we two-第21章

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　After　his　speech　a　little　short；　sleek　oily　man　got　up；　and　talked　about　Providence。　　Apparently　it　had　been　very　kind　to　him；　and　he　thought　the　other　sort　of　thing　did　best　for　those　who　got　it。　　But　there　were　one　or　two　really　good　speakers；　and　I　dare　say　they　were　all　in　earnest。　　Still；　you　know；　Tom　and　I　felt　rather　like　fish　out　of　water；　and　especially　when　they　began　to　sing；　'Oh；　Bible；　blessed　Bible！'　and　a　lady　would　make　me　share　her　hymn　book。　　Then；　too；　there　was　a　collection；　and　the　man　made　quite　a　pause　in　front　of　us；　and　of　course　we　couldn't　give　anything。　　Altogether；　I　felt　rather　horrid　and　hypocritical　for　being　there　at　all。〃

〃Is　that　your　only　experience　of　one　of　our　meetings？〃

〃Oh；　no；　father　took　me　with　him　two　or　three　times　to　Westminster　Abbey　a　good　many　years　ago。　　We　heard　the　dean；　father　admired　him　very　much。　　I　like　Westminster　Abbey。　　It　seems　to　belong　a　little　to　us；　too；　because　it　is　so　national。　　And　then　it　is　so　beautiful；　and　I　liked　hearing　the　music。　　I　wonder；　though；　that　you　are　not　little　afraid　of　having　it　so　much　in　your　worship。　　I　remember　hearing　a　beautiful　anthem　there　once；　which　just　thrilled　one　all　through。　　I　wonder　that　you　don't　fear　that　people　should　mistake　that　for　what　you　call　spiritual　fervor。〃

〃I　think；　perhaps；　there　is　a　danger　in　any　undue　introduction　of　externals；　but　any　one　whose　spirit　has　ever　been　awakened　will　never　mistake　the　mere　thrill　of　sensuous　rapture　for　the　quickening　of　the　spirit　by　the　Unseen。〃

〃You　are　talking　riddles　to　me　now！〃　said　Erica；　〃but　I　feel　sure　that　some　of　the　people　who　go　to　church　regularly　only　like　it　because　of　that　appeal　to　the　senses。　　I　shall　never　forget　going　one　afternoon　into　Notre　Dame　with　Mme。　Lemercier。　　A　flood　of　crimson　and　purple　light　was　shining　in　through　the　south　transept　windows。　　You　could　see　the　white…robed　priests　and　choristers　there　was　one　boy　with　the　most　perfect　voice　you　can　conceive。　　I　don't　know　what　they　were　singing；　something　very　sweet　and　mournful；　and；　as　that　one　voice　rang　up　into　the　vaulted　roof；　I　saw　Mme。　Lemercier　fall　down　on　her　knees　and　pray　in　a　sort　of　rapture。　　Even　I　myself　felt　the　tears　come　to　my　eyes；　just　because　of　the　loveliness；　and　because　the　blood　in　one's　veins　seemed　to　bound。　　And　then；　still　singing；　the　procession　passed　into　the　nave；　and　the　lovely　voice　grew　more　and　more　distant。　　It　was　a　wonderful　effect；　no　doubt；　the　congregation　thought　they　felt　devout；　but；　if　so；　then　I　too　felt　devoutquite　as　religious　as　they。　　Your　spiritual　fervor　seems　to　me　to　resolve　itself　into　artistic　effect　produced　by　an　appeal　to　the　senses　and　emotions。〃

〃And　I　must　repeat　my　riddle；〃　said　Charles　Osmond；　quietly。　　〃No　awakened　spirit　could　ever　mistake　the　one　for　the　other。　　It　is　impossible！　　How　impossible　you　will　one　day　realize。〃

〃One　evil　prophesy　is　enough　for　today！〃　said　Erica　laughing。　　〃If　I　stay　any　longer；　you　will　be　prophesying　my　acceptance　of　Christianity。　　No；　no；　my　father　will　be　grieved　enough　if　your　first　prediction　comes　true；　but；　if　I　were　to　turn　Christian；　I　think　it　would　break　his　heart！〃

She　rose　to　go；　and　Charles　Osmond　went　with　her　to　the　door；　extracting　a　promise　that　she　would　discuss　things　with　her　aunt；　and　if　she　approved　send　for　Mr。　Osmond　at　once。　　He　watched　her　across　the　square；　then　turning　back　into　his　study　paced　to　and　fro　in　deep　thought。　　Erica's　words　rang　in　his　ears。　　〃If　I　were　to　turn　Christian；　I　think　it　would　break　his　heart。〃　　How　strangely　this　child　was　situated！　　How　almost　impossible　it　seemed　that　she　could　ever　in　this　world　come　to　the　light！　　And　yet　the　difficulty　might　perhaps　be　no　hindrance　to　one　so　beautifully　sincere；　so　ready　to　endure　anything　and　everything　for　the　sake　of　what　she　now　considered　truth。　　She　had　all　her　father's　zeal　and　self…devotion；　surely　the　offering　up　of　self；　even　in　a　mistaken　cause；　must　sooner　or　later　lead　to　the　Originator　of　all　self…sacrifice。　　Surely　some　of　those　who　seem　only　to　thwart　God；　honestly　deeming　Christianity　a　mischievous　delusion；　are　really　acting　more　in　His　spirit；　unconsciously　better　doing　His　will　than　many　who　openly　declare　themselves　on　His　side！　　Yet；　as　Charles　Osmond　mused　over　the　past　lives　of　Luke　Raeburn　and　his　daughter；　and　pictured　their　probable　future；　a　great　grief　filled　his　heart。　　They　wee　both　so　lovable；　so　noble！　　That　they　should　miss　in　a　great　measure　the　best　of　life　seemed　such　a　grievous　pity！　　The　chances　that　either　of　them　would　renounce　atheism　were；　he　could　not　but　feel；　infinitesimally　small。　　Much　smaller　for　the　father　than　for　the　child。

It　was　true；　indeed；　that　she　had　never　fairly　grasped　any　real　idea　of　the　character　of　Christ。　　He　had　once　grasped　it　to　a　certain　extent；　and　had　lost　the　perception　of　its　beauty　and　truth。　　It　was　true　also　that　Erica's　transparent　sincerity；　her　quick　perception　of　the　beautiful　might　help　very　greatly　to　overcome　her　deeply　ingrained　prejudices。　　But　even　then　what　an　agonywhat　a　fearful　struggle　would　lie　before　her；　〃I　think　it　would　break　his　heart！〃　　Charles　Osmond　felt　his　breath　come　fast　and　hard　at　the　mere　thought　of　such　a　difference　between　the　father　and　daughter！　　Could　human　strength　possibly　be　equal　to　such　a　terrible　trial？　　For　these　two　were　everything　to　each　other。　　Erica　worshipped　her　father；　and　Raeburn's　fatherhood　was　the　truest；　deepest；　tenderest　part　of　his　character。　　No；　human　strength　could　not　do　it；　but

〃I　am；　nyle　ye　drede！〃

His　eye　fell　on　a　little　illuminated　scroll　above　his　mantelpiece；　Wycliff's　rendering　of　Christ's　reassuring　words　to　the　fearful　disciples。　　Yes；　with　the　revelation　of　Himself；　He　would　give　the　strength；　make　it　possible　to　dread　nothing；　not　even　the　infliction　of　grief　to　one's　nearest　and　dearest。　　Much　pain；　much　sacrifice　there　would　be　in　his　service；　but　dreadnever。　　The　strength　of　the　〃I　am；〃　bade　it　forever　cease。　　In　that　strength　the　weakest　could　conquer。

But　he　had　wondered　on　into　a　dim　future；　had　pictured　a　struggle　which　in　all　probability　would　not　take　place。　　Even　were　that　the　case；　however；　he　needed　these　words　of　assurance　all　the　more　himself。　　They　wove　themselves　into　his　reverie　as　he　paced　to　an　fro；　they　led　him　further　and　further　away　from　perplexed　surmises　as　to　the　future　of　Raeburn　and　Erica；　but　closer　to　their　souls；　because　they　took　him　straight　to　the　〃God　and　father　of　all；　who　is　above　all；　and　through　all；　and　in　all。〃

The　next　morning　as　he　was　preparing　a　sermon　for　the　following　Sunday；　there　came　a　knock　at　his　study　door。　　His　brother　came　in。　　He　was　a　fine　looking　man　of　two　or　three…and…fifty。

〃I　can't　stay；〃　he　said；　〃I've　a　long　round；　but　I　just　looked　in　to　tell　you　about　your　little　heretic。〃

Charles　Osmond　looked　up　anxiously。

〃It　is　as　you　thought；〃　continued　his　brother。　　〃Slight　curvature　of　the　spine。　　She's　a　brave　little　thing；　I　don't　wonder　you　are　interested　in　her。〃

〃It　means　a　long　rest；　I　suppose？〃

〃Yes；　I　told　her　a　year　in　a　recumbent　posture；　for　I　fancy　she　is　one　of　those　restless　beings　who　will　do　nothing　at　all　unless　you　are　pretty　plain　with　them。　　It　is　possible　that　six　or　eight　months　may　be　sufficient。〃

〃How　did　she　take　it？〃　

〃Oh；　in　the　pluckiest　way　you　can　conceive！　　Tried　to　laugh　at　the　prospect；　wanted　me　to　measure　her　to　see　how　much　she　grew　in　the　time；　and　said　she　should　expect　at　least　three　inches　to　reward　her。〃

〃A　Raeburn　could　hardly　be　deficient　in　courage。　　Luke　Raeburn　is　without　exception　the　bravest　man　I　ever　met。〃

〃And　I'd　back　his　daughter　against　any　woman　I　know；〃　said　the　doctor。

He　left　the　room；　but　the　news　he　had　brought　caused　a　long　pause　in　his　brother's　sermon。


CHAPTER　XII。　Raeburn's　Homecoming

He　is　a　man　both　loving　and　severe；　A　tender　heart；　a　will　inflexible。　　Longfellow

Luke　Raeburn　had　been　lecturing　in　one　of　the　large　manufacturing　towns。　　It　was　the　hottest　part　of　a　sultry　day　in　June。　　He　was　returning　home；　and　sat　in　a　broiling　third…class　carriage　reading　a　paper。　　Apparently　what　he　read　was　the　reverse　of　gratifying　for　there　was　a　look　of　annoyance　on　his　usually　serene　face；　he　was　displeased　with　the　report　of　his　lecture　given　in　the　local　papers；　it　was　calculated　to　mislead　very　greatly。

Other　matters；　too；　were　harassing　him　just　then　and　he　was；　moreover；　paying　the　penalty　of　his　two　years'　campaign；　in　which　his　almost　superhuman　exertions　and　the　privations　he　had　voluntarily　endured　had　told　severely　upon　his　health。　　Possessed　of　a　singularly　well…regulated　mind；　and　having　in　an　unusual　degree　the　inestimable　gift　of　common　sense；　he　nevertheless　often　failed　to　use　it　in　his　personal　affairs。　　He　had　no　idea　of　sparing　himself；　no　idea　of　husbanding　his　strength；　this　was　indeed　great；　but　he　treated　himself　as　if　it　were　inexhaustible。　　The　months　of　trouble　had　turned　his　hair　quite　white；　he　was　now　a　more　noticeable…looking　man　than　ever。

Not　unfrequently　he　made　friends　with　the　men　with　whom　he　traveled；　he　was　always　studying　life　from　the　workingman's　point　of　view；　and　there　was　such　a　charm　in　his　genial　manner　and　ready　sympathy　that　he　invariably　succeeded　in　drawing　people　out。　　But　on　this　day　he　was　not　in　the　humor　for　it；　instead；　he　thought　over　the　abusive　article　and　the　mangled　report　in　the　〃Longstaff　Mercury；〃　and　debated　within　himself　whether　it　were　worth　an　action　for　libel。　　His　love　of　fighting　said　yes；　his　common　sense　said　no；　and　in　the　end　common　sense　won　the　day；　but　left　him　doubly　depressed。　　He　moved　to　the　shady　side　of　the　carriage　and　looked　out　of　the　window。　　He　was　a　great　lover　of　Nature；　and　Nature　was　looking　her　loveliest　just　then。　　The　trees；　in　all　the　freshness　of　early　June；　lifted　their　foliage　to　the　bluest　of　skies；　the　meadows　were　golden　with　buttercups；　the　cattle　grazed　peacefully；　the　hay　fields　waved　unmown　in　the　soft　summer　air；　which；　though　sparing　no　breath　for　the　hot　and　dusty　traveler；　was　yet　strong　enough　to　sweep　over　the　tall　grasses　in　long；　undulating　waves　that　made　them　shimmer　in　the　sunlight。

Raeburn's　face　grew　serene　once　more；　he　had　a　very　quick　perception　of　the　beautiful。　　Presently　he　retired　again　behind　a　newspaper；　this　time　the　〃Daily　Review；〃　and　again　his　brow　grew　stern；　for　there　was　bad　news　from　the　seat　of　war；　he　read　the　account　of　a　great　battle；　read　the　numbers　of　his　slain　countrymen；　and　of　those　who　had　fallen　on　the　enemy's　side。　　It　was　an　unrighteous　war；　and　his　heart　burned　within　him　at　the　thought　of　the　inhuman　havoc　thus　caused　by　a　false　ambition。　　Again；　as　if　he　were　fated　that　day　to　be　confronted　with　the　dark　side　of　life；　the　papers　gave　a　　long　account　of　a　discovery　made　in　some　charity　school；　where　young　children　had　been　hideously　ill…treated。　　Raeburn；　who　was　the　most　fatherly　of　men；　could　hardly　restrain　the　expression　of　his　righteous　indignation。　　All　this　mismanagement；　this　reckless　waste　of　life；　this　shameful　cruelty；　was　going　on　in　what　was　called　〃Free　England。〃　　And　here　was　he；　a　middle…aged　man；　and　time　was　passing　on　with　frightful　rapidity；　and　though　he　had　never　lost　an　opportunity　of　lifting　up　his