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Page 16
Helen's face was transformed, her eyes glowed, her lips were parted
with eagerness. She turned towards Philippa, her expression, her
whole attitude an epitome of eloquent pleading.
"Philippa, you will not hesitate? You cannot?"
"I must," Philippa answered, struggling with her agitation. "I love
Dick more dearly than anything else on earth, but just now, Helen,
we have to remember, before everything, that we are English women.
We have to put our human feelings behind us. We are learning every
day to make sacrifices. You, too, must learn, dear. My answer to
you, Baron Maderstrom--or Mr. Lessingham, as you choose to call
yourself--is no."
"Philippa, you are mad!" Helen exclaimed passionately. "Didn't I
have to realise all that you say when I let Dick go, cheerfully,
the day after we were engaged? Haven't I realised the duty of
cheerfulness and sacrifice through all these weary months? But
there is a limit to these things, Philippa, a sense of proportion
which must be taken into account. It's Dick's life which is in
the balance against some intangible thing, nothing that we could
ever reproach ourselves with, nothing that could bring real harm
upon any one. Oh, I love my country, too, but I want Dick! I
should feel like his murderess all my life, if I didn't consent!"
"It occurs to me," Lessingham remarked, turning towards Philippa,
"that Miss Fairclough's point of view is one to be considered."
"Doesn't all that Miss Fairclough has said apply to me?" Philippa
demanded, with a little break in her voice. "Richard is my twin
brother, he is the dearest thing in life to me. Can't you realise,
though, that what you ask of us is treason?"
"It really doesn't amount to that," Lessingham assured her. "In my
own heart I feel convinced that I have come here on a fool's errand.
No object that I could possibly attain in this neighbourhood is
worth the life of a man like Richard Felstead."
"Oh, he's right!" Helen exclaimed. "Think, Philippa! What is there
here which the whole world might not know? There are no secrets in
Dreymarsh. We are miles away from everywhere. For my sake,
Philippa, I implore you not to be unreasonable."
"In plain words," Lessingham intervened, "do not be quixotic, Lady
Cranston. There is just an idea on one side, your brother's life
on the other. You see, the scales do not balance."
"Can't you realise, though," Philippa answered, "what that idea
means? It is part of one's soul that one gives when one departs
from a principle."
"What are principles against love?" Helen demanded, almost fiercely.
"A sister may prate about them, Philippa. A wife couldn't. I'd
sacrifice every principle I ever had, every scrap of self-respect,
myself and all that belongs to me, to save Dick's life!"
There was a brief, throbbing silence. Helen was feverishly clutching
Philippa's hand. Lessingham's eyes were fixed upon the tortured face
into which he gazed. There were no women like this in his own
country.
"Dear lady," he said, and for the first time his own voice shook,
"I abandon my arguments. I beg you to act as you think best for
your own future happiness. The chances of life or death are not
great things for either men like your brother or for me. I would
not purchase my end, nor he his life, at the expense of your
suffering. You see, I stand on one side. The telephone is there
for your use."
"You shan't use it!" Helen cried passionately. "Phillipa, you
shan't!"
Philippa turned towards her, and all the stubborn pride had gone
out of her face. Her great eyes were misty with tears, her mouth
was twitching with emotion. She threw her arms around Helen's neck.
"My dear, I can't! I can't!" she sobbed.
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