She could not conceive his thinking what effect the noticing of such an attendance would have upon her. To her， as to most girls， the heroic man is all heroic. The picture of the Duke of Marlborough taking a list of the linen to be sent to the wash while his troops were getting into position for a great battle is one from which they turn away. She could not think of George Holland's calculating upon the effect of a crowded church， with newspaper reporters scattered throughout the building， taking down every word that might fall from his lips. She regarded him as a man who had been compelled， by the insidious influence of what he called scientific thought， to write a shocking book； but one that he certainly believed was destined to effect a great reform in the world. Her eyes had filled with tears as he stood before her with the gleam of martyrdom in his eyes， and for an instant she felt a woman's impulse--that was a factor which George Holland had taken into consideration before he had spoken--to give both her hands to him and to promise to stand by his side in his hour of trial. But she thought of Ruth and restrained herself. Before he had reached the door she thought of him as the man from whom she had managed to escape before it was too late.
She wondered if any of those young women of the church， who had gone back to their butterfly garments on hearing that Mr. Holland had asked her to marry him， would hunt out the sober garments which they had discarded and wear them when they would hear that she was not going to marry Mr. Holland.
She rather thought that they would get new dresses and hats of the right degree of sobriety. Fashions change so quickly between February and May.
And then there was the question of sleeves！
Anyhow they would， she felt， regard themselves as having another chance. That was how they would put it.
Only for an instant did she become thoughtful. Then she sprang to her feet from the sofa on which she had thrown herself when her tears were threatening， and cried：
"Let them have him--let them all have him--all--all！"
That would have been absurd.
第一章CHAPTER VI. IF A GIRL REALLY LOVES A MAN SHE WILL MARRY HIM， EVEN THOUGH HE SHOULD WRITE A BOOK.
Phyllis meant the half hour which would elapse before her tea was brought to her to be a very grateful space. She meant to dwell upon the achievement of her freedom， for the feeling that she was free was very sweet to her. The fetters that had bound her had been flung away， and she now only had a splendid sense of freedom. So sweet was this sense that she made up her mind that in future it would never do for her to run any such risk as that to which she had just subjected herself. How could she ever have been such a fool as to promise to marry George Holland？ That was what she was asking herself as she lay back on the pillows of the French sofa， and listened to the soft sound of the carriage wheels of the callers at the other houses in the square.
What a singular wish that was of hers--to become the wife of a clergyman！ It seemed very singular to her just now. Just now she did not want to become the wife of anyone， and she hoped that no one would ask her. She did not want the worry of it. Ah， she would be very careful in the future： she would take very good care that the fact of other girls wanting to marry one particular man would not make her anxious to have him all to herself.
Before her resolutions on this very important point had been fully considered in all their bearings， her maid entered to ask if she was at home. The butler had sent a footman to her to make that inquiry， the fact being that her particular friend， Mrs. Linton， had called to see her.
Phyllis jumped up， saying：
"Of course I am home to Mrs. Linton. She will have tea with me."
She went to a glass to see if the tears which had been in her eyes--they had not fallen--had left any traces that the acuteness of Ella Linton might detect. The result of her observation was satisfactory； she would not even need to sit with her back to the light.
Then Mrs. Linton was announced， and flowed into the arms of her friend Phyllis， crying：
"Of course I knew that you would be at home to me， my beloved， even though you might be in the midst of one of those brilliant speeches which you write out for your father to deliver in the House and cause people to fancy that he is the wittiest man in place--so unlike that dreadful teetotal man who grins through the horse collar and thinks that people are imposed on. Now let me look at you， you lucky girl！
You are a lucky girl， you know."
"Yes，" said Phyllis， "you have called on me. We shall have tea in a minute. How good of you to come to me the first day you arrived in town！ How well you are looking， my Ella！"
"So glad you think so，" said Ella. "I haven't aged much during the eight months we have been apart. I have had a very good time on the whole， and so had Stephen， though he was with me for close upon a month， poor little man！ But it is you， Phyllis， it is you who are the girl of the hour. Heavens！ you were farsighted！ Who could have imagined that he would become so famous all in a moment？ I must confess that when you wrote to me that letter telling me of your engagement， and how happy you were， I was a little cross. I could not clearly see you the wife of a parson， even so presentable a parson as Mr. Holland. Oh， of course I wrote you the usual exuberant letter--what would be the good of doing anything else？ But now that he has become famous--Oh， I want you to bring him with you to my first At Home--Tuesday week. It's very short notice， I know， but you must come， and bring him. You are both certain to be in great demand. Why do you shake your head that way？ You need not say that you are engaged for Tuesday week."
"I will not say that I am engaged at all， in any sense，" said Phyllis， with a very shallow laugh， at laugh that sounded like a ripple among pebbles； her usual laugh was like a ripple upon a silver sand.
"In any sense--for Tuesday week？"
Ella raised her eyebrows to the extent of the eighth of an inch. She lowered them in a moment， however， for the tea was being brought in.
