we two-第61章

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oriously。　　Erica　turned　the　heel　of　her　sock　and　responded　as　well　as　she　could；　her　sensitiveness　recoiling　almost　as　much　from　the　labored　and　therefore　oppressive　kindness；　as　from　the　irritating　and　narrow　censure　which　Mr。　Fane…Smith　dealt　out　to　the　world。

Family　prayers　followed。　　It　was　the　first　time　she　had　ever　been　present　at　such　a　household　gathering；　and　the　idea　seemed　to　her　a　very　beautiful　one。　　But　the　function　proved　so　formal　and　lifeless　that　it　chilled　her　more　than　anything。　　Yet　her　relations　were　so　very　kind　to　her　personally　that　she　blamed　herself　for　feeling　disappointed；　and　struggled　hard　to　pierce　through　the　outer　shell；　which　she　knew　only　concealed　their　real　goodness。　　She　knew；　too；　that　she　had　herself　to　blame　in　part；　her　oversensitiveness；　her　quick　temper；　her　want　of　deep　insight　had　all　had　their　share　in　making　that　evening　such　a　blank　failure。

Mrs。　Fane…Smith　went　with　her　into　her　bedroom　to　see　that　she　had　all　she　wanted。　　Though　the　September　evening　was　mild；　a　fire　blazed　in　the　grate；　much　to　Erica's　astonishment。　　Not　on　the　most　freezing　of　winter　nights　had　she　ever　enjoyed　such　a　luxury。　　Her　aunt　explained　that　the　room　looked　north；　and；　besides；　she　thought　a　fire　was　cheerful　and　home…like。

〃You　are　very　kind；〃　said　Erica；　warmly；　〃but　you　know　I　mustn't　let　you　spoil　me；　or　I　shall　not　be　fit　to　go　back　to　the　home　life；　and　I　want　to　go　home　much　more　fit　for　it。〃

Something　in　the　spontaneous　warmth　and　confidence　of　this　speech　cheered　Mrs。　Fane…Smith。　　She　wished　above　all　things　to　win　her　niece's　love　and　confidence；　and　she　wisely　reserved　her　proposal　as　to　the　matter　of　a　home　for　another　time。　　It　was　necessary；　however；　that　she　should　give　Erica　a　hint　as　to　the　topics　likely　to　irritate　Mr。　Fane…Smith。

〃I　think；　dear；〃　she　began；　〃it　would　be　as　well　if；　when　my　husband　and　Rose　are　present；　you　are　careful　not　to　speak　of　your　father。　　You　won't　mind　my　saying　this；　but　I　know　it　displeases　my　husband；　and　I　think　you　will　understand　that　there　are　objections　society；　you　know；　and　public　opinion；　we　must　consult　it　a　little。　〃

Mrs。　Fane…Smith　grew　nervous　and　incoherent；　threw　her　arms　round　her　niece's　neck；　kissed　her　most　affectionately；　and　wished　her　good　night。

When　she　left　the　room；　Erica's　repressed　indignation　blazed　up。　　We　fear　it　must　be　recorded　that　she　fairly　stamped　with　anger。

Wounded　in　her　tenderest　part；　indignant　at　the　insult　to　her　father；　ashamed　of　her　own　want　of　control；　miserably　perplexed　by　her　new　surroundings；　it　was　long　before　she　could　compose　herself。　　She　paced　up　and　down　the　richly　furnished　room；　struggling　hard　to　conquer　her　anger。　　At　length；　by　a　happy　impulse；　she　caught　up　her　prayer　book；　checked　her　longing　to　walk　rapidly　to　and　fro；　sat　down　on　the　Indian　rug　before　the　fire；　and　read　the　evening　psalm。　　It　happened　to　be　the　thirty…seventh。　　Nothing　could　have　calmed　her　so　effectually　as　its　tender　exhortation；　its　wonderful　sympathy　with　human　nature。　　〃〃Fret　not　thyself；　else　shalt　thou　be　moved　to　do　evil。　　Put　thou　thy　trust　in　the　Lord；　and　be　doing　good。　　Put　thy　trust　in　Him；　and　He　will　bring　it　to　pass。

She　closed　the　book；　and　sat　musing；　her　anger　quite　passed　away。

All　at　once　she　recollected　old　Elspeth；　the　nurse。　　Her　father　had　charged　her　with　many　messages　to　the　faithful　old　servant；　and　so　had　her　aunt。　　She　felt　ashamed　to　think　that　she　had　been　several　hours　in　the　house　without　delivering　them。　　Rose's　room　was　close　to　hers。　　She　went　out；　and　knocked　softly　at　the　door。

〃I　just　came　to　see　whether　Elspeth　was　here；〃　she　said；　rather　dismayed　to　find　the　candles　out；　and　the　room　only　lighted　up　by　the　red　glow　from　the　fire。

Rose　who　had　had　no　temper　to　conquer；　was　already　in　bed。〃Still　in　your　dress！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　believe　you've　been　at　that　Browning　again。　　But　did　no　one　come　to　help　you？　　I　sent　Gemma。〃

〃I　didn't　want　help；　thank　you；〃　said　Erica。　　〃I　only　wanted　to　see　Elspeth　because　I　have　a　message　for　her。〃

〃How　conscientious　you　are！〃　said　Rose；　laughing。　　〃I　always　make　a　point　of　forgetting　messages　when　I　go　from　home。　　Well；　you　will　find　Elspeth　in　the　little　room　on　the　next　half　landing；　the　work　room。　　She　was　here　not　two　minutes　ago。　　Good　night！　　Breakfast　is　at　nine；　you　know；　and　they'll　bring　you　a　cup　of　tea　when　they　call　you。〃

A　little　shyly；　Erica　made　her　way　to　the　work　room　where　Elspeth　was　tacking　frilling　into　one　of　Rose's　dresses。　　The　old　woman　started　up　with　a　quick　exclamation　when　she　appeared　in　the　doorway。

〃May　I　come　in？〃　said　Erica；　with　all　the　charm　of　manner　which　she　had　inherited　from　her　father。　　〃'Tis　very　late；　but　I　didn't　like　to　go　to　bed　without　seeing　you。〃

〃I　hope　missie　has　everything　she　wants？〃　asked　Elspeth；　anxiously。

〃Yes；　indeed！〃　said　Erica。　　〃All　I　want　is　to　see　you；　and　to　give　you　my　father's　love；　to　ask　how　you　are。　　He　and　Aunt　Jean　have　often　told　me　about　you。　　You　have　not　forgotten　them？〃

〃Forgotten！　　No；　indeed！〃　cried　old　Elspeth。　　〃When　I　saw　you　at　'Takin'　the　book；'　and　saw　you　so　like　your　poor　father；　I　could　have　cried。　　You　are　Mr。　Luke's　bairn；　and　no　mistake；　my　bonny　lassie！　Ah；　I　mind　the　day　well　when　he　came　to　my　room　the　auld　nursery　in　the　parsonage；　where　I　had　reared　him　and　told　me　that　master　had　ordered　him　out　of　the　house。　　I　pray　God　I　may　never　again　see　a　face　look　as　his　looked　then！〃

Tears　started　to　her　eyes　at　the　recollection。　　Erica　threw　her　arms　round　her　neck；　and　kissed　her。

〃You　love　him　still。　　I　see　you　love　him！〃　she　exclaimed；　all　her　feeling　of　isolation　melting　in　the　assurance　of　the　old　servant's　sympathy。

So；　after　all；　Erica　had　a　maid　in　attendance；　for　Elspeth　insisted　on　seeing　her　to　bed；　and；　since　they　talked　all　the　time　about　the　old　Scotch　days；　she　was　well　content　to　renounce　her　independence　for　a　little　while。

But；　whether　because　of　the　flickering　fire　light；　or　because　of　the　strangeness　of　the　great　brass　bedstead；　with　its　silken　hangings　and　many…colored　Indian　rezai；　Erica　slept　very　little　that　night。　　Perhaps　the　long　talk　about　her　father's　early　days　had　taken　too　great　a　hold　of　her。　　At　any　rate；　she　tossed　about　very　restlessly　in　her　luxurious　quarters；　and　when；　for　brief　intervals；　she　slept；　it　was　only　to　dream　of　her　father　taking　leave　of　his　Scottish　home；　and　always　he　bore　that　flint…like　face；　that　look　of　strong　endurance　and　repressed　passion　which　Elspeth　had　described；　and　which；　in　times　of　trouble　and　injustice；　Erica　had　learned　to　know　so　well。


CHAPTER　XXV。　Lady　Caroline's　Dinner

The　blank　of　amaze　of　your　haughty　gaze；　The　cold　surprise　of　patrician　eyes。　　Lewis　Morris

But　the　paucity　of　Christians　is　astonishing；　considering　the　number　of　them。　　Leigh　Hunt。

The　irritation；　or；　at　any　rate；　the　novelty　of　the　luxury　in　the　Fane…Smith's　household　wore　off　after　Erica　had　spent　a　few　days　at　Greyshot。　She　became　accustomed　to　the　great　rooms；　and　being　artistic　by　nature　and　the　reverse　by　education；　she　began　very　much　to　enjoy　the　pictures；　the　charming　variety　of　foreign　treasures；　and　particularly　all　the　lovely　things　of　Indian　workmanship　with　which　the　drawing　room　was　crowded。　　The　long；　formal　meals　she　learned　to　endure。　　The　absurdly　large　retinue　of　servants　ceased　to　oppress　her；　she　used　to　amuse　herself　by　speculating　as　to　the　political　views　of　the　men…servants！　　while　the　luxury　of　a　daily　drive　with　her　aunt　she　very　much　appreciated。

But；　though　the　mere　externals　were　soon　familiar　enough；　she　found　that　every　day　increased　the　difficulty　she　felt　in　becoming　accustomed　to　the　atmosphere　of　this　family。　　She　had　lived　all　her　life　with　people　who　were　overwhelmed　with　work；　and　in　a　home　where　recreation　was　only　the　rare　concession　to　actual　health。　　Here　recreation　seemed　to　be　the　business　of　life；　while　work　for　the　public　was　merely　tacked　on　as　a　sort　of　ornamental　fringe。

Mr。　Fane…Smith　had；　indeed；　a　few　committee　meetings　to　attend；　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　visited　her　district　once　a　fortnight；　and　distributed　tracts；　and　kind　words；　and　soup　tickets；　and　blanket　tickets；　besides　the　most　lavis