we two-第24章

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no　danger；　that　all　must　be　left　to　time　and　patience　and　careful　observance　of　the　doctor's　regulations。　　Raeburn　sighed　with　relief　at　the　repeated　assurance　that　there　was　no　danger；　that　recovery　was　only　a　question　of　time。　　Death　had　so　recently　visited　his　home　that　a　grisly　fear　had　taken　possession　of　his　heart。　　Once　free　of　that；　he　could　speak　almost　cheerfully　of　the　lesser　evil。

〃It　will　be　a　great　trial　to　her；　such　absolute　imprisonment；　she　is　never　happy　unless　she　is　hard　at　work。　　But　she　is　brave　and　strong…willed。　　Will　you　look　in　and　see　her　when　you　can？〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Charles　Osmond。　　〃We　must　do　our　best　to　keep　up　her　spirits。〃

〃Yes；　luckily　she　is　a　great　reader；　otherwise　such　a　long　rest　would　be　intolerable；　I　should　fancy。〃

〃You　do　not　object　to　my　coming　to　see　her？〃　said　Charles　Osmond；　looking　full　into　his　companion's　eyes。　　〃You　know　that　we　discuss　religious　questions　pretty　freely。〃

〃Religious　questions　always　are　freely　discussed　in　my　house；〃　said　Raeburn。　　〃It　will　be　the　greatest　advantage　to　her　to　have　to　turn　things　well　over　in　her　mind。　　Besides；　we　always　make　a　point　of　studying　our　adversaries'　case　even　more　closely　than　our　own；　and；　if　she　has　a　chance　of　doing　it　personally　as　well　as　through　books；　all　the　better。〃

〃But　supposing　that　such　an　unlikely　thing　were　to　happen　as　that　she　should　see　reason　to　change　her　present　views？　　Supposing；　if　you　can　suppose　anything　so　unlikely；　she　should　ever　in　future　years　come　to　believe　in　Christianity？〃

Raeburn　smiled；　not　quite　pleasantly。

〃It　is　as　you　say　such　a　very　remote　contingency！〃　　He　paused；　grew　grave；　then　continued　with　all　his　native　nobility：　〃Yet　I　like　you　the　better　for　having　brought　forward　such　an　idea；　improbable　as　I　hope　it　may　be　considered。　　I　feel　very　sure　of　Erica。　　She　has　thought　a　great　deal；　she　has　had　every　possible　advantage。　　We　never　teach　on　authority；　she　has　been　left　perfectly　free　and　has　learned　to　weigh　evidences　and　probabilities；　not　to　be　led　astray　by　any　emotional　fancies；　but　to　be　guided　by　reason。　　She　has　always　heard　both　sides　of　the　case；　she　has　lived　as　it　were　in　an　atmosphere　of　debate；　and　has　been；　and　of　course　always　will　be；　quite　free　to　form　her　own　opinion　on　every　subject。　　It　is　not　for　nothing　that　we　call　ourselves　Freethinkers。　　Absolute　freedom　of　thought　and　speech　is　part　of　our　creed。　　So　far　from　objecting　to　your　holding　free　discussions　with　my　daughter；　I　shall　be　positively　grateful　to　you；　and　particularly　just　now。　　I　fancy　Erica　has　inherited　enough　of　my　nature　to　enjoy　nothing　better　than　a　little　opposition。〃

〃I　know　you　are　a　born　fighter；〃　said　Charles　Osmond。　　〃We　sympathize　with　each　other　in　that。　　And　next　to　the　bliss　of　a　hard…won　victory；　I　place　the　satisfaction　of　being　well　conquered。〃

Raeburn　laughed。

〃I　am　glad　we　think　alike　there。　　People　are　very　fond　of　describing　me　as　a　big　bull　dog；　but　if　they　would　think　a　little；　they　would　see　that　the　love　of　overcoming　obstacles　is　deeply　rooted　in　the　heart　of　every　true　man。　　What　is　the　meaning　of　our　English　love　of　field　sports？　　What　the　explanation　of　the　mania　for　Alpine　climbing？　　It　is　no　despicable　craving　for　distinction；　it　is　the　innate　love　of　fighting；　struggling；　and　conquering。〃

〃Well；　there　are　many　obstacles　which　we　can　struggle　to　remove；　side　by　side；〃　said　Charles　Osmond。　　〃We　should　be　like　one　man；　I　fancy　on　the　question　of　the　opium　trade；　for　instance。〃

In　a　few　vigorous　words　Raeburn　denounced　this　monstrous　national　sin。

〃Are　you　going　to　the　meeting　tonight？〃　he　added；　after　a　pause。

〃Yes；　I　had　thought　of　it。　　Let　us　go　together。　　Shall　you　speak？〃

〃Not　tonight；〃　said　Raeburn；　a　smile　flickering　about　his　usually　stern　lips。　　〃The　Right　Reverend　Father；　etc。；　etc。；　who　is　to　occupy　the　chair；　might　object　to　announcing　that　'Mr。　Raeburn　would　now　address　the　meeting。'　　No；　this　is　not　the　time　or　place　for　me。　　So　prejudiced　are　people　that　the　mere　connection　of　my　name　with　the　question　would　probably　do　more　harm　than　good。　　I　should　like；　I　confess；　to　get　up　without　introduction；　to　speak　not　from　the　platform　but　from　among　the　audience　incognito。　　But　that　is　impossible　for　a　man　who　has　the　misfortune　to　be　five　inches　above　the　average　height；　and　whose　white　hair　has　become　a　proverb；　since　some　one　made　the　unfortunate　remark；　repeated　in　a　hundred　newspapers；　that　the　'hoary　head　was　only　a　crown　of　glory　when　found　in　the　way　of　righteousness。'〃

Charles　Osmond　could　not　help　laughing。

〃The　worst　of　these　newspaper　days　is　that　one　never　can　make　an　end　of　anything。　　That　remark　has　been　made　to　me　since　at　several　meetings。　　At　the　last；　I　told　the　speaker　that　I　was　so　tired　of　comments　on　my　personal　appearance　that　I　should　soon　have　to　resort　either　to　the　dyer　or　the　wigmaker。　　But　here　am　I　wasting　your　time　and　my　own；　and　forgetting　the　poor　little　maid　at　home。　　Goodbye。　　I'll　call　in　passing；　then；　at　a　quarter　to　eight。　　Tom　Craigie　will　probably　be　with　me；　he　is　very　rabid　on　the　subject。〃

〃Craigie　and　I　are　quite　old　friends；〃　said　Charles　Osmond。　

And　then；　as　on　the　preceding　night　he　had　stood　at　the　door　while　Erica　crossed　the　square；　so　now　involuntarily　his　eyes　followed　Raeburn。　　In　his　very　walk　the　character　of　the　man　was　indicated　firm；　steady；　imperturbable；　straightforward。


CHAPTER　XIV。　Charles　Osmond　Speaks　His　Mind

Fiat　justitia　ruat　coelum。　　Proverb

Justice；　the　miracle　worker　among　men。　　John　Bright　（July　14；　1868。）

〃I　thought　you　were　never　coming　to　see　me；〃　said　Erica；　putting　down　a　newspaper　and　looking　up　with　eager　welcome　at　Charles　Osmond；　who　had　just　been　announced。

〃It　has　not　been　for　want　of　will；〃　he　replied；　sitting　down　near　her　couch；　〃but　I　have　been　overwhelmed　with　work　the　last　few　days。　　How　are　you　getting　on？　　I'm　glad　you　don't　altogether　refuse　to　see　your　prophet　of　evil。〃

〃It　would　have　been　worse　if　you　hadn't　spoken；〃　she　said；　in　the　tone　of　one　trying　hard　to　make　the　best　of　things。　　〃I　was　rather　rash　though　to　say　that　I　should　like　my　wheels　to　run　down；　I　didn't　know　how　terrible　it　is　to　be　still。　　One　does　so　grudge　all　the　lost　time。〃

〃But　you　will　not　let　this　be　lost　time　you　will　read。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　happily　I　can　do　that。　　And　Mrs。　McNaughton　is　going　to　give　me　physiology　lessons；　and　dear　old　Professor　Gosse　has　promised　to　come　and　teach　me　whenever　he　can。　　He　is　so　devoted　to　father；　you　know；　I　think　he　would　do　anything　for　me　just　because　I　am　his　child。　　It　is　a　comfort　that　father　has　so　many　real　good　friends。　　What　I　do　so　hate　though　is　the　thought　of　having　to　be　a　passive　verb　for　so　long。　　You've　no　idea　how　aggravating　it　is　to　lie　here　and　listen　to　all　that　is　going　on；　to　hear　of　great　meetings　and　not　to　be　able　to　go；　to　hear　of　work　to　be　done　and　not　to　be　able　to　do　it。　　And　I　suppose　one　notices　little　things　more　when　one　is　ill；　for　just　to　lie　still　and　watch　our　clumsy　little　servant　lay　the　table　for　dinner；　clattering　down　the　knives　and　forks　and　tossing　down　the　plates；　makes　me　actually　cross。　　And　then　they　let　the　room　get　so　untidy；　just　look　at　that　stack　of　books　for　reviewing；　and　that　chaos　of　papers　in　the　corner。　　If　I　could　but　get　up　for　just　five　minutes　I　shouldn't　mind。〃

〃Poor　child；〃　said　Charles　Osmond；　〃this　comes　very　hard　on　you。〃

〃I　know　I'm　grumbling　dreadfully；　but　if　you　knew　how　horrid　it　is　to　be　cut　off　from　everything！　　And；　of　course；　it　happens　that　another　controversy　is　beginning　about　that　Longstaff　report。　　I　have　been　reading　half　a　dozen　of　today's　newspapers；　and　each　one　is　worse　than　the　last。　　Look　here！　　Just　read　that；　and　try　to　imagine　that　it's　your　father　they　are　slandering！　　Oh；　if　I　could　but　get　up　for　one　minute　and　stamp！〃

〃And　is　this　untrue？〃　asked　Charles　Osmond；　when　he　had　finished　the　account　in　question。

〃There　is　just　enough　truth　in　it　to　make　it　worse　than　a　direct　lie；〃　said　Erica；　hotly。　　〃They　have　quoted　his　own　words；　but　in　a　sense　in　which　he　never　meant　them；　or　they　have　quite　disregarded　the　context。　　If　you　will　give　me　those　books　on　the　table；　I'll　just　show　you　how　they　have　misrepresented　him　by　hacking　out　single　sentences；　and　twisting　and　distorting　all　he　says　in　public。〃

Charles　Osmond　looked　at　the　passages　referred　to；　and　saw　that　Erica　had　not　complained　without　reason。

〃Yes；　that　is　very　unfair　shamefully　unfair；〃　he　said。　　Then；　after　a　pause；　he　added；　abruptly：　〃Erica；　are　you　good　at　languages？〃

〃I　am　very　fond　of　them；〃　she　said；　surprised　at　the　sudden　turn　he　had　given　to　the　conversation。

〃Supposing　that　Mr。　Raeburn's　speeches　and　doings　were　a　good　deal　spoken　of　in　Europe；　as　no　doubt　they　are；　and　that　a　long　time　after　his　death　one　of　his　successors　made　some　converts　to　secularism　in　Italy；　and　wrote　in　Italian　all　that　he　could　remember　of　the　life　and　words　of　his　late　teacher。　　Then　suppose　that　the　Italian　life　of　Raeburn　was　translated　into　Chinese；　and　that　hundreds　of　years　after；　a　heathen　Chinee　sat　down　to　read　it。　　His　Oriental　mind　found　it　hard　to　understand　Mr。　Raeburn's　thoroughly　Western　mind；　he　didn't　see　anything　noble　in　Mr。　Raeburn's　character；　couldn't　understand　his　mode　of　thought；　read　through　the　life；　perhaps　studied　it　after　a　fashion；　or　believed　he　did；　then　shut　it　up；　and　said　there　might　possibly　have　been　such　a　man；　but　the　proofs　were　very　weak；　and；　even　if　he　had　lived；　he　didn't　think　he　was　any　great　shakes；　though　the　people　did　make　such　a　fuss　about　him。　　Would　you　call　that　heathen　Chinee　fair？〃

Erica　could　not　help　smiling；　though　she　saw　what　he　was　driving　at。

But　Charles　Osmond　felt　much　too　keenly　to　continue　in　such　a　light　strain。　　He　was　no　weak…minded；　pleasant　conversationalist；　but　a　prophet；　who　knew　how　to　speak　hard　truths　sometimes。

〃Erica；〃　he　said；　almost　sternly；　〃you　talk　much　about　those　who　quote　your　father's　words　unfairly；　but　have　you　never　misquoted　the　words　of　Christ？　　You　deny　Him　and　disbelieve　in　Him；　yet　you　have　never　really　studied　His　life。　　You　have　read　the　New　Testament　through　a　veil　of　prejudice。　　Mind；　I　am　not　saying　one　word　in　defense　of　those　so…called　Christians　who　treat　you　unfairly　or　uncharitably；　but　I　do　say　that；　as　far　as　I　can　see；　you　are　quite　as　unfair　to　Christ　as　they　are　to　your　father。　　Of　course；　you　may　reply　that　Jesus　of　Nazareth　lived　nearly　nineteen　hundred　years　ago；　and　that　your　father　is　still　living；　that　you　have　many　difficulties　and　doubts　to　combat；　while　our　bigots　can　verify　every　fact　or　quotation　with　regard　to　Mr。　Raeburn　with　perfect　ease　and　certainty。　　That　is　true　enough。　　But　the　difficulties；　if　honestly　faced；　might　be　surmounted。　　You　don't　honestly　face　them；　you　say　to　yourself；　'I　have　gone　into　all　these　matters　carefully；　and　now　I　have　finally　made　up　my　mind；　there　is　an　end　of　the　matter！'　You　are　naturally　prejudiced　against　Christ；　every　day　your　prejudices　will　deepen　unless　you　strike　out　resolutely　for　yourself　as　a　truth…seeker；　as　one　who　insists　on　always　considering　all　sides　of　the　　question。　　At　present　you　are　absolutely　unfair；　you　will　not　take　the　trouble　to　study　the　life　of