we two-第112章

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on。　　For　many　hours　this　went　on；　he　would　partly　revive；　even　speak　a　few　words；　and　then　sink　back　once　more。　　Every　time　Erica　thought　it　would　end　in　death；　nor　could　she　gather　comfort　from　the　looks　of　either　of　the　doctors　or　of　Donovan。

〃This　is　not　the　first　time　I've　been　knocked　down　and　trampled　on；〃　said　Raeburn；　faintly；　in　one　of　his　intervals　of　consciousness；　〃but　it　will　be　the　last　time。〃

And　though　the　words　were　spoken　with　a　touch　of　his　native　humor　and　might　have　borne　more　than　one　interpretation；　yet　they　answered　painfully　to　the　conviction　which　lay　deep　in　Erica's　heart。

〃Then　let　me　send　a　telegram　from　the　'Ashborough　Times'　office；〃　said　Donovan　to　her　in　one　of　the　momentary　pauses。　　〃I　have　sent　for　your　cousin　and　Mrs。　Craigie　and　for　Brian。〃

For　the　first　time　Erica's　outward　composure　gave　way。　　Her　mouth　began　to　quiver　and　her　eyes　to　fill。

〃Oh！　　Thank　you；〃　she　said；　and　there　was　something　in　her　voice　that　went　to　Donovan's　heart。　　


CHAPTER　XL。　Mors　Janua　Vitae

Therefore　to　whom　turn　I　but　to　Thee；　the　ineffable　Name？　Builder　and　maker　Thou；　of　houses　not　made　with　hands！　What；　have　fear　of　change　from　Thee　who　art　ever　the　same？　Doubt　that　thy　power　can　fill　the　heart　that　Thy　power　expands？

And　what　is　our　failure　here　but　a　triumph's　evidence　For　the　fullness　of　the　days？　　Have　we　withered　or　agonized？　Why　else　was　the　pause　prolonged　but　that　singing　might　issue　thence？　Why　rushed　the　discords　in；　but　that　harmony　should　be　prized？　R。　Browning

Early　on　the　Monday　morning　three　anxious…looking　travelers　arrived　by　the　first　train　from　London；　and　drove　as　fast　as　might　be　to　the　Park　Hotel　at　Ashborough。　　They　were　evidently　expected　for　the　moment　their　cab　stopped　a　door　on　one　of　the　upper　floors　was　opened；　and　some　one　ran　quickly　down　the　stairs　to　meet　them。

〃Is　he　better？〃　asked　Aunt　Jean。

Erica　shook　her　head　and；　indeed；　her　face　told　them　much　more　than　the　brief　words　of　the　telegram。　　She　was　deathly　white；　and　had　that　weighed…down　look　which　people　wear　when　they　have　watched　all　night　beside　one　who　is　hovering　between　life　and　death。　　She　seemed　to　recover　herself　a　little　as　her　hand　rested　for　a　moment　in　Brian's。

〃He　has　been　asking　for　you；〃　she　said。　　〃Do　go　to　him。　　The　faintness　has　quite　passed　off；　and　they　say　inflammation　has　set　in；　he　is　in　frightful　pain。〃

Her　lips　grew　a　shade　whiter　as　she　spoke　and；　with　an　effort；　she　seemed　to　turn　away　from　some　horrible　recollection。

〃There　is　some　breakfast　ready　for　you　in　here；〃　she　said　to　her　aunt。　　〃You　must　have　something　before　you　see　him。　　Oh；　I　am　so　glad　you　have　come；　auntie！〃

Aunt　Jean　kissed　her　and　cried　a　little；　trouble　always　brought　these　two　together　however　much　they　disagreed　at　other　times。　　Tom　did　not　say　a　word；　but　began　to　cut　a　loaf　to　pieces　as　though　they　had　the　very　largest　appetites；　the　great　pile　of　slices　lay　untouched　on　the　trencher；　but　the　cutting　had　served　its　purpose　of　a　relief　to　his　pent…up　feelings。

Later　on　there　was　a　consultation　of　doctors；　their　verdict　was　perhaps　a　little　more　hopeful　than　Erica　had　dared　to　expect。　　Her　father　had　received　a　fearful　internal　injury　and　was　in　the　greatest　danger；　but　there　was　still　a　chance　that　he　might　recover；　it　was　just　possible；　and　knowing　how　his　constitution　had　rallied　when　every　one　had　thought　him　dying　three　years　before；　she　grew　very　hopeful。　　Without　hope　she　could　hardly　have　got　through　those　days　for　the　suffering　was　terrible。　　She　hardly　knew　which　she　dreaded　most；　the　nights　of　fever　and　delirium　when　groans　of　anguish　came　from　the　writhing　lips；　or　the　days　with　their　clear　consciousness　when　her　father　never　uttered　a　word　of　complaint　but　just　silently　endured　the　torture；　replying　always；　if　questioned　as　to　the　pain；　〃It's　bearable。〃

His　great　strength　and　vigor　made　it　seem　all　the　more　piteous　that　he　should　now　be　lying　in　the　very　extremity　of　suffering；　unable　to　bear　even　the　weight　of　the　bed　clothes。　　But　all　through　that　weary　time　his　fortitude　never　gave　way；　and　the　vein　of　humor　which　had　stood　him　in　such　good　stead　all　his　life　did　not　fail　him　even　now。　　On　the　Monday　when　he　was　suffering　torments；　they　tried　the　application　of　leeches。　　One　leech　escaped；　and　they　had　a　great　hunt　for　it；　Raeburn　astonishing　them　all　by　coming　out　with　one　of　his　quaint　flashes　of　wit　and　positively　making　them　laugh　in　spite　of　their　anxiety　and　sorrow。

The　weary　days　dragged　on；　the　torture　grew　worse；　opium　failed　to　deaden　the　pain；　and　sleep；　except　in　the　very　briefest　snatches；　was　impossible。　　But　at　last　on　the　Thursday　morning　a　change　set　in；　the　suffering　became　less　intense；　they　knew；　however；　that　it　was　only　because　the　end　was　drawing　near　and　the　life　energy　failing。

For　the　second　time　Sir　John　Larkom　came　down　from　London　to　see　the　patient；　but　every　one　knew　that　there　was　nothing　to　be　done。　　Even　Erica　began　to　understand　that　the　time　left　was　to　be　measured　only　by　hours。　　She　learned　it　in　a　few　words　which　Sir　John　Larkom　said　to　Donovan　on　the　stairs。　　She　was　in　her　own　room　with　the　door　partly　open；　eagerly　waiting　for　permission　to　go　back　to　her　father。

〃Oh；　it's　all　up　with　the　poor　fellow；〃　she　heard　the　London　doctor　say。　　〃A　wonderful　constitution；　most　men　would　not　have　held　out　so　long。〃

At　the　time　the　words　did　not　convey　any　very　clear　meaning　to　Erica；　she　felt　no　very　sharp　pang　as　she　repeated　the　sentence　to　herself；　there　was　only　a　curious　numb　feeling　at　her　heart　and　a　sort　of　dull　consciousness　that　she　must　move；　must　get　away　somewhere；　do　something　active。　　It　was　at　first　almost　a　relief　to　her　when　Donovan　returned　and　knocked　at　her　door。

〃I　am　afraid　we　ought　to　come　to　the　court；〃　he　said。　　〃They　will；　I　am　sure；　take　your　evidence　as　quickly　as　possible。〃

She　remembered　then　that　the　man　Drosser　was　to　be　brought　up　before　the　magistrates　that　morning；　she　and　Donovan　had　to　appear　as　witnesses　of　the　assault。　　She　went　into　her　father's　room　before　she　started；　he　had　specially　asked　to　see　her。　　He　was　quite　clear…minded　and　calm；　and　began　to　speak　in　a　voice　which；　though　weak　and　low；　had　the　old　musical　ring　about　it。

〃You　are　going　to　give　evidence；　Eric；〃　he　said；　holding　her　hand　in　his。　　〃Now；　I　don't　forgive　that　fellow　for　having　robbed　me　of　life；　but　one　must　be　just　even　to　one's　foes。　　They　will　ask　you　if　you　ever　saw　Drosser　before；　you　will　have　to　tell　them　of　that　scene　at　Greyshot；　and　you　must　be　sure　to　say　that　I　said；　as　we　drove　off：　'No　doubt　the　poor　fellow　is　half…witted。'　　Those　were　my　words；　do　you　remember？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　repeating　the　words　after　him　at　his　request。　　〃I　remember　quite　well。〃

〃Those　words　may　affect　Drosser's　case　very　much；　and　I　don't　wish　any　man　to　swing　for　me　I　have　always　disapproved　of　the　death　penalty。　　Probably；　though；　it　will　be　brought　in　as　manslaughter　yes；　almost　certainly。　　There　go；　my　child；　and　come　back　to　me　as　soon　as　you　can。〃

But　the　examination　proved　too　much　for　Erica's　physical　powers；　she　was　greatly　exhausted　by　the　terrible　strain　of　the　long　days　and　nights　of　nursing；　and　when　she　found　herself　in　a　hot　and　crowded　court；　pitilessly　stared　at；　confronted　by　the　man　who　was　in　fact　her　father's　murderer；　and　closely　questioned　by　the　magistrate　about　all　the　details　of　that　Sunday　evening；　her　overtasked　strength　gave　way　suddenly。

She　had　told　clearly　and　distinctly　about　the　meeting　at　Greyshot；　and　had　stated　positively　that　in　the　Ashborough　market　place　she　had　seen　Drosser　give　her　father　a　heavy　blow　and　then　push　him　down　the　Town　Hall　steps。

〃Can　you　recollect　whether　others　pushed　your　father　at　the　same　time？〃　asked　the　magistrate。　　〃Don't　answer　hurriedly；　this　is　an　important　matter。〃

All　at　once　the　whole　scene　came　vividly　before　Erica　the　huge　crowd；　the　glare　of　the　lights；　her　father　standing　straight　and　tall；　as　she　should　never　see　him　again；　his　thick　white　hair　stirred　by　the　wind；　his　whole　attitude　that　of　indignant　protest；　then　the　haggard　face　of　the　fanatic；　the　surging　movement　in　the　black　mass　of　people；　and　that　awful　struggle　and