we two-第77章

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；　naturally　enough；　his　son　was　a　〃lion。〃　　Greyshot　made　much　of　him　during　his　stay　at　Blachingbury；　and　he　found　it　very　convenient　just　then　to　be　made　much　of。

Hardly　a　day　of　that　week　passed　in　which　he　did　not　in　some　way　meet　Erica。　　He　met　her　in　the　park　with　her　aunt；　he　sat　next　to　her　at　an　evening　concert；　he　went　to　the　theater　and　watched　her　all　through　〃Hamlet；〃　and　came　to　the　Fane…Smith's　box　between　the　acts。　　Yet；　desperately　as　he　was　in　love；　he　could　not　delude　himself　with　the　belief　that　she　cared　for　him。　　She　was　always　bright；　talkative；　frank；　even　friendly；　but　that　was　all。　　Yet　her　unlikeness　to　the　monotonously　same　girls；　whom　he　was　in　the　habit　of　meeting；　fascinated　him　more　and　more　each　day。　　She　was　to　go　back　to　town　on　the　Monday；　on　Friday　it　so　happened　that　she　met　Leslie　Cunningham　at　a　great　flower　show；　and　with　perfect　unconsciousness　piqued　him　almost　beyond　endurance。　　Now　at　last　he　hoped　to　make　her　understand　his　admiration。　　They　discussed　〃Hamlet；〃　and　he　had　just　brought　the　conversation　adroitly　round　to　the　love　scene　in　the　third　act；　when　Erica　suddenly　dashed　his　hopes　to　the　ground。

〃Oh；　how　lovely！〃　she　exclaimed；　pausing　before　a　beautiful　exotic。　　〃Surely　that　must　be　an　orchid？〃

And　the　reluctant　Leslie　found　the　conversation　drifting　round　to　botany；　about　which　he　knew　little　and　cared　less。　　Once　more　his　hopes　were　raised　only　to　be　frustrated。　　He　was　sitting　besides　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　and　Erica；　and　had　managed　to　stem　the　tide　of　the　botany。　　The　band　was　playing。　　Erica；　half　listening　to　the　music　and　half　attending　to　his　talk；　looked　dreamily　peaceful；　surely　now　was　the　time！　　But　all　at　once　the　clear　eyes　looked　up　with　their　perfectly　wide…awake　interest；　and　she　exclaimed：

〃I　do　wish　the　Farrants　would　come！　　They　certainly　meant　to　be　here。　　I　can't　make　it　out。〃

Leslie　patiently　talked　about　the　member　for　Greyshot；　but；　just　when　he　hoped　he　was　quit　of　the　subject；　Erica　gave　an　exclamation　of　such　unfeigned　delight　that　a　consuming　envy　took　possession　of　him。

〃Oh；　there　he　is！　　And　Ralph　and　Dolly；　too！〃

And　in　a　moment　the　Oakdene　party　had　joined　them；　and　Leslie　saw　that　his　chances　for　that　day　were　over。　　Before　long　he　had　made　his　escape；　leaving　the　grounds　not　moodily；　but　with　the　light　of　a　new　and　eager　determination　in　his　eye。

Erica；　returning　from　the　flower　show　late　in　the　afternoon；　found　a　note　awaiting　her；　and　opened　it　unconcernedly　enough　on　her　way　up　to　her　room。　　But　the　first　glance　at　it　brought　a　glow　of　color　to　her　face　and　a　nameless　fear　to　her　heart。　　She　ran　on　quickly；　locked　her　door；　and　by　the　ruddy　firelight　read　in　a　sort　of　dumb　dismay　her　first　offer　of　marriage。　　This　then　was　the　meaning　of　it　all。　　This　was　the　cause　of　his　hurried　return　to　England；　this　had　brought　her　the　long　talks　which　had　been　so　pleasant；　yes；　strangely；　unaccountably　pleasant。　　Yet；　for　all　that；　she　knew　well　enough　that　she　had　nothing　to　give　in　return　for　the　love　revealed　in　every　word　of　the　letter。　　She　liked　him；　liked　to　talk　to　him；　thought　him　clever　and　interesting；　but　that　was　all。　　His　wife！　　Oh；　no！　　Impossible！　　That　could　never　be！　　And　then；　as　usual；　even　in　the　midst　of　her　strange　sense　of　discomfort　and　perplexity；　there　came　a　flash　of　humor　which　made　her　laugh　noiselessly　in　the　dim　light。　　〃Tom　would　call　me　Mrs。　Sly　Bacon！〃

But　a　second　reading　of　the　letter　made　her　look　grave。　　She　was　very　much　puzzled　to　know　how　to　answer　it；　how；　in　refusing；　to　give　him　least　pain。　　There　was　nothing　else　to　hesitate　about；　of　her　own　mind　she　was　quite　sure。　　There　was　only　an　hour　till　post　time。　　She　must　write　at　once；　and　she　must　write　in　a　way　which　could　not　be　mistaken。　　There　was　not　a　grain　of　coquetry　about　Erica。　　After　some　thought　she　wrote　the　following　lines：

〃Dear　Mr。　Cunningham；　Your　letter　surprised　me　very　much　and　pained　me；　too；　because　in　replying　I　fear　I　must　give　you　pain。　　I　thank　you　for　the　honor　you　have　done　me；　but　I　can　never　be　your　wife。　　Even　if　I　could　return　your　love；　which　I　can　not；　it　could　never　be　right。　　People　are　so　prejudiced　that　the　connection　of　our　names　might　greatly　injure　your　public　work；　and；　besides；　you　could　not　live　in　the　circle　in　which　I　live；　and　nothing　could　ever　make　it　right　for　me　to　leave　my　own　people。　　I　can　not　write　as　I　should　like　to　I　can　not　say　what　I　would；　or　thank　you　as　I　would　but　please　understand　me；　and　believe　me　yours　very　sincerely；　Erica　Raeburn。〃

Strange　enough　the　writing　of　that　letter；　the　realization　of　the　impossibility　of　accepting　Leslie　Cunningham's　offer；　opened　out　to　Erica　a　new　region；　started　her　upon　a　new　stage　of　her　life　progress。　　In　spite　of　her　trouble　at　the　thought　of　the　pain　she　must　give；　there　was　an　indefinable　sense　that　life　and　love　meant　much　more　than　she　had　hitherto　dreamed　of；　and；　though　for　the　next　few　days　she　was　a　little　grave　and　silent；　there　rang　in　her　ears　the　refrain：

〃Oh；　life；　oh；　beyond；　Thou　art　strange；　thou　art　sweet。〃

She　was　not　sorry　that　her　visit　was　drawing　to　a　close；　although　the　last　week　had　gone　much　more　smoothly。　　Her　vigorous　nature　began　to　long　to　return　to　the　working　day　world；　and　though　she　could　very　honestly　thank　Mr。　Fane…Smith　for　his　kindness；　she　turned　her　back　on　his　house　with　unmixed　satisfaction。

〃And　you　cannot　change　your　ind　as　to　my　suggestion？〃　he　asked　sending　off　one　parting　arrow。

〃I　can　not；〃　said　Erica；　firmly；　〃he　is　my　father。〃

〃You　must　of　course　make　your　own　choice；〃　he　said　with　a　sigh。　　〃But　you　are　sadly　wrong；　sadly　wrong！　　In　my　opinion　your　father　is〃

〃Forgive　me　for　interrupting　you；〃　said　Erica；　〃but　by　your　own　showing　you　have　no　right　to　have　any　opinion　whatever　about　my　father。　　Until　you　have　either　learned　to　know　him　personally；　heard　him　speak；　or　fairly　and　carefully　studied　his　writings；　you　have　no　grounds　to　form　an　opinion　upon。〃

〃But　the　current　opinion　is〃

〃The　current　opinion　is　no　more　an　opnion　than　yours！　　It　is　the　view　of　most　bitter　opponents。　　And；　candidly；　WOULD　you　accept　the　current　opinion　held　of　any　prominent　statesman　by　his　adversaries？　　Why；　the　best　men　living　are　represented　as　fiends　in　human　shape　by　their　enemies！　　And　if　this　is　so　in　political　matters；　how　much　more　in　such　a　case　as　my　father's！〃

Mr。　Fane…Smith；　who　was　a　well…meaning　though　narrow　man；　sighed　again；　it　was　always　very　painful　to　him　to　listen　to　views　which　did　not　coincide　with　his　own。

〃Well；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃there　is；　after　all；　the　hope　that　you　may　convert　him。〃

〃I　hope　you　do　not　want　me　to　turn　into　one　of　those　hateful　little　prigs；　who　go　about　lamenting　over　their　unregenerate　parents；〃　said　Erica；　naughtily。　　Then；　softening　down；　she　added；　〃I　think　I　know　what　you　mean　perhaps　I　was　wrong　to　speak　like　that；　only　somehow；　knowing　what　my　father　is；　it　does　grate　so　to　put　it　in　that　way。　But　don't　think　I　would　not　give　my　life　for　him　to　come　to　the　light　here　and　now　for　I　would！　I　would！〃

She　clasped　her　hands　tightly　together；　and　turned　quickly　away。

Mr。　Fane…Smith　was　touched。

〃Well；　my　dear；〃　he　said。　　〃You　may　be　right；　after　all；　and　I　may　be　wrong。　　All　my　anxiety　is　only　for　your　ultimate　good。〃

The　train　was　on　the　point　of　starting；　he　gave　her　a　warm　hand　shake；　and　in　spite　of　all　that　jarred　in　their　respective　natures；　Erica　ended　by　liking　him　the　best　of　her　new　relations。


CHAPTER　XXX。　Slander　Leaves　a　Slur

For　slander　lives　upon　succession；　Forever　housed；　where　it　once　gets　possession。　　Comedy　of　Errors。

Not　out　of　malice；　but　mere　zeal；　Because　he　was　an　infidel。　　Hudibras

〃Blessed　old　London；　how　delightful　it　is　to　come　back　to　it！〃　exclaimed　Erica；　as　she　and　Tom　drove　home　from　Paddington　on　the　afternoon　of　her　return　from　Greyshot。　　〃Tell　the　man　not　to　go　through　the　back　streets；　there's　a　good　boy！　　Ah；　he's　doing　it　of　his　own　accord！　　Why；　the　park　trees　are　much　browner　than　the　Mountshire　ones！〃

〃We　have　been　prophesying　all　manner　of　evil　about　your　coming　back；〃　said　Tom　looking　her　over　critically　from　head　to　foot。　　〃I　believe　mother　thought　you　would　neve