phyllis of philistia-第50部分

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　The　passion　breathed　from　the　roses　the　twilight　full　of　the　memories　of　the　spring　we　spent　together　in　Italyall　took　possession　of　my　heartmy　soul。　I　whispered　to　him　to　come　to　meto　come　to　me。　And　he　came。〃

The　cry　the　girl　gave；　as　she　covered　her　face　with　her　hands　and　dropped　back　into　her　chair；　was　very　pitiful。

〃He　came　to　mebut　only　one　stepone　little　step；　Phyllis；　then　there　came　before　his　eyes　a　vision　of　your　facehe　felt　your　hand　cool　as　a　lilyupon　his　wristhe　heard　your　voice　speaking　into　his　ear；　he　turned　and　fledfled　through　that　windowfled　from　the　demon　that　had　taken　possession　of　this　roomI　said　so　to　you。〃

〃Thank　Godoh；　Ella；　thank　God！〃

〃That　is　my　crythank　Godthank　God；　and　yetand　yetGod　help　me！　I　feel　ready　to　throw　myself　at　your　feet　and　say　'Give　him　back　to　me！　Give　him　back　to　me！'　〃

She　had　stood　with　her　hands　clasped　above　her　head　at　her　first　utterance　of　that　imploration〃Give　him　back　to　me！〃　Then　she　threw　herself　on　her　knees　and　passionately　caught　both　the　girl's　hands　in　her　own；　crying；　〃Give　him　back　to　me！〃

Phyllis　flung　her　arms　about　her　neck；　and　bowed　her　own　head　down　to　the　shoulder　of　the　woman　whom　she　loved　and　pitied。

And　then

Then　through　the　silence　of　the　housethe　hour　was　almost　midnight　there　sounded　the　loud　and　continuous　ringing　of　a　bell。

It　was　only　the　usual　visitors'　bell　of　the　house；　but　its　effect　at　that　hour　was　startlingshocking！

The　two　women　were　on　their　feet；　waiting　in　silence；　but　with　wildly　beating　hearts；　for　what　was　comingthey　felt　that　something　terrible　was　coming。　The　bell　had　an　ominous　jangle。　They　heard　the　footsteps　of　the　one　servant　who　remained　up　to　put　out　the　lights；　going　to　answer　the　summons　of　the　bellthey　heard　a　man's　voice　speaking　in　a　low　tone　in　the　hallthey　heard　a　man's　steps　approach　the　door　of　their　room。　The　door　opened；　and　Mr。　Ayrton　appeared　before　them。

He　closed　the　door　slowly；　and　stood　there　staring　not　at　his　daughter；　but　at　Ella　Linton。　On　his　face　was　an　expression　that　Phyllis　had　never　seen　on　it　before。　It　frightened　her。　She　could　not　speak。

He　stood　there；　with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　Ella　Lintonrigidsilent　as　a　figure　that　symbolizes　Death。

The　silence　became　appalling。

〃For　God's　sake　speak；　if　you　are　living！〃　cried　Ella　in　a　whisper　tremulous　with　terror。

He　did　not　speakhe　stood　there；　staring　at　her。

〃What　does　he　mean？　What　does　he　mean？〃　said　the　woman；　after　another　dreadful　pause。　〃Why　does　he　stand　there；　Phyllis；　staring　at　me？　Why　Oh；　my　God！　I　see　itI　see　it　on　his　facemy　husband　Stephendeadhe　is　deadyou　came　to　bring　the　news　to　me。　Look；　Phyllis；　he　cannot　say　'No'he　would　say　'No'　unless　I　had　guessed　the　truthhe　would　say　ithe　would　have　some　pity。　Is　it　the　truth？　Manspeaksay　yes；　or　nofor　God's　sake！　for　God's　sake！〃

She　had　taken　half　a　dozen　rapid　steps　to　him　and　grasped　him　by　the　arm；　gazing　into　his　face。

He　bowed　his　head。

She　flung　his　arm　from　her；　and　burst　into　a　laugh。

〃Ah；　Phyllis！　I　see　it　all　now。　He　was　the　man　I　lovedI　know　it　now　he　was　the　man　I　loved。　It　was　for　him　I　cried　out　just　now'Give　him　back　to　megive　him　back　to　me！'　〃

The　wild　shriek　with　which　she　cried　the　words　the　second　time　rang　through　the　house。　She　fell　upon　her　knees；　clutching　at　Phyllis'　hand　as　before；　and　then；　making　a　motion　as　if　about　to　rise；　she　fell　back　and　lay　with　her　white　face　turned　to　the　ceiling；　her　white　arms　stretched　limply　out　on　each　side　of　her　like　the　arms　of　a　crucified　woman。

Servants　came　with　restoratives。



CHAPTER　XXXV。

IF　GOD　WOULD　ONLY　GIVE　ME　ANOTHER　CHANCE！

〃Poor　creature！　Poor　creature！〃　said　Mr。　Ayrton。　He　had　just　returned　from　the　room　to　which　they　had　carried　Ella。　Phyllis　was　lying　on　the　sofa　with　her　face　down　to　the　pillow。　〃Poor　creature！　No　one　could　have　had　any　idea　that　she　was　so　attached　to　him！　She　will　be　one　of　the　richest　women　in　England。　He　fell　down　in　the　club　between　nine　and　ten。　His　heart。　Sir　Joseph　was　not　surprised。　He　said　he　had　told　him　a　short　time　ago　that　he　had　not　six　months　to　live。　He　cannot　have　let　his　wife　know。　Well；　well；　perhaps　it　was　for　the　best。　His　man　came　to　me　in　a　terrible　state。　How　was　it　to　be　broken　to　her？　I　just　managed　to　catch　the　last　train。　He　must　have　been　worth　over　a　million。　She　will　be　one　of　the　richest　women　in　England。　Even　in　America　a　woman　with　three…quarters　of　a　million　is　reckoned　moderately　well　off。　Poor　creature！　Ah！　the　shorn　lamb！the　wind　is　tempered。　'In　the　midst　of　life'　Dear　Phyllis！　you　must　not　allow　yourself　to　break　down。　Your　sympathetic　nature　is　hard　to　control；　I　know；　but　stilloh；　my　child！〃

But　Phyllis　refused　to　be　comforted。　She　lay　sobbing　on　the　pillow；　and　when　her　father　put　his　arm　about　her　and　raised　her；　she　put　her　head　on　his　shoulder；　crying：

〃He　is　gone　from　me　foreverhe　is　gone　from　me　forever！　Oh；　I　am　the　cruelest　woman　on　earth！　It　is　not　for　her　terrible　blow　that　I　am　crying；　it　is　because　I　have　lost　himI　see　itI　have　lost　him！〃

Her　father　became　frightened。　What　in　the　world　could　she　mean　by　talking　about　the　man　being　gone　from　her？　He　had　never　heard　of　a　woman's　sympathy　extending　to　such　limits　as　caused　her　to　feel　a　personal　deprivation　when　death　had　taken　another　woman's　husband。

〃Oh；　I　am　selfishcruelheartless！〃　sobbed　Phyllis。　〃I　thought　of　myself；　not　of　her。　He　is　hers；　he　will　be　given　back　to　her　as　she　prayedshe　prayed　so　to　me　before　you　appeared　at　the　door；　papa。　'Give　him　back　to　me！　Give　him　back　to　me！'　that　was　her　prayer。〃

〃My　dearest　child；　you　must　not　talk　that　way；〃　said　the　father。　〃Come；　Phyllis；　your　strength　has　been　overtaxed。　You　must　go　to　bed　and　try　to　sleep。〃

She　still　moaned　about　her　crueltyher　selfishness；　until　the　doctor　who　had　been　sent　for　and　had　been　with　Ella　in　her　room；　appeared　in　order　to　let　them　know　that　Mrs。　Linton　had　regained　consciousness。　The　blow　had；　of　course；　been　a　terrible　one：　but　she　was　young；　and　Nature　would　soon　reassert　herself；　he　declared；　whatever　he　meant　by　that。　He　thought　it　strange；　he　said；　that　Mrs。　Linton　had　not　been　aware　of　her　husband's　weakness。　To　him；　the　physician；　the　condition　of　the　unfortunate　gentleman　had　been　apparent　from　the　first　moment　he　had　seen　him。　He　had　expected　to　hear　of　his　death　any　day。　He　concluded　by　advising　Phyllis　to　go　to　bed　and　have　as　long　a　sleep　as　possible。　He　would　return　in　the　morning　and　see　if　Mrs。　Linton　might　travel　to　London。

Phyllis　went　to　her　room；　and　her　father　went　to　the　one　which　had　been　prepared　for　him。　For　a　minute　or　two　he　remained　thoughtful。　What　could　his　daughter　have　meant　by　those　self…accusations？　After　a　short　time；　however；　he　smiled。　The　poor　thing　had　been　upset　by　the　shocking　news　of　the　death　of　the　husband　of　her　dearest　friend。　She　was　sympathetic　to　quite　a　phenomenal　degree。　That　sympathy　which　felt　her　friend's　loss　as　though　it　were　wholly　her　own　was　certainly　not　to　be　met　with　every　day。

In　the　morning　Phyllis　showed　traces　of　having　spent　a　bad　night。　But　she　spoke　rationally　and　not　in　the　wild　way　in　which　she　had　spoken　before　retiring；　and　her　father　felt　that　there　was　no　need　for　him　to　be　uneasy　in　regard　to　her　condition。　He　allowed　her　to　go　to　the　side　of　her　friend；　Ella；　and　as　he　was　leaving　them　together　in　each　other's　arms；　he　heard　Ella　say：

〃Ah；　Phyllis；　I　know　it　now。　He　was　the　man　who　had　all　my　loveall　all！　Ah；　if　God　would　only　give　me　another　chanceone　more　chance！〃

Mr。　Ayrton　had　heard　that　passionate　appeal　for　another　chance　upon　more　than　one　previous　occasion。　He　had　heard　the　husband　who　had　tortured　his　wife　to　death　make　a　passionate　appeal　to　God　to　give　him　another　chance。　He　knew　that　God　had　never　given　him　another　chance　with　the　same　wife；　but　God　had　given　him　another　wife　in　the　course　of　timea　wife　who　was　not　made　on　the　spiritual　lines　of　those　who　die　by　torture；　a　wife　who　was　able　to　formulate　a　list　of　her　own　rights；　and　the　rights　of　her　sisters；　and　who　possessed　a　Will。

The　man　who　wanted　another　chance　had　no　chance　with　such　a　woman。

He　had　heard　the　wife；　who　had　deserted　her　husband　in　favor　of　the　teetotal　platform；　cry　out　for　another　chance；　when　her　husband　had　died　away　from　her。　But　God　had　compassion　upon　the　husband。　She　did　not　get　him　back。

He　pitied　with　all　his　heart　the　poor　woman　who　would　be　one　of　the　richest　women　in　England　in　the　course　of　a　day　or　two；　and　he　said　so　to　Mr。　Courtland　when　he　called　early　in　the　morning。　Mr。　Courtland　did　not　remain　for　long　in　the　house。　It　might　have　been　assumed　that　so　intimate　a　friend　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Linton's　would　be　an　acceptable　visitor　to　the　widow；　but　Mr。　Courtland　knew　better。　He　hurried　away　to　town　without　even　asking　to　see　her。　He　only　begged　of　Mr。　Ayrton　to　let　him　know　if　he　could　be　of　any　use　in　townthere　were　details　ghastly；　but　he　would　take　care　that　there　was　no　inquest。

Phyllis　went　up　to　town　with　poor　Ella；　and　remained　by　her　side　in　that　darkened　house　through　all　the　terrible　days　that　followed。　Mr。　Linton's　death　had　an　appreciable　influence　upon　the　quarter's　revenue　of　the　country。　The　probate　duty　paid　by　the　exe