phyllis of philistia-第30节

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e　blaze　that　had　come　to　her　eyes　for　a　second　went　out　without　a　flicker。

〃A　serious　talk？〃　she　murmured。

〃A　serious　talkabout　the　mine；〃　replied　her　husband。

〃About　the　mine；〃　she　repeated；　and　a　moment　after　burst　into　a　laugh　that　was　almost　startling　in　its　insincerity。　〃It　is　so　amusing；　this　chapter　of　cross…purposes；〃　she　cried。　〃What　a　sight　it　has　been！　a　night　of　thrilling　surprises　to　all　of　us！　I　miss　Phyllis　by　half　an　hour　and　my　husband　misses　me　by　less　than　half　an　hour。　He　comes　at　express　speed　from　Paris　to　have　a　talk；　a　serious　talk；　with　Mr。　Courtland　about　the　mine；　and　while　he　is　driving　from　Victoria；　Mr。　Courtland　is　driving　to　the　same　station　with　Lord　Earlscourt！〃

〃What　a　series　of　fatalities！〃　said　Mr。　Ayrton。　〃But　what　seemed　to　me　most　amusing　was　the　persuasiveness　of　Earlscourt。　He　has　only　to　speak　half　a　dozen　words　to　Courtland；　and　off　he　goes　to　Norway　at　a　moment's　notice　with　probably　the　most　uncongenial　boat's　load　that　Courtland　ever　sailed　with；　and　he　must　have　done　a　good　deal　in　that　way　in　New　Guinea　waters。　Now；　why　should　Courtland　take　such　a　turn？〃

〃Ah；　why；　indeed！〃　cried　Mrs。　Linton。　〃Yes；　that　is；　as　you　say；　the　most　amusing　part　of　the　whole　evening　of　cross…purposes。　Why　should　he　run　away　just　at　this　timeto…nightto…night？〃

〃What　is　there　particular　about　to…night　that　Courtland's　running　away　should　seem　doubly　erratic？〃　asked　Mr。　Linton；　after　a　little　pause。　He　had　his　eyes　fixed　coldly　upon　his　wife's　face。

She　turned　to　him　and　laughed　quite　merrily。

〃What　is　there　particular　about　to…night？〃　she　repeated。　〃Why；　have　you　not　arrived　from　Paris　to…night　to　have　that　serious　talk　with　him　about　the　mine？　Doesn't　it　seem　to　you　doubly　provoking　that　he　didn't　stay　until　to…morrow　or　that　you　didn't　arrive　yesterday？　Why；　why；　why　did　he　run　away　to…night　before　nine？〃

〃Why　before　nine？〃　said　her　husband。

〃Heavens！　Was　not　that　the　hour　when　you　arrived　home？　You　said　so　just　now；〃　she　cried。　Then　she　picked　up　her　wrap。　Phyllis　had　thrown　it　over　a　chair　when　it　had　lain　in　a　heap　on　the　floor　as　Cleopatra's　wrap　may　have　lain　when　she　was　carried　into　the　presence　of　her　lover。　〃My　dear　Stephen；　don't　you　think　that　as　it　is　past　nine；　and　Mr。　Courtland　is　probably　some　miles　out　at　sea　with　his　head　reposing　on　something　hard；there　is　nothing　soft　about　a　yacht；we　should　make　a　move　in　the　direction　of　home？　It　seems　pretty　clear　that　you　will　have　no　serious　talk　with　him　to…night。　Alas！　my　Phyllis；　our　dream　of　happiness　is　over。　We　are　to　be　separated　by　the　cruelty　of　man；　as　usual。　Good…night；　my　dear！　Good…night；　Mr。　Ayrton！　Pray　forgive　us　for　keeping　you　out　of　bed　so　long；　and　receive　my　thanks　for　restoring　my　long…lost　husband　to　my　arms。　Didn't　you　say　that　the　hansom　was　waiting；　Stephen？〃

〃I　expect　the　man　has　been　asleep　for　the　last　half…hour；〃　said　her　husband。

〃I　hope　nothing　has　gone　astray　with　the　gold　mine；〃　said　she。　〃Hasn't　someone　made　a　calculation　regarding　the　accumulation　of　a　shilling　hansom　fare　at　compound　interest　when　the　driver　is　kept　waiting？　It　is　like　the　sum　about　the　nails　in　the　horse's　shoe。　We　shall　be　ruined　if　we　remain　here　much　longer。〃

〃Ah；　my　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Ayrton；　when　he　had　kissed　her　hand；　and　straightened　the　sable　collar　of　her　wrap；　〃ah；　my　dear；　a　husband　is　a　husband。〃

〃Even　when　he　stays　away　from　his　wife　for　three　months　at　a　time？〃　said　Ella。

〃Not　in　spite　of　that；　but　on　account　of　it；〃　said　Mr。　Ayrton。　〃Have　you　been　married　all　these　years　without　finding　that　out？〃

〃Good…night！〃　said　she。



CHAPTER　XXII。

HE　HAD　EXPLAINED　TO　PHYLLIS　ONCE　THAT　HE　THOUGHT　OF　GOD　ONLY　AS　A　PRINCIPLE。

The　sound　of　the　hansom　wheels　died　away　before　the　father　and　daughter　exchanged　a　word。　Mr。　Ayrton　was　the　first　to　speak。

〃It　seems　to　have　been　a　night　of　mischance；〃　said　he。

〃I　am　very　glad　that　Mr。　Linton　has　returned；〃　said　she。

〃What？　Now；　why　should　you　be　glad　of　that　very　ordinary　incident？〃

〃Why？　Oh；　papa；　I　am　so　fond　of　her！〃

〃She　may　be　fond　of　him；　after　all。〃

Mr。　Ayrton　spoke　musingly。

〃Of　course　she　is；〃　said　Phyllis；　with　a　positiveness　that　was　designed　to　convince　herself　that　she　believed　her　own　statement。

〃And　he　may　be　fond　of　heryes；　at　times；〃　resumed　Mr。　Ayrton。　〃That　toilet　of　hers　seems　to　have　been　the　only　happy　element　in　the　game　of　cross…purposes　which　was　played　to…night。〃

〃Ah；〃　whispered　the　girl。

〃Yes；　it　was　in　inspiration。　She　could　not　have　expected　her　husband　to…night。　What　a　dress！　Even　a　husband　would　be　compelled　to　admit　its　fascination。　And　she　said　she　meant　to　wear　it　at　the　opera　to…night。　It　was　scarcely　an　opera　toilet；　was　it？〃

〃Ella's　taste　is　never　at　fault；　papa。〃

〃I　suppose　not。　I　wonder　if　he　is　capable　of　appreciating　thethe　let　us　say；　the　inspiration　of　that　toilet。　Is　that；　I　wonder；　the　sort　of　dress　that　a　man　likes　his　wife　to　wear　when　she　welcomes　him　home　after　an　absence　of　some　months？　No　matter　it　was　exquisite　in　every　detail。　Curious；　her　coming　here　and　waiting　after　she　had　learned　that　you　were　out；　was　it　not；　from　nine　o'clockthat　fateful　hour！to…night。〃

〃I　think　she　must　have　feltlonely；〃　said　Phyllis。　〃She　seemed　so　glad　to　see　meso　relieved。　She　meant　to　stay　with　me　all　night；　poor　thing！　Oh；　why　should　her　husband　stay　away　from　her　for　months　at　a　time？　It　is　quite　disgraceful！〃

〃I　think　that　we　had　better　go　to　bed；〃　said　her　father。　〃If　we　begin　to　discuss　abstract　questions　of　temperament　we　may　abandon　all　hope　of　sleep　tonight。　We　might　as　well　try　to　fathom　Herbert　Courtland's　reasons　for　going　to　yacht　with　so　uncongenial　a　party　as　Lord　Earlscourt's。　Good…night；　my　dear！〃

He　kissed　her　and　went　upstairs。　She　did　not　follow　him　immediately。　She　stood　in　the　center　of　the　room；　and　over　her　sweet　face　a　puzzled　expression　crept；　as　a　single　breath　of　wind　passes　over　the　smooth　surface　of　a　lake　on　a　day　when　no　wind　stirs　a　leaf。

She　thought　first　of　Herbert　Courtland；　which　of　itself　was　a　curious　incident。　How　did　it　come　that　he　had　yielded　so　easily　to　the　invitation　of　Lord　Earlscourt　to　accompany　him　on　his　cruise　in　the　yacht　/Water　Nymph/？　（Lord　Earlscourt's　imagination　in　the　direction　of　the　nomenclature　of　his　boats　as　well　as　his　horses　was　not　unlimited。）

But　this　was　just　the　question　which　her　father　had　suggested　as　an　example　of　a　subject　of　profitless　discussion。　She　remembered　this；　and　asked　herself　if　it　was　likely　that　she；　having　at　her　command　fewer　data　than　her　father　bearing　upon　this　case；　should　make　a　better　attempt　than　he　made　at　its　solution。　Her　father　had　seen　Herbert　Courtland　since　he　had　agreed　to　go　on　the　cruise；　and　was　therefore　in　the　better　position　to　arrive　at　a　reasonable　conclusion　in　regard　to　the　source　of　the　impulse　upon　which　Mr。　Courtland　had　acted；　so　much　she　thought　certain。　And　yet　her　father　had　suggested　the　profitless　nature　of　such　an　investigation；　and　her　father　was　certainly　right。

Only　for　a　single　moment　did　it　occur　to　her　that　something　she　had　said　to　Herbert　Courtland　when　he　was　sitting　there；　there　in　that　chair　beside　her；　might　have　had　its　influence　upon　himonly　for　a　single　moment；　however；　then　she　shook　her　head。

No；　no！　that　supposition　was　too；　too　ridiculous　to　be　entertained　for　a　moment。　He　had；　to　be　sure；　shown　that　he　felt　deeply　the　words　which　she　had　quoted　as　they　came　from　Mrs。　Haddon；　but　what　could　those　words　have　to　do　with　his　sudden　acceptance　of　Lord　Earlscourt's　invitation　to　go　to　Norway？

She　made　up　her　mind　that　it　was　nothing　to　her　what　course　Herbert　Courtland　had　pursued；　consequently　the　endeavors　to　fathom　his　reason　for　adopting　such　a　course　would　be　wholly　profitless。　But　the　question　of　the　singular　moods　suggested　by　the　conduct　and　the　words　of　her　friend　Ella　Linton　stood　on　a　very　different　basis。　Ella　was　her　dearest　friend；　and　nothing　that　she　had　said　or　done　should　be　dismissed　as　profitless。

What　on　earth　had　Ella　meant　by　appearing　in　that　wonderful　costume　that　night？　It　was　not　a　toilet　for　the　opera；　even　on　a　Melba　night；　even　on　a　〃Romeo　and　Juliet〃　night；　unless；　indeed；　the　wearer　meant　to　appear　on　the　stage　as　/Juliet/；　was　the　thought　which　occurred　to　the　girl。　Her　fantastic　thoughtshe　thought　it　was　a　fantastic　thoughtmade　her　smile。　Unless

And　then　another　thought　came　to　her　which；　not　being　fantastic；　banished　her　smile。

/Unless/

She　got　to　her　feetvery　slowlyand　walked　very　slowlyacross　the　room。　She　seated　herself　on　the　sofa　where　Ella　had　sat；　and　she　remained　motionless　for　some　minutes。　Then　she　made　a　motion　with　one　of　her　hands　as　if　sweeping　from　before　her　eyes　some　flimsy　repulsivenessthe　web　of　an　unclean　thing　flashing　in　the　air。　In　another　instant　she　had　buried　her　face　in　the　pillow　that　still　bore　the　impress　of　Ella's　face。

〃Oh；　Godmy　God；　forgive　meforgive　meforgive　me！〃　was　her　silent；　passionate　prayer　as　she　lay　there　sobbing。　〃How　could　I　ever　have　such　a　thought；　so　terrible　a　thought。　She　is　my　friendmy　sister　and　she　put　herself　into　her　husband's　arms　and　kissed　him！　Oh；　God；　forgive　me！〃

That　was　her　prayer　for　the　greater　part　of　the　nigh