phyllis of philistia-第29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！
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 husband。 His curiously sallow face had resumed its usual expressionless appearance。 〃Nothing could be more simple。 I got a telegram at Paris regarding the mine； and I had to start at a moment's notice。 I wrote out a telegram to send to you； and that idiotic courier put it into the pocket of my overcoat instead of sending it。 I found it in my pocket when we had come as far as Canterbury。 I am not one of those foolish husbands who keep these pleasant surprises for their wivesit is usually the husband who receives the surprise in such cases。〃
〃And the coachman told you that he had driven me here？〃 said Ella。
〃Quite so；〃 replied the husband。 〃But； you see； I had some little hesitation in coming here at half…past ten o'clock to make inquiries about my wifeyou might have gone to some place else； you know； in which case I should have looked a trifle foolish； so I though that； on the whole； my best plan would be to drop in upon Mr。 Ayrton at the House of Commons and drive here with him when he was coming home for the night。 I took it for granted that even so earnest a legislator as Mr。 Ayrton allows himself his nightsafter twelve； of courseat home。 I'm very sorry I startled you； Ella。 It shall not occur again。〃
〃What time did you reach home？〃 inquired Ella casuallyso casually that her husband； who had a very discriminating ear； gave a little glance in her direction。 She was disengaging a corner of her lace trimming that had become entangled with a large sapphire in a pendant。
〃I reached home at nine；〃 he replied。
〃At nine？〃 She spoke the words after him in a little gasp。 Then she said； walking across the room to a sofa； 〃I could not have left many minutes before you arrived。 I intended going to the opera。〃
〃That toilet should not have been wasted；〃 said he。 〃It is exquisite /ravissante/！〃
〃It was an inspiration； your putting it on；〃 said Phyllis。 〃I wonder if she really had no subtle suggestion from her own heart that you were on your way to her； Mr。 Linton；〃 she added； turning to the husband。
〃I dare say it was some inward prompting of that mysterious nature； Miss Ayrton；〃 he replied。 〃A woman's heart is barometric in its nature； it is not？ Its sensitiveness is so great that it moves responsive to a suggestion of what is to come。 Is a woman's heart prophetic； I wonder？〃
〃It would be a rank heresy to doubt it； after the example we have had to…night；〃 said Mr。 Ayrton。 〃Yes； a woman's heart is a barometer suggesting what is coming to her； and her toilet is a thermometer indicating the degree of expectancy。〃
〃A charming phrase；〃 said Mr。 Linton； 〃a charming principle； only one that demands some years of close study to be rendered practical。 For instance； look at my wife's toilet： it is bridal； and yet we have been married three years。〃
〃Quite so； and that toilet means that you are the luckiest fellow in the world；〃 said Mr。 Ayrton。
〃I admit the interpretation；〃 said her husband。 〃I told the hansom to wait for me。 He is at the door now。 You have had no opera to…night； my dear？〃
〃You would not expect me to go alone？ Phyllis was dining at the Earlscourts'；〃 said the wife。
〃You are the soul of discretion； my beloved；〃 said the husband。 〃Is your stock of phrases equal to a suggestion as to what instrument is the soul of a woman； Ayrton？〃 he added。 〃Her heart is a barometer； her toilet a thermometer； and her soul〃
〃The soul of a woman is not an instrument； but a flowera lily；〃 said Mr。 Ayrton。
〃And my wife wears her soul upon her sleeve；〃 said Mr。 Linton； touching the design on the lace that fell from her shoulders。
〃But not for daws to peck atthat is the heart；〃 laughed Mr。 Ayrton。 〃Talking of woman's soul； how is Lady Earlscourt？〃 he added； to his daughter。
〃I was so sorry that I was at that stupid dinner；〃 said Phyllis。 〃I might have enjoyed the music of 'Romeo and Juliet。' But I had engaged myself to Lady Earlscourt a fortnight ago。〃
〃You did not see Lord Earlscourt； at any rate；〃 said her father。
〃No； he left us in the evening for Southampton；〃 said Phyllis。
〃And； curiously enough； I dined with him at the club；〃 said her father。 〃Yes； he came in with Herbert Courtland at half…past seven； he had met Courtland and persuaded him to join him in his cruise to Norway。 They dined at my table； and by the time we had finished Courtland's man had arrived with his bag。 He had sent the man a message from the club to pack。 They left by the eight…forty train； and I expect they are well under way by this time。〃
〃That's quite too bad of Courtland；〃 said Mr。 Linton。 〃I wanted to have a talk with hima rather serious talk。〃
Ella had listened to Mr。 Ayrton's account of that little dinner party at the club with white cheeksa moment before they had been redand with her lips tightly closed。 Her hands were clenched until the tips of the nails were biting into each of her palms； before he had come to the end of his storya story of one incident。 But when her husband had spoken her hands relaxed。 The blaze that had come to her eyes for a second went out
