we two-第10部分

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ld　like　to　know　how　you　reconcile　all　the　contradictions；　how　you　can　believe　what　seems　to　me　so　unlikely；　how　even　if　you　do　believe　in　a　God　you　can　think　Him　good　while　the　world　is　what　it　is。　　If　there　is　a　good　God　why　doesn't　He　make　us　all　know　Him；　and　end　all　the　evil　and　cruelty？〃

Brian　did　not　reply　for　a　moment。　　The　familiar　gas…lit　street；　the　usual　number　of　passengers；　the　usual　care…worn　or　vice…worn　faces　passing　by；　damp　pavements；　muddy　roads；　fresh　winter　wind；　all　seemed　so　natural；　but　to　talk　of　the　deepest　things　in　heaven　and　earth　was　so　unnatural。　　He　was　a　very　reserved　man；　but　looking　down　at　the　eager；　questioning　face　beside　him　his　reserve　all　at　once　melted。　　He　spoke　very　quietly；　but　in　a　voice　which　showed　Erica　that　he　was；　at　least；　as　she　expressed　it　〃honestly　deluded。〃　　Evidently　he　did　from　his　very　heart　believe　what　he　said。

〃But　how　are　we　to　judge　what　is　best？〃　he　replied。　　〃My　belief　is　that　God　is　slowly　and　gradually　educating　the　world；　not　forcing　it　on　unnaturally；　but　drawing　it　on　step　by　step；　making　it　work　out　its　own　lessons　as　the　best　teachers　do　with　their　pupils。　To　me　the　idea　of　a　steady　progression；　in　which　man　himself　may　be　a　co…worker　with　God；　is　far　more　beautiful　than　the　conception　of　a　Being　who　does　not　work　by　natural　laws　at　all；　but　arbitrarily　causes　this　and　that　to　be　or　not　to　be。〃

〃But　then　if　your　God　is　educating　the　world；　He　is　educating　many　of　us　in　ignorance　of　Himself；　in　atheism。　　How　can　that　be　good　or　right？　　Surely　you；　for　instance；　must　be　rather　puzzled　when　you　come　across　atheists；　if　you　believe　in　a　perfect　God；　and　think　atheism　the　most　fearful　mistake　possible？〃

〃If　I　could　not　believe　that　God　can；　and　does；　educate　some　of　us　through　atheism；　I　should　indeed　be　miserable；〃　said　Brian；　with　a　thrill　of　pain　in　his　voice　which　startled　Erica。　　〃But　I　do　believe　that　even　atheism；　even　blank　ignorance　of　Him；　may　be　a　stage　through　which　alone　some　of　us　can　be　brought　onward。　　The　noblest　man　I　ever　knew　passed　through　that　state；　and　I　can't　think　he　would　have　been　half　the　man　he　is　if　he　had　not　passed　through　it。〃

〃I　have　only　known　two　or　three　people　who　from　atheists　became　theists；　and　they　were　horrid；〃　said　Erica；　emphatically。　　〃People　always　are　spiteful　to　the　side　they　have　left。〃

〃You　could　not　say　that　of　my　friend；〃　said　Brian；　musingly；　〃I　wish　you　could　meet　him。〃

They　had　reached　the　entrance　to　Guilford　Terrace；　Raeburn　and　Charles　Osmond　overtook　them；　and　the　conversation　ended　abruptly。　　Perhaps　because　Erica　had　made　no　answer　to　the　last　remark；　and　was　conscious　of　a　touch　of　malice　in　her　former　speech；　she　put　a　little　additional　warmth　into　her　farewell。　　At　any　rate；　there　was　that　which　touched　Brian's　very　heart　in　the　frank　innocence　of　her　hand　clasp；　in　the　sweet　yet　questioning　eyes　that　were　raised　to　his。

He　turned　away；　happier　and　yet　sadder　than　he　had　ever　been　in　his　life。　　Not　a　word　passed　between　him　and　his　father　as　they　crossed　the　square；　but　when　they　reached　home　they　instinctively　drew　together　over　the　study　fire。　　There　was　a　long　silence　even　then；　broken　at　last　by　Charles　Osmond。

〃Well；　my　son？〃　he　said。

〃I　cannot　see　how　I　can　be　of　the　least　use　to　her；〃　said　Brian；　abruptly；　as　if　his　father　had　been　following　the　whole　of　his　train　of　thought；　which；　indeed；　to　a　certain　extent；　he　had。

〃Was　this　afternoon　your　first　meeting？〃


〃Our　first　speaking。　　I　have　seen　her　many　times；　but　only　today　realized　what　she　is。〃

〃Well；　your　little　Undine　is　very　bewitching；　and　much　more　than　bewitching；　true　to　the　core　and　loyal　and　loving。　　If　only　the　hardness　of　her　life　does　not　embitter　her；　I　think　she　will　make　a　grand　woman。〃

〃Tell　me　what　you　did　this　afternoon；〃　said　Brian；　〃you　must　have　been　some　time　with　them。〃

Charles　Osmond　told　him　all　that　had　passed；　then　continued：

〃She　is；　as　I　said；　a　fascinating；　bright　little　Undine；　inclined　to　be　willful；　I　should　fancy；　and　with　a　sort　of　warmth　and　quickness　about　her　whole　character；　in　many　ways　still　a　child；　and　yet　in　others　strangely　old　for　her　years；　on　the　whole　I　should　say　as　fair　a　specimen　of　the　purely　natural　being　as　you　would　often　meet　with。　　The　spiritual　part　of　her　is；　I　fancy；　asleep。〃

〃No；　I　fancy　tonight　has　made　it　stir　for　the　first　time；〃　said　Brian；　and　he　told　his　father　a　little　of　what　had　passed　between　himself　and　Erica。

〃And　the　Longfellow　was；　I　suppose；　from　you；〃　said　Charles　Osmond。　　〃I　wish　you　could　have　seen　her　delight　over　it。　　Words　absolutely　failed　her。　　I　don't　think　any　one　else　noticed　it；　but；　her　own　vocabulary　coming　to　an　end；　she　turned　to　ours；　it　was　〃What　HEAVENLY　person　can　have　sent　me　this？〃

Brian　smiled；　but　sighed　too。

〃One　talks　of　the　spiritual　side　remaining　untouched；〃　he　said；　〃yet　how　is　it　ever　to　be　otherwise　than　chained　and　fettered；　while　such　men　as　that　Randolph　are　recognized　as　the　champions　of　our　cause；　while　injustice　and　unkindness　meet　her　at　every　turn；　while　it　is　something　rare　and　extraordinary　for　a　Christian　to　speak　a　kind　word　to　her。　　If　today　she　has　first　realized　that　Christians　need　not　necessarily　behave　as　brutes；　I　have　realized　a　little　what　life　is　from　her　point　of　view。〃

〃Then；　realizing　that　perhaps　you　may　help　her；　perhaps　another　chapter　of　the　old　legend　may　come　true；　and　you　may　be　the　means　of　waking　the　spirit　in　your　Undine。〃

〃I？　　Oh；　no！　　How　can　you　think　of　it！　　You　or　Donovan；　perhaps；　but　even　that　idea　seems　to　me　wildly　improbable。〃

There　was　something　in　his　humility　and　sadness　which　touched　his　father　inexpressibly。

〃Well；　he　said；　after　a　pause；　〃if　you　are　really　prepared　for　all　the　suffering　this　love　must　bring　you；　if　you　mean　to　take　it；　and　cherish　it；　and　live　for　it；　even　though　it　brings　you　no　gain；　but　apparent　pain　and　loss；　then　I　think　it　can　only　raise　both　you　and　your　Undine。〃

Brian　knew　that　not　one　man　in　a　thousand　would　have　spoken　in　such　a　way；　his　father's　unworldliness　was　borne　in　upon　him　as　it　had　never　been　before。　　Greatly　as　he　had　always　reverenced　and　loved　him；　tonight　his　love　and　reverence　deepened　unspeakablythe　two　were　drawn　nearer　to　each　other　than　ever。

It　was　not　the　habit　in　this　house　to　make　the　most　sacred　ties　of　life　the　butt　for　ill…timed　and　ill…judged　joking。　　No　knight　of　old　thought　or　spoke　more　reverently　or　with　greater　reserve　of　his　lady　love　than　did　Brian　of　Erica。　　He　regarded　himself　now　as　one　bound　to　do　her　service；　consecrated　from　that　day　forward　as　her　loyal　knight。


CHAPTER　V。　Erica's　Resolve

Men　are　tattooed　with　their　special　beliefs　like　so　many　South　Sea　Islanders；　but　a　real　human　heart；　with　Divine　love　in　it；　beats　with　the　same　glow　under　all　the　patterns　of　all　earth's　thousand　tribes。　　O。　Wendell　Holmes。

For　the　next　fortnight　Brian　and　Erica　continued　to　pass　each　other　every　afternoon　in　Gower　Street；　as　they　had　done　for　so　long；　the　only　difference　was　that　now　they　greeted　each　other；　that　occasionally　Brian　would　be　rendered　happy　for　the　rest　of　the　day　by　some　brief　passing　remark　from　his　Undine；　or　by　one　of　her　peculiarly　bright　smiles。　　One　day；　however；　she　actually　stopped；　her　face　was　radiant。

〃I　must　just　tell　you　our　good　news；〃　she　said。　　〃My　father　has　won　his　case；　and　has　got　heavy　damages。〃

〃I　am　very　glad；〃　said　Brian。　　〃It　must　be　a　great　relief　to　you　all　to　have　it　over。〃

〃Immense！　　Father　looks　as　if　a　ton's　weight　had　been　taken　off　his　mind。　　Now　I　hope　we　shall　have　a　little　peace。〃

With　a　hasty　good　bye　she　hurried　on；　an　unusual　elasticity　in　her　light　footsteps。　　In　Guilford　Square　she　met　a　political　friend　of　her　father's；　and　was　brought　once　more　to　a　standstill。　　This　time　it　was　a　little　unwillingly；　for　M。　Noirol　teased　her　unmercifully；　and　at　their　last　meeting　had　almost　made　her　angry　by　talking　of　a　friend　of　his　at　Paris　who　offered　untold　advantages　to　any　clever　and　well…educated　English　girl　who　wished　to　learn　the　language；　and　who　would　in　return　teach　her　own。　　Erica　had　been　made　miserable　by　the　mere　suggestion　that　such　a　situation　would　suit　her；　the　slightest　hint　that　it　might　be　well　for　her　to　go　abroad　had　roused　in　her　a　sort　of　terror　lest　her　father　might　ever　seriously　think　of　the　scheme。　　She　had　not　quite　forgiven　M。　Noirol　for　having　spoken；　although　the　proposal　had　not　been　gravely　made；　and　probably　only　persevered　in　out　of　the　spirit　of　teasing。　　But　today　M。　Noirol　looked　very　grave。

〃You　have　heard　our　good　news？〃　said　Erica。　　〃Now　don't　begin　again　about　Madame　Lemercier's　school；　I　don't　want　to　be　made　cross　today　of　all　days；　when　I　am　so　happy。〃

〃I　will　tease　you　no　more；　dear　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　Frenchman；　but　he　offered　no　congratulations；　and　there　was　something　in　his　manner　which　made　Erica　uneasy。

〃Is　anything　wrong？　　Has　anything　happened？〃　she　asked　quickly。

The　Frenchman　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Who　knows！　　It　is　an　evil　world；　Mademoiselle　Erica；　as　you　will　realize　when　you　have　lived　in　it　as　long　as　I　have。　　But　I　detain　you。　　Good　bye。　　AU　REVOIR！〃

He　took　off　his　hat　with　a　flourish；　and　passed　on。