phyllis of philistia-第6章

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Only　for　an　instant　did　she　become　thoughtful。　Then　she　sprang　to　her　feet　from　the　sofa　on　which　she　had　thrown　herself　when　her　tears　were　threatening；　and　cried：

〃Let　them　have　himlet　them　all　have　himallall！〃

That　would　have　been　absurd。



CHAPTER　VI。

IF　A　GIRL　REALLY　LOVES　A　MAN　SHE　WILL　MARRY　HIM；　EVEN　THOUGH　HE　SHOULD　WRITE　A　BOOK。

Phyllis　meant　the　half　hour　which　would　elapse　before　her　tea　was　brought　to　her　to　be　a　very　grateful　space。　She　meant　to　dwell　upon　the　achievement　of　her　freedom；　for　the　feeling　that　she　was　free　was　very　sweet　to　her。　The　fetters　that　had　bound　her　had　been　flung　away；　and　she　now　only　had　a　splendid　sense　of　freedom。　So　sweet　was　this　sense　that　she　made　up　her　mind　that　in　future　it　would　never　do　for　her　to　run　any　such　risk　as　that　to　which　she　had　just　subjected　herself。　How　could　she　ever　have　been　such　a　fool　as　to　promise　to　marry　George　Holland？　That　was　what　she　was　asking　herself　as　she　lay　back　on　the　pillows　of　the　French　sofa；　and　listened　to　the　soft　sound　of　the　carriage　wheels　of　the　callers　at　the　other　houses　in　the　square。

What　a　singular　wish　that　was　of　hersto　become　the　wife　of　a　clergyman！　It　seemed　very　singular　to　her　just　now。　Just　now　she　did　not　want　to　become　the　wife　of　anyone；　and　she　hoped　that　no　one　would　ask　her。　She　did　not　want　the　worry　of　it。　Ah；　she　would　be　very　careful　in　the　future：　she　would　take　very　good　care　that　the　fact　of　other　girls　wanting　to　marry　one　particular　man　would　not　make　her　anxious　to　have　him　all　to　herself。

Before　her　resolutions　on　this　very　important　point　had　been　fully　considered　in　all　their　bearings；　her　maid　entered　to　ask　if　she　was　at　home。　The　butler　had　sent　a　footman　to　her　to　make　that　inquiry；　the　fact　being　that　her　particular　friend；　Mrs。　Linton；　had　called　to　see　her。

Phyllis　jumped　up；　saying：

〃Of　course　I　am　home　to　Mrs。　Linton。　She　will　have　tea　with　me。〃

She　went　to　a　glass　to　see　if　the　tears　which　had　been　in　her　eyes　they　had　not　fallenhad　left　any　traces　that　the　acuteness　of　Ella　Linton　might　detect。　The　result　of　her　observation　was　satisfactory；　she　would　not　even　need　to　sit　with　her　back　to　the　light。

Then　Mrs。　Linton　was　announced；　and　flowed　into　the　arms　of　her　friend　Phyllis；　crying：

〃Of　course　I　knew　that　you　would　be　at　home　to　me；　my　beloved；　even　though　you　might　be　in　the　midst　of　one　of　those　brilliant　speeches　which　you　write　out　for　your　father　to　deliver　in　the　House　and　cause　people　to　fancy　that　he　is　the　wittiest　man　in　placeso　unlike　that　dreadful　teetotal　man　who　grins　through　the　horse　collar　and　thinks　that　people　are　imposed　on。　Now　let　me　look　at　you；　you　lucky　girl！　You　are　a　lucky　girl；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Phyllis；　〃you　have　called　on　me。　We　shall　have　tea　in　a　minute。　How　good　of　you　to　come　to　me　the　first　day　you　arrived　in　town！　How　well　you　are　looking；　my　Ella！〃

〃So　glad　you　think　so；〃　said　Ella。　〃I　haven't　aged　much　during　the　eight　months　we　have　been　apart。　I　have　had　a　very　good　time　on　the　whole；　and　so　had　Stephen；　though　he　was　with　me　for　close　upon　a　month；　poor　little　man！　But　it　is　you；　Phyllis；　it　is　you　who　are　the　girl　of　the　hour。　Heavens！　you　were　farsighted！　Who　could　have　imagined　that　he　would　become　so　famous　all　in　a　moment？　I　must　confess　that　when　you　wrote　to　me　that　letter　telling　me　of　your　engagement；　and　how　happy　you　were；　I　was　a　little　cross。　I　could　not　clearly　see　you　the　wife　of　a　parson；　even　so　presentable　a　parson　as　Mr。　Holland。　Oh；　of　course　I　wrote　you　the　usual　exuberant　letter　what　would　be　the　good　of　doing　anything　else？　But　now　that　he　has　become　famousOh；　I　want　you　to　bring　him　with　you　to　my　first　At　HomeTuesday　week。　It's　very　short　notice；　I　know；　but　you　must　come；　and　bring　him。　You　are　both　certain　to　be　in　great　demand。　Why　do　you　shake　your　head　that　way？　You　need　not　say　that　you　are　engaged　for　Tuesday　week。〃

〃I　will　not　say　that　I　am　engaged　at　all；　in　any　sense；〃　said　Phyllis；　with　a　very　shallow　laugh；　at　laugh　that　sounded　like　a　ripple　among　pebbles；　her　usual　laugh　was　like　a　ripple　upon　a　silver　sand。

〃In　any　sensefor　Tuesday　week？〃

Ella　raised　her　eyebrows　to　the　extent　of　the　eighth　of　an　inch。　She　lowered　them　in　a　moment；　however；　for　the　tea　was　being　brought　in。　It　required　two　able…bodied　men　（in　plush）　to　carry　in　a　dainty　little　silver　tray；　with　a　little　silver　tea…pot　of　a　pattern　that　silversmiths；　for　reasons　which　have　never　been　fully　explained；　call　〃Queen　Anne。〃　One　of　the　men；　however；　devoted　himself　to　the　care　of　the　hot　cakes　of　various　subtle　types　which　were　inclosed　in　silver　covered　dishes。

With　the　lowering　of　her　eyebrows　Mrs。　Linton's　voice　lost　its　previous　inflection。

〃I　have　been　fortunate　enough　to　hit　upon　something　distinctly　new　in　that　way〃she　indicated　the　muffin　dishes。　〃A　cake　that　may　be　eaten　hot　without　removing　one's　gloves。〃

〃What　a　boon！〃　cried　Phyllis。　〃You　got　it　at　Vienna；　of　course。〃

〃Of　course。　You　will　learn　all　about　it　when　you　come。〃

The　able…bodied　men　withdrew；　and　before　the　door　was　quite　closed　behind　them；　Ella　was　gazing　at　her　friend；　her　face　alight　with　inquiry。

〃Now　pray　explain　yourself；〃　she　whispered。　〃Not　engaged　in　any　sense　those　were　your　words。　What　do　they　mean？〃

〃Take　them　literally；　my　Ella；〃　said　Phyllis。

〃Literally？　But　you　wrote　to　me　that　you　had　engaged　yourself　to　marry　Mr。　Holland？〃

〃And　now　I　tell　you　by　word　of　mouth　that　I　have　disengaged　myself。〃

〃Good　Heavens！　You；　I　fancied；　would　be　the　last　girl　in　the　world　to　promise　to　marry　a　man　and　then　back　out　of　it。〃

〃That　was　what　I　myself　fancied　up　till　Monday　last。〃

〃But　how　can　you　have　changed　your　mind？　Isn't　it　very　unfortunate　just　when　the　man　has　become　famous？〃

〃How　could　it　be　otherwise；　Ella；　when　the　man　wrote　so　horrible　a　book　as　that？〃

〃Horrible？　Is　it　horrible？　I　had　no　idea。　I'm　no　judge　of　what　is　horrible　in　theology；　or　metaphysics；　or　whatever　it　is。　But　I　do　profess　to　know　when　a　man　has　made　a　hit；　whether　in　theology　or　anything　else；　and　I　perceive　quite　clearly　that　your　Mr。　Holland　well；　not　your　Mr。　Holland；　has　made　a　distinct　hit。　What　sort　of　face　is　that　you're　making　at　me？　Oh；　I　see。　It's　the　face　of　the　orthodox　at　the　mention　of　something　not　quite　orthodox。　Pshut！　don't　be　a　goose；　Phyllis。〃

〃I　don't　intend。　Have　I　not　told　you　that　I'm　not　going　to　marry　Mr。　Holland？〃

〃That　is　like　one　of　the　phrases　which　you　give　to　your　father；　so　that　the　people　might　think　him　clever。　Orthodox！　Who　cares　nowadays　for　what　is　dully　orthodox？　Who　ever　heard　of　a　hero　in　orthodoxy　nowadays？　The　thing　is　impossible。　There　may　be；　of　course；　thousands　of　orthodox　heroes；　but　one　never　hears　anything　of　them。　The　planets　Jupiter　and　Saturn　and　Mercury　and　Mars　and　the　rest　of　them　come　and　go　at　their　appointed　seasons；　and　no　one　ever　gives　them　a　second　thought；　poor　old　respectable　things！　but　the　moment　a　comet　appears　in　the　sky　everyone　rushes　out　to　gaze　at　it；　and　the　newspapers　deal　with　it　from　day　to　day；　and　the　illustrated　papers　give　its　portrait。　Nothing　could　be　more　unorthodox　than　your　comet。　Oh；　Phyllis；　my　child；　don't　talk　nowadays　of　orthodoxy　or　the　otherwhat　do　they　call　it？heterodoxy。　Mr。　Holland's　name　will　be　in　everyone's　mouth　for　the　next　year　at　least；　and　if　his　bishop　or　a　friendly　church　warden　prosecutes　him；　and　the　thing　is　worked　up　properly；　he　ought　to　be　before　the　public　for　the　next　five　years。〃

〃Oh；　Ella！〃

〃I'm　not　overstating　the　case；　I　assure　you；　my　dear。　A　man　was　telling　me　about　one　Colensohe　was；　so　far　as　I　could　gather；　a　first…class　man　at　algebra　and　heresy　and　things　like　that。　He　was　Bishop　of　Zanzibar　or　Uganda　or　some　place；　and　he　wrote　a　book　about　Mosesshowing　that　Moses　couldn't　have　written　something　or　other。　Well；　he　took　a　bit　of　prosecuting；　five　or　six　years；　I　believe；　and　he　didn't　go　nearly　so　far　as　Mr。　Holland　does　in　that　book　of　his。　All　this　time　people　talked　about　little　else　but　Colenso；　and　his　books　made　him　a　fortune。　That　was　before　our　time；　dearwhen　the　newspapers　weren't　worked　as　they　are　now。　Block　printing　has　made　more　heroes　than　the　longest　campaign　on　record。　Yes；　Mr。　Courtland　said　so　two　days　ago。　I　think　I'll　try　some　more　of　that　lovely　cake：　it's　like　warm　ice；　isn't　it？　Oh；　you'll　not　be　so　foolish　as　to　throw　over　your　Mr。　Holland。〃

〃It　is　already　done；〃　said　Phyllis。　〃I'm　so　glad　that　you　like　the　cake。　It　is　very　subtle。　What　a　delightful　ideawarm　ice！〃

〃Never　mind　the　cake。　I　want　to　hear　more　of　this　matter　of　Mr。　Holland；〃　said　Ella。　〃Do　you　mean　to　tell　me　plainly　that　you　threw　over　Mr。　Holland　because　he　wrote　a　book　that　will　bring　him　fame　and　fortune？〃

〃I　have　thrown　over　Mr。　Holland　because　he　has　written　a　book　to　make　people　have　contempt　for　the　Bible；〃　said　Phyllis。

〃Then　all　I　can　say　is　that　you　were　never　in　love　with　the　man；〃　cried　Ella。

〃You　may　say　that　if　you　please。〃

〃I　do　say　it。　If　a　girl　really　loves　a　man；　she　will　marry　him　even　though　he　should　write　a　book　against　Darwin。　If　a　girl　really　loves　a　man　she　will　stand　by　him　all　the　closer　when　he　is　undergoing　a　course　of　honorable　persecution；　with　his　portrait　in　every　paper　that　one　picks　up。〃

〃I　dare　say　that　is　true　enough；〃　assented　Phyllis。　〃Perhaps　I　never　did　really　love　Mr。　Holland。　Perhaps　I　only　fancied　I　cared　for　him　because　I　saw　that　so　many　other　girlstook　to　wearing　chocolates　and　grays　and　kept　their　sleeves　down　just　when　sleeves　were　highest。〃

〃Of　course　it　was　only　natural　that　you　should　wish　towell；　colloquially；　to　wipe　the　eyes　of　the　other　girls。　How　many　girls；　I　should　like　to　know；　begin　to　think　of　a　man　as　a　possible　husband　until　they　perceive　that　the　thoughts　of　other　girls　are　turned　in　his　direction？〃

〃At　any　rate；　whatever　I　may　have　done　long　ago〃

〃Three　months　ago。〃

〃Three　months　ago。　Whatever　I　may　have　done　then；　I　know　that　I　don't　love　him　now。〃

〃Don't　be　too　sure；　my　dear　Phyllis。　If　there　is　one　thing　more　than　another　about　which　a　woman　should　never　be　positive；　it　is　whether　or　not　she　loves　a　particular　man。　What　mistakes　they　make！　No；　I'll　never　believe　that　you　turned　him　adrift　simply　because　he　wrote　something　disparagingly　about　Solomon；　or　was　it　David？　And　I　did　so　want　you　and　him　for　my　next　day；　I　meant　it　to　be　such　a　/coup/；　to　have　returned　to　town　only　a　week　and　yet　to　have　the　most　outrageously　unorthodox　parson　at　my　house。　Ah；　that　would　indeed　have　been　a　/coup/！　Never　mind；　I　can　at　least　have　the　beautiful　girl　who；　though　devoted　to　the　unorthodox　parson；　threw　him　over　on　account　of　his　unorthodoxy。〃

〃Yes；　you　are　certain　of　methat　is；　if　you　think　I　shouldif　it　wouldn't　seem　a　little〃

〃What　nonsense；　Phyllis！　Where　have　you　been　living　for　the　past　twenty…three　years　that　you　should　get　such　a　funny　notion　into　your　head？　Do　you　think　that　girls　nowadays　absent　themselves　from　felicity　awhile　when　they　find　it　necessary　to　becomewell；　disengagedyes；　or　divorced；　for　that　matter？〃

〃I　really　can't　recollect　any　case　of〃

〃Of　course　you　can't。　They　don't　exist。　The　proper　thing　for　a　women　to　do　when　she　gets　a　divorce　is　to　take　a　box　at　a　theatre　and　give