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〃A woman！〃 said he。
〃Not yet。 She has never met a man。 She will to…night；〃 said Ella。 Then she turned to Phyllis； who was walking beside Lord Earlscourt。 〃Come here； Phyllis；〃 she said； 〃you are the only person in London who doesn't yet know Mr。 Herbert Courtland。 This is Mr。 Courtland。〃
Thus it was that Phyllis went upon the stage of the Parthenon by the side of Herbert Courtland instead of by the side of George Holland； and the little laugh that Mrs。 Linton gave was due to her careful observation of the latter's face when he perceived； as he did in spite of the engrossing nature of his conversation with his friend in the end stall； how his designs had been defeated by her tactics。 She would not have minded having Herbert Courtland with her for the hour they might remain at the theater； but she had made up her mind that it was not to Phyllis' advantage that Mr。 Holland should continue by her side in public after she had given him his dismissal。
She also perceived； with even greater gratification； that Herbert Courtland was looking nearly as dissatisfied with the result of her tactics as George Holland。 If he had looked pleased at being by the side of Phyllis when he expected to be with herEllawhat would life be worth to her？
But if he was dissatisfied at being with Phyllis instead of Mrs。 Linton； he did not consider that any reason for neglecting the former。 He wondered if she had any choice in sandwichesof course she had in champagne。 His curiosity was satisfied； and Phyllis was amply provided for。
〃You are Mrs。 Linton's dearest friend；〃 he remarked casually； as they leaned up against the profile of the Church scene in 〃Cagliostro；〃 for they were standing in the 〃wings〃to be exacton the O。 P。 side。
〃She is my dearest friend； at any rate；〃 said Phyllis。
〃You were not at school together。 She is four or five years older than you。〃
〃Only three。 When she got married she seemed to me to be almost venerable。 Three years seemed a long time then。〃
〃But now you fancy that you have formed a right idea of what is meant by three years？〃
〃Well； a better idea； at any rate。〃
〃You are still a good way off it。 But if you have formed a right estimate of a woman's friendship〃
〃That's still something； you mean to say？ But why did you stop short； Mr。 Courtland？〃
Phyllis was looking up to his face with a smile of inquiry。
〃I was afraid that you might think I was on the way to preach a sermon on the text of woman's friendship。 I pulled myself up just in time。 I'm glad that I didn't frighten you。〃
〃Oh； no； you didn't frighten me； Mr。 Courtland。 I was only wondering how you would go onwhether you would treat the topic sentimentally or cynically。〃
〃And what conclusion did you come to on the subject？〃
〃I know that you are a brave manperhaps the bravest man alive。 You would； I think； have treated the question seriouslyfeelingly。〃
He laughed。
〃The adoption of that course implies courage certainly。 All the men of sentimentalitywhich is something quite different from sentiment； mind youhave taken to writing melodrama and penny novelettes。 You didn't hear much sentimentality on this stage to…night； or any other night； for that matter。〃
〃No； it would have sounded unreal。 A Parthenon audience would resent what they believed to be a false note in art； and a Parthenon audience is supposed to be the concentration of the spirit of the period in thought and art； isn't it？〃
〃I don't know。 I'm half a savage。 But I like to think the best of a Parthenon audience； you and I formed part of that concentration to…nightyes； I like to think the best of it。 I suppose we knowwe； the Parthenon audience； I meanwhat our feelings are on the art of actingthe art of play…writing。〃
〃I shouldn't like to have to define my feelings at a moment's notice。〃
〃One must make a beginning； and then work up gradually to the definition。〃
〃For instance〃
〃Well； for instance； there's something that people call realism nowadays。〃
〃My father has his ideas on what's called realism；〃 Phyllis laughed。 〃 'Realism in painting is the ideal with a smudge。' 〃
〃I should like to hear what you think of it？〃
He also laughed sympathetically。
〃Oh； I only venture to think that realism is the opposite to reality。〃
〃And； so far as I can gather； your definition is not wanting in breadthno； nor in accuracy。 Sentimentality is the opposite to sentiment。〃
〃That is a point on which we agreed a moment ago。 My father says that sentiment is a strong man's concealment of what he feels； while sentimentality is a weak man's expression of what he doesn't feel。〃
〃And the Parthenon audienceyou and Ilaugh at the latterthat is； because we have practiced some form of athletics。 The bicycle has given its /coup de grace/ to sentimentality。 That man over there with the head and face like a lion's； and that woman whose face is nature illuminated； have long ago recognized the shallowness of sentimentalitythe depths of sentiment。 We could not imagine either of them striking a false note。 They have been the teachers of this generationthe generation to which you belong。 Great Heavens！ to think that for so many years human passion should be banished from art； though every line of Shakspere is tremulous with passion！ Why； the word was absolutely banished； it was regarded as impure。〃
〃I know thatI was at a boarding school。 The preceptresses regarded as impure everything that is human。〃
〃Whereas； just the opposite is the case？〃
〃I didn't say that； Mr。 Courtland。〃
〃You could scarcely say it。 I am only beginning to think it； and I have lived among savages for years。 That man with the lion's face has not feared to deal with passion。 All actors who have lived since Garrick have never gone further than to illustrate passion in the hands of a man； but that lion…man； whose stage we are now standing on； shows us not the passion in the hands of a man； but the man in the hands of the passion。 The man who tears the passion to tatters is the robustious periwig…pated fellow； the actor； who shows us the man torn in tatters by the passion； is the supreme artist。 I am no authority on modern literature； but I must confess that I was astonished at the change that a few years have brought about。 I was in a proper position for noticing it； having been practically without books for two years。〃
〃Is it a change for the better； do you think； Mr。 Courtland？〃
〃I feel certain that it is for the better。 I refer； of course； only to the books of those real investigatorsreal artists。 I refer to the fountain…heads； not to the hydrants laid down by the water companies at the end of about ten miles of foul piping。 I don't like the product of the hydrants。 I like the springs； and； however natural they may be； I don't find anything impure in them。 Why I love the Bible is because it is so very modern。〃
〃You don't think； then； that it is yet obsolete； Mr。 Courtland？〃
〃No book that deals so truly with men and women can ever be obsolete； the fact being that men and women are the same to…day as they were ten thousand years ago； perhaps ten million years ago； though I'm not quite so sure of that。 The Bible； and Shakspere； and Rofudingding； a New Guinea poet； who ate men for his dinner when he had a chance； and； when he had finished； sang lyrics that stir the hearts of all his fellow…islanders to this day；he lived a hundred years ago；dealt with men and women； that is why all are as impressive to…day as they were when originally composed。 Men and women like reading about men and women； and it is becoming understood； nowadays； that the truth about men and women can never be contemptible。〃
〃Ah； but how do we know that it is the truth？〃
〃Therein the metaphysician must minister to himself。 I cannot suggest to you any test of the truth； if you have none with you。 Everyone capable of pronouncing a judgment on any matter must feel how truthfully the personages in the Bible have been drawn。〃
〃Yes； the Bible is the Word of God。〃
〃I believe that it is； most certainly。 That profound wisdom； that toleration of the weaknesses of men； that sympathy with men； who cannot fathom the mysteries of life； and the struggle for life of all things that love life； that spirit I call God； and I don't think that a better name has been found for it。〃
〃Itfor /it/？ You think of God as merely a force of nature？〃
〃Just the contrary。 God is the spirit that lives in warfare with nature。 Great Heavens！ isn't that the truth of which the whole Bible is the allegory？ Nature and nature's laws constitute the Devil。 God is the opposing Force。 It is a law of nature to kill off the weak； to crush that which has fallen in the struggle。 It is God who helps the weakwho helps the feeble。〃
〃But merely a force？〃
〃Oh； I have no private opinion on that part of the question。 I am not like that modern philosopher who fancied he had solved the whole problem by spelling God with a small g。 But don't you think that we have gone quite far enough in our exchange of confidence for a first meeting？ You are what the Italians call /simpatica/that is； more than merely sympathetic。 You look at one； and lead one on to confide in you as one does not confide in most girls。 You are a thoroughly dangerous young woman； Miss Ay