phyllis of philistia-第18章

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Phyllis　became　impatient。

〃The　House　of　Commonsa　question　is　to　be　asked　in　the　House。　Then　you　must　ask　another；　papa；　showing　the　nonsense　of　the　first。〃

〃Heavens　above！　Why　should　I　be　dragged　into　the　quarrel；　if　it　is　a　quarrel；　of　Herbert　Courtland　on　the　one　hand　and　the　Reverends　Joseph　Capper　and　what's　the　other；　Smithno；　JonesEvans　Jones？　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　he　is　of　Welsh　extraction。〃

〃You　will　surely　not　stand　passively　by　and　hear　a　brave　man　slandered。　That　would　be　unlike　you；　papa。　No；　you　are　bound　to　protest　against　the　falsehood。〃

〃Am　I　indeed？　Why？　Because　the　slandered　man；　if　he　is　slandered；　is　the　friend　of　my　daughter's　friend？〃

〃Exactlythat's　quite　sufficient　for　you　to　go　uponthat　and　the　falsehood。〃

〃If　it　is　a　falsehood。〃

〃Ifoh；　papaif？〃

〃If　I　have　your　personal　guarantee　that　the　statements　are　unsubstantiated〃

〃Now；　you　are　beginning　to　jest。　I　cannot　jest　on　so　serious　an　issue。　Think　of　itslavesdynamite！〃

〃Both　excellent　words　for　missionaries　to　send　home　to　Englandalmost　equal　to　opium　and　idols　from　the　standpoint　of　the　mission…box。〃

Phyllis　was　solemn　for　a　moment；　then　she　burst　into　a　merry　laugh　that　only　wanted　a　note　of　merriment　to　be　delightful。　Her　father　did　not　miss　that　note。　He　was　thinking　of　another　phrase。

〃Now；　why　shouldn't　you　say　that　or　something　like　that；　my　father？〃　cried　the　girl。　〃Something　to　set　the　House　laughing　before　the　Minister　of　the　Annexation　Department　has　had　time　to　reply？　You　can　do　it；　you　know。〃

〃I　believe　I　could；〃　said　Mr。　Ayrton　thoughtfully。　〃But　why；　my　child；　why？〃

〃Why！　Why！　Oh；　if　one　only　said　good　things　when　there　was　a　reason　for　saying　them；　how　dull　we　should　all　be！　Any　stick　for　a　dogany　jest　is　good　enough　for　the　House　of　Commons。〃

〃Yes；　but　suppose　it　is　inferred　that　I　am　not　on　the　side　of　the　missionaries？　What　about　Hazelborough？〃

Hazelborough　was　the　constituency　which　Mr。　Ayrton　represented　in　the　House　of　Commons。

〃My　dear　father；　where　would　you　be　if　you　couldn't　steer　through　the　Hazelborough　prejudices　now　and　again？　You　can　always　say　something　so　good　as　to　make　people　not　care　which　way　it　cuts。〃

〃What？　Oh；　Phyllis！　I　am　ashamed　of　you。　Besides；　the　people　of　Hazelborough　have　got　to　be　extremely　sensitive。　They　have　caught　the　Nonconformist　Conscience。　The　bacillus　of　the　Nonconformist　Conscience　was　rampant　a　short　time　ago；　and　it　has　not　yet　been　stamped　out。　I'm　afraid　that　I　must　have　principle　on　my　sidesome　show　of　principle；　at　any　ratenot　so　wide　as　a　church　door　or　so　deep　as　a　well；　but　still〃

〃And　you　will；　too；　papa。　I'll　see　Ella　and　get　her　to　find　out　from　Mr。　Courtland　what　is　the　truth。〃

〃Well；　perhaps　it　mightn't　be　wise　to　rush　into　extremes　all　at　once！　I　wouldn't　insist　on　the　truth；　if　I　were　you。　What's　the　House　of　Commons　that　it　should　be　cockered　up　with　the　truth？　All　that　is　needed　is　enough　to　go　on　with。　An　electro…plating　of　veracity　is　in　keeping　with　the　economic　tendencies　of　the　age。〃

〃I　am　not　afraid　of　the　truth；〃　cried　Phyllis；　without　giving　the　cynicism　of　her　father　the　tribute　of　a　smile。　〃Mr。　Courtland　would；　I　know；　be　incapable　of　doing　anything　unworthy　ofof〃

〃Let　us　say　an　explorer；〃　suggested　her　father。　He　knew　that　the　word　which　was　in　her　mind　was　/Englishman/。　She　only　checked　herself　when　her　imagination　caused　her　to　perceive　the　average　silk…hatted　man　with　his　tongue　in　his　cheek　at　the　utterance　of　the　phrase。　〃Let　us　say　'unworthy　of　an　explorer；'　〃　repeated　her　father；　〃that　is　an　elastic　phrase。〃

Phyllis　was　irritated。

〃I　have　talked　with　him；〃　she　said　a　trifle　coldly。

〃Yes；〃　said　her　father；　〃once。〃

〃I　should　have　said　that　I　know　Ella。〃

〃And　yet　Ella　is　a　woman！〃

〃Oh；　the　charges　are　too　ridiculous！　Slaves！　What　nonsense！　We　all　know　what　slavery　is。　Well；　where　are　his　slaves　now？　If　he　only　hired　the　natives　for　a　month　or　two　they　were　only　servants；　not　slaves。　The　thing　is　manifestly　ridiculous。〃

〃Then　why　should　we　trouble　ourselves　with　the　attempt　to　rebut　it？〃

〃Because　so　many　people　are　idiots　nowadays；〃　cried　Phyllis　warmly。　〃Because；　no　matter　how　ridiculous　a　charge　which　is　brought　against　a　distinguished　person　may　be；　some　people　will　be　found　ready　to　believe　in　its　truth。　Never　mind；　I'll　find　out　the　truth；　I'll　go　to　Ella。〃

〃The　fountain…head　indeed；〃　said　Mr。　Ayrton。　〃When　in　search　of　the　truth；　go　to　a　woman。〃

〃I　will；　at　any　rate；〃　said　Phyllis。

And　she　went　thither。



CHAPTER　XII。

DYNAMITESLAVE…DEALINGMASSACRESARMENIA！

Phyllis；　of　course；　knew　when　to　go　to　Ella　with　the　certainty　of　finding　her　at　home。　At　the　luncheon　hour　Mrs。　Linton　was　always　visible　to　the　three　friends　whom　she　had　within　the　confines　of　Mayfair。　She　considered　herself　blessed　among　women　in　the　numerical　strength　of　her　friendships；　and　so　perhaps　she　was；　she　had　three。

She　was　in　one　of　her　drawing　roomsthe　one　that　was　decorated　with　water　colors　set　in　fluted　panels　of　yellow　silknot　the　one　with　the　pink　blinds　so　beloved　by　those　of　her　visitors　who　had　reached　an　age　to　regard　a　pink　light　as　a　woman's　best　friend。　She　was　wearing　a　new　gown　which　Phyllis；　in　spite　of　her　enthusiasm　on　behalf　of　a　brave　man　maligned；　found　admirable　both　as　regards　fabric；　fit；　and　fashion。

Then　followed　a　word　or　two　of　commendation　of　the　artists　who　had　been　concerned　in　its　production。　They　had　not　been　absurd　about　the　sleeves；　and　they　had　not　vetoed　the　sweep　of　laceit　was　about　half　a　yard　widewhich　the　person　who　occupied　so　insignificant　a　position　as　is　usually　allocated　to　the　mere　wearer　of　the　gown　had　suggested　for　the　bodice。　The　gown　was　an　unequivocal　success；　and　had　Ella　seen　the　disgraceful　article　which　had　appeared　in　the　/Spiritual　Aneroid/　on　the　subject　of　Mr。　Courtland's　explorations？

Ella　smiled　a　slow　smile；　as　the　question　joined　the　congratulation　without　the　lapse　of　a　breath。

〃The　/Spiritual　Aneroid/？　Who　is　the　/Spiritual　Aneroid/？　What　is　the　/Spiritual　Aneroid/？〃　she　asked。　〃Oh；　a　newspaper。　What　could　a　newspaper　with　such　a　funny　name　have　to　say　about　Mr。　Courtland？〃

〃I　have　brought　it　with　me；〃　said　Phyllis。　〃It　is　quite　disgraceful。　I'm　sure　you'll　agree　with　me。〃

〃I'm　certain　of　it。〃

Ella　accepted　the　proffered　paper　and　glanced　down　the　article　pointed　out　to　her　by　Phyllis。　Phyllis'　eyes　were　gleaming　as　she　placed　her　finger　on　the　words；　〃Dynamite　/versus/　Evangelization；〃　but　Ella's　eyes　did　not　gleam　while　she　was　reading　all　the　words　printed　beneath　the　heading。　She　folded　the　paper　and　glanced　carelessly　at　the　name　at　the　top　of　the　outside　page　and　said；　〃Well？〃

〃Was　there　ever　anything　so　disgraceful？〃　cried　the　girl。　〃Was　there　every　anything　so　false？〃

〃Is　it　false？〃　asked　Ella。

〃How　can　you　doubt　it？　Do　you　fancy　that　Mr。　Courtland　would　be　a　slave…dealer？〃

〃I　wonder　how　he'd　look　in　the　broad　flat　hat　which　appears　in　all　the　pictures　of　the　slave…dealers？　Rather　well；　I　fancy；〃　said　Mrs。　Linton。

〃Oh；　how　can　you　talk　of　his　looking　well　or　ill　when　you　read　such　an　attack　upon　him？〃　said　Phyllis；　jumping　up　with　a　charmingly　rosy　face。　〃Surely　it　is　something　to　you　when　so　distinguished　a　manyour　friend　as　wellis　attacked！〃

〃If　we　were　traveling　with　him　across　the　desert　in　a　caravan；　should　we　mind　much　if　the　whole　caravan　were　attacked　by　Bedouins　or　missionaries　or　people　of　that　stamp；　my　dear？　Of　course　we　shouldn't。　We　should　feel　that　he　would　be　equal　to　the　defense　of　all　of　us；　and　himself　as　well。〃

〃Oh；　of　course；　but　this　is　quite　another　thing；　isn't　it？〃

〃Where　is　the　difference？　If　anybody　minds　the　nonsense　printed　in　that　thing；　Herbert　Courtland　will　certainly　be　able　to　defend　himself　when　called　on　to　do　so。〃

Phyllis　seated　herself　once　again。

〃But　a　question　is　to　be　asked　in　Parliament　about　him？〃　she　suggested。

〃And　can　you；　the　daughter　of　a　member　of　that　Parliament；　honestly　tell　me　that　you　fancy　that　any　human　being　minds　how　many　questions　are　asked　about　him　in　the　Questionable　House？〃

〃But　the　least　breath　of　suspiciondynamiteslave…dealingmassacres　Armenia。　Oh；　the　article　is　certain　to　be　copied　into　dozens