we two-第23章

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k　her　yourself。　　Maybe　there　is　a　doubt　whether　you　oughtn't　to　know；　　but　there　is　no　doubt　that　I　mustn't　tell　you。〃

Rose　hesitated；　but　presently　her　curiosity　overpowered　her　reluctance。

Mrs。　Fane…Smith；　or；　as　she　had　been　called　in　her　maiden　days；　Isabel　Raeburn；　was　remarkably　like　her　daughter　in　so　far　as　features　and　coloring　were　concerned；　but　she　was　exceedingly　unlike　her　in　character；　for　whereas　Rose　was　vain　and　self…confident；　and　had　a　decided　will　of　her　own；　her　mother　was　diffident　and　exaggeratedly　humble。　　She　was　a　kind…hearted　and　a　good　woman；　but　she　was　in　danger　of　harassing　herself　with　the　question；　〃What　will　people　say？〃

She　looked　up　apprehensively　as　her　daughter　came　into　the　room。　　Rose　felt　sure　she　had　been　crying；　her　curiosity　was　still　further　stimulated；　and　with　all　the　persuasiveness　at　her　command；　she　urged　her　mother　to　tell　her　the　meaning　of　the　mysterious　paragraph。

〃I　am　sorry　you　have　asked　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Fane…Smith；　〃but；　perhaps；　since　you　are　no　longer　a　child；　you　had　better　know。　　It　is　a　sad　story；　however；　Rose；　and　I　should　not　have　chosen　to　tell　it　to　you　today　of　all　days。〃

〃But　I　want　to　hear；　mamma；〃　said　Rose；　decidedly。　　〃Please　begin。　　Who　is　this　Mr。　Raeburn？〃

〃He　is　my　brother；〃　said　Mrs。　Fane…Smith；　with　a　little　quiver　in　her　voice。

〃Your　brother！　　My　uncle！〃　cried　Rose；　in　amazement。

〃Luke　was　the　oldest　of　us；〃　said　Mrs。　Fane…Smith；　〃then　came　Jean；　and　I　was　the　youngest　of　all；　at　least　of　those　who　lived。〃

〃Then　I　have　an　aunt；　too；　an　Aunt　Jean？〃　exclaimed　Rose。

〃You　shall　hear　the　whole　story；〃　replied　her　mother。　　She　thought　for　a　minute；　then　in　rather　a　low　voice　she　began：　〃Luke　and　Jean　were　always　the　clever　ones；　Luke　especially；　your　grandfather　had　set　his　heart　on　his　being　a　clergyman；　and　you　can　fancy　the　grief　it　was　to　us　when　he　threw　up　the　whole　idea；　and　declared　that　he　could　never　take　Orders。　　He　was　only　nineteen　when　he　renounced　religion　altogether；　he　and　my　father　had　a　great　dispute；　and　the　end　of　it　was　that　Luke　was　sent　away　from　home；　and　I　never　have　seen　him　since。　　He　has　become　a　very　notorious　infidel　lecturer。　　Jean　was　very　much　unsettled　by　his　change　of　views；　and　I　believe　her　real　reason　for　marrying　old　Mr。　Craigie　was　that　she　had　made　him　promise　to　let　her　see　Luke　again。　　She　married　young　and　settled　down　in　London；　and　when；　in　a　few　years；　her　husband　died；　she　too；　renounced　Christianity。〃

To　tell　the　truth；　Rose　was　not　deeply　interested　in　the　story；　it　fell　a　little　flat　after　her　expectations　of　a　tragedy。　　It　had；　moreover；　a　sort　of　missionary　flavor；　and　she　had　till　the　last　few　months　lived　in　India；　and　had　grown　heartily　tired　of　the　details　of　mission　work；　in　which　both　her　father　and　mother　had　been　interested。　　Conversions；　relapses；　heathenism；　belief　and　unbelief　were　words　which　had　sounded　so　often　in　her　ears　that　now　they　bored　her；　as　they　were　the　merest　words　to　her　it　could　hardly　be　otherwise。　　But　Rose's　best　point　was　her　loyalty　to　her　own　family；　she　had　the　〃clan〃　feeling　very　strongly；　and　she　could　not　understand　how　her　mother　could　have　allowed　such　a　complete　estrangement　to　grow　up　between　her　and　her　nearest　relations。

〃Mamma；〃　she　said；　quickly；　〃I　should　have　gone　to　see　Uncle　Luke　if　I　had　been　you。〃

〃It　is　impossible；　dear；〃　replied　Mrs。　Fane…Smith。　　〃Your　father　would　not　allow　it　for　one　thing；　and　then　only　think　what　people　would　say！　　This　is　partly　my　reason　for　telling　you；　Rose；　I　want　to　put　you　upon　your　guard。　　We　heard　little　or　nothing　of　your　uncle　when　we　were　in　India；　but　you　will　find　it　very　different　here。　　He　is　one　of　the　most　notorious　men　in　England；　you　must　never　mention　his　name；　never　allude　to　him；　do　you　understand　me？〃

〃Is　he　then　so　wicked？〃

〃My　dear；　consider　what　his　teaching　is；　that　is　sufficient；　I　would　not　for　the　whole　world　allow　our　Greyshot　friends　to　guess　that　we　are　connected　with　him　in　any　way。　　It　might　ruin　all　your　prospects　in　life。〃

〃Mamma；〃　said　Rose；　〃I　don't　think　Mr。　Raeburn　will　injure　my　prospectsof　course　you　mean　prospects　of　marrying。　　If　a　man　didn't　care　enough　for　me　to　take　me　whether　I　am　the　niece　of　the　worst　man　in　England　or　not；　do　you　think　I　would　accept　him？〃

There　was　an　angry　ring　in　her　voice　as　she　spoke；　her　little　saucy　mouth　looked　almost　grand。　　After　a　moment's　pause；　she　added；　more　quietly；　but　with　all　the　force　of　the　true　woman's　heart　which　lay　hidden　beneath　her　silliness　and　frivolity；　〃Besides；　mamma；　is　it　quite　honest？〃

〃We　are　not　bound　to　publish　our　family　history　to　the　world；　Rose。　　If　any　one　asked　me；　of　course　I　should　tell　the　truth；　if　there　was　any　way　of　helping　my　brother　or　his　child　I　would　gladly　serve　them；　even　though　the　world　would　look　coldly　on　me　for　doing　so；　but　while　they　remain　atheists　how　is　it　possible？〃

〃Then　he　has　a　child？〃

〃One　only；　I　believe；　a　girl　of　about　your　own　age。〃

〃Oh；　mamma；　how　I　should　like　to　know　her！〃

〃My　dear　Rose；　how　can　you　speak　of　such　a　thing？　　You　don't　realize　that　she　is　an　atheist；　has　not　even　been　baptized；　poor　little　thing！〃

〃But　she　is　my　cousin；　and　she　is　a　girl　just　like　me；〃　said　Rose。　　〃I　should　like　to　know　her　very　much。　　I　wonder　whether　she　has　come　out　yet。　　I　wonder　how　she　enjoyed　her　first　ball。〃

〃My　dear！　　They　are　not　in　society。〃

〃How　dull！　　What　does　she　do　all　day；　I　wonder？〃

〃I　cannot　tell；　I　wish　you　would　not　talk　about　her；　Rose；　I　should　not　wish　you　even　to　think　about　her；　except；　indeed；　to　mention　her　in　your　prayers。〃

〃Oh；　I'd　much　rather　have　her　here　to　stay；〃　said　Rose；　with　a　little　mischievous　gleam　in　her　eyes。

〃Rose！〃

〃Why　mamma；　if　she　were　a　black　unbeliever　you　would　be　delighted　to　have　her；　it　is　only　because　she　is　white　that　you　won't　have　anything　to　do　with　her。　　You　would　have　been　as　pleased　as　possible　if　I　had　made　friends　with　any　of　the　ladies　in　the　Zenanas。〃

Mrs。　Fane…Smith　looked　uncomfortable；　and　murmured　that　that　was　a　very　different　question。　　Rose；　seeing　her　advantage；　made　haste　to　follow　it　up。

〃At　any　rate；　mamma；　you　will　write　to　Uncle　Luke　now　that　he　is　in　trouble；　and　you'll　let　me　send　a　note　to　his　daughter？　　Only　think；　mamma；　she　has　lost　her　mother　so　suddenly！　　Just　think　how　wretched　she　must　be！　　Oh；　mamma；　dear；　I　can't　think　how　she　can　bear　it！〃　and　Rose　threw　her　arms　round　her　mother's　neck。　　〃I　should　die　too　if　you　were　to　die！　　I'm　sure　I　should。〃

Rose　was　very　persuasive；　Mrs。　Fane…Smith's　motherly　heart　was　touched；　she　sat　down　there　and　then；　and　for　the　first　time　since　the　summer　day　when　Luke　Raeburn　had　been　turned　out　of　his　father's　house；　she　wrote　to　her　brother。　　Rose　in　the　meantime　had　taken　a　piece　of　paper　from　her　mother's　writing　desk；　and　with　a　fat　volume　of　sermons　by　way　of　a　desk　was　scribbling　away　as　fast　as　she　could。　　This　was　her　letter：

〃My　dear　cousin；I　don't　know　your　name；　and　have　only　just　heard　anything　about　you；　and　the　first　thing　I　heard　was　that　you　were　in　dreadful　trouble。　　I　only　write　to　send　you　my　love；　and　to　say　how　very　sorry　I　am　for　you。　　We　only　came　to　England　in　the　autumn。　　I　like　it　very　much。　　I　am　going　to　my　first　ball　tonight；　and　expect　to　enjoy　it　immensely。　　My　dress　is　to　be　white　tarle　Oh；　dear！　　How　horrid　of　me　to　be　writing　like　this　to　you。　　Please　forgive　me。　　I　don't　like　to　be　so　happy　when　you　are　unhappy；　but；　you　see；　I　have　only　just　heard　of　you；　so　it　is　a　little　difficult。　With　love；　I　remain；　your　affectionate　cousin；　Rose　Fane…Smith。〃

That　evening；　while　Erica；　with　eyes　dim　with　grief　and　weariness；　was　poring　over　the　books　in　her　father's　study；　Rose　was　being　initiated　into　all　the　delights　of　the　ballroom。　　She　was　in　her　glory。　　Everything　was　new　to　her；　she　enjoyed　dancing；　she　knew　that　she　looked　pretty；　knew　that　her　dress　was　charming；　knew　that　she　was　much　admired；　and　of　course　she　liked　it　all。　　But　the　chaperons　shook　their　heads；　it　was　whispered　that　Miss　Fane…Smith　was　a　terrible　flirt；　she　had　danced　no　less　than　seven　dances　with　Captain　Golightly。　　If　her　mother　erred　by　thinking　too　much　of　what　people　said；　perhap