phyllis of philistia-第56章
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we have to throw our bodies into the grave into which we trample it。 Woman； I tell you that the other love；the love which is the truth；is stronger than the love of the satyr。〃
〃Is it？ is it； Phyllis？ Yes； sometimes。 Yes； it was a word that you spoke in his hearing that saved himhimHerbertand that saved me that night when I came to youwhen I waited for youyou did not know anything of why I came。 I will tell you now〃
〃No； no； no！ Oh； Ella！ for God's sake； tell me nothing！ I think I know all that I want to know； and I know that you had strength given to you by God to come to me that night。 I had not to go to you。 But I have come to you to…night。 We are together； you and I； and we are the same as when we were girls togetheroh； just the same！ Who shall come between us； Ella？〃
〃Who？ Who？ You came here to save me。 I knew it。 But you had saved me before you came。 Phyllis； in this very room I was alone with him。 I was madmad with jealousy at the thought of losing himthough I knew that I had lost himI was mad！ The passion breathed from the roses the twilight full of the memories of the spring we spent together in Italyall took possession of my heartmy soul。 I whispered to him to come to meto come to me。 And he came。〃
The cry the girl gave； as she covered her face with her hands and dropped back into her chair； was very pitiful。
〃He came to mebut only one stepone little step； Phyllis； then there came before his eyes a vision of your facehe felt your hand cool as a lilyupon his wristhe heard your voice speaking into his ear； he turned and fledfled through that windowfled from the demon that had taken possession of this roomI said so to you。〃
〃Thank Godoh； Ella； thank God！〃
〃That is my crythank Godthank God； and yetand yetGod help me！ I feel ready to throw myself at your feet and say 'Give him back to me！ Give him back to me！' 〃
She had stood with her hands clasped above her head at her first utterance of that imploration〃Give him back to me！〃 Then she threw herself on her knees and passionately caught both the girl's hands in her own； crying； 〃Give him back to me！〃
Phyllis flung her arms about her neck； and bowed her own head down to the shoulder of the woman whom she loved and pitied。
And then
Then through the silence of the housethe hour was almost midnight there sounded the loud and continuous ringing of a bell。
It was only the usual visitors' bell of the house； but its effect at that hour was startlingshocking！
The two women were on their feet； waiting in silence； but with wildly beating hearts； for what was comingthey felt that something terrible was coming。 The bell had an ominous jangle。 They heard the footsteps of the one servant who remained up to put out the lights； going to answer the summons of the bellthey heard a man's voice speaking in a low tone in the hallthey heard a man's steps approach the door of their room。 The door opened； and Mr。 Ayrton appeared before them。
He closed the door slowly； and stood there staring not at his daughter； but at Ella Linton。 On his face was an expression that Phyllis had never seen on it before。 It frightened her。 She could not speak。
He stood there； with his eyes fixed upon Ella Lintonrigidsilent as a figure that symbolizes Death。
The silence became appalling。
〃For God's sake speak； if you are living！〃 cried Ella in a whisper tremulous with terror。
He did not speakhe stood there； staring at her。
〃What does he mean？ What does he mean？〃 said the woman； after another dreadful pause。 〃Why does he stand there； Phyllis； staring at me？ Why Oh； my God！ I see itI see it on his facemy husband Stephendeadhe is deadyou came to bring the news to me。 Look； Phyllis； he cannot say 'No'he would say 'No' unless I had guessed the truthhe would say ithe would have some pity。 Is it the truth？ Manspeaksay yes； or nofor God's sake！ for God's sake！〃
She had taken half a dozen rapid steps to him and grasped him by the arm； gazing into his face。
He bowed his head。
She flung his arm from her； and burst into a laugh。
〃Ah； Phyllis！ I see it all now。 He was the man I lovedI know it now he was the man I loved。 It was for him I cried out just now'Give him back to megive him back to me！' 〃
The wild shriek with which she cried the words the second time rang through the house。 She fell upon her knees； clutching at Phyllis' hand as before； and then； making a motion as if about to rise； she fell back and lay with her white face turned to the ceiling； her white arms stretched limply out on each side of her like the arms of a crucified woman。
Servants came with restoratives。
CHAPTER XXXV。
IF GOD WOULD ONLY GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE！
〃Poor creature！ Poor creature！〃 said Mr。 Ayrton。 He had just returned from the room to which they had carried Ella。 Phyllis was lying on the sofa with her face down to the pillow。 〃Poor creature！ No one could have had any idea that she was so attached to him！ She will be one of the richest women in England。 He fell down in the club between nine and ten。 His heart。 Sir Joseph was not surprised。 He said he had told him a short time ago that he had not six months to live。 He cannot have let his wife know。 Well； well； perhaps it was for the best。 His man came to me in a terrible state。 How was it to be broken to her？ I just managed to catch the last train。 He must have been worth over a million。 She will be one of the richest women in England。 Even in America a woman with three…quarters of a million is reckoned moderately well off。 Poor creature！ Ah！ the shorn lamb！the wind is tempered。 'In the midst of life' Dear Phyllis！ you must not allow yourself to break down。 Your sympathetic nature is hard to control； I know； but stilloh； my child！〃
But Phyllis refused to be comforted。 She lay sobbing on the pillow； and when her father put his arm about her and raised her； she put her head on his shoulder； crying：
〃He is gone from me foreverhe is gone from me forever！ Oh； I am the cruelest woman on earth！ It is not for her terrible blow that I am crying； it is because I have lost himI see itI have lost him！〃
Her father became frightened。 What in the world could she mean by talking about the man being gone from her？ He had never heard of a woman's sympathy extending to such limits as caused her to feel a personal deprivation when death had taken another woman's husband。
〃Oh； I am selfishcruelheartless！〃 sobbed Phyllis。 〃I thought of myself； not of her。 He is hers； he will be given back to her as she prayedshe prayed so to me before you appeared at the door； papa。 'Give him back to me！ Give him back to me！' that was her prayer。〃
〃My dearest child； you must not talk that way；〃 said the father。 〃Come； Phyllis； your strength has been overtaxed。 You must go to bed and try to sleep。〃
She still moaned about her crueltyher selfishness； until the doctor who had been sent for and had been with Ella in her room； appeared in order to let them know that Mrs。 Linton had regained consciousness。 The blow had； of course； been a terrible one： but she was young； and Nature would soon reassert herself； he declared； whatever he meant by that。 He thought it strange； he said； that Mrs。 Linton had not been aware of her husband's weakness。 To him； the physician； the condition of the unfortunate gentleman had been apparent from the first moment he had seen him。 He had expected to hear of his death any day。 He concluded by advising Phyllis to go to bed and have as long a sleep as possible。 He would return in the morning and see if Mrs。 Linton might travel to London。
Phyllis went to her room； and her father went to the one which had been prepared for him。 For a minute or two he remained thoughtful。 What could his daughter have meant by those self…accusations？ After a short time； however； he smiled。 The poor thing had been upset by the shocking news of the death of the husband of her dearest friend。 She was sympathetic to quite a phenomenal degree。 That sympathy which felt her friend's loss as though it were wholly her own was certainly not to be met with every day。
In the morning Phyllis showed traces of having spent a bad night。 But she spoke rationally and not in the wild way in which she had spoken before retiring； and her father felt that
