phyllis of philistia-第32章
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e commonplace： she would not travel out of the region of commonplaces with Ella in her present state。
〃Where was I engaged？ Surely I told you。 Didn't I say something about the opera'Romeo and Juliet'？that was to be the place； but I came to you instead。 Ah； what have we missed！ Was there ever such a poem written as 'Romeo and Juliet'？ Was there ever such music as Gounod's？ I thought the first time that I went to the opera that it would spoil Shaksperehow could it do otherwise？ I asked。 Could supreme perfection be improved upon？ Before the balcony scene had come to an end I found that I had never before understood the glory of the poem。 Ah； if you could understand what love means； my Phyllis； you would appreciate the poem and the music； the note of doom runs through it； thatthat is wherein its greatness liespassion and doompassion and doomthat is my own lifethe life of us women。 We live in a whirlwind of passion； and fancy that we can step out of the whirlwind into a calm at any moment。 We marry our husbands and we fancy that all the tragedy of human passion is over so far as we are concerned。 'The haven entered and the tempest passed。' Philip Marston's terrible poem； you have read it；'A Christmas Vigil'？ 'The haven entered；'the whirlwind of passion has been left far away； we fancy。 Oh； we are fools！ It sweeps down upon us and thendoomdoom！〃
〃My poor dear； you are talking wildly。〃
〃If you only understoodperhaps you will some day understand； and then you will know what seems wild in my speech is but the incoherence of a poor creature who has been beaten to the ground by the whirlwind； and only saved from destruction by a miracle。〃
She had sprung from her place on the sofa and was pacing the room； her diamonds quivering； luminous as a shower of meteorsthat was the fancy that flashed from her to Phyllis。 Meteorsmeteorswhat a splendid picture she made flashing from place to place！ Meteorsah； surely there was the meteor…bird flashing across the drawing room！
〃Come and sit down； my dear Ella；〃 said Phyllis。 〃You are； as you know； quite unintelligible to me。〃
〃Unintelligible to you？ I am unintelligible to myself；〃 cried Ella。 〃Why should I be tramping up and down your room when I might be at this very moment〃 She clutched Phyllis' arm。 〃I want to stay with you all night；〃 she whispered。 〃I want to sleep in your bed with you； Phyllis。 I want to feel your arms around me as I used to feel my mother's long ago。 Whatever I may say； you will not let me go； Phyllis？〃
〃I will load you with chains；〃 said Phyllis； patting her lovely hair it was no longer smooth。 〃Why should you want to go away from me？ Cannot we be happy together once again as we used to be long ago？〃
〃How long ago that was！ And we read 'Romeo and Juliet' together； and fancied that we had gone down to the very depths of its meaning。 We fancied that we had sounded the very depths of its passion and pathos。 We were only girls。 Ah； Phyllis； I tell youI； who knowI； who have found it out；I tell you that the tragedy is the tragedy of all lovers who have ever lived in the world。 I tell you that it is the tragedy of love itself。 'Gallop apace； ye fiery…footed steeds！' That is the poem that the heart of the lover sings all dayall day！ I have heard itmy heart has sung it。 I have heard the passionate gallop of those fiery…footed steeds。 I have listened to them while my heart beat in unison with their frantic careerall day counting the moments with fiery face； and thenthensomething that was not passion forced me to fly from it for the salvation of my soul。 I was a fool！ Why am I here； when I should be where he What is the hour？ Why； it is scarcely twelve o'clock！ Did I say nine in my letter？ What does it matter？ I wonder if on that wonderful nightGounod translated its glory into musicJuliet kept her lover waiting for three hours。〃
〃What are you doing？〃 cried Phyllis； rising。
Ella had picked up her theatre wrapit was a summer cloud brocaded with golden threads of quivering sunlight； and had flung it around her。
She held out a hand to Phyllis。 Phyllis grasped her round the waist。
〃Where are you going？〃 she said。
〃To hell！〃
She had whispered the words； and at their utterance Phyllis gave a cry of horror and covered her face with her hands。
Had she seen a suggestion of the satyr in the expression of that lovely face before her？
In the pause that followed the sound of footsteps upon the stairs outside was heard； the sound of footsteps and of men's friendly laughter。 Some persons were in the act of ascending。
〃My God！〃 whispered Ella。 〃He has followed me here！〃
〃Hush！〃 said Phyllis。 〃Papa is bringing someone to us。〃
〃Whomwhom？〃
They were both standing together in the middle of the room； both having their eyes fixed on the door； when the door opened and Mr。 Ayrton appeared； having by his side a man with iron…gray hair and a curiously pallid face。
At the sight of that man Ella's hands； that had been holding her wrap close to her throat； feeling for its silver clasp； fell limp； and the splendid mass of white brocade slipped to the floor and lay in folds about her feet； revealing her lovely figure sparkling from the hem of her dress to the top of her shapely head。
CHAPTER XXI。
THAT TOILET SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WASTED。
For several seconds the tableau remained unchanged： the two women standing side by side； the two men motionless at the half…open door。
Ella was staring at the man who had entered with Mr。 Ayrton。 There was some apprehension in her eyes。
The man had his eyes fixed upon her。 But his face was wholly devoid of expression。
Phyllis was the first to break the silence that made a frame； so to speak； for the picture。
〃How do you do； Mr。 Linton？〃 she said； taking a step toward the door。
〃I am very well； thank you； Miss Ayrton；〃 the man replied； shaking hands with her。 〃Rather a singular hour for a visit； is it not？〃
〃Oh； no！ only Ella didn't tell me that you〃
She turned to Ella； and noticed that the expression of apprehension on her face had increased。 She was still gazing at her husband as one shut up in a room with a snake might gaze at it； waiting for it to strike。
〃Ella didn't tell you that I was coming？〃 said he。 〃She had the best of reasons for her reticence。〃
〃Ah！〃
The sound came from Ella。 There was a little scornful smile on her face。
〃The best of reasons？〃 said Phyllis interrogatively。
〃The very best； she had no idea that I was coming。 I wonder if she is glad to see me。 She has not spoken a word to me yet。〃
〃You have startled her by your sudden appearance；〃 said Phyllis。 〃She is not certain whether you are flesh and blood or a ghost。〃
Then Ella gave a laugh。
〃Oh； yes！〃 she said。 〃He is my husband。 Go on with what you have to say； Stephen。 I will not run away。〃
〃Run away？ What nonsense is this； my dear？ Run away？ Who said anything about your running away？〃
Her husband had advanced to her as he spoke。 He put a hand caressingly on one of her bare arms and the other at the back of her head。 She suffered him to press her head forward until he put his lips upon her forehead。
When he had released her； and had taken a step back from her；he seemed abut to address Phyllis；a little cry forced itself from her。 She called his name twice；the second time louder；and threw herself into his arms； burying her face on his shoulder； as she had buried it on Phyllis' shoulder。
In a few moments； however； she looked up。 Her husband was patting her on the arm。 She had acquired two new gems since she had bent her head。 They were shining in her eyes。
〃Don't go away； Phyllis dear；〃 she said。 Phyllis and her father were standing at the /portiere/ between the drawing rooms。 Mr。 Ayrton had a hand at the embroidered edge in the act of raising it。 〃Don't go away。 I am all right now。 I was quite dazed at Stephen's sudden appearance。 I thought that perhaps he hadhad Ah； I scarcely know what I thought。 How did you come herewhy did you come here？〃
She had turned to her husband。 In spite of her manifestation of affection；the result of a certain relief which she experienced at that moment；there was a note of something akin to indignation in her voice。
〃It is very simple； my dear；〃 replied her hu
