we two-第52节

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ever；　With　a　great　effort　of　will　she　forced　herself　to　pass　the　door；　horrified　to　find　how　nearly　selfish　cowardice　had　induced　her　to　draw　her　friends　into　suspicion。　　Echoes　of　the　hymns　sung　at　her　baptism；　and　at　the　subsequent　confirmation　rang　in　her　ears。　　She　walked　on　more　bravely。

By　the　time　she　reached　Guilford　Terrace；　she　had　herself　quite　in　hand。　　And　it　was　well；　for；　as　she　walked　down　the　dreary　little　alley；　a　dark　form　emerged　from　the　shadow；　and　suddenly　confronted　her。

Any　one　might　reasonably　be　a　little　startled　by　having　a　sudden　pause　made　before　them　by　an　unknown　person　on　a　dark　night。　　Erica　thought　she　could　exactly　sympathize　with　a　shying　horse；　she　felt　very　much　inclined　to　swerve　aside。　　Fortunately　she　betrayed　no　fear；　only　a　little　surprise；　as　she　lifted　her　head　and　looked　the　man　full　in　the　face；　then　moved　on　with　quiet　dignity。　　She　felt　him　follow　her　to　the　very　door；　and　purposely　she　took　out　her　latch　key　with　great　deliberation；　and　allowed　him；　if　he　pleased；　to　take　a　quiet　survey　of　the　passage　while　she　rubbed　her　boots　on　the　mat；　then；　with　a　delicious　sense　of　safety；　she　closed　the　door　on　the　unfriendly　gaze。。

In　the　meantime；　Raeburn　had　spent　a　miserably　anxious　evening；　regretting　his　rash　permission　for　Erica　to　go；　regretting　his　own　enforced　inaction；　regretting　his　well…known　and　undisguisable　face　and　form；　almost　regretting　that　his　friend　had　visited　him。　　Like　Erica；　he　was　only　personally　brave；　he　could　not　be　brave　for　other　people。　　Actual　risk　he　would　have　enjoyed；　but　this　anxious　waiting　was　to　him　the　keenest　torture。

When　at　length　the　age…long　hour　had　passed；　and　he　heard　the　front　door　close；　he　started　up　with　an　exclamation　of　relief；　and　hurried　out　into　the　passage。　　Erica　greeted　him　with　her　brightest　smile。

〃All　safe；〃　she　said；　following　him　into　the　study。　　〃He　is　well　on　his　way　to　Folkestone；　and　we　have　eluded　three　spies。〃

Then；　with　a　good　deal　of　humor；　she　related　the　whole　of　the　adventure；　at　the　same　time　taking　off　her　hat　and　gloves。

〃And　you　met　no　one　you　knew？〃　asked　Raeburn。

〃Only　the　bishop　who　baptized　and　confirmed　me　this　evening；　and　he　of　course　did　not　recognize　me。〃

As　she　spoke；　she　unbuttoned　her　ulster；　disclosing　beneath　it　her　white　serge　dress。

Raeburn　sighed。　　Words　and　sight　both　reawakened　a　grief　which　he　would　fain　have　put　from　him。

But　Erica　came　and　sat　down　on　the　hearth　rug；　and　nestled　up　to　him　just　as　usual。　〃I　am　so　tired；　padre　mio！〃　she　exclaimed。　　But　it　has　been　well　worth　it。〃

Raeburn　did　not　answer。　　She　looked　up　in　his　face。

〃What　are　you　thinking？〃

〃I　was　thinking　that　few　people　had　such　an　ending　to　their　confirmation　day；〃　said　Raeburn。　　

〃I　thank　God　for　it；〃　said　Erica。　　〃Oh；　father！　　There　is　so　much；　so　very　much　we　still　have　in　common！　　And　I　am　so　glad　this　happened　tonight　of　all　nights！〃

He　stroked　her　hair　caressingly；　but　did　not　speak。


CHAPTER　XXIV。　The　New　Relations

For　all　men　live　and　judge　amiss　Whose　talents　jump　not　just　with　his。　　Hudibras

Comfortable　moles；　whom　what　they　do　Teaches　the　limit　of　the　just　and　true。　（And　for　such　doing　they　require　not　eyes）。　　Matthew　Arnold

One　bright　afternoon　about　a　week　after　this；　Erica　found　herself　actually　in　the　train；　and　on　her　way　to　Greyshot。　　At　first　she　had　disliked　the　idea；　but　her　father　had　evidently　wished　her　to　accept　the　invitation；　and　a　hope　of　uniting　again　the　two　families　would　have　stimulated　her　to　a　much　more　formidable　undertaking　than　a　visit　of　a　few　weeks　to　perfect　strangers。　　She　knew　nothing　of　the　proposal　made　to　her　father；　her　own　letter　had　been　most　kind；　and　after　all；　though　she　did　not　like　the　actual　leaving　home；　she　could　not　but　look　forward　to　a　rest　and　change　after　the　long　summer　months　in　town。　Moreover；　Aunt　Jean　had　just　returned；　after　a　brief　holiday；　and　the　home　atmosphere　for　the　last　two　or　three　days　had　been　very　trying；　she　felt　as　if　a　change　would　make　her　better　able　to　bear　the　small　daily　frets　and　annoyances；　and　not　unnaturally　looked　forward　to　the　delicious　rest　of　unity。　　A　Christian　home　ought　to　be　delightful；　she　had　never　stayed　in　one；　and　had　a　high　ideal。

It　was　about　six　o'clock　by　the　time　she　reached　her　journey's　end；　and；　waiting　for　her　on　the　platform；　she　had　no　difficulty　in　recognizing　her　aunt；　a　taller　and　fairer　edition　of　Mrs。　Craigie；　who　received　her　with　a　kind；　nervous　diffident　greeting；　and　seemed　very　anxious　indeed　about　her　luggage；　which　was　speedily　brought　to　light　by　the　footman；　and　safely　conveyed　to　the　carriage。　　Erica；　used　to　complete　independence；　felt　as　if　she　were　being　transformed　into　a　sort　of　grown…up　baby；　as　she　was　relieved　of　her　bag　and　umbrella　and　guided　down　the　steps；　and　assisted　into　the　open　landau；　and　carefully　tucked　in　with　a　carriage　rug。

〃I　hope　you　are　not　overtired　with　the　journey？〃　inquired　her　aunt　with　an　air　of　the　kindest　and　most　anxious　solicitude。

Accustomed　to　a　really　hard　life　in　London；　Erica　almost　laughed　at　the　idea　of　being　overtired　by　such　a　short　journey。

〃Oh；　I　have　enjoyed　it；　thank　you；〃　she　replied。　　〃What　a　lovely　line　it　is！〃

〃Is　it？〃　said　her　aunt；　a　little　surprised。　　〃I　didn't　know　it　was　considered　specially　pretty；　and　I　myself　am　never　able　to　look　much　at　the　scenery　in　traveling；　it　always　gives　me　a　headache。〃

〃What　a　pity！〃　said　Erica。　　〃It　is　such　a　treat；　I　think。　　In　fact；　it　is　the　only　way　in　which　I　have　seen　what　people　call　scenery。　　I　never　stayed　in　the　country　in　my　life。〃

〃My　dear；　is　it　possible；〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Fane…Smith；　in　a　horrified　voice。　　〃Yet　you　do　not　look　pale。　　Do　you　mean　that　you　have　spent　your　whole　life　in　town？〃

〃I　was　at　Paris　for　two　years；〃　said　Erica；　〃and　twice　I　have　spent　a　little　time　at　the　sea…side；　and；　years　and　years　ago；　father　was　once　taken　ill　at　Southampton；　and　we　went　to　him　there　that　was　almost　like　the　country　I　mean；　one　could　get　country　walks。　　It　was　delightful；　there　was　a　splendid　avenue；　you　know；　and　oh；　such　a　common！　　It　was　in　the　spring　time。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　yellow　gorse　and　the　hawthorns；　and　such　beautiful　velvety　grass。〃

Her　enthusiasm　pleased　her　aunt；　moreover；　it　was　a　great　relief　to　find　the　unknown　niece　well…bred　and　companionable；　and　not　overburdened　with　shyness。　　Already　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　loved　her；　and　felt　that　the　invitation；　which　she　had　given　really　from　a　strong　sense　of　duty；　was　likely　to　give　her　pleasure　instead　of　discomfort。　　All　the　way　home；　while　Erica　admired　the　Greyshot　streets；　and　asked　questions　about　the　various　buildings；　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　was　rejoicing　that　so　fair　a　〃brand；〃　as　she　mentally　expressed　it；　had　been　〃plucked　from　the　burning；〃　and　resolving　that　she　would　adopt　her　as　a　second　daughter；　and；　if　possible；　induce　her　to　take　their　name　and　drop　the　notorious　〃Raeburn。〃　　The　relief　was　great；　for　on　the　way　to　the　station；　Mrs。　Fane…　Smith　had　been　revolving　the　unpleasant　thought　in　her　mind　that　〃really　there　was　no　knowing；　Erica　might　be　'anything'　since　her　mother　was　a　'nobody。'〃

At　last　they　drew　up　before　a　large　house　in　the　most　fashionable　of　the　Greyshot　squares；　the　windows　and　balconies　of　which　were　gay　with　flowers。

〃We　shall　find　Rose　at　home；　I　expect；〃　said　Mrs。　Fane…Smith；　leading　Erica　across　a　marble…paved　hall；　and　even　as　she　spoke　a　merry　voice　came　from　the　staircase；　and　down　ran　a　fair…haired　girl；　with　a　charmingly　eager　and　naive　manner。

Erica　had　guessed　what　she　must　be　from　the　quaint　and　kindly　meant　letter　which　she　had　sent　her　years　before；　and　though　five　years　in　society　had　somewhat　artificialized　Rose；　she　still　retained　much　of　her　childishness　and　impetuous　honesty。　　She　slipped　her　arm　into　her　cousin's；　and　took　her　off　to　her　room　at　once。

〃I　am　so　glad　you　have　come！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　have　been　longing　to　see　you　for　years　and　years。　　Mamma　has　been　talking　so　much　about　your　cleverness　and　my　stupidity　that　just　at　the　last　I　felt　quite　in　a　fright　lest　you　should　be　too　dreadfully　'blue。'　　I　looked　out　of　the　drawing　room　window　for　you；　and　if　you　had　been　very　forbidding　I　should　have　received　you　in　state　in　the　drawing　room；　but　you　were　so　charmingly　pretty　that　I　was　obliged　to　rush　down　headlong　to　meet　you。〃

Erica　laughed　and　blushed；　not　being　used　to　such　broad　compliments。　　In　the　meantime；　they　had　traversed　several　flights　of　stairs；　and　Rose；　opening　a　door；　showed　her　into　a　spacious　bedroom；　most　luxuriously　fitted　up。

〃This　great　big　room　for　me！〃　exclaimed　Erica。

〃It　isn't　at　all　ghostly；〃　said　Rose；　reassuringly。　　〃Will　you　be　afraid　if　you　have　a　night　light？〃

Erica　laughed　at　the　idea　of　being　afraid；　she　was　merely　amused　to　think　of　herself　established　in　such　a　palatial　bedroom；　such　a　contrast　to　the　little　book…lined　room　at　home。　　There　was　a　dainty　little　book　case　here；　however；　with　some　beautifully　bound　books；　and　in　another　minute　she　was　delightedly　scanning　their　titles；　and；　with　a　joyous　exclamation；　had　caught　up　Browning's　〃Christmas…eve　and　Easter…day；〃　when　a　sound　of　dismay　from　her　cousin　made　her　laughingly　put　it　down　again。

〃Oh