phyllis of philistia-第43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！


t；　her　father　from　making　a　fool　of　himself）；　was　in　many　respects　as　innocent　and　as　natural　as　a　girl　should　be。　She　had　only　spoken　naturally　when　she　had　said　that　she　was　glad　he　was　to　be　of　the　riverside　partywhen　she　had　implied　by　her　tone　that　she　was　sorry　that　two　whole　days　were　bound　to　pass　before　he　should　arrive。

What　was　there　in　all　that　she　had　said；　to　make　such　a　man　as　he　vain　in　all　that　she　had　implied？　If　she　had　been　six　years　old　instead　of　twenty…three；　she　would　probably　have　told　him　that　she　loved　him。　The　innocence　of　the　child　would　have　made　her　outspoken；　but　would　his　vanity　have　been　fostered　by　the　confession？　It　was　the　charming　naturalness　of　the　girl　that　had　caused　her　to　speak　out　what　it　was　but　natural　she　should　feel。　She　and　he　had　liked　each　other　from　the　first；　and　it　was　quite　natural　that　she　should　be　glad　to　see　him　at　Hurley。

That　was　what　he　thought　as　he　strolled　to　his　rooms　preparatory　to　dressing　for　some　function　of　the　night。　He　flattered　himself　that　he　was　able　to　look　at　any　situation　straight　in　the　face；　so　to　speak。　He　flattered　himself　that　he　was　not　a　man　to　be　led　away　by　vanity。　He　was；　as　a　rule；　on　very　good　terms　with　himself；　but　he　was　rather　inclined　to　undervalue　than　overestimate　the　distinction　which　he　enjoyed　among　his　fellow…men。　And　the　result　of　his　due　consideration　of　his　last　meeting　with　Phyllis　was　to　make　him　feel　that　he　had　never　met　a　girl　who　was　quite　so　nice；　but　he　also　felt　that；　if　he　were　to　assume　from　the　gladness　which　she　had　manifested　not　merely　at　being　with　him　that　day；　but　at　the　prospect　of　meeting　him　up　the　river；　that　he　had　made　an　impression　upon　her　heart；　he　would　be　assuming　too　much。

But　all　the　same；　he　could　not　help　wishing　that　Ella　had　asked　him　to　go　to　The　Mooring　on　Tuesday　rather　than　Thursday；　and　he　felt　when　Tuesday　arrived　that　the　hot　and　dusty　town　with　its　ceaseless　roll　of　gloomy　festivities　contained　nothing　for　him　that　he　would　not　willingly　part　withal　in　exchange　for　an　hour　or　two　beside　the　still　waters　of　the　Thames　in　the　neighborhood　of　Hurley。

Stephen　Linton　had　bought　The　Mooring　when　his　wife　had　taken　a　fancy　to　it　the　previous　year；　when　she　had　had　an　attack　of　that　river　fever　which　sooner　or　later　takes　hold　upon　Londoners；　making　them　ready　to　sell　all　their　possessions　and　encamp　on　the　banks　of　the　Thames。　It　had　been　a　great　delight　to　her　to　furnish　that　lovely　old　house　according　to　her　taste；　making　each　room　a　picture　of　consistency　in　decoration　and　furniture；　and　it　had　been　a　great　delight　to　her　to　watch　the　garden　being　laid　out　after　the　most　perfect　eighteenth…century　pattern；　with　its　green　terraces　and　clipped　hedges。　She　had　gone　so　far　as　to　live　in　the　house　for　close　upon　a　whole　fortnight　the　previous　autumn。　Since　that　time　the　caretaker　had　found　it　a　trifle　too　cold　in　the　winter　and　too　hot　in　the　summer；　he　had　complained　to　Mrs。　Linton。　But　she　knew　that　there　is　no　pleasing　caretakers；　she　had　not　been　put　out　of　favor　with　the　place；　she　hoped　to　spend　at　least　a　week　under　its　roof　before　the　end　of　the　season；　and　perhaps　another　week　before　starting　for　Scotland　in　the　autumn。

She　suddenly　came　to　the　conclusion　one　day　that　her　husband　was　not　looking　wella　conclusion　which　was　certainly　well　founded。　She　declared　that　a　few　days　up　the　river　was　precisely　what　would　restore　him　to　robust　health。　（But　here　it　is　to　be　feared　her　judgment　was　in　error。）　He　had　been　thinking　too　much　about　the　new　development　of　the　mine　and　the　property　surrounding　it　at　Taragonda　Creek。　What　did　his　receiving　a　couple　of　hundred　thousand　pounds　matter　if　his　health　were　jeopardized；　she　inquired　of　him　one　day；　wearing　the　anxious　face　of　the　Good　Wife。

He　had　smiled　that　curious　smile　of　his；it　was　becoming　more　curious　every　day；and　had　said：

〃What；　indeed！〃

〃Up　the　river　we　shall　go；　and　I'll　get　Phyllis　to　come　with　us　to　amuse　youyou　know　that　you　like　Phyllis；〃　his　wife　cried。

〃There　is　no　one　I　like　better　than　Phyllis；〃　he　had　said。

And　so　the　matter　had　been　settled。

But　during　the　day　or　two　that　followed　this　settlement；　Ella　came　upon　several　of　her　friends　who　she　found　were　looking　a　trifle　fagged　through　the　pressure　of　the　season；　and　she　promptly　invited　them　to　The　Mooring；　so　that　she　had　a　party　of　close　upon　a　dozen　persons　coming　to　her　housesome　for　a　day；　some　for　as　long　as　three　days；　commencing　with　the　Tuesday　when　she　and　Phyllis　went　off　together。　Mr。　Linton　had　promised　to　join　the　party　toward　the　end　of　the　week。

And　that　was　how　it　came　about　that　Herbert　Courtland　found　himself　daily　admiring　the　cleverness　of　Phyllis　Ayrton　when　she　had　the　punt　pole　in　her　hands。　He　also　admired　the　gradual　tinting　of　her　fair　face；　through　the　becoming　exertion　of　taking　the　punt　up　the　lovely　backwater　or　on　to　the　placid　reaches　beyond。　Sometimes　the　punt　contained　three　or　four　of　the　party　in　addition　to　Herbert；　but　twice　he　was　alone　with　her；　and　shared　his　admiration　of　her　with　no　one。



CHAPTER　XXXI。

YOU　MAY　TRUST　MR。　COURTLAND。

Mrs。　Linton　was　greatly　amusedshe　certainly　was　surprised。　The　surprises　were　natural；　but　the　amusement　was　not　quite　logical。　It　was；　however；　quite　natural　that　her　gueststwo　of　them　excepted　should　be　amused　when　they　observed　her　surprise。

Could　anything　be　funnier；　one　of　these　guests　asked　another　in　a　whisper；　than　Mrs。　Linton's　chagrin　on　finding　that　her　own　particular　Sir　Lancelot　had　discovered　an　Elaine　for　himself？

Of　course　the　guest　who　was　so　questioned　agreed　that　nothing　could　possibly　be　funnier；　and　they　both　laughed　in　unison。　If　people　cannot　derive　innocent　fun　from　watching　the　disappointment　of　their　hostess；　in　what　direction　may　the　elements　of　mirth　be　found？

It　was　agreed　that　Mrs。　Linton　had　invited　Herbert　Courtland　up　the　river　for　her　own　special　entertainmentthat　she　had　expected　him　to　punt　her　up　the　river　highways　and　the　backwater　by…ways；　while　Phyllis　Ayrton　and　the　rest　of　her　guests　looked　after　themselves；　or　looked　after　Mrs。　Linton's　husband；　but　it　appeared　that　Herbert　Courtland　had　not　been　consulted　on　this　subject；　the　result　being　that　Mrs。　Linton's　arrangements　had　been　thrown　into　confusion。

The　consensus　of　opinion　among　the　guests　was　to　the　effect　that　Mrs。　Linton's　arrangements　had　been　thrown　very　much　awry　indeed。　But　then　the　guests　were　amused；　and　as　it　is　getting　more　and　more　difficult　every　year　to　amuse　one's　guests；　especially　those　forming　a　house…　party　at　a　season　when　nothing　lends　itself　to　laughter；　Mrs。　Linton　would　have　had　every　reason　to　congratulate　herself　upon　the　success　of　her　party；　had　she　been　made　aware　of　the　innocent　mirth　which　prevailed　for　some　days　among　her　guests。

She　would　possibly　have　been　greatly　diverted　also　at　the　overshrewdness　of　her　guests；　who　were；　of　course；　quite　ignorant　of　the　conversation　regarding　Phyllis　Ayrton　which　had　immediately　preceded　her　invitation　to　Herbert　to　spend　a　few　days　on　the　river。

But　though　Ella　had　undoubtedly　given　Herbert　to　understand　that　she　was　anxious　to　have　him　at　The　Mooring　while　Phyllis　was　there；　in　order　that　he　might　have　an　opportunity　of　seeing　more　of　her；　and　to　obtain　his　agreement　that　her　theory　that　the　man　who　truly　loves　a　woman　should　be　ready　to　marry　that　woman's　dearest　friend；　still　it　must　be　confessed　that　she　was　surprised　to　observe　the　course　adopted　by　both　Phyllis　and　Herbert。　She　had　expected　that　all　her　tact　and　diplomacy　would　be　required　in　order　to　bring　the　young　peoplewith　all　the　arrogance　of　the　wife　of　twenty…six　years　of　age　she　alluded　to　a　girl　of　twenty…three　and　a　man　of　thirty…two　as　the　young　people　together。

She　had　had　visions　of　sitting　in　the　stern　of　an　out…rigger　built　for　two；　remonstrating　with　Herberthe　would　of　course　be　at　the　oars　for　choosing　to　paddle　her　up　the　river　while　he　allowed　some　of　the　other　men　to　carry　off　Phyllis　in；　say；　the　Canadian　canoe。　A　picture　had　come　before　her　of　the　aggrieved　expression　upon　the　face　of　Herbert　when　she　would　insist　on　his　going　out　by　the　side　of　Phyllis　to　feed　the　peacocks　on　the　terraces　in　the　twilight；　and　she　had　more　than　once　seemed　to　hear　his　sigh　of　resignation　as　she；　with　a　firmness　which　she　would　take　pains　to　develop；　pleaded　a　headache　so　that　he　and　Phyllis　might　play　a　game　of　billiards　together。

She　soon　found　out　that　her　imagination　had　not　been　prophetic。　Immediately　after　drinking　teait　was　a　few　minutes　past　sixon　the　evening　of　the　arrival　of　Herbert；　she　went　out　of　doors　to　find　him　and　give　him　a　lecture　on　the　need　there　was　for　him　to　refrain　from　waiting　about　the　garden　far　from　the　other　guests　until　she；　Ella；　could　go　on　the　river　with　him　for　a　quiet　drift　before　dinner；　the　other　guests　would　certainly　think　him　worse　than　rude；　she　was　ready　to　explain。　The　explanation　was　not　needed；　she　learned　that　Mr。　Courtland　had　just　taken　Miss　Ayrton　out　in　one　of　the　punts。

Of　course　she　was　pleasedafter　an　hour　by　the　side　of　her　husband　to　perceive　that　Herbert　had　lost　no　time　in　making　an　effort　to　prove　to　her　how　amply　he　recognized　her　object　in　asking　him