we two-第74章

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eming　atheists；　to　be　contaminated　by　vile　infidels！〃

Erica's　Highland　hospitality　and　strong　family　loyalty　were　so　outraged　by　the　words　that　to　keep　silent　was　impossible。

〃You　forget　to　whom　you　are　speaking；〃　she　said　quickly。　　〃You　forget　that　this　is　my　father's　house！〃

〃I　would　give　a　good　deal　to　be　able　to　forget；〃　said　Mr。　Fane…Smith。　〃I　have　tried　to　deal　kindly　with　you；　tried　to　take　you　from　this　accursed　place；　and　you　repay　me　by　tempting　Rose　to　stay　with　you！〃

Erica　had　recovered　herself　by　this　time。　　Tom；　watching　her；　could　not　but　wonder　at　her　self…restraint。　　She　did　not　retaliate；　did　not　even　attempt　to　justify　her　conduct；　at　such　a　moment　words　would　have　been　worse　than　useless。　　But　Tom；　while　fully　appreciating　the　common　sense　of　the　non…resistance；　was　greatly　astonished。　　Was　this　his　old　playmate　who　had　always　had　the　most　deliciously　aggravating　retort　ready？　　Was　this　hot…tempered　Erica？　　That　Mr。　Fane…Smith's　words　were　hurting　her　very　much　he　could　see；　he　guessed；　too；　that　the　consciousness　that　he；　a　secularist；　was　looking　on　at　this　unfortunate　display　of　Christian　intolerance；　added　a　sting　to　her　grief。

〃It　is　useless　to　profess　Christianity；〃　stormed　Mr。　Fane…Smith；　〃if　you　openly　encourage　infidelity　by　consorting　with　these　blasphemers。　　You　are　no　Christian！　　A　mere　Socinian　a　Latitudinarian！〃

Erica's　lips　quivered　a　little　at　this；　but　she　remembered　that　Christ　had　been　called　harder　names　still　by　religious　bigots　of　His　day；　and　she　kept　silence。

〃But　understand　this；〃　continued　Mr。　Fane…Smith；　〃that　I　approve　less　than　ever　of　your　intimacy　with　Rose；　and　until　you　come　to　see　your　folly　in　staying　here；　your　worse　than　folly　your　deliberate　choice　of　home　and　refusal　to　put　religious　duty　first　there　had　better　be　no　more　intercourse　between　us。〃

〃Can　you　indeed　think　that　religious　duty　ever　requires　a　child　to　break　the　fifth　commandment？〃　said　Erica　with　no　anger　but　with　a　certain　sadness　in　her　tone。　　〃Can　you　really　think　that　by　leaving　my　father　I　should　be　pleasing　a　perfectly　loving　God？〃

〃You　lean　entirely　on　your　own　judgment！〃　said　Mr。　Fane…Smith；　〃if　you　were　not　too　proud　to　be　governed　by　authority；　you　would　see　that　precedent　shows　you　to　be　entirely　in　the　wrong。　　St。　John　rushed　from　the　building　polluted　by　the　heretic　Cerinthus；　a　man　who；　compared　with　your　father；　was　almost　orthodox！〃

Erica　smiled　faintly。

〃If　that　story　is　indeed　true；　I　should　think　he　remembered　before　long　a　reproof　his　intolerance　brought　him　once。　　'Ye　know　not　what　spirit　ye　are　of。〃　　And　really；　if　we　are　to　fall　back　upon　tradition；　I　may　quote　the　story　of　Abraham　turning　the　unbeliever　out　of　his　tent　on　a　stormy　night。　　'I　have　suffered　him　these　hundred　years；'　was　the　Lord's　reproof；　'though　he　dishonored　Me；　and　couldst　thou　not　endure　him　for　one　night？'　　I　am　sorry　to　distress　you；　but　I　must　do　what　I　know　to　be　right。

〃Don't　talk　to　me　of　right；〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Fane…Smith　with　a　shudder。　　〃You　are　wilfully　putting　your　blaspheming　father　before　Christ。　　But　I　see　my　words　are　wasted。　　Let　me　pass！　　The　air　of　this　house　is　intolerable　to　me！〃

He　hurried　away；　his　anger　flaming　up　again　when　Tom　followed　him；　closing　the　door　of　the　cab　with　punctilious　politeness。　　Rose　was　frightened。

〃Oh；　papa；〃　she　said；　trembling；　〃why　are　you　so　angry？　　You　haven't　been　scolding　Erica　about　it？　　If　there　was　any　fault　anywhere；　the　fault　was　mine。　　What　did　you　say　to　her；　papa？　　What　have　you　been　doing？〃

Mr。　Fane…Smith　was　in　that　stage　of　anger　when　it　is　pleasant　to　repeat　all　one's　hot　words　to　a　second　audience　and；　moreover；　he　wanted　to　impress　Rose　with　the　enormity　of　her　visit。　　He　repeated　all　that　he　had　said　to　Erica；　interspersed　with　yet　harder　words　about　her　perverse　self…reliance　and　disregard　for　authority。

Rose　listened；　but　at　the　end　she　trembled　no　longer。　　She　had　in　her　a　bit　of　the　true　Raeburn　nature　with　its　love　of　justice　and　its　readiness　to　stand　up　for　the　oppressed。

〃Papa；〃　she　said；　all　her　spoiled…child　manners　and　little　affectations　giving　place　to　the　most　perfect　earnestness；　〃papa；　you　must　forgive　me　for　contradicting　you；　but　you　are　indeed　very　much　mistaken。　　I　may　have　been　silly　to　go　there。　　Erica　did　try　all　she　could　to　persuade　me　to　go　back　to　Greyshot　yesterday；　but　I　am　glad　I　stayed　even　though　you　are　so　angry　about　it。　　If　there　is　a　noble；　brave　girl　on　earth；　it　is　Erica！　　You　don't　know　what　she　is　to　them　all；　and　how　they　all　love　her。　　I　will　tell　you　what　this　visit　has　done　for　me。　　It　has　made　me　ashamed　of　myself；　and　I　am　going　to　try　to　be　wiser；　and　less　selfish。〃

It　was　something　of　an　effort　to　Rose　to　say　this；　but　she　had　been　very　much　struck　with　the　sight　of　Erica's　home　life；　and　she　wanted　to　prove　to　her　father　how　greatly　he　had　misjudged　her　cousin。　　Unfortunately；　there　are　some　people　in　this　world　who；　having　once　got　an　idea　into　their　heads；　will　keep　it　in　the　teeth　of　the　very　clearest　evidence　to　the　contrary。

In　the　meantime；　Tom　had　rejoined　Erica　in　the　hall。

〃How　can　such　a　brute　have　such　a　daughter？〃　he　said。　　〃Never　mind；　Cugina；　you　were　a　little　brick；　and　treated　him　much　better　than　he　deserved。　　If　that　is　a　Christian；　and　this　a　Latitudinarian　and　all　the　other　heresies　he　threw　at　your　head；　all　I　can　say　is；　commend　me　to　your　sort；　and　may　I　never　have　the　misfortune　to　encounter　another　of　his！〃

Erica　did　not　reply；　she　felt　too　sick　at　heart。　　She　walked　slowly　upstairs；　trying　to　stifle　the　weary　longing　for　Brian　which；　though　very　often　present；　became　a　degree　less　bearable　when　her　isolated　position　between　two　fires；　as　it　were　had　been　specially　emphasized。

〃That's　a　nice　specimen　of　Christian　charity！〃　said　Aunt　Jean　as　they　returned　to　the　green　room。

〃And　he　set　upon　Erica　at　the　door　and　hurled　hard　names　at　her　as　fast　as　he　could　go；〃　said　Tom；　proceeding　to　give　a　detailed　account　of　Mr。　Fane…Smith's　parting　utterances。

Erica　picked　up　Tottie　and　held　him　closely；　turning；　as　all　lovers　of　animals　do　in　times　of　trouble；　to　the　comforting　devotion　of　those　dumb　friends　who　do　not　season　their　love　with　curiosity　or　unasked　advice；　or　that　pity　which　is　less　sympathetic　than　silence；　and　burdens　us　with　the　feeling　that　our　sad　〃case〃　will　be　gossiped　over　in　the　same　pitying　tones　at　afternoon　teas　and　morning　calls。　　Tottie　could　not　gossip；　but　he　could　talk　to　her　with　his　bright　brown　eyes；　and　do　something　to　fill　a　great　blank　in　her　life。

Tom's　account　of　the　scene　in　the　hall　made　every　one　angry。

〃And　yet；〃　said　Mrs。　MacNaughton；　〃these　Christians；　who　used　to　us　such　language　as　this；　own　as　their　Master　one　who　taught　that　a　mere　angry　word　which　wounded　a　neighbor　should　receive　severe　punishment！〃

Raeburn　said　nothing；　only　watched　Erica　keenly。　　She　was　leaning　against　the　mantel　piece；　her　eyes　very　sad…looking；　and　about　her　face　that　expression　of　earnest　listening　which　is　characteristic　of　those　who　are　beginning　to　learn　the　true　meaning　of　humility　and　〃righteous　judgment。〃　　She　had　pushed　back　the　thick　waves　of　hair　which　usually　overshadowed　her　forehead；　and　looked　something　between　a　lion　with　a　tangled　mane　and　a　saint　with　a　halo。

〃Never　mind；〃　said　the　professor；　cheerfully；　〃it　is　to　bigotry　like　this　that　we　shall　owe　our　recovery　of　Erica。　　And　seriously；　what　can　you　think　of　a　religion　which　can　make　a　man　behave　like　this　to　one　who　had　never　injured　him；　who；　on　the　contrary；　had　befriended　his　child？〃

〃It　is　not　Christ's　religion　which　teaches　him　to　do　it；〃　said　Erica；　〃it　is　the　perversion　of　that　religion。〃

〃Then　in　all　conscience　the　perversion　is　vastly　more　powerful　and　extended　than　what　you　deem　the　reality。〃

〃Unfortunately　yes；〃　said　Erica；　sighing。　　〃At　present　it　is。〃

〃At　present！〃　retorted　the　professor；　〃why；　you　have　had　more　than　eighteen　hundred　years　to　improve　it。〃

〃You　yourself　taught　me　to　have　patience　with　the　slow　processes　of　nature；〃　said　Erica；　smiling　a　little。　　〃If　you　allow　unthinkable　ages　for　the　perfecting　of　a　layer　of　rocks；　do　you　wonder　that　in　a　few　hundred　years　a　church　is　still　far　from　perfect？〃

〃I　expect　perfection　in　no　human　being；〃　said　the　professor；　taking　up　a　Bible　from　the　table　and　turning　over　the　pages　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　knew　its　contents　well；　〃when　I　see　Christians　in　some　sort　obeying　this；　I　will　believe　that　their　system　is　the　true　system；　but　not　before。〃　　He　guided　his　finger　slowly　beneath　the　following　lines：　'Let　all　bitterness；　and　wrath；　and　anger；　and　clamor；　and　evil…speaking　be　put　away　from　you；　with　all　malice。'　　There　is　the　precept；　you　see；　and　a　very　good　precept；　to　be　found　in　the　secularist　creed　as　well；　but　now　let　us　look　at　the　practice。　　See　how　we　secularists　are　treated！　　Why；　we　live　as　it　were　in　a　foreign　land；　compelled　to　keep　the　law　yet　denied　the　protection　of　the　law！　　'Outlaws　of　the　constitution；　outlaws　of　the　human　race；〃　as　Burke　was　kind　enough　to　call　us。　　No！　　When　I　see　Christians　no　longer　slandering　our　leaders；　no　longer　coining　hateful　lies　about　us　out　of　their　own　evil　imaginations；　when　I　see　equal　justice　shown　to　all　men　of　whatever　creed；　then；　the　all…conquering　love。　　Christianity　has　yet　to　prove　itself　the　religion　of　love；　at　present　it　is　the　religion　of　exclusion。〃

Mrs。　MacNaughton；　who　was　exceedingly　fond　of　Erica；　looked　sorry　for　her。

〃You　see；　Erica；〃　she　said；　〃the　professor　judges　by　averages。　　No　one　would　deny　that　some　of　the　greatest　men　in　the　world　have　been；　and　are　even　in　the　present　day；　Christians；　they　have　been　brought　up　in　it；　and　can't　free　themselves　from　its　trammels。　You　have　a　few　people　like　the　Osmonds；　a　few　really　liberal　men；　but　you　have　only　to　see　how　they　are　treated　by　their　confreres　to　realize　the　illiberality　of　the　religion　as　a　whole。〃

〃I　think　with　you；〃　said　Erica；　〃that　if　the　revelation　of　God's　love；　and　His　purpose　for　all；　be　only　to　be　learned　from　the　lives　of　Christians；　it　is　a　bad　lookout　for　us。　　But　God　HAS　given　us　one　perfect　revelation　of　Himself；　and　the　Perfect　Son　can　make　us　see　plainly　even　when　the　imperfect　sons　are　holding　up　to　us　a　distorted　likeness　of　the　Father。〃

She　had　spoken　quietly；　but　with　the　tremulousness　of　strong　feeling；　and；　moreover；　she　was　so　sensitive　that　the　weight　of　the　hostile　atmosphere　oppressed　her；　and　made　speaking　a　great　difficulty。　　When　she　had　ended；　she　turned　away　from　the　disapproving　eyes　to　the　only　sympathetic　eyes　in　the　room　the　dog's。　　They　looked　up　into　hers　with　that　wistful　endeavor　to　understand　the　meaning　of　something　beyond　their　grasp；　which　makes　the　eyes　of　animals　so　pathetic。

There　was　a　silence；　her　use　of　the　adjective　〃perfect〃　had　been　very　trying　to　all　her　hearers；　who　strongly　disapproved　of　the　whole　sentence；　but　then　she　was　so　evidently　sincere　and　so　thoroughly　lovable　that　no　one　liked　to　give　her　pain。

Aunt　Jean　was　the　only　person　who　thought　there　was　much　chance　of　her　ever　returning　to　the　ranks　of　secularism；　she　was　the　only　one　who　spoke　now。

〃Well；　well；〃　she　said；　pityingly；　〃you　are　but　young；　you　will　think　very　differently　ten　years　hence。〃