we two-第116章
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due expression of very orthodox sentiments。
Mr。 Cuthbert did not answer； his eye was traveling down a column of the newspaper； and he felt a curious pricking of remorse as he read。 He had once been rude to Erica Raeburn； he had all his life retailed dubious stories about her father； knowing all the time that had any one believed such stories of himself upon such shaky evidence； he would have used very strong language about them。 And now this fellow was dead！ Curiously enough； Mr。 Cuthbert； who had many times remarked that 〃Raeburn ought to be shut up； or better still； hung；〃 was now the one to wish him alive again。 Ugh！ It was a horrible story。 He quite shivered as he read the account of those days of torture。
But in a room at the Park Hotel； Ashborough； two very different men were discussing the same subject。 Mr。 Fane…Smith； with all his faults； had always been well…intentioned； and though frightful harm may be done by people with good intentions； they can never stand upon the same level as those who wilfully and maliciously offend。 All too plainly now he saw how grievously he had failed with regard to Raeburn； and patiently did he listen to Donovan's account of the really good work which Raeburn had effected in many instances。
〃Much as you may hate his views； you must at least see that； as some one has well expressed it； 'It takes a high…souled man to move the masses even to a cleaner sty。' And I say that a man who worked as he worked； striving hard to teach the people to live for the general good； advocating temperance； promoting the spread of education； and somehow winning those whom no one else had ever touched to take an intelligent interest in politics； in science； and in the future of the race； that such a man claims our respect however much we may disagree with him。〃
〃But that he should have died ignorant like this！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Fane…Smith with a shudder。
〃'Tis in truth a tragedy；〃 said Donovan； sighing；。 〃But I can well believe that in another world the barriers which he allowed to distort his vision will be removed； the very continuance of existence would surely be sufficient。〃
〃You are a universalist？〃 said Mr。 Fane…Smith； not in the condemnatory tone he would once have assumed； but humbly； anxiously； like one who gropes his way in a dark place。
〃Yes；〃 replied Donovan。 〃Believing in a universal Father； I am naturally that。 Upon any other system； what do you make of the good which exists in so many of those who deny all in which you believe？ Where does the good go to？ I stood beside the death bed of that noble man this morning。 At the very last I saw most touching proofs of his strong sense of justice； his honesty； his desire to promote the good of others； his devotion to his child。 Can you believe that all that goodness； which of necessity comes from God； is to go down into what you call everlasting punishment？ Don't mistake me。 Thank God there is a punishment which no one would wish to forego； such punishment； such drawing forth of the native good； such careful help in the rooting out of what is evil as all good fathers give to their children。〃
They were interrupted by the opening of the door。 Mr。 Fane…Smith started and almost trembled when； on turning round； he saw Erica。 She was pale； but preternaturally calm looking； however； they all felt； as if in her father's death； she had received her own death blow。
〃I thought I heard you；〃 she said in that strangely 〃gravened〃 voice which is sometimes one of the consequences of great and sudden trouble。 〃Has Donovan taken you into the next room？ Will you come？〃
For his life Mr。 Fane…Smith could not have refused anything which she asked him； there was something in her manner that made the tears rush to his eyes though he was not； as a rule； easily moved。
He followed her obediently though with a sort of reluctance； but when he was once there he was glad。 Ever since the previous day he had not been able to rid himself of that stern； hard look with which Raeburn had so terribly rebuked him； it had persistently haunted him。 There was nothing stern in this dead face。 It was still and passionless； bearing the look of repose which； spite of a harassed life； it had always borne in moments of leisure。 He hardly looked as though he were dead。 Erica could almost have fancied that he was but resting after the toils of a hard day； having fallen asleep for a few minutes； as she had often seen him in his arm chair on a Sunday evening。
Mr。 Fane…Smith did not say a word； his eyes wandered from the calm face to the still hands which clasped some sprigs of his native heather； the heather which Donovan's children had sent only the day before； but just in time to win one of his last smiles。 Donovan and Erica spoke together in low tones； but something in the sound of that 〃gravened〃 voice arrested Mr。 Fane…Smith's attention。 He had not heard what had passed before； and there was nothing special in the words that fell now upon his ear； it was rather that his own soul was in a state of receptivity； and so through the first channel that came to hand he was able to receive a new truth。
〃I am only his child； God is his Father。〃
And there； by the lifeless body of Luke Raeburn； one； who during his life had judged him with the very hardest judgment； learned for the first time what Fatherhood means。
As long as there was anything to be done； Erica struggled on although the days were terribly hard and were rendered infinitely harder by the sort of publicity which attended them。 There was the necessity of appearing at the inquest； there was the necessity of reading every word that was written about her father。 She could not help reading the papers； could not keep her hands off them； though even now most cruel things were said。 There was the necessity of attending the great public funeral in London； of seeing the thousands of grief…stricken people； of listening to the professor's words so broken with sobs that they could hardly be heard。 A week later there was the necessity of going down to the Ashborough assizes to appear as a witness in the trial of Drosser。
〃What do you feel toward this man？〃 some one asked her once。
〃A great pity；〃 she replied。 〃It is not nearly so hard for me to forgive this poor fanatic as to forgive those who have taught him his dark creed； or to forgive those who； while calling themselves Christians； have hated my father with the hatred that is quite as bad as murder。〃
But when the trial was over and there was no longer any necessity to do anything； Erica suddenly broke down。 She had never till now yielded though not a night had passed in which she had not been haunted by the frightful recollections of that Sunday evening and the days following。 But the evening she returned from Ashborough she could hold out no longer。
Very quietly she bore that sad return to the empty house； going into all the familiar rooms and showing no sign of grief； because those she loved were with her； watching her with the anxious solicitude which people cannot help showing at such a time though it is usually more of a trial than a comfort。 Erica longed inexpressibly to be alone； and when at length； deceived by her unnatural calm； they were persuaded to leave her； she crept down to the study and shut herself in； and no longer tried to resist the inevitable； the mere surroundings were quite sufficient to open the flood gates of her grief； the books which her father had loved； the table； the empty chair； the curious cactus which they had brought back from Italy； and in the growth of which they had taken such an interest！ the desk at which her father had toiled for so many long years。 She hid her face from the light and broke into a passionate fit of weeping。 Then exhausted； nerveless； powerless； she could no longer cope with that anguish of remembrance which was her nightly torment。 Once more there rose before her that horrible scene in the Ashborough market place； once more she could see the glare of light； the huge crowd； the sudden treacherous movement； the fall； once more she heard the crash； the hushed murmur； once more felt the wild struggle to get through that pushing； jostling throng that she might somehow reac
