"And you do not care for the Tilton-Jones combination?" she asked.
Philip shook his head. "I fail to admire either of them, although I
least of any one should cast a presumptuous stone. Perhaps I am unduly
prejudiced. I have known several hyphenated Jones people before, and for
some reason I never got on with them. You see I was always addressing
the wife as plain Mrs. Jones--perpetually overlooking the lean-to
addition."
Isabel's laugh rippled. How very clever her husband was. "I shall keep
you from forgetting this afternoon," she promised. "I am so glad to go
out in a machine. Really I do not believe I could sit the saddle to-day.
And this is too nice!" she declared, as she poured the coffee. "Are you
not going down?" Then she extended a steaming cup. "Take this," she
begged. "They have sent plenty for two; suppose we have breakfast
together."
"But there is only one cup."
"What matter, when we have a full pot of coffee. And just see the toast
and rolls."
Philip sat facing his wife, amused as he always was when he had only to
obey.
"You drink first," she commanded.
"Tell me when to stop; I might take all."
"You may. I never really enjoy coffee until I have finished."
She was irresistible. And all this loveliness, this unconsciousness, was
now but for his own eyes. Isabel was his wife. To-day he felt that he
had sinned only by once becoming a priest bound by unnatural vows.
God had created a pair in the beginning, decreed that man should not
live without sympathy, without love. He was thinking of couples bound as
prisoners. Everything seemed so natural for Isabel and himself, except
when he did not sleep or went back too far. The white satin empire gown
lay extended on the couch.
Philip pointed drolly across the room, then touched the sleeve of
Isabel's dainty night robe. "I like this gown best; you seem about
eighteen months, hardly old enough to be Reggie's fond mamma."
"For shame!" she cried. Still she was pleased. With mention of her boy
she began to talk of the little fellow, to wonder what he was doing on
this very Sunday morning.
The breakfast above proved to be a happy thought. Husband and wife "took
turns" from the single cup; there was gayety and byplay.
"We have not left a crumb!" said Isabel. "I never ate such good toast.
You know we are to have dinner at one--the regulation hour for the day;
we shall subsist until then." She poured the last drop from the coffee
pot. "This is our loving cup. Let us drink to every one that is
married--in the big world!"
Philip smiled. "That wouldn't do, too many miss the whole thing," he
answered.
"I suppose so," she agreed. She had almost forgotten the time when life
had not been full and satisfying. "Now it is all so wonderful--so sure,"
she added softly.
"But of course honeymoons have got to be silly--real silly--just like
this breakfast. After a while we shall both be serious enough, with your
literary work and Reg growing up."
She bounded from bed to her dressing room, dropping Philip a courtesy in
return for his previous jest. "I will come forth full grown," she
promised. "Your friend the editor shall never suspect that I still love
dolls."
She kept her word and after dinner, when she stood with Philip on the
veranda of the hotel, she had exchanged the way of a child for one of
womanly charm. The day was glorious, and already Gay Lewis and the
Tilton-Joneses were on hand. A moment later the host of the afternoon
led his party to the waiting car. The three ladies occupied the tonneau,
while Tilton-Jones and Philip faced them. The New York publisher sat in
front with the chauffeur. At the outset Gay Lewis announced her
satisfaction. "Nothing could be as fine as this!" she declared. "A
Pierce Arrow is next to flying. Of course, for some time to come I shall
not be permitted to shoot upward, but if it were not for mother I should
accept my first invitation."
"Could you really dare to board an airship?" Mrs. Tilton-Jones put in.
"Certainly," said Gay. "I dare say I was born only for sport; I love it
better than anything else in the world. I never think of danger when I
am amusing myself."
"I am sorry that we cannot enjoy the afternoon according to latest
ideals," the host answered. "However, I must depend upon Miss Lewis to
direct our course. Which way shall we take?" he asked.
They had already started on a trip through the little city.
"I am greatly flattered," Gay replied. "But really, I have no choice
when I am in a machine. It is just go, go, go, with me. I can almost
arrive at Kipling's meter as I sit! sit! sit! bobbing up and down
again." Every one laughed.
"And you don't mind a rough road?" Mrs. Tilton-Jones demanded with
literal surprise.
"Not as much as most people," Miss Lewis answered. "I, for one, shall
not complain this afternoon. I never felt a more comfortable car."
"It moves along perfectly," said Isabel, who had thus far been quiet.
"And will no one dictate our way?" the host again inquired. As he spoke,
the chauffeur shot onward in the direction of the mission. Philip alone
felt the significance of the driver's plan. But he made up his mind,
once and for all, that nothing imaginary should disturb his peace of
mind, or ever again come as a phantom between himself and Isabel. He no
longer seemed to shrink from a farewell view of the old church. This
would be the last one. Nor was he perturbed when later the machine
stopped on the verge of the broad pavement leading to steps beyond. Not
until Mrs. Tilton-Jones cried out, begging to peep within the mission
now resounding with voices of singing monks, did he fully understand.
Then he knew, knew that to refuse to go inside on account of afternoon
service was to virtually acknowledge himself a disgraced man. In an
instant he decided. His wife hesitated, but he insisted that she should
get out of the car. Everything happened quickly. With all pressing
forward, Philip began to climb the stone flight to the church. There was
no escape, he must act as a man. Isabel felt his arm beneath her own.
She did not speak. Gay Lewis walked on the other side, and Mrs.
Tilton-Jones now joined the row.
"What terrible steps," the lady complained. "I'm not a Catholic, so
don't appreciate a penance. But I am delighted to have a look inside.
The monks sing wonderfully! just hear them." She chattered on, to the
very door. Evidently she had not heard of Philip's former career. Isabel
was relieved and entered the church with a sense of unexpected pleasure.
She thought she detected the baritone of the brother whom she had once
heard; then the voice stilled. A priest was intoning.
Now all Catholics were devoutly kneeling, murmuring evening prayers.
Philip Barry stood beside Isabel, with his head slightly bowed. Others
of the party used casual time for glancing about the mission. To the
man who had once been a priest the voice of the officiating father, the
supplicating swell of confessions born of human transgression, the
impalpable impression of detached souls coming back to worship, were
realities all too startling. Philip had overestimated his strength. He
lifted his eyes and saw beyond--far down the long aisle--tall, lighted
candles on the holy altar. In brass vases he discerned stalks of flaming
poinsettias. Like blood, splashed against the dorsal, the scarlet
flowers flanked the golden treasury of the hidden Host. The man had been
too long a Catholic to forget. But prayers were over. The choir of
brown-hooded monks had burst into praise and ushers peered here and
there for vacant sittings. Then, with dismay, the excommunicated priest
followed his friends and Isabel the entire length of the old church, to
a pew directly in front of the chancel.
He had not counted on the conspicuous placing of a noticeable party. He
leaned forward with his head in his hands. Instinctively the usual
petition moved his lips. But he sat up and gazed before him with
blinding realization of his own false attitude. Why had he entered?
Again he recalled honest worshippers of the morning, going up worn
stones to early service, at length coming forth into sunlight, with rapt
or tranquil faces. And about him were the same reverential men and
women. Philip Barry's religious feeling had always been emotional rather
than spiritual; still he had been born a Catholic. The beauty of
impressive ritualism, the mysticism of the "Elevated Cup," moved his
esthetic nature. Dreamer that he was, he knew again the power of his
inculcated early training. He thought of his mother. Until to-day every
tense effort to recall her sympathetic soul had been vain. Now an
impalpable presence reproached him--separated him, as it were, from
Isabel. In a momentary vision he saw the dear face and form of his lost
one. To his imaginative mind, beautiful old hands stretched out to save
him from impending disaster; then everything before his eyes became
clear, and he sat still, at the foot of the chancel, a condemned man.
Something whispered that to be an outcast from his Church would
gradually starve his soul. Perhaps he should turn to stone, forget the
worth of Isabel's priceless love and devotion--what then? He shuddered
at the thought of possible suffering for his wife. Again the
congregation knelt. Again he was glad to bow his head. For the first
time since his marriage the dread of disappointing Isabel gripped him.
That he should have an insatiate longing for something outside of their
close relation filled him with terror. No, she must never know. He stood
up at the end of familiar prayers, responding silently to the rich
voices above in the choir. At the back of the church the monks had begun
a Gloria. After all he would be able to control himself. Then suddenly
there was mysterious agitation, moving to and fro of priests and
officiating brothers. To visiting Protestants the commotion in the
chancel was not appalling. Monks passing hither and thither, priests
turning splendid vestments to front and back, seemed but part of an
impressive service.
For Philip Barry, duly educated to Catholic power, aware of a ruling
order's justified opportunity, there was a plain conclusion. He stood as
one summoned, unable to move, waiting for sentence enjoined by his own
unpardonable presumption. And above floated the Gloria. Intent on the
music Isabel did not turn, did not see Philip's livid face as he stood
on, powerless to leave the church, yet knowing the full penalty of
remaining. Voices of singing monks withheld judgment. Then finally with
the deep Amen a solemn file of officiating brothers marched from the
sanctuary. The time had come. Still Philip Barry could not move. Priests
turned from the holy altar with plain intent, beginning to disrobe. In
stately shame each placed his golden vestment upon a bench. Clad in
their cassocks, all went out, save the avenger of the awful hour, now in
authority. Philip saw him signal as he came slowly forward to the verge
of the chancel. Behind the communion rail he stopped and raised a
restraining hand. Above in the choir loft the organ was dumb, not a
murmur broke a frightful stillness. The lone priest waited. Every ear
strained with his first deliberate utterance. He was looking straight at
Philip Barry. At last, he spoke:
"Owing to the presence in this sacred mission of an excommunicated
priest, the service is at an end, the congregation is dismissed. Let it
go out at once, with downcast eyes and prayers upon the lips of all
true Catholics." He walked to the altar and extinguished the last
candle, scarcely turning as he drifted from sight of the awe-stricken
crowd. The dazed man, singled out for disgrace, stooped to the floor for
his hat, rose again to his full imperious height, smiling piteously at
Isabel--then he fell backward, caught in the arms of his friend.