phyllis of philistia-第47部分

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r　themfor　her　for　her。　I　give　them　up　now　for　evermore。〃

After　a　minute　or　two　of　statuesque　passion　she　went　across　the　room　and　picked　up　her　bruised　hat。　She　looked　at　it；　turning　it　round　in　her　hands。　Then　she　dropped　it　suddenly；　and　flung　herself　upon　the　sofa；　crying　out　in　a　whirlwind　of　tears：

〃Oh；　Ella；　Ella；　I　would　have　saved　youI　meant　to　save　you；　indeed！　I　would　have　done　everything　to　save　youeverything！〃



CHAPTER　XXXIII。

I　WONDER　IF　I　EVER　LOVED　YOU　UNTIL　THIS　MOMENT。

It　was　a　rather　tedious　evening　for　Ella　Linton　after　Phyllis　had　taken　her　departure。　Why　on　earth；　she　asked　herself；　had　she　been　such　a　fool　as　to　lay　out　her　plans　to　have　this　lonely　evening？　Then　she　remembered　that　two　of　her　guests　had　meant　to　stay　until　Wednesday　morning；　but　had　received　a　letter　necessitating　their　departure　for　town　on　Monday　night。　But　this　fact　should　not　have　condemned　her　to　a　solitary　evening；　Ella　reflected。　She　should　have　been　thoughtful　enough　to　change　her　own　plans　to　correspond　with　the　change　in　the　plans　of　her　guests。　A　nice；　quiet；　contemplative　evening　beside　the　still　waters　may　suit　the　requirements　of　some　temperaments；　but　it　was　not　just　what　Ella　regarded　as　most　satisfying　to　her　mood　of　the　hour。　It　was　a　long　time　since　she　had　spent　a　lonely　evening；　and　although　she　had　now　rather　more　food　for　contemplation　than　at　any　other　period　of　her　life；　she　did　not　feel　contemplative。

Then　it　suddenly　occurred　to　her　to　ask　herself　why；　after　all；　should　she　be　condemned　to　a　contemplative　evening？　What　was　there　to　hinder　her　taking　a　train　to　town　after　she　had　dined？　Once　in　town　she　knew　that　all　prospect　of　contemplation　would　be　at　an　end。

She　rang　her　bell　and　told　her　maid　that　she　had　changed　her　mind　in　regard　to　staying　another　night　at　The　Mooring；　she　would　leave　after　dinner；　wasn't　there　a　train　about　nine　from　Maidenhead？

It　was　when　she　was　about　to　go　down　to　dinner　that　she　heard　the　sound　of　wheels　upon　the　gravel　walk。　Was　it　possible　that　her　newly　made　plans　might　also　be　deranged？　Was　this　a　fresh　visitor　arriving　by　a　fly　from　Maidenheadshe　saw　that　the　vehicle　was　a　fly。

There　was　no　one　in　the　room　to　hear　the　cry　of　delight　that　she　gave　when　she　saw　Herbert　at　the　porch　of　the　house；　the　driver　having　deposited　his　portmanteau　and　Gladstone　bag　at　his　feet。

He　had　returned　to　herhe；　whom　she　fancied　to　be　far　away；　he　who　had　forsaken　her；　as　she　thought；　as　she　feared；　as　she　（at　times）　hoped；　forever。　He　had　returned　to　her。　There　was　no　one　now　to　stand　between　them。　He　was　all　her　own。

She　flung　off　the　dress　which　she　was　wearing；it　was　her　plainest　evening　gown；and　had　actually　got　on　another；　a　lovely　one　that　she　had　never　yet　worn；　before　her　maid　arrived　at　her　dressing　room。

〃Louise；〃　she　said；　〃send　a　message　downstairs　to　show　Mr。　Courtland　to　his　room；　and　mention　that　he　will　dine　with　me。　Come　back　at　once。　I　have　got　so　far　in　my　dressing　without　you；　I　can't　go　much　further；　however。〃

In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　she　was　surveying　herself　in　her　mirror　just　as　Phyllis　had　been　doing　an　hour　sooner；　only　on　her　face　was　a　very　different　expression　from　that　which　Phyllis　had　worn。　Her　eyes　were　brilliant　as　they　never　had　been　before；　except　once；　her　face　was　not　pale；　but　full　of　soft　color；　as　if　she　were　standing　beneath　the　shadow　of　a　mighty　rose…leaf　with　the　sunlight　above。　Her　neck　and　arms　were　of　the　same　delicate　tinge。　Her　smile　she　gave　as　she　surveyed　herself　was　a　smile　of　triumph；　very　different　from　the　expression　on　poor　Phyllis'　features　as　she　flung　her　hat　across　the　room。

〃Mine；　mine；　mine！〃　she　whispered；　nodding　with　a　smile　at　the　lovely　thing　so　full　of　warm　life　that　faced　her　with　a　smile。　〃He　is　mine　he　has　come　back　to　me；　I　will　keep　him。　I　shall　be　able　to　keep　him；　I　think。〃

She　had　scarcely　entered　the　drawing　room　before　he　was　beside　her；　and　he　had　scarcely　entered　before　a　servant　announced　that　dinner　was　served。　They　were　seated　at　the　dinner　table　before　they　had　exchanged　half　a　dozen　wordsbefore　she　had　time　to　ask　him　why　he　had　returned。

And　at　the　table；　with　a　servant　at　each　end；　what　could　they　say？

Well；　she　gave　in　detail；　with　the　accuracy　of　a　railway　time…table；　the　hours　of　the　departure　of　the　various　guests；　down　to　the　last　departed　guest；　who　chanced　to　be　Miss　Ayrton。　Yes；　she　was　obliged　to　go　up　to　town　to　be　present　at　that　important　function　which　was　to　be　given　in　the　presence　of　Royalty；　though；　she；　Mrs。　Linton；　was　convinced　that　Phyllis　would　much　prefer　remaining　in　the　midst　of　that　exquisite　quietude　which　seemed　to　be　found　only　up　the　river。　She　had　wanted　her　dear　Phyllis　to　stay　until　the　morrow；　but　poor　Phyllis'　sense　of　duty　had　been；　as　unfortunately　it　always　was；　too　great　for　her　inclination。

〃Unfortunately？〃　said　Herbert。

〃Did　I　say　unfortunately？〃　she　cried。　〃How　funny！　I　meant　of　course；　unfortunately　for　her　friendsfor　myself　in　this　particular　case。　But；　after　all；　we　had　a　delightful　week　together。　It　has　done　us　all　goodeven　you。〃

〃Why　the　'even'？〃　he　asked；　with　a　laugh。

〃Oh；　well；　because　you　are　not　expected　to　feel　the　fatigues　of　a　London　season。　And　then　you　must　remember　that　you　had　a　yachting　cruise　which　must　have　done　you　a　world　of　good；〃　she　added；　with　a　smile　born　of　the　mood　which　was　on　hera　mood　of　joy　and　laughter　and　daring。　She　felt　that　she　could　say　anything　she　pleased　to　say　to　him　now；　she　could　have　referred　with　a　laugh　to　his　running　away　on　that　strange　cruise　of　his。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃it　did　me　a　great　deal　of　good。〃

He　spoke　slowly；　and　her　quick　ear　detected　a　tone　of　gravity　in　his　voice。　What　could　he　mean？　Oh；　yes。

〃I　hope　that　that　last　phase　of　the　mine　will　soon　be　settled；〃　said　she。　〃It　was　that　which　curtailed　your　cruise；　you　will　remember。〃

〃I　certainly　do　remember。〃

〃I　hope　the　business　will　soon　be　settled　one　way　or　another。　I　don't　think　this　running　to　Paris　so　frequently　is　good　for　Stephen。　Haven't　you　noticed　how　poorly　he　has　been　looking　of　late？〃

〃He　didn't　seem　to　me　to　be　particularly　robust。　But　I　think　that　he　pulled　himself　together　while　he　was　here。　Oh；　yes！　another　week　will　see　us　free　from　this　business。〃

〃And　with　an　extra　million　or　so　in　your　pockets。〃

〃Well；　something　in　that　way。〃

That　was　how　they　talked　while　the　servants　were　presentabout　business　and　money　and　matters　that　may　be　discussed　in　the　presence　of　servants。

Then　they　went　together　into　the　drawing　room。　It　was　not　yet　dark　enough　for　the　candles　to　be　lighted。　The　exquisite　summer　twilight　was　hanging　over　the　river　and　the　banks　opposite；　wooded　from　the　water's　edge　to　the　summit。　It　was　the　hour　of　delicate　blue　touched　with　pink　about　the　borders。　The　hour　of　purple　and　silver　stars　had　not　yet　come。

She　threw　open　one　of　the　windows　on　its　hinges；　and　in　a　moment　the　room　was　flooded　with　the　perfume　of　the　roses　of　the　garden。　She　stood　in　the　opening　of　the　window　and　seemed　to　drink　in　the　garden　scents　before　they　floated　into　the　room。　Then　from　some　secret　nestling　place　in　the　dark　depths　of　the　clipped　hedge　there　came　the　even…song　of　a　blackbird。　It　was　replied　to　from　the　distance；　and　the　silence　that　followed　only　seemed　to　be　silence。　It　was　a　silence　made　vocal　by　the　bending　of　a　thousand　notesall　musical。　The　blackbirds；　the　thrushes；　the　robins　made　up　a　chorus　of　harmony　as　soothing　to　the　soul　as　silence。　Then　came　the　cooings　of　the　wood　pigeons。　The　occasional　shriek　of　a　peacock　was　the　only　note　out　of　harmony　with　the　feeling　breathed　by　the　twilight。

She　stood　at　the　open　window；　her　back　turned　to　him；　for　some　time。　He　felt　slightly　embarrassed。　Her　attitude　somehow　suggested　to　him　an　imprisonment；　he　was　captured；　she　was　standing　between　him　and　the　open　air；　she　was　barring　his　passage。

Suddenly　she　turned。　With　her　movement　there　seemed　to　float　into　the　room　a　great　breath　of　rose…scent。　It　was　only　that　the　light　showed　him　more　clearly　at　that　moment　the　glowing　whiteness　of　her　neck　and　shoulders　and　arms。

〃Why　have　you　come　back？〃　she　cried；　almost　piteously。

〃Surely　you　know　why；　Ella；〃　said　he。

〃I　know　nothing：　a　man　is　one　thing　one　day　and　quite　the　opposite　the　next　day。　How　can　I　know　anything　of　what　is　in　your　mind　to…dayin　your　heart　to…day？〃

〃I　came　back　thinking　to　find　her　here　stillI　fancied　that　you　said　she　would　stay　until　you　were　returning　to…morrow。〃

〃You　came　back　for　her？〃

〃I　came　back　to　see　herI　find　that　I　cannot　live　without　seeing　her。〃

〃You　have　only　found　that　out　since　you　left　here　yesterday　morning？〃

〃Only　since　I　left　here。　I　told　you　that　I　was　not　sure　of　myself。　That　is　why　I　went　away。〃

〃You　went　away　to　make　sure　of　yourself；　and　now　you　return　to　make　sure　of　her？〃

〃Ah；　if　I　could　but　think　that！　If　I　could　only　be　as　sure　of　her　as　I　am　of　myself。　But　what　am　I　that　I　should　dare　to　hope？　Oh；　she　is　above　all　womankinda　crown　of　girlhood！　What　am　I　that　I　should　ask　to　wear　this　crown　of　girlhood？〃

〃You　are　a　king　of　men；　Bertie。　Only　for　the　king　of　men　is　such　a　crown。〃

She　laughed　as　she　stood　looking　at　him　as　she　leaned