we two-第93章

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Raeburn　laughed　and　threw　down　the　〃Daily　Review。〃

〃Saucier　than　ever；　isn't　she；　Tom？　　Well；　we've　come　back　to　a　few　disagreeables；　but　then　we've　come　back；　thank　man！　To　roast　beef　and　Turkey　towels；　and　after　kickshaws　and　table　napkins；　one　knows　how　to　appreciate　such　things。〃

〃We　could　have　done　with　your　kickshaws　here；〃　said　Tom。　　〃If　you　hadn't　come　back　soon；　Erica；　I　should　have　gone　to　the　bad　altogether；　for　home　life；　with　the　cook　to　cater　for　one；　is　intolerable。　　That　creature　has　only　two　ideas　in　her　head。　　We　rang　the　changes　on　rice　and　stewed　rhubarb。　　The　rhubarb　in　its　oldest　stage　came　up　four　days　running。　　We　called　it　the　widow；'s　curse！　　Then　the　servants　would　make　a　point　of　eating　onions　for　supper　so　that　the　house　was　insufferable。　　And　at　last　we　were　driven　from　pillar　to　post　by　a　dreadful　process　called　house　cleaning　in　which；　undoubtedly；　life　is　not　worth　living。　　In　the　end；　Mr。　Osmond　took　pity　on　me　and　lent　me　Brian's　study。　　Imagine　heretical　writings　emanating　from　that　room！〃

This　led　the　conversation　round　to　Brian's　visit　to　Florence；　and　Erica　was　not　sorry　to　be　interrupted　by　a　note　from　Mr。　Bircham；　requesting　her　to　write　an　article　on　the　Kilbeggan　murder。　　She　found　that　the　wheels　of　the　household　machinery　would　need　a　good　deal　of　attention　before　they　would　move　as　smoothly　as　she　generally　contrived　to　make　them。　　Things　had　somehow　〃got　to　wrongs〃　in　her　absence。　　And　when　at　length　she　thought　everything　was　in　train　and　had　got　thoroughly　into　the　spirit　of　a　descriptive　article　on　the　Irish　tragedy；　the　cook　of　two　ideas　interrupted　her　with　what　seemed；　in　contract；　the　most　trivial　matters。

〃If　you　please；　miss；〃　she　said；　coming　into　the　green　room；　just　as　the　three　villains　in　black　masks　were　in　the　act　of　killing　their　victim；　〃I　thought　you'd　wish　to　know　that　we　are　wanting　a　new　set　of　kitchen　cloths；　and　if　you'll　excuse　me　mentioning　it；　miss；　there's　Jane；　miss；　using　glass　cloths　as　tea　cloths；　and　dusters　as　knife　cloths。〃

Erica　looked　slightly　distracted；　but　diverted　her　mind　from　the　state　of　Ireland　to　the　state　of　the　household　linen；　and；　when　left　alone　once　more；　laughed　to　herself　at　the　incongruity　of　the　two　subjects。

It　was　nearly　a　fortnight　before　Brian　returned　from　Switzerland。　　Erica　knew　that　he　was　in　the　well…known　house　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　square；　and　through　the　trees　in　the　garden；　they　could　see　each　the　other's　place　of　residence。　　It　was　a　sort　of　nineteenth…century　version　of　the　Rhine　legend；　in　which　the　knight　of　Rolandseek　looked　down　upon　Nomenwerth　where　his　lady　love　was　immured　in　a　convent。

She　had　rather　dreaded　the　first　meeting；　but；　when　it　came；　she　felt　nothing　of　what　she　had　feared。　　She　was　in　the　habit　of　going　on　Sunday　morning　to　the　eight　o'clock　service　at　the　church　in　the　square。　　It　was　nearer　than　Charles　Osmond's　church；　and　the　hour　interfered　less　with　household　arrangements。　　Just　at　the　corner　of　the　square　on　the　morning　of　Trinity　Sunday；　she　met　Brian。　　Her　heart　beat　quickly　as　she　shook　hands　with　him；　but　there　was　something　in　his　bearing　which　set　her　entirely　at　her　ease　after　just　the　first　minute。　　He　looked　much　older；　and　a　certain　restlessness　in　look　and　manner　had　quite　left　him；　giving　place　to　a　peculiar　calm　not　unlike　his　father's　expression。　　It　was　the　expression　which　a　man　wears　when　he　has　lost　the　desire　of　his　heart；　yet　manfully　struggles　on；　allowing　no　bitterness　to　steal　in；　facing　unflinchingly　the　grayness　of　a　crippled　life。　　Somehow；　joining　in　that　thanksgiving　service　seemed　to　give　them　the　true　key…note　for　their　divided　lives。　　As　they　came　out　into　the　porch；　he　asked　her　a　question。

〃You　are　an　authority　on　quotations；　I　know；　my　father　wants　to　verify　one　for　his　sermon　this　morning。　　Can　you　help　him？　　It　is　this：

'Revealed　in　love　and　sacrifice；　The　Holiest　passed　before　thine　eyes；　One　and　the　same；　in　threefold　guise。'〃

〃It　is　Whittier；　I　know；〃　said　Erica；　promptly；　〃and　I　think　it　is　in　a　poem　called　'Trinitas。'　　Come　home　with　me；　and　we　will　hunt　for　it。〃

So　they　walked　back　together　silently；　and　found　the　poem；　and　at　Raeburn's　request　Brian　stayed　to　breakfast；　and　fell　back　naturally　into　his　old　place　with　them　all。

The　following　day　Raeburn　had　to　attend　a　meeting　in　the　north　of　England；　he　returned　on　the　Tuesday　afternoon；　looking；　Erica　fancied；　tired　and　overdone。

〃Railway　journeys　are　not　quite　the　rest　they　once　were　to　me；〃　he　confessed；　throwing　himself　down　in　a　chair　by　the　open　window　while　she　brought　him　some　tea。　　〃This　is　very　beguiling；　little　one；　but　see；　I've　all　these　letters　to　answer　before　five。〃

〃Your　train　must　have　been　very　late。〃

〃Yes；　there　was　a　block　on　the　line；　and　we　stopped　for　half　an　hour　in　the　middle　of　a　bean　field　bliss　that　a　Londoner　can't　often　enjoy。〃

〃Did　you　get　out？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　and　sat　upon　the　fence　and　meditated　to　the　great　delectation　of　my　olfactory　nerves。〃

Erica's　laugh　was　checked　by　a　knock　at　the　door。　　The　servant　announced　that　a　gentleman　wanted　to　see　Miss　Raeburn。

〃Some　message　from　Mr。　Bircham；　I　expect；〃　said　Erica　to　her　father。　　〃Ask　him　upstairs；　please。　　I　only　hope　he　doesn't　want　me　to　write　another　article　at　the　eleventh　hour。　　If　it's　the　little　Irish　sub…editor；　you　must　be　very　polite　to　him；　father；　for　he　has　been　kind　to　me。〃

But　it　was　no　message　from　the　〃Daily　Review〃　office；　a　perfect　stranger　was　shown　into　the　room。

He　bowed　slightly　as　he　entered。

〃Are　you　Miss　Erica　Raeburn？〃　he　asked；　coming　toward　her。

〃I　am；〃　she　replied。　　〃What　is　your　business　with　me？〃

〃I　have　to　place　this　document　in　your　hands。〃

He　gave　her　a　paper　which　she　rapidly　unfolded。　　To　her　dying　day　she　could　always　see　that　hateful　bit　of　foolscap　with　its　alternate　printing　and　writing。　　The　words　were　to　this　effect：

Writ　Subpoena　Ad　Test；　at　Sittings　of　High　Court。　IN　THE　HIGH　COURT　OF　JUSTICE；　QUEEN'S　BENCH　DIVISION。　Between　Luke　Raeburn；　Plaintiff；　and　William　Henry　Pogson；　　Defendant　VICTORIA；　by　the　Grace　of　God；　of　the　United　kingdom　of　Great　Britain　and　Ireland；　Queen；　Defender　of　the　Faith；　To　Erica　Raeburn；　greeting。　We　command　you　to　attend　at　the　sittings　of　the　Queen's　Bench　division　of　our　High　Court　of　Justice　to　be　holden　at　Westminster　on　Tuesday；　the　Twentieth　day　of　June；　18__；　at　the　hour　of　half　past　Ten　in　the　forenoon；　and　so　from　day　to　day　during　the　said　sittings；　until　the　above　cause　is　tried；　to　give　evidence　on　behalf　of　the　Defendant。　Witness；　etc。；　etc。

Erica　read　the　paper　twice　before　she　looked　up；　she　had　grown　white　to　the　very　lips。　　Raeburn；　recognizing　the　form　of　a　subpoena；　came　hastily　forward；　and　in　the　merest　glance　saw　how　matters　were。　　By　no　possibility　could　the　most　malicious　of　opponents　have　selected　a　surer　means　of　torturing　him。

〃Is　this　legal？〃　asked　Erica；　lifting　to　him　eyes　that　flashed　with　righteous　indignation。

〃Oh；　it　is　legal；〃　he　replied　bitterly　〃the　pound　of　flesh　was　legal。　　A　wife　need　not　appear　against　her　husband；　but　a　daughter　may　be　dragged　into　court　and　forced　to　give　evidence　against　her　father。〃

As　he　spoke；　such　anger　flashed　from　his　eyes　that　the　clerk　shivered　all　down　his　backbone。　　He　thought　he　would　take　his　departure　as　quickly　as　might　be；　and　drawing　a　little　nearer；　put　down　a　coin　upon　the　table　beside　Erica。

〃This　fee　is　to　cover　your　expenses；　madame；〃　he　said。

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Erica；　her　anger　leaping　up　into　a　sudden　flame；　〃do　you　think　I　shall　take　money　from　that　man？〃

She　had　an　insane　desire　to　snatch　up　the　sovereign　and　fling　it　at　the　clerk's　head；　but　restraining　herself　merely　flicked　it　back　across　the　table　to　him；　just　touching　it　with　the　back　of　her　hand　as　though　it　had　been　polluted。

〃You　can　take　that　back　again；〃　she　said；　a　look　of　scorn　sweeping　over　her　face。　　〃Tell　Mr。　Pogson　that；　when　he　martyrs　people　he　need　not　say：　'The　martyrdom　will　make　you　hungry　here　is　luncheon　money；'　or　'The　torture　will　tire　you　here　is　your　cab　fare！'〃

〃But；　madame；　excuse　me；〃　said　the　clerk；　looking　much　embarrassed。　　〃I　must　leave　the　money；　I　am　bound　to　leave　it。〃