we two-第14部分

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osity。

〃I　believe　he　would　have　drowned　himself　sooner　or　later；　like　Gray's　cat；　so　I　dare　say　it　is　a　good　thing　for　him　to　leave。　　You　will　be　kind　to　him；　won't　you？〃

Brian　promised　that　he　should　be　well　attended　to；　and；　indeed　there　was　little　doubt　that　St。　Anthony　would　from　that　day　forth　be　lapped　in　luxury。　　He　went　away　with　his　new　master　very　contentedly；　Erica　following　them　to　the　door　with　farewell　injunctions。

〃And　you'll　be　sure　to　butter　his　feet　well　or　else　he　won't　stay　with　you。　Good　bye；　dear　Tony。　　Be　a　good　little　cat！〃

Brian　was　pleased　to　have　this　token　from　his　Undine；　but　at　the　same　time　he　could　not　help　seeing　that　she　cared　much　more　about　parting　with　the　kitten　than　about　saying　good　bye　to　him。　　Well；　it　was　something　to　have　that　lucky　St。　Anthony；　who　had　been　fondled　and　kissed。　　And　after　all　it　was　Erica's　very　childishness　and　simplicity　which　made　her　so　dear　to　him。

As　soon　as　they　were　out　of　sight；　Erica；　with　the　thought　of　the　separation　beginning　to　weigh　upon　her；　went　back　to　her　mother。　　They　knew　that　this　was　the　last　quiet　time　they　would　have　together　for　many　long　months。　　But　last　days　are　not　good　days　for　talking。　　They　spoke　very　little。　　Every　now　and　then　Mrs。　Raeburn　would　make　some　inquiry　about　the　packing　or　the　journey；　or　would　try　to　cheer　the　child　by　speaking　of　the　house　they　would　have　at　the　end　of　the　two　years。　　But　Erica　was　not　to　be　comforted；　a　dull　pain　was　gnawing　at　her　heart；　and　the　present　was　not　to　be　displaced　by　any　visions　of　a　golden　future。〃If　it　were　not　for　leaving　you　alone；　mother；　I　shouldn't　mind　so　much；〃　she　said；　in　a　choked　voice。　　〃But　it　seems　to　me　that　you　have　the　hardest　part　of　all。〃

〃Aunt　Jean　will　be　here；　and　Tom；〃　said　Mrs。　Raeburn。

〃Aunt　Jean　is　very　kind；〃　said　Erica；　doubtfully。　　〃But　she　doesn't　know　how　to　nurse　people。　　Tom　is　the　one　hope；　and　he　has　promised　always　to　tell　me　the　whole　truth　about　you；　so　if　you　get　worse；　I　shall　come　home　directly。〃

〃You　mustn't　grudge　me　my　share　of　the　work；〃　said　Mrs。　Raeburn。　　〃It　would　make　me　very　miserable　if　I　did　hinder　you　or　your　father。〃

Erica　sighed。〃You　and　father　are　so　dreadfully　public…spirited！　　And　yet；　oh；　mother！　What　does　the　whole　world　matter　to　me　if　I　think　you　are　uncomfortable；　and　wretched；　and　alone？〃

〃You　will　learn　to　think　differently；　dear；　by　and　by；〃　said　her　mother；　kissing　the　eager；　troubled　face。　　〃And；　when　you　fancy　me　lonely；　you　can　picture　me　instead　as　proud　and　happy　in　thinking　of　my　brave　little　daughter　who　has　gone　into　exile　of　her　own　accord　to　help　the　cause　of　truth　and　liberty。〃

They　were　inspiriting　words；　and　they　brought　a　glow　to　Erica's　face；　she　choked　down　her　own　personal　pain。　　No　religious　martyr　went　through　the　time　of　trial　more　bravely　than　Luke　Raeburn's　daughter　lived　through　the　next　four　and　twenty　hours。　　She　never　forgot　even　the　most　trivial　incident　of　that　day；　it　seemed　burned　in　upon　her　brain。　　The　dreary　waking　on　the　dark　winter　morning；　the　hurried　farewells　to　her　aunt　and　Tom；　the　last　long　embrace　from　her　mother；　the　drive　to　the　station；　her　father's　recognition　on　the　platform；　the　rude　staring　and　ruder　comments　to　which　they　were　subjected；　then　the　one　supreme　wrench　of　parting；　the　look　of　pain　in　her　father's　face；　the　trembling　of　his　voice；　the　last　long　look　as　the　train　moved　off；　and　the　utter　loneliness　of　all　that　followed。　　Then　came　dimmer　recollections；　not　less　real；　but　more　confused；　of　a　merry　set　of　fellow　passengers　who　were　going　to　enjoy　themselves　in　the　south　of　France；　of　a　certain　little　packet　which　her　father　had　placed　in　her　hand；　and　which　proved　to　be　〃Mill　on　Liberty；〃　of　her　eager　perusal　of　the　first　two　or　three　chapters；　of　the　many　instances　of　the　〃tyranny　of　the　majority〃　which　she　had　been　able　to　produce；　not　without　a　certain　satisfaction。　　And　afterward　more　vividly　she　could　recall　the　last　look　at　England；　the　dreary　arrival　at　Boulogne；　the　long　weary　railway　journey；　and　the　friendly　reception　at　Mme　Lemercier's　school。　　No　one　could　deny　that　her　new　life　had　been　bravely　begun。


CHAPTER　VI。　Paris

But　we　wake　in　the　young　morning　when　the　light　is　breaking　forth；　And　look　out　on　its　misty　gleams；　as　if　the　moon　were　full；　And　the　Infinite　around；　seems　but　a　larger　kind　of　earth　Ensphering　this；　and　measured　by　the　self…same　handy　rule。　　Hilda　among　the　Broken　Gods。

Not　unfrequently　the　most　important　years　of　a　life；　the　years　which　tell　most　on　the　character；　are　unmarked　by　any　notable　events。　　A　steady；　orderly　routine；　a　gradual　progression；　perseverance　in　hard　work；　often　do　more　to　educate　and　form　than　a　varied　and　eventful　life。　　Erica's　two　years　of　exile　were　as　monotonous　and　quiet　as　the　life　of　the　secularist's　daughter　could　possibly　be。　　There　came　to　her；　of　course；　from　the　distance　the　echoes　of　her　father's　strife；　but　she　was　far　removed　from　it　all；　and　there　was　little　to　disturb　her　mind　in　the　quiet　Parisian　school。　　There　is　no　need　to　dwell　on　her　uneventful　life；　and　a　very　brief　description　of　her　surroundings　will　be　sufficient　to　show　the　sort　of　atmosphere　in　which　she　lived。

The　school　was　a　large　one；　and　consisted　principally　of　French　provincial　girls；　sent　to　Paris　to　finish　their　education。　　Some　of　them　Erica　liked　exceedingly；　every　one　of　them　was　to　her　a　curious　and　interesting　study。　　She　liked　to　hear　them　talk　about　their　home　life；　and；　above　all　things；　to　hear　their　simple；　naive　remarks　about　religion。　　Of　course　she　was　on　her　honor　not　to　enter　into　discussions　with　them；　and　they　regarded　all　English　as　heretics；　and　did　not　trouble　themselves　to　distinguish　between　the　different　grades。　　But　there　was　nothing　to　prevent　her　from　observing　and　listening；　and　with　some　wonder　she　used　to　hear　discussions　about　the　dresses　for　the　〃Premiere　Communion；〃　remarks　about　the　various　services；　or　laments　over　the　confession　papers。　　The　girls　went　to　confession　once　a　month；　and　there　was　always　a　day　in　which　they　had　to　prepare　and　write　out　their　misdemeanors。　　One　day；　a　little；　thin；　delicate　child　from　the　south　of　France　came　up　to　Erica　with　her　confession　in　her　hand。

〃Dear；　good　Erica；〃　she　said；　wearily；　〃have　the　kindness　to　read　this　and　to　correct　my　mistakes。〃

Erica　took　the　little　thing　on　her　knee；　and　began　to　read　the　paper。　　It　was　curiously　spelled。　　Before　very　long　she　came　to　the　sentence；　〃J'ai　trop　mange。〃

〃Why；　Ninette；〃　exclaimed　Erica；　〃you　hardly　eat　enough　to　feed　a　sparrow；　it　is　nonsense　to　put　that。〃

〃Ah；　but　it　was　a　fast　day；〃　signed　Ninette。　　〃And　I　felt　hungry；　and　did　really　eat　more　than　I　need　have。〃

Erica　felt　half　angry　and　contemptuous；　half　amused；　and　could　only　hope　that　the　priest　would　see　the　pale；　thin　face　of　the　little　penitent；　and　realize　the　ludicrousness　of　the　confession。

Another　time　all　the　girls　had　been　to　some　special　service；　on　their　return；　she　asked　what　it　had　been　about。

〃Oh；〃　remarked　a　bright…faced　girl；　〃it　was　about　the　seven　joys　or　the　seven　sorrowsof　Mary。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　you　don't　know　whether　it　was　very　solemn　or　very　joyful？〃　asked　Erica；　astonished　and　amused。

〃I　am　really　not　sure；〃　said　the　girl；　with　the　most　placid　good…tempered　indifference。

On　the　whole；　it　was　scarcely　to　be　wondered　at　that　Erica　was　not　favorably　impressed　with　Roman　Catholicism。

She　was　a　great　favorite　with　all　the　girls；　but；　though　she　was　very　patient　and　persevering；　she　did　not　succeed　in　making　any　of　them　fluent　English　speakers；　and　learned　their　language　far　better　than　they　learned　hers。　　Her　three　special　friends　were　not　among　the　pupils；　but　among　the　teachers。　　Dear　old　Mme。　Lemercier；　with　her　good…humored　black　eyes；　her　kind；　demonstrative　ways；　and　her　delightful　stories　about　the　time　of　the　war　and　the　siege；　was　a　friend　worth　having。　　So　was　her　husband；　M。　Lemercier　the　journalist。　　He　was　a　little　dried…up　man；　with　a　fierce　black　mustache；　he　was　sarcastic　and　witty；　and　he　would　talk　politics　by　the　hour　together　to　any　one　who　would　listen　to　him；　especially　if　they　would　now　and　then　ask　a　pertinent　and　intelligent　question　which　gave　him　scope　for　an　oration。

Erica　made　a　delightful　listener；　for　she　was　always　anxious　to　learn　and　to　understand；　and　before　long　she　was　quite　AU　FAIT；　and　understood　a　great　deal　about　that　exceedingly　complicated　thing；　the　French　political　system。　　M。　Lemercier　was　a　fiery；　earnest　little　man；　with　very　strong　convictions；　he　had　been　exiled　as　a　communist　but　had　now　returned；　and　was　a　very　vigorous　and　impassioned　writer　in　one　of　the　advanced　Republican　journals。　　He　and　his　wife　became　very　fond　of　Erica；　Mme。　Lemercier　loving　her　for　her　brightness　and　readiness　to　help；　and　monsieur　for　her　beauty　and　her　quickness　of　perception。　　It　was　surprising　and　gratifying　to　meet　with　a　girl　who；　without　being　a　femme　savante；　was　yet　capable　of　understanding　the　difference　between　the　Extreme　Left　and　the　Left　Center；　and　who　took　a　real　interest　in　what　was　passing　in　the　world。

But　Erica's　greatest　friend　was　a　certain　Fraulein　Sonnenthal；　the　German　governess。　　She　was　a　kind…eyed　Hano