phyllis of philistia-第21章
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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。 This was the Nonconformist Consciencehitherto a /quantite negligeable/ in the calculations of the leaders； but now one that it appeared absolutely necessary to take into account as a factor。 To be sure； there were a good many people who put their tongues in their cheeks when any mention was made of the Nonconformist Conscience： they said it was no more to be taken seriously than the Spector on the Brocken or the Athanasian Creed。 It was only the trick of an electioneering agent desirous of escaping from an untenable position。
There were other persons； however （mostly Nonconformists）； who were found ready to declare that the Nonconformist Conscience was a Great and Living Truth。 The only point upon which statesmen of all parties were agreed was that it was worth purchasing。 The Nonconformists themselves； upon whom the Great and Living Truth was sprung； had no notion at first that it could be turned into a negotiable security occupying as high a place in the market as； say； Argentine bonds。 But it did not take them very long to find out that even an abstraction such as this could be turned to good account by discreet maneuvering。 Truth sometimes is heard on an election platform； and yet truth is but an abstract quality。 Why； then should not a Great and Living Truth become a regular gold mine to its inventor？ It was as great an invention as the art of electroplating； which it closely resembled； and a quite as nice thing could be made out of it by a little dexterous manipulation。 If the conscience is silver； the Nonconformist Conscience is at least electroplate of a first…class quality； it was argued； and a political manifesto； which was practically a financial prospectus； was issued with a view of floating the Nonconformist Conscience Company； Limited。
English politics cannot by any possibility be regarded as an exact science； and thus it was that all political parties were at this time making bids for shares in the enterprise。 The leaders of one party； in fact； expressed themselves ready to buy up the whole concern； and they actually tendered bills payable at twelve months for all the vendors' interest； and it was only when these bills became due and were returned dishonored that the shadowy character of the transaction was made plain； and the country was convulsed at the disclosure of the fact that the vendors had disposed of a perfectly worthless invention； and that the purchasers had paid for it by promises that were equally worthless。
All this happened later； however； when the fuss was made about the atrocities by an explorer in New Guinea； and Mr。 Ayrton was contemplating a counter question that should cast ridicule upon the missionaries and their champion； he was given to understand by the leaders of his party； who； it was believed； had a small parcel of baronetcies done up in official twine； with blank spaces for the name and address in each； awaiting distribution at the first change of Government； that he must take no step that might jeopardize the relations of the party with the vendors of the Nonconf
