phyllis of philistia-第5部分

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ing　men　and　women；　believers　in　the　religion　of　Christ；　who　remain　forever　outside　the　walls　of　the　Church；　hence；　also；　that　terrible　record　of　murder　and　massacre；　perpetrated　through　long　ages　with　the　sanction　of　the　Church。　Where；　in　the　religion　of　Christ；　can　one　find　the　sanction　for　massacre？　It　is　nowhere　to　be　found　except　in　the　Psalms　of　the　senile　sensualistin　the　commands　of　Moses；　the　leader　of　the　marauders　of　the　desert。　Christ　swept　away　the　barbarities　of　the　teaching　of　Moses。　He　perceived　how　miserably　it　had　failed；　how　it　had　retarded　all　that　was　good　in　man；　and　sanctioned　all　that　was　evil。　He　perceived　how　it　had　kept　the　nation　in　a　condition　of　barbarity；　how　it　had　made　it　the　prey　of　the　civilized　nations　around　it；　how　it　had　made　the　Hebrew　nations　the　contempt　of　civilization；　and　yet　the　Church　that　calls　itself　the　Church　of　Christ　has　not　yet　had　the　courage　to　offer　humanity　anything　but　that　impossible　taskthe　amalgamation　of　the　law　that　came　by　Moses　and　the　grace　and　truth　that　came　by　Jesus　Christ。〃

He　spoke　with　all　the　fervor　of　the　preacher；　with　pale　face；　brilliant　eyes；　and　clenched　hands；　but　in　a　voice　adapted　to　a　drawing　room。　Phyllis　of　Philistia　could　not　but　admit　that；　in　the　phrase　of　Philistia　he　had　spoken　in　perfect　taste。　He　had　not　alluded　definitely　to　the　boldness　of　Ruth　or　to　the　calorific　course　accepted　by　the　aged　David。　He　had　spoken　in　those　general　terms　which　are　adopted　by　the　clergymen　who　never　err　against　good　taste　as　defined　by　the　matrons　of　Philistia。

She　did　not　know　whether　she　admired　him　or　detested　him。　But　she　was　certain　that　she　did　not　love　him。　He　might　be　right　in　all　that　he　had　said；　but　she　had　freed　herself　from　him。　He　might　be　destined　to　become　one　of　the　most　prominent　men　of　the　last　ten　years　of　the　century；　but　she　would　never　marry　him。

She　stood　face　to　face　with　him　when　he　had　spoken。

There　was　a　long　silence。

A　gleam；　a　very　faint　gleam　of　triumph　came　to　his　eyes。

〃Good…bye；〃　said　she；　flashing　out　her　hand　to　him；　and　with　her　eyes　still　fixed　upon　his　face。



CHAPTER　V。

IN　LOVE　THERE　ARE　NO　GOOD…BYES。

He　was　so　startled　that　he　took　a　step　backward。　She　remained　with　her　hand　outstretched。

Was　that　only　the　result　of　the　eloquent　expression　of　his　viewsthat　outstretched　hand　which　was　offered　to　him　for　an　instant　only　as　a　symbol　of　its　withdrawal　from　him　forever？

〃You　cannot　mean〃

〃Good…by；〃　said　she。

〃Have　I　not　explained　all　that　seemed　to　you　to　stand　in　need　of　explanation？〃　he　asked。

〃The　bookthe　book　remains。　I　asked　for　no　explanation；〃　said　she。

〃But　you　are　too　good；　too　reasonable；　to　dismiss　me　in　this　fashion；　Phyllis。　Why；　even　the　bishop/would　sit　upon　a　fence　to　see　how　the　book　would　be　received　by　the　public　before　taking　action　against　the　author/；〃　was　what　was　in　his　mind；　but　he　stopped　short；　and　then　added　a　phrase　that　had　no　reference　to　the　bishop。　〃Can　you　ever　have　loved　me？〃　was　the　phrase　which　he　thought　should　appeal　to　her　more　forcibly　than　any　reference　to　the　bishop's　sense　of　what　was　opportune。

She　took　back　her　hand；　and　her　eyes　fell　at　the　same　moment　that　her　face　flushed。

He　felt　that　he　had　not　been　astray　in　his　estimate　of　the　controversial　valuein　the　eyes　of　a　girl；　of　courseof　the　appeal　which　he　made　to　her。　A　girl　understands　nothing　of　the　soundness　of　an　argument　on　a　Biblical　question　（or　any　other）；　he　thought；　but　she　understands　an　appeal　made　to　her　by　a　man　whom　she　had　loved；　and　whom　she　therefore　loves　still；　though　something　may　have　occurred　to　make　her　think　otherwise。

〃Can　you　ever　have　loved　me？〃　he　said　again；　and　his　voice　was　now　more　reproachful。

There　was　a　pause　before　she　said：

〃That　is　the　question　which　I　have　been　asking　myself　for　some　time　ever　since　I　read　about　that　book。　Oh；　please；　Mr。　Holland；　do　not　stay　any　longer！　Cannot　you　see　that　if；　after　you　have　made　an　explanation　that　should　satisfy　any　reasonable　person；　I　still　remain　in　my　original　way　of　thinking；　I　am　not　the　woman　who　should　be　your　wife？〃

〃You　would　see　with　my　eyes　if　you　were　my　wife；〃　he　said；　and　he　believed　that　she　would；　so　large　an　amount　of　confidence　had　he　in　his　own　power　to　dominate　a　woman。

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃you　have　provided　me　with　the　strongest　reason　why　I　should　never　become　your　wife；　Mr。　Holland。〃

〃Do　not　say　that；　Phyllis！〃　he　cried；　in　a　low　voice；　almost　a　piteous　voice。　〃I　must　have　you　with　me　in　this　great　work　which　I　feel　has　been　given　me　to　accomplish。　I　am　prepared　to　make　any　sacrifice　for　the　cause　which　I　have　at　heartthe　cause　to　which　I　mean　to　devote　the　rest　of　my　life；　but　youyouI　must　have　you　with　me；　Phyllis。　Don't　give　me　an　answer　now。　All　I　ask　of　you　is　to　think　over　the　whole　matter　from　the　standpoint　of　one　who　loves　the　truth；　and　who　does　not　fear　the　result　of　those　who　are　investigators。　A　few　years　ago　the　geologists　were　regarded　as　the　enemies　of　the　faith。　Later　the　evolutionists　were　looked　on　with　abhorrence。　Had　any　clergyman　ventured　to　assent　to　that　doctrine　which　we　now　know　to　be　the　everlasting　truth　of　the　scheme　of　earthly　life　propounded　by　the　Creator；　he　would　have　been　compelled　to　leave　the　Church。　I　do　not　know　what　will　happen　to　me；　my　Phyllis。　No；　no！　do　not　say　anything　to　me　now。　All　that　I　ask　of　you　is　to　thinkthinkthink。〃

〃That　is　itthat　is　your　modern　scientific　spirit！〃　she　cried。　〃You；　and　such　as　you；　say　'thinkthinkthink'　to　usto　poor　women　and　men　who　are　asking　for　comfort；　for　protection　against　the　evil　of　the　world。　You　say　'thinkthinkthink；'　when　you　should　say　praypray　pray。'　Where　are　you　going　to　end？　you　have　begun　by　taking　from　us　our　Bible。　What　do　you　propose　to　give　us　in　exchange　for　it？　Nono；　don't　answer　me。　I　did　not　mean　to　enter　into　the　question　with　you　to　enter　into　any　question　with　you。　I　have　no　right　to　do　so。〃

〃You　have　every　right；　Phyllis。　If　I　should　cause　offence　to　the　least　of　the　little　ones　of　the　flock　with　which　I　have　been　intrusted；　it　would　be　better　that　a　millstone　were　hanged　round　my　neck　and　that　I　were　cast　into　the　sea。　You　have　a　right　to　ask　and　it　is　laid　on　me　to　answer。〃

〃Then　I　decline　to　avail　myself　of　the　privilege；　I　will　ask　you　nothing；　except　to　say　good…by。〃

〃I　will　not　say　it；　Phyllis；　and　I　will　not　hear　you　say　it。　Three　months　ago　you　told　me　that　you　loved　me。〃

〃And　I　fancied　that　I　did；　but　now〃

〃Ah！　you　think　that　you　have　the　power　to　cease　loving　at　a　moment's　notice？　You　will　find　out　your　mistake；　my　child。　In　love　there　are　no　good…bys。　I　take　your　hand　now；　but　not　to　say　good…by；　I　feel　that　you　are　still　minethat　you　will　be　mine　more　than　ever　when　you　thinkthinkand　pray。〃

〃Ah！　You　ask　me　to　pray？〃

〃Praypray　for　me；　child。　I　need　the　prayers　of　such　as　you；　for　I　feel　that　my　hour　of　deepest　trial　is　drawing　nigh。　Do　you　fancy　that　I　am　the　man　to　take　back　anything　that　I　have　written？　Look　at　me；　Phyllis；　I　tell　you　here　that　I　will　stand　by　everything　that　I　have　written。　Whatever　comes　of　it；　the　book　remains。　Even　if　I　lose　all　that　I　have　worked　for；even　if　I　lose　you；I　will　still　say　'the　book　remains。'　I　am　ready　to　suffer　for　it。　I　say　in　all　humility　that　I　believe　God　will　give　me　grace　to　die　for　it。〃

She　had　given　him　her　hand。　He　was　still　holding　it　when　he　spoke　his　final　sentence；　looking；　not　into　her　face；　but　into　a　space　beyond　it。　His　eyes　more　than　suggested　the　eyes　of　a　martyr　waiting　undaunted　for　the　lighting　of　the　fagots。　Suddenly　he　dropped　her　hand。　He　looked　for　a　moment　into　her　face。　He　saw　that　the　tears　were　upon　it。　He　turned　and　walked　out　of　the　room　without　a　word。

No　word　came　from　her。

He　knew　that　he　had　left　her　at　exactly　the　right　moment。　She　was　undoubtedly　annoyed　by　the　publication　of　the　book；　but　that　was　because　she　had　read　some　reviews　of　it；　and　was；　girl…like；　under　the　impression　that　the　murmur　of　the　reviewers　was　the　mighty　voice　that　echoes　round　the　world。　He　felt　that　she　would　think　differently　when　his　real　persecution　began。　He　looked　forward　with　great　hope　to　the　result　of　his　real　persecution。　She　would　never　hold　out　against　that。　If　the　bishop　would　only　take　action　at　once　and　attempt　to　deprive　him　of　his　pastorate；　there　was　nothing　that　he　might　not　look　for。

And　then　he　reflected　that　on　the　following　Sunday　the　church　would　be　crowded　to　the　doors。　She　would　see　that。　She　would　see　the　thousands　of　the　fashionable　womenhe　hoped　even　for　menwho　would　fill　every　available　seat；　every　available　standing　place　in　the　church；　and　who　would　all　be　anxious　to　hear　his　defense。　That　would　show　her　that　the　publication　of　this　book　had　raised　him　far　above　the　heads　of　the　ordinary　clergyman　who　droned　away；　Sunday　after　Sunday；　in　half　empty　churches　to　congregations　that　never　became　interested。　Yes；　for　many　Sundays　St。　Chad's　would　be　crowded　to　the　doors。　And　then　he　trusted　that　the　bishop　would　take　action　against　him；　and　in　proportion　to　the　severity　of　his　persecution　on　the　one　hand　would　be　his　popularity　on　the　other　hand。

All　this　would；　he　felt；　advance　the　cause　which　he　had　at　heart；　for　he　was　thoroughly　sincere　in　his　belief　that　the　views　which　he　advocated　in　〃Revised　Versions〃　were　calculated　to　place　the　Church　on　a　firmer　basis；　and　to　cause　it　to　appeal　to　those　persons　who；　having　been　inculcated　with　the　spirit　of　modern　scientific　inquiry；　never　entered　a　church　porch。

He　had　not　been　guilty　of　an　empty　boast　when　he　had　expressed　to　her　his　readiness　to　die　for　the　principles　which　he　had　enunciated　with　considerable　clearness　in　his　book；　but；　at　the　same　time；　when　he　was　walking　down　Piccadilly　he　could　not　avoid　the　feeling　that　if　he　were　only　subjected　to　a　vigorous　persecutiona　high…class　persecution；　of　course；　with　the　bishop　at　the　head　of　it；　he　would　be　almost　certain　to　win　back　Phyllis。　Her　desertion　of　him　was　undoubtedly　a　blow　to　him；　but　he　thought　that；　after　all；　it　was　not　unnatural　that　such　as　girl　as　she　should　be　somewhat　frightened　at　the　boldness　of　the　book　which　he　had　published。　He　had　seen　the　day；　not　so　very　long　ago；　when　he　would　have　been　frightened　at　it　himself。　At　any　ra