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clothing　the　sides　of　the　mountains；　the　gray　limestone　cliffs　rising　step　and　sheer　from　the　water；　in　which　their　slim；　green　skiff　glided　swiftly　on；　the　oars；　which　were　more　like　long；　brown　spades；　pulled　by　a　man　and　woman；　who　took　it　in　turns　to　sit　and　stand；　the　man　with　gay　tie　and　waistband；　Tyrolese　hat　and　waving　feather；　the　woman　wearing　a　similar　hat　over　a　gayly　embroidered　head…dress；　ample　white　sleeves；　a　square…cut　bodice；　and　blue　plaid　skirt。

Here　and　there　a　group　of　light…green　larches　just　caught　the　sunshine；　or　a　little　boat　coming　in　the　opposite　direction　would　suddenly　glide　round　one　of　the　bends　in　the　lake；　its　oars　splashing　a　wide　line　of　silvery　brightness　in　the　calm　water；　in　vivid　contrast　to　the　dark…blue　prow。　　Then；　as　they　rounded　one　of　the　abrupt　curves　came　a　glorious　view　of　snow　mountains　blue　shadows　below；　and　above；　in　the　sunshine；　the　most　dazzling　whiteness；　while　close　to　the　water　from　the　sheer　precipice　of　gray　rock；　sprung　here　and　there　a　hardy　pine。

They　landed　beside　a　quaint　little　church　with　cupolas；　and　had　an　exquisite　walk　through　the　woods　just　at　the　foot　of　the　mountains　where　the　wealth　of　gentians　and　other　Alpine　flowers　made　Raeburn's　felicity　complete。

Presently　came　the　return　to　the　little　boat；　and　a　quiet　row　back　to　the　landing　place　where　their　carriage　awaited　them。　　And　then　followed　the　delightful　drive　home；　past　the　river　which　tossed　its　green　waters　here　and　there　into　snow…like　wreaths　of　foam；　over　quaint　and　shaky　wooden　bridges；　between　gray　rocks　and　groves　of　plane　trees　whose　trunks　were　half　veiled　in　golden…brown　moss。　　Then　on　beneath　a　hill　catching　faraway　glimpses　of　a　darkened　and　mysterious　sky　through　the　forest　of　stems。　　Then　past　larger　and　taller　pine　trees　which；　standing　further　apart；　let　in　more　sky；　and　left　space　for　the　brown　earth　to　be　flecked　with　sunshine。　　And　here；　in　the　most　peaceful　of　all　country　regions；　they　met　a　handsome…looking　peasant　in　gay　Tyrolean　attire　much　adorned　with　silver　chains　since　it　was　Ascension　day　and　a　festival。　　He　was　leading　by　the　hand　his　little　daughter。

〃That　is　a　peaceful　lot；〃　said　Raeburn　glancing　at　them。　　〃Would　we　like　to　change　places　with　them；　little　son　Eric？〃

She　laughed　and　shook　her　head　and　fell；　nevertheless；　into　a　reverie；　wondering　what　such　a　character　as　her　father's　would　have　been　under　less　hard　circumstances；　trying　to　picture　a　possible　life　in　that　sheltered　green　valley。　　All　was　so　perfectly　peaceful；　the　very　river　grew　broader　and　calmer；　cattle　grazed　by　the　road　side；　women　walked　slowly　along　with　their　knitting　in　their　hands；　the　fruit　trees　were　white　with　blossom。　　As　they　reached　the　pretty　village　of　Berchtesgaden　the　sun　was　setting；　the　square　comfortable…looking　white　houses　with　their　broad；　dark　eaves　and　balconies　were　bathed　in　a　rosy　glow；　the　two　spires　of　the　little　church　stood　out　darkly　against　the　evening　sky；　in　the　platz　women　were　filling　their　pitchers　at　a　stone　fountain　made　in　the　shape　of　a　rampant　lion　while　others　were　kneeling　before　the　calvary　at　the　entrance　to　the　village；　praying　with　the　reverence　which　is　one　of　the　characteristics　of　the　Tyrolese。　　Towering　above　all　in　the　background　rose　the　two　Wartzmann　peaks；　standing　there　white　and　majestic　like　guardian　angels。

〃What　foolish　being　called　seven　the　perfect　number？〃　said　Raeburn；　turning　back　from　a　last　look　at　the　twin　mountains　which　were　now　assuming　their　cloud　caps。　　〃Two　is　the　perfect　number；　is　it　not；　little　one？〃

She　smiled　and　slipped　her　hand　into　his。

Then　came　a　wild；　desolate　part　of　the　road；　which　passed　through　a　valley　shut　in　on　all　sides　by　mountains；　some　of　them　snowy；　all　wild　and　precipitous；　and　looking　strangely　desolate　in　the　falling　light。　　Erica　could　not　help　contrasting　it　with　the　view　from　the　amphitheatre　at　　Fiesole；　of　that　wider　amphitheatre　of　green　hills　all　glowing　with　light　and　love。　　But　presently　came　more　peaceful　glimpses；　pretty　little　Schellenburg　with　its　serpentine　river　winding　again　and　again　through　the　village　street；　and　the　happy…looking　peasants　chatting　at　their　doors　with　here　and　there　a　white…capped　baby　made　much　of　by　all。

At　last　in　the　cool　of　the　evening　they　reached　Salsburg　once　more。　　But　the　pleasures　of　the　day　were　not　yet　over　for　as　they　drew　up　at　the　door　of　their　hotel　a　well…known　figure　suddenly　emerged　from　the　porch　and　hurried　toward　the　carriage。

〃Unexpected　as　a　meteor；〃　said　a　hearty　voice　in　slightly　foreign　accents。　　〃Well；　my　good　friend；　well　my　guardian　angel；　how　are　you　both？　　We　meet　under　more　auspicious　circumstances　this　time！〃

It　was　Eric　Haeberlein。


CHAPTER　XXXIV。　The　Most　Unkindest　Cut　of　All

Those　who　persecuted　them　supposed　of　course　that　they　were　defending　Christianity；　but　Christianity　can　be　defended　in　no　such　way。　　It　forbids　all　persecution　all　persecution　for　the　sake　of　religion。　　Force　cannot　possibly　propagate　the　truth　or　produce　the　faith；　or　promote　the　love　in　which　the　gospel　consists。　。　。　。　　Persecution　can　never　arise　from　zeal　for　the　Gospel　as　truth　from　zeal　for　the　Gospel　properly　understood。　　If　ever　due　to　zeal　in　any　measure；　and　not　to　pride；　selfishness；　anger；　ambition；　and　other　hateful　lusts　。　。　。　　It　must　be　to　a　zeal　which　is　in　alliance　with　error。　。　。　。　　The　men　（atheists）　therefore；　who；　by　their　courage　and　endurance　were　specially　instrumental　in　convincing　their　countrymen　that　persecution　for　the　avowal　and　advocacy　even　of　atheism　is　a　folly　and　a　crime；　have　really　rendered　a　service　to　the　cause　of　Christian　truth；　and　their　names　will　not　be　recorded　without　honor　when　the　history　of　our　century　is　impartially　written。　Baird　Lectures；　1877。　　R。　Flint；　D。D。；　Professor　of　Divinity；　Edinburgh。

A　few　days　later　the　brief　holiday　ended；　and　father　and　daughter　were　both　hard　at　work　again　in　London。　　They　had　crossed　from　Antwerp　by　night　and　had　reached　home　about　ten　o'clock　to　find　the　usual　busy　life　awaiting　them。

Tom　and　Aunt　Jean；　who　had　been　very　dull　in　their　absence；　were　delighted　to　have　them　back　again；　and　though　the　air　was　thick　with　coming　troubles；　yet　it　was　nevertheless　a　real　home　coming；　while　Erica；　in　spite　of　her　hidden　sorrow；　had　a　very　real　enjoyment　in　describing　her　first　foreign　tour。　　They　were　making　a　late　breakfast　while　she　talked；　Raeburn　being　more　or　less　absorbed　in　the　〃Daily　Review。〃

〃You　see；　such　an　early　newspaper　is　a　luxury　now；〃　said　Erica。　　〃Not　that　he's　been　behaving　well　abroad。　　He　promised　me　when　we　started　that　he'd　eschew　newspapers　altogether　and　give　his　brain　an　entire　rest；　but　there　is　a　beguiling　reading　room　at　Florence；　and　there　was　no　keeping　him　away　from　it。〃

〃What's　that？　　What　are　you　saying？〃　said　Raeburn；　absently。

〃That　very　soon；　father；　you　will　be　as　absent…minded　as　King　Stars…and…Garters　in　the　fairy　tale；　who　one　day；　in　a　fit　of　abstraction；　buttered　his　newspaper　and　tried　to　read　his　toast。〃

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