we two- 第39部分

〃He　is　wide　awake；〃　said　Tom；　〃and　talking　to　the　professor。　　Just　look　here；　I　couldn't　help　fetching　you　down　did　you　ever　see　such　a　speech　in　your　life？　　A　regular　brick　he　must　be！〃

He　held　an　evening　paper　in　his　hand。　　Erica　remembered　that　the　debate　was　to　be　on　a　question　affecting　all　free…thinkers。　　During　the　discussion　of　this；　some　one　had　introduced　a　reference　to　the　Hyde　Park　meeting　and　to　Mr。　Raeburn；　and　had　been　careful　not　to　lose　the　opportunity　of　making　a　spiteful　and　misleading　remark　about　the　apostle　of　atheism。　　Tom　hurried　her　through　this；　however；　to　the　speech　that　followed　it。

〃Wait　a　minute；〃　she　said。　　〃Who　is　Mr。　Farrant？　　I　never　heard　of　him　before。〃

〃Member　for　Greyshot；　elected　last　spring；　don't　you　remember？　　One　of　the　by…elections。　　Licked　the　Tories　all　to　fits。　　This　is　his　maiden　speech；　and　that　makes　it　all　the　more　plucky　of　him　to　take　up　the　cudgels　in　our　defense。　　Here！　　Let　me　read　it　to　you。〃

With　the　force　of　one　who　is　fired　with　a　new　and　hearty　admiration；　he　read　the　report。　　The　speech　was　undoubtedly　a　fine　one；　it　was　a　grand　protest　against　intolerance；　a　plea　for　justice。　　The　speaker　had　not　hesitated　for　an　instant　to　raise　his　voice　in　behalf　of　a　very　unpopular　cause；　and　his　generous　words；　even　when　read　through　the　medium　of　an　indifferent　newspaper　report；　awoke　a　strange　thrill　in　Erica's　heart。　　The　utter　disregard　of　self；　the　nobility　of　the　whole　speech　struck　her　immensely。　　The　man　who　had　dared　to　stand　up　for　the　first　time　in　Parliament　and　speak　thus；　must　be　one　in　a　thousand。　　Presently　came　the　most　daring　and　disinterested　touch　of　all。

〃The　honorable　member　for　Rilchester　made　what　I　can　not　but　regard　as　a　most　misleading　and　unnecessary　remark　with　reference　to　the　recent　occurrence　in　Hyde　Park；　and　to　Mr。　Raeburn。　　I　listened　to　it　with　pain；　for；　if　there　can　be　degrees　in　the　absolute　evil　of　injustice　and　lack　of　charity；　it　seems　to　me　that　the　highest　degree　is　reached　in　that　uncharitableness　which　tries　to　blacken　the　character　of　an　opponent。　　Since　the　subject　has　been　introduced；　the　House　will；　I　hope；　bear　with　me　if　for　the　sake　of　justice　I　for　a　moment　allude　to　a　personal　matter。　　Some　years　ago　I　myself　was　an　atheist；　and　I　can　only　say　that；　speaking　now　from　the　directly　opposite　standpoint；　I　can　still　look　back　and　thank　Mr。　Raeburn　most　heartily　for　the　good　service　he　did　me。　　He　was　the　first　man　who　ever　showed　me；　by　words　and　example　combined；　that　life　is　only　noble　when　lived　for　the　race。　　The　statement　made　by　the　honorable　member　for　Rilchester　seems　to　me　as　incorrect　as　it　was　uncalled　for。　　Surely　this　assembly　will　best　prove　its　high　character　not　by　loud　religious　protestations；　not　by　supporting　a　narrow；　Pharisaical　measure；　but　by　impartiality；　by　perfect　justice；　by　the　manifestation　in　deed　and　word　of　that　broad…hearted　charity；　that　universal　brotherliness；　which　alone　deserves　the　name　of　Christianity。〃

The　manifestation　of　the　speaker's　generosity　and　universal　brotherliness　came　like　a　light　to　Erica's　darkness。　　It　did　not　end　her　struggle；　but　it　did　end　her　despair。　　A　faint；　indefinable　hope　rose　in　her　heart。

Mr。　Farrant's　maiden　speech　made　a　considerable　stir；　it　met　with　some　praise　and　much　blame。　　Erica　learned　from　one　of　the　papers　that　he　was　Mr。　Donovan　Farrant；　and　at　once　felt　convinced　that　he　was　the　〃Donovan〃　whom　both　Charles　Osmond　and　Brian　had　mentioned　to　her。　　She　seemed　to　know　a　good　deal　about　him。　　Probably　they　had　never　told　her　his　surname　because　they　knew　that　some　day　he　would　be　a　public　character。　　With　instinctive　delicacy　she　refrained　from　making　any　reference　to　his　speech；　or　any　inquiry　as　to　his　identity　with　the　〃Donovan〃　of　whose　inner　life　she　had　heard。　　Very　soon　after　that；　too；　she　went　down　to　the　sea　side　with　her　father；　and　when　they　came　back　to　town　the　Osmonds　had　gone　abroad；　so　it　was　not　until　the　autumn　that　they　again　met。

Her　stay　at　Codrington　wonderfully　refreshed　her；　it　was　the　first　time　in　her　life　that　she　had　taken　a　thorough　holiday；　with　change　of　scene　and　restful　idleness　to　complete　it。　　The　time　was　outwardly　uneventful　enough；　but　her　father　grew　strong　in　body　and　she　grew　strong　in　mind。

One　absurd　little　incident　she　often　laughed　over　afterward。　　It　happened　that　in　the　〃On…looker〃　there　was　a　quotation　from　some　unnamed　medieval　writer；　she　and　her　father　had　a　discussion　as　to　whom　it　could　be；　Raeburn　maintaining　that　it　was　Thomas　a　Kempis。　　Wishing　to　verify　it；　Erica　went　to　a　bookseller's　and　asked　for　the　〃Imitation　of　Christ。〃　　A　rather　prim…looking　dame　presided　behind　the　counter。

〃We　haven't　that　book；　miss；〃　she　said；　〃it's　quite　out　of　fashion　now。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；〃　said　Erica；　greatly　amused。　　〃It　must　be　quite　out　of　fashion；　for　I　scarcely　know　half　a　dozen　people　who　practice　it。〃　　However；　a　second　shop　appeared　to　think　differently；　for　it　had　Thomas　a　Kempis　in　every　conceivable　size；　shape；　and　binding。　　Erica　bought　a　little　sixpenny　copy　and　went　back　to　the　beach；　where　she　made　her　father　laugh　over　her　story。

They　verified　the　quotation；　and　by　and　by　Erica　began　to　read　the　book。　　On　the　very　first　page　she　came　to　words　which　made　her　pause　and　relapse　into　a　deep　reverie。

〃But　he　who　would　fully　and　feelingly　understand　the　words　of　Christ；　must　study　to　make　his　whole　life　conformable　to　that　of　Christ。〃

The　thought　linked　itself　in　her　mind　with　some　words　of　John　Stuart　Mill's　which　she　had　heard　quoted　till　she　was　almost　weary　of　them。

〃Nor　even　now　would　it　be　easy；　even　for　an　unbeliever；　to　find　a　better　translation　for　the　rule　of　virtue　from　the　abstract　into　the　concrete；　than　to　endeavor　so　to　live　that　Christ　would　approve　our　life。〃

While　she　was　still　musing；　a　sound　of　piteous　crying　attracted　her　notice。　　Looking　up　she　saw　a　tiny　child　wandering　along　the　beach；　trailing　a　wooden　spade　after　her；　and　sobbing　as　if　her　heart　would　break。　　In　a　moment　Erica　was　beside　her　coaxing　and　consoling；　but　at　last；　finding　it　impossible　to　draw　forth　an　intelligible　word　from　the　sobs　and　tears；　she　took　the　little　thing　in　her　arms　and　carried　her　to　her　father。　　Raeburn　was　a　great　child　lover；　and　had　a　habit　of　carrying　goodies　in　his　pocket；　much　to　the　satisfaction　of　all　the　children　with　whom　he　was　brought　in　contact。　　He　produced　a　bit　of　butterscotch；　which　restored　the　small　maiden's　serenity　for　a　minute。

〃She　must　have　lost　her　way；〃　he　said；　glancing　from　the　lovely　little　tear…stained　face　to　the　thinly　shod　feet　and　ungloved　hands　of　the　little　one。　　The　butterscotch　had　won　her　heart。　　Presently　she　volunteered　a　remark。

〃Dolly　putted　on　her　own　hat。　　Dolly　wanted　to　dig　all　alone。　　Dolly　ran　away。〃

〃Where　is　your　home？〃　asked　Erica。

〃Me　don't　know！　　Me　don't　know！〃　cried　Dolly；　bursting　into　tears　again；　and　hiding　her　face　on　Raeburn's　coat。　　〃Father！　　Father；　Dolly　wants　father。〃

〃We　will　come　and　look　for　him；〃　said　Erica；　〃but　you　must　stop　crying；　and　you　know　your　father　will　be　sure　to　come　and　look　for　you〃

At　this　the　little　one　checked　her　tears；　and　looked　up　as　if　expecting　to　see　him　close　by。

〃He　isn't　there；〃　she　said；　piteously。　　

〃Come　and　let　us　look　for　him；〃　said　Erica。

Dolly　jumped　up；　thrust　her　little　hand　into　Erica's；　and　toiled　up　the　steep　beach。　　They　had　reached　the　road；　and　Erica　paused　for　a　moment；　wondering　which　direction　they　had　better　take；　when　a　voice　behind　her　made　her　start。

〃Why　Dorothy　little　one　we've　been　hunting　for　you　everywhere！〃

Dolly　let　go　Erica's　hand；　and　with　a　glad　cry　rushed　into　the　arms　of　a　tall；　dark；　rather　foreign…looking　man；　who　caught　her　up　and　held　her　closely。

He　turned　to　Erica　and　thanked　her　very　warmly　for　her　help。　　Erica　thought　his　face　the　noblest　she　had　ever　seen。


CHAPTER　XIX。　At　The　Museum

Methought　I　heard　one　calling：　〃Child；〃　And　I　replied：　'My　Lord！'〃　George　Herbert

A　favorite　pastime　with　country　children　is　to　watch　the　gradual　growth　of　the　acorn　into　the　oak　tree。　　They　will　suspend　the　acorn　in　a　glass　of　water　and　watch　the　slow　progress　during　long　months。　　First　one　tiny　white　thread　is　put　forth；　then　another；　until　at　length　the　glass　is　almost　filled　with　a　tangle　of　white　fibers；　a　sturdy　little　stem　raises　itself　up；　and　the　baby　tree；　if　it　is　to　live；　must　be　at　once　transplanted　into　good　soil。　　The　process　may　be　botanically　interesting；　but　there　is　something　a　little　sickly　about　it；　too　there　is　a　feeling　that；　after　all；　the　acorn　would　have　done　better　in　its　natural　ground　hidden　away　in　darkness。

And；　if　we　have　this　feeling　with　regard　to　vegetable　growth；　how　much　more　with　regard　to　spiritual　growth！　　To　attempt　to　set　up　the　gradually　awakening　spirit　in　an　apparatus　where　it　might　be　the　observed　of　all　observers　would　be　at　once　repulsive　and　presumptuous。　　Happily；　it　is　impossible。　　We　may　trace　influences　and　suggestions；　just　as　we　may　note　the　rain　or　drought；　the　heat　or　cold　that　affect　vegetable　growth；　but　the　actual　birth　is　ever　hidden。

To　attempt　even　to　shadow　forth　Erica's　growth　during　the　next　year　would　be　worse　than　presump