phyllis of philistia-第4节
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been known to err on the side of rapidity of action。 Nearly a week had passed before he made any move in the matter； and then the move he made was in the direction of the Engadine。 He crossed the Channel with the book under his arm。 He determined to read it at his leisure。 Being a clergyman； he could not； of course； be expected to have examined； from any standpoint but that of the clergyman； the characters of the persons dealt with in the book； and he was naturally shocked at the freedom shown by the rector of St。 Chad's in criticising men whose names have been held in the highest esteem for some thousands of years。 He at once perceived that the rector of St。 Chad's had been very narrow…minded in his views regarding the conduct of the men whom he had attacked。 It occurred to him； as it had to Mr。 Ayrton； that the writer had drawn his picture without any regard for perspective。 That was very foolish on the part of a man who was a Fellow of his college； the bishop thought； and besides； there was no need for the bookits tendency was not to help the weaker brethren。 But to assume that the book would； as some newspaper articles said it would； furnish the most powerful argument that had yet been brought forward in favor of the Disestablishment of Church； was； he thought； to assume a great deal too much。 The Church that had survived Wesley； Whitefield； Colenso； Darwin； and Renan would not succumb to George Holland。 The bishop recollected how the Church had bitterly opposed all the teaching of the men of wisdom whose names came back to him； and how it had ended by making their teaching its own。 Would anyone venture to assert that the progress of Christianity was dependent upon what people thought of the acceptance by David of the therapeutic course prescribed for him？ Was the morality which the Church preached likely to be jeopardized because Ruth was a tricky young woman？
The bishop knew something of man； and he knew something of the Church； he even knew something of the Bible； and when he came to the chapter in 〃Revised Versions〃 that dealt with the episode of Ruth and Boaz； he flung the book into a corner of his bedroom； exclaiming； 〃Puppy！〃
And then there came before his eyes a vision of a field of yellow corn； ripe for the harvest。 The golden sunlight gleamed upon the golden grain through which the half…naked brown…skinned men walked with their sickles。 The half…naked brown…skinned women followed the binders； gleaning the ears； and among the women was the one who had said； 〃Entreat me not to leave thee。〃 He had read that old pastoral when he was a child at the knee of his mother。 It was surely the loveliest pastoral of the East； and its charm would be in no wise impaired because a man who failed to appreciate the beauty of its simplicity； had almost called Ruth by the worst name that can be applied to a woman。
The bishop did not mind what George Holland called Abraham； or Isaac； or Jacob； or Samson； but Ruthto say that Ruth
The bishop said 〃Puppy！〃 once again。 （He had trained himself only to think the adjectives which laymen find appropriate to use in such a case as was under his consideration。）
But he made up his mind to take no action whatever against the Rev。 George Holland on account of the book。 If the Rev。 George Holland fancied that he was to be persecuted into popularity； the Rev。 George Holland was greatly mistaken； and the bishop had a shrewd idea that the rector of St。 Chad's was greatly mistaken。
（It may be mentioned that he came to this determination when he had read the book through； and found it was so cleverly written that it included no heretical phrase in all its pages。）
But so soon as Phyllis Ayrton had read the first review of the book that fell into her hands； she felt inexpressibly shocked。 Great Heavens！ Was it possible that she was actually at that moment engaged to marry the man who had written such a booka book that held up Delilah to admiration； and that abased Ruth？ （It was singular how everyone settled upon Ruth in this connection。）
She did not pause to analyze her feelingsto try and find out if she was really so fond of Ruth as to make Ruth's insult her own； but without a moment's delay； without a word of consultation with her father； she sat down at her desk and wrote a letter to George Holland； asking him to release her from her promise to marry him； and adding that if he should decline to do so it would make no difference to her； she would consider the engagement between them at an end all the same。
She felt； when that letter was posted； as if a great weight were lifted from her mindfrom her heart。 Then a copy of 〃Revised Versions〃 arrived for her from the author； and with the ink still wet upon the pen with which she had written that letter to him； she caught up the book and covered it with kisses。
Had he seen that action her lover would have been thoroughly satisfied。 A young woman must be very deeply in love with a man when she kisses the cover of a book which he has just published。 That is what George Holland would have thought； having but a superficial acquaintance with the motives that sway young women。
Later in the day he had replied to her letter； and had appointed four o'clock on the following afternoon as the hour when he trusted she would find it convenient to see him； in order to give him an opportunity of making an explanation which he trusted would enable her to see that 〃Revised Versions；〃 so far from being the dreadful book she seemed to imagine it to be； was in reality written with a high purpose。
She had not shrunk from an interview with him。 She had sent him a line to let him know that she would be at home at four o'clock； and now she sat in her drawing room and observed； without emotion； that in five minutes that hour would strike。
The clock struck； and before the last tone had died away； the footman announced the Rev。 George Holland。
CHAPTER IV。
SHE HAD NO RIGHT TO ACCUSE HIM OF READING THE BIBLE DAILY。
Phyllis shook hands with her visitor。 He sought to retain her hand； as he had been in the habit of doing； as he stood beside her with something of a proprietary air。 He relinquished her hand with a little look of surprisea sort of pained surprise。 She was inexorable。 She would not even allow him to maintain his proprietary air。
〃Do sit down； Mr。 Holland；〃 she said。
〃What！ 'Mr。 Holland' already？ Oh； Phyllis！〃
He had a good voice； full of expressionsomething beyond mere musical expression。 People （they were mostly women） said that his voice had soul in it； whatever they meant by that。
She made no reply。 What reply could she make？ She only waited for him to sit down。
〃Your letter came as a great shock to me； Phyllis；〃 said he； when he had seated himself； not too close to her。 He did not wish her to fancy that he was desirous of having a subtle influence of propinquity as an ally。 〃A great shock to me。〃
〃A shock？〃 said she。 〃A shock； after you had written that book？〃
〃I fancied you would understand it； Phyllisyou； at least。 Of course I expected to be misrepresented by the worldthe criticsthe clerics what you willbut you You had not read it when you wrote that letter to methat terrible letter。 You could not have read it。〃
〃I had only read one notice of itthat was enough。〃
〃And you could write that letter to me solely as the evidence of one wretched print？ Oh； Phyllis！〃
Pain was in his voice。 It may have been in his face as well； but she did not see it； his face was averted from her。
〃Yes；〃 she said quietly； 〃I wrote that letter； Mr。 Holland。 You see； the paper gave large extracts from the book。 I did not come to my conclusion from what the newspaper article said； but from what you had said in your bookfrom the quoted passages。〃
〃They did not do me justice。 I did not look for justice at their hands。 But you； Phyllis〃
〃I have read your book now； Mr。 Holland〃
〃Ah； let me plead with you； Phyllisnot 'Mr。 Holland；' I entreat of you。〃
〃And my first thought on reading it was that I had not written to you so strongly as I should have done。〃
〃My dear Phyllis； do not say that； I beg of you。 You cannot know how you pain me。〃
〃To be misunderstood by you/you/。〃
She got upon her feet so quickly that it might almost be said she sprang up。
〃/You/ must have misunderstood /me/ greatly； Mr。 Holland； if you fancied that you could write such a book as you wrote and not get such a letter from me。 The BibleRuthand you a clergymanreading it daily in the church Oh！ I cannot tell you all that I thoughtall that I still think。〃
He did not correct the mistake she had made。 She had no right to accuse him of reading the Bible daily in his church。 He was not in the habit of doing thatit was his curates who did it。 He watched her as she stood at a window with her back turned to him。 Her hands were behind her。 Her breath came audibly； for she had spoken excitedly。
Then he also rose and came beside her。
〃I wrote that book； as I believed you would perceive when you had read it； in order to remove from the minds of the peoplethose people who have not given the matter a thoughtthe impressionI know it prevailsthat our faiththe truth of our religionis dependent upon the acceptance as good of such persons as our very r
