we two-第107章

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〃'Dree　out　the　inch　when　ye　have　thol'd　the　span；'〃　he　said；　leaning　back　wearily　in　the　cab　but　taking　care　to　give　the　conversation　an　abrupt　turn　before　relapsing　into　silence。

At　supper；　as　ill　luck　would　have　it；　Aunt　Jean　relieved　her　fatigue　and　anxiety　by　entering　upon　one　of　her　old　remonstrances　with　Erica。　　Raeburn　was　not　sitting　at　the　table；　he　was　in　an　easy　chair　at　the　other　side　of　the　room；　and　possibly　she　forgot　his　presence。　　But　he　heard　every　word　that　passed；　and　at　last　started　up　with　angry　impatience。

〃For　goodness'　sake；　Jean；　leave　the　child　alone！〃　he　said。　　〃Is　it　not　enough　for　me　to　be　troubled　with　bitterness　and　dissension　outside　without　having　my　home　turned　into　an　arguing　shop？〃

〃Erica　should　have　thought　of　that　before　she　deserted　her　own　party；〃　said　Aunt　Jean；　〃before；　to　quote　Strauss；　she　had　recourse　to　'religious　crutches。'　　It　is　she　who　has　introduced　the　new　element　into　the　house。〃

Erica's　color　rose；　but　she　said　nothing。　　Aunt　Jean　seemed　rather　baffled　by　her　silence。　　Tom　watched　the　little　scene　with　a　sort　of　philosophic　interest。　　Raeburn；　conscious　of　having　spoken　sharply　to　his　sister　and　fearing　to　lose　his　temper　again；　paced　the　room　silently。　　Finally　he　went　off　to　his　study；　leaving　them　to　the　unpleasant　consciousness　that　he　had　been　driven　out　of　his　own　dining　room。　　But　when　he　had　gone；　the　quarrel　was　forgotten　altogether；　they　forgot　differences　of　creed　in　a　great　mutual　anxiety。　　Raeburn's　manner　had　been　so　unnatural；　he　had　been　so　unlike　himself；　that　in　their　trouble　about　it　they　entirely　passed　over　the　original　cause　of　his　anger。　　Aunt　Jean　was　as　much　relieved　as　any　one　when　before　long　he　opened　his　door　and　called　for　Erica。

〃I　have　lost　my　address　book；〃　he　said；〃have　you　seen　it　about？〃

She　began　to　search　for　it；　fully　aware　that　he　had　given　her　something　to　do　for　him　just　out　of　loving　consideration；　and　with　the　hope　that　it　would　take　the　sting　from　her　aunt's　hard　words。　　When　she　brought　him　the　book；　he　took　her　face　between　both　his　hands；　looked　at　her　steadily　for　a　minute；　and　then　kissed　her。

〃All　right；　little　son　Eric；〃　he　said；　with　a　sigh。　　〃We　understand　each　other。〃

But　she　went　upstairs　feeling　miserable　about　him；　and　an　hour　or　two　later；　when　all　the　house　was　silent；　her　feeling　of　coming　trouble　grew　so　much　that　at　length　she　yielded　to　one　of　those　strange；　blind　impulses　which　come　to　some　people　and　crept　noiselessly　out　on　to　the　dark　landing。　　At　first　all　seemed　to　her　perfectly　still　and　perfectly　dark；　but；　looking　down　the　narrow　well　of　the　staircase；　she　could　see　far　below　her　a　streak　of　light　falling　across　the　tiles　in　the　passage。　She　knew　that　it　must　come　from　beneath　the　door　of　the　study；　and　it　meant　that　her　father　was　still　at　work。　　He　had　owned　to　having　a　bad　headache；　and　had　promised　not　to　be　late。　　It　was　perplexing。　　She　stole　down　the　next　flight　of　stairs　and　listened　at　Tom's　door；　then；　finding　that　he　was　still　about；　knocked　softly。　　Tom；　with　his　feet　on　the　mantel　piece；　was　solacing　himself　with　a　pipe　and　a　novel；　he　started　up；　however；　as　she　came　in。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　he　asked；　〃is　any　one　ill？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Erica；　shivering　a　little。　　〃I　came　to　know　whether　father　had　much　to　do　tonight；　did　he　tell　you？〃

〃He　was　going　to　write　to　Jackson　about　a　situation　for　the　eldest　son　of　that　fellow　who　died　the　other　day；　you　know；　the　widow；　poor　creature；　is　nearly　worried　out　of　her　life；　she　was　here　this　afternoon。　　The　chieftain　promised　to　see　about　it　at　once；　he　wouldn't　let　me　write；　and　of　course　a　letter　from　himself　will　be　more　likely　to　help　the　boy。〃

〃But　it's　after　one　o'clock；〃　said　Erica；　shivering　again；　〃he　can't　have　been　all　this　time　over　it。〃

〃Well；　perhaps　he　is　working　at　something　else；〃　said　Tom。　　〃He's　not　been　sleeping　well　lately；　I　know。　　Last　night　he　got　through　thirty…three　letters；　and　the　night　before　he　wrote　a　long　pamphlet。〃

Erica　did　not　look　satisfied。

〃Lend　me　your　stove　for　a　minute；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　make　him　a　cup　of　tea。〃

They　talked　a　little　about　the　curious　failure　of　memory　noticed　for　the　first　time　that　evening。　　Tom　was　more　like　himself　than　he　had　been　for　several　days；　he　came　downstairs　with　her　to　carry　a　light；　but　she　went　alone　into　the　study。　　He　had　not　gone　up　the　first　flight　of　stairs；　however；　when　he　heard　a　cry；　then　his　own　name　called　twice　in　tones　that　made　him　thrill　all　over　with　a　nameless　fear。　　He　rushed　down　and　pushed　open　the　study　door。　　There　stood　Erica　with　blanched　face；　Raeburn　sat　in　his　customary　place　at　the　writing　table；　but　his　head　had　fallen　forward　and；　though　the　face　was　partly　hidden　by　the　desk；　they　could　see　that　it　was　rigid　and　deathly　pale。

〃He　has　fainted；〃　said　Tom；　not　allowing　the　worse　fear　to　overmaster　him。　　〃Run　quick；　and　get　some　water；　Erica。〃

She　obeyed　mechanically。　　When　she　returned；　Tom　had　managed　to　get　Raeburn　on　to　the　floor　and　had　loosened　his　cravat；　he　had　also　noticed　that　only　one　letter　lay　upon　the　desk；　abruptly　terminating　at　〃I　am；　yours　sincerely。〃　　Whether　the　〃Luke　Raeburn〃　would　ever　be　added；　seemed　to　Tom　at　that　moment　very　doubtful。　　Leaving　Erica　with　her　father；　he　rushed　across　the　square　to　summon　Brian；　returning　in　a　very　few　minutes　with　the　comforting　news　that　he　was　at　home　and　would　be　with　them　immediately。　　Erica　gave　a　sigh　of　relief　when　the　quick；　firm　steps　were　heard　on　the　pavement　outside。　　Brian　was　so　closely　associated　with　all　the　wearing　times　of　illness　and　anxiety　which　had　come　to　them　in　the　last　six　years　that；　in　her　trouble；　she　almost　forgot　the　day　at　Fiesole　regarding　him　not　as　her　lover；　but　as　the　man　who　had　once　before　saved　her　father's　life。　　His　very　presence　inspired　her　with　confidence；　the　quiet　authority　of　his　manner；　the　calm；　business…like　way　in　which　he　directed　things。　　Her　anxiety　faded　away　in　the　consciousness　that　he　knew　all　about　it；　and　would　do　everything　as　it　should　be　done。　　Before　very　long　Raeburn　showed　signs　of　returning　consciousness；　sighed　uneasily；　then；　opening　his　eyes；　regained　his　faculties　as　suddenly　as　he　had　lost　them。

〃Halloo！〃　he　exclaimed；　starting　up。　　〃What's　all　this　coil　about？　　What　are　you　doing　to　me？〃

They　explained　things　to　him。

〃Oh！　　Fainted；　did　I！〃　he　said　musingly。　　〃I　have　felt　a　little　faint　once　or　twice　lately。　　What　day　is　it？　　What　time　is　it？〃　　Tom　mentioned　the　meeting　of　the　previous　evening；　and　Raeburn　seemed　to　recollect　himself。　　He　looked　at　his　watch；　then　at　the　letter　on　his　desk。　　〃Well；　it's　my　way　to　do　things　thoroughly；〃　he　said　with　a　smile；　〃I　must　have　been　off　for　a　couple　of　hours。　　I　am　very　sorry　to　have　disturbed　your　slumbers　in　this　way。〃

As　he　spoke；　he　sat　down　composedly　at　his　desk；　picked　up　the　pen　and　signed　his　name　to　the　letter。　　They　stood　and　watched　him　while　he　folded　the　sheet　and　directed　the　envelope；　his　writing　bore　a　little　more　markedly　than　usual　the　tokens　of　strong　self…restraint。

〃Perhaps　you'll　just　drop　that　in　the　pillar　on　your　way　home；〃　he　said　to　Brian。　　〃I　want　Jackson　to　get　it　by　the　first　post。　　If　you　will　look　in　later　on；　I　should　be　glad　to　have　a　talk　with　you。　　At　present　I'm　too　tired　to　be　overhauled。〃

Then；　as　Brian　left　the　room；　he　turned　to　Erica。

〃I　am　sorry　to　have　given　you　a　fright；　my　child；　but　don't　worry　about　me；　I　am　only　a　little　overdone。〃

Again　that　fatal　admission；　which　from　Raeburn's　lips　was　more　alarming　than　a　long　catalogue　of　dangerous　symptoms　from　other　men！

There　followed　a　disturbed　night　and　a　long　day　in　a　crowded　law　court；　then　one　of　the　most　terrible　hours　they　had　ever　had　to　endure　while　waiting　for　the　verdict　which　would　either　consign　Raeburn　to　prison　or　leave　him　to　peace　and　freedom。　　So　horrible　was　the　suspense　that　to　draw　each　breath　was　to　Erica　a　painful　effort。　　Even　Raeburn's　composure　was　a　little　shaken　as　those　eternal　minutes　dragged　on。

The　foreman　returned。　　The　court　seemed　to　throb　with　excitement。　　Raeburn　lifted　a　calm；　stern　face　to　hear　his　fate。　　He　knew　what　no　one　else　in　the　court　knew；　that　this　was　to　hi