we two-第73节

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led　to　them。　　Presently　Sir　Algernon　ceased　to　kick；　his　struggles　grew　fainter。　　Brian　let　his　right　arm　pause　then；　and　with　his　left　flung　his　foe　into　the　corner　as　if　he　had　been　a　mere　chattel。

〃There！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃summons　me　for　that　when　you　please。〃　And；　handing　his　card　to　one　of　Sir　Algernon's　companions；　he　strode　out　of　the　hall。

By　the　time　he　reached　Guilford　Square　he　was　almost　himself　again；　a　little　paler　than　usual　but　outwardly　quite　calm。　　He　went　at　once　to　No。　16。　　The　Raeburns　had　now　been　settled　in　their　new　quarters　for　some　weeks；　and　the　house　was　familiar　enough　to　him；　he　went　up　to　the　drawing　room　or；　as　it　was　usually　called；　the　green　room。　　The　gas　was　not　lighted；　but　a　little　reading　lamp　stood　upon　a　table　in　one　of　the　windows；　and　the　fire　light　made　the　paneled　walls　shine　here　and　there　though　the　corners　and　recesses　were　all　in　dusky　shadow。　　Erica　had　made　this　the　most　home…like　room　in　the　house；　it　had　the　most　beguiling　easy　chairs；　it　had　all　Mr。　Woodward's　best　pictures；　it　had　fascinating　little　tables；　and　a　tempting　set　of　books。　　There　was　something　in　the　sight　of　the　familiar　room　which　made　Brian's　wrath　flame　up　once　more。　　Erica's　guileless　life　seemed　to　rise　before　him　the　years　of　patient　study；　the　beautiful　filial　love；　the　pathetic　endeavor　to　restrain　her　child…like　impatience　of　conventionalities　lest　scandalmongers　should　have　even　a　shadow　of　excuse　for　slandering　Luke　Raeburn's　daughter。　　The　brutality　of　the　insult　struck　him　more　than　ever。　　Erica；　glancing　up　from　her　writing　table；　saw　that　his　face　again　bore　that　look　of　intolerable　pain　which　had　so　greatly　startled　her　in　Westminster　Hall。

She　had　more　than　half　dreaded　his　arrival；　had　been　wondering　how　they　should　meet　after　the　strange　revelation　of　the　afternoon；　had　been　thinking　of　the　most　trite　and　commonplace　remark　with　which　she　might　greet　him。　　But　when　it　actually　came　to　the　point；　she　could　not　say　a　word；　only　looked　up　at　him　with　eyes　full　of　anxious　questioning。　

〃It　is　all　right；〃　he　said；　answering　the　mute　question；　a　great　joy　thrilling　him　as　he　saw　that　she　had　been　anxious　about　him。　　〃You　should　not　have　been　afraid。〃

〃I　couldn't　help　it；〃　she　said；　coloring；　　〃he　is　such　a　hateful　man！　　A　man　who　might　do　anything。　　Tell　me　what　happened。〃

〃I　gave　him　a　thrashing　which　he'll　not　soon　forget；〃　said　Brian。　　〃But　don't　let　us　speak　of　him　any　more。〃

〃Perhaps　he'll　summons　you！〃　said　Erica。

〃He　won't　dare　to。　　He　knows　that　he　deserved　it。　　What　are　you　writing？　　You　ought　to　be　resting。〃

〃Only　copying　out　my　article。　　The　boy　will　be　here　before　long。〃

〃I　am　your　doctor；〃　he　said；　feeling　her　pulse；　and　again　assuming　his　authoritative　manner；　〃I　shall　order　you　to　rest　on　your　couch　at　once。　　I　will　copy　this　for　you。　　What　is　it　on？〃

〃Cremation；〃　said　Erica；　smiling　a　little。　〃A　nice　funereal　subject　for　a　dreary　day。　　Generally；　if　I'm　in　wild　spirits；　Mr。　Bircham　sends　me　the　very　gloomiest　subject　to　write　on；　and　if　I'm　particularly　blue；　he　asks　for　a　bright；　lively　article。〃

〃Oh！　　He　tells　you　what　to　write　on？〃

〃Yes；　did　you　think　I　had　the　luxury　of　choosing　for　myself？　　Every　day；　about　eleven　o'clock　a　small　boy　brings　me　my　fate　on　a　slip　of　paper。　　Let　me　dictate　this　to　you。　　I'm　sure　you　can't　read　that　penciled　scribble。〃

〃Yes；　I　can；〃　said　Brian。　　〃You　go　and　rest。〃

She　obeyed　him；　thankful　enough　to　have　a　moment's　pause　in　which　to　think　out　the　questions　that　came　crowding　into　her　mind。　　She　hardly　dared　to　think　what　Brian　might　be　to　her；　for　just　now　she　needed　him　so　sorely　as　friend　and　adviser；　that　to　admit　that　other　perception；　which　made　her　feel　shy　and　constrained　with　him；　would　have　left　her　still　in　her　isolation。　　After　all；　he　was　a　seven　years'　friend；　no　mere　acquaintance；　but　an　actual　friend　to　whom　she　was　her　unreserved　and　perfectly　natural　self。

〃Brian；〃　she　said　　presently　when　he　had　finished　her　copying；　〃you　don't　think　I'm　bound　to　tell　my　father　about　this　afternoon；　do　you？〃

A　burning；　painful　blush；　the　sort　of　blush　that　she　never　ought　to　have　known；　never　could　have　known　but　for　that　shameful　slander；　spread　over　her　face　and　neck　as　she　spoke。

〃Perhaps　not；〃　said　Brian；　〃since　the　man　has　been　properly　punished。〃

〃I　think　I　hope　it　need　never　get　round　to　him　in　any　other　way；〃　said　Erica。　　〃He　would　be　so　fearfully　angry；　and　just　now　scarcely　a　day　passes　without　bringing　him　some　fresh　worry。〃

〃When　will　the　Pogson　affair　come　on？〃

〃Oh！　　I　don't　know。　　Not　just　yet；　I'm　afraid。　　Things　in　the　legal　world　always　move　at　the　rate　of　a　fly　in　a　glue　pot。〃

〃What　sort　of　man　is　Mr。　Pogson？〃

〃He　was　in　court　today；　a　little；　sleek；　narrow…headed　man　with　cold；　gray　eyes。　　I　have　been　trying　to　put　myself　in　his　place；　and　realize　the　view　he　takes　of　things；　but　it　is　very；　very　hard。　　You　don't　know　what　it　is　to　live　in　this　house　and　see　the　awful　harm　his　intolerance　is　bringing　about。〃

〃In　what　way　did　you　specially　mean？〃

〃Oh！　　In　a　thousand　ways。　　It　is　bringing　Christianity　into　discredit；　it　is　making　them　more　bitter　against　it；　and　who　can　wonder。　　It　is　bringing　hundreds　of　men　to　atheism；　it　is　enormously　increasing　the　demand　for　all　my　father's　books；　and　already　even　in　these　few　months　it　has　doubled　the　sale　of　the　'Idol…Breakers。'　　In　old　times　that　would　have　been　my　consolation。　　Oh！　　It　is　heart…breaking　to　see　how　religious　people　injure　their　own　cause。　　Surely　they　might　have　learned　by　this　time　that　punishment　for　opinion　is　never　right；　that　it　brings　only　bitterness；　and　misery；　and　more　error！　　How　is　one　to　believe　that　this　is　right　that　God　means　all　this　bigotry　and　injustice　to　go　on　producing　evil？〃

〃Surely　it　will　teach　the　sharp　lesson　that　all　pain　teaches；〃　said　Brian。　　〃We　Christians　have　broken　His　order；　have　lost　the　true　idea　of　brotherly　love；　and　from　this　arises　pain　and　evil；　which　at　last；　when　it　touches　our　own　selfish　natures；　will　rouse　us；　wake　us　up　sharply；　drive　us　back　of　necessity　to　the　true　Christ…following。　　Then　persecution　and　injustice　will　die。　　But　we　are　so　terribly　asleep　that　the　evil　must　grow　desperate　before　we　become　conscious　of　it。　　It　seems　to　me　that　bigotry　has　at　least　one　mortal　foe；　though。　　You　are　always　here；　you　must　show　them　by　your　life　what　the　Father　is　THAT　is　being　a　Christian！〃

〃I　know；〃　said　Erica；　a　look　of　almost　passionate　longing　dawning　in　her　eyes。　　〃Oh！　　What　a　thing　it　is　to　be　crammed　full　of　faults　that　hinder　one　from　serving！　　And　all　these　worries　do　try　one's　temper　fearfully。　　If　they　had　but　a　Donovan　to　live　with　them　now！　　But；　as　for　me；　I　can't　do　much；　except　love　them。〃

Brian　loved　her　too　truly　to　speak　words　of　praise　and　commendation　at　such　a　time。

〃Is　not　the　love　the　crux　of　the　whole？〃　he　said　quietly。

〃I　suppose　it　is；〃　said　Erica；　pushing　back　her　hair　from　her　forehead　in　the　way　she　always　did　when　anything　perplexed　her。　　〃But　just　at　present　my　life　is　a　sort　of　fugue　on　Browning's　line

'How　very　hard　it　is　to　be　a　Christian？'

Sometimes　I　can't　help　laughing　to　think　that　there　was　a　time　when　I　thought　the　teaching　of　Christ　unpractical！　　Do　you　mind　ringing　the　bell　for　me；　the　others　will　be　in　directly；　and　will　be　glad　of　tea　after　that　headachy　place。〃

〃Is　there　nothing　else　I　can　do　for　you？〃　asked　Brian。

〃Yes；　one　thing　more　help　me　to　remember　the　levers　of　the　second　order。　　It's　my　physiology　class　tonight；　and　I　feel；　as　Tom　would　express　it；　like　a　'boiled　owl。'〃

〃Let　me　take　the　class　for　you。〃

〃Oh；　no；　thank　you；〃　she　replied。　　〃I　wouldn't　miss　it　for　the　world。〃

It　was　not　till　Brian　had　left　that　Erica；　taking　up　the　article　on　cremation；　was　struck　by　some　resemblance　in　the　handwriting。　　She　must　have　seen　Brian's　writing　before；　but　only　this　afternoon　did　she　make　that　fresh　discovery。　　Crossing　the　room　she　took　from　one　of　the　book　shelves　a　dark　blue　morocco　volume；　and　compared　the　writing　on　the　fly　leaf　with　her　MS。

〃From　another　admirer　of　'Hiawatha。'〃　There　could　be　no　doubt　that　Brian　had　written　that。　　Had　he　cared　for　her　so　long？　　Had　he　indeed　loved　her　all　these　years？　　She　was　interrupted　by　the　maid　bringing　in　the　tea。

〃Mr。　Bircham's　boy　is　here；　miss；　and　if　you　please；　　can　cook　speak　to　you　a　minute？〃

Erica　put　down　the　Longfellow　and　rolled　up　〃Cremation。〃

〃I'm　sure　she's　going　to　give　warning！〃　she　thought　to　herself。　　〃What　a　day　to　choose　for　it！　　That's　what　I　call　an　anti…climax。〃

Her　forebodings　proved　all　too　true。　　In　a　minute　more　in　walked　the　cook；　with　the　sort　of　conscious　dignity　of　bearing　which　means　〃I　am　no　longer　in　your　service。〃

〃If　you　please；　miss；　I　wish　to　leave　this　day　month。〃

〃I　shall　be　sorry　to　lose　you；〃　said　Erica；　〃what　are　your　reasons　for　leaving？〃

〃I've　not　been　used；　miss；　to　families　as　is　in　the　law　courts。　　I've　been　used　to　the　best　West　End　private　families。〃

〃I　don't　see　how　it　can　affect　you；〃　said　Erica；　feeling；　in　spite　of　her　annoyance；　much　inclined　to　laugh。

〃Indeed；　miss；　and　it　do。　　There's　not　a　tradesman's　boy　but　has　his　joke　or　his　word　about　Mr。　Raeburn；〃　said