we two-第72章

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〃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　Bircham；　the　editor。　　He　can't　say　enough　of　her。〃

Apparently　Leslie　Cunningham　could　not　look　enough　at　her。

Donovan；　thinking　of　Brian；　was　perhaps　a　little　vexed　at　the　meeting。　　However；　putting　himself　into　his　guest's　position；　he　felt　that　the　admiration　was　but　natural；　and　as　to　Brian　if　he　chose　to　lose　his　heart　to　such　a　lovely　girl；　he　must　expect　to　have　many　rivals。

Erica's　first　thought；　as　she　glanced　at　Leslie　Cunningham；　was　one　of　disappointment。　　He　was　not　the　least　like　his　father。　　However；　by　degrees　she　began　to　like　himfor　his　own　sake。　　He　could　not　have　been　more　than　five…and…twenty；　and　looked　even　younger；　for　he　was　fair…complexioned　and　clean…shaven。　　His　thick；　flaxen　hair；　and　rather　pallid　face　were　decidedly　wanting　in　color；　but　were　relieved　by　very　dark　gray　eyes。　　His　features　were　well　cut　and　regular；　and　the　face　was　altogether　a　clever　as　well　as　an　attractive　one。

Erica　felt　as　if　she　had　got　into　a　very　delicious　new　word。　　The　novelty　of　a　meal　AL　FRESCO；　the　lovely　view；　the　beautifully　laid　out　grounds　were　charming　externals；　and　then　there　were　the　deeper　enjoyments　the　lovability　of　her　host　and　hostess；　the　delightful　atmosphere　of　broad…hearted　sympathy　in　which　they　seemed　to　live　and　move；　and；　above　all；　the　restfulness；　the　freedom　of　not　living　in　momentary　expectation　of　being　rubbed　the　wrong　way　by　a　vexing　conversation　on　religious；　or　political；　or　personal　topics。　　It　was　like　a　beautiful　dream　quite　unlike　any　part　of　real；　waking　existence　that　she　had　ever　before　known。　　The　conversation　was　bright　and　lively。　　They　talked　because　they　had　something　to　say；　and　wished　to　say　it；　and　the　artificial　element　so　prevalent　in　society　talk　was　entirely　absent。

Presently　Ralph　came　out　of　the　house；　leading　a　fairy…like　little　girl　of　four　years　old。

〃Here　come　the　children；〃　said　Gladys。　　〃The　hour　before　dinner　is　their　special　time。　　You　have　not　seen　Dolly；　have　you？〃

〃Dolly！〃　The　name　awoke　some　recollection　of　the　past　in　Erica；　and；　as　she　kissed　the　little　girl；　she　looked　at　her　closely。　　Yes；　it　was　the　same　fascinating　little　baby　face；　with　its　soft；　pink　cheeks　and　little　pointed　chin；　its　innocent；　blue…gray　eyes；　its　tiny；　sweet…tempered　mouth。　　The　sunny　brown　hair　was　longer　and　Dolly　was　an　inch　or　two　taller；　but　she　was　undoubtedly　the　same。

〃Now　I　know　why　I　always　felt　that　I　knew　your　face！〃　exclaimed　Erica；　turning　to　Donovan。　　〃Was　not　Dolly　lost　at　Codrington　last　year？〃

〃On　the　beach；〃　replied　Donovan。　　〃Yes！　　Why；　could　it　have　been　you　who　brought　her　back？　　Of　course　it　was！　　Now　it　all　comes　back　to　me。　　I　had　exactly　the　same　feeling　about　knowing　your　face　the　other　evening　at　Lady　Caroline's；　but　put　it　down　to　your　likeness　to　Mr。　Raeburn。　　There　is　another　bond　between　us。〃

They　both　laughed。　　Donovan　took　Dolly　upon　his　knee。　　

〃Do　you　remember；　Dolly；　when　you　were　lost　on　the　beach　once？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Dolly；　promptly；　〃I　clied。〃

〃Who　found　you？〃

〃Farver；〃　said　Dolly。

〃Who　brought　you　to　father？〃

Dolly　searched　her　memory。

〃An　old　gentleman　gave　Dolly　sweets！〃

〃My　father；〃　said　Erica；　smiling。

〃And　who　helped　you　up　the　beach？〃　asked　Gladys。

〃A　plitty　lady　did；〃　said　Dolly。

〃Was　it　this　lady；　do　you　think？〃　said　Donovan；　indicating　Erica。

Dolly　trotted　round　with　her　dear　little　laughing　face　to　make　the　scrutiny。

〃I　fink　vis　one　is　plittier；〃　she　announced。　　Whereupon　every　one　began　to　laugh。

〃The　most　charming　compliment　I　ever　heard！〃　said　Leslie　Cunningham。　　〃Dolly　ought　to　be　patted　on　the　back。〃

Erica　smiled　and　colored；　but　as　she　looked　again　at　Donovan　and　little　Dolly；　her　thoughts　wandered　away　to　that　June　day　in　the　museum　when　they　had　been　the　parable　which　shadowed　forth　to　her　such　a　wonderful　reality。　　Truly；　there　were　links　innumerable　between　her　and　Donovan。

Leslie　Cunningham　seemed　as　if　he　intended　to　stay　forever；　however；　every　one　was　quite　content　to　sit　out　on　the　lawn　talking　and　watching　the　children　at　their　play。　　It　was　one　of　those　still；　soft　September　evenings　when　one　is　glad　of　any　excuse　to　keep　out　of　doors。

At　last　the　dressing　bell　rang；　and　Leslie　took　out　his　watch　with　an　air　of　surprise。

〃The　afternoon　has　flown！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I　had　no　idea　it　was　so　late。　　I　wanted　to　ask　you；　by　the　bye；　whether　I　could　see　the　coffee　tavern　at　Greyshot。　　We　are　going　to　start　one　down　at　our　place；　and　I　want　to　see　one　or　two　well…managed　ones　first。　　Whereabouts　is　it？　　I　think　I'll　ride　on　now；　and　have　a　look　at　it。〃

〃Dine　with　us　first；〃　said　Donovan；　〃and　I'll　ride　over　with　you　between　eight　and　nine；　that　is　the　best　time　for　seeing　it　in　full　swing。〃

So　Leslie　Cunningham　stayed　to　dinner；　and　talked　a　great　deal　about　temperance　work；　but　did　not　succeed　in　blinding　his　host；　who　knew　well　enough　that　Erica　had　been　the　real　cause　of　his　desire　to　go　over　to　Greyshot。

Temperance；　however；　proved　a　fortunate　subject；　for　it　was；　of　course；　one　in　which　she　was　deeply　interested；　all　the　more　so　now　that　it　formed　one　of　the　strongest　bonds　remaining　between　herself　and　her　father's　followers。　　A　large　number　of　the　Raeburnites　were　either　teetotalers　or　very　strong　temperance　advocates；　and　Erica；　who　was　constantly　out　and　about　in　the　poorer　parts　of　London；　had　realized　forcibly　the　terrible　national　evil；　and　was　an　enthusiastic　temperance　worker。

Donovan；　perhaps　out　of　malice　prepense；　administered　a　good　many　dry　details　about　the　management　of　coffee　taverns；　personal　supervision；　Etzenberger's　machines；　the　necessity　of　a　good　site　and　attractive　building；　etc。；　etc。　　Erica　only　wished　that　Tom　could　have　been　there；　he　would　have　been　so　thoroughly　in　his　element。　　By　and　by　the　conversation　drifted　away　to　other　matters。　　And　as　Leslie　Cunningham　was　a　good　and　very　amusing　talker；　and　Gladys　the　perfection　of　a　hostess；　the　dinner　proved　very　lively；　an　extraordinary　contrast　to　the　dreary；　vapid　table　talk　to　which　Erica　had　lately　been　accustomed。　　After　the　ladies　had　left　the　room；　Donovan；　rather　to　his　amusement；　found　the　talk　veering　round　to　Luke　Raeburn。　　Presently；　Leslie　Cunningham　hazarded　a　direct　question　about　Erica　in　a　would…be　indifferent　tone。　　In　reply；　Donovan　told　him　briefly　and　without　comment　what　he　knew　of　her　history；　keeping　on　the　surface　of　things　and　speaking　always　with　a　sort　of　careful　restraint。　　He　was　never　very　fond　of　discussing　people；　and　perhaps　in　this　case　the　realization　of　the　thousand　objections　to　any　serious　outcome　of　Leslie's　sudden　admiration　strengthened　his　reserve。　　However；　fate　was　apparently　kinder　though　perhaps　really　more　cruel　than　the　host；　for　Donovan　was　summoned　into　the　library　to　interview　an　aggrieved　constituent；　and　Leslie　finding　his　way　to　the　drawing　room；　was　only　too　delighted　to　meet　Gladys　going　upstairs　to　see　her　children。

The　lamps　were　lighted　in　the　drawing　room；　but　the　curtains　were　not　drawn；　and　beside　the　open　window　he　saw　a　slim；　white…robed　figure。　　Erica　was　looking　out　into　the　gathering　darkness。　　He　crossed　the　room；　and　stood　beside　her；　his　heart　beating　quickly；　all　the　more　because　she　did　not　move　or　take　any　notice　of　his　presence。　　It　was　unconventional；　but　perhaps　because　he　was　so　weary　of　the　ordinary　young　ladies　who　invariably　smiled　and　fluttered　the　moment　he　approached　them；　and　were　so　perfectly　ready　to　make　much　of　him；　this　unconventionality　attracted　him。　　He　watched　her　for　a　minute　in　silence。　　She　was　very　happy；　and　was　looking　her　loveliest。　　Presently　she　turned。

〃I　think　it　is　the　stillness　which　is　so　wonderful！〃　she　exclaimed。

It　was　spoken　with　the　frankness　of　a　child；　with　the　spontaneous　confidence　of　the　pure　child…nature；　which　instinctively　recognizes　all　the　lovable　and　trustable。　　The　clear；　golden　eyes　looked　right　into　his　for　a　moment。　　A　strange　reverence　awoke　within　him。　　He　had　seen　more　beautiful　eyes　before；　but　none　so　entirely　wanting　in　that　unreality　of