phyllis of philistia-第42章

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inton　as　joint　trustees。

The　codicil　was；　of　course；　a　very　recent　one；　but　it　was　executed　in　proper　form；　it　required　two　pages　of　engrossing　to　make　the　testator's　desires　plain　to　every　intelligence　that　had　received　a　thorough　training　in　legal　technicalities。　It　was　susceptible　of　a　good　deal　of　interpretation　to　an　ordinary　intelligence。

When　it　was　explained　to　Mrs。　Linton；　she　also　was　at　first　a　good　deal　surprised。　It　read　very　like　a　jest　of　some　subtlety：　for　she　had　no　idea　that　her　husband　had　the　slightest　feeling　one　way　or　another　on　the　subject　of　the　development　of　one　Church　or　another；　and　as　for　the　establishment　of　an　entirely　new　Churchyes；　it　struck　her　at　first　that　her　solicitor　was　making　a　bold　and　certainly　quite　an　unusual　attempt　to　cheer　her　up　in　her　bereavement　by　bringing　under　her　notice　a　jest　of　the　order　/pachydermato/。

But　soon　it　dawned　upon　her　that　her　husband　meant　a　good　deal　by　this　codicil　of　his。

〃I　am　getting　to　understand　him　better　every　day；〃　she　said　to　Phyllis。　〃He　knew　that　I　loved　him　and　him　only。　He　has　given　me　this　work　to　do；　and　with　God's　help　I　will　do　it　thoroughly。　You　did　not　believe　in　the　value　of　George　Holland's　doctrines。　Neither　did　I：　I　never　thought　about　them。　I　will　accept　my　husband's　judgment　regarding　them；　and　perhaps　I　may　think　about　them　later　on。　Our　Church　will　be　the　most　potent　influence　for　good　that　the　century　has　yet　seen。　Yes；　I　will　throw　myself　heart　and　soul　into　the　work。　After　all；　it　must　be　admitted　that　the　Church　has　never　done　its　duty　as　a　Church。〃

Phyllis　said　nothing。

But　the　Rev。　George　Holland　had　a　good　deal　to　say　on　the　subject　of　the　codicil；　when　he　was　alone　with　Mrs。　Linton；　a　few　days　later。　He　had　by　no　means　made　up　his　mind　to　sever　his　connection　with　the　dear　old　mother　Church；　he　said。　He　could　not　see　that　there　was　any　need　for　his　taking　so　serious　a　stepan　irrevocable　step。　It　was　his　feeling　at　that　moment；　he　declared；　that　he　might　be　able　to　effect　the　object　of　his　lifewhich　was；　of　course；　the　reform　of　the　Church　better　by　remaining　within　its　walls　than　by　severing　himself　from　it。　He　must　take　time　to　consider　his　position。

He　left　Mrs。　Linton　greatly　disappointed。　It　had　been　her　belief　that　Mr。　Holland　would　jump　at　the　chancethat　was　the　phrase　which　she　employed　in　expressing　her　disappointment　to　Phyllisof　becoming　the　founder　of　a　brand…new　religion。

She　was　greatly　disappointed　in　Mr。　Holland。　If　Buddha　or　Edward　Irving；　or　some　of　the　other　founders　of　new　religions　had　had　such　a　chance　offered　to　them　in　early　life；　would　they　not　have　embraced　it　eagerly？　she　asked。

And　it　was　to　be　such　a　striking　Church！　She　had　made　up　her　mind　to　that。　It　was　to　be　a　lasting　memorial　to　the　largeness　of　soul　of　her　husbandto　his　appreciation　of　the　requirements　of　the　thinking　men　and　women　of　the　age。　She　had　made　up　her　mind　already　as　to　the　character　of　the　painted　windows。　The　church　would　itself；　of　course；　be　the　purest　Gothic。　As　for　the　services；　she　rather　thought　that　the　simplicity　of　the　Early　Church　might　be　effectively　combined　with　some　of　the　most　striking　elements　of　Modern　Ritualism。　However；　that　would　have　to　be　decided　later　on。

But　when　the　bishop　heard　of　the　codicil　he　had　another　interview　with　George　Holland；　and　imparted　to　that　young　cleric　his　opinion　that　he　should　avail　himself　of　the　opportunity　offered　to　him　of　trying　what　would　undoubtedly　be　a　most　interesting　experiment；　and　one　to　the　carrying　out　of　which　all　true　churchmen　would　look　forward　most　hopefully。　Who　could　say；　he　inquired；　if　the　larger　freedom　which　would　be　enjoyed　by　an　earnest；　sincere；　and　highly　intellectual　clergyman；　not　in　immediate　contact　with　the　Establishment；　might　not　avail　him　to　perfect　such　a　scheme　of　reform　as　would　eventually　be　adopted　by　the　Church？

That　interview　was　very　helpful　to　George　Holland　in　making　up　his　mind　on　the　subject　of　the　new　Church。　He　resigned　his　pastorate；　greatly　to　the　regret　of　the　churchwardens；　though　no　expression　of　such　regret　was　ever　heard　from　the　bishop。

But　then　a　bishop　is　supposed　to　have　his　feeling　thoroughly　under　control。

This　happened　three　weeks　after　the　death　of　Stephen　Linton；　and　during　these　weeks　Herbert　Courtland　had　never　once　asked　to　see　Ella　Linton。



CHAPTER　XXXVI。

MARRIAGE　IS　THE　PICTURESQUE　GATEWAY　LEADING　TO　A　COMMONPLACE　ESTATE。

So　soon　as　Phyllis　Ayrton　had　returned　home；　she　got　a　letter　from　Herbert　Courtland；　asking　her　if　she　would　be　good　enough　to　grant　him　an　interview。　She　replied　at　once　that　it　would　please　her　very　much　to　see　him　on　the　following　afternoonshe　was　going　to　Scotland　with　her　father　in　a　week；　if　Parliament　had　risen　by　that　time。

He　came　to　her。　She　was　alone　in　the　drawing　room　where　she　had　always　received　him　previously。

The　servant　had　scarcely　left　the　room　before　he　had　told　her　he　had　come　to　tell　her　that　he　loved　herto　ask　her　if　he　might　hope　to　have　some　of　her　love　in　return。

He　had　not　seated　himself；　nor　had　she。　They　remained　standing　together　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　He　had　not　even　retained　her　hand。

〃Why　have　you　come　to　meto　/me/？〃　she　asked　him。　Her　face　was　pale　and　her　lips；　when　he　had　been　speaking　to　her；　were　firmly　set。

〃I　have　come　to　you；　not　because　I　am　worthy　of　the　priceless　gift　of　your　love；〃　said　he；　〃but　because　you　have　taught　me　not　merely　to　love　youyou　have　taught　me　what　love　itself　is。　You　have　saved　my　soul。〃

〃No；　no！　do　not　say　that；　it　pains　me；〃　she　cried。

〃I　cannot　but　say　it；　it　is　the　truth。　You　have　saved　me　from　a　degradation　such　as　you　could　not　understand。　Great　God！　how　should　I　feel　to…day　if　you　had　not　come　forward　to　save　me？〃

He　walked　away　from　her。　He　stood　with　his　back　turned　to　her；　looking　out　of　the　window。

She　remained　where　he　had　left　her。　She　did　not　speak。　Why　should　she　speak？

He　suddenly　faced　her　once　again。　The　expression　upon　his　face　astonished　her。　She　had　never　before　seen　a　man　so　completely　in　the　power　of　a　strong　emotion。　She　saw　him　making　the　attempt　to　speak；　but　not　succeeding　for　some　time。　Her　heart　was　full　of　pity　for　him。

〃Youyou　cannot　understand；〃　he　managed　to　say。　〃You　cannot　understand；　and　I　cannot；　I　dare　not；　try　to　explain　anything　of　the　peril　from　which　you　snatched　me。　You　know　nothing　of　the　baseness；　the　cruelty；　of　a　man　who　allows　himself　to　be　swayed　by　his　own　passions。　But　you　saved　meyou　saved　me！〃

〃I　thank　God　for　that；〃　she　said　slowly。　〃But　you　must　not　come　to　me　to　ask　me　for　my　love。　It　is　not　to　me　you　should　come。　It　is　for　her　who　was　ready　to　sacrifice　everything　for　you。　You　must　go　to　her　when　the　time　comes；　not　nowshe　has　not　recovered　from　her　shock。〃

〃You　knowshe　has　told　you？〃

〃I　knew　all　that　terrible　storythat　pitiful　storybefore　I　heard　it　from　her　lips。〃

〃And　yetyetyou　could　speak　to　meyou　could　be　with　me　day　after　day？〃

〃Oh；　I　know　what　you　would　say！　You　would　say　that　I　led　you　onthat　I　gave　you　to　believe　that　I　loved　you。　That　is　what　you　would　say；　and　it　would　be　the　truth。　I　made　up　my　mind　to　lead　you　on；　I　gave　you　to　understand　that　I　cared　for　you。　But　I　confess　to　you　now　that　I　did　so　because　I　hoped　to　save　her。　You　see　it　was　a　plot　on　my　part　the　plot　of　one　woman　anxious　to　save　her　sister　from　destruction。　I　succeeded。　Thank　God　for　thatthank　God　for　that！〃

〃You　succeededyou　succeeded　indeed。〃　He　spoke　slowly　and　in　a　low　tone；　his　eyes　fixed　upon　her　burning　face。　〃Yes；　you　led　me　onyou　led　me　from　earth　to　heaven。　You　saved　heryou　saved　me。　That　is　why　I　am　here　to…day。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　not　here　you　should　be；　Mr。　Courtland。〃　She　had　turned　quickly　away　from　him　with　a　gesture　of　impatience　and　had　walked　to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　There　was　more　than　a　suspicion　of　indignation　in　her　voice。　〃You　should　be　with　the　woman　whom　you　loved；　the　woman　who　showed　you　how　she　loved　you；　the　woman　who　was　ready　to　give　up　everythinghonorhusbandGodfor　you。　Go　to　her　to　herwhen　the　numbness　has　passed　away　from　her；　and　there　is　no　barrier　between　you　and　her。　That　is　all　I　have　to　say　to　you；　Mr。　Courtland。〃

〃Is　it　indeed　all；　Phyllis？〃　he　said。　〃But　you　will　let　me　speak　to　you。　You　will　let　me　ask　if　Ella　alone　was　ready　to　sacrifice　herself？　You　say　that　you　led　me　to　love　you　in　order　to　save　her。　How　did　you　lead　me　on？　By　giving　me　to　understand　that　you　were　not　indifferent　to　methat　you　had　some　love　for　me。　Let　me　ask　you　if　you　were　acting　a　lie　at　that　time？〃

〃I　wanted　to　save　her。〃

〃And　you　succeeded。　Were　you　acting　a　lie？〃

She　was　silent。

〃You　were　willing　to　save　her？〃　he　continued。　〃How　did　you　mean　to　save　her？　Were　you　prepared　to　go　to　the　length　of　marrying　me　when　I　had　been　led　on　to　that　point　by　you？　Answer　me；　Phyllis。〃

〃I　will　not　answer　you；　Mr。　Courtlandyou　have　no　right　to　ask　me　to　answer　you。　One　terrible　moment　had　changed　all　the　conditions　under　which　we　were　living。　If　she　had　been　free；as　she　is　now；do　you　fancy　for　a　moment　that　I　should　have　come　between　youthat　I　should　have　tried　to　lead　you　away　from　her？　Well；　then；　surely　you　must　see　as　clearly　as　I　do　at　the　present　moment　that　now　our　relative　positions　are　the　same　as　they　would　have　been　some　months　ago；　if　Ella　had　been　freeif　she　could　have　loved　you　without　being　guilty　of　a　crime？　Oh；　Mr。　Courtland　do　not　ask　me　to　humiliate　myself　further。　Please　go　away。　Ah；　cannot　you　see　that　it　would　be　impossible　for　me　to　act　now　as　I　might　have　acted　before？　Cannot　you　see　that　I　am　not　a　woman　who　would　be　ready　to　steal　happiness　for　myself　from　my　dearest　friend？〃

〃I　think　I　am　beginning　to　see　what　sort　of　woman　you　arewhat　sort　of　a　being　a　woman　may　be。　You　love　me；　Phyllis；　and　yet　you　will　send　me　away　from　you　lest　you　should　do　Ella　a　wrong？〃

〃I　implore　of　you　to　go　away　from　me；　because　if　Ella　had　been　free　a　month　ago　as　she　is　to…day；　she　would　have　married　you。〃

〃But　she　fancied　that　she　loved　me　a　month　ago。　She　knows　that　she　does　not　love　me　now。　You　love　meyou；　Phyllis；　my　love；　my　beloved；　you　dare　not　say　that　when　you　led　me　to　love　you；　you　were　not　led　unthinkingly　to　love　me　yourself。　Will　you　deny　that；　my　darling？〃

He　had　strode　passionately　up　to　her；　and　before　she　could　resist　he　had　put　his　arms　about　her　and　was　kissing　her　on　the　face。　For　a　moment　only　she　resisted；　then　she　submitted　to　his　kisses。

〃You　are　mineminemine！〃　he　whispered；　and　she　knew　that　she　was。　She　now　knew　how　to　account　for　the　brilliant　successes　of　the　man　in　places　where　every　other　civilized　man　had　perished。　He　was　a　master　of　men。　〃You　love　me；　darling；　and　I　love　you。　What　shall　separate　us？〃

With　a　little　cry　she　freed　herself。

〃You　have　said　the　truth！〃　she　cried；　〃the　bitter　truth。　I　love　you！　I　love　you！　I　love　you！　You　are　my　love；　my　darling；　my　king　forever。　But　I　tell　you　to　go　from　me。　I　tell　you　that　I　shall　never　steal　from　any　sister　what　is　hers　by　right。　I　would　have　sacrificed　myselfI　did　not　love　you　thento　keep　you　from　her；　I　am　now　ready　to　sacrifice　myselfnow　that　I　love　youto　give　you　to　her。　Ah；　my　love；　my　own　dear　love；　you　know　me；　and　you　know　that　I　should　hate　myselfthat　I　should　hate　y