phyllis of philistia-第4部分

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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　religion　itself　enables　us　to　pronounce　evil。　My　aim　was　to　show　that　our　faith　is　not　built　upon　such　a　foundation　of　impurityof　imperfection。　The　spirit　which　prevails　nowadaysthe　modern　spiritit　is　the　result　of　the　development　of　science。　This　scientific　spirit　necessitates　the　consideration　of　all　the　elements　of　our　faith　from　the　standpoint　of　reason。〃

〃Faithreason？〃

〃If　the　Church　is　to　appeal　to　all　men；　its　method　must　be　scientific。　It　is　sad　to　think　of　all　that　the　Church　has　lost　in　the　past　through　the　want　of　wisdom　of　those　who　had　its　best　interests　at　heart；　and　believed　they　were　doing　it　good　service　by　opposing　scientific　research。　They　fancied　that　the　faith　would　not　survive　the　light　of　truth。　They　professed　to　believe　that　the　faith　was　strong　enough　to　work　miraclesto　change　the　heart　of　man；　and　yet　that　it　would　be　jeopardized　by　the　calculations　of　astronomers。　The　astronomers　were　prohibited　from　calculating；　the　geologists　were　forbidden　to　unearth　the　mysteries　of　their　science；　lest　the　discovery　of　the　truth　should　be　detrimental　to　the　faith。　They　believed　that　the　truth　was　opposed　to　the　faith。　Warning　after　warning　the　Church　received　that　the　two　were　one；　that　man　would　only　accept　the　truth；　whether　it　came　from　the　lips　of　the　churchman　or　from　the　investigations　of　science。　Grudgingly　the　Church　became　tolerant　of　the　seekers　after　truthmen　who　were　not　greatly　concerned　in　the　preservation　of　the　mummy　dust　of　dogma。　But　how　many　thousand　persons　are　there　not；　to…day；　who　think　that　the　Church　is　on　one　side；　and　the　truth　on　the　other？　The　intolerant　attitude　of　the　Church；　still　maintained　in　these　days；　when　the　spirit　of　science　pervades　every　form　of　thought；　has　been　productive　of　probably　the　largest　body　that　ever　existed　in　the　country；　of　sensible　men　and　women；　who　never　enter　a　church　door。　They　want　to　know　whatsoever　things　are　true；　they　do　not　want　to　be　dredged　with　the　mummy　dust　of　dogma。〃

〃But　the　Biblethe　Bible！〃

〃It　is　necessary　for　me　to　tell　you　all　that　I　feel　on　this　subject；　all　that　I　have　felt　for　several　years　pastever　since　I　left　the　divinity　school　behind　me；　and　went　into　the　world　of　thinking　men　and　women。　It　is　necessary　to　tell　these　men　and　women　in　unmistakable　language　that　our　faith　aims　at　a　perfect　type　of　manhoodat　the　perfection　of　truth。　It　is　necessary　to　tell　them　that　we　do　not　regard；　except　with　abhorrence；　such　types　of　men　as　have　for　centuries　been　held　up　to　admiration　simply　because　they　have　for　centuries　been　the　objects　of　admiration；　of　imitation；　of　veneration；　on　the　part　of　the　debased　people　who　gave　us　the　earlier　books　of　the　Bible。　The　memory　of　Jacob　became　the　dominant　influence　among　the　Hebrew　nation；　hence　the　continuous　curse　that　rested　upon　them；　the　curse　that　rests　upon　the　cheat；　the　defrauder　of　his　own　household；　his　brother；　his　father；　his　uncle。　It　is　necessary　to　say　that　the　world　should　know　that　our　religion　is　founded　upon　truth；　purity；　self…sacrificethat　it　abhors　the　cheat　and　the　sensualist。　It　is　necessary　to　proclaim　to　the　world　our　abhorrence　of　the　cult　whose　highest　development　was　the　Pharisee。　The　aim　of　the　religion　of　Christ　is　to　produce　the　perfect　man；　and　to　root　out　the　Pharisee。　When　the　Church　ceases　to　connive　at　falsehood　and　sensualism；　when　it　openly　professes　its　abhorrence　of　the　religion　of　the　Hebrews；　then；　and　then　only；　will　it　become　the　power　in　the　earth　which　the　exponent　of　Christianity　should　become。　Humanity　had　been　crying　out　for　the　religion　of　humanity；　that　is；　Christianity；　for　centuries；　but　the　Church　tells　it　that　true　religion　is　an　amalgamation　of　the　loveliness　of　Christianity　and　the　barbarity　of　Judaisman　impossible　amalgamation；　and　one　which　millions　of　poor　souls　have　perished　in　a　vain　attempt　to　accomplish。　Humanity　wants　Christ；　and　Christ　only；　and　that　the　Church　has　hitherto　refused　to　give；　hence　the　millions　of　thinking　men　and　wo