we two-第100部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


Later　on　there　was　a　consultation　of　doctors；　their　verdict　was　perhaps　a　little　more　hopeful　than　Erica　had　dared　to　expect。　　Her　father　had　received　a　fearful　internal　injury　and　was　in　the　greatest　danger；　but　there　was　still　a　chance　that　he　might　recover；　it　was　just　possible；　and　knowing　how　his　constitution　had　rallied　when　every　one　had　thought　him　dying　three　years　before；　she　grew　very　hopeful。　　Without　hope　she　could　hardly　have　got　through　those　days　for　the　suffering　was　terrible。　　She　hardly　knew　which　she　dreaded　most；　the　nights　of　fever　and　delirium　when　groans　of　anguish　came　from　the　writhing　lips；　or　the　days　with　their　clear　consciousness　when　her　father　never　uttered　a　word　of　complaint　but　just　silently　endured　the　torture；　replying　always；　if　questioned　as　to　the　pain；　〃It's　bearable。〃

His　great　strength　and　vigor　made　it　seem　all　the　more　piteous　that　he　should　now　be　lying　in　the　very　extremity　of　suffering；　unable　to　bear　even　the　weight　of　the　bed　clothes。　　But　all　through　that　weary　time　his　fortitude　never　gave　way；　and　the　vein　of　humor　which　had　stood　him　in　such　good　stead　all　his　life　did　not　fail　him　even　now。　　On　the　Monday　when　he　was　suffering　torments；　they　tried　the　application　of　leeches。　　One　leech　escaped；　and　they　had　a　great　hunt　for　it；　Raeburn　astonishing　them　all　by　coming　out　with　one　of　his　quaint　flashes　of　wit　and　positively　making　them　laugh　in　spite　of　their　anxiety　and　sorrow。

The　weary　days　dragged　on；　the　torture　grew　worse；　opium　failed　to　deaden　the　pain；　and　sleep；　except　in　the　very　briefest　snatches；　was　impossible。　　But　at　last　on　the　Thursday　morning　a　change　set　in；　the　suffering　became　less　intense；　they　knew；　however；　that　it　was　only　because　the　end　was　drawing　near　and　the　life　energy　failing。

For　the　second　time　Sir　John　Larkom　came　down　from　London　to　see　the　patient；　but　every　one　knew　that　there　was　nothing　to　be　done。　　Even　Erica　began　to　understand　that　the　time　left　was　to　be　measured　only　by　hours。　　She　learned　it　in　a　few　words　which　Sir　John　Larkom　said　to　Donovan　on　the　stairs。　　She　was　in　her　own　room　with　the　door　partly　open；　eagerly　waiting　for　permission　to　go　back　to　her　father。

〃Oh；　it's　all　up　with　the　poor　fellow；〃　she　heard　the　London　doctor　say。　　〃A　wonderful　constitution；　most　men　would　not　have　held　out　so　long。〃

At　the　time　the　words　did　not　convey　any　very　clear　meaning　to　Erica；　she　felt　no　very　sharp　pang　as　she　repeated　the　sentence　to　herself；　there　was　only　a　curious　numb　feeling　at　her　heart　and　a　sort　of　dull　consciousness　that　she　must　move；　must　get　away　somewhere；　do　something　active。　　It　was　at　first　almost　a　relief　to　her　when　Donovan　returned　and　knocked　at　her　door。

〃I　am　afraid　we　ought　to　come　to　the　court；〃　he　said。　　〃They　will；　I　am　sure；　take　your　evidence　as　quickly　as　possible。〃

She　remembered　then　that　the　man　Drosser　was　to　be　brought　up　before　the　magistrates　that　morning；　she　and　Donovan　had　to　appear　as　witnesses　of　the　assault。　　She　went　into　her　father's　room　before　she　started；　he　had　specially　asked　to　see　her。　　He　was　quite　clear…minded　and　calm；　and　began　to　speak　in　a　voice　which；　though　weak　and　low；　had　the　old　musical　ring　about　it。

〃You　are　going　to　give　evidence；　Eric；〃　he　said；　holding　her　hand　in　his。　　〃Now；　I　don't　forgive　that　fellow　for　having　robbed　me　of　life；　but　one　must　be　just　even　to　one's　foes。　　They　will　ask　you　if　you　ever　saw　Drosser　before；　you　will　have　to　tell　them　of　that　scene　at　Greyshot；　and　you　must　be　sure　to　say　that　I　said；　as　we　drove　off：　'No　doubt　the　poor　fellow　is　half…witted。'　　Those　were　my　words；　do　you　remember？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　repeating　the　words　after　him　at　his　request。　　〃I　remember　quite　well。〃

〃Those　words　may　affect　Drosser's　case　very　much；　and　I　don't　wish　any　man　to　swing　for　me　I　have　always　disapproved　of　the　death　penalty。　　Probably；　though；　it　will　be　brought　in　as　manslaughter　yes；　almost　certainly。　　There　go；　my　child；　and　come　back　to　me　as　soon　as　you　can。〃

But　the　examination　proved　too　much　for　Erica's　physical　powers；　she　was　greatly　exhausted　by　the　terrible　strain　of　the　long　days　and　nights　of　nursing；　and　when　she　found　herself　in　a　hot　and　crowded　court；　pitilessly　stared　at；　confronted　by　the　man　who　was　in　fact　her　father's　murderer；　and　closely　questioned　by　the　magistrate　about　all　the　details　of　that　Sunday　evening；　her　overtasked　strength　gave　way　suddenly。

She　had　told　clearly　and　distinctly　about　the　meeting　at　Greyshot；　and　had　stated　positively　that　in　the　Ashborough　market　place　she　had　seen　Drosser　give　her　father　a　heavy　blow　and　then　push　him　down　the　Town　Hall　steps。

〃Can　you　recollect　whether　others　pushed　your　father　at　the　same　time？〃　asked　the　magistrate。　　〃Don't　answer　hurriedly；　this　is　an　important　matter。〃

All　at　once　the　whole　scene　came　vividly　before　Erica　the　huge　crowd；　the　glare　of　the　lights；　her　father　standing　straight　and　tall；　as　she　should　never　see　him　again；　his　thick　white　hair　stirred　by　the　wind；　his　whole　attitude　that　of　indignant　protest；　then　the　haggard　face　of　the　fanatic；　the　surging　movement　in　the　black　mass　of　people；　and　that　awful　struggle　and　fall。　　Was　it　he　who　was　falling？　If　so　she　was　surely　with　him；　falling　down；　down；　endlessly　down。

There　was　a　sudden　stir　and　commotion　in　the　court；　a　murmur　of　pity；　for　Luke　Raeburn's　daughter　had　fallen　back　senseless。

When　she　came　to　herself；　she　was　lying　on　the　floor　of　an　office…like　room；　with　her　head　on　Mrs。　MacNaughton's　lap。　　Brian　was　bending　over　her；　chafing　her　hands。　　A　clock　in　the　building　struck　one；　and　the　sound　seemed　to　recall　things　to　her　mind。　　She　started　up。

〃Oh！〃　she　cried；　〃why　am　I　not　with　my　father？　　Where　have　you　taken　me　to？〃

〃It's　all　right；　dear；〃said　Mrs。　MacNaughton　soothingly；　〃you　shall　come　back　directly　you　are　well　enough。〃

〃I　remember　it　all　now；〃　she　said；　〃did　I　finish？　　Must　I　go　back　there？〃

It　was　some　relief　to　know　that　Donovan　had　been　able　to　supplement　her　evidence；　and　that　the　examination　was　in　fact　over；　Drosser　having　been　remanded　for　a　week。　　She　insisted　on　going　back　to　the　hotel　at　once；　and　spent　the　whole　of　the　afternoon　and　evening　with　her　father。　　He　was　not　in　great　pain　now；　but　very　restless；　and　growing　weaker　every　hour。　　He　was　able；　however；　to　see　several　of　his　friends；　and　though　the　farewells　evidently　tried　him；　he　would　not　refuse　to　see　those　who　had　come　hundreds　of　miles　for　that　last　glimpse。

〃What　does　it　matter　if　I　am　exhausted？〃　he　said　when　some　one　remonstrated　with　him。　　〃It　will　make　no　difference　at　all　as　far　as　I　am　concerned；　and　it　will　be　a　happiness　to　them　for　the　rest　of　their　lives。　　Besides；　I　shall　not　die　today；　perhaps　not　tomorrow；　depend　upon　it；　I　shall　die　hard。〃

They　persuaded　Erica　to　rest　for　the　first　part　of　the　night。　　She　left　Tom　and　Brian　to　watch；　and　went　to　her　room；　making　them　promise　to　call　her　if　there　were　any　signs　of　change。

At　last　the　full　realization　had　come　to　her；　though　she　hated　leaving　her　father；　it　was　yet　a　sort　of　relief　to　get　away　into　the　dark；　to　be　able　to　give　way　for　a　moment。

〃Anything　but　this；　oh；　God；〃　she　sobbed；　〃anything　but　this！〃

All　else　would　have　been　easy　enough　to　bear；　but　that　he　should　be　killed　by　the　violence　and　bigotry　of　one　who　at　any　rate　called　himself　a　Christian；　this　seemed　to　her　not　tolerable。　　The　hope　of　years　had　received　its　death　blow；　the　life　she　most　loved　was　sinking　away　in　darkness；　the　work　which　she　had　so　bravely　taken　as　her　life　work　was　all　but　over；　and　she　had　failed。　　Yes；　in　spite　of　all　her　efforts；　all　her　longings；　all　her　love；　she　had　failed；　or　at　any　rate　apparently　failed；　and　in　moments　of　great　agony　we　do　not　in　fact　can　not　distinguish　between　the　real　and　the　apparent。　　Christ　Himself　could　not　do　it。

She　did　not　dare　to　let　her　sobs　rise　for　it　was　one　of　the　trials　of　that　time　that　they　were　not　in　their　own　home　but　in　a　busy　hotel　where　the　partitions　were　thin　and　every　sound　could　be　heard　in　the　adjoining　rooms。　　Moreover；　Aunt　Jean　was　sleeping　with　her　and　must　not　be　disturbed。　　But　as　she　lay　on　the　floor；　trying　to　stifle　the　restrained　sobs　which　shook　her　from　head　to　foot　　trying　to　check　the　bitter　tears　which　would　come；　her　thoughts　were　somehow　lifted　quite　away　from　the　present；　strange　little　memories　of　her　childish　days　returned　to　her；　days　when　her　father　had　been　to　her　the　living　incarnation　of　all　that　was　noble　and　good。　　Often　it　is　not　the　great　events　of　a　child's　life　which　are　so　vividly　remembered；　memory　seems　to　be　strangely　capricious　and　will　single　out　some　special　word　or　deed；　some　trifling　sign　of　love　which　has　stamped　itself　indelibly　upon　the　grain　to　bear　its　golden　harvest　of　responding　love　through　a　life　time。　　Vividly　there　came　back　to　her　now　the　eager　happiness　with　which　she　had　awaited　a　long　promised　treat；　as　a　little　thing　of　seven　years　old。　　Her　father　was　to　take　her　on　some　special　excursion；　she　had　long　ago　forgotten　what　the　particular　occasion　was；　only　it　was　something　that　could　come　but　once；　the　day　lost；　the　treat　would　be　lost。　　But　the　evening　before；　when　she　was　on　the　very　tiptoe