousands　of　savages　from　idolatry　and　cannibalism　to　something　higher；　and　that's　a　better　record　than　most　gods　of　my　acquaintance　can　show。　Everything　must　be　done　gradually　to　be　done　permanently。　Nothing　could　be　more　absurd　than　the　/modus　operandi/　of　your　missionary。　Most　of　them　have　got　rid　of　their　Christianity　to　make　way　for　their　theology。　They　endeavor　to　inculcate　upon　the　natives　the　most　subtle　points　of　their　theological　system；　immediately　after　they　have　preached　against　the　wickedness　of　economy　in　the　matter　of　clothing。〃

〃A　large　missionary　work　might　be　done　among　husbands　at　home；〃　said　Ella。　〃But　what　about　the　dynamite；　that　is　the　charge　which　still　hands　over　youa　charge　of　dynamite？〃

〃That　was　my　worst　hour；〃　said　Courtland。　〃I　had　gone　up　the　Fly　River　in　my　steam　launch　to　a　point　never　previously　reached　by　a　European。　I　was　fortunate　enough　to　get　some　specimens　that　had　never　been　seen　before；　and　I　was　returning　to　the　coast。　My　engineer　and　I　were　captured　when　ashore　one　night　getting　fuel　for　our　furnace。　They　took　us　into　the　forest　a　long　way；　binding　our　hands　with　the　fiber　of　one　of　the　creepers；　and　I　had　no　trouble　whatever　gathering　that　it　was　their　intention　to　make　a　feast　of　usa　sort　of　high　tea；　it　was　to　be；　for　they　began　brewing　the　herbs　which　I　knew　they　used　only　when　they　were　cannibalizing。　We　were　courteously　permitted　to　watch　these　preparations；　for　it　was　rightly　assumed　that　they　would　be　in　some　degree　interesting　to　us。　We　were；　indeed；　greatly　interested　in　all　we　saw；　but　much　more　so　when；　toward　evening；　a　number　of　the　natives　arrived　on　the　scene　carrying　with　them　some　of　the　stores　which　they　had　found　aboard　the　steam　launch。　They　broke　open　with　a　stone　hatchet　some　tins　of　preserved　meat；　and　seemed　to　enjoy　the　contents　greatly。　The　biscuits　they　didn't　care　for　much；　and　the　cakes　of　soap　which　they　began　to　eat　could　not　honestly　be　said　to　be　an　entire　success　as　comestibles。　But　while　we　watched　them　at　these　/hors　d'oeuvres/　to　the　banquet　at　which　we　were　expected　to　take　a　prominent　part；　a　straggler　came　up　with　some　reserve　supplies；　I　saw　them；　tins　of　dynamitewe　carried　dynamite　for　blowing　up　the　snags　that　obstructed　the　narrower　reaches　of　the　river。　We　watched　the　thieves　crowd　around　the　bearer　of　the　tins；　and　we　saw　that　the　general　impression　that　prevailed　in　regard　to　them　was　that　they　had　come　upon　some　of　the　most　highly　concentrated　beef　they　had　ever　had　in　their　hands。　When　they　laid　the　tins　among　the　hot　ashes　of　their　fires　and　began　to　break　them　open　with　their　stone　hatchets；　my　engineer　thought　with　me　that　all　the　interest　there　would　be　in　the　subsequent　proceedings　could　not　possibly　compensate　us　for　the　waste　of　precious　time　which　would　be　entailed　by　our　remaining。　We　bolted　in　spite　of　our　fettered　hands；　but　before　we　had　got　more　than　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　from　the　camp；　there　took　place　the　severest　earthquake；　coincidental　with　a　thunderstorm　and　the　salute　of　a　battery　of　a　thousand　heavy　guns。　We　were　whirled　into　the　air　like　feathers　in　a　breeze；　but　managed　to　clingour　bonds　being　brokento　some　of　the　boughs　among　which　we　found　ourselves。　Shortly　afterward；　a　quarter　of　an　hour　or　so；　there　came　on　the　heaviest　shower　I　had　ever　experienced。　Such　a　downpour　of　branches　of　trees；　gnarled　roots；　broken　fruits；　birds'　feathers；　mutilated　apes　of　many　species；　and　well；　anatomical　specimens！　It　went　on　and　on　until　the　boughs　around　us　were　made　into　splinters　and　we　were　beaten　to　the　ground　with　the　force　of　those　missiles；　all　the　dense　forest　around　us　echoing　to　the　shrieks　of　the　lories　and　parrots；　the　monkeys　and　the　wildcats。〃

〃And　now　the　missionaries；〃　said　Ella；　after　a　pause。

〃And　what　happened　after　that？〃　whispered　Phyllis。

He　shook　his　head。

〃After　that　we　came　away；〃　he　said。　〃We　couldn't　see　that　there　was　any　need　for　us　to　stay　loafing　about　the　forest　when　we　had　our　business　to　mind　in　another　direction。　It　took　us　two　days；　however；　finding　our　launch。〃

〃And　that　is　what　the　missionaries　call　your　dynamite　outrage　against　the　natives？〃　said　Ella。

〃So　it　would　seem；〃　said　he。　〃I　suppose　they　managed　to　get　some　account　of　the　business；　one　can't　hush　up　a　dynamite　outrage　even　in　the　interior　of　New　Guinea。〃

〃But　what　a　gross　misrepresentation　of　facts　it　was　to　say　that　you　had　massacred　the　natives；〃　cried　Phyllis　indignantly。

He　laughed　with　a　shrug。

〃Oh；　we　must　all　live；〃　he　said。

〃Unless　those　who　treat　tins　of　dynamite　as　though　they　were　tins　of　brawn；〃　said　Ella。　Then　turning　to　Phyllis　she　smiled。

Phyllis　had　no　difficulty　interpreting　the　smile。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃your　opinion　was　quite　correct：　Mr。　Courtland　doesn't　care　what　people　say；　and　it　doesn't　matter　in　the　least　what　they　do　say；　or　what　falsehoods　are　spread　abroad。〃

〃Not　in　the　smallest　degree；〃　said　Ella。　〃Herbert　Courtland　is　still　Herbert　Courtland。〃

〃But　so　far　as　I　can　gather；〃　said　Mr。　Courtland；　〃all　that　the　missionaries　said　of　me　was　substantially　correct。〃

〃Read　the　paper　and　you　will　see　how　detestably　false　all　the　charges　are；〃　cried　Phyllis；　rising；the　servants　had　now　left　the　room；and　picking　up　the　/Spiritual　Aneroid/　from　where　Ella　had　laid　it　on　a　chair。

Herbert　Courtland　had　not　yet　opened　it。　He　took　it　from　her；　saying：

〃Thank　you；　Miss　Ayrton。　But　I　really　don't　see　that　it　concerns　me　very　much　whether　or　not　the　charges　brought　against　me　are　true　or　false。　The　matter　is　certainly　one　for　thetheah/Spiritual　Aneroid/　and　its　special　/clientele/。〃

〃But　a　question　is　to　be　asked　about　it　in　the　House　of　Commons。　I　said　so　just　now；〃　cried　Phyllis。

〃And　even　the　House　of　Commons　doesn't　matter　much；〃　said　Ella。

〃That　is　what　papa　thought；〃　said　Phyllis　meekly。　〃Only　I　know　that　if　Mr。　Courtland　thought　it　worth　noticing；　papa　would　be　quite　pleased　to　put　a　counter　question。　That　is　why　I　came　here　to…day。〃

〃It　was　so　good　of　you；〃　said　the　man。

〃My　Phyllis　is　all　that　is　good。　Let　us　return　to　the　drawing　room；〃　said　Ella；　rising。

They　returned　to　the　drawing　room；　but　when　they　had　been　in　the　apartment　for　perhaps　four　minutes；　certainly　not　five；　Phyllis　said　it　was　necessary　for　her　to　hurry　home　in　order　that　the　afternoon　letters　should　be　sent　to　her　father　at　the　House。

With　another　word　of　appreciation　of　her　kindness；　Mr。　Courtland　held　her　hand　a　second　longer　than　was　absolutely　necessary　to　maintain　a　character　for　civility。

〃She　is　the　most　charming　girl　in　the　world；〃　remarked　Ella　to　the　visitor；　who　remained　when　Phyllis　had　left。

〃Is　she？〃　said　he。

〃I　know　it。　Don't　you？〃　asked　she。

〃How　do　I　know？〃　he　said。　〃I　have　thought　nothing　about　it。　If　you　say　she　is　charming；　I　am　pleased　to　hear　it。　It　matters　no　more　to　me　that　the　world　is　full　of　charming　girls　than　that　the　kraken　is　still　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　One　woman　fills　all　my　thoughts。　My　heart　is　full　of　her。〃

〃And　you　want　her　to　risk　the　salvation　of　her　soul　for　you？〃

〃Yes；　that　is　just　what　I　want。〃

He　remained　with　her　for　another　hour。



CHAPTER　XIV。

THE　HONORABLE　MEMBER　IS　CLEARLY　OUT　OF　ORDER。

Mr。　Ayrton　met　his　daughter　the　next　morning　with　the　good　news　that　he　had　found　among　his　specimen　cases　of　phrases；　one　that　would　effectually　silence　the　member　from　Wales　who　had　been　nominated　by　the　Nonconformist　Eastern　Missionary　Society　to　put　that　question　to　the　minister　of　the　Annexation　Department　on　the　subject　of　Mr。　Courtland；　the　explorer。　Mr。　Ayrton　was　the　better　pleased　at　his　discovery；　because　of　the　inoffensive　nature　of　the　phrase　which　he　had　taken　out　of　its　case；　so　to　speak。　As　a　rule；　he　did　not　mind　being　offensive　if　only　his　phrase　was　apt。　Only　people　who　had　no　artistic　appreciation　found　fault　with　the　tone　of　some　of　his　most　notable　phrases。　He　did　not　mind　whether　they　were　just　or　unjust；　they　said。　As　if　a　man　can　be　both　honest　and　witty　at　the　same　time！

It　so　happened；　however；　that　the　party　to　which　Mr。　Ayrton　belonged　had　become　greatly　concerned　in　respect　of　an　element　that　had　just　come　to　the　surface　to　still　further　complicate　the　course　of　politics。