phyllis of philistia-第22章
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e must take no step that might jeopardize the relations of the party with the vendors of the Nonconformists Conscience。 The /Spiritual Aneroid/ was the leading Nonconformist organ； and it would not do to sneer at the missionaries whom it supported。 It would be better that all the explorers who had ever risked their lives on behalf of civilization should go by the board than that a single vote should be lost to the party； he was assured by the Senior Whip。
This was rather irritating to the artist in phrases； because it stood to reason that the majority of his phrases were calculated to be hurtful to his opponents。 He was thus quite elated when he came upon something which would； he felt sure； call comment in the press at the expense of the member from Wales without casting any slight upon Nonconformist Missionary enterprise。
He read out the thing to his daughter； and he was surprised to find that she was not appreciative of its unique charm。 This was rather too bad； he felt； considering that it was she who had enlisted his services in this particular matter。
〃I don't think Mr。 Courtland wants anybody to take his part in Parliament or out of it；〃 said she。 〃And that's why I think it would be better to let that Mr。 Apthomas ask his question without interruption。 What can the Minister of Annexation say except that he has no information on the subject； and that if he had he could not interfere； as he had no jurisdiction on the Fly River？〃
〃That is what he will reply as a matter of course；〃 said her father。 〃But that will not prevent the newspapers that are on the side of Wales and the missionaries from saying what they please in the way of comment on the atrocities in New Guinea。〃
〃Mr。 Courtland will not mind whatever they may say；〃 cried Phyllis。
〃That was the view I took of the matter in regard to Mr。 Courtland's attitude when you mentioned it to me at first；〃 said he。 〃I didn't suppose that he was the man to be broken down because some foolish paper attacks him； but you were emphatic in your denunciation of the injustice that would be liable to be done if〃
〃Oh； I had only spoken for about half an hour to Mr。 Courtland then；〃 said Phyllis。 〃I think I know him better now。〃
〃Yes； you have spoken with him for another half hour； you therefore know him twice as well as you did；〃 remarked her father。 〃I wonder if he admitted to you having done all that he was accused of doing。〃
He saw in a moment from the little uneasy movement of her eyes that he had made an excellent guess at the general result of the conversation at Mrs。 Linton's little lunch。 He had not yet succeeded in obtaining any details from his daughter regarding her visit to Ella。 She had merely told him that Ella had kept her to lunch； and that Mr。 Courtland had been there also。
〃Yes。 I do believe that he admitted everything；〃 he continued； with a laugh as he thought how clever he was。 （He had frequent reasons for laughing that laugh。）
〃No；〃 said Phyllis doubtfully； 〃he did not admit everything。〃
〃There was some reservation？ Perhaps it was melinite that he employed for the massacre of the innocents of New Guinea； not dynamite。〃
〃No； it was dynamite。 But the natives had stolen it from his steam launch and they exploded it themselves。〃
Mr。 Ayrton lay back in his chair convulsed with laughter。
〃And that is the true story of the dynamite massacre？〃 he cried。 〃That is how it comes that； in the words of the /Aneroid/； the works of evangelization on Nonconformist principles is likely to be retarded for some time？ The missionaries are quite right too。 And what about his miraclesthey suggested a miracle； didn't they？〃
〃Oh； that was some foolishness about setting spirits of wine on fire；〃 said Phyllis。 〃The natives thought that it was water； you know。〃
Mr。 Ayrton laughed more heartily than before。
〃That is the crowning infamy；〃 he cried。 〃My dear Phyllis； it would be quite impossible to allow so delicious a series of missionary muddles to pass unnoticed。 I think I see my way clearly in the matter。〃
She knew that he did。 She knew that he regarded most incidents in the political world merely as feeders to his phrase…making capacity。 She knew that it would be impossible to repress him now in the matter of Courtland and the missionaries； she fully realized the feelings of Frankenstein。
Only the weakest protest did she make against her father's intended action； and thus when the day came for Mr。 Apthomas' question； that gentleman from Wales inquired； 〃If Her Majesty's Minister for Annexations could give the House any information regarding the so… called explorations of Mr。 Herbert Courtland in the island of New Guinea； particularly in respect of a massacre of natives by dynamite in the region of the Fly River； and if it was true that the gentleman just named had permitted himself to be worshiped as a god by the aborigines of another region； and if Her Majesty's Minister for Domestic Affairs was prepared to say that it was legal for one of Her Majesty's subjects to assume the privileges and functions of a god； and if the First Lord of the Treasury was prepared to communicate to the House what course； if any； Her Majesty's government meant to adopt with a view to the prevention of similar outrages in the same region in the future？〃
Mr。 Ayrton rose before the Minister of the Annexation Department had quite concluded his yawn； and said he trusted that he was in order （cries of 〃Yes； yes；〃 from those members who knew that the honorable member had an enlivening phrase which he wanted to get rid of） in inquiring； in connection with the same subject； if the right honorable gentleman could inform the House if there was any truth in the report current in financial and other circles that the object of the explorations of Mr。 Herbert Courtland was the discovery of a small mammal of the porcine tribe； and if one of the Law Officers of the Crown was prepared to assure the House that it would be contrary to the provisions of the Companies Act； and the Companies Act Amendment Act； to permit this New Guinea pig to assume the functions of the director of Limited Liability Companies； whose directorate was largely composed of members of both Houses of Parliament （great laughter from honorable gentlemen who were aware that the Mr。 Apthomas had no income beyond the remuneration he received as a director of companies）； and if Her Majesty's Minister for Agriculture was prepared to state that it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to prohibit the introduction of； at any rate the males of the mammals just referred to； considering the rapid increase in representative assemblies of the English or Welsh bore （Great laughter； which prevented the concluding words of the sentence being audible in the gallery。）
THE SPEAKER： Order！ order！ The honorable member for Hazelborough must confine himself strictly to the issued raised by the honorable gentleman from Wales。 The honorable member for Hazelborough is only permitted to follow the honorable gentleman from Wales by the indulgence of the House。
MR。 AYRTON： Sir； I bow to the ruling of the chair； and will continue by inquiring if Her Majesty's Minister for the Public Worship Department can state to the House if it is true that a newspaper published within the Principality of Wales recently made the announcement that the honorable member who had just made inquiries regarding the exploration of Mr。 Herbert Courtland； was the idol of his constituents ＇Laughter； and cries of 〃Order！〃＇； and if the right honorable gentleman is prepared to state that the provisions of the Idolatry Act are
THE SPEAKER： The honorable member is clearly out of order。 The question of idolatry in Wales is not at present before the House。
MR。 AYRTON： Sir； I give notice that next session I shall move a resolution regarding idolatry in the Principality of Wales ＇Laughter and cheers。＇
The minister for Annexation was about to rise when
MR。 MUDLARKY （Ballynamuck） asked if the introduction of the guinea pigs would be prejudicial to the interests of the higher and nobler Irish animal who； he would remind the Minister for Public Worship； was not to be confounded with the herd whose example was clearly emulated by the present gover
