we two-第76部分

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n　our　umbrellas　collided！〃

〃You　mustn't　abuse　the　murky　skies；〃　said　Brian；　smiling。　　〃If　the　sun　had　been　shining；　the　collision　would　never　have　occurred。　　Oh；　Erica！　What　a　life　time　it　seems　since　that　day　in　Gower　Street！　　I　little　thought　then　that　I　should　have　to　wait　more　than　seven　years　to　tell　you　of　my　love；　or　that　at　last　I　should　tell　you　in　a　Roman　amphitheatre　under　these　blue　skies。　　Erica；　I　think　you　have　known　it　of　late。　　Have　you；　my　darling？　　Have　you　known　how　I　loved　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　looking　down　at　her　sketch　book　with　glowing　cheeks。

〃Oh！　If　you　knew　what　a　paradise　of　hope　you　opened　to　me　that　day　last　December　and　how　different　life　has　been　ever　since！　　Those　were　gray　years；　Erica；　when　I　dared　not　even　hope　to　gain　your　love。　　But　lately；　darling；　I　have　hoped。　　Was　I　wrong？〃

〃No；〃　she　said　with　a　little　quiver　in　her　voice。

〃You　will　love　me？〃

She　looked　up　at　him　for　a　moment　in　silence；　a　glorious　light　in　her　eyes；　her　whole　face　radiant　with　joy。

〃I　do　love　you；〃　she　said　softly。

He　drew　nearer　to　her；　held　both　her　hands　in　his；　waiting　only　for　the　promise　which　would　make　her　indeed　his　own。

〃Will　you　be　my　wife；　darling？〃

But　the　words　had　scarcely　passed　his　lips　when　a　look　of　anguish　swept　over　Erica's　face；　she　snatched　away　her　hands。

〃Oh！　　God　help　me！〃　she　cried。　　〃What　have　I　done？　　I've　been　living　in　a　dream！　　It's　impossible；　Brian！　　Impossible！〃

A　gray　look　came　over　Brian's　face。

〃How　impossible？〃　he　asked　in　a　choked　voice。

〃I　can't　leave　home；〃　she　said；　clasping　her　hands　tightly　together。　　〃I　never　can　leave　my　father。〃

〃I　will　wait；〃　said　Brian；　recovering　his　voice。　　〃I　will　wait　any　time　for　you　only　give　me　hope。〃

〃I　can't；〃　she　sobbed。　　〃I　daren't！〃

〃But　you　have　given　it　me！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃You　have　said　you　loved　me！〃

〃I　do！　　I　do！〃　she　cried　passionately。　　〃But；　oh；　Brian！　　Have　pity　on　me　don't　make　me　say　it　again　I　must　not　think　of　it　I　can　never　be　your　wife。〃

Her　words　were　broken　with　sobs　which　she　could　not　restrain。

〃My　darling；〃　he　said　growing　calm　and　strong　again　at　the　sight　of　her　agitation；　and　once　more　possessing　himself　of　her　hand；　〃you　have　had　a　great　many　troubles　lately；　and　I　can　quite　understand　that　just　now　you　could　not　leave　your　father。　　But　I　will　wait　till　less　troubled　times；　then　surely　you　will　come　to　me？〃

〃No；〃　she　said　quickly　as　if　not　daring　to　pause；　〃It　will　always　be　the　same；　there　never　will　be　quiet　times　for　us。　　I　can't　leave　my　father。　　It　isn't　as　if　he　had　other　children　I　am　the　only　one；　and　must　stay。〃

〃Is　this　then　to　be　the　end　of　it　all？〃　cried　Brian。　　〃My　darling；　you　can　not　be　so　cruel　to　me。　　It　can　not　be　the　end　there　is　no　end　to　love　and　we　know　that　we　love　each　other。　　Erica；　give　me　some　future　to　look　to　some　hope。〃

The　terrible　pain　expressed　in　every　line　of　his　face　wrung　her　heart。

〃Oh；　wait；〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Give　me　one　moment　to　think。〃

She　buried　her　face　in　her　hands；　shutting　out　the　sunny　Italian　landscape；　the　very　beauty　of　which　seemed　to　weaken　her　powers　of　endurance。　　Truly　she　had　been　living　lately　in　a　golden　dream；　and　the　waking　was　anguish。　　Oh；　if　she　had　but　realized　before　the　meaning　of　it　all；　then　she　would　have　hidden　her　love　so　that　he　never　would　have　guessed　it。　　She　would　have　been　to　him　the　Erica　of　a　year　ago；　just　a　friend　and　nothing　more。　　But　now　she　must　give　him　the　worst　of　pain；　perhaps　ruin　his　whole　life。　　If　she　might　but　give　him　some　promise。　　What　was　the　right？　　How　were　love　and　duty　to　be　reconciled？

As　she　sat　crouched　up　in　her　misery；　fighting　the　hardest　battle　of　her　life；　the　bell　in　the　campanile　of　the　village　church　began　to　ring。　　It　was　twelve　o'clock。　　All　through　the　land；　in　remembrance　of　the　hour　when　the　true　meaning　of　love　and　sacrifice　was　revealed　to　the　human　race；　there　swept　now　the　music　of　church　bells；　bidding　the　people　to　pause　in　their　work　and　pray。　　Many　a　peasant　raised　his　thoughts　for　a　moment　from　sordid　cares　or　hard　labor；　and　realized　that　there　was　an　unseen　world。　　And　here　in　the　Roman　amphitheatre；　where　a　conflict　more　painful　than　those　physical　conflicts　of　old　time　was　going　on；　a　soul　prayed　in　agony　for　the　wisdom　to　see　the　right　and　the　strength　to　do　it。

When　at　length　Erica　lifted　her　face　she　found　that　Brian　was　no　longer　beside　her；　he　was　pacing　to　and　fro　in　the　arena；　waiting　had　grown　unbearable　to　him。　　She　went　down　to　him；　moving　neither　quickly　nor　hurriedly；　but　at　the　steady　〃right　onward〃　pace　which　suited　her　whole　aspect。

〃Brian；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃do　you　remember　telling　me　that　day　that　I　must　try　to　show　them　what　the　Father　is？　　You　must　help　me　now；　not　hinder。　　You　will　help　me　just　because　you　do　indeed　love　me？〃

〃You　will　give　me　no　promise　even　for　the　most　distant　future？〃

〃I　can't；〃　she　replied；　faltering　a　little　as　she　saw　him　turn　deadly　white。　〃If　there　were　any　engagement　between　us；　I　should　have　to　tell　my　father　of　it；　and　that　would　only　make　our　trouble　his　and　defeat　my　whole　object。　　Oh；　Brian；　forgive　me；　and　just　leave　me。　　I　can　have　given　you　nothing　but　pain　all　these　years。　Don't　let　me　spoil　your　whole　life！〃

His　face　caught　something　of　the　noble　purpose　which　made　hers　shine　in　spite　of　the　sadness。

〃Darling；〃　he　said　quickly；　〃I　can　thank　God　for　you　though　you　are　never　to　be　mine。　　God　bless　you；　Erica。〃

There　was　a　moment's　pause；　he　still　kept　her　hands　in　his。

〃Tell　your　father　I've　gone　for　a　walk　over　to　those　hills　that　I　shall　not　be　home　till　evening。〃　　He　felt　her　hands　tremble；　and　knew　that　he　only　tortured　her　by　staying。　　〃Will　you　kiss　me　once；　Erica？〃　he　said。

She　lifted　a　pale　steadfast　face　and　quivering　lips　to　his；　and　after　that　one　long　embrace　they　parted。　　When　he　turned　away　Erica　stood　quite　still　for　a　minute　in　the　arena　listening　to　his　retreating　footsteps。　　Her　heart；　which　had　throbbed　painfully；　seemed　now　only　to　echo　his　steps；　to　beat　more　faintly　as　they　grew　less　audible。　　At　last　came　silence；　and　then　she　crept　up　to　the　place　where　she　had　left　her　sketch　book　and　paint　box。

The　whole　world　seemed　sliding　away　aching　desolation　overwhelmed　her。　　Brian's　face　with　its　passion　and　pain　rose　before　her　dry；　burning　eyes。　　Then　darkness　came；　blotting　out　the　sunshine；　the　little　stream　trickling　into　its　stony　basin　seemed　to　grow　into　a　roaring　cataract；　the　waters　to　rush　into　her　ears　with　a　horrid　gurgling；　while　the　stones　of　the　amphitheatre　seemed　to　change　into　blocks　of　ice　and　to　freeze　her　as　she　lay。

A　few　minutes　later　she　gasped　her　way　painfully　back　to　life。　　All　was　very　peaceful　now；　the　water　fell　with　its　soft　tinkling　sound；　there　was　a　low　hum　of　insects；　beside　her　stony　pillow　grew　some　stars　of　Bethlehem；　and　in　between　their　delicate　white　and　green　she　could　see　the　arena　and　the　tiers　of　seats　opposite；　and　out　beyond　the　green　encircling　hills。　　Golden　sunshine　lighted　up　the　dark　pines　and　spirelike　cypresses；　in　the　distance　there　was　an　olive　garden；　its　soft；　gray…green　foliage　touched　into　silvery　brightness。

The　beauty　of　the　scene；　which　in　her　struggle　had　seemed　to　weaken　and　unnerve　her；　stole　now　into　her　heart　and　comforted　her；　and　all　the　time　there　rang　in　her　ears　the　message　that　the　bells　had　brought　her　〃Who　for　the　joy　that　was　set　before　Him　endured　the　cross。〃

〃Taking　a　siesta？〃　said　a　voice　above　her。　　She　looked　up　and　saw　her　father。

〃I've　rather　a　headache；〃　she　replied。

〃Enough　to　give　you　one；　my　child；　to　lie　there　in　the　sun　without　an　umbrella；〃　he　said；　putting　up　his　own　to　shelter　her。　　〃Such　a　May　noonday　in　Italy　might　give　you　a　sunstroke。　　What　was　your　doctor　thinking　of　to　allow　it？〃

〃Brian？　　Oh；　he　has　gone　over　to　those　hills；　we　are　not　to　wait　for　him；　he　wanted　a　walk。〃

〃Quite　right；〃　said　Raeburn。　　〃I　don't　think　he　ought　to　waste　his　holiday　in　Italian　cities；　he　wants　fresh　air　and　exercise　after　his　London　life。　　Where's　your　handkerchief？〃

He　took　it　to　the　little　stream；　put　aside　the　overhanging　bushes；　dipped　it　in　the　water；　and　bringing　it　back　laid　it　on　her　burning　forehead。

〃How　you　spoil　me；　PADRE　MIO；〃　she　said　with　a　little　laugh　that　was　sadder　than　tears；　and　as　she　spoke　she　slipped　down　to　a　lower　step　and　rested　her　head　on　his　knee；　drawing　down　one　of　his　strong　hands　to　shade　her　eyes。　　He　talked　of　his　sketch；　of　his　word…skirmish　with　the　basket　women；　of　the　view　from　the　amphitheatre；　but　she　did　not　much　hear　what　he　said；　she　was　looking　at　the　hand　that　shaded　her　eyes。　　That　strong　hand　which　had　toiled　for　her　when　she　was　a　helpless　baby；　the　hand　to　which　she　had　clung　when　every　out　her　support　had　been　wrenched　away　by　death；　the　hand　which　she　had　held　in　hers　when　she　thought　he　was　dying；　and　the　children　had　sung　of　〃Life's　long　day　and　death's　dark　night。〃

All　at　once　she　drew　it　down　and　pressed　it　to　her　lips　with　a　child's　loving　reverence。　　Then　she　sat　up　with　a　sudden　return　of　energy。

〃There；　now；　let　us　go　home；〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃My　head　aches　a　little　still；　but　we　won't　let　it　spoil　our　last　day　but　one　in　Florence。　　Didn't　we　talk　o