phyllis of philistia-第16章
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ing； with the electric lights gleaming over her white neck with its gracious curves； and her firm white arms from which her gloves had been stripped。
It had been his intention to describe to her a scene which had taken place in the House of Commons that nighta scene of Celt and Saxon mingling in wild turmoil over a question of neglected duty on the part of a Government official： not the one who was subsequently decorated by the sovereign a few days after his neglect of duty had placed the country in jeopardy； and had precipitated the downfall of the ministry and the annihilation of his party as a political factor； not this man； but another； who had referred to Trafalgar Square as the private thoroughfare of the crown。 The scene had been an animated one； and Mr。 Ayrton had hoped to derive a good deal of pleasure from describing it to his daughter； but when he had listened to her； and watched her for a few minutes； he came to the conclusion that it would be absurd for him to make an effort to compete with her。 What was his wretched little story of Parliamentary squalor compared with these psychological subtleties which had interested his daughter all the evening？
He listened to and watched that lovely thing； overflowing with the animation that comes from a quick intelligencea keen appreciation of the intelligence of the great artists who had interpreted a story which thrilled the imagination of generation after generation； and he felt that Parliament was a paltry thing。 Parliamentwhat was Parliament？ The wrangle of political parties over a paltry issue。 It had no real life in it； it had nothing of the fullness and breadth of the matters that interested such people as had mindsimagination。
〃You are tired；〃 she cried at last。 〃It is thoughtless of me to keep you out of your bed。 You have had a weary night； I am sure。 Was it the Irish again； or the horrid teetotalers？〃
〃It was both； my dear；〃 said he。 〃Phyllis；〃 he added solemnly； 〃an Irish teetotaler is a fearful thing。〃
〃You shall forget all the intemperate teetotalers in a beautiful sleep；〃 said she； putting her arms around his neck。 〃Good…night； papa！ It was so thoughtless of me to keep you up。 It is one o'clock。〃
〃It appears to me that you are the one who should be ready to succumb；〃 said her father。 〃I had nothing to stimulate my imagination。 Practical politics has not yet discovered a good working reply to the man who calls his fellow…man a liar； so the political outlook is not very cheering。〃
〃That is what is greatly needed： a satisfactory retortverbal； of courseto that every…day assertion。〃
〃It has become the most potent influence in the House of Commons； during the past year or two； and the worst of the matter is that the statement is nearly always correct。〃
〃Then there is all the greater need for a /modus vivendi/〃she had an ample acquaintance with the jargon of diplomacy。 〃I don't despair of Parliament being able to suggest an efficient retort。〃
〃Parliament： two ragamuffins quarreling up an entry over a rotten orange。 Good…night； my child！〃
She was at last in her own room： an apartment of gracious…tinted fabrics and pink satin panels； of tapestried sofas made by French artists before the lovely daughter of Maria Teresa went to her death。 She switched on the lights in the candle sconces； and threw herself down upon one of the sofas。 Her theater wrap and fan she had laid over a chair。
It was not to the drama which she had seen superbly acted at the Parthenon that her thoughts went out； but to the words which her dearest friend had spoken when driving back from the theater。
What words were they？
She could not recollect them now； but she was still conscious of the impression which they had produced upon her while they were being spoken。 That impression was that up to that instant all the issues of her life had been unworthy of a moment's consideration。 She had taken what she believed to be a deep interest in many matters during the five years that she had been the head of her father's house。 She had； she knew； been of the greatest help to her father in his political life； not merely turning her memory to good account in discovering the incautious phrases in the speeches of the men who were foolish enough to be his opponents； but actually advising him； when he asked her； on many matters about which the newspapers had been full。 Then she had taken an active part in more than one of those 〃movements〃 which became the topic of a London season until compelled by an invisible but all…powerful authority to move on and make way for the next new thing。 She had moved with every movement； and had proved her capacity to control herself when the movement became uncontrollable。 And then she had thought how worthy a position in life would be that of the wife of the rector of a church like St。 Chad's。
That idea had remained with her； as had already been said； for some months； until； to be exact in regard to the date； the other young women； whom she had been watching with interest； had bought their brilliant blouses with the newest and； consequently； most abnormal sleeves； casting aside the sober…hued bodices which they had worn in hope。
How paltry were all these aspirations； these undertakings！
That was what was dinning in her ears all the time Ella had been talking in the carriage。
But why； why； why should all her previous interests； including the consideration of the questions of orthodoxy and the other thing； seem so ridiculously small while Ella was speaking？
That was the question which puzzled her。 Had Ella shown her a way to something better； something higher； something better worthy of the aspiration of a woman？ She could not say that that had been the drift of her large discourse。 What she had said had actually been puzzling in its vagueness； its daring imagesall images are vague； its allegoriesall allegories are indefinite。
And yetand yetand yet
With a motion of impatience Phyllis sprang to her feet。 After a pause she went to a little satin…wood cabinet which she had turned into a bookshelf； and took out her Bible。 She had never slept a night for years without reading a chapter； and in order to avert the possibility of her own feelings or fancies of the moment making any invidious distinction between the various component parts of a book which is profitable in every line； she had accustomed herself to read the chapters in consecutive order from The Genesis to The Revelation。 Sometimes； when she found herself face to face of a night with a purely genealogical chapter； Phyllis of Philistia had difficulty in crushing down her unworthy desire to turn to some chapter that seemed to her frail judgment to contain words of wider comfort to the children of men than a genealogical tree of the Children of Israel； but she had never yielded to so unworthy an impulse。 Who was she that she should suggest that one part of the Sacred Book was calculated to be more profitable than another？ Was it not all the Bible？
She had plowed her way through the slough of Hebrew names upon these occasions； and the blessing of the words had been borne to her in the form of a sweet sleep。
Her chapter for this night was that which describes the campaign of David； during which he and his hosts were besieged in their earthworks； and how the three mighty men had made a sortie through the camp of the enemy in order to obtain for their leader a cup of water。
She continued the chapter to the end； but all through it those words were ringing in her ears：
〃It is the price of blood； it is the price of blood。〃
And as she knelt down beside her bed； her bare white feet peeping out from beneath the drapery of her white night…dress； in a posture that would have made the most human atheist believe in the beauty of devotion； those words were still in her ears： 〃The price of blood； the price of blood。〃
Good Heavens！ How could she carry that feather fan？ How could Ella Linton hold it up to her facehold her face down to it； flutter its fairy fluff upon her cheeks？ It was the price of blood。 Herbert Courtland had run a greater risk to obtain those feathers than David's mighty men had run to draw the water from the well。 She had heard all about the insatiable sava
