we two- 第88部分

〃Why；　Erica！〃　she　cried；　kissing　her　on　both　cheeks；　〃I　don't　believe　you're　half　properly　glad　to　see　me！　　Did　you　think　it　was　my　wraith？　　I　assure　you　it's　my　own　self　in　the　flesh；　and　very　cold　flesh；　too。　　What　a　delightful　room！　　I'd　no　idea　atheists'　homes　were　so　much　like　other　people's。　　You　cold…hearted　little　cousin；　why　don't　you　welcome　me？〃

〃I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；〃　said　Erica；　kissing　her　again。　　〃But；　Rose；　what　did　bring　you　here？〃

〃A　fusty　old　cab；　a　four…wheeler；　a　growler；　don't　you　call　them？　　But；　if　you　knew　why　I　have　come　to　you　in　this　unexpected　way；　you　would　treat　me　like　the　heroine　I　am；　and　not　stand　there　like　an　incarnation　of　prudent　hesitation。　　I've　bee　treated　like　the　man　in　the　parable；　I've　fallen　among　thieves；　and　am　left　with　my　raiment；　certainly；　but　not　a　farthing　besides　in　the　world。　　And　now；　of　course；　you'll　enact　the　good　Samaritan。。〃

〃Come　and　get　warm；〃　said　Erica；　drawing　a　chair　toward　the　fire；　but　still　feeling　uncomfortable　at　the　idea　of　Mr。　Fane…Smith's　horror　and　dismay　could　he　have　seen　his　daughter's　situation。　　

〃How　do　you　come　to　be　in　town；　Rose；　and　where　were　you　robbed？〃

〃Why；　I　was　going　to　stay　with　the　Alburys　at　Sandgale；　and　left　home　about　three；　but　at　Paddington；　when　I　went　to　get　my　ticket；　lo　and　behold　my　purse　had　disappeared；　and　I　was　left　lamenting；　like　Lord　Ullin　in　the　song。〃

〃Have　you　any　idea　who　took　it？〃

〃Yes；　I　rather　think　it　must　have　been　a　man　on　the　Paddington　platform　who　walked　with　a　limp。　　I　remember　his　pushing　up　against　me　very　roughly；　and　I　suppose　that　was　when　he　took　it。　　The　porters　were　all　horrid　about　it；　though；　　I　could　get　no　one　to　help　me；　and　I　hadn't　even　the　money　to　get　my　ticket。　　At　last　an　old　lady；　who　had　heard　of　my　penniless　condition；　advised　me　to　go　to　any　friends　I　might　happen　to　have　in　London；　and　I　bethought　me　of　my　cousin　Erica。　　You　will　befriend　me；　won't　you？　　For　it　is　impossible　to　get　to　Sandgale　tonight；　there　is　no　other　train　stopping　there。〃

〃I　wish　I　knew　what　was　right；〃　said　Erica；　looking　much　perplexed。　　〃You　see；　Rose；　　I'm　afraid　Mr。　Fane…Smith　would　not　like　you　to　come　here。〃

〃Oh；　nonsense；〃　said　Rose；　laughing。　　〃He　couldn't　mind　in　such　a　case　as　this。　　Why；　I　can't　stay　in　the　street　all　night。　　Besides；　he　doesn't　know　anything　about　your　home；　how　should　he？〃

This　was　true　enough；　but　still　Erica　hesitated。

〃Who　was　that　white…haired　patriarchal…looking　man　whom　I　met　in　the　hall？〃　asked　Rose。　　〃A　sort　of　devotional　quaker…kind　of　man。〃

Erica　laughed　aloud　at　this　description。

〃That's　my　father！〃　she　said；　and；　before　she　had　quite　recovered　her　gravity；　Raeburn　came　into　the　room　with　some　papers　which　he　wanted　copied。

〃Father；〃　said　Erica；　〃this　is　Rose；　and　she　has　come　to　ask　our　help　because　her　purse　has　been　stolen　at　Paddington；　and　she　is　stranded　in　London　with　no　money。〃

〃It　sounds　dreadfully　like　begging；〃　said　Rose；　looking　up　into　the　brown　eyes　which　seemed　half　kindly；　half　critical。

They　smiled　at　this；　and　became　at　once　only　kind　and　hospitable。

〃Not　in　the　least；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　very　glad　you　came　to　us。〃

And　then　he　began　to　ask　her　many　practical　questions　about　her　adventure；　ending　by　promising　to　put　the　matter　at　once　into　the　hands　of　the　police。　　They　were　just　discussing　the　impossibility　of　getting　to　Sandgale　that　evening　when　Tom　came　into　the　room。

〃Where　is　mother？'　he　asked。　　〃She　has　kept　her　cab　at　the　door　at　least　ten　minutes；　I　had　to　give　the　fellow　an　extra　sixpence。〃

〃That　wasn't　auntie's　cab；〃　said　Erica；　〃she　came　home　half　an　hour　ago；　it　was　Rose's　cab。　　I　hope　you　didn't　send　away　her　boxes？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Tom；　looking　much　surprised　and　a　little　amused。　　〃The　boxes　are　safe　in　the　hall；　but　I'm　afraid　the　cab　is　gone　beyond　recall。〃

〃You　see　it　is　evidently　meant　that　I　should　quarter　myself　upon　you！〃　said　Rose；　laughing。

Upon　which　Raeburn；　with　a　grave　and　slightly　repressive　courtesy；　said　they　should　be　very　happy　if　she　would　stay　with　them。

〃That　will　make　my　adventure　perfect！〃　said　Rose；　her　eyes　dancing。　


At　which　Raeburn　smiled　again；　amused　to　think　of　the　uneventful　life　in　which　such　a　trifling　incident　could　seem　an　〃adventure。〃

〃It　seems　very　inhospitable；〃　said　Erica；　〃but　don't　you　think；　Rose；　you　had　better　go　back　to　Greyshot？〃

〃No；　you　tiresome　piece　of　prudence；　I　don't；〃　said　Rose　perversely。　　〃And　what's　more；　I　won't；　as　Uncle　Luke　has　asked　me　to　stay。〃

Erica　felt　very　uncomfortable；　she　could　have　spoken　decidedly　had　she　been　alone　with　any　of　the　three；　but　she　could　not；　before　them　all；　say：　〃Mr。　Fane…Smith　thinks　father　an　incarnation　of　wickedness　and　would　be　horrified　if　he　knew　that　you　were　here。〃

Tom　had　in　the　meantime　walked　to　the　window　and　drawn　aside　the　curtain。

〃The　weather　means　to　settle　the　question　for　you；〃　he　said。　　〃You　really　can't　go　off　in　such　a　fog　as　this；　it　would　take　you　hours　to　get　to　Paddington；　if　you　ever　did　get　there；　which　is　doubtful。〃

They　looked　out　and　saw　that　he　had　not　exaggerated　matters；　the　fog　had　grown　much　worse　since　Rose's　arrival；　and　it　had　been　bad　enough　then　to　make　traveling　by　no　means　safe。　　Erica　saw　that　there　was　no　help　for　it。　　Mr。　Fane…Smith's　anger　must　be　incurred；　and　Rose　must　stay　with　them。　　She　went　away　to　see　that　her　room　was　prepared；　and　coming　back　a　little　later　found　that　in　that　brief　time　Rose　had　managed　to　enthrall　poor　Tom　who；　not　being　used　to　the　genus；　was　very　easily　caught；　his　philosophy　being　by　no　means　proof　against　a　fair…haired；　bright…looking　girl　who　in　a　very　few　moments　made　him　feel　that　she　thought　most　highly　of　him　and　cared　as　no　one　had　ever　cared　before　for　his　opinion。　　She　had　not　the　smallest　intention　of　doing　harm；　but　admiration　was　what　she　lived　for；　and　to　flirt　with　every　man　she　met　had　become　almost　as　natural　and　necessary　to　her　as　to　breathe。

Erica；　out　of　loyalty　to　Mr。　Fane…Smith　and　regard　for　Tom's　future　happiness；　felt　bound　to　be　hard…hearted　and　to　separate　them　at　dinner。　　Tom　used　to　sit　at　the　bottom　of　the　table　as　Raeburn　did　not　care　for　the　trouble　of　carving；　Erica　was　at　the　head　with　her　father　in　his　usual　place　at　her　right　hand。　　She　put　Rose　in　between　him　and　the　professor　who　generally　dined　with　them　on　Saturday；　upon　the　opposite　side　were　Aunt　Jean　and　M。　Noirol。　　Now　Rose；　who　had　been　quite　in　her　element　as　long　as　she　had　been　talking　with　Tom　in　the　green　room；　felt　decidedly　out　of　her　element　when　she　was　safely　ensconced　between　her　white…haired　uncle　and　the　shaggy…looking　professor。　　If　Erica　had　felt　bewildered　when　first　introduced　to　the　gossip　and　small　〃society〃　talk　of　Greyshot；　Rose　felt　doubly　bewildered　when　for　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　came　into　a　thoroughly　scientific　atmosphere。　　She　realized　that　there　were　a　few　things　which　she　had　yet　to　learn。　　She　was　not　fond　of　learning　so　the　discovery　was　the　reverse　of　pleasant；　she　felt　ignorant　and　humbled；　liking　to　be　AU　FAIT　at　everything　and　to　know　things　and　do　things　just　a　little　better　than　other　people。　　Having　none　of　the　humility　of　a　true　learner；　she　only　felt　annoyed　at　her　own　ignorance；　not　raised　and　bettered　and　stimulated　by　a　glimpse　of　the　infinite　greatness　of　science。

Raeburn；　seeing　that　she　was　not　in　the　least　interested　in　the　discussion　of　the　future　of　electricity；　left　the　professor　to　continue　it　with　Tom；　and　began　to　talk　to　her　about　the　loss　of　her　purse；　and　to　tell　her　of　various　losses　which　he　had　had。　　But　Rose　had　the　mortifying　consciousness　that　all　the　time　he　talked　he　was　listening　to　the　conversation　between　Erica　and　M。　Noirol。　　As　far　as　Rose　could　make　out　it　was　on　French　politics；　but　they　spoke　so　fast　that　her　indifferent　school　French　was　of　very　little　service　to　her。　　By　and　by　Raeburn　was　drawn　into　the　discussion　and　Rose　was　left　to　amuse　herself　as　well　as　she　could　by　listening　to　a　rapid　flow　of　unintelligible　French　on　one　side；　and　to　equally　unintelligible　scientific　talk　on　the　other。　　By　and　by　this　was　merged　into　a　discussion　some　recent　book。　　They　seemed　to　get　deeply　interested　in　a　dispute　as　to　whether　Spinoza　was　or　was　not　at　any　time　in　his　life　a　Cartesian。

Rose　really　listened　to　this　for　want　of　something　better　to　do；　and　Raeburn；　thinking　that　he　had　been　neglecting　her；　and　much　relieved　at　the　thought　that　he　had　at　length　found　some　point　of　mutual　interest；　asked　her　whether　she　had　read　the　book　in　question。

〃Oh；　I　have　no　time　for　reading；〃　said　Rose。

He　looked　a　little　amused　at　this　statement。　　Rose　continued：

〃Who　was　Spinoza？　　I　never　heard　any　of　his　music。〃

〃He　was　a　philosopher；　not　a　composer；〃　said　Raeburn；　keeping　his　countenance　with　difficulty。

〃What　dreadfully　learned　people　you　are！〃　said　Rose　with　one　of　her　arch　smiles。　　〃But　do　tell　me；　how　can　a　man　be　a　Cartesian？　　I've　heard　of　Cartesian　wells；　but　never〃

She　broke　off　for　this　was　quite　too　much　for　Raeburn's　gravity；　he　laughed；　but　so　pleasantly　that　she　laughed　too。

〃You　are　thinking　of　artesian　wells；　I　fancy；〃　he　said　in　his　kindly　voice；　and　he　began　to　give　her　a