we two-第17章

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ess　she　fell　asleep　while　the　Lutheran　was　giving　her　a　long　quotation　from　St。　Paul。

She　slept　for　two　or　three　hours；　when　she　woke；　the　room　was　flooded　with　silvery　moonlight；　the　wooden　cross　which　hung　over　the　German's　bed　stood　out　black　and　distinct；　but　the　bed　was　empty。　　Erica　looked　round　the　room　uneasily；　and　saw　a　sight　which　she　never　forgot。　　The　fraulein　was　kneeling　beside　the　window；　and　even　the　cold　moonlight　could　not　chill　or　hide　the　wonderful　brightness　of　her　face。　　She　was　a　plain；　ordinary　little　woman；　but　her　face　was　absolutely　transformed；　there　was　something　so　beautiful　and　yet　so　unusual　in　her　expression　that　Erica　could　not　speak　or　move；　but　lay　watching　her　almost　breathlessly。　　The　spiritual　world　about　which　they　had　been　speaking　must　be　very　real　indeed　to　Thekla　Sonnenthal！　　Was　it　possible　that　this　was　the　work　of　delusion？　　While　she　mused；　her　friend　rose；　came　straight　to　her　bedside；　and　bent　over　her　with　a　look　of　such　love　and　tenderness　that　Erica；　though　not　generally　demonstrative；　could　not　resist　throwing　her　arms　round　her　neck。

〃Dear　Sunnyvale！　　You　look　just　like　your　name！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃all　brightness　and　humility！　　What　have　you　been　doing　to　grow　so　like　Murillo's　Madonna？〃

〃I　thought　you　were　asleep；〃　said　the　fraulein。　　〃Good　night；　Herzolattchen；　or　rather　good　morning；　for　the　Easter　day　has　begun。〃

Perhaps　Erica　liked　her　all　the　better　for　saying　nothing　more　definite；　but　in　the　ordinary　sense　of　the　word　she　did　not　have　a　good　night；　for　long　after　Thekla　Sonnenthal　was　asleep；　and　dreaming　of　her　German　home；　Luke　Raeburn's　daughter　lay　awake；　thinking　of　the　faith　which　to　some　was　such　an　intense　reality。　　Had　there　been　anything　excited　or　unreal　about　her　companion's　manner；　she　would　not　have　thought　twice　about　it；　but　her　tranquillity　and　sweetness　seemed　to　her　very　remarkable。　　Moreover；　Fraulein　Sonnenthal　was　strangely　devoid　of　imagination；　she　was　a　matter…of…fact　little　person；　not　at　all　a　likely　subject　for　visions　and　delusions。　　Erica　was　perplexed。　　Once　more　there　came　to　her　that　uncomfortable　question：　〃Supposing　Christianity　were　true？〃

The　moonlight　paled　and　the　Easter　morn　broke；　and　still　she　tossed　to　and　fro；　haunted　by　doubts　which　would　not　let　her　sleep。　　But　by　and　by　she　returned　to　the　one　thing　which　was　absolutely　certain；　namely；　that　her　German　friend　was　lovable　and　to　be　loved；　whatever　her　creed。

And；　since　Erica's　love　was　of　the　practical　order；　it　prompted　her　to　get　up　early；　dress　noiselessly；　and　steal　out　of　the　room　without　waking　her　companion；　then；　with　all　the　church　bells　ringing　and　the　devout　citizens　hurrying　to　mass；　she　ran　to　the　nearest　flower　stall；　spent　one　of　her　very　few　half…francs　on　the　loveliest　white　rose　to　be　had；　and　carried　it　back　as　an　Easter　offering　to　the　fraulein。

It　was　fortunate　in　every　way　that　Erica　had　the　little　German　lady　for　her　friend；　for　she　would　often　have　fared　badly　without　some　one　to　nurse　and　befriend　her。

She　was　very　delicate；　and　worked　far　too　hard；　for；　besides　all　her　work　in　the　school；　she　was　preparing　for　an　English　examination　which　she　had　set　her　heart　on　trying　as　soon　as　she　went　home。　　Had　it　not　been　for　Fraulein　Sonnenthal；　she　would　more　than　once　have　thoroughly　overworked　herself；　and　indeed　as　it　was；　the　strain　of　that　two　years　told　severely　on　her　strength。

But　the　time　wore　on　rapidly；　as　very　fully　occupied　time　always　does；　and　Erica's　list　of　days　grew　shorter　and　shorter；　and　the　letters　from　her　mother　were　more　and　more　full　of　plans　for　the　life　they　would　lead　when　she　came　home。　　The　two　years　would　actually　end　in　January；　Erica　was；　however；　to　stay　in　Paris　till　the　following　Easter；　partly　to　oblige　Mme。　Lemercier；　partly　because　by　that　time　her　father　hoped　to　be　in　a　great　measure　free　from　his　embarrassments；　able　once　more　to　make　a　home　for　her。


CHAPTER　VII。　What　the　New　Year　Brought

A　voice　grows　with　the　growing　years；　Earth；　hushing　down　her　bitter　cry；　Looks　upward　from　her　graves；　and　hears；　〃The　Resurrection　and　the　Life　am　I。〃

O　love　Divine；whose　constant　beam　Shines　on　the　eyes　that　will　not　see；　And　waits　to　bless　us；　while　we　dream　Thou　leavest　us　because　we　turn　from　Thee！

Nor　bounds；　nor　clime；　nor　creed　Thou　know'st；　Wide　as　our　need　Thy　favors　fall；　The　white　wings　of　the　Holy　Ghost　Stoop；　seen　or　unseen；　o'er　the　heads　of　all。　　Whittier

It　was　the　eve　of　the　new　year；　and　great　excitement　prevailed　in　the　Lemerciers'　house。　　Many　of　the　girls　whose　homes　were　at　a　distance　had　remained　at　school　for　the　short　winter　holiday；　and　on　this　particular　afternoon　a　number　of　them　were　clustered　round　the　stove　talking　about　the　festivities　of　the　morrow　and　the　presents　they　were　likely　to　have。

Erica；　who　was　now　a　tall　and　very　pretty　girl　of　eighteen；　was　sitting　on　the　hearth　rug　with　Ninette　on　her　lap；　she　was　in　very　high　spirits；　and　kept　the　little　group　in　perpetual　laughter；　so　much　so　indeed　that　Fraulein　Sonnenthal　had　more　than　once　been　obliged　to　interfere；　and　do　her　best　to　quiet　them。

〃How　wild　thou　art；　dear　Erica？〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃What　is　it？〃

〃I　am　happy；　that　is　all；〃　said　Erica。　　〃You　would　be　happy　if　the　year　of　freedom　were　just　dawning　for　you。　　Three　months　more　and　I　shall　be　home。〃

She　was　like　a　child　in　her　exultant　happiness；　far　more　child…like；　indeed；　than　the　grave　little　Ninette　whom　she　was　nursing。

〃Thou　art　not　dignified　enough　for　a　teacher；〃　said　the　fraulein；　laughingly。

〃She　is　no　teacher；〃　cried　the　girls。　　〃It　is　holiday　time　and　she　need　not　talk　that　frightful　English。〃

Erica　made　a　laughing　defense　of　her　native　tongue；　and　such　a　babel　ensued　that　the　fraulein　had　to　interfere　again。

〃Liebe　Erica！　　Thou　art　beside　thyself！　　What　has　come　to　thee？〃

〃Only　joy；　dear　Thekla；　at　the　thought　of　the　beautiful　new　year　which　is　coming；〃　cried　Erica。　　〃Father　would　say　I　was　'fey；'　and　should　pay　for　all　this　fun　with　a　bad　headache　or　some　misfortune。　　Come；　give　me　the　French　'David　Copperfield；'　and　let　me　read　you　how　'Barkis　Veut　Bien；'　and　'Mrs。　Gummidge　a　Pense　de　l'Ancien。'〃

The　reading　was　more　exquisitely　ludicrous　to　Erica　herself　than　to　her　hearers。　　Still　the　wit　of　Charles　Dickens；　even　when　translated；　called　forth　peals　of　laughter　from　the　French　girls；　too。　　It　was　the　brightest；　happiest　little　group　imaginable；　perhaps　it　was　scarcely　wonderful　that　old　Mme。　Lemercier；　when　she　came　to　break　it　up；　should　find　her　eyes　dim　with　tears。

〃My　dear　Erica〃　she　said；　and　broke　off　abruptly。

Erica　looked　up　with　laughing　eyes。

〃Don't　scold；　dear　madame；〃　she　said；　coaxingly。　　〃We　have　been　very　noisy；　but　it　is　New　year's　eve；　and　we　are　so　happy。〃

〃Dear　child；　it　is　not　that；〃　said　madame。　　〃I　want　to　speak　to　you　for　a　minute；　come　with　me；　cherie。〃

Still　Erica　noticed　nothing；　did　not　detect　the　tone　of　pity；　did　not　wonder　at　the　terms　of　endearment　which　were　generally　reserved　for　more　private　use。　　She　followed　madame　into　the　hall；　still　chattering　gayly。

〃The　'David　Copperfield'　is　for　monsieur's　present　tomorrow；〃　she　said；　laughingly。　　〃I　knew　he　was　too　lazy　to　read　it　in　English；　so　I　got　him　a　translation。〃

〃My　dear；〃　said　madame；　taking　her　hand；　〃try　to　be　quiet　a　moment。　　II　have　something　to　tell　you。　　My　poor　little　one；　monsieur　your　father　is　arrived〃

〃Father！　　Father　here！〃　exclaimed　Erica；　in　a　transport　of　delight。　　〃Where　is　he；　where？　　Oh；　madame；　why　didn't　you　tell　me　sooner？〃

Mme。　Lemercier　tried　in　vain　to　detain　her；　as　with　cheeks　all　glowing　with　happiness　and　dancing　eyes；　she　ran　at　full　speed　to　the　salon。

〃Father！〃　she　cried；　throwing　open　the　door　and　running　to　meet　him。　　Then　suddenly　she　stood　quite　still　as　if　petrified。

Beside　the　crackling　wood　fire；　his　arms　on　the　chimney　piece；　his　face　hidden；　stood　a　gray…haired　man。　　He　raised　himself　as　she　spoke。　　His　news　was　in　his　face；　it　was　written　all　too　plainly　there。

〃Father！〃　gasped　Erica　in　a　voice　which　seemed　altogether　different　from　the　first　exclamation；　almost　as　if　it　belonged　to　a　different　person。

Raeburn　took　her　in　his　arms。

〃M