we two-第22章

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aration　was　useless。

〃I　believe　in　the　resurrection；〃　said　Brian；　〃because　I　cannot　doubt　Jesus　Christ。　　He　is　the　most　perfectly　lovable　and　trustable　being　I　know；　or　can　conceive　of　knowing。　　He　said　He　should　rise　again；　I　believe　that　He　did　rise。　　He　was　perfectly　truthful；　therefore　He　could　not　mislead；　He　KNEW；　therefore　He　could　not　be　misled。〃

〃We　do　not　consider　Him　to　be　all　that　you　assert；〃　said　Erica。　　〃Nor　do　His　followers　make　one　inclined　to　think　that　either　He　or　His　teaching　were　so　perfect　as　you　try　to　make　out。　　You　are　not　so　hard…hearted　as　some　of　them〃

She　broke　off；　seeing　a　look　of　pain　on　her　companion's　face。　　〃Oh；　what　am　I　saying！〃　she　cried　in　a　very　different　tone；　〃you　who　have　done　so　muchyou　who　were　always　good　to　usI　did　not　indeed　mean　to　hurt　you；　it　is　your　creed　that　I　can't　help　hating；　not　you。　　You　are　our　friend；　you　said　so　long　ago。〃

〃Always；〃　said　Brian；　〃never　doubt　that。〃

〃Then　you　must　forgive　me　for　having　wounded　you；〃　said　Erica；　her　whole　face　softening。　　〃You　must　remember　how　hard　it　all　is；　and　that　I　am　so　very；　very　miserable。〃

He　would　have　given　his　life　to　bring　her　comfort；　but　he　was　not　a　very　great　believer　in　words；　and　besides；　he　thought　she　had　talked　quite　as　long　as　she　ought。

〃I　think；〃　he　said；　〃that；　honestly　acted　out；　the　message　intrusted　to　me　ought　to　comfort　your　misery。〃

〃I　can't　act　it　out；〃　she　said。

〃You　will　begin　to　try；〃　was　Brian's　answer；　and　then；　with　a　very　full　heart；　he　said　goodbye　and　left　his　Undine　sitting　by　the　fire；　with　her　head　resting　on　her　hands；　and　the　words　of　her　mother's　message　echoing　in　her　ears。　　〃It　is　only　love　that　can　keep　from　bitterness；　love　is　stronger　than　the　world's　unkindness。〃

Presently；　not　daring　to　dwell　too　much　on　that　last　scene　which　Brian　had　described；　she　turned　to　his　strange；　unexpected　reason　for　his　belief　in　the　resurrection；　and　mused　over　the　characteristics　of　his　ideal。　　Then　she　thought　she　would　like　to　see　again　what　her　ideal　man　had　to　say　about　his；　and　she　got　up　and　searched　for　a　small　book　in　a　limp　red　cover；　labeled　〃Life　of　Jesus　of　NazarethLuke　Raeburn。〃　　It　was　more　than　two　years　since　she　had　seen　it；　she　read　it　through　once　more。　　The　style　was　vigorous；　the　veiled　sarcasms　were　not　unpleasant　to　her；　she　detected　no　unfairness　in　the　mode　of　treatment；　the　book　satisfied　her；　the　conclusion　arrived　at　seemed　to　her　inevitableBrian　Osmond's　ideal　was　not　perfect。

With　a　sigh　of　utter　weariness　she　shut　the　book　and　leaned　back　in　her　chair　with　a　still；　white；　hopeless　face。　　Presently　Friskarina　sprung　up　on　her　knee　with　a　little　sympathetic　mew；　she　had　been　too　miserable　as　yet　to　notice　even　her　favorite　cat　very　much；　now　a　scarcely　perceptible　shade　of　relief　came　to　her　sadness；　she　stroked　the　soft　gray　head。　　But　scarcely　had　she　spoken　to　her　favorite；　when　the　cat　suddenly　turned　away；　sprung　from　her　knee　and　trotted　out　of　the　room。　　It　seemed　like　actual　desertion；　and　Erica　could　ill　bear　it　just　then。

〃What；　you　too；　Friskie；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃are　even　you　glad　to　keep　away　from　me？〃

She　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　desolate　and　miserable　as　she　had　been　before；　she　now　felt　more　completely　alone。

In　a　few　minutes　something　warm　touching　her　feet　made　her　look　up；　and　with　one　bound　Friskarina　sprung　into　her　lap；　carrying　in　her　mouth　a　young　kitten。　　She　purred　contentedly；　looking　first　at　her　child　and　then　at　her　mistress；　saying　as　plainly　as　if　she　had　spoken：

〃Will　this　comfort　you？〃

Erica　stroked　and　kissed　both　cat　and　kitten；　and　for　the　first　time　since　her　trouble　a　feeling　of　warmth　came　to　her　frozen　heart。


CHAPTER　IX。　Rose

A　life　of　unalloyed　content；　A　life　like　that　of　land…locked　seas。　　J。　R。　Lowell

〃Elspeth；　you　really　must　tell　me；　I'm　dying　of　curiosity；　and　I　can　see　by　your　face　you　know　all　about　it！　　How　is　it　that　grandpapa's　name　is　in　the　papers　when　he　has　been　dead　all　these　years？　　I　tell　you　I　saw　it；　a　little　paragraph　in　today's　paper；　headed；　'Mr。　Luke　Raeburn。'　　Is　this　another　namesake　who　has　something　to　do　with　him？〃

The　speaker　was　a　tall；　bright…looking　girl　of　eighteen；　a　blue…eyed；　flaxen…haired　blond；　with　a　saucy　little　mouth；　about　which　there　now　lurked　an　expression　of　undisguised　curiosity。　　Rose；　for　that　was　her　name；　was　something　of　a　coax；　and　all　her　life　long　she　had　managed　to　get　her　own　way；　she　was　an　only　child；　and　had　been　not　a　little　spoiled；　but　in　spite　of　many　faults　she　was　lovable；　and　beneath　her　outer　shell　of　vanity　and　self…satisfaction　there　lay　a　sterling　little　heart。

Her　companion；　Elspeth；　was　a　wrinkled　old　woman；　whose　smooth　gray　hair　was　almost　hidden　by　a　huge　mob…cap；　which；　in　defiance　of　modern　custom；　she　wore　tied　under　her　chin。　　She　had　nursed　Rose　and　her　mother　before　her　and　had　now　become　more　like　a　family　friend　than　a　servant。

〃Miss　Rose；〃　she　replied；　looking　up　from　her　work；　〃if　you　go　on　chatter…magging　away　like　this；　there'll　be　no　frock　ready　for　you　tonight；〃　and　with　a　most　uncommunicative　air；　the　old　woman　turned　away；　and　gave　a　little　impressive　shake　to　the　billowy　mass　of　white　tarletan　to　which　she　was　putting　the　finishing　touches。

〃The　white　lilies　just　at　the　side；〃　said　Rose；　her　attention　diverted　for　a　moment。　　〃Won't　it　be　lovely！　　The　prettiest　dress　in　the　room；　I'm　sure。〃　　Then；　her　curiosity　returning；　〃But；　Elspeth；　I　sha'nt　enjoy　the　dance　a　bit　unless　you　tell　me　what　Mr。　Luke　Raeburn　has　to　do　with　us？　　Listen；　and　I'll　tell　you　how　I　found　out。　　Papa　brought　the　paper　up　to　Mamma；　and　said；　'Did　you　see　this？'　　And　then　mamma　read　it；　and　the　color　came　all　over　her　face；　and　she　did　not　say　a　word；　but　went　out　of　the　room　pretty　soon。　　And　then　I　took　up　the　paper；　and　looked　at　the　page　she　had　been　reading；　and　saw　grandpapa's　name。〃

〃What　was　it　about？〃　asked　old　Elspeth。

〃That's　just　what　I　couldn't　understand；　it　was　all　about　secularists。　　What　are　secularists？　　But　it　seems　that　this　Luke　Raeburn；　whoever　he　is；　has　lost　his　wife。　　While　he　was　lecturing　at　Birmingham　on　the　soul；　it　is　said；　his　wife　died；　and　this　paragraph　said　it　seemed　like　a　judgment；　which　was　rather　cool；　I　think。〃

〃Poor　laddie！〃　signed　old　Elspeth。

〃Elspeth；〃　cried　Rose；　〃do　you　know　who　the　man　is？〃

〃Miss　Rose；〃　said　the　old　woman　severely；　〃in　my　young　days　there　was　a　saying　that　you'd　do　well　to　lay　to　heart；　'Ask　no　questions；　and　you'll　be　told　no　stories。'〃

〃It　isn't　your　young　days　now；　it's　your　old　days；　Elsie；〃　said　the　imperturbable　Rose。　　〃I　will　ask　you　questions　as　much　as　I　please；　and　you'll　tell　me　what　this　mystery　means；　there's　a　dear　old　nurse！　　Have　I　not　a　right　to　know　about　my　own　relations？〃

〃Oh；　bairn；　bairn！　　If　it　were　anything　you'd　like　to　hear；　but　why　should　you　know　what　is　all　sad　and　gloomful？　　No；　no；　go　to　your　balls；　and　think　of　your　fine　dresses　and　gran'　partners；　though；　for　the　matter　of　that；　it　is　but　vanity　of　vanities〃

〃Oh；　if　you're　going　to　quote　Ecclesiastes；　I　shall　go！〃　said　Rose；　pouting。　　〃I　wish　that　book　wasn't　in　the　Bible！　　I'm　sure　such　an　old　grumbler　ought　to　have　been　in　the　Apocrypha。〃

Elspeth　shook　her　head；　and　muttered　something　about　judgment　and　trouble。　　Rose　began　to　be　doubly　curious。

〃Trouble；　sadness；　a　mysteryperhaps　a　tragedy！　　Rose　had　read　of　such　things　in　books；　were　there　such　things　actually　in　the　family；　and　she　had　never　known　of　them？　　A　few　hours　ago　and　she　had　been　unable　to　think　of　anything　but　her　first　ball；　her　new　dress；　her　flowers；　but　she　was　seized　now　with　the　most　intense　desire　to　fathom　this　mystery。　　That　it　bid　fair　to　be　a　sad　mystery　only　made　her　more　eager　and　curious。　　She　was　so　young；　so　ignorant；　there　was　still　a　halo　of　romance　about　those　unknown　things；　trouble　and　sadness。

〃Elspeth；　you　treat　me　like　a　child！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃it's　really　too　bad　of　you。〃

〃Maybe　you're　right；　bairn；〃　said　the　old　nurse；　〃but　it's　no　doing　of　mine。　　But　look　here；　Miss　Rose；　you　be　persuaded　by　me；　go　straight　to　your　mamma　and　ask　her　yourself。　　Maybe　there　is　a　doubt　whether　you　oughtn't　to　know；　　but　there　is　no　doubt　that　I