phyllis of philistia-第31章
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a quarter of a million of menthat is to say； Chinamen。 He was no more affected by such tidings than the Emperor of China。 He was infinitely more affected when he read of the cold…blooded massacre by David； sometime King of Israel； in order to purchase for himself a woman for whom he had conceived a liking。 He knew that the majority of clergymen considered it to be their duty to preach funeral service over the drowned Chinamen； and to impress upon their hearers that David was a man after God's own heart。 He also knew that the majority of clergymen preached annual sermons in aid of the missionaries who did some yachting in the South Seas； and had brought into existence the sin of nakedness among the natives； in order that they might be the more easily swindled by those Christians who sold them shoddy for calico； to purge them of their sin。 George Holland could not see his way to follow the example of his brethren in this respect。 He did not think that the Day of Judgment would witness the inauguration of any great scheme of eternal punishment for the heathen in his blindness who had been naked all his life without knowing it。 He knew that the heathen in his blindness had curiosity enough at his command to inquire of the missionaries if the white beachcomber and his bottle of square…face represented the product of centuries of Christianity； and if they did not； why the missionaries did not evangelize the beachcomber and his bottle off the face of the earth。
Phyllis； being well aware of George Holland's views； was not shocked at the sound of his laughter at the true story of Mr。 Courtland's dynamite outrage at New Guinea； but all the same； she was glad that she was not going to marry him。
He had not； however； been altogether uninteresting in her eyes while sitting beside her； and that was something to record in his favor。
She drove home early； and running upstairs found herself face to face with Ella Linton。
CHAPTER XX。
I HAVE HEARD THE PASSIONATE GALLOP OF THOSE FIERY…FOOTED STEEDS。
Ella was standing waiting for her outside the open door of a drawing room。 She was wearing a lovely evening dress with a corsage of white lace covered with diamonds and sapphires。 Her hairit was of the darkest brown and was very plentifulwas also glittering with gems under the light that flowed through the open door。 The same light showed Phyllis how deathly white Ella's face and neck werehow tumultuously her bosom was heaving。 She had one hand pressed to her side； and the other on the handle of the door when Phyllis met her； and in that attitude； even though the expanse of white flesh； with its gracious curves that forced out her bodice； had no roseate tint upon it； she looked lovelyintoxicating to the eyes of men。
Phyllis was certainly surprised。 The hour was scarcely eleven； but Ella had given no notice of her intention to pay a visit to her friend that night。 When the girl raised her hands with a laugh of admiration； of pleasure； Ella grasped her hands with both of her own and drew her into the drawing room without a word。 Then with a cry；a laugh and a cry mingled；she literally flung herself into the girl's arms and kissed her convulsively a dozen times； on the throat； on the neck； on the shoulder whereon her head lay。
〃My darling； my darling！〃 she cried；and now and again her voice was broken with a sob；〃my darling Phyllis！ I have come to youI want to be with youto be near youto keep my arms about you； so tightly that no one can pluck us asunder。 Oh； you don't know what men are they would pluck us asunder if they could； but they can't now。 With you I am safethat is why I have come to you； my Phyllis。 I want to be safeindeed I do！〃
She had now raised her head from Phyllis' shoulder； but was still holding her tightlya hand on each of her arms； and her face within an inch of the girl's face。
Phyllis kissed her softly on each cheek。
〃My poor dear！〃 she said； 〃what can have happened to you？〃
〃Nothingnothing！ I tell you that nothing has happened to me；〃 cried Ella； with a vehemence that almost amounted to fierceness in her voice。 〃Would I be here with you now if anything had happened to me？ tell me that。 I came to youah！ women have no guardian angels； but they have sisters who are equally good and pure； and you are my sister my sisterbetter than all the angels that ever sang a dirge over a lost soul that they put forth no hand to save。 You will not let me go； darling Phyllis； you will not let me go even if I tell you that I want to go。 Don't believe me； Phyllis； I don't want to goI don't want to be lost； and if I leave you I am lost。 You will keep me； dear； will you not？〃
〃Until the end of the world；〃 said Phyllis。 〃Come； dearest Ella； tell me what is the matterwhy you have come to me in that lovely costume。 You look as if you were dressed for a bridal。〃
〃A bridala bridal？ What do you mean by that？〃 said Ella； with curious eagernessa suggestion of suspicion was in her tone。 She had loosed her hold upon the girl's arms。
Phyllis laughed。 She put a hand round Ella's waist and led her to a sofa； saying：
〃Let us sit down and talk it all over。 That is the lace you told me you picked up at Munich。 What a designlilies！〃
〃The Virgin's flowerthe Virgin's flower！ I never thought of that；〃 laughed Ella。 〃It is for younot me； this lace。 I shall tear it off and〃
〃You shall do nothing of the kind；〃 cried Phyllis。 〃I have heaps of lacemore than I shall ever wear。 What a lovely idea that is of yours；I'm sure it is yours；sewing the diamonds around the cup of the lilies； like dewdrops。 I always did like diamonds on lace。 Some people would have us believe that diamonds should only be worn with blue velvet。 How commonplace！ Where have you been to…night？〃
〃Where have I been？ I have been at home。 Where should a good woman be in the absence of her husband； but at homehis home and her home？〃
Ella laughed loud and long with her head thrown back on the cushion of the sofa； and the diamonds in her hair giving back flash for flash to the electric candles above her head。 〃Yes； I was at homeI dined at home； and； God knows why； I conceived a sudden desire to go to the opera；Melba is the /Juliet/；and forgetting that you were engaged to the Earlscourtsyou told me last week that you were going； but I stupidly forgot； I drove across here to ask you to be my companion。 Oh； yes； I have been here sincesince nine； mind that！ ninenine ask the servants。 When I heard that you were dining out I thought that I was lostone cannot drive about the streets all night； can one？ Ah！ I thought that God was against me now； as he ever has been； and as for my guardian angelah！ our guardian angels are worse than the servants of nowadays who have no sense of responsibility。 Thompson； your butler； is worth a whole heavenful of angels； for it was he who asked me if I would come in and wait for your returnask him； if you doubt my word。〃
〃Good Heavens； Ella； what do you say？ Doubt your wordI doubt your word？ You wound me deeply。〃
〃Forgive me； my Phyllis。 I don't quite know what I said。 Ah； let me nestle herehere。〃 She had put her head down to Phyllis' bare neck and was looking up to her face as a child might have done。 〃There is no danger here。 Now pet me； and say that you forgive me for having said whatever I did say。〃
Phyllis laughed and put her lips down among the myriad diamonds that glowed amid the other's hair； like stars seen among the thick foliage of a copper beech。
〃I forgive you for whatever you said；〃 she cried。 〃I； too； have forgotten what it was； but you must never say so again。 But had you really no engagement for to…night that you took that fancy for going to 'Romeo'？〃
〃No engagement？ Had I no engagement； do you ask me？〃 cried Ella。 〃Oh； yes； yes！ I had an engagement； but I broke itI broke itI broke it； and that is why I am here。 Whatever may come of it； I am here； and here I mean to stay。 I am safe here。 At home I am in danger。〃
Phyllis wondered greatly what had come to her friend to make her talk in this wild strain。
〃Where were you engaged？〃 she inquired casually。 She had come to the conclusion that there was safety in the commonplace： she would not travel out of the region of commonplaces with Ella in her present state
