phyllis of philistia-第9节

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urt。

〃By　the　Lord　Harry；　you've　done　for　yourself　now；　my　hearty！〃　cried　the　earl。　〃What　the　blazes　do　you　mean　by　attacking　the　Word　of　God　in　that　fashion？〃

〃Tommy；〃　said　the　Rev。　George　Holland；　smiling　a　patronizing　smile　at　his　patron；　〃Tommy；　my　friend；　if　you　take　my　advice　you'll　not　meddle　with　what　doesn't　concern　you。　You're　a　peer；　better　leave　the　Word　of　God　to　me。　I'm　not　a　peer；　but　a　parson。〃

〃I'll　not　leave　it　with　you；　it　isn't　safe；〃　said　the　peer。　〃Anything　more　damnably　atheistical　than　that　book　of　yours　I　never　read。〃

〃And　you　didn't　read　it；　Thomas；　you　know　you　only　read　a　screeching　review　of　it；　and　you　didn't　even　read　that　through；〃　said　the　parson。

〃Who　told　you　that？〃　asked　the　patron。　〃Well；　at　any　rate　I　read　what　you　said　about　Ruth。　It　was　quite　scandalous！　Ruth！　Good　Lord！　what　character　is　safe　nowadays？　One　of　the　loveliest　of　the　women　of　the　Biblemy　wife　says　so。　She　knows　all　about　them。　And　the　best　painters　in　the　world　have　shown　her　standing　among　the　field　of　oats。　By　the　Lord；　sir；　it's　sheer　blasphemy！　and　worse　than　that；　it's　making　peoplegood；　religious　people；　mind；　not　the　ruckit's　making　them　ask　why　the　blazes　I　gave　you　the　living。　It's　a　fact。〃

〃I'm　sorry　for　you；　Tommyvery　sorry。　I'm　also　sorry　for　your　good　religious　people；　and　particularly　sorry　for　the　phraseology　of　their　earnest　inquiries　on　what　I　am　sure　is　a　matter　of　life　and　death　to　themspiritually。　That's　my　last　word；　Thomas。〃

〃And　you　were　doing　so　well　at　the　Joss…house；　too。〃　Lord　Earlscourt　was　shaking　his　head　sorrowfully；　as　he　spoke。　〃We　were　all　getting　on　so　comfortably。　That　was　what　people　said　to　methey　said〃

〃Pardon　me；　I'm　a　parson；　therefore　I'm　not　particular；　but　I　can't　stand　the　way　your　good　religious　people　express　themselves。〃

〃They　said；　'It's　so　d　pleasant　to　get　hold　of　a　parson　who　can　be　trusted　in　the　pulpitsermons　with　a　good　healthy　moral　tone；　and　so　forth。　You　might　bring　your　youngest　daughter　to　St。　Chad's　in　the　certainty　that　she　would　hear　nothing　that　would　make　her　ask　uncomfortable　questions　when　she　got　home。'　It's　a　fact；　they　said　that；　and　now　you　go　and　spoil　all。　The　bishop　will　have　a　word　to　say　to　you　some　of　these　days；　my　lad。　He　ran　away　to　the　Continent；　they　tell　me；　when　your　book　was　published；　and　it's　perfectly　well　known　that　he　never　runs　away　unless　things　look　serious。　When　the　bishop　is　serious；　those　that　can't　swim　had　best　take　to　the　boats。〃

〃I'll　ask　you　for　a　seat　in　your　yacht；　Tommy。　Meantime　kindest　regards　to　her　ladyship。〃

〃Oh！　by　the　way；　it's　not　true；　is　it；　that　the　girl　has　thrown　you　over　on　account　of　the　book？〃

For　an　instant　there　came　a　little　flush　to　the　face　of　the　Rev。　George　Holland；　then　he　shifted　his　umbrella　from　one　hand　to　the　other；　saying：

〃If　you　mean　Phyllis；　all　I　can　say　in　reply　is　that　she　is　the　best　and　the　truest　girl　alive　at　present。　I've　an　engagement　at　a　quarter…　past　six。〃

〃Well；　good…by。　It　was　my　missus　who　said　that　the　girl　would　throw　you　over　on　account　of　that　book。〃

〃Ah！　Good…by。〃

〃Honestly　speaking；　George；　old　man；　I　think　you've　made　a　mistake　this　time。　People　don't　mind　much　about　Jacob　and　Jonah　and　Jeremiah　and　the　whole　job　lot　of　Sheenies；　but　they　do　mind　about　Ruth。　Hang　it　all　man！　she　was　a　woman。〃

〃Ah！　so　was　Jezebel；　and　yetah！　good…by。　I'll　be　late　for　my　appointment。〃

〃See　you　on　Sunday；〃　said　the　earl；　with　a　broadish　smile。

And　so　he　did。

So　did　the　largest　congregation　that　had　ever　assembled　within　the　venerable　walls　of　St。　Chad's。　They　heard　him　also；　and　so　did　the　dozen　reporters　of　the　morning　papers　who　were　presentsome　to　describe；　with　the　subtle　facetiousness　of　the　newspaper　reporter；　the　amusing　occurrences　incidental　to　the　church　service　of　the　day；　and　others　to　take　down　his　sermon　to　the　extent　of　half　a　column　to　be　headed　〃The　Rev。　George　Holland　Defends　Himself。〃　One　reporter；　however；　earned　an　increase　in　his　salary　by　making　his　headline；　〃The　Defense　of　Holland。〃　It　was　supposed　that　casual　readers　would　fancy　that　the　kingdom　of　Holland　had　been　repelling　an　invader；　and　would　not　find　out　their　mistake　until　they　had　read　half　through　the　sermon。

George　Holland　had　not　been　mistaken　when　he　had　assumed　that　his　appearance　in　the　church　and　his　sermon　this　day　would　attract　a　large　amount　of　attention。　As　a　matter　of　fact　the　building　was　crowded　with　notable　persons：　Cabinet　ministers　（2）；　judges　of　the　superior　courts　（4）；　company　promoters　（47）；　actors　and　actresses　（3）；　music　hall　and　variety　artists　（22）；　Royal　Academician　（1）。　Literature　was　represented　by　a　lady　who　had　written　a　high…church　novel；　and　fashion　by　the　publisher　who　had　produced　it。　Science　appeared　in　the　person　of　a　professional　thought…reader　（female）。　These　were　all　strangers　to　St。　Chad's；　though　some　of　them　could　follow　the　service　quite　easily。　The　habitues　of　the　church　included　several　peers；　the　members　of　a　foreign　embassy；　a　few　outside　brokers；　quite　a　number　of　retired　officers　of　both　services；　and　some　Members　of　Parliament　and　the　London　County　Council。

One　of　the　chaplains　of　the　bishop　occupied　a　seat　in　the　aisle；　according　to　the　facetious　newspaper　he　held　a　watching　brief。

The　rector　was；　of　course；　oblivious　of　his　brilliant　entourage。　He　could　not　even　tell　if　Phyllis　or　her　father　were　present。　（As　a　matter　of　fact　both　were　in　their　accustomed　seats　in　their　own　pew。）　He；　as　usual；　took　but　a　small　part　in　the　ritualas　Lord　Earlscourt　once　remarked；　George　Holland　wasn't　such　a　fool　as　to　keep　a　dog　and　do　the　barking　himself。　（It　has　already　been　stated　that　he　had　a　couple　of　excellent　curates。）　But　the　sermon　was　preached　by　himself；　as　indeed　it　usually　was　after　the　morning　service。

It　was　the　most　brilliant　of　all　his　efforts。　He　took　as　his　text　the　words；　〃All　Scripture　is　given　by　inspiration　and　is　profitable；〃　and　he　had　no　difficulty　in　showing　how　vast　was　the　profit　to　be　derived　from　a　consideration　of　every　portion　of　the　sacred　volume；　it　appeared　to　him；　than　the　account　given　of　the　early　history　of　the　Hebrew　race。　That　account　appealed　as　an　object　lesson　to　all　nations　on　the　face　of　the　earth。　It　allowed　every　people　to　see　the　course　which　the　children　of　Israel　had　pursued　at　various　periods　of　their　existence　and　to　profit　by　such　observation。　The　Hebrews　were　a　terrible　example　to　all　the　world。　If　they　were　slaves　when　in　the　land　of　Egypt；　that　was　their　own　fault。　Milton　had　magnificently　expressed　the　origin　of　slavery：

　〃He　that　hath　light　within　his　own　clear　breast　　　May　walk　i'　the　noontide　and　enjoy　bright　day；　　　But　he　that　hides　dark　deeds　and　foul　thoughts　。　。　。　　　Himself　is　his　own　dungeon。〃

The　bondage　of　Egypt　was；　he　believed；　self…imposed。　There　is　no　account　available；　he　said；　of　the　enslavement　of　the　Children　of　Israel　by　the　Egyptians；　but　a　careful　consideration　of　the　history　of　various　peoples　shows　beyond　the　possibility　of　a　mistake　being　made；　that　only　those　become　enslaved　who　are　best　fitted　for　enslavement。　A　king　arose　that　knew　not　Josepha　king　who　could　not　believe　that　at　any　time　there　was　belonging　to　that　race　of　strangers　a　man　of　supreme　intelligence。　The　Israelites　bowed　their　heads　to　the　yoke　of　the　superior　race；　the　Egyptians；　and　took　their　rightful　place　as　slaves。　After　many　days　a　man　of　extraordinary　intelligence　appeared　in　the　person　of　Moses。　A　patriot　of　patriots；　he　gave　the　race　their　Godthey　seemed　to　have　lived　in　a　perfectly　Godless　condition　in　Egypt；　and　their　theology　had　to　be　constructed　for　them　by　their　leader；　as　well　as　their　laws：　the　laws　for　the　desert　wanderers；　and　a　decalogue　for　all　humanity。　He　was　equal　to　any　emergency；　and　he　had　no　scruples。　He　almost　succeeded　in　making　a　great　nation　out　of　a　horde　of　superstitious　robbers。　Had　he　succeeded　the　record　would　have　thrown　civilization　back　a　thousand　years。　Happy　it　was　for　the　world　that　the　triumph　of　crime　was　brief。　The　cement　of　bloodshed　that　kept　the　kingdom　of　Israel　together　for　a　time　soon　dissolved。　Captivity　followed　captivity。　For　a　thousand　years　no　improvement　whatever　took　place　in　the　condition　of　the　peoplethey　had　no　arts；　they　lived　in　mud　huts　at　a　period　when　architecture　reached　a　higher　level　than　it　had　ever　attained　to　previously。　When　the　patriot　prophets　arose；　endeavoring　to　reform　them　with　words　of　firethe　sacred　fire　of　truththey　killed　them。　One　chance　remained　to　them。　They　were　offered　a　religion　that　would　have　purified　them；　in　place　of　the　superstition　that　had　demoralized　them；　and　they　cried　with　one　voice；　as　everyone　who　had　known　their　history　and　their　social　characteristics　knew　they　would　cry；　〃Not　this　Man；　but　Barabbas。〃　That　was　from　the　earliest　period　in　the　history　of　the　race　the　watchword　of　the　Hebrews。　Not　the　man；　but　the　robber。　All　that　is　good　and　noble　and　true　in　manhoodthe　mercy；　the　compassion；　the　self…sacrifice　that　are　comprised　in　true　manhoodthey　cast　beneath　their　feet；　they　spat　upon；　they　crucified；　but　all　of　the　Barabbas　in　man　they　embraced。　Thus　are　they　become　a　hissing　in　the　earth；　and　properly　so；　for　those　who　hiss　at　the　spirit　which　has　always