phyllis of philistia-第36部分

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self　as　to　allow　other　people　to　perceive　that　he　has　lost　his　temper。

What　was　he　to　do？

What　was　left　for　him　to　do　but　to　leave　the　house　with　as　little　delay　as　possible？

He　went　down　the　stairs；　and　a　footman　opened　the　hall　door　for　him。　He　felt　a　good　deal　better　in　the　open　air。　Even　the　large　drawing　room　which　he　had　left　was　beginning　to　feel　stuffy。　（He　was　a　singularly　sensitive　man。）

On　reaching　the　rectory　he　found　two　letters　waiting　for　him。　One　from　the　bishop　requesting　an　early　interview　with　him。　The　other　was　almost　identical　but　it　was　signed　〃Stephen　Linton。〃



CHAPTER　XXVI。

DID　HE　SAY　SOMETHING　MORE　ABOUT　RUTH？

Herbert　Courtland　had　found　his　way　to　her　drawing　room　on　the　afternoon　of　his　return　to　London；　and　it　was　upon　this　circumstance　rather　than　upon　her　own　unusual　behavior　in　the　presence　of　George　Holland　that　Phyllis　was　dwelling　so　soon　as　she　had　recovered　from　her　tearful　outburst　on　her　bed。　（She　had；　of　course；　run　into　her　bedroom　and　thrown　herself　upon　the　bed　the　moment　that　she　had　left　the　presence　of　the　man　whom　she　had　once　promised　to　marry。）　She　had　wept　in　the　sheer　excitement　of　the　scene　in　which　she　had　played　the　part　of　leading　lady；　it　had　been　a　very　exciting　scene；　and　it　had　overwhelmed　her；　she　had　not　accustomed　herself　to　the　use　of　such　vehement　language　as　she　had　found　necessary　to　employ　in　order　to　adequately　deal　with　Mr。　Holland　and　that　was　how　it　came　about　that　she　was　overwhelmed。

But　so　soon　as　she　had　partially　recovered　from　her　excitement；　and　had　dried　her　eyes；　she　began　to　think　of　the　visit　which　had　been　paid　to　her；　not　by　George　Holland；　but　by　Herbert　Courtland。　She　dwelt；　moreover；　less　upon　his　amusing　account　of　the　cruise　of　the　/Water　Nymph/　than　upon　the　words　which　he　had　said　to　her　in　regard　to　his　last　visit。　She　had　expressed　her　surprise　at　seeing　him。　Had　he　not　gone　on　a　yachting　cruise　to　Norway？　Surely　five　days　was　under　rather　than　over　the　space　of　time　necessary　to　thoroughly　enjoy　the　fine　scenery　of　the　fjords。

He　had　then　laughed　and　said　that　he　had　received　a　letter　at　Leith　making　his　immediate　return　absolutely　necessary。

〃How　disappointed　you　must　have　felt！〃　she　suggested；　with　something　like　a　smile　upon　her　face。

His　smile　was　broader　as　he　said：

〃Well；　I'm　not　so　sure　that　my　disappointment　was　such　as　would　tend　to　make　me　take　a　gloomy　view　of　life　for　an　indefinite　time。　Lord　Earlscourt　is　a　very　good　sort　of　fellow；　but〃

〃Yes；　I　quite　agree　with　you；〃　said　she；　still　smiling。　〃Knowing　what　follows　that　'but'　in　everyone's　mind；　we　all　thought　it　rather　strange　on　your　part　to　start　on　that　cruise。　And　so　suddenly　you　seemed　to　make　up　your　mind；　too。　You　never　hinted　to　me　that　afternoon　that　you　were　anxious　to　see　Norway　under　the　personal　conductorship　of　Lord　Earlscourt。〃

〃It　would　have　been　impossible　for　me　to　give　you　such　a　hint；〃　said　he。　〃I　had　no　idea　myself　that　I　wanted　greatly　to　go　to　Norway；　until　I　met　Earlscourt。〃

〃So　we　gathered　from　what　papa　told　us　when　he　came　in　about　midnight；　bringing　Mr。　Linton　with　him；〃　said　Phyllis。　〃Ella　had　come　across　to　me　before　nine；　to　ask　me　to　go　with　her　to　'Romeo　and　Juliet'　at　Covent　Garden；　forgetting　that　I　was　dining　with　Lady　Earlscourt。〃

〃But　you　had　not　returned　from　the　dinner　party　at　nine；〃　he　suggested。　She　had　certainly　succeeded　in　arousing　his　interest；　even　in　such　ordinary　details　as　those　she　was　describing。

〃Of　course　not；　but　Ella　waited　for　me；　I　suppose　she　did　not　want　to　return　to　her　lonely　house。　She　seemed　so　glad　when　I　came　in　that　she　made　up　her　mind　to　stay　with　me　all　night。〃

〃Oh！　But　she　didn't　stay　with　you？〃

〃Of　course　not；　when　her　husband　appeared。　It　was　so　funnyso　startling。〃

〃So　funnyso　startling！　Yes；　it　must　have　beenfunny。〃

〃Ella　was　wearing　such　a　lovely　frockcovered　with　diamonds。　I　wish　that　you　had　seen　her。〃

〃Ah！〃

〃I　never　saw　anything　so　lovely。　I　told　her　that　it　was　a　bridal　toilet。〃

〃A　bridal　toilet？〃

〃We　thought　it　such　a　pity　that　it　should　be　wasted。　She　didn't　go　to　the　opera；　of　course。〃

〃And　it　was　wastedwasted？〃

〃Oh；　no！　When　her　husband　came　in　with　papa；　about　midnight；　we　laughed　and　said　that　her　dressing　herself　in　that　way　was　an　inspiration；　that　something　told　her　that　he　was　returning。〃

〃Probably　a　telegram　from　Paris　had　told　her；　that　was　the　source　of　her　inspiration。〃

〃Oh；　no！　what　was　so　funny　about　the　matter　was　that　Mr。　Linton's　servant　bungled　sending　the　telegram；　so　that　Ella　knew　nothing　of　his　coming。〃

〃Great　Heavens！〃

〃You　have　not　seen　Ella　since　your　return？〃

〃No；　I　have　been　with　her　husband　on　business　all　day；　however。〃

〃And　of　course　he　would　not　have　occasion　to　refer　to　so　casual　an　incident　as　his　wife's　wearing　a　new　toilet。〃

〃Of　course　not。　The　word　inspiration　has　no　place　in　a　commercial　vocabulary；　Miss　Ayrton。〃

〃But　it　is　a　good　word　elsewhere；　Mr。　Courtland。

〃Yes；　it　has　its　meaning。　You　think　that　it　may　be　safely　applied　to　the　wearing　of　an　effective　toilet。　I　wonder　if　you　would　think　of　applying　it　to　the　words　you　said　to　me　on　the　last　evening　I　was　here？〃

It　was　in　a　very　low　tone；　and　after　a　long　pause；　that　she　said：

〃I　hope　if　what　I　told　you　Mrs。　Haddon　said　was　an　inspiration；　it　was　a　good　one。　I　felt　that　I　must　tell　you；　Mr。　Courtland；　though　I　fear　that　I　gave　you　some　paingreat　pain。　I　know　what　it　is　to　be　reminded　of　an　irreparable　loss。〃

〃Painpain？〃　said　he。　Then　he　raised　his　eyes　to　hers。　〃I　wonder　if　you　will　ever　know　what　effect　your　words　had　upon　me；　Miss　Ayrton？〃　he　added。　〃I　don't　suppose　that　you　will　ever　know；　but　I　tell　you　that　it　would　be　impossible　for　me　ever　to　cease　to　think　of　you　as　my　good　angel。〃

She　flushed　slightly；　very　slightly；　before　saying：

〃How　odd　that　Ella　should　call　me　her　good　angel；　too；　on　that　same　night！〃

〃And　she　spoke　the　truth；　if　ever　truth　was　spoken；〃　he　cried。

Her　face　was　very　serious　as　she　said：

〃Of　course　I　don't　understand　anything　of　this；　Mr。　Courtland。〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃it　would　be　impossible　for　you　to　understand　anything　of　it。　It　would　be　impossible　for　you　to　understand　how　I　feel　toward　youhow　I　have　felt　toward　you　since　you　spoke　those　words　in　this　room；　those　words　that　came　to　me　as　the　light　from　heaven　came　to　Saul　of　Tarsus；　words　of　salvation。　Believe　me；　I　shall　never　forget　them。〃

〃I　am　so　glad；〃　said　she。　〃I　am　glad；　though；　as　I　say；　I　understand　nothing。〃

Then　there　had　been　a　long　interval　of　silence　before　she　had　asked　him　something　further　regarding　the　yachting　party。

And　now　she　was　lying　on　her　bed　trying　to　recall　every　word　that　he　had　spoken；　and　with　a　dread　over　her　that　what　he　had　said　would　bear　out　that　terrible　suspicion　which　she　had　prayed　to　God　to　forgive　her　for　entertaining　on　that　night　when　Ella　had　gone　home　with　her　husband。

No　rumor　had　reached　her　ears　regarding　the　closeness　of　the　intimacy　existing　between　Mr。　Courtland　and　Mrs。　Linton；　and　thus　it　was　that　when　that　suspicion　had　come　upon　her；　after　Ella　had　left　her；　she　felt　that　she　was　guilty　of　something　akin　to　a　crimea　horrible　breach　of　friendship；　only　to　be　expiated　by　tears　and　prayers。

That　terrible　thought　had　been　borne　upon　her　as　a　suggestion　to　account　for　much　that　she　could　not　understand　in　the　words　and　the　behavior　of　Ella　during　that　remarkable　evening；　and；　in　spite　of　her　remorse　and　her　prayers；　she　could　not　rid　herself　of　it。　It　left　its　impression　upon　her　mind；　upon　her　heart。　Hitherto　she　had　only　heard　about　the　way　an　unlawful　passion　sweeps　over　two　people；　causing　them　to　fling　to　the　winds　all　considerations　of　home；　of　husband；　of　religion；　of　honor；　and　she　felt　it　to　be　very　terrible　to　be　brought　face　to　face　with　such　a　power；　it　seemed　to　her　as　terrible　as　to　be　brought　face　to　face　with　that　personal　Satan　in　whom　she　believed。

It　only　required　such　a　hint　as　that　which　had　come　from　George　Holland　to　set　her　smoldering　suspicionsuspicion　of　a　suspicionin　a　flame。　It　had　flamed　up　before　him　in　those　words　which　she　had　spoken　to　him。　If　Ella　were　guilty；　he；　George　Holland；　was　to　be　held　responsible　for　her　guilt。

But　Ella　was　not　guilty；　Herbert　Courtland　was　not　guilty。

〃No；　no；　no！〃　she　cried；　in　the　solitude　of　her　chamber。　〃She　did　not　talk　as　a　guilty　woman　would　talk；　and　hehe　went　straight　out　of　the　room　where　I　had　told　him　what　Mrs。　Haddon　said　about　his　mother；　his　sisterstraight　aboard　the　yacht；　and　she〃

All　at　once　the　truth　flashed　upon　her；　the　truthshe　felt　that　it　was　the　truth；　and　both　of　them　were　guiltless。　It　was　for　Herbert　Courtland　that　Ella　had　put　on　that　lovely　dress；　but　she　was　guiltless；　he　was　guiltless。　（Curiously　enough；　she　felt　quite　as　happy　in　the　thought　that　he　was　guiltless。）　Yes；　Ella　had　come　to　her　wearing　that　dress　instead　of　waiting　for　him；　and　he　Ah；　she　now　knew　what　he　had　meant　when　he　had　called　her　his　good　angel。　She　had　saved　him。

She　flung　herself　on　her　knees　in　a　passion　of　thanksgiving　to　God　for　having　made　her　the　means　of　saving　a　soul　from　hellyes；　for　the　time　being。

And　then　she　began　to　think　what　she　should