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We　Two

by　Edna　Lyall





CHAPTER　I。　Brian　Falls　in　Love

Still　humanity　grows　dearer；　Being　learned　the　more。　　Jean　Ingelow。

There　are　three　things　in　this　world　which　deserve　no　quarter　Hypocrisy；　Pharisaism；　and　Tyranny。　　F。　Robertson

People　who　have　been　brought　up　in　the　country；　or　in　small　places　where　every　neighbor　is　known　by　sight；　are　apt　to　think　that　life　in　a　large　town　must　lack　many　of　the　interests　which　they　have　learned　to　find　in　their　more　limited　communities。　　In　a　somewhat　bewildered　way；　they　gaze　at　the　shifting　crowd　of　strange　faces；　and　wonder　whether　it　would　be　possible　to　feel　completely　at　home　where　all　the　surroundings　of　life　seem　ever　changing　and　unfamiliar。

But　those　who　have　lived　long　in　one　quarter　of　London；　or　of　any　other　large　town；　know　that　there　are　in　reality　almost　as　many　links　between　the　actors　of　the　town　life…drama　as　between　those　of　the　country　life…drama。

Silent　recognitions　pass　between　passengers　who　meet　day　after　day　in　the　same　morning　or　evening　train；　on　the　way　to　or　from　work；　the　faces　of　omnibus　conductors　grow　familiar；　we　learn　to　know　perfectly　well　on　what　day　of　the　week　and　at　what　hour　the　well…known　organ…grinder　will　make　his　appearance；　and　in　what　street　we　shall　meet　the　city　clerk　or　the　care…worn　little　daily　governess　on　their　way　to　office　or　school。　　It　so　happened　that　Brian　Osmond；　a　young　doctor　who　had　not　been　very　long　settled　in　the　Bloomsbury　regions；　had　an　engagement　which　took　him　every　afternoon　down　Gower　Street；　and　here　many　faces　had　grown　familiar　to　him。　　He　invariably　met　the　same　sallow…faced　postman；　the　same　nasal…voiced　milkman；　the　same　pompous…looking　man　with　the　bushy　whiskers　and　the　shiny　black　bag；　on　his　way　home　from　the　city。　　But　the　only　passenger　in　whom　he　took　any　interest　was　a　certain　bright…faced　little　girl　whom　he　generally　met　just　before　the　Montague　Place　crossing。　　He　always　called　her　his　〃little　girl；〃　though　she　was　by　no　means　little　in　the　ordinary　acceptation　of　the　word；　being　at　least　sixteen；　and　rather　tall　for　her　years。　　But　there　was　a　sort　of　freshness　and　naivete　and　youthfulness　about　her　which　made　him　use　that　adjective。　　She　usually　carried　a　pile　of　books　in　a　strap；　so　he　conjectured　that　she　must　be　coming　from　school；　and；　ever　since　he　had　first　seen　her；　she　had　worn　the　same　rough　blue　serge　dress；　and　the　same　quaint　little　fur　hat。　　In　other　details；　however；　he　could　never　tell　in　the　least　how　he　should　find　her。　　She　seemed　to　have　a　mood　for　every　day。　　Sometimes　she　would　be　in　a　great　hurry　and　would　almost　run　past　him；　sometimes　she　would　saunter　along　in　the　most　unconventional　way；　glancing　from　time　to　time　at　a　book　or　a　paper；　sometimes　her　eager　face　would　look　absolutely　bewitching　in　its　brightness；　sometimes　scarcely　less　bewitching　in　a　consuming　anxiety　which　seemed　unnatural　in　one　so　young。

One　rainy　afternoon　in　November；　Brian　was　as　usual　making　his　way　down　Gower　Street；　his　umbrella　held　low　to　shelter　him　from　the　driving　rain　which　seemed　to　come　in　all　directions。　　The　milkman's　shrill　voice　was　still　far　in　the　distance；　the　man　of　letters　was　still　at　work　upon　knockers　some　way　off；　it　was　not　yet　time　for　his　little　girl　to　make　her　appearance；　and　he　was　not　even　thinking　of　her；　when　suddenly　his　umbrella　was　nearly　knocked　out　of　his　hand　by　coming　violently　into　collision　with　another　umbrella。　　Brought　thus　to　a　sudden　stand；　he　looked　to　see　who　it　was　who　had　charged　him　with　such　violence；　and　found　himself　face　to　face　with　his　unknown　friend。　　He　had　never　been　quite　so　close　to　her　before。　　Her　quaint　face　had　always　fascinated　him；　but　on　nearer　view　he　thought　it　the　loveliest　face　he　had　ever　seenit　took　his　heart　by　storm。

It　was　framed　in　soft；　silky　masses　of　dusky　auburn　hair　which　hung　over　the　broad；　white　forehead；　but　at　the　back　was　scarcely　longer　than　a　boy's。　　The　features；　though　not　regular；　were　delicate　and　piquant；　the　usual　faint　rose…flush　on　the　cheeks　deepened　now　to　carnation；　perhaps　because　of　the　slight　contretemps；　perhaps　because　of　some　deeper　emotionBrian　fancied　the　latter；　for　the　clear；　golden…brown　eyes　that　were　lifted　to　his　seemed　bright　either　with　indignation　or　with　unshed　tears。　　Today　it　was　clear　that　the　mood　was　not　a　happy　one。

〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　she　said；　looking　up　at　him；　and　speaking　in　a　low；　musical　voice；　but　with　the　unembarrassed　frankness　of　a　child。　　〃I　really　wasn't　thinking　or　looking；　it　was　very　careless　of　me。〃

Brian　of　course　took　all　the　blame　to　himself；　and　apologized　profusely；　but　though　he　would　have　given　much　to　detain　her；　if　only　a　moment；　she　gave　him　no　opportunity；　but　with　a　slight　inclination　passed　rapidly　on。　　He　stood　quite　still；　watching　her　till　she　was　out　of　sight；　aware　of　a　sudden　change　in　his　life。　　He　was　a　busy　hard…working　man；　not　at　all　given　to　dreams；　and　it　was　no　dream　that　he　was　in　now。　　He　knew　perfectly　well　that　he　had　met　his　ideal；　had　spoken　to　her　and　she　to　him；　that　somehow　in　a　single　moment　a　new　world　had　opened　out　to　him。　　He　had　fallen　in　love。

The　trifling　occurrence　had　made　no　great　impression　on　the　〃little　girl〃　herself。　　She　was　rather　vexed　with　herself　for　the　carelessness；　but　a　much　deeper　trouble　was　filling　her　heart。　　She　soon　forgot　the　passing　interruption　and　the　brown…bearded　man　with　the　pleasant　gray　eyes　who　had　apologized　for　what　was　quite　her　fault。　　Something　had　gone　wrong　that　day；　as　Brian　had　surmised；　the　eyes　grew　brighter；　the　carnation　flush　deepened　as　she　hurried　along；　the　delicate　lips　closed　with　a　curiously　hard　expression；　the　hands　were　clasped　with　unnecessary　tightness　round　the　umbrella。

She　passed　up　Guilford　Square；　but　did　not　turn　into　any　of　the　old　decayed　houses；　her　home　was　far　less　imposing。　　At　the　corner　of　the　square　there　is　a　narrow　opening　which　leads　into　a　sort　of　blind　alley　paved　with　grim　flagstones。　　Here；　facing　a　high　blank　wall；　are　four　or　five　very　dreary　houses。　　She　entered　one　of　these；　put　down　her　wet　umbrella　in　the　shabby　little　hall；　and　opened　the　door　of　a　barely　furnished　room；　the　walls　of　which　were；　however；　lined　with　books。　　Beside　the　fire　was　the　one　really　comfortable　piece　of　furniture　in　the　room；　an　Ikeley　couch；　and　upon　it　lay　a　very　wan…looking　invalid；　who　glanced　up　with　a　smile　of　welcome。　　〃Why；　Erica；　you　are　home　early　today。　　How　is　that？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　said　Erica；　tossing　down　her　books　in　a　way　which　showed　her　mother　that　she　was　troubled　about　something。　　〃I　suppose　I　tore　along　at　a　good　rate；　and　there　was　no　temptation　to　stay　at　the　High　School。〃

〃Come　and　tell　me　about　it；〃　said　the　mother；　gently；　〃what　has　gone　wrong；　little　one？〃

〃Everything！〃　exclaimed　Erica；　vehemently。　　〃Everything　always　does　go　wrong　with　us　and　always　will；　I　suppose。　　I　wish　you　had　never　sent　me　to　school；　mother；　I　wish　I　need　never　see　the　place　again！〃

〃But　till　today　you　enjoyed　it　so　much。〃

〃Yes；　the　classes　and　the　being　with　Gertrude。　　But　that　will　never　be　the　same　again。　　It's　just　this；　mother；　I'm　never　to　speak　to　Gertrude　againto　have　noting　more　to　do　with　her。〃

〃Who　said　so？　　And　Why？〃

〃Why？　　Because　I'm　myself；〃　said　Erica；　with　a　bitter　little　laugh。　　〃How　I　can　help　it；　nobody　seems　to　think。　　But　Gertrude's　father　has　come　back　from　Africa；　and　was　horrified　to　learn　that　we　were　friends；　made　her　promise　never　to　speak　to　me　again；　and　made　her　write　this　note　about　it。　　Look！〃　and　she　took　a　crumpled　envelope　from　her　pocket。

The　mother　read　the　note　in　silence；　and　an　expression　of　pain　came　over　her　face。　　Erica；　who　was　very　impetuous；　snatched　it　away　from　her　when　she　saw　that　look　of　sadness。

〃Don't　read　the　horrid　thing！〃　she　exclaimed；　crushing　it　up　in　her　hand。　　〃There；　we　will　burn　it！〃　and　she　threw　it　into　the　fire　with　a　vehemence　which　somehow　relieved　her。

〃You　shouldn't　have　done　that；〃　said　her　mother。　　〃Your　father　will　be　sure　to　want　to　see　it。〃

〃No；　no；　no；〃　cried　Erica；　passionately。　　〃He　must　not　know；　you　must　not　tell　him；　mother。〃

〃Dear　child；　have　you　not　learned　that　it　is　impossible　to　keep　anything　from　him？　　He　will　find　out　directly　that　something　is　wrong。〃

〃It　will　grieve　him　so；　he　must　not　hear　it；〃　said　Erica。　　〃He　cares　so　much　for　what　hurts　us。　　Oh！　Why　are　people　so　hard　and　cruel？　　Why　do　they　treat　us　like　lepers？　　It　isn't　all　because　of　losing　Gertrude；　I　could　bear　that　if　there　were　some　real　reason　if　she　went　away　or　died。　　But　there's　no　reason！　　It's　all　prejudice　and　bigotry　and　injustice；　it's　that　which　makes　it　sting　so。

Erica　was　not　at　all　given　to　tears；　but　there　was　now　a　sort　of　choking　in　her　throat；　and　a　sort　of　dimness　in　her　eyes　which　made　her　rather　hurriedly　settle　down　on　the　floor　in　her　own　particular　nook　beside　her　mother's　couch；　where　her　face　could　not　be　seen。　　There　was　a　silence。　　Presently　the　mother　spoke；　stroking　back　the　wavy；　auburn　hair　with　her　thin　white　hand。

〃For　a　long　time　I　have　dreaded　this　for　you；　Erica。　　I　was　afraid　you　didn't　realize　the　sort　of　position　the　world　will　give　you。　　Till　lately　you　have　seen　scarcely　any　b