we two-第62节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



When　matters　were　reversed　in　this　crude　way；　Mr。　Fane…Smith　winced　a　little。

〃The　cases　are　different；〃　he　suggested。

〃Do　you　think　atheists　don't　love　their　children　as　much　as　Christians？〃　cried　Erica；　half　choked　with　indignant　anger。　　A　vision　of　the　past；　of　her　dead　mother；　of　her　father's　never…failing　tenderness　brought　a　cloud　of　tears　to　her　eyes。　　She　brushed　them　away。　　〃The　cases　are　different；　as　you　say；　but　does　a　man　care　less　for　his　home；　when　outside　it　he　is　badgered　and　insulted；　or　does　he　care　infinitely　more？　　Does　a　man　care　less　for　his　child　because；　to　get　her　food；　he　has　had　to　go　short　himself；　or　does　he　care　more？　　I　think　the　man　who　has　had　to　toil　with　all　his　might　for　his　family　loves　it　better　than　the　rich　man　can。　　You　say　I　speak　with　too　much　warmth；　too　much　feeling。　　My　complaint　is　the　other　way　I　can't　find　words　strong　enough　to　give　you　any　idea　of　what　my　father　has　always　been　to　me。　　To　leave　him　would　be　to　wrong　my　conscience；　and　to　forsake　my　duty；　and　to　distrust　God。　　I　will　NEVER　leave　him！〃

With　that　she　got　up　and　left　the　room；　and　Mr。　Fane…Smith　leaned　back　in　his　chair　with　a　sigh；　his　eyes　fixed　absently　upon　a　portrait　of　Napoleon　above　his　mantel　piece；　his　mind　more　completely　shaken　out　of　its　ordinary　grooves　than　it　had　been　for　years。　　He　was　a　narrow…minded　man；　but　he　was　honest。　　He　saw　that　he　had　judged　Raeburn　very　unfairly。　　But　perhaps　what　occupied　his　thoughts　the　most　was　the　question　〃Would　Rose　have　been　able　to　say　of　him　all　that　Erica　had　said　of　her　father？〃　　He　sighed　many　times；　but　after　awhile　slid　back　into　the　old　habits　of　thought。　　

〃Erica　is　a　brave；　noble；　little　thing；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃but　far　from　orthodox　far　from　orthodox！　　Socinian　tendencies。〃


CHAPTER　XXVII。　At　Oak　Dene　Manor

Ah！　　To　how　many　faith　has　been　No　evidence　of　things　unseen；　But　a　dim　shadow　that　recasts　the　creed　of　the　Phantasiasts。

　*　　*　　*　　*

For　others　a　diviner　creed　Is　living　in　the　life　they　lead。　The　passing　of　their　beautiful　feet　Blesses　the　pavement　of　the　street；　And　all　their　looks　and　words　repeat　Old　Fuller's　saying　wise　and　sweet；　Not　as　a　vulture；　but　a　dove；　The　Holy　Ghost　came　from　above。

Tales　of　a　Wayside　Inn。　　Longfellow

During　the　interview　Erica　had　braced　herself　up　to　endure；　but　when　it　was　over　her　strength　all　at　once　evaporated。　　She　dragged　herself　upstairs　somehow；　and　had　just　reached　her　room；　when　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　met　her。　　She　was　preoccupied　with　her　own　anxieties；　or　Erica's　exhaustion　could　not　have　escaped　her　notice。

〃I　am　really　quite　unhappy　about　Rose！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃We　must　send　for　Doctor　L_____。　　Her　cough　seems　so　much　worse；　I　fear　it　will　turn　to　bronchitis。　　Are　you　learned　in　such　things？〃

〃I　helped　to　nurse　Tom　through　a　bad　attack　once；〃　said　Erica。

〃Oh！　　Then　come　and　see　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Fane…Smith。

Erica　went　without　a　word。　　She　would　not　have　liked　Mrs。　Fane…Smith's　fussing；　but　yet　the　sight　of　her　care　for　Rose　made　her　feel　more　achingly　conscious　of　the　blank　in　her　own　life　that　blank　which　nothing　could　ever　fill。　　She　wanted　her　own　mother　so　terribly；　and　just　now　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　had　touched　the　old　wound　roughly。

Rose　seemed　remarkably　cheerful；　and　not　nearly　so　much　invalided　as　her　mother　thought。

〃Mamma　always　thinks　I　am　going　to　die　if　I'm　at　all　out　of　sorts；〃　she　remarked；　when　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　had　left　the　room　to　write　to　the　doctor。　　〃I　believe　you　want　doctoring　much　more　than　I　do。　　What　is　the　matter？　　You　are　as　white　as　a　sheet！〃

〃I　am　tired　and　rather　worried；　and　my　back　is　troublesome；〃　said　Erica。

〃Then　you'll　just　lie　down　on　my　sofa；〃　said　Rose；　peremptorily。　　〃If　you　don't；　I　shall　get　out　of　bed　and　make　you。〃

Erica　did　not　require　much　compulsion　for　every　inch　of　her　seemed　to　have　a　separate　ache；　and　she　was　still　all　quivering　and　tingling　with　the　indignant　anger　stirred　up　by　her　interview　with　Mr。　Fane…Smith。　　She　let　Rose　chatter　away　and　tried　hard　to　school　herself　into　calmness。　　By　and　by　her　efforts　were　rewarded；　she　not　only　grew　calm；　but　fell　asleep；　and　slept　like　any　baby　till　the　gong　sounded　for　luncheon。

Luncheon　proved　a　very　silent　meal；　it　was；　if　possible；　more　trying　that　breakfast　had　been。　　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　had　heard　all　about　the　interview　from　her　husband；　and　they　were　both　perplexed　and　disturbed。　　Erica　felt　uncertain　of　her　footing　with　them；　and　could　only　wait　for　them　to　make　the　first　move。　　But　the　grim　silence　tickled　her　fancy。

〃Really；〃　she　thought　to　herself；　〃we　might　be　so　many　horses　munching　away　at　mangers；　for　all　we　have　said　to　each　other。〃

But　in　spite　of　it　she　did　not　feel　inclined　to　make　conversation。

Later　on　she　went　for　a　drive　with　her　aunt；　the　air　revived　her；　and　she　began　to　feel　more　like　herself　again。　　They　went　out　into　the　country；　but　on　the　way　home　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　stopped　at　one　of　the　shops　in　High　Street；　leaving　Erica　in　the　carriage。　　She　was　leaning　back　restfully；　watching　a　beautiful　chestnut　horse　which　was　being　held　by　a　ragged　boy　at　the　door　of　the　bank　just　opposite；　when　her　attention　was　suddenly　aroused　by　an　ominous　howling　and　barking。　　The　chestnut　horse　began　to　kick；　and　the　boy　had　as　much　as　he　could　to　hold　him。　　Starting　forward；　Erica　saw　that　a　fox　terrier　had　been　set　upon　by　another　and　larger　dog；　and　that　the　two　were　having　a　desperate　fight。　　The　fox　terrier　was　evidently　fighting　against　fearful　odds；　for　he　was　an　old　dog；　and　not　nearly　so　strong　as　his　antagonist；　the　howls　and　barks　grew　worse　and　worse；　some　of　the　passengers　ran　off　in　a　fright；　others　watched　from　a　safe　distance；　but　not　one　interfered。

Now　Erica　was　a　great　lover　of　animals；　and　a　passionate　lover　of　justice。　　Furious　to　see　men　and　boys　looking　on　without　attempting　to　stop　the　mischief；　she　sprang　out　of　the　carriage；　and；　rushing　up　to　the　combatants；　belabored　the　big　dog　with　her　parasol。　　It　had　a　strong　stick；　but　she　hit　so　vehemently　that　it　splintered　all　to　bits；　and　still　the　dog　would　not　leave　its　victim。　　Then；　in　her　desperation；　she　hit　on　the　right　remedy；　with　great　difficulty　she　managed　to　grasp　him　by　the　throat；　and；　using　all　her　force；　so　nearly　suffocated　him　that　he　was　obliged　to　loosen　his　hold。　　At　that　moment；　too；　a　strong　man　rushed　forward　and　dealt　him　such　a　blow　that　he　bounded　off　with　a　yell　of　pain；　and　ran　howling　down　the　street。　　Erica　bent　over　the　fox　terrier　then；　the　big　dog　had　mangled　it　frightfully；　it　was　covered　with　blood；　and　moaned　piteously。

〃Waif！　　My　poor　waif！〃　exclaimed　a　voice　which　she　seemed　to　know。　　〃Has　that　brute　killed　you？〃

She　looked　up　and　saw　Donovan　Farrant；　he　recognized　her；　but　they　were　both　too　much　absorbed　in　the　poor　dog's　condition　to　think　of　any　ordinary　greeting。

〃Where　will　you　take　him？〃　asked　Erica。

Donovan　stooped　down　to　examine　poor　Waif's　injuries。

〃I　fear　there　is　little　to　be　done；〃　he　said。　　〃But　we　might　take　him　across　to　the　chemist's　opposite。　　Will　you　hold　my　whip　for　me？〃

She　took　it；　and　with　infinite　skill　and　tenderness　Donovan　lifted　the　fox　terrier；　while　Erica　hurried　on　in　front　to　tell　the　chemist。　　They　took　Waif　into　a　little　back　room；　and　did　all　they　could　for　him；　but　the　chemist　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Better　kill　the　poor　brute　at　once；　Mr。　Farrant；〃　he　said；　blandly。

Donovan　looked　up　with　a　strange　gleam　in　his　eyes。

〃Not　for　the　world！〃　he　exclaimed；　with　a　touch　of　indignation　in　his　tone。

And　after　that　he　only　spoke　to　Erica；　who；　seeing　that　the　chemist　had　annoyed　him　undertook　all　the　fetching　and　carrying；　never　once　shrinking　though　the　sight　was　a　horrible　one。　　At　length　the　footman　brought　word　that　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　was　waiting；　and　she　was　obliged　to　go；　reluctantly　enough。

〃You'll　let　me　know　how　he　gets　on？〃　she　said。

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　he　replied；　not　thanking　her　directly　for　her　help；　but　somehow　sending　her　away　with　the　consciousness　that　they　had　passed　the　bounds　of　mere　acquaintanceship；　and　were　friends　for　life。

She　found　that　her　aunt　had　been　waylaid　by　Mr。　Cuthbert。

〃If　I　were　the　owner　of　the　dog；　I　should　have　up　our　honorable　member　for　assault。　　I　believe　Miss　Raeburn　broke　her　umbrella　over　the　poor　thing。〃

Erica　was　just　in　time　to　hear　this。

〃Were　you　watching　it？〃　she　exclaimed。　〃And　you　did　nothing　to　help　the　fox　terrier？〃

〃I　do　not　feel　bound　to　champion　every　fighting　cur　who　is　getting　the　worst　of　it；〃　said　Mr。　Cuthbert。　　〃What　has　become　of　Mr。　Farrant's　favorite？　　I　suppose　he　is　fussing　over　it　instead　of　studying　the　affairs　of　the　nation。〃

〃I　am　afraid　the　dog　is　dying；〃　said　Erica。

A　curious　change　passed　over　Mr。　Cuthbert's　face；　he　looked　a　little　shocked；　and　turned　away　somewhat　hastily。

〃Come；〃　thought　Erica　to　herself；　〃I　am　glad　to　have　discovered　a　grain　of　good　in　you。〃

The　next　day　was　Sunday；　it　passed　by　very　quietly。　　But　on　the　Monday；　when　Erica　opened　the　〃Daily　Review；〃　there　was　her　〃Society〃　article　staring　her　in　the　face。　　It　was　clever　and　eminently　readable；　but　it　was　bitterly　sarcastic；　she　could　not　endure　it。　　It　seemed　to　her　that　she　had　written　what　was　positively　bad；