we two-第71章

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all　than　an　ordinary　favorite；　some　day　you　shall　hear　his　story。　　I　am　writing　now　to　ask；　sans　ceremonie；　if　you　will　come　and　spend　a　few　days　with　us。　　It　will　be　a　great　pleasure　to　us　if　you　will　say　yes。　　My　husband　will　be　in　Greyshot　on　Monday　afternoon；　and　will　call　for　your　answer；　please　come　if　you　can。　　Yours　very　sincerely；　Gladys　Farrant。〃

Erica　showed　this　letter　to　her　aunt；　and　of　course　there　was　nothing　to　prevent　her　going；　indeed；　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　was　really　rather　relieved；　for　she　thought　a　few　days'　absence　might　make　things　more　comfortable　for　Erica；　and；　besides；　Rose's　illness　made　the　days　dull　for　her。

It　was　about　four　o'clock　when　Donovan　Farrant　arrived。　　Erica　felt　as　though　she　were　meeting　an　old　friend　when　she　went　into　the　drawing　room；　and　found　him　standing　on　the　hearth　rug。

〃You　have　had　my　wife's　note？〃　he　asked；　taking　her　hand。

〃Yes；〃　she　replied。

〃And　you　will　come？〃

〃If　you　will　have　me。〃

〃That's　right；　we　had　set　our　hearts　on　it。　　You　are　looking　very　tired。　　I　hope　Saturday　did　not　upset　you？〃

〃No；〃　said　Erica。　　〃But　there　have　been　a　good　many　worries；　and　I　have　not　yet　learned　the　art　of　taking　life　quietly。〃

〃You　are　overdone；　you　want　a　rest；〃　said　Donovan；　whose　keen　and　practiced　observation　had　at　once　noticed　her　delicate　physique　and　peculiar　temperament。　　〃You　are　a　poet；　you　see；　and　as　a　wise　man　once　remarked：　'The　poetic　temperament　is　one　of　singular　irritability　of　nerve。'〃

Erica　laughed。

〃I　am　no　poet！〃

〃Not　a　writer　of　verses；　but　a　poet　in　the　sense　of　a　maker；　an　artist。　　As　a　reader　of　the　'Daily　Review；'　you　must　allow　me　to　judge。　　Brian　once　showed　me　one　of　your　articles；　and　I　always　recognize　them　now　by　the　style。〃

〃I　don't　deserve　the　name　of　artist　one　bit；〃　said　Erica；　coloring。　　〃I　would　give　all　I　have　to　destroy　my　article　of　today。　　You　have　not　seen　that；　or　you　would　not　have　given　me　such　a　name。

〃Yes；　I　have　seen　it；　I　read　it　this　morning　at　breakfast；　and　made　up　my　mind　that　you　wrote　it　on　Friday　evening；　after　Lady　Caroline's　dinner。　　I　can　understand　that　you　hate　the　thing　now。　　One　gets　a　sharp　lesson　every　now　and　then；　and　it　lasts　one　a　life　time。〃

Erica　signed。。　　He　resumed。

〃Well！　　Are　you　coming　to　Oakdene　with　me？〃

〃Did　you　mean　now　at　once　today？〃

〃If　you　will。〃

〃Oh；　I　should　so　like　to！〃　she　cried。　　〃But　will　Mrs。　Farrant　be　expecting　me？〃

〃She　will　be　hoping　for　you；　and　that　is　better。〃

Erica　was　noted　for　the　speed　with　which　she　could　pack　a　portmanteau；　and　it　could　not　have　been　more　than　ten　minutes　before　she　was　ready。　　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　wished　her　goodbye　with　a　sort　of　affectionate　relief；　then　Donovan　helped　her　into　the　pony　carriage；　and　drove　briskly　off　through　the　Greyshot　streets。

〃That　is　the　place　where　I　first　heard　your　father；〃　he　said；　indicating　with　his　whip　the　town　Hall。　　〃It　must　be　sixteen　years　ago；　I　was　quite　a　young　fellow。〃

〃Sixteen　years！　　Did　you　hear　him　so　long　ago　as　that？〃　said　Erica；　thoughtfully。　　〃Why；　that　must　have　been　about　the　time　of　the　great　Stockborough　trial。〃

〃It　was；　I　remember　reference　being　made　to　it；　and　how　it　stirred　me　up　to　think　of　Mr。　Raeburn's　gallant　defense　of　freedom；　and　all　that　it　was　costing　him。　　How　well　I　remember；　too；　riding　home　that　night　along　this　very　road；　with　the　thoughts　of　the　good　of　the　race；　the　love　of　humanity；　touched　into　life　for　the　first　time。　　When　a　selfish　cynic　first　catches　a　glimpse　of　an　honest　man　toiling　for　what　he　believes　the　good　of　humanity；　it　is　a　wonderful　moment　for　him！　　Mr。　Raeburn　was　about　the　only　man　living　that　I　believed　in。　　You　can　understand　that　I　owe　him　an　immense　debt　of　gratitude。〃

〃That　is　what　you　referred　to　in　the　House　last　year！〃　said　Erica。　　〃How　curiously　lives　are　linked　together！　　Words　spoken　by　my　father　years　ago　set　thoughts　working　in　you　you　make　a　speech　and　refer　to　them。　　I　read　a　report　of　your　speech　in　a　time　of　chaotic　wretchedness；　and　it　comes　like　an　answer　to　a　prayer！〃

Another　bond　between　us；〃　said　Donovan。

After　that　they　were　silent；　they　had　left　the　high　road　and　were　driving　along　winding　country　lanes；　catching　glimpses　every　now　and　then　of　golden　corn　fields　still　unreaped；　or　of　fields　just　beginning　to　be　dotted　with　sheaves；　where　the　men　were　at　work。　　It　was　a　late　harvest　that　year；　but　a　good　one。　　Presently　they　passed　the　tiny　little　village　church　which　nestled　under　the　brow　of　the　hill；　and　then　came　a　steep　ascent；　which　made　Donovan　spring　out　of　the　pony　chaise。　　Erica's　words　had　awakened　a　long　train　of　thought；　had　carried　him　back　to　the　far　past；　and　had　brought　him　fresh　proof　of　that　wonderful　unity　of　Nature　which；　though　often　little　dreamed　of；　binds　man　to　man。　　He　gave　the　ponies　a　rest　half　way　up　the　hill；　and；　stretching　up　into　the　high　hedge；　gathered　a　beautiful　spray　of　red…berried　briony　for　Erica。

〃Do　you　remember　that　grand　thought　which　Shakespeare　puts　into　the　mouth　of　Henry　V。〃

〃'There　is　some　soul　of　goodness　in　things　evil。'

'Tis　wonderful　to　look　back　in　life　and　trace　it　out。〃

He　spoke　rather　abruptly；　but　Erica's　thoughts　had　been　following　much　the　same　bent；　and　she　understood　him。

〃Trust　is　easy　on　such　a　day　as　this　and　in　such　a　place；〃　she　said；　looking　down　to　the　beautiful　valley　and　up　to　the　green；　encircling　hills。

Donovan　smiled；　and　touched　up　the　ponies。

It　seemed　to　Erica　that　they　had　turned　their　backs　on　bigotry；　and　annoyance；　and　care　of　every　description；　and　were　driving　right　into　a　land　of　rest。　　Presently　they　turned　in　at　some　iron　gates；　and　drove　down　a　long　approach；　bordered　with　fir　trees。　　At　the　end　of　this　stood　the　manor；　a　solid；　comfortable；　well…built　country　house；　its　rather　plain　exterior　veiled　with　ivy　and　creepers。　　Donovan　led　her　into　the　hall；　where　stately　old　high…backed　chairs　and　a　suit　or　two　of　old　armor　were　intermixed　with　modern　appliances；　fishing　tackle；　a　lawn…tennis　box；　and　a　sprinkling　of　toys；　which　indicated　that　there　were　children　in　the　house。

This　fact　was　speedily　indicated　in　another　way；　for　there　came　a　rush　and　a　scamper　overhead；　and　a　boy　of　five　or　six　years　old　ran　down　the　broad　oak　staircase。

〃Oh；　father！　　May　I　ride　round　to　the　stables　on　Speedwell？〃　he　cried；　in　a　desperate　hurry　to　attract　his　father's　attention　away　from　the　servant　and　the　portmanteau；　then；　catching　sight　of　Erica；　he　checked　himself；　and　held　out　his　hand　with　a　sort　of　shy　courtesy。　　He　was　exactly　what　Donovan　must　have　been　as　a　child；　as　far　as　looks　went。

〃To　the　stables；　Ralph？〃　replied　his　father；　looking　round。　　〃Yes；　if　you　like。　　Put　on　your　hat　though。　　Where's　your　mother？〃

〃In　the　garden　with　Mr。　Cunningham；　he　came　a　few　minutes　ago；　and　he's　got　such　a　horse；　father！　　A　real　beauty　just　like　cocoa。〃

〃A　roan；〃　said　Donovan；　laughing；　then；　as　Ralph　disappeared　through　the　open　door；　he　turned　to　the　servant。

〃Is　it　Mr。　Cunningham　of　Blachingbury？〃

〃No；　sir；　Mr。　Leslie　Cunningham。〃

Erica　listened；　not　without　interest；　for　she　knew　that　Leslie　Cunningham　was　the　recently　elected　member　for　East　Mountshire；　the　eldest　son　of　Sir　Michael　Cunningham。

〃We　must　come　and　find　them；〃　said　Donovan；　and　together　they　went　out　into　the　garden。

Here；　on　one　of　the　broad；　grassy　terraces；　under　the　shade　of　a　copper…beech；　was　afternoon　tea　on　a　wicker　table。　　Gladys　was　talking　to　Mr。　Cunningham；　but　catching　sight　of　her　husband　and　Erica　at　the　other　end　of　the　terrace；　she　hurried　forward　to　greet　them。

〃This　is　delightful！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　hoped　that　Donovan　might　unceremoniously　carry　you　off　today；　but　hardly　dared　to　expect　it。　　You　are　just　in　time　for　tea。〃

〃Your　arrival　has　caused　quite　a　sensation　in　the　nursery；〃　said　Donovan　to　Leslie　Cunningham。　　〃My　small　boy　is　in　raptures　over　your　horse　'just　like　cocoa！'〃

Leslie　gave　rather　an　absent　laugh。　　He　was　watching　Erica；　who　was　still　at　a　little　distance　talking　to　Gladys。

〃May　I　be　introduced　to　your　guest？〃　he　said。

〃Certainly；〃　said　Donovan。　　〃She　is　the　daughter　of　Mr。　Raeburn。〃

Leslie　started。

〃Indeed！　　I　have　heard　about　her　from　old　Bircha