we two-第66章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　article　when　the　beautiful　face　again　checked　her。　　Her　〃Roman；〃　as　she　called　him；　had　come　in；　and　was　looking　round　the　room；　apparently　searching　for　some　one。　　At　last　their　eyes　met；　and；　with　a　look　which　said　as　plainly　as　words：　〃Oh；　there　you　are！　　It　was　you　I　wanted；〃　he　came　straight　towards　her。

〃You　must　forgive　me；　Miss　Raeburn；　for　dispensing　with　an　introduction；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　hardly　think　we　shall　need　any　except　the　name　of　our　mutual　fried；　Charles　Osmond。〃

Erica's　heart　gave　a　bound。　　The　familiar　name；　the　consciousness　that　her　wretched　loneliness　was　at　an　end；　and　above　all；　the　instantaneous　perception　of　the　speaker's　nobility　and　breadth　of　mind；　scattered　for　the　time　all　her　resentful　thoughts　made　her　again　her　best　self。

〃Then　you　must　be　Donovan！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　the　quaint　and　winsome　frankness　which　was　one　of　her　greatest　charms。　　〃I　knew　I　was　sure　you　were　not　like　other　people。〃

He　took　her　hand　in　his；　and　no　longer　wondered　at　Brian's　seven　years'　hopeless　waiting。　　But　Erica　began　to　realize　that　her　exclamation　had　been　appallingly　unconventional；　and　the　beautiful　color　deepened　in　her　cheeks。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　she　said；　remembering　with　horror　that　he　was　not　only　a　stranger　but　an　M。P。；　〃I　I　don't　know　what　made　me　say　that；　but　they　have　always　spoken　of　you　by　your　Christian　name；　and　you　have　so　long　been　'Donovan'　in　my　mind　that　somehow　it　slipped　out　you　didn't　feel　like　a　stranger。〃

〃I　am　glad　of　that；〃　he　said；　his　dark　and　strangely　powerful　eyes　looking　right　into　hers。　　Something　in　that　look　made　her　feel　positively　akin　to　him。　　Like　a　stranger！　　Of　course　he　had　not　felt　like　one。　　Never　could　be　like　anything　but　a　friend。　　〃You　see；〃　he　continued；　〃we　have　known　of　each　other　for　years；　and　we　know　that　we　have　one　great　bond　of　union　which　others　have　not。　　Don't　retract　the　'Donovan'　I　like　it。　　Let　it　be　the　outward　sign　of　the　real　and　unusual　likeness　in　the　fight　we　have　fought。〃

She　still　half　hesitated。　　He　was　a　man　of　five…and…thirty；　and　she　could　not　get　over　the　feeling　that　her　impulsive　exclamation　had　been　presumptuous。　　He　saw　her　uncertainty；　and　perhaps　liked　her　the　better　for　it；　though　the　delicious　naturalness；　the　child…like　recognition　of　a　real　though　scarcely　known　friend；　had　delighted　him。

〃We　are　a　little　more　brother　and　sister　than　the　rest　of　the　world；〃　he　said；　with　the　chivalrous　manner　which　seemed　to　belong　naturally　to　his　peculiarly　noble　face。　　〃And　if　I　were　to　confess　that　I　had　not　always　thought　of　you　as　'Miss　Raeburn'〃

He　paused；　and　Erica　laughed。　　It　was　absurd　to　stand　on　ceremony　with　this　kindred　spirit。

〃Have　you　seen　the　conservatory？〃　he　asked。　　〃Shall　we　come　in　there？　　I　want　to　hear　all　about　the　Osmonds。〃

The　relief　of　speaking　with　one　who　knew　and　loved　Charles　Osmond；　and　did　not；　for　want　of　real　knowledge；　brand　him　with　the　names　of　half　a　dozen　heresies；　was　very　great。　　It　was　not　for　some　time　that　Erica　even　glanced　at　the　lovely　surroundings；　though　she　had　inherited　Raeburn's　great　love　of　flowers。　　At　last；　however；　an　exquisite　white　flower　attracted　her　notice；　and　she　broke　off　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence。

〃Oh；　how　lovely！　　I　never　saw　anything　like　that　before。　　What　is　it？〃

〃It　is　the　EUCHARIS　AMAZONICA；〃　replied　her　companion　〃About　the　most　exquisite　flower　in　the　world；　I　should　think　the　'dove　flower；'　as　my　little　ones　call　it。　　Ir　you　look　at　it　from　a　distance　the　stamens　really　look　like　doves　bending　down　to　drink。〃

〃It　is　perfect！　　How　I　wish　my　father　could　see　it！〃

〃We　have　a　fairly　good　one　at　Oakdene；　though　not　equal　to　this。　　We　must　persuade　you　and　Mr。　Raeburn　to　come　and　stay　with　us　some　day。〃

The　tears　came　into　Erica's　eyes；　so　great　was　the　contrast　between　his　friendliness　and　the　chilling　discourtesy　she　had　met　with　from　others　that　evening。

〃You　are　very　good；〃　she　said。　　〃If　you　only　knew　how　hard　it　is　to　be　treated　as　if　one　were　a　sort　of　semi…criminal！〃

〃I　do　know；〃　he　said。　　〃It　was　this　very　society　which　goaded　me　into　a　sort　of　wild　rebellion　years　ago。　　I　deserved　its　bad　opinion　in　a　measure；　and　you　do　not；　but　it　was　unfair　enough　to　make　one　pretty　desperate。〃

〃If　they　were　actual　saints　one　might　endure　it；〃　cried　Erica。　　〃But　to　have　such　a　man　as　my　father　condemned　just　as　hearsay　by　people　who　are　living　lazy；　wasteful　lives　is　really　too　much。　　I　came　to　Greyshot　expecting　at　least　unity；　at　least；　peace　in　a　Christian　atmosphere；　and　THIS　is　what　I　get。〃

Donovan　listened　in　silence；　a　great　sadness　in　his　eyes。　　There　was　a　pause；　then　Erica　continued：　〃You　think　I　speak　hotly。　　I　cannot　help　it。　　I　think　I　do　not　much　mind　what　they　do　to　me；　but　it　is　the　injustice　of　the　thing　that　makes　one　wild；　and　worst　of　all；　the　knowing　that　this　is　what　drives　people　into　atheism　this　is　what　dishonors　the　name　of　Christ。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　he　replied；　with　a　sigh；　〃that　IS　the　worst　of　it。　　I　have　come　to　the　conclusion　that　to　be　tolerant　to　the　intolerant　is　the　most　difficult　thing　in　life。〃

〃You　must　have　plenty　of　practice　in　this　dreadful　place；〃　said　Erica。

He　smiled　a　little。

〃Why；　to　be　seen　talking　to　ME　will　make　people　say　all　sorts　of　evil　of　you；〃　she　added。　　〃I　wish　I　had　thought　of　that　before。〃

〃You　wouldn't　have　spoken　to　me？〃　asked　Donovan；　laughing。　　〃Then　I　am　very　glad　it　didn't　occur　to　you。　　But　about　that　you　may　be　quite　easy；　nothing　could　make　them　think　much　worse　of　me　than　they　do　already。　　I　began　life　as　the　black　sheep　of　the　neighborhood；　and　it　is　easier　for　the　Ethiopian　to　change　his　skin　than　for　a　man　to　live　down　the　past　in　public　opinion。　　I　shall　be；　at　any　rate；　the　dusky　gray　sheep　of　the　place　to　the　end　of　my　life。〃

There　was　no　bitterness；　no　shade　of　complaint　in　his　tone；　he　merely　stated　a　fact。　　Erica　was　amazed；　she　knew　that　he　was　about　the　only　man　who　attempted　to　grapple　with　the　evil　and　degradation　and　poverty　of　Greyshot。

〃You　see；〃　he　continued；　with　a　bright　look　which　seemed　to　raise　Erica　into　purer　atmosphere；　〃it　is　not　the　public　estimation　which　makes　a　man's　character。　　There　is　one　question；　which　I　think　we　ought　never　to　ask　ourselves；　and　that　is　'What　will　people　think　of　me？'　　It　should　be　instead：　'How　can　I　serve？'〃

〃But　if　they　take　away　your　power；　how　can　you　serve？〃

〃They　can't　take　it　away；　they　may　check　and　hinder　for　a　time；　that　is　all。　　I　believe　one　may　serve　always　and　everywhere。〃

〃You　don't　mean　that　I　can　serve　that　roomful　of　enemies　in　there？〃

〃That　is　exactly　what　I　do　mean；〃　he　answered；　smiling　a　little。

In　the　meantime；　Lady　Caroline　was　apologizing　to　Mr。　Cuthbert。

〃I　don't　know　when　I　have　been　so　vexed！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃It　is　really　too　bad　of　Mrs。　Fane…Smith。　　I　had　no　idea　that　the　Burne…Jones　angel　I　promised　you　was　the　daughter　of　that　disgraceful　man。　　What　a　horrible　satire；　is　it　not？〃

〃Pray；　don't　apologize；〃　said　Mr。　Cuthbert。　　〃It　was　really　rather　amusing　than　otherwise；　and　I　fancy　the　young　lady　will　be　in　no　great　hurry　to　force　her　way　into　society　again。〃

He　laughed　a　soft；　malicious；　chuckling　laugh。

〃I　should　hope　not；　indeed；〃　said　Lady　Caroline；　indignantly。　　〃Where　has　she　disappeared　to？〃

〃Need　you　ask？〃　said　Mr。　Cuthbert；　smiling。　　〃Our　revered　member　secured　her　at　once；　and　has　been　talking　to　her　in　the　conservatory　for　at　least　half　an　hour；　hatching　radical　plots；　I　dare　say；　and　vowing　vengeance　on　all　aristocrats。〃

〃Really　it　is　too　shocking！〃　said　Lady　Caroline。　　〃Mr。　Farrant　has　no　sense　of　what　is　fitting；　it　is　a　trait　which　I　have　always　noticed　in　Radicals。　　He　ought；　at　least　to　have　some　respect　for　his　position。〃

〃Birds　of　a　feather　flock　together；〃　suggested　Mr。　Cuthbert；　with　his　malicious　smile。

〃Well；　I　don't　often　defend　Mr。　Farrant；〃　said　Lady　Caroline。　　〃But　he　comes　of　a　good　old　family；　and；　though　a　Radical；　he　is　at　least　respectable。〃

Lady　Caroline　knew　absolutely　nothing　about　Erica；