we two-第104章

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r　fear　you　should　lock　up　for　the　night　and　leave　me　to　shiver　unknown　on　the　doorstep。〃

〃But　what　happened？〃　asked　Erica。　　〃Why　couldn't　you　lecture？〃

〃Ashborough　had　worked　itself　up　into　one　of　its　tumults；　and　the　fools　of　authorities　thought　it　would　excite　a　breach　of　the　peace；　which　was　excited　quite　as　much　and　probably　more　by　my　not　lecturing。　　But　I'm　not　going　to　be　beaten！　　I　shall　go　down　there　again　in　a　few　weeks。〃

〃Was　there　any　rioting？〃

〃Well；　there　was　a　roughish　mob；　who　prevented　my　eating　my　dinner　in　peace；　and　pursued　me　even　into　my　bedroom；　and　some　of　the　Ashborough　lambs　were　kind　enough　to　overturn　my　cab　as　I　was　going　to　the　station。　　But；　having　escaped　with　nothing　worse　than　a　shaking；　I'll　forgive　them　for　that。　　The　fact　is　they　had　burned　me　in　effigy　on　the　5th　and　had　so　much　enjoyed　the　ceremony　that；　when　the　original　turned　up；　they　really　couldn't　be　civil　to　him；　it　would　have　been　so　very　tame。　　I'm　told　the　effigy　was　such　a　fearful…looking　monster　that　it　frightened　the　bairnies　out　of　their　wits；　specially　as　it　was　first　carried　all　round　the　place　on　a　parish　coffin！〃

〃What　a　hateful　plan　that　effigy…burning　is！〃　said　Erica。　〃Were　you　not　really　hurt　at　all　when　they　upset　your　cab？〃

〃Perhaps　a　little　bruised；〃　said　Raeburn；　〃and　somewhat　angry　with　my　charitable　opponents。　　I　didn't　so　much　mind　being　overturned；　but　I　hate　being　balked。　　They　shall　have　the　lecture；　however；　before　long；　I'm　not　going　to　be　beaten。　　On　the　whole；　they　couldn't　have　chosen　a　worse　night　for　their　little　game。　　I　seriously　thought　we　should　never　grope　our　way　home　through　that　fog。　　It　has　quite　taken　me　back　to　my　young　days　when　this　sort　of　thing　met　one　on　every　hand；　and　there　was　no　little　daughter　to　cheer　me　up　then；　and　very　often　no　supper　either！〃

〃That　was　when　you　were　living　in　Blank　Street？〃

〃Yes；　in　a　room　about　the　size　of　a　sentry　box。　　It　was　bearable　all　except　the　black　beetles！　　I've　never　seen　such　beetles　before　or　since　twice　the　size　of　the　ordinary　ones。　　I　couldn't　convince　the　landlady　that　they　even　existed；　she　always　maintained　that　they　never　rose　to　the　attics；　but　one　night　I　armed　myself　with　Cruden's　Concordance　and；　thanks　to　its　weight　and　my　good　aim；　killed　six　at　a　time；　and　produced　the　corpses　as　evidence。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　good　lady's　face！　　'You　see；　sir；'　she　said；　'they　never　come　by　day；　they　'ates　the　light　because　their　deeds　is　evil。'〃

〃Were　the　beetles　banished　after　that？〃　asked　Erica；　laughing。

〃No；　they　went　on　to　the　bitter　end；〃　said　Raeburn　with　one　of　his　bright；　humorous　looks。　〃And　I　believe　the　landlady　put　it　all　down　to　my　atheistical　views　a　just　retribution　for　harboring　such　a　notorious　fellow　in　her　house！　　But　there；　my　child；　we　mustn't　sit　up　any　longer　gossiping；　run　off　to　bed。　　I'll　see　that　the　lights　are　all　out。〃


CHAPTER　XXXVII。　Dreeing　Out　the　Inch

Skepticism　for　that　century　we　must　consider　as　the　decay　of　old　ways　of　believing；　the　preparation　afar　off　for　new；　better；　and　wider　ways　an　inevitable　thing。　　We　will　not　blame　men　for　it；　we　will　lament　their　hard　fate。　　We　will　understand　that　destruction　of　old　forms　is　not　destruction　of　everlasting　substances；　that　skepticism；　as　sorrowful　and　hateful　as　we　see　it；　is　not　an　end　but　a　beginning。　　Carlyle

One　June　evening；　an　elderly　man　with　closely　cropped　iron…gray　hair；　might　have　been　seen　in　a　certain　railway　carriage　as　the　Folkestone　train　reached　its　destination。　　The　Cannon　Street　platform　was；　as　usual；　the　scene　of　bustle　and　confusion；　most　of　the　passengers　were　met　by　friends　or　relatives；　others　formed　a　complete　party　in　themselves；　and；　with　the　exception　of　the　elderly　man；　there　was　scarcely　a　unit　among　them。　　The　fact　of　his　loneliness　would　not；　of　course；　have　been　specially　remarkable　had　it　not　been　that　he　was　evidently　in　the　last　stage　of　some　painful　illness；　he　was　also　a　foreigner　and；　not　being　accustomed　to　the　English　luggage　system；　he　had　failed　to　secure　a　porter　as　the　train　drew　up　and　so；　while　the　others　were　fighting　their　way　to　the　van；　he；　who　needed　assistance　more　than　any　of　them；　was　left　to　shift　for　himself。　　He　moved　with　great　difficulty；　dragging　down　from　the　carriage　a　worn　black　bag；　and　occasionally　muttering　to　himself；　not　as　a　peevish　invalid　would　have　done；　but　as　if　it　were　a　sort　of　solace　to　his　loneliness。

〃The　hardest　day　I've　had；　this！　　If　I　had　but　my　Herzblattchen　now；　how　quickly　she　would　pilot　me　through　this　throng。　　Ah　well！　　Having　managed　to　do　the　rest；　I'll　not　be　beaten　by　this　last　bit。　　Potztausend！　　These　English　are　all　elbows！〃

He　frowned　with　pain　as　the　self…seeking　crowd　pushed　and　jostled　him；　but　never　once　lost　his　temper；　and　at　length；　after　long　waiting；　his　turn　came　and；　having　secured　his　portmanteau；　he　was　before　long　driving　away　in　the　direction　of　Bloomsbury。　　His　strength　was　fast　ebbing　away；　and　the　merciless　jolting　of　the　cab　evidently　tried　him　to　the　utmost；　but　he　bore　up　with　the　strong　endurance　of　one　who　knows　that　at　the　end　of　the　struggle　relief　awaits　him。

〃If　he　is　only　at　home；〃　he　muttered　to　himself；　〃all　will　be　well。　　He'll　know　where　I　ought　to　go；　he'll　do　it　all　for　me　in　the　best　way。　　ACH！　　Gott　in　himmel！　　But　I　need　some　one！〃

With　an　excruciating　jerk　the　cab　drew　up　before　a　somewhat　grim…looking　house；　Had　he　arrived　at　the　himmel　he　had　just　been　speaking　of；　the　traveler　could　not　have　given　an　exclamation　of　greater　relief。　　He　crawled　up　the　steps；　overruled　some　question　on　the　part　of　the　servant；　and　was　shown　into　a　brightly　lighted　room。　　At　one　glance　he　had　taken　in　the　whole　of　that　restful　picture　so　welcome　to　his　sore　need。　　It　was　a　good　sized　room；　lined　with　books；　which　had　evidently　seen　good　service；　many　of　them　had　been　bought　with　the　price　of　foregone　meals；　almost　all　of　them　embodied　some　act　of　denial。　　Above　the　mantel　piece　hung　a　little　oil　painting　of　a　river　scene；　the　sole　thing　not　strictly　of　a　useful　order；　for　the　rest　of　the　contents　of　this　study　were　all　admirably　adapted　for　working　purposes；　but　were　the　reverse　of　luxurious。

Seated　at　the　writing　table　was　the　master　of　the　house；　who　had　impressed　his　character　plainly　enough　on　his　surroundings。　　He　looked　up　with　an　expression　of　blank　astonishment　on　hearing　the　name　of　his　visitor；　then　the　astonishment　changed　to　incredulity；　but；　when　the　weary　traveler　actually　entered　the　room；　he　started　up　with　an　exclamation　of　delight　which　very　speedily　gave　place　to　dismay　when　he　saw　how　ill　his　friend　was。

〃Why；　Haeberlein！〃　he　said；　grasping　his　hand；　〃what　has　happened　to　you？〃

〃Nothing　very　remarkable；〃　replied　Haeberlein；　smiling。　　〃Only　a　great　wish　to　see　you　before　I　die。〃　　Then；　seeing　that　Raeburn's　face　changed　fearfully　at　these　words；　〃Yes；　it　has　come　to　that；　my　friend。　　I've　a　very　short　time　left；　and　I　wanted　to　see　you；　can　you　tell　me　of　rooms　near　here；　and　of　a　decent　doctor？〃

〃Of　a　doctor；　yes；〃　said　Raeburn；　〃of　one　who　will　save　your　life；　I　hope；　and　for　rooms　there　are　none　that　I　know　of　except　in　this　house；　where　you　will　of　course　stay。〃

〃With　the　little　Herzblattchen　to　nurse　me？〃　said　Haeberlein　with　a　sigh　of　weary　content　as　he　sank　back　in　an　arm　chair。　　〃That　would　be　a　very　perfect　ending；　but　think　what　the　world　would　say　of　you　if　I；　who　have　lent　a　hand　to　so　much　that　you　disapprove；　died　in　your　house；　inevitably　you　would　be　associated　with　my　views　and　my　doings。〃

〃May　be！〃　said　Raeburn。　　〃But　I　hope　I　may　say　that　I've　never　refused　to　do　what　was　right　for　fear　of　unpleasant　consequences。　　No；　no；　my　friend；　you　must　stay　here。　　A　hard　life　has　taught　me　that；　for　one　in　my　position；　it　is　mere　waste　of　time　to　consider　what　people　will　say；　they　will　say　and　believe　the　worst　that　can　be　said　and　believed　about　me；　and　thirty　years　of　this　sort　of　thing　has　taught　me　to　pay　very　little　regard　to　appearances。〃

As　he　spoke　he　took　up　the　end　of　a　speaking　tube　which　communicated　with　the　green　room；　Haeberlein　watching　his　movements　with　the　placid；　weary　indifference　of　one　who　is　perfectly　convinced　that　he　is　in　t