we two-第65章

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ad　known　it　ever　since　Brian　had　brought　her　the　message　from　her　mother；　〃It　is　only　love　that　can　keep　from　bitterness。〃　　All　through　these　years　she　had　been　struggling　hard；　and　though　there　had　been　constant　temptations；　though　the　harshness　of　the　bigoted；　the　insults　offered　to　her　father　in　the　name　of　religion；　the　countless　slights　and　slanders　had　tried　her　to　the　utmost；　she　had　still　struggled　upward；　and　in　spite　of　all　had　grown　in　love。　　But　now；　for　the　first　time；　she　found　herself　completely　isolated。　　The　injustice；　the　hardness　of　it　proved　too　much　for　her。　　She　forgot　that　those　who　would　be　peace…makers　reconcilers；　must　be　content　to　receive　the　treatment　which　the　Prince　of　Peace　received；　she　forgot　that　these　rich；　contemptuous　people　were　her　brothers　and　sisters；　and　that　their　hard　judgment　did　not　and　could　not　alter　their　relationship；　she　forgot　all　in　a　burning　indignation；　in　an　angry　revolt　against　the　injustice　of　the　world。

She　would　study　these　people；　she　would　note　all　their　little　weaknesses　and　foibles。　　Mr。　Bircham　had　given　her　carte　blanche　for　these　three　weeks；　she　would　write　him　a　deliciously　sarcastic　article　on　modern　society。　　The　idea　fixed　her　imagination；　she　laughed　to　herself　at　the　thought；　for；　however　sad　the　fact；　it　is　nevertheless　true　that　to　ordinary　mortals　〃revenge　is　sweet。〃　　Had　she　given　herself　time　to　think　out　matters　calmly；　she　would　have　seen　that　boh　Christianity　and　the　rules　of　art　were　opposed　to　her　idea。　　It　is　true　that　Michael　Angelo　and　other　painters　used　to　revenge　themselves　on　the　cardinals　or　enemies　they　most　hated　by　painting　them　in　the　guise　of　devils；　but　both　they　and　their　art　suffered　by　such　a　concession　to　an　animal　passion。　　And　Erica　　fell　grievously　that　evening。　　This　is　one　of　the　evils　of　social　ostracism。　　It　is　unjust；　unnatural；　and　selfish。　　To　preserve　what　it　considers　the　dignity　of　society；　it　drives　human　beings　into　an　unnatural　position；　it　fosters　the　very　evils　which　it　denounces。　　And　society　is　grossly　unfair。　　A　word；　a　breath；　a　false　libel　in　a　newspaper　is　quite　sufficient。　　It　will　never　trouble　itself　to　inquire　minutely　into　the　truth；　but　will　pronounce　its　hasty　judgment；　and　then　ostracize。

Erica　began　to　listen　attentively　to　the　conversation；　and　it　must　be　owned　that　it　was　not　very　edifying。　　Then　she　studied　the　faces　and　manners　of　her　companions；　and；　being　almost　in　the　middle　of　the　table；　she　had　a　pretty　good　view。　　Every　creature　she　studied　maliciously；　keenly；　sarcastically；　until　she　came　to　the　end　of　the　table；　and　there　a　most　beautiful　face　brought　her　back　to　herself　for　a　minute　with　a　sort　of　shock。　　Where　had　she　seen　it　before？　　A　strong；　manly　face　of　the　Roman　type；　clean…shaven；　save　for　a　very　slight　mustache；　which　did　not　conceal　the　firm　yet　sensitive　mouth；　dark　eyes；　which　even　as　she　wondered　met　hers　fully　for　an　instant；　and　gave　her　a　strange　feeling　of　protection。　　She　knew　that　at　least　one　person　in　the　room　did　not　shudder　at　the　idea　of　sitting　at　table　with　Luke　Raeburn's　daughter。

Better　thoughts　returned　to　her；　she　grew　a　little　ashamed　of　her　malice；　and　began　to　wonder　who　that　ideal　man　could　be。　　Apparently　he　was　one　of　the　distinguished　guests；　for　he　had　taken　down　Lady　Caroline　herself。　　Erica　was　just　too　far　off　to　hear　what　he　said；　and　in　another　moment　she　was　suddenly　recalled　to　Mr。　Cuthbert。　　He　was　talking　to　the　old　gentleman　on　her　left　hand；　who　had　been　silently　surveying　her　at　intervals　as　though　he　fancied　she　could　not　be　quite　human。

〃Have　you　been　following　this　Kellner　trial？〃　asked　Mr。　Cuthbert。　　〃Disgraceful　affair；　isn't　it？〃

Then　followed　references　to　Eric　Haeberlein；　and　veiled　hints　about　his　London　friends　and　associates　more　dangerous　to　the　country　than　say　foreigners；　〃traitors；　heady；　high…minded；〃　etc。；　etc。　　Such　evil…doers　always　managed　to　keep　within　the　letter　of　the　law；　but；　for　his　part；　he　thought　they　deserved　to　be　shut　up；　more　than　most　of　those　who　get　penal　servitude　for　life。

Erica's　wrath　blazed　up　again。　　Of　course　the　veiled　hints　were　intended　to　refer　to　her　father；　and　the　cruelty　and　insolence　of　the　speaker　who　knew　that　she　understood　his　allusions　scattered　all　her　better　thoughts。　　It　required　a　strong　effort　of　will　to　keep　her　anger　and　distress　from　becoming　plainly　visible。　　Her　unwillingness　to　give　Mr。　Cuthbert　such　a　gratification　could　not　have　strengthened　her　sufficiently；　but　love　and　loyalty　to　her　father　and　Eric　Haeberlein　had　carried　her　through　worse　ordeals　than　this。

She　showed　no　trace　of　embarrassment；　but　moved　a　very　little　further　back　in　her　chair；　implying　by　a　sort　of　quiet　dignity　of　manner；　that　she　thought　Mr。　Cuthbert　exceedingly　ill…mannered　to　talk　across　her。

Feeling　that　his　malicious　endeavor　had　entirely　failed；　and　stung　by　her　dignified　disapproval；　Mr。　Cuthbert　struck　out　vindictively。　　Breaking　the　silence　he　had　maintained　toward　her；　he　suddenly　flashed　round　upon　her　with　a　question。　

〃I　suppose　you　are　intimately　acquainted　with　Eric　Haeberlein？〃

He　tried　to　make　his　tone　casual　and　seemingly　courteous；　but　failed。

〃What　makes　you　suppose　that？〃　asked　Erica；　in　a　cool；　quiet　voice。

Her　perfect　self…control；　and　her　exceedingly　embarrassing　counter…question；　quite　took　him　aback。　　At　that　very　minute；　too；　there　was　the　pause；　and　the　slight　movement；　and　the　glance　from　Lady　Caroline　which　reminded　him　that　he　was　the　only　clergyman　present；　and　had　to　return　thanks。　　He　bent　forward；　and　went　through　the　usual　form　of　〃For　what　we　have　received；〃　though　all　the　time　he　was　thinking　of　the　〃counter…check　quarrelsome〃　he　had　received　from　his　next…door　neighbor。　　When　he　raised　his　head　again　he　found　her　awaiting　his　answer；　her　clear；　steady　eyes　quietly　fixed　on　his　face　with　a　look　which　was　at　once　sad；　indignant；　and　questioning。

His　question　had　been　an　insulting　one。　　He　had　meant　it　to　prick　and　sting；　but　it　is　one　thing　to　be　indirectly　rude；　and　another　to　give　the　〃lie　direct。〃　　Her　quiet　return　question；　her　dignity；　made　it　impossible　for　him　to　insult　her　openly。　　He　was　at　her　mercy。　　He　colored　a　little；　stammered　something　incoherent　about　〃thinking　it　possible。〃

〃You　are　perfectly　right；〃　replied　Erica；　still　speaking　in　her　quietly　dignified　voice。　　〃I　have　known　Herr　Haeberlein　since　I　was　a　baby；　so　you　will　understand　that　it　is　quite　impossible　for　me　to　speak　with　you　about　him　after　hearing　the　opinions　you　expressed　just　now。〃

For　once　in　his　life　Mr。　Cuthbert　felt　ashamed　of　himself。　　He　did　not　feel　comfortable　all　through　dessert；　and　gave　a　sigh　of　relief　when　the　ladies　left　the　room。

As　for　Erica's　other　neighbor；　he　could　not　help　reflecting　that　Luke　Raeburn's　daughter　had　had　the　best　of　it　in　the　encounter。　　And　he　wondered　a　little　that　a　man；　whom　he　had　known　to　do　many　a　kindly　action；　should　so　completely　have　forgotten　the　rules　of　ordinary　courtesy。


CHAPTER　XXVI。　A　Friend

Then；　my　friend；　we　must　not　regard　what　the　many　say　of　us；　but　what　he；　the　one　man　who　has　understanding　of　just　and　unjust；　will　say；　and　what　the　truth　will　say。　　And　therefore　you　begin　in　error　when　you　suggest　that　we　should　regard　the　opinion　of　the　many　about　just　and　unjust；　good　and　evil；　honorable　and　dishonorable。　Plato。

In　the　drawing　room　Erica　found　the　ostracism　even　more　complete　and　more　embarrassing。　　Lady　Caroline　who　was　evidently　much　annoyed；　took　not　the　slightest　notice　of　her；　but　was　careful　to　monopolize　the　one　friendly　looking　person　in　the　room；　a　young　married　lady　in　pale…blue　silk。　　The　other　ladies　separated　into　groups　of　two　and　threes；　and　ignored　her　existence。　　Lady　Caroline's　little　girl；　a　child　of　twelve；　was　well　bred　enough　to　come　toward　her　with　some　shy　remark；　but　her　mother　called　her　to　the　other　side　of　the　room　quite　sharply；　and　made　some　excuse　to　keep　her　there；　as　if　contact　with　Luke　Raeburn's　daughter　would　have　polluted　her。

A　weary　half　hour　passed。　　Then　the　door　opened；　and　the　gentlemen　filed　in。　　Erica；　half　angry；　half　tired；　and　wholly　miserable；　was　revolving　in　her　brain　some　stinging　sentences　for　her　artic