phyllis of philistia-第21节

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ourse；　most　attention　was　directed　to　what　Mr。　Ayrton's　party　called　the　brilliant；　and　the　other　party　the　flippant；　methods　of　Mr。　Ayrton。　His　reference　to　the　New　Guinea　pig　some　thought　a　trifle　too　personal　to　be　in　good　taste；　but　if　politicians　refrained　from　personalities　and　were　punctilious　in　matters　of　taste；　what　chance　would　they　have　of　〃scoring；〃　and　where　would　the　caricaturists　be？　The　reputation　of　a　politician　is　steadily　built　up　nowadays；　not　by　consistency；　certainly；　not　by　brilliant　rhetoric；　not　even　by　the　unscrupulous　exercise　of　a　faculty　for　organizing　impromptu　〃scenes；〃　but　by　the　wearing　of　a　necktie；　or　a　boot；　or　a　waistcoat　that　is　susceptible　of　caricature。　A　very　ordinary　young　man　has　before　now　been　lifted　into　fame　by　the　twists　of　his　mustache；　and　another　of　less　than　mediocre　ability　has　been　prevented　from　sinking　in　the　flood　of　forgetfulness　by　the　kindly　efforts　of　a　caricaturist　who　supported　him　by　a　simple　lock　on　his　scalp。　Thus　it　was　that　Mr。　Apthomas　found　himself　famous　before　a　week　had　passed；　through　the　circumstance　of　being　represented　in　the　leading　journal　of　caricature　as　a　guinea　pig；　flying；　with　the　spoil　of　bubble　boards　of　directors　under　his　arm；　from　the　attack　of　a　number　of　quaint…looking　mammals　wearing　collars　inscribed　〃ACCURACY；〃　〃CORRECT　BALANCE　SHEETS；〃　〃LEGITIMATE　SPECULATIONS；〃　and　other　phrases　that　suggested　the　need　for　the　old　guinea　pig　to　give　way　to　a　new　breed。　Underneath　the　picture　was　printed　a　portion　of　the　counter…question　of　Mr。　Ayrton；　and　opposite　to　it　were　some　verses　with　a　jingling　refrain　that　everyone　could　remember；　and　which　everyone　quoted　during　the　next　few　days。

The　firm　of　publishers　who　had　been　fortunate　enough　to　secure　the　issue　of　Mr。　Courtland's　new　book　were　delighted。　If　Mr。　Ayrton　could　only　have　seen　his　way　to　introduce　their　names　and　their　address　in　his　counter…question；　their　cup　of　happiness　would　have　been　complete；　they　said。　They　managed；　however；　to　induce　the　proprietors　of　a　young　lady　who　was　reputed　to　be　the　vulgarest　and　most　fascinating　of　all　music…hall　artistes；　to　introduce　Mr。　Courtland's　name　into　one　of　the　movable　stanzas　of　her　most　popular　lyric：　those　stanzas　which　are　changed　from　week　to　week；　so　as　to　touch　upon　the　topics　which　are　uppermost　in　the　mindswell；　not　exactly　the　mindsof　the　public。　It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　say　that　this　form　of　advertisement　is　worth　columns　of　the　daily　papers；　and　if　Mr。　Courtland　had　only　shown　himself　appreciative　of　his　best　interests　and　had　changed　the　title　of　his　book　to　〃The　Land　of　the　New　Guinea　Pig；〃　instead　of　〃The　Quest　of　the　Meteor…Bird；〃　they　would　have　gone　to　press　with　an　extra　thousand　copies。

But　even　as　it　was　they　knew　that　between　the　member　of　Parliament　and　the　music…hall　young　lady　the　sale　of　the　book　was　a　certainty。　Their　calculations　were　not　at　fault。　The　publishers　sent　a　liberal　subscription　to　the　Nonconformist　Eastern　Mission；　whose　agents　had　stimulated　public　curiosity　in　Mr。　Courtland's　new　book　by　suggesting　that　he　had　carried　out；　single…handed；　one　of　the　most　atrocious　massacres　of　recent　years；　and　a　diamond　brooch　to　the　music…hall　young　lady　who　had　so　kindly　worked　in　the　reference　to　the　book　after　dancing　one　of　her　most　daring　hornpipes　in　the　uniform　of　a　midshipman；　they　doubled　the　lines　of　their　announcements　in　the　advertising　columns　of　the　paper　that　had　issued　the　cartoon　of　the　New　Guinea　Pig；　and；　finally；　they　sent　a　presentation　copy　of　〃The　Quest　of　the　Meteor…Bird；〃　to　Mr。　Ayrton。

Then；　as　everyone　was　humming　the　lines　of　the　music…hall　young　lady：

　　〃From　the　land　of　far　New　Guinea　　　　Came　a　little　pig…a…ninny；〃

the　daily　papers　were　bound　to　give　two…column　reviews　to　the　book　on　the　day　of　its　publication；　and　as　the　rod　which　Moses　cast　down　before　Pharaoh　swallowed　up　the　wriggling　rods　of　the　magicians；　the　interest　attaching　to　Mr。　Courtland's　book　absorbed　that　which　attached　to　all　the　other　books　of　the　season；　including　〃Revised　Versions；〃　though　the　publishers　of　the　latter　moved　heaven　and　earth　（that　is　to　say；　the　bishop　and　the　people's　churchwarden）　to　get　the　Rev。　George　Holland　prosecuted。　If　either　had　been　susceptible　to　reason；　and　had　got　up　a　case　against　their　author；　the　publishers　declared　that　Mr。　Courtland's　book　would　not　have　had　a　chance　with　〃Revised　Versions。〃　To　be　sure　they　admitted　that　the　report　that　Mr。　Holland　had　been　thrown　over　by　the　lady　who　had　promised　to　marry　him　had　given　a　jerk　forward　to　the　sales；　but　when　Mr。　George　Holland　had　been　so　idiotically　blind　to　his　best　interests　and　（incidentally）　the　best　interests　of　his　publishers；　as　to　contradict　this　suggestion　of　incipient　martyrdom；　and　thus　an　excellent　advertisement　had　been　lost；　and　everyone　was；　in　a　week　or　two；　talking　about　〃The　Quest　of　the　Meteor…Bird；〃　while　only　a　few　continued　shaking　their　heads　over　〃Revised　Versions。〃

Meantime；　however；　Mr。　Courtland　thought　it　well　to　call　upon　Mr。　Ayrton　in　order　to　thank　him　for　his　kindness　in　replying　in　the　House　of　Commons　so　effectively　to　the　questions　put　to　the　various　ministers　by　Mr。　Apthomas；　and　Mr。　Ayrton　had　asked　Mr。　Courtland　to　dinner；　and　Mr。　Courtland　had　accepted　the　invitation；　Miss　Ayrton　begging　Mrs。　Linton　to　be　of　the　party；　and　Mrs。　Linton　yielding　to　her　petition　without　demur。



CHAPTER　XVI。

WOULD　IT　BE　WELL　WITH　MY　HUSBAND？

It　was　on　their　way　back　from　this　little　dinner…party　that　Mr。　Courtland　confessed　to　Ella　Linton　that　he　had　come　to　think　of　her　dearest　friend　as　a　most　charming　and　original　girl；　she　had　never　once　referred　to　his　achievements　in　New　Guinea；　nor　had　she　asked　him　to　write　his　name　in　her　birthday　book。　Yes；　she　was　not　as　other　girls。

〃I'm　so　delighted　to　hear　you　say　so　much；〃　said　Ella。　〃Oh；　Bertie！　why　not　make　yourself　happy　with　a　sweet　girl　such　as　she；　and　give　no　more　thought　to　such　absurdities　as　you　have　been　indulging　in？　Believe　me；　you　don't　know　so　well　as　I　do　in　what　direction　your　happiness　lies。〃

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　happiness；〃　said　he。　〃I　don't　seem　to　care　much；　either。　When　I　made　up　my　mind　to　find　the　meteor…bird；　don't　you　suppose　that　there　were　many　people　who　told　me　that；　even　if　it　was　found；　it　was　quite　unlikely　that　it　would　be　more　succulent　eating　than　a　Dorking　chicken？　I'm　sure　they　were　right。　You　see；　I　didn't　go　to　New　Guinea　in　search　of　a　barndoor　fowl。　I　don't　want　domestic　happiness；　I　don't　want　anything　but　youyou　are　my　meteor…　bird。　I　found；　after　my　first　visit　to　New　Guinea；　that　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　rest　until　I　had　found　the　meteor…bird。　I　have　found　that　it　is　impossible　for　me　to　live　without　you；　my　beloved。〃

〃You　will　have　to　learn　to　live　without　me；〃　said　she；　laying　her　hand　upon　his。　They　had　now　reached　her　house；　so　that　no　immediate　reply　was　possible。　He　did　not　attempt　to　make　a　reply　until　they　had　gone　into　a　small　drawing　room；　and　she　had　flung　off　her　wrap。　They　were　alone。

Then　he　knelt　on　the　rug　before　her　and　took　both　her　hands　in　his　own　a　hand　in　each　of　his　handsas　they　lay　on　her　dress。　His　face　was　close　to　hers：　she　was　in　a　low　chair。　Each　could　hear　the　sound　of　the　other's　breathingthe　sound　of　the　other's　heart…beats。　That　duet　went　on　for　some　minutesthe　most　perfect　music　in　lifethe　music　which　is　life　itselfthe　music　by　which　man　becomes　immortal。

〃Do　not　hold　me　any　longer；　Bertie；〃　said　she。　〃Kiss　me　and　go　away　away。　Oh；　why　should　you　ever　come　back？　I　believe　that；　if　you　loved　me；　you　would　go　away　and　never　come　back。　Oh；　what　is　this　farce　that　is　being　played　between　us？　It　is　unworthy　of　either　of　us！〃

〃A　farce？　A　tragedy！〃　said　he。　〃I　want　you；　Ella。　I　told　you　that　I　could　not　live　without　you。〃

〃You　want　me？　You　want　me；　Bertie？〃　said　she。　Tears　were　in　her　eyes　and　in　her　voice；　for　there　was　to　her　a　passion　of　pathos　in　those　words　of　his。　〃You　want　me；　and　you　know　that　it　is　only　my　soul　that　shall　be　lost　if　I　give　myself　to　you。　God　has　decreed　that　only　the　soul　of　the　woman　pays　the　penalty　of　the　man's　longing　for　her。〃

〃You　soul　shall　be　saved；　not　lost；〃　said　he。　〃At　present　it　is　your　soul　that　is　in　peril；　when　you　give　your　sweetness　to　the　man　whom　you　have　ceased　to　loveah！　whom　you　never　loved。　You　will　save　your　soul　with　me。〃

〃I　shall　lose　it　for　all　eternity；〃　said　she。　〃Do　you　think　that　I　complain？　Do　you　fancy　for　a　moment　that　I　grumble　at　the　decree　of　God；　or　that　I　rail　against　it　as　unjust？〃

〃You　are　a　woman。〃

〃I　am　a　woman；　and　therefore　you　know　I　will　one　day　be　ready　to　lose　my　soul　for　you；　Bertie；　my　love。　Oh；　my　dear；　dear　love；　you　say　you　want　me？〃

〃Oh；　my　God！〃

He　had　sprung　to　his　feet　and　was　pacing　the　room　before　her。

〃You　say　that　you　want　me。　Oh；　my　love；　my　love；　do　you　fancy　for　a　moment　that　your　longing　for　me　is　anything　to　be　compared　to　my　longing　for　you？〃

〃My　beloved；　my　beloved！〃

His　arms　were　about　her。　His　lips　were　upon　hers。　She　kissed　him　as　he　kissed　her。

Then　she　turned　her　head　away　so　that　his　kisses　fell　upon　her　cheek　instead　of　her　mouth。　She　turned　it　still　farther　and　they　fell　upon　her　neckit　was　exquisite　in　its　s