we two-第7节

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〃I　should　be　delighted；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃if　you　can　really　put　up　with　one　of　the　cloth。〃

Raeburn；　amused　at　his　daughter's　spontaneous　hospitality；　and　pleased　with　the　friendly　acceptance　it　had　met　with；　was　quite　ready　to　second　the　invitation。　　Erica　was　delighted；　she　carried　off　the　cat　and　the　toast　into　the　next　room；　eager　to　tell　her　mother　all　about　the　visitor。

〃The　most　delightful　man；　mother；　　not　a　bit　like　a　clergyman。　　I　didn't　find　out　for　ever　so　long　what　he　was；　and　said　all　sorts　of　dreadful　things；　but　he　didn't　mind；　and　was　not　the　least　offended。〃

〃When　will　you　learn　to　be　cautious；　I　wonder；〃　said　Mrs。　Raeburn；　smiling。　　〃You　are　a　shocking　little　chatter…box。〃

And　as　Erica　flitted　busily　about；　arranging　the　tea　table；　her　mother　watched　her　half　musedly；　half　anxiously。　　She　had　always　been　remarkably　frank　and　outspoken；　and　there　was　something　so　transparently　sincere　about　her；　that　she　seldom　gave　offense。　　But　the　mother　could　not　help　wondering　how　it　would　be　as　she　grew　older　and　mixed　with　a　greater　variety　of　people。　　In　fact；　in　every　way　she　was　anxious　about　the　child's　future；　for　Erica's　was　a　somewhat　perplexing　character；　and　seemed　very　ill　fitted　for　her　position。

Eric　Haeberlein　had　once　compared　her　to　a　violin；　and　there　was　a　good　deal　of　truth　in　his　idea。　　She　was　very　sensitive；　responding　at　once　to　the　merest　touch；　and　easily　moved　to　admiration　and　devoted　love；　or　to　strong　indignation。　　Naturally　high…spirited；　she　was　subject；　too；　to　fits　of　depression；　and　was　always　either　in　the　heights　or　the　depths。　　Yet　with　all　these　characteristics　was　blended　her　father's　indomitable　courage　and　tenacity。　　Though　feeling　the　thorns　of　life　far　more　keenly　than　most　people；　she　was　one　of　those　who　will　never　yield；　though　pricked　and　wounded　by　outward　events；　she　would　never　be　conquered　by　circumstances。　　At　present　her　capabilities　for　adoration；　which　were　very　great；　were　lavished　in　two　directions；　in　the　abstract　she　worshipped　intellect；　in　the　concrete　she　worshipped　her　father。

From　the　grief　and　indignation　of　the　afternoon　she　had　passed　with　extraordinary　rapidity　to　a　state　of　merriment；　which　would　have　been　incomprehensible　to　one　who　did　not　understand　her　peculiarly　complex　character。　　Mrs。　Raeburn　listened　with　a　good　deal　of　amusement　to　her　racy　description　of　Charles　Osmond。

〃Strange　that　this　should　have　happened　so　soon　after　our　talk　this　afternoon；〃　she　said；　musingly。　　〃Perhaps　it　is　as　well　that　you　should　have　a　glimpse　of　the　other　side；　against　which　you　were　inveighing；　or　you　might　be　growing　narrow。〃

〃He　is　much　too　good　to　belong　to　them！〃　said　Erica　enthusiastically。

As　she　spoke　Raeburn　entered；　bringing　the　visitor　with　him；　and　they　all　sat　down　to　their　meal；　Erica　pouring　out　tea　and　attending　to　every　one's　wants；　fondling　her　cat；　and　listening　to　the　conversation；　with　all　the　time　a　curious　perception　that　to　sit　down　to　table　with　one　of　her　father's　opponents　was　a　very　novel　experience。　　She　could　not　help　speculating　as　to　the　thoughts　and　impressions　of　her　companions。　　Her　mother　was；　she　thought；　pleased　and　interested　for　about　her　worn　face　there　was　the　look　of　contentment　which　invariably　came　when　for　a　time　the　bitterness　of　　the　struggle　of　life　was　broken　by　any　sign　of　friendliness。　　Her　father　wasas　he　generally　was　in　his　own　housequiet；　gentle　in　manner；　ready　to　be　both　an　attentive　and　an　interested　listener。　　This　gift　he　had　almost　as　markedly　as　the　gift　of　speech；　he　at　once　perceived　that　his　guest　was　no　ordinary　man；　and　by　a　sort　of　instinct　he　had　discovered　on　what　subjects　he　was　best　calculated　to　speak；　and　wherein　they　could　gain　most　from　him。　　Charles　Osmond's　thoughts　she　could　only　speculate　about；　but　that　he　was　ready　to　take　them　all　as　friends；　and　did　not　regard　them　as　a　different　order　of　being；　was　plain。

The　conversation　had　drifted　into　regions　of　abstruse　science；　when　Erica；　who　had　been　listening　attentively；　was　altogether　diverted　by　the　entrance　of　the　servant；　who　brought　her　a　brown…paper　parcel。　　Eagerly　opening　it；　she　was　almost　bewildered　by　the　delightful　surprise　of　finding　a　complete　edition　of　Longfellow's　poems；　bound　in　dark　blue　morocco。　　Inside　was　written：　〃From　another　admirer　of　'Hiawatha。'〃

She　started　up　with　a　rapturous　exclamation；　and　the　two　men　paused　in　their　talk；　each　unable　to　help　watching　the　beautiful　little　face　all　aglow　with　happiness。　　Erica　almost　danced　round　the　room　with　her　new　treasure。

〃What　HEAVENLY　person　can　have　sent　me　this？〃　she　cried。　　〃Look；　father！　　Did　you　ever　see　such　a　beauty？〃

Science　went　to　the　winds；　and　Raeburn　gave　all　his　sympathy　to　Erica　and　Longfellow。　　〃The　very　thing　you　were　wishing　for。　　Who　could　have　sent　it？〃

〃I　can't　think。　　It　can't　be　Tom；　because　I　know　he's　spent　all　his　money；　and　auntie　would　never　call　herself　an　admirer　of　'Hiawatha；'　nor　Herr　Haeberlein；　nor　Monsieur　Noirol；　nor　any　one　I　can　think　of。〃

〃Dealings　with　the　fairies；〃　said　Raeburn；　smiling。　　〃Your　beggar…child　with　the　scones　suddenly　transformed　into　a　beneficent　rewarder。〃

〃Not　from　you；　father？〃

Raeburn　laughed。

〃A　pretty　substantial　fairy　for　you。　　No；　no；　I　had　no　hand　in　it。　　I　can't　give　you　presents　while　I　am　in　debt；　my　bairn。〃

〃Oh；　isn't　it　jolly　to　get　what　one　wants！〃　said　Erica；　with　a　fervor　which　made　the　three　grown…up　people　laugh。

〃Very　jolly；〃　said　Raeburn；　giving　her　a　little　mute　caress。

〃But　now；　Erica；　please　to　go　back　and　eat　something；　or　I　shall　have　my　reporter　fainting　in　the　middle　of　a　speech。〃

She　obeyed；　carrying　away　the　book　with　her；　and　enlivening　them　with　extracts　from　it；　once　delightedly　discovering　a　most　appropriate　passage。

〃Why；　of　course；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃you　and　Mr。　Osmond；　father；　are　smoking　the　Peace　Pipe。〃　　And　with　much　force　and　animation　she　read　them　bits　from　the　first　canto。

Raeburn　left　the　room　before　long　to　get　ready　for　his　meeting；　but　Erica　still　lingered　over　her　new　treasure；　putting　it　down　at　length　with　great　reluctance　to　prepare　her　notebook　and　sharpen　her　pencil。　　〃Isn't　that　a　delightful　bit　where　Hiawatha　was　angry；〃　she　said；　〃it　has　been　running　in　my　head　all　day

〃'For　his　heart　was　hot　within　him；　Like　a　living　coal　his　heart　was。'

That's　what　I　shall　feel　like　tonight　when　Mr。　Randolph　attacks　father。〃

She　ran　upstairs　to　dress；　and；　as　the　door　closed　upon　her；　Mrs。　Raeburn　turned　to　Charles　Osmond　with　a　sort　of　apology。

〃She　finds　it　very　hard　not　to　speak　out　her　thoughts；　it　will　often　get　her　into　trouble；　I　am　afraid。〃

〃It　is　too　fresh　and　delightful　to　be　checked；　though；〃　said　Charles　Osmond；　〃I　assure　you　she　has　taught　me　many　a　lesson　tonight。〃

The　mother　talked　on　almost　unreservedly　about　the　subject　that　was　evidently　nearest　her　heartthe　difficulties　of　Erica's　education；　the　harshness　they　so　often　met　with；　the　harm　it　so　evidently　did　the　childtill　the　subject　of　the　conversation　came　down　again　much　too　excited　and　happy　to　care　just　then　for　any　unkind　treatment。　　Had　she　not　got　a　Longfellow　of　her　very　own；　and　did　not　that　unexpected　pleasure　make　up　for　a　thousand　privations　and　discomforts？

Yet；　with　all　her　childishness　and　impetuosity；　Erica　was　womanly；　too；　as　Charles　Osmond　saw　by　the　way　she　waited　on　her　mother；　thinking　of　everything　which　the　invalid　could　possibly　want　while　they　were　gone；　brightening　the　whole　place　with　her　sunshiny　presence。　　Whatever　else　was　lacking；　there　was　no　lack　of　love　in　this　house。　　The　tender　considerateness　which　softened　Erica's　impetuosity　in　her　mother's　presence；　the　loving　comprehension；　between　parent　and　child；　was　very　beautiful　to　see。


CHAPTER　IV。　〃Supposing　it　is　true！〃

A　man　who　strives　earnestly　and　perseveringly　to　convince　others；　at　least　convinces　us　that　he　is　convinced　himself。　　Guesses　at　Truth。

The　rainy　afternoon　had　given　place　to　a　fine　and　starlit　night。　　Erica；　apparently　in　high　spirits；　walked　between　her　father　and　Charles　Osmond。

〃Mother　won't　be　anxious　about　us；〃　she　said。　　〃She　has　not　heard　a　word　about　Mr。　Randolph's　plans。　　I　was　so　afraid　some　one　would　speak　about　it　at　tea　time；　and　then　she　would　have　been　in　a　fright　all　the　evening；　and　would　not　have　liked　my　going。〃

〃Mr。　Randolph　is　both　energetic　and　unscrupulous；〃　said　Raeburn。　　〃But　I　doubt　if　even　he　would　set　his　roughs　upon　you；　little　one；　unless　he　has　become　as　blood　thirsty　as　a　certain　old　Scotch　psalm　we　used　to　sing。〃

〃What　was　that？〃　questioned　Erica。

〃I　forget　the　beginning；　but　the　last　verse　always　had　a　sort　of　horrible　fascination　for　us

〃'How　happy　should　that　trooper　be　Who；　riding　on　a　naggie；　Should　take　thy　little　children　up；　And　dash　them　'gin　the　craggie！'〃

Charles　Osmond　and　Erica　laughed　heartily。

〃They　will　only　dash　you　against　metaphorical　rocks　in　the　nineteenth　century；〃　continued　Raeburn。　　〃I　remember　wondering　why　the　old　clerk　in　my　father's　church　always　sung　that　verse　lustily；　but　you　see　we　have　exactly　the　same　spirit　now；　only　in　a　more　civilized　form；　barbarity　changed　to　polite　cruelty；　as　for　instance　the　way　you　were　treated　t