we two-第85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！


set　in　the　frame　work　of　bushy　hair；　gave　him　a　most　sagacious　appearance。　　And　just　now　he　was　brimful　of　curiosity；　pattering　all　over　the　room；　poking　his　nose　into　a　great　pile　of　〃Idol…Breakers；〃　sniffing　at　theological　and　anti…theological　books　with　perfect　impartiality；　rubbing　himself　against　Raeburn's　foot　in　the　most　ingratiating　way；　and　finally　springing　up　on　Erica's　lap　with　the　oddest　mixture　of　defiance　and　devotion　in　his　eyes　which　said　as　plainly　as　if　he　had　spoken：　〃People　may　say　what　they　like　about　you；　but　I'm　your　faithful　dog　from　this　day　forward！〃

Raeburn　was　obliged　to　go　out　almost　directly　as　he　had　an　appointment　in　the　city；　but　Erica　knew　that　he　had　seen　enough　of　Donovan　to　realize　what　he　was　and　was　satisfied。

〃I　am　so　glad　you　have　just　met；〃　she　said　when　he　had　left　the　room。　　〃And；　as　to　Dolly；　she's　been　a　real　god…send。　　I　haven't　seen　my　father　smile　before　for　a　week。〃

〃Strange；　is　it　not；　how　almost　always　children　instinctively　take　to　those　whom　the　world　treats　as　outcasts。　　I　have　a　great　belief　that　God　lets　the　pure　and　innocent　make　up　in　part　by　their　love　for　the　uncharitableness　of　the　rest　of　us。〃

〃That's　a　nice　thought；〃　said　Erica。　　〃I　have　never　had　much　to　do　with　children；　except　with　this　one。〃　　And　as　she　spoke　she　lifted　Dolly　on　her　lap　beside　Tottie。

〃I　have　good　reason　to　believe　in　both　this　kind　and　that；〃　said　Donovan；　touching　the　dusky　head　of　the　dog　and　the　sunny　hair　of　the　child。　　As　he　spoke　there　was　a　look　in　his　eyes　which　made　Erica　feel　inclined　almost　to　cry。　　She　knew　that　he　was　thinking　of　the　past　though　there　was　no　regret　in　his　expression；　only　a　shade　of　additional　gravity　about　his　lips　and　an　unusual　light　about　his　brow　and　eyes。　　It　was　the　face　of　a　man　who　had　known　both　the　evil　and　the　good；　and　had　now　reached　far　into　the　Unseen。

By　and　by　they　talked　of　Switzerland　and　of　Brian；　Donovan　telling　her　just　what　she　wanted　to　know　about　him　though　he　never　let　her　feel　that　he　knew　all　about　the　day　at　Fiesole。　　And　from　that　they　passed　to　the　coming　trial　of　which　he　spoke　in　exactly　the　most　helpful　way；　not　trying　to　assure　her；　as　some　well…meaning　people　had　done；　that　there　was　really　nothing　to　be　grieved　or　anxious　about；　but　fully　sympathizing　with　the　pain　while　he　somehow　led　her　on　to　the　thought　of　the　unseen　good　which　would　in　the　long　run　result　from　it。

〃I　do　believe　that　now；　with　all　my　heart。〃　she　said。

〃I　knew　you　did；〃　he　replied；　smiling　a　little。　　〃You　have　learned　it　since　you　were　at　Greyshot　last　year。　　And　once　learned　it　is　learned　forever。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said　musingly。　　〃But；　oh！　　How　slowly　one　learns　in　such　little　bits。　　It's　a　great　mistake　to　think　that　we　grasp　the　whole　when　the　light　first　comes　to　us；　and　yet　it　feels　then　like　the　whole。〃

〃Because　it　was　the　whole　you　were　then　capable　of；〃　said　Donovan。　　〃But；　you　see；　you　grow。〃

〃Want　to　grow；　at　any　rate；〃　said　Erica。　　〃Grow　conscious　that　there　is　an　Infinite　to　grow　to。〃

Then；　as　in　a　few　minutes　he　rose　to　go：

〃Well；　you　have　done　me　good；　you　and　Dolly；　and　this　blessed　little　dog。　Thank　you　very　much　for　coming。〃

She　went　out　with　them　to　the　door　and　stood　on　the　steps　with　Tottie　in　her　arms；　smiling　a　goodbye　to　little　Dolly。

〃That's　the　bravest　woman　I　know；〃　thought　Donovan　to　himself；　〃and　the　sweetest　save　one。　　Poor　Brian！　　Though；　after　all；　it's　a　grand　thing　to　love　such　as　Erica　even　without　hope。〃

And　all　the　afternoon　there　rang　in　his　ears　the　line　　

〃A　woman's　soul；　most　soft；　yet　strong。〃

The　next　day　troubles　began　in　good　earnest。　　They　were　all　very　silent　at　breakfast。　　Raeburn　looked　anxious　and　preoccupied；　and　Erica；　not　feeling　sure　that　conversation　would　not　worry　him；　did　not　try　to　talk。　　Once　Aunt　Jean　looked　up　for　a　moment　from　her　paper　with　a　question。

〃By　the　bye；　what　are　you　going　to　wear；　Erica？〃

〃Sackcloth；　I　think；〃　said　Erica；　〃it　would　be　appropriate。〃

Raeburn　smiled　a　little　at　this。

〃Something　cool；　I　should　advise；〃　he　said。　　〃The　place　will　be　like　a　furnace　today。〃

He　pushed　back　his　chair　as　he　spoke　and　went　away　to　his　study。　　Tom　had　to　hurry　away；　too；　being　due　at　his　office　by　nine　o'clock；　and　Erica　began　to　rack　her　brains　to　devise　the　nicest　of　dinners　for　them　that　evening。　　She　dressed　in　good　time；　and　was　waiting　for　her　father　in　the　green　room　when　just　before　ten　o'clock　the　front　door　opened；　quick　steps　came　up　the　stairs；　and；　to　her　amazement；　Tom　entered。

〃Back　again！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Have　you　got　a　holiday？〃

〃I've　got　my　conge'；〃　he　said　in　a　hoarse　voice；　throwing　himself　down　in　a　chair　by　the　window。

〃Tom！　　What　do　you　mean？〃　she　cried；　dismayed　by　the　trouble　in　his　face。

〃Got　the　sack；〃　he　said　shortly。

〃What！　　Lost　your　situation？　　But　how？　　Why？〃

〃I　was　called　this　morning　into　Mr。　Ashgrove's　private　room；　he　informed　me　that　he　had　just　learned　with　great　annoyance　that　I　was　the　nephew　of　that　（you　can　supply　his　string　of　abusive　adjectives）　Luke　Raeburn。　　Was　it　true？　　I　told　him　I　had　that　honor。　　Was　I；　then；　an　atheist？　　Certainly。　　A　Raeburnite？　　Naturally。　　After　which　came　a　long　jobation；　at　the　end　of　which　I　found　myself　the　wrong　side　of　the　office　door　with　orders　never　to　darken　it　again；　and　next　month's　salary　in　my　hand。　　That's　the　matter　in　brief；　CUGINA。〃

His　face　settled　into　a　sort　of　blank　despair　so　unlike　its　usual　expression　that　Erica's　wrath　flamed　up　at　the　sight。

〃It's　a　shame！〃　she　cried　〃a　wicked　shame！　　Oh；　Tom　dear；　I　am　so　sorry　for　you。　　I　wish　this　had　come　upon　me　instead。〃

〃I　wouldn't　care　so　much；〃　said　poor　Tom　huskily；　〃if　he　hadn't　chosen　just　this　time　for　it；　but　it　will　worry　the　chieftain　now。〃

Erica　was　on　the　verge　of　tears。

〃Oh；　what　shall　we　do　what　can　we　do？〃　she　cried　almost　in　despair。　　〃I　had　not　thought　of　that。　　Father　will　feel　it　dreadfully。〃

But　to　conceal　the　matter　was　now　hopeless　for；　as　she　spoke；　Raeburn　came　into　the　room。

〃What　shall　I　feel　dreadfully？〃　he　said；　smiling　a　little。　　〃If　any　man　ought　to　be　case…hardened；　I　ought　to　be。〃

But　as　he　drew　nearer　and　saw　the　faces　of　the　two；　his　own　face　grew　stern　and　anxious。

〃You　at　home；　Tom！　　What's　the　matter？〃

Tom　briefly　told　his　tale；　trying　to　make　as　light　of　it　as　possible；　even　trying　to　force　a　little　humor　into　his　account；　but　with　poor　success。　　There　was　absolute　silence　in　the　green　room　when　he　paused。　Raeburn　said　not　a　word；　but　he　grew　very　pale；　evidently　in　this　matter　being　by　no　means　case…hardened。　　A　similar　instance；　further　removed　from　his　immediate　circle；　might　have　called　forth　a　strong；　angry　denunciation；　but　he　felt　too　deeply　anything　affecting　his　own　family　or　friends　to　be　able　in　the　first　keenness　of　his　grief　and　anger　to　speak。

〃My　boy；〃　he　said　at　last；　in　a　low；　musical　voice　whose　perfect　modulations　taxed　Tom's　powers　of　endurance　to　the　utmost；　〃I　am　very　sorry　for　this。　　I　can't　say　more　now；　we　will　talk　it　over　tonight。　　Will　you　come　to　Westminster　with　us？〃

And　presently　as　they　drove　along　the　crowded　streets；　he　said　with　a　bitter　smile：

〃There's　one　Biblical　woe　which　by　no　possibility　can　ever　befall　us。〃

〃What's　that？〃　said　Tom。

〃'Woe　unto　you　when　all　men　speak　well　of　you；'〃　said　Raeburn。

A　few　minutes　later；　and　the　memorable　trial　of　Raeburn　v。　Pogson　had　at　length　begun。　　Raeburn's　friends　had　done　their　best　to　dissuade　him　from　conducting　his　own　case；　but　he　always　replied　to　them　with　one　of　his　Scotch　proverbs　〃A　man's　a　lion　in　his　ain　cause。〃　　His　opening　speech　was　such　an　exceedingly　powerful　one　that　all　felt　on　the　first　day　that　he　had　been　right　though　inevitably　it　added　not　a　little　to　the　disagreeableness　of　the　case。

As　soon　as　the　court　had　risen；　Erica　went　home　with　her　aunt　and　Tom；　thankful　to　feel　that　at　least　one　day　was　well　over；　but　her　father　was　closeted　for　some　hours　with　his　solicitor　and　did　not　rejoin　them　till　late　that　evening。　　He　came　in　then；　looking　fearfully　tired；　and　scarcely　spoke　all　through　dinner；　but　afterward；　just　as　Tom　was　leaving　the　room；　he　called　him　back。

〃I've　been　thinking　things　over；〃　he　said。　　〃What　was　your　salary　with　Mr。　Ashgrove？〃

〃One　hundred　pounds　a　year；〃　replied　Tom；　wondering　at　what　possible　hour　the　chieftain　had　found　a　spare　moment　to　bestow　upon　his　affairs。

〃Well；　then；　will　you　be　my　secretary　for　the　same？〃

For　many　years　Tom　had　given　all　his　spare　time　to　helping　Raeburn　with　his　correspondence；　and　for　some　time　he　had　been　the　practical；　though　unrecognized；　sub…editor　of　the　〃Idol…Breaker；〃　but　all　his　work　had　been　done　out　of　pure　devotion　to　the　〃cause。〃　　Nothing　could　have　pleased　him　more　than　to　give　his　whole　time　to　the　work　while　his　great　love　and　admiration　for　Raeburn　eminently　qualified　him　for　the　service　of　a　somewhat　autocratic　master。

Raeburn；　with　all　his　readiness　to　help　those　in　any　difficulty；　with　all　his　geniality　and　thoroughness　of　character；　was　by　no　means　the　easiest　person　to　work　with。　　For；　in　common　with　other　strong　and　self…reliant　characters；　he　liked　in　all　things　to　have　his　own　way；　and　being　in　truth　a　first…rate