phyllis of philistia-第15部分

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〃Because　so　many　people　are　idiots　nowadays；〃　cried　Phyllis　warmly。　〃Because；　no　matter　how　ridiculous　a　charge　which　is　brought　against　a　distinguished　person　may　be；　some　people　will　be　found　ready　to　believe　in　its　truth。　Never　mind；　I'll　find　out　the　truth；　I'll　go　to　Ella。〃

〃The　fountain…head　indeed；〃　said　Mr。　Ayrton。　〃When　in　search　of　the　truth；　go　to　a　woman。〃

〃I　will；　at　any　rate；〃　said　Phyllis。

And　she　went　thither。



CHAPTER　XII。

DYNAMITESLAVE…DEALINGMASSACRESARMENIA！

Phyllis；　of　course；　knew　when　to　go　to　Ella　with　the　certainty　of　finding　her　at　home。　At　the　luncheon　hour　Mrs。　Linton　was　always　visible　to　the　three　friends　whom　she　had　within　the　confines　of　Mayfair。　She　considered　herself　blessed　among　women　in　the　numerical　strength　of　her　friendships；　and　so　perhaps　she　was；　she　had　three。

She　was　in　one　of　her　drawing　roomsthe　one　that　was　decorated　with　water　colors　set　in　fluted　panels　of　yellow　silknot　the　one　with　the　pink　blinds　so　beloved　by　those　of　her　visitors　who　had　reached　an　age　to　regard　a　pink　light　as　a　woman's　best　friend。　She　was　wearing　a　new　gown　which　Phyllis；　in　spite　of　her　enthusiasm　on　behalf　of　a　brave　man　maligned；　found　admirable　both　as　regards　fabric；　fit；　and　fashion。

Then　followed　a　word　or　two　of　commendation　of　the　artists　who　had　been　concerned　in　its　production。　They　had　not　been　absurd　about　the　sleeves；　and　they　had　not　vetoed　the　sweep　of　laceit　was　about　half　a　yard　widewhich　the　person　who　occupied　so　insignificant　a　position　as　is　usually　allocated　to　the　mere　wearer　of　the　gown　had　suggested　for　the　bodice。　The　gown　was　an　unequivocal　success；　and　had　Ella　seen　the　disgraceful　article　which　had　appeared　in　the　/Spiritual　Aneroid/　on　the　subject　of　Mr。　Courtland's　explorations？

Ella　smiled　a　slow　smile；　as　the　question　joined　the　congratulation　without　the　lapse　of　a　breath。

〃The　/Spiritual　Aneroid/？　Who　is　the　/Spiritual　Aneroid/？　What　is　the　/Spiritual　Aneroid/？〃　she　asked。　〃Oh；　a　newspaper。　What　could　a　newspaper　with　such　a　funny　name　have　to　say　about　Mr。　Courtland？〃

〃I　have　brought　it　with　me；〃　said　Phyllis。　〃It　is　quite　disgraceful。　I'm　sure　you'll　agree　with　me。〃

〃I'm　certain　of　it。〃

Ella　accepted　the　proffered　paper　and　glanced　down　the　article　pointed　out　to　her　by　Phyllis。　Phyllis'　eyes　were　gleaming　as　she　placed　her　finger　on　the　words；　〃Dynamite　/versus/　Evangelization；〃　but　Ella's　eyes　did　not　gleam　while　she　was　reading　all　the　words　printed　beneath　the　heading。　She　folded　the　paper　and　glanced　carelessly　at　the　name　at　the　top　of　the　outside　page　and　said；　〃Well？〃

〃Was　there　ever　anything　so　disgraceful？〃　cried　the　girl。　〃Was　there　every　anything　so　false？〃

〃Is　it　false？〃　asked　Ella。

〃How　can　you　doubt　it？　Do　you　fancy　that　Mr。　Courtland　would　be　a　slave…dealer？〃

〃I　wonder　how　he'd　look　in　the　broad　flat　hat　which　appears　in　all　the　pictures　of　the　slave…dealers？　Rather　well；　I　fancy；〃　said　Mrs。　Linton。

〃Oh；　how　can　you　talk　of　his　looking　well　or　ill　when　you　read　such　an　attack　upon　him？〃　said　Phyllis；　jumping　up　with　a　charmingly　rosy　face。　〃Surely　it　is　something　to　you　when　so　distinguished　a　manyour　friend　as　wellis　attacked！〃

〃If　we　were　traveling　with　him　across　the　desert　in　a　caravan；　should　we　mind　much　if　the　whole　caravan　were　attacked　by　Bedouins　or　missionaries　or　people　of　that　stamp；　my　dear？　Of　course　we　shouldn't。　We　should　feel　that　he　would　be　equal　to　the　defense　of　all　of　us；　and　himself　as　well。〃

〃Oh；　of　course；　but　this　is　quite　another　thing；　isn't　it？〃

〃Where　is　the　difference？　If　anybody　minds　the　nonsense　printed　in　that　thing；　Herbert　Courtland　will　certainly　be　able　to　defend　himself　when　called　on　to　do　so。〃

Phyllis　seated　herself　once　again。

〃But　a　question　is　to　be　asked　in　Parliament　about　him？〃　she　suggested。

〃And　can　you；　the　daughter　of　a　member　of　that　Parliament；　honestly　tell　me　that　you　fancy　that　any　human　being　minds　how　many　questions　are　asked　about　him　in　the　Questionable　House？〃

〃But　the　least　breath　of　suspiciondynamiteslave…dealingmassacres　Armenia。　Oh；　the　article　is　certain　to　be　copied　into　dozens　of　other　papersthe　public　do　so　like　to　get　hold　of　some　scandal　against　a　man　who　has　done　something　great。〃

〃They　do　indeed。　Would　you　suggest　organizing　a　committee　of　ladies　for　the　protection　of　Mr。　Courtland？〃

〃Don't　talk　nonsense；　Ella。　I　though　that　you　were　his　friend；　and　that　you　would　be　as　indignant　as　I　was　at　that　disgraceful　attack　upon　his　reputation。〃

〃I　don't　think　that　it　will　place　his　reputation　in　jeopardy；　unless　with　the　readers　of　that　paper；　and　they　are　not　worth　taking　into　account；　are　they？〃

〃Papa　says　the　thing　has　a　large　circulation　among　a　certain　class。　I　want　him　to　ridicule　the　question　which　is　threatened　in　that　article；　he　knows　how　to　do　that　kind　of　thing　very　well。〃

〃Is　it　come　to　that；　my　Phyllis？　Were　you　really　so　greatly　interested　in　the　one　conversation　you　had　with　him　as　to　constitute　yourself　his　champion？〃

Above　all　things　Phyllis　was　truthful。　She　had　never　had　an　experience　of　lovethat　passion　which　can　change　the　most　truthful　of　womankind　into　the　least　scrupulous。　There　was　no　pause　between　Ella's　question　and　Phyllis'　answer。

〃Certainly　the　one　conversation　that　I　had　with　him　interested　meI　told　you　so　returning　in　the　carriage。　Has　he　never　succeeded　in　interesting　you；　Ella？　He　told　me　that　you　were　his　friendI　believe　he　said　his　dearest　friend。〃

〃And　I　believe　that　he　told　you　the　truth；〃　said　Ella。　〃But；　being　his　best　friend　and　a　woman；　I　refrain　from　constituting　myself　his　champion。　You　see　we　live　in　Philistia；　my　Phyllis；　and　the　champions　that　Philistia　sends　forth　usually　come　to　grief；　there　was　the　case　of　one　Goliath　of　Gath；　for　example。　I　have　no　desire　to　have　stones　slung　at　me　by　the　chosen　people。〃

〃I'm　not　quite　sure　that　I　understand　you；〃　said　Phyllis；　with　a　very　pretty　pucker　on　her　forehead。　〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　a　woman　should　not　do　her　best　for　a　man　whom　she　knows　to　be　maligned？　You　don't　suggest　that　she　should　stand　silently　to　one　side　while　people　are　saying　what's　false　about　him？〃

〃I　say　that　it's　unwise　in　Philistia；　though　I　admit　that　it　is　of　the　greatest　advantage　to　the　man；　for　people　at　once　cease　maligning　him　and　take　to　maligning　her。〃

〃If　she　is　any　sort　of　a　woman　she　will　not　mind　that；　however　unjust　it　may　be。　In　this　case；　however；　I　don't　think　there　is　much　risk：　even　the　most　unscrupulous　person　could　hardly　say　thatthat〃

〃That　we　were　becoming　Herbert　Courtland's　champions；　because　we　were　in　love　with　him？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know。　Wasn't　that　what　you　meant　to　suggest　people　would　say　of　a　woman　who　became　a　man's　champion？〃

〃Something　in　that　way。　How　straightforwardly　you　speak　out　what's　on　your　mind！〃

〃Oh；　I'm　a　girl　of　to…day。　I　have　got　over　all　those　absurd　affectations　of　childishness　which　used　to　be　thought　feminine　long　ago。　The　gambols　of　the　kitten　were　once　thought　the　most　attractive　thing　on　earth；　and　they　are　very　interesting：　but　for　the　full…grown　cat　to　pretend　that　it　is　perfectly　happy　with　a　ball　of　worsted；　when　all　the　time　it　has　its　heart　set　on　a　real　mouse；　is　nonsense。〃

〃That　is　an　allegory；　a　subtle　parable；　Phyllis。　But　I　fancy　I　can　interpret　it。　You　are　quite　right。　Men　know　that　we；　the　full…grown　cats；　take　no　interest　in　the　ravelings　of　wool　as　mediums　of　diversionthat　we　have　our　hearts　set　on　mice。　Oh；　yes！　it　is　much　better　to　be　straightforward　in　our　speechit　is　even　sometimes　better　to　be　quite　straight　in　our　ways　as　well。　It　usually　prevents　misunderstanding。　There　is　scarcely　a　subject　that　women　may　not　talk　about　to　men　in　the　most　direct　way；　nowadays。　But　about　the　question　of　championship〃

Here　the　door　of　the　room　was　thrown　open　and　Mr。　Herbert　Courtland　was　announced。

〃I　quite　forgot　to　mention　that　Mr。　Courtland　was　lunching　with　us　to…day；　Phyllis；〃　said　Ella；　while　shaking　hands　with　her　visitor。　〃Now　you　will　have　a　chance　of　getting　the　slave…dealer's　account　of　the　whole　business。　Are　you　a　slave…dealer；　Bertie？　If　so；　why　don't　you　wear　the　usual　broad…leaved　hat　of　your　order？〃

〃It　is　I　who　am　the　enslaved　one；〃　said　Mr。　Courtland；　laying　his　hand　to　the　left　of　the　buttons　of　his　white　waistcoat　and　bowing　the　bow　of　the　early　years　of　the　century；　with　a　glance　at　each　lady。

〃What　a　pretty　reminiscence　of　the　age　of　artificiality！〃　said　Ella；　〃and　what　an　apt　commentary　upon　the　subject　we　were　talking　about；　Phyllis！　We　were　discussing　the　merits　of　directness　in　speech　and　straightness　in　every　way。　We　were　ridiculing　the　timid　maidall　sandals　and　simperof　forty　years　ago。　Why　should　men　and　women　have　ever　taken　the　trouble　to　be　affected？　Let　us　go　in　to　lunch　and　eat　with　the　appetites　of　men　and　women　of　the　nineties；　not　with　the　nibblings　of　society　of　the　fifties。　Come　along；　Phyllis。　Mr。　Courtland　will　tell　us　all　about　his　dreadful　goings　on；　his　slave…　dealings；　his　dynamitings。　Have　you　seen　that　article　in　thewhat's　the　name　of　the　paper；　Phyllis？〃

〃The　/Spiritual　Aneroid/；〃　said　Phyllis。

〃I　haven't　been　so　fortunate；〃　said　he。

〃Then　we　shall　take　the　paper　into　the　dining　room　with　us；　and　place　it　before　you。　If　you　were　guilty　of　the　doings　that　the　article　details；　you　would　do　well　totowell；　to　adopt　the　picturesque　costume　incidental　to　ruffianismthe　linen　jacket　of　the　slave…　trader；　the　mangy　fur　collar　of　the　dynamity　man　of　war。　Have　you　ever　trafficked　in　human　beings；　Mr。　Courtland？〃

〃Well；　yes；〃　said　he。　〃I　have　done　a　little　in　that　way；　I　admit。〃

〃And　dynamitehave　you　ever　massacred　people　with　dynamite？〃　Ella　continued。

〃Well；　when　my　dynamite　exploded；　the　people　who　were　in　the　immediate　neighborhood　were　never　just　the　same　afterward；〃　said　he。

〃Finally；　did　you　allow　yourself　to　be　worshiped　as　God？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　I　got　them　to　do　that；〃　he　replied。　〃I　have　experienced　all　human　sensations；　including　those　of　a　god　in　working　order。〃

〃Then　I　hope　you　will　make　a　good　lunch。　We　begin　with　white…bait。〃

〃I　am　quite　satisfied　to　begin　with　white…bait；〃　said　he。



CHAPTER　XIII。

EVEN　THE　HOUSE　OF　COMMONS　DOESN'T　MATTER　MUCH。

〃I