we two-第53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！

nd　Easter…day；〃　when　a　sound　of　dismay　from　her　cousin　made　her　laughingly　put　it　down　again。

〃Oh；　dear　me！〃　said　Rose；　in　a　despairing　voice；　〃I　am　afraid；　after　all；　you　are　dreadfully　blue。　　Fancy　snatching　up　a　Browning　like　that！〃

Erica　began　to　unlock　her　trunk。

〃Do　you　want　your　things　out？〃　said　Rose。　〃I'll　ring　for　Gemma；　she'll　unpack　for　you。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you；〃　said　Erica；　〃I　would　much　rather　do　it　myself。〃

〃But　it　is　nearly　dinner　time；　we　are　dining　early　this　evening；　and　you　will　want　Gemma　to　help　you　to　dress。〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Erica；　laughing；　〃I　never　had　a　maid　in　my　life。〃

〃How　funny；〃　said　Rose；　〃I　shouldn't　know　what　to　do　without　one。　　Gemma　does　everything　for　me；　at　least　everything　that　Elspeth　will　let　her。〃

〃Is　she　Italian？〃　asked　Erica。

〃Oh；　no；　her　name　is　really　Jemima；　but　that　was　quite　too　dreadfully　ugly；　you　know；　and　she　is　such　a　pretty　girl。〃

She　chattered　on　while　Erica　unpacked　and　put　on　her　white　serge；　then　they　went　down　to　the　drawing　room　where　Erica　was　introduced　to　her　host；　a　small　elderly　man；　who　looked　as　if　the　Indian　sun　had　partially　frizzled　him。　　He　received　her　kindly；　but　with　a　sort　of　ceremonious　stiffness　which　made　her　feel　less　perfectly　at　her　east　than　before；　and　after　the　usual　remarks　about　the　length　of　the　journey；　and　the　beauty　of　the　weather；　he　relapsed　into　silence；　surveying　every　one　from　his　arm　chair　as　though　he　were　passing　mental　judgments　on　every　foolish　or　trifling　remark　uttered。　　In　reality；　he　was　taking　in　every　particular　about　Erica。　　He　looked　at　her　broad　forehead；　overshadowed　by　the　thick　smooth　waves　of　short　auburn　hair；　observed　her　golden…brown　eyes　which　were　just　now　as　clear　as　amber；　noted　the　creamy　whiteness　and　delicate　coloring　of　her　complexion；　which　indeed　defied　criticism　even　the　criticism　of　such　a　critical　man　as　Mr。　Fane…Smith。　　The　nose　was　perhaps　a　trifle　too　long；　the　chin　too　prominent；　for　ideal　beauty；　but　greater　regularity　of　feature　could　but　have　rendered　less　quaint；　less　powerful；　and　less　attractive　the　strangely　winsome　face。　　It　was　only　the　mouth　which　he　did　not　feel　satisfied　with　it　added　character　to　the　face；　but　he　somehow　felt　that　it　betokened　a　nature　not　easily　led；　not　so　gentle　and　pliable　as　he　could　have　wished。　　It　shut　so　very　firmly　and　the　under　lip　was　a　little　thinner　and　straighter　than　the　other　and　receded　a　little　from　it；　giving　the　impression　that　Erica　had　borne　much　suffering；　and　had　exercised　great　self…restraint。

Mrs。　Fane…Smith　saw　in　her　a　sort　of　miniature　and　feminine　edition　of　the　Luke　Raeburn　whom　she　remembered　eight…and…twenty　years　before　in　their　Scottish　home。　　When　Rose　had　gone　into　the　back　drawing　room　to　fetch　her　crewels；　she　drew　Erica　toward　her；　and　kissing　her　again；　said　in　a　low；　almost　frightened　voice：

〃You　are　very　like　what　your　father　was。〃

But　just　at　that　moment　Mr。　Fane…Smith　asked　some　sudden　question；　and　his　wife；　starting　and　　coloring；　as　though　she　had　been　detected　in　wrong…doing；　hurriedly　and　nervously　devoted　herself　to　what　seemed　to　Erica　a　distractingly　round…about　answer。　　By　the　time　it　was　fairly　ended；　dinner　was　announced；　and　the　strangeness　of　the　atmosphere　of　this　new　home　struck　more　and　more　upon　Erica　and　chilled　her　a　little。　　The　massive　grandeur　of　the　old　oak　furniture；　the　huge　oil　paintings；　which　she　wanted　really　to　study；　the　great　silver　candelabra；　even　the　two　footmen　and　the　solemn　old　butler　seemed　to　oppress　her。　　The　luxury　was　almost　burdensome。　　It　was　a　treat　indeed　to　see　and　use　beautiful　glass　and　china；　and　pleasant　to　have　beautiful　fruit　and　flowers　to　look　at；　but　Erica　was　a　bohemian　and　hated　stiff　ceremony　Her　heart　failed　her　when　she　thought　of　sitting　down　night　after　night　to　such　an　interminable　meal。　　Worse　still；　she　had　taken　a　dislike　to　her　host。　　Her　likes　and　dislikes　were　always　characterized　by　Highland　intensity；　and　something　in　her　aunt's　husband　seemed　to　rub　her　the　wrong　way。　　Mr。　Fane…Smith　was　a　retired　Indian　judge；　a　man　much　respected　in　the　religious　world；　and　in　his　way　a　really　good　man；　but　undoubtedly　his　sympathies　were　narrow　and　his　creed　hard。　　Closely　intwined　with　much　true　and　active　Christianity；　he　had　allowed　to　spring　up　a　choking　overgrowth　of　hard　criticism；　of　intolerance；　of　domineering　dogmatism。　　He　was　one　of　those　men　who　go　about　the　world；　trying；　not　to　find　points　of　union　with　all　men；　but　ferreting　out　the　most　trifling　points　of　divergence。　　He　did　this　with　the　best　intentions；　no　doubt；　but　as　Erica's　whole　view　of　life；　and　of　Christian　life　in　particular；　was　the　direct　opposite　of　his；　their　natures　inevitably　jarred。

She　knew　that　it　was　foolish　to　expect　every　Christian　household　to　be　equal　to　the　Osmonds'；　but　nevertheless　a　bitter　sense　of　disappointment　stole　over　her　that　evening。　　Where　was　the　sense　of　restful　unity　which　she　had　looked　forward　to？　　The　new　atmosphere　felt　strange；　the　new　order　of　life　this　luxurious　easy　life　was　hard　to　comprehend。

To　add　to　her　dislike　Mr。　Fane…Smith　was　something　of　an　epicure　and　had　a　most　fastidious　palate。　　Now；　Erica's　father　thought　scarcely　anything　about　what　he　ate　it　was　indeed　upon　record　that　he　had　once　in　a　fit　of　absence　dined　upon　a　plate　of　scraps　intended　for　Friskarina；　while　engaged　in　some　scientific　discussion　with　the　professor。　　Mr。　Fane…Smith；　on　the　other　hand；　though　convinced　that　the　motto　of　all　atheists　was　〃Let　us　eat　and　drink　for　tomorrow　we　die；〃　criticized　his　food　almost　as　severely　as　he　criticized　human　beings。　　The　mulligatawny　was　not　to　his　taste。　　The　curry　was　too　not。　　He　was　sure　the　jelly　was　made　with　that　detestable　stuff　gelatine；　he　wished　his　wife　would　forbid　the　cook　to　use　it　if　she　had　seen　old　horses　being　led　into　a　gelatine　manufactory　as　he　had　seen；　she　would　be　more　particular。

Interspersed　between　these　compliments　was　conversation　which　irritated　Erica　even　more。　　It　was　chiefly　about　the　sayings　and　doings　of　people　whom　she　did　not　know；　and　the　doings　of　some　clergyman　in　a　neighboring　town　seemed　to　receive　severe　censure；　for　Mr。　Fane…Smith　stigmatized　him　as　〃A　most　dangerous　man；　a　Pelagian　in　disguise。〃　However；　he　seemed　to　be　fond　of　labeling　people　with　the　names　of　old　heresies；　for；　presently；　when　Rose　said　something　about　Mr。　Farrant；　her　father　replied　contemptuously：

Every　one　knows；　my　dear；　that　Mr。　Farrant　holds　unorthodox　views。　　Why；　a　few　years　ago　he　was　an　atheist；　and　now　he's　a　mere　Photinian。

As　no　one　but　Mr。　Fane…Smith　had　the　faintest　idea　what　a　〃Photinian〃　meant；　the　accusation　could　neither　be　understood　nor　refuted。　　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　looked　very　uncomfortable；　fearing　that　her　niece　might　feel　hurt　at　the　tone　in　which　〃He　was　an　atheist；〃　had　been　spoken；　and　indeed　Erica's　color　did　rise。

〃Is　that　Mr。　Farrant　the　member？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；〃　replied　her　aunt；　apprehensively。　　〃Do　you　know　him？〃

〃Not　personally；　but　I　shall　always　honor　him　for　the　splendid　speech　he　made　last　year　on　religious　toleration；〃　said　Erica。

Mr。　Fane…Smith　raised　his　eyebrows　for　the　same　speech　had　made　him　most　indignant。　　However；　he　began　to　realize　that；　before　Erica　could　become　a　patient　recipient　of　his　opinions；　like　his　wife　and　daughter；　he　must　root　out　the　false　ideas　which　evidently　still　clung　to　her。

〃Mr。　Farrant　is　no　doubt　a　reformed　character　now；〃　he　admitted。　　〃But　he　is　far　from　orthodox；　far　from　orthodox！　　At　one　time　I　am　told　that　he　was　one　of　the　wildest　young　fellows　in　the　neighborhood；　no　decent　person　would　speak　to　him；　and　though　no　doubt　he　means　well；　yet　I　could　never　have　confidence　in　such　a　man。〃

〃I　have　heard　a　good　deal　about　him　from　my　friends　the　Osmonds；〃　said　Erica；　stimulated　as　usual　to　side　with　the　abused。　　〃Mr。　Osmond　thinks　him　the　finest　character　he　ever　knew。〃

〃Is　that　the　clergyman　you　told　me　of？〃　interposed　Mrs。　Fane…Smith；　anxious　to　turn　the　conversation。

But　her　husband　threw　in　a　question；　too。

〃What；　Charles　Osmond；　do　you　mean　the　author　of　'Essays　on　Modern　Christianity？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Erica。

〃I　don't　know　that　he　is　much　more　orthodox　than　Mr。　Farrant；〃　said　Mr。　Fane…Smith；　〃I　consider　that　he　has　Noetian　tendencies。〃

Erica's　color　rose　and　her　eyes　flashed。

〃I　do　not　know　whether　he　is　what　is　called　orthodox　or　not；〃　she　said；　　〃but　I　do　know　that　he　is　the　most　Christ…like　man　I　ever　met。〃

Mr。　Fane…Smith　looked　uncomfortable。　　He　would　name　any　number　of　heresies　and　heretics；　but；　except　at　grace；　it　was　against　his　sense　of　etiquette　to　speak　the　name　of　Christ　at　table。。　　Even　Rose　looked　surprised；　and　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　colored；　and　at　once　made　the　move　to　go。

On　the　plea　of　fetching　some　work；　Erica　escaped　to　her　own　room；　and　there　tried　to　cool　her　cheeks　and　her　temper；　but　the　idea　of　such　a　man　as　Mr。　Fane…Smith　sitting　in　judgment　on　such　men　as　Mr。　Farrant　and　Charles　Osmond　had　thoroughly　roused　her；　and　she　went　down　still　in　a　dangerous　state　a　touch　would　make　her　anger　blaze　up。

〃Are　you　fond　of　knitting？〃　asked　her　aunt；　making　room　for　her　on　the　sofa；　and　much　relieved　to　find　that　her　niece　was　not　of　the　unfeminine　〃blue