we two-第24章

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dances　with　Captain　Golightly。　　If　her　mother　erred　by　thinking　too　much　of　what　people　said；　perhaps　Rose　erred　in　exactly　the　opposite　way；　at　any　rate；　she　managed　to　call　down　upon　her　silly　but　innocent　little　head　an　immense　amount　of　blame　from　the　mothers　and　elderly　ladies。

〃A　glorious　moonlight　night；〃　said　Captain　Golightly。　　〃What　do　you　say；　Miss　Fane…Smith？　　Shall　we　take　a　turn　in　the　garden？　　Or　are　you　afraid　of　the　cold？〃

〃Afraid！　　Oh；　dear　no；〃　said　Rose；　〃it's　the　very　thing　I　should　enjoy。　I　suppose　I　must　get　my　shawl；　though；　it　is　upstairs。〃

They　were　in　the　vestibule。

〃Have　my　ulster；〃　said　Captain　Golightly。　　〃Here　it　is；　just　handy；　and　it　will　keep　you　much　warmer。〃

Rose　laughed　and　blushed；　and　allowed　herself　to　be　put　into　her　partner's　coat；　rather　to　the　detriment　of　her　billowy　tarletan。　　After　a　while　they　came　back　again　from　the　dim　garden　to　the　brightly　lighted　vestibule；　　and　as　ill　luck　would　have　it；　chanced　to　encounter　a　stream　of　people　going　into　the　supper　room。　　Every　one　stared　at　the　apparition　of　Miss　Fane…Smith　in　Captain　Golightly's　coat。　　With　some　difficulty　she　struggled　out　of　it；　and　with　very　hot　cheeks　sought　shelter　in　the　ballroom。

〃How　dreadfully　they　looked！　　Do　you　think　it　was　wrong　of　me？〃　she　half　whispered　to　her　partner。

〃Oh；　dear；　no！　　Sensible　and　plucky；　and　everything　delightful！　　You　are　much　too　charming　to　be　bound　down　to　silly　conventionalities。　　Come；　let　us　have　this　dance。　　I'm　sure　you　are　engaged　to　some　one　in　the　supper　room　who　can't　deserve　such　a　delightful　partner。　　Let　us　have　this　TROIS　TEMPS；　and　hurl　defiance　at　the　Greyshot　chaperons。〃

Rose　laughed；　and　allowed　herself　to　be　borne　off。　　She　had　been　excited　before；　now　she　was　doubly　excited；　and　Captain　Golightly　had　the　most　delicious　step　imaginable。


CHAPTER　X。　Hard　at　Work

Longing　is　God's　fresh　heavenward　will　With　our　poor　earthward　striving；　We　quench　it　that　we　may　be　still　Content　with　merely　living；　But；　would　we　learn　that　heart's　full　scope　Which　we　are　hourly　wronging；　Our　lives　must　climb　from　hope　to　hope　And　realize　our　longing。　　J。　R。　Lowell

Perhaps　it　was　only　natural　that　there　should　be　that　winter　a　good　deal　of　communication　between　the　secularist's　house　in　Guilford　Terrace　and　the　clergyman's　house　in　Guilford　Square。

From　the　first　Raeburn　had　taken　a　great　fancy　to　Charles　Osmond；　and　now　that　Brian　had　become　so　closely　connected　with　the　memory　of　their　sudden　bereavement；　and　had　made　himself　almost　one　of　them　by　his　silent；　unobtrusive　sympathy；　and　by　his　numberless　acts　of　delicate　considerateness；　a　tie　was　necessarily　formed　which　promised　to　deepen　into　one　of　those　close　friendships　that　sometimes　exist　between　two　entire　families。

It　was　a　bleak；　chilly　afternoon　in　March；　when　Charles　Osmond；　returning　from　a　long　round　of　parish　work；　thought　he　would　look　in　for　a　few　minutes　at　the　Raeburns'；　he　had　a　proposal　to　make　to　Erica；　some　fresh　work　which　he　thought　might　interest　her。　　He　rang　the　bell　at　the　now　familiar　door　and　was　admitted；　it　carried　him　back　to　the　day　when　he　had　first　called　there　and　had　been　shown　into　the　fire…lit　room；　with　the　book…lined　walls；　and　the　pretty　little　girl　curled　up　on　the　rug；　with　her　cat　and　her　toasting　fork。　　Time　had　brought　many　changes　since　then。　　This　evening　he　was　again　shown　into　the　study；　but　this　time　the　gas　was　lighted；　and　there　was　no　little　girl　upon　the　hearth　rug。　　Erica　was　sitting　at　her　desk　hard　at　work。　　Her　face　lighted　up　at　the　sight　of　her　visitor。

〃Every　one　is　out　except　me；〃　she　said；　more　brightly　than　he　had　heard　her　speak　since　her　return。　　〃Did　you　really　come　to　see　me。　　How　good　of　you。〃

〃But　you　are　busy？〃　said　Charles　Osmond；　glancing　at　the　papers　on　the　desk。　　〃Press　work？〃

〃Yes；　my　first　article；〃　said　Erica；　〃it　is　just　finished；　but　if　you'll　excuse　me　for　one　minute；　I　ought　to　correct　it；　the　office　boy　will　call　for　it　directly。〃

〃Don't　hurry；　I　will　wait　and　get　warm　in　the　meantime；〃　said　Charles　Osmond；　establishing　himself　by　the　fire。

There　was　a　silence　broken　only　by　the　sound　of　Erica's　pen　as　she　crossed　out　a　word　or　a　line。　　Charles　Osmond　watched　her　and　mused。　　This　beautiful　girl；　whose　development　he　could　trace　now　for　more　than　two　years　back；　what　would　she　grow　into？　　Already　she　was　writing　in　the　〃Idol　Breaker。〃　　He　regretted　it。　　Yet　it　was　obviously　the　most　natural　employment　for　her。　　He　looked　at　her　ever…changing　face。　　She　was　absorbed　in　her　work；　her　expression　varying　with　the　sentences　she　read；　now　there　was　a　look　of　triumphant　happiness　as　she　came　to　something　which　made　her　heart　beat　quickly；　again；　a　shade　of　dissatisfaction　at　the　consciousness　of　her　inability　to　express　what　was　in　her　mind。　　He　could　not　help　thinking　that　it　was　one　of　the　noblest　faces　he　had　ever　seen；　and　now　that　the　eyes　were　downcast　it　was　not　so　terribly　sad；　there　was；　moreover；　for　the　first　time　since　her　mother's　death；　a　faint　tinge　of　color　in　her　cheeks。　　Before　five　minutes　could　have　passed；　the　bell　rang　again。

〃That　is　my　boy；〃　she　exclaimed；　and　hastily　blotting　her　sheets；　she　rolled　them　up；　gave　them　to　the　servant；　closed　her　desk；　and　crossing　the　room；　knelt　down　in　front　of　the　fire　to　warm　her　hands；　which　were　stiff　and　chilly。

〃How　rude　I　have　been　to　you；〃　she　said；　smiling　a　little；　〃I　always　have　been　rude　to　you　since　the　very　first　time　we　met。〃

〃We　were　always　frank　with　each　other；〃　said　Charles　Osmond；　〃I　remember　you　gave　me　your　opinion　as　to　bigots　and　Christians　in　the　most　delightfully　open　way。　　So　you　have　been　writing　your　first　article？〃

〃Yes；〃　and　she　stretched　herself　as　though　she　were　rather　tired　and　cramped。　　〃I　have　had　a　delicious　afternoon。　　Yesterday　I　was　in　despair　about　it；　but　today　it　just　cameI　wrote　it　straight　off。〃

〃And　you　are　satisfied　with　it？〃

〃Satisfied？　　Oh；　no！　　Is　anybody　ever　satisfied？　　By　the　time　it　is　in　print　I　shall　want　to　alter　every　sixth　line。　　Still；　I　dare　say　it　will　say　a　little　of　what　I　want　said？〃

〃Oh；　you　do　want　something　said？〃

〃Of　course！〃　she　replied；　a　little　indignantly。　　〃If　not；　how　could　I　write。〃

〃I　quite　agree　with　you；〃　said　Charles　Osmond；　〃and　you　mean　to　take　this　up　as　your　vocation？〃

〃If　I　am　thought　worthy；〃　said　Erica；　coloring　a　little。

〃I　see　you　have　high　ideas　of　the　art；〃　said　Charles　Osmond；　〃and　what　is　your　reason　for　taking　it　up？〃

〃First　of　all；　though　it　sounds　rather　illogical；〃　said　Erica；　　〃I　write　because　I　MUST；　there　is　something　in　me　which　will　have　its　way。　　Then；　too；　it　is　part　of　our　creed　that　every　one　should　do　all　in　his　power　to　help　on　the　cause；　and　of　course；　if　only　for　my　father's　sake；　it　would　be　my　greatest　pleasure。　　Then；　last　of　all；　I　write　because　I　must　earn　my　living。〃

〃Good　reasons　all；〃　said　Charles　Osmond。　　〃But　I　don't　feel　sure　that　you　won't　regret　having　written　when　you　look　back　several　years　hence。〃

〃Oh！　　I　dare　say　it　will　all　seem　crude　and　ridiculous　then；　but　one　must　make　a　beginning；〃　said　Erica。

〃And　are　you　sure　you　have　thought　out　these　great　questions　so　thoroughly　and　fairly　that　you　are　capable　of　teaching　others　about　them？〃

〃Ah！　　Now　I　see　what　you　mean！〃　exclaimed　Erica；　　〃you　think　I　write　in　defense　of　atheism；　or　as　an　attacker　of　Christianity。　　I　do　nothing　of　the　kind；　father　would　not　allow　me　to；　he　would　not　think　me　old　enough。　　Oh！　　No；　I　am　only　to　write　the　lighter　articles　which　are　needed　every　now　and　then。　　Today　I　had　a　delightful　subject'Heroeswhat　are　they？'〃

〃Well；　and　what　is　your　definition　of　a　hero；　I　wonder；　what　are　the　qualities　you　think　absolutely　necessary　to　make　one？〃

〃I　think　I　have　only　two　absolutely　necessary　ones；〃　said　Erica；　〃but　my　heroes　must　have　these　two；　they　must　have　brains　and　goodness。〃

〃A　tolerably　sweeping　definition；〃　said　Charles　Osmond；　laughing；　〃almost　equal　to　a　friend　of　mine　who　wanted　a　wife；　and　said　there　were　only　two　things　he　would　stipulate　for1；500　a　year；　and　an　angel。　　But　it　brings　us　to　another　definition；　you　see。　　We　shall　agree　as　to　the　brains；　but　how　about　goodness！　　What　is　your　defini