phyllis of philistia-第40章

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doing　their　duty；　you　have　spent　your　time；　not　in　this　work；　but　in　theorizing；　in　inventing　vain　sophistries　to　put　in　a　book；　and　so　cause　people　to　talk　about　you；　whether　they　talk　well　or　ill　of　you；　you　care　not　so　long　as　they　talk；　you　have　been　doing　this　to　gratify　your　own　vanity；　instead　of　doing　your　duty　as　a　clergyman　on　behalf　of　the　souls　which　have　been　intrusted　to　your　keeping。　Go　awaygo　away！　I　am　ashamed　of　you；　I　am　ashamed　of　myself　that　I　was　ever　foolish　enough　to　allow　my　name　to　be　associated　with　yours　even　for　a　single　day。　I　shall　never；　never　again　enter　the　church　where　you　preach。　Go　away！　Go　away！〃

He　stood　before　her　with　his　hands　by　his　sides　as　a　man　suddenly　paralyzed　might　stand。　He　had　never　recovered　from　the　shock　produced　by　her　crying　of　the　word　〃lies！　lies！　lies！〃　He　was　dazed。　He　was　barely　conscious　of　the　injustice　which　she　was　doing　him；　for　he　felt　that　he　was　not　actuated　by　vanity；　but　sincerity　in　all　that　he　had　hitherto　preached　and　written　regarding　the　Church。　Still　he　had　not　the　power　to　interrupt　her　in　her　accusation；　he　had　not　the　power　to　tell　her　that　she　was　falsely　accusing　him。

When　her　impassioned　denunciation　of　him　had　come　to　an　end；　and　she　stood　with　flaming　face；　one　outstretched　hand　pointing　to　the　door；　he　recovered　himselfpartially；　and　curiously　enough；　his　first　thought　was　that　he　had　never　seen　a　more　beautiful　girl　in　a　more　graceful　attitude。　She　had　insulted　him　grossly；　she　had　behaved　as　none　of　the　daughters　of　Philistia　would　behave　in　regard　to　himhim；　a　clergyman　of　the　Church　of　England；　but　he　forgot　her　insults；　her　injustice；　and　his　only　thought　was　that　she　was　surely　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　the　world。

〃I　am　amazed！〃　he　found　words　to　say　at　last。　〃I　am　amazed！　I　felt　certain　that　you　at　least　would　do　me　justice。　I　thought〃

〃I　will　not　listen　to　you；〃　she　cried。　〃Every　word　you　utter　increases　my　self…contempt　at　having　heard　you　say　so　much　as　you　have　said。　Go　away；　please。　No；　I　will　goI　will　go。〃

And　she　did　go。

He　found　himself　standing　in　the　middle　of　an　empty　room。

Never　before　had　he　been　so　treated　by　man　or　woman；　and　the　worst　of　the　matter　was　that　he　had　an　uneasy　feeling　that　he　had　deserved　the　scorn　which　she　had　heaped　upon　him。　He　knew　perfectly　well　that　he　had　no　right　to　speak　to　her　as　he　had　spoken　regarding　her　friend；　Ella　Linton。　Rumorwhat　right　had　he　to　suggest　to　her；　as　he　had　certainly　done；　that　the　evil　rumors　regarding　her　friend　were　believed　by　him　at　least？

Yes；　he　felt　that　she　had　treated　him　as　he　deserved；　and　when　he　tried　to　get　up　a　case　for　himself；　so　to　speak；　by　dwelling　upon　the　injustice　which　she　had　done　him　in　saying　that　he　had　been　actuated　by　vanity；　whereas　he　knew　that　he　had　been　sincere；　he　completely　failed。

But　his　greatest　humiliation　was　due　to　a　consciousness　of　his　own　want　of　tact。　Any　man　may　forget　himself　so　far　as　to　lose　his　temper　upon　occasions；　but　no　man　need　hope　to　get　on　in　the　world　who　so　far　forgets　himself　as　to　allow　other　people　to　perceive　that　he　has　lost　his　temper。

What　was　he　to　do？

What　was　left　for　him　to　do　but　to　leave　the　house　with　as　little　delay　as　possible？

He　went　down　the　stairs；　and　a　footman　opened　the　hall　door　for　him。　He　felt　a　good　deal　better　in　the　open　air。　Even　the　large　drawing　room　which　he　had　left　was　beginning　to　feel　stuffy。　（He　was　a　singularly　sensitive　man。）

On　reaching　the　rectory　he　found　two　letters　waiting　for　him。　One　from　the　bishop　requesting　an　early　interview　with　him。　The　other　was　almost　identical　but　it　was　signed　〃Stephen　Linton。〃



CHAPTER　XXVI。

DID　HE　SAY　SOMETHING　MORE　ABOUT　RUTH？

Herbert　Courtland　had　found　his　way　to　her　drawing　room　on　the　afternoon　of　his　return　to　London；　and　it　was　upon　this　circumstance　rather　than　upon　her　own　unusual　behavior　in　the　presence　of　George　Holland　that　Phyllis　was　dwelling　so　soon　as　she　had　recovered　from　her　tearful　outburst　on　her　bed。　（She　had；　of　course；　run　into　her　bedroom　and　thrown　herself　upon　the　bed　the　moment　that　she　had　left　the　presence　of　the　man　whom　she　had　once　promised　to　marry。）　She　had　wept　in　the　sheer　excitement　of　the　scene　in　which　she　had　played　the　part　of　leading　lady；　it　had　been　a　very　exciting　scene；　and　it　had　overwhelmed　her；　she　had　not　accustomed　herself　to　the　use　of　such　vehement　language　as　she　had　found　necessary　to　employ　in　order　to　adequately　deal　with　Mr。　Holland　and　that　was　how　it　came　about　that　she　was　overwhelmed。

But　so　soon　as　she　had　partially　recovered　from　her　excitement；　and　had　dried　her　eyes；　she　began　to　think　of　the　visit　which　had　been　paid　to　her；　not　by　George　Holland；　but　by　Herbert　Courtland。　She　dwelt；　moreover；　less　upon　his　amusing　account　of　the　cruise　of　the　/Water　Nymph/　than　upon　the　words　which　he　had　said　to　her　in　regard　to　his　last　visit。　She　had　expressed　her　surprise　at　seeing　him。　Had　he　not　gone　on　a　yachting　cruise　to　Norway？　Surely　five　days　was　under　rather　than　over　the　space　of　time　necessary　to　thoroughly　enjoy　the　fine　scenery　of　the　fjords。

He　had　then　laughed　and　said　that　he　had　received　a　letter　at　Leith　making　his　immediate　return　absolutely　necessary。

〃How　disappointed　you　must　have　felt！〃　she　suggested；　with　something　like　a　smile　upon　her　face。

His　smile　was　broader　as　he　said：

〃Well；　I'm　not　so　sure　that　my　disappointment　was　such　as　would　tend　to　make　me　take　a　gloomy　view　of　life　for　an　indefinite　time。　Lord　Earlscourt　is　a　very　good　sort　of　fellow；　but〃

〃Yes；　I　quite　agree　with　you；〃　said　she；　still　smiling。　〃Knowing　what　follows　that　'but'　in　everyone's　mind；　we　all　thought　it　rather　strange　on　your　part　to　start　on　that　cruise。　And　so　suddenly　you　seemed　to　make　up　your　mind；　too。　You　never　hinted　to　me　that　afternoon　that　you　were　anxious　to　see　Norway　under　the　personal　conductorship　of　Lord　Earlscourt。〃

〃It　would　have　been　impossible　for　me　to　give　you　such　a　hint；〃　said　he。　〃I　had　no　idea　myself　that　I　wanted　greatly　to　go　to　Norway；　until　I　met　Earlscourt。〃

〃So　we　gathered　from　what　papa　told　us　when　he　came　in　about　midnight；　bringing　Mr。　Linton　with　him；〃　said　Phyllis。　〃Ella　had　come　across　to　me　before　nine；　to　ask　me　to　go　with　her　to　'Romeo　and　Juliet'　at　Covent　Garden；　forgetting　that　I　was　dining　with　Lady　Earlscourt。〃

〃But　you　had　not　returned　from　the　dinner　party　at　nine；〃　he　suggested。　She　had　certainly　succeeded　in　arousing　his　interest；　even　in　such　ordinary　details　as　those　she　was　describing。

〃Of　course　not；　but　Ella　waited　for　me；　I　suppose　she　did　not　want　to　return　to　her　lonely　house。　She　seemed　so　glad　when　I　came　in　that　she　made　up　her　mind　to　stay　with　me　all　night。〃

〃Oh！　But　she　didn't　stay　with　you？〃

〃Of　course　not；　when　her　husband　appeared。　It　was　so　funnyso　startling。〃

〃So　funnyso　startling！　Yes；　it　must　have　beenfunny。〃

〃Ella　was　wearing　such　a　lovely　frockcovered　with　diamonds。　I　wish　that　you　had　seen　her。〃

〃Ah！〃

〃I　never　saw　anything　so　lovely。　I　told　her　that　it　was　a　bridal　toilet。〃

〃A　bridal　toilet？〃

〃We　thought　it　such　a　pity　that　it　should　be　wasted。　She　didn't　go　to　the　opera；　of　course。〃

〃And　it　was　wastedwasted？〃

〃Oh；　no！　When　her　husband　came　in　with　papa；　about　midnight；　we　laughed　and　said　that　her　dressing　herself　in　that　way　was　an　inspiration；　that　something　told　her　that　he　was　returning。〃

〃Probably　a　telegram　from　Paris　had　told　her；　that　was　the　source　of　her　inspiration。〃

〃Oh；　no！　what　was　so　funny　about　the　matter　was　that　Mr。　Linton's　servant　bungled　sending　the　telegram；　so　that　Ella　knew　nothing　of　his　coming。〃

〃Great　Heavens！〃

〃You　have　not　seen　Ella　since　your　return？〃

〃No；　I　have　been　with　her　husband　on　business　all　day；　however。〃

〃And　of　course　he　would　not　have　occasion　to　refer　to　so　casual　an　incident　as　his　wife's　wearing　a　new　toilet。〃

〃Of　course　not。　The　word　inspiration　has　no　place　in　a　commercial　vocabulary；　Miss　Ayrton。〃

〃But　it　is　a　good　word　elsewhere；　Mr。　Courtland。

〃Yes；　it　has　its　meaning。　You　think　that　it　may　be　safely　applied　to　the　wearing　of　an　effective　toilet。　I　wonder　if　you　would　think　of　applying　it　to　the　words　you　said　to　me　on　the　la