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es wide with astonishment； but with lips mute。
A more satisfactory evening she had never spent； Mrs。 Linton felt； and now the fan was hanging down among the brocaded flowers of her dress； making them look tawdry as she left the box； and noticed how at least two men were lying in wait for her party。 There was； however； a frankness in Herbert Courtland's strategy which George Holland's did not possess。 Mr。 Courtland was looking directly at her； Mr。 Holland was pretending to be engrossed in conversation with a man in one of the end stalls。
She lifted a finger and Courtland went to her side。 The difficulties of the jungle along the banks of the Fly River were trifling compared with the obstacles he had to overcome in obeying her。
〃I had no idea that you would be here；〃 she said。
〃Where else should I be？〃 he said； in so low a tone as to be heard only by her。
〃We are so glad；〃 said Mrs。 Linton。 〃I want to present you to my dearest friend； Phyllis Ayrton。〃
〃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 wa