we two-第12章

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on　at　Mme　Lemercier's　school。　　No　one　could　deny　that　her　new　life　had　been　bravely　begun。


CHAPTER　VI。　Paris

But　we　wake　in　the　young　morning　when　the　light　is　breaking　forth；　And　look　out　on　its　misty　gleams；　as　if　the　moon　were　full；　And　the　Infinite　around；　seems　but　a　larger　kind　of　earth　Ensphering　this；　and　measured　by　the　self…same　handy　rule。　　Hilda　among　the　Broken　Gods。

Not　unfrequently　the　most　important　years　of　a　life；　the　years　which　tell　most　on　the　character；　are　unmarked　by　any　notable　events。　　A　steady；　orderly　routine；　a　gradual　progression；　perseverance　in　hard　work；　often　do　more　to　educate　and　form　than　a　varied　and　eventful　life。　　Erica's　two　years　of　exile　were　as　monotonous　and　quiet　as　the　life　of　the　secularist's　daughter　could　possibly　be。　　There　came　to　her；　of　course；　from　the　distance　the　echoes　of　her　father's　strife；　but　she　was　far　removed　from　it　all；　and　there　was　little　to　disturb　her　mind　in　the　quiet　Parisian　school。　　There　is　no　need　to　dwell　on　her　uneventful　life；　and　a　very　brief　description　of　her　surroundings　will　be　sufficient　to　show　the　sort　of　atmosphere　in　which　she　lived。

The　school　was　a　large　one；　and　consisted　principally　of　French　provincial　girls；　sent　to　Paris　to　finish　their　education。　　Some　of　them　Erica　liked　exceedingly；　every　one　of　them　was　to　her　a　curious　and　interesting　study。　　She　liked　to　hear　them　talk　about　their　home　life；　and；　above　all　things；　to　hear　their　simple；　naive　remarks　about　religion。　　Of　course　she　was　on　her　honor　not　to　enter　into　discussions　with　them；　and　they　regarded　all　English　as　heretics；　and　did　not　trouble　themselves　to　distinguish　between　the　different　grades。　　But　there　was　nothing　to　prevent　her　from　observing　and　listening；　and　with　some　wonder　she　used　to　hear　discussions　about　the　dresses　for　the　〃Premiere　Communion；〃　remarks　about　the　various　services；　or　laments　over　the　confession　papers。　　The　girls　went　to　confession　once　a　month；　and　there　was　always　a　day　in　which　they　had　to　prepare　and　write　out　their　misdemeanors。　　One　day；　a　little；　thin；　delicate　child　from　the　south　of　France　came　up　to　Erica　with　her　confession　in　her　hand。

〃Dear；　good　Erica；〃　she　said；　wearily；　〃have　the　kindness　to　read　this　and　to　correct　my　mistakes。〃

Erica　took　the　little　thing　on　her　knee；　and　began　to　read　the　paper。　　It　was　curiously　spelled。　　Before　very　long　she　came　to　the　sentence；　〃J'ai　trop　mange。〃

〃Why；　Ninette；〃　exclaimed　Erica；　〃you　hardly　eat　enough　to　feed　a　sparrow；　it　is　nonsense　to　put　that。〃

〃Ah；　but　it　was　a　fast　day；〃　signed　Ninette。　　〃And　I　felt　hungry；　and　did　really　eat　more　than　I　need　have。〃

Erica　felt　half　angry　and　contemptuous；　half　amused；　and　could　only　hope　that　the　priest　would　see　the　pale；　thin　face　of　the　little　penitent；　and　realize　the　ludicrousness　of　the　confession。

Another　time　all　the　girls　had　been　to　some　special　service；　on　their　return；　she　asked　what　it　had　been　about。

〃Oh；〃　remarked　a　bright…faced　girl；　〃it　was　about　the　seven　joys　or　the　seven　sorrowsof　Mary。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　you　don't　know　whether　it　was　very　solemn　or　very　joyful？〃　asked　Erica；　astonished　and　amused。

〃I　am　really　not　sure；〃　said　the　girl；　with　the　most　placid　good…tempered　indifference。

On　the　whole；　it　was　scarcely　to　be　wondered　at　that　Erica　was　not　favorably　impressed　with　Roman　Catholicism。

She　was　a　great　favorite　with　all　the　girls；　but；　though　she　was　very　patient　and　persevering；　she　did　not　succeed　in　making　any　of　them　fluent　English　speakers；　and　learned　their　language　far　better　than　they　learned　hers。　　Her　three　special　friends　were　not　among　the　pupils；　but　among　the　teachers。　　Dear　old　Mme。　Lemercier；　with　her　good…humored　black　eyes；　her　kind；　demonstrative　ways；　and　her　delightful　stories　about　the　time　of　the　war　and　the　siege；　was　a　friend　worth　having。　　So　was　her　husband；　M。　Lemercier　the　journalist。　　He　was　a　little　dried…up　man；　with　a　fierce　black　mustache；　he　was　sarcastic　and　witty；　and　he　would　talk　politics　by　the　hour　together　to　any　one　who　would　listen　to　him；　especially　if　they　would　now　and　then　ask　a　pertinent　and　intelligent　question　which　gave　him　scope　for　an　oration。

Erica　made　a　delightful　listener；　for　she　was　always　anxious　to　learn　and　to　understand；　and　before　long　she　was　quite　AU　FAIT；　and　understood　a　great　deal　about　that　exceedingly　complicated　thing；　the　French　political　system。　　M。　Lemercier　was　a　fiery；　earnest　little　man；　with　very　strong　convictions；　he　had　been　exiled　as　a　communist　but　had　now　returned；　and　was　a　very　vigorous　and　impassioned　writer　in　one　of　the　advanced　Republican　journals。　　He　and　his　wife　became　very　fond　of　Erica；　Mme。　Lemercier　loving　her　for　her　brightness　and　readiness　to　help；　and　monsieur　for　her　beauty　and　her　quickness　of　perception。　　It　was　surprising　and　gratifying　to　meet　with　a　girl　who；　without　being　a　femme　savante；　was　yet　capable　of　understanding　the　difference　between　the　Extreme　Left　and　the　Left　Center；　and　who　took　a　real　interest　in　what　was　passing　in　the　world。

But　Erica's　greatest　friend　was　a　certain　Fraulein　Sonnenthal；　the　German　governess。　　She　was　a　kind…eyed　Hanoverian；　homely　and　by　no　means　brilliantly　clever；　but　there　was　something　in　her　unselfishness　and　in　her　unassuming　humility　that　won　Erica's　heart。　　She　never　would　hear　a　word　against　the　fraulein。

〃Why　do　you　care　so　much　for　Fraulein　Sonnenthal？〃　she　was　often　asked。　　〃She　seems　uninteresting　and　dull　to　us。〃

〃I　love　her　because　she　is　so　good；〃　was　Erica's　invariable　reply。

She　and　the　fraulein　shared　a　bedroom；　and　many　were　the　arguments　they　had　together。　　The　effect　of　being　separated　from　her　own　people　was；　very　naturally；　to　make　Erica　a　more　devoted　secularist。　　She　was　exceedingly　enthusiastic　for　what　she　considered　the　truth　and　not　unfrequently　grieved　and　shocked　the　Lutheran　fraulein　by　the　vehemence　of　her　statements。　　Very　often　they　would　argue　far　on　into　the　night；　they　never　quarreled；　however　hot　the　dispute；　but　the　fraulein　often　had　a　sore　time　of　it；　　for；　naturally；　Luke　Raeburn's　daughter　was　well　up　in　all　the　debatable　points；　and　she　had；　moreover；　a　good　deal　of　her　father's　rapidity　of　thought　and　gift　of　speech。　　She　was　always　generous；　however；　and　the　fraulein　had　in　some　respects　the　advantage　of　her；　for　they　spoke　in　German。

One　scene　in　that　little　bedroom　Erica　never　forgot。　　They　had　gone　to　bed　one　Easter…eve；　and　had　somehow　fallen　into　a　long　and　stormy　argument　about　the　resurrection　and　the　doctrine　of　immortality。　　Erica；　perhaps　because　she　was　conscious　of　the　〃weakness〃　she　had　confessed　to　Brian　Osmond；　argued　very　warmly　on　the　other　side；　the　poor　little　fraulein　was　grieved　beyond　measure；　and　defended　her　faith　gallantly；　though；　as　she　feared；　very　ineffectually。　　Her　arguments　seemed　altogether　extinguished　by　Erica's　remorseless　logic；　she　was　not　nearly　so　clever；　and　her　very　earnestness　seemed　to　trip　her　up　and　make　all　her　sentences　broken　and　incomplete。　　They　discussed　the　subject　till　Erica　was　hoarse；　and　at　last　from　very　weariness　she　fell　asleep　while　the　Lutheran　was　giving　her　a　long　quotation　from　St。　Paul。

She　slept　for　two　or　three　hours；　when　she　woke；　the　room　was　flooded　with　silvery　moonlight；　the　wooden　cross　which　hung　over　the　German's　bed　stood　out　black　and　distinct；　but　the　bed　was　empty。　　Erica　looked　round　the　room　uneasily；　and　saw　a　sight　which　she　never　forgot。　　The　fraulein　was　kneeling　beside　the　window；　and　even　the　cold　moonlight　could　not　chill　or　hide　the　wonderful　brightness　of　her　face。　　She　was　a　plain；　ordinary　little　woman；　but　her　face　was　absolutely　transformed；　there　was　something　so　beautiful　and　yet　so　unusual　in　her　expression　that　Erica　could　not　speak　or　move；　but　lay　watching　her　almost　breathlessly。　　The　spiritual　world　about　which　they　had　been　speaking　must　be　very　real　indeed　to　Thekla　Sonnenthal！　　Was　it　possible　that　this　was　the　work　of　delusion？　　While　she　mused；　her　friend　rose；　came　straight　to　her　bedside；　and　bent　over　her　with　a　look　of　such　love　and　tenderness　that　Erica；　though　not　generally　demonstrative；　could　not　resist　throwing　her　arms　round　her　neck。

〃Dear　Sunnyvale！　　You　look　just　like　your　name！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃all　brightness　and　humility！　　What　have　you　been　doing　to　grow　so　like　Murillo's　Madonna？〃

〃I　thought　you　were　asleep；〃　said　the　fraulein。　　〃Good　night；　Herzolattchen；　or　rather　good　morning；　for　the　Easter　day　has　begun。〃

Perhaps　Erica　liked　her　all　the　better　for　saying　nothing　more　definite；　but　in　the　ordinary　sense　of　the　word　she　did　not　have　a　good　night；　for　long　after　Thekla　Sonnenthal　was　asleep；　and　dreaming　of　her　German　home；　Luke　Raeburn's　daughter　lay　awake；　thinking　of　the　faith　which　to　some　was　such　an　intense　reality。　　Had　there　been　anything　excited　or　unreal　about　her　companion's　manner；　she　would　not　have　thought　twice　about　it；　but　her　tranquillity　and　sweetness　seemed　to　her　very　remarkable。　　Moreover；　Fraulein　Sonnenthal　was　strangely　devoid　of　imagination；　she　was　a　matter…of…fact　little　person；　not　at　all　a　likely　subject　for　visions　and　delusions。　　Erica　was　perplexed。　　Once　more　there　came　to　her　that　uncomfortable　question：　〃Supposing　Christianity　were　true？〃

The　moonlight　paled　and　the　Easter　morn　broke；　and　still　she　tossed　to　and　fro；　haunted　by　doubts　which　would　not　let　her　sleep。　　But　by　and　by　she　returned　to　the　one　thing　which　was　absolutely　certain；　namely；　that　her　German　friend　was　lovable　and　to　be　loved；　whatever　her　creed。

And；　since　Erica's　love　was　of　the　practical　order；　it　prompted　her　to　get　up　early；　dress　noiselessly；　and　steal　out　of　the　room　without　waking　her　companion；　then；　with　all　the　church　bells　ringing　and　the　devout　citizens　hurrying　to　mass；　she　ran　to　the　nearest　flower　stall；　spent　one　of　her　very　few　half…francs　on　the　loveliest　white　rose　to　be　had；　and　carried　it　back　as　an　Easter　offering　to　the　fraulein。

It　was　fortunate　in　every　way　that　Erica　had　the　little　German　lady　for　her　friend；　for　she　would　often　have　fared　badly　without　some　one　to　nurse　and　befriend　her。

She　was　very　delicate；　and　worked　far　too　hard；　for；　besides　all　her　work　in　the　school；　she　was　preparing　for　an　English　examination　which　she　had　set　her　heart　on　trying　as　soon　as　she　went　home。　　Had　it　not　been　for　Fraulein　Sonnenthal；　she　would　more　than　once　have　thoroughly　overworked　herself；　and　indeed　as　it　was；　the　strain　of　that　two　years　told　severely　on　her　strength。

But　the　time　wore　on　rapidly；　as　very　fully　occupied　time　always　does；　and　Erica's　list　of　days　grew　shorter　and　shorter；　and　the　letters　from　her　mother　were　more　and　more　full　of　plans　for　the　life　they　would　lead　when　she　came　home。　　The　two　years　would　actually　end　in　January；　Erica　was；　however；　to　stay　in　Paris　till　the　following　Easter；　partly　to　oblige　Mme。　Lemercier；　partly　because　by　that　time　her　father　hoped　to　be　in　a　great　measure　free　from　his　embarrassments；　able　once　more　to　make　a　home　for　her。


CHAPTER　VII。　What　the　New　Year　Brought

A　voice　grows　with　the　growing　years；　Earth；　hushing　down　her　bitter　cry；　Looks　upward　from　her　graves；　and　hears；　〃The　Resurrection　and　the　Life　am　I。〃

O　love　Divine；whose　consta