phyllis of philistia-第17节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃But　the　least　breath　of　suspiciondynamiteslave…dealingmassacres　Armenia。　Oh；　the　article　is　certain　to　be　copied　into　dozens　of　other　papersthe　public　do　so　like　to　get　hold　of　some　scandal　against　a　man　who　has　done　something　great。〃

〃They　do　indeed。　Would　you　suggest　organizing　a　committee　of　ladies　for　the　protection　of　Mr。　Courtland？〃

〃Don't　talk　nonsense；　Ella。　I　though　that　you　were　his　friend；　and　that　you　would　be　as　indignant　as　I　was　at　that　disgraceful　attack　upon　his　reputation。〃

〃I　don't　think　that　it　will　place　his　reputation　in　jeopardy；　unless　with　the　readers　of　that　paper；　and　they　are　not　worth　taking　into　account；　are　they？〃

〃Papa　says　the　thing　has　a　large　circulation　among　a　certain　class。　I　want　him　to　ridicule　the　question　which　is　threatened　in　that　article；　he　knows　how　to　do　that　kind　of　thing　very　well。〃

〃Is　it　come　to　that；　my　Phyllis？　Were　you　really　so　greatly　interested　in　the　one　conversation　you　had　with　him　as　to　constitute　yourself　his　champion？〃

Above　all　things　Phyllis　was　truthful。　She　had　never　had　an　experience　of　lovethat　passion　which　can　change　the　most　truthful　of　womankind　into　the　least　scrupulous。　There　was　no　pause　between　Ella's　question　and　Phyllis'　answer。

〃Certainly　the　one　conversation　that　I　had　with　him　interested　meI　told　you　so　returning　in　the　carriage。　Has　he　never　succeeded　in　interesting　you；　Ella？　He　told　me　that　you　were　his　friendI　believe　he　said　his　dearest　friend。〃

〃And　I　believe　that　he　told　you　the　truth；〃　said　Ella。　〃But；　being　his　best　friend　and　a　woman；　I　refrain　from　constituting　myself　his　champion。　You　see　we　live　in　Philistia；　my　Phyllis；　and　the　champions　that　Philistia　sends　forth　usually　come　to　grief；　there　was　the　case　of　one　Goliath　of　Gath；　for　example。　I　have　no　desire　to　have　stones　slung　at　me　by　the　chosen　people。〃

〃I'm　not　quite　sure　that　I　understand　you；〃　said　Phyllis；　with　a　very　pretty　pucker　on　her　forehead。　〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　a　woman　should　not　do　her　best　for　a　man　whom　she　knows　to　be　maligned？　You　don't　suggest　that　she　should　stand　silently　to　one　side　while　people　are　saying　what's　false　about　him？〃

〃I　say　that　it's　unwise　in　Philistia；　though　I　admit　that　it　is　of　the　greatest　advantage　to　the　man；　for　people　at　once　cease　maligning　him　and　take　to　maligning　her。〃

〃If　she　is　any　sort　of　a　woman　she　will　not　mind　that；　however　unjust　it　may　be。　In　this　case；　however；　I　don't　think　there　is　much　risk：　even　the　most　unscrupulous　person　could　hardly　say　thatthat〃

〃That　we　were　becoming　Herbert　Courtland's　champions；　because　we　were　in　love　with　him？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know。　Wasn't　that　what　you　meant　to　suggest　people　would　say　of　a　woman　who　became　a　man's　champion？〃

〃Something　in　that　way。　How　straightforwardly　you　speak　out　what's　on　your　mind！〃

〃Oh；　I'm　a　girl　of　to…day。　I　have　got　over　all　those　absurd　affectations　of　childishness　which　used　to　be　thought　feminine　long　ago。　The　gambols　of　the　kitten　were　once　thought　the　most　attractive　thing　on　earth；　and　they　are　very　interesting：　but　for　the　full…grown　cat　to　pretend　that　it　is　perfectly　happy　with　a　ball　of　worsted；　when　all　the　time　it　has　its　heart　set　on　a　real　mouse；　is　nonsense。〃

〃That　is　an　allegory；　a　subtle　parable；　Phyllis。　But　I　fancy　I　can　interpret　it。　You　are　quite　right。　Men　know　that　we；　the　full…grown　cats；　take　no　interest　in　the　ravelings　of　wool　as　mediums　of　diversionthat　we　have　our　hearts　set　on　mice。　Oh；　yes！　it　is　much　better　to　be　straightforward　in　our　speechit　is　even　sometimes　better　to　be　quite　straight　in　our　ways　as　well。　It　usually　prevents　misunderstanding。　There　is　scarcely　a　subject　that　women　may　not　talk　about　to　men　in　the　most　direct　way；　nowadays。　But　about　the　question　of　championship〃

Here　the　door　of　the　room　was　thrown　open　and　Mr。　Herbert　Courtland　was　announced。

〃I　quite　forgot　to　mention　that　Mr。　Courtland　was　lunching　with　us　to…day；　Phyllis；〃　said　Ella；　while　shaking　hands　with　her　visitor。　〃Now　you　will　have　a　chance　of　getting　the　slave…dealer's　account　of　the　whole　business。　Are　you　a　slave…dealer；　Bertie？　If　so；　why　don't　you　wear　the　usual　broad…leaved　hat　of　your　order？〃

〃It　is　I　who　am　the　enslaved　one；〃　said　Mr。　Courtland；　laying　his　hand　to　the　left　of　the　buttons　of　his　white　waistcoat　and　bowing　the　bow　of　the　early　years　of　the　century；　with　a　glance　at　each　lady。

〃What　a　pretty　reminiscence　of　the　age　of　artificiality！〃　said　Ella；　〃and　what　an　apt　commentary　upon　the　subject　we　were　talking　about；　Phyllis！　We　were　discussing　the　merits　of　directness　in　speech　and　straightness　in　every　way。　We　were　ridiculing　the　timid　maidall　sandals　and　simperof　forty　years　ago。　Why　should　men　and　women　have　ever　taken　the　trouble　to　be　affected？　Let　us　go　in　to　lunch　and　eat　with　the　appetites　of　men　and　women　of　the　nineties；　not　with　the　nibblings　of　society　of　the　fifties。　Come　along；　Phyllis。　Mr。　Courtland　will　tell　us　all　about　his　dreadful　goings　on；　his　slave…　dealings；　his　dynamitings。　Have　you　seen　that　article　in　thewhat's　the　name　of　the　paper；　Phyllis？〃

〃The　/Spiritual　Aneroid/；〃　said　Phyllis。

〃I　haven't　been　so　fortunate；〃　said　he。

〃Then　we　shall　take　the　paper　into　the　dining　room　with　us；　and　place　it　before　you。　If　you　were　guilty　of　the　doings　that　the　article　details；　you　would　do　well　totowell；　to　adopt　the　picturesque　costume　incidental　to　ruffianismthe　linen　jacket　of　the　slave…　trader；　the　mangy　fur　collar　of　the　dynamity　man　of　war。　Have　you　ever　trafficked　in　human　beings；　Mr。　Courtland？〃

〃Well；　yes；〃　said　he。　〃I　have　done　a　little　in　that　way；　I　admit。〃

〃And　dynamitehave　you　ever　massacred　people　with　dynamite？〃　Ella　continued。

〃Well；　when　my　dynamite　exploded；　the　people　who　were　in　the　immediate　neighborhood　were　never　just　the　same　afterward；〃　said　he。

〃Finally；　did　you　allow　yourself　to　be　worshiped　as　God？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　I　got　them　to　do　that；〃　he　replied。　〃I　have　experienced　all　human　sensations；　including　those　of　a　god　in　working　order。〃

〃Then　I　hope　you　will　make　a　good　lunch。　We　begin　with　white…bait。〃

〃I　am　quite　satisfied　to　begin　with　white…bait；〃　said　he。



CHAPTER　XIII。

EVEN　THE　HOUSE　OF　COMMONS　DOESN'T　MATTER　MUCH。

〃I　did　not　intend　to　stay　for　lunch；〃　said　Phyllis；　〃but　your　overpowering　will　swept　me　along　with　it；　Ella。　But　I　hope　you　will　let　me　say　that　I　don't　think　you　should　jest　about　what　iswhat　some　people　at　any　rate　think　very　serious。〃

〃Phyllis　is　of　Philistia；〃　said　Ella；　〃and　Philistia　was　always　given　to　ordeal　by　champions。　She　thinks　the　attack　made　upon　you　by　two　missionaries　in　their　newspaper　organ　quite　disgraceful。　It　doesn't　seem　so　disgraceful　after　all。〃

〃I　haven't　seen　the　attack；〃　said　he。　〃But　I　feel　it　to　be　very　good　of　Miss　Ayrton　to　think　it　disgraceful。〃

〃Of　course　I　thought　it　disgraceful；〃　said　Phyllis；　〃and　I　came　to　Ella　to　talk　it　all　over。　The　article　accuses　you　of　atrocities；　and　said　that　a　question　would　shortly　be　put　to　the　Minister　of　the　Annexation　Department　in　the　House　of　Commons。　Now；　I　know　that　there　is　nothing　my　father　enjoys　more　than　snubbing　those　detestable　men　who　endeavor　to　get　up　a　reputation　for　philanthropy；　and　temperance；　and　bimetallism；　and　other　virtues；　by　putting　questions　on　the　paper；　and　he　could；　I　think；　ask　some　counter　question　in　this　particular　case　that　would　ridicule　the　original　busybody。〃

〃It　was　very　good　of　you　to　think　so；　Miss　Ayrton；〃　said　he。　〃I　can't　say　that；　personally；　I　mind　all　the　attacks　that　all　the　missionaries　who　earn　precarious　salaries　in　South　Seas　may　make　upon　me；　but　I　must　confess　that　I　have　a　weakness　for　seeing　busybodies　put　to　shame。〃

〃You　may　depend　upon　Mr。　Ayrton's　satire；〃　said　Ella。　〃It　never　misses　the　point　in　the　harness。　The　barb　of　the　dart　is；　I　believe；　Mr。　Ayrton's；　the　feather　at　the　other　end　is　Phyllis'。〃

〃Only　once　that　happened；〃　said　Phyllis。　〃Oh；　no！　papa　manufactures　his　own　darts；　from　feather　to　tip。〃

〃But　supposing　that　the　charges　brought　against　me　are　true？〃　suggested　Mr。　Courtland。

〃Why；　then；　can't　you　see　there　is　all　the　greater　need　for　ingenuity　in　your　defense？〃　said　Ella。

〃It　is　impossible　to　think　of　the　charges　as　true；〃　said　Phyllis　stoutly。

〃For　example？〃　said　he。

〃Well；　the　article　said　that　you　had　made　slaves　of　some　of　the　natives　of　New　Guinea；　purchasing　them　by　a　promise　to　help　a　native　chief　against　his　enemies。〃

〃There　wasn't　much　harm　in　that：　I　did　it；〃　said　he。

〃And　then　it　went　on　to　say　that　you　kept　your　promise；〃　said　Phyllis。

〃What！　They　accused　me　of　keeping　my　promise？〃　said　he。　〃Well；　I'm　afraid　I　can't　deny　that　charge　either。〃

〃Did　you　really　slaughter　the　natives？〃　cried　Phyllis。

The　interest　which　she　felt　appeared　in　her　eyes。

〃I　did　my　best　for　the　savages　who　had　purchased　my　services；〃　he　replied。　〃The　campaign　was　not　a　protracted　one。　Two　days　after　the　outbreak　of　hostilities　brought　things　to　a　climax。　We　fought　our　decisive　battlethe　Sedan　of　King　Mubamayo。　You　see；　I　had　a　trustworthy　Winchester。　I　believe　that　about　seventy　of　the　enemy　bit　the　dust。〃

〃Only　seventy？　That　was　unworthy　of　you；　Mr。　Courtland；〃　cried　Ella。　〃Nothing　short　of　thousan