we two-第57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！

m　trouble　just　at　present。　　

With　these　thoughts　in　her　mind；　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　found　herself　on　her　way　to　Lady　Caroline's；　but　her　developing　breadth　of　view　was　destined　to　receive　a　severe　shock。　　They　were　the　last　guests　to　arrive；　and　at　the　very　moment　of　their　entrance　Lady　Caroline　was　talking　in　her　most　vivacious　way　to　Mr。　Cuthbert；　a　young　clergyman；　the　vicar　of　one　of　the　Greyshot　churches。

〃I　am　going　to　give　you　a　treat；　Mr。　Cuthbert；〃　she　said　laughingly。　　〃I　know　you　are　artistic；　and　so　I　intend　you　to　take　down　that　charming　niece　of　Mrs。　Fane…Smith's。　　I　assure　you　she　is　like　a　Burne…Jones　angel！〃

Mr。　Cuthbert　smiled　a　quietly　superior　smile；　and　coolly　surveyed　Erica　as　she　came　in。　　Dinner　was　announced　almost　immediately；　and　it　was　not　until　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　had　been　taken　down　that　Lady　Caroline　brought　Mr。　Cuthbert　to　Erica's　side　to　introduce　him。〃Why；　your　aunt　has　never　told　me　your　name；〃　she　said；　smiling。

〃My　name　is　Erica　Raeburn；〃　said　Erica；　quite　unconscious　that　this　was　a　revelation　to　every　one；　and　that　her　aunt　had　purposely　spoken　of　her　everywhere　as　〃my　niece。〃

Lady　Caroline　gave　a　scarcely　perceptible　start　of　surprise；　and　there　was　a　curious　touch　of　doubt　and　constraint　in　her　voice　as　she　pronounced　the　〃Mr。　Cuthbert　Miss　Raeburn。〃　　Undoubtedly　that　name　sounded　rather　strangely　in　her　drawing　room；　and　awoke　uncomfortable　suggestions。。

〃Raeburn！　　Erica　Raeburn！〃　thought　Mr。　Cuthbert　to　himself。　　〃Uncommon　name　in　England。　　Connection；　I　wonder！　　Aunt　hadn't　given　her　name！　　That　looks　odd。　　I'll　see　if　she　has　a　Scotch　accent。〃

〃Are　you　staying　in　Greyshot？〃　he　asked　as　they　went　down　the　broad　staircase；　with　its　double　border　of　flowering　plants。

〃Yes；〃　said　Erica；　〃I　came　last　week。　　What　lovely　country　it　is　about　here！〃

〃Country；〃　with　its　thrilled　〃r；〃　betrayed　her　nationality；　though　her　accent　was　of　the　slightest。　　Mr。　Cuthbert　chuckled　to　himself；　for　he　thought　he　had　caught　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　tripping；　and　he　was　a　man　who　derived　an　immense　amount　of　pleasure　from　making　other　people　uncomfortable。　　As　a　child；　he　had　been　a　tease；　as　a　big　boy；　he　had　been　a　bully；　as　a　man；　he　had　become　a　malicious　gossip　monger。　　Tonight　he　thought　he　saw　a　chance　of　good　sport；　and　directly　he　had　said　grace；　in　the　momentary　pause　which　usually　follows；　he　turned　to　Erica　with　an　abrupt；　though　outwardly　courteous　question；　carried　off　with　a　little　laugh。

〃I　hope　you　are　no　relation　to　that　despicable　infidel　who　bears　your　name；　Miss　Raeburn？〃

Erica's　color　deepened；　she　almost　annihilated　him　with　a　flash　from　her　bright　indignant　eyes。

〃I　am　Luke　Raeburn's　daughter；〃　she　said；　in　her　clearest　voice；　and　with　a　dignity　which；　for　the　time；　spoiled　Mr。　Cuthbert's　enjoyment。

Many　people　had　heard　the　vicar's　question　during　the　pause；　and　not　a　few　listened　curiously　for　the　answer　which；　though　quietly　spoken；　reached　many　ears；　for　nothing　gives　so　much　penetrating　power　to　words　as　concentrated　will　and　keen　indignation。　　Before　long　every　one　in　the　room　knew　that　Mrs。　Fane…Smith's　pretty　niece　was　actually　the　daughter　of　〃that　evil　and　notorious　Raeburn。〃

Mr。　Cuthbert　had　certainly　got　his　malicious　wish；　he　had　succeeded　in　making　Mrs。　Fane…Smith　　miserable；　in　making　his　hostess　furious；　in　putting　his　little　neighbor　into　the　most　uncomfortable　of　　positions。　　Of　course　he　was　not　going　to　demean　himself　by　talking　to　〃that　atheist's　daughter。〃　He　enjoyed　the　general　discomfiture　to　his　heart's　content；　and　then　devoted　himself　to　the　lady　on　his　other　side。

As　for　Erica　her　blood　was　up。　Forced　to　sit　still；　forced　even　to　eat　at　a　table　where　she　was　an　unwelcome　guest；　her　anger　got　the　mastery　of　her　for　the　time。　　She　was　indignant　at　the　insult　to　her　father；　indignant；　too；　that　her　aunt　had　ever　allowed　her　to　get　into　such　a　false　position。　　The　very　constraint　she　was　forced　to　put　upon　herself　made　her　wrath　all　the　deeper。　　She　was　no　angel　yet；　though　Mr。　Burne…Jones　might　have　taken　her　for　a　model。　　She　was　a　quick…tempered　little　piece　of　humanity；　her　passions　burned　with　Highland　intensity；　her　sense　of　indignation　was　strong　and　keen；　and　the　atmosphere　of　her　home；　the　hard　struggle　against　intolerable　bigotry　and　malicious　persecution　had　from　her　very　babyhood　tended　to　increase　this。　　She　had　inherited　all　her　father's　passion　for　justice　and　much　of　his　excessive　pride；　while　her　delicate　physical　frame　made　her　far　more　sensitive。　　Moreover；　though　since　that　June　morning　in　the　museum　she　had　gained　a　peace　and　happiness　of　which　in　the　old　days　she　had　never　dreamed；　yet　the　entire　change　had　in　many　ways　increased　the　difficulties　of　her　life。　　Such　a　wrench；　such　an　upheaval　as　it　had　involved；　could　not　but　tell　upon　her　immensely。　　And；　besides；　she　had　in　every　way　for　the　last　three　months　been　living　at　high　pressure。

The　grief；　the　disapproval；　the　contemptuous　pity　of　her　secularist　friends　had　taxed　her　strength　to　the　utmost；　but　she　had　stood　firm；　and　had　indeed　been　living　on　the　heights。

Now　the　months　of　Charles　Osmond's　careful　preparation　were　over；　her　baptism　was　over；　and　a　little　weary　and　overdone　with　all　that　she　had　lived　through　that　summer；　she　had　come　down　to　Greyshot　expecting　rest；　and　behold；　fresh　vexations　had　awaited　her！

A　nice　Christian　world！　　A　nice　type　of　a　clergyman！　　she　thought　to　herself；　as　bitterly　as　in　the　old　days；　and　with　a　touch　of　sorrow　added。　　The　old　lines　from　〃Hiawatha；〃　which　had　been　so　often　on　her　lips；　now　rang　in　her　head：

〃For　his　heart　was　hot　within　him；　　Like　a　living　coal　his　heart　was。〃

She　longed　to　get　up　and　go；　but　that　would　have　put　her　aunt　in　a　yet　more　painful　position；　and　might　have　annoyed　Lady　Caroline　even　more　than　her　presence。　She　would　have　given　anything　to　have　fainted　after　the　convenient　fashion　of　the　heroines　of　romance；　but　never　had　she　felt　so　completely　strung　up；　so　conscious　of　intense　vitality。　　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　endurance。　　And　for　two　mortal　hours　she　had　to　sit　and　endure！　　Mr。　Cuthbert　never　spoke　to　her；　her　neighbor　on　the　other　side　glanced　at　her　furtively　from　time　to　time；　but　preserved　a　stony　silence；　there　was　an　uncomfortable　cloud　on　her　hostess's　brow；　while　her　aunt；　whom　she　could　see　at　some　distance　on　the　other　side　of　the　table；　looked　very　white　and　wretched。

It　is　wonderful　how　rude　people　can　be；　even　in　good　society；　and　the　looks　of　〃blank　amaze；〃　〃cold　surprise；〃　and　〃cool　curiosity〃　which　Erica　received　would　hardly　be　credited。　　A　greater　purgatory　to　a　sensitive　girl；　whose　pride　was　by　no　means　conquered；　can　hardly　be　conceived。

She　choked　down　a　little　food；　unable　to　reject　everything；　but　her　throat　almost　refused　to　swallow　it。　　The　glare　of　the　lights；　the　oppressive　atmosphere；　the　babel　of　tongues　seemed　to　beat　upon　her　brain；　and　a　sick　longing　for　home　almost　overmastered　her。　　Oh；　to　get　away　from　these　so…called　Christians；　with　their　cruel　judgments；　their　luxuries；　their　gayeties　these　hard；　rich　bigots；　who　yet　belonged　to　the　body　she　had　just　joined；　with　who；　in　the　eyes　of　her　old　friends；　she　should　be　identified！　　Oh；　for　the　dear　old　book…lined　study　at　home！　　For　one　moment　with　her　father！　　One　word　from　a　being　who　loved　and　trusted　her！　　Tears　started　to　her　eyes；　but　the　recollection　that　even　home　was　no　longer　a　place　of　refuge　checked　them。　　There　would　be　Aunt　Jean's　wearing　remonstrances　and　sarcastic　remarks；　there　would　be　Mr。　Masterman's　patronizing　contempt；　and　Tom's　studious　avoidance　of　the　matters　she　had　most　at　heart。　　Was　it　worse　to　be　treated　as　a　well…meaning　idiot；　or　as　an　outcast　and　semi…heretic？　　Never　till　now　had　she　so　thoroughly　realized　her　isolation；　and　she　felt　so　bruised　and　buffeted　and　weary　that　the　realization　at　that　particular　time　was　doubly　trying。

Isolation　is　perhaps　the　greatest　of　all　trials　to　a　sensitive　and　warm…hearted　nature；　and　nothing　but　the　truest　and　deepest　love　for　the　whole　race　can　possibly　keep　an　isolated　person　from　growing　bitter。　　Erica　knew　this；　had　known　it　ever　since　Brian　had　brought　her　the　message　from　her　mother；　〃It　is　only　love　that　can　keep　from　bitterness。〃　　All　through　these　years　she　had　been　struggling　hard；　and　though　there　had　been　constant　temptations；　though　the　harshness　of　the　bigoted；　the　insults　offered　to　her　father　in　the　name　of　religion；　the　countless　slights　and　slanders　had　tried　her　to　the　utmost；　she　had　still　struggled　upward；　and　in　spite　of　all　had　grown　in　love。　　But　now；　for　the　first　time；　she　found　herself　completely　isolated。　　The　injustice；　the　hardness　of　it　proved　too　much　for　her。　　She　forgot　that　those　who　would　be　peace…makers　reconcilers；　must　be　content　to　receive　the　treatment　which　the　Prince　of　Peace　received；　she　forgot　that　these　rich；　contemptuous　people　were　her　brothers　and　sisters；　and　that　their　hard　judgment　did　not　and　could　not　alter　their　relationship；　she　forgot　all　in　a　burning　indignation；　in　an　angry　revolt　against　the　injustice　of　the　world。

She　would　study　these　people；　she　would　note　all　their　little　weaknesses　and　foibles。　　Mr。　Bircham　had　given　her　carte　blanche　for　these　three　w