we two- 第45部分

He　braced　himself　up　for　an　interview　with　some　stranger；　and　in　walked　a　foreigner　wrapped　in　a　long　cloak；　and　looking　exceedingly　like　a　stage　brigand。

He　bowed；　the　brigand　bowed　too；　and　said　something　rapid　and　unintelligible　in　Italian。　　Then　glanced　at　the　door　to　see　that　it　was　safely　closed；　he　made　a　bound　to　the　open　window　and　shut　it　noiselessly。　　Raeburn　quietly　reached　down　a　loaded　revolver　which　hung　about　the　mantel　piece；　and　cocked　it；　whereupon　the　brigand　fell　into　a　paroxysm　of　laughter；　and　exclaimed　in　German：

〃Why；　my　good　friend！　　Do　you　not　know　me？〃

〃Haeberlein！〃　exclaimed　Raeburn；　in　utter　amazement；　submitting　to　a　German　embrace。

〃Eric　himself　and　no　other！〃　returned　the　brigand。　　〃Draw　your　curtains　and　lock　your　door　and　you　shall　see　me　in　the　flesh。　　I　am　half　stifled　in　this　lordly　wig。〃　

〃Wait；〃　said　Raeburn。　　〃Be　cautious。〃

He　left　him　for　a　minute；　and　Haeberlein　heard　him　giving　orders　that　no　one　else　was　to　be　admitted　that　evening。　　Then　he　came　back；　quietly　bolted　the　door；　closed　the　shutters；　and　lighted　the　gas。　　In　the　meantime　his　friend　threw　off　his　cloak；　removed　the　wig　of　long；　dark　hair；　and　the　drooping　mustache　and　shaggy　eyebrows；　revealing　his　natural　face　and　form。　　Raeburn　grasped　his　hand　once　more。

〃Now　I　feel　that　I've　got　you；　Eric！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃What　lucky　chance　has　brought　you　so　unexpectedly？〃

〃No　lucky　one！〃　said　Haeberlein；　with　an　expressive　motion　of　the　shoulders。　　〃But　of　that　anon；　let　me　look　at　you；　old　fellow　why　you're　as　white　as　a　miller！　　Call　yourself　six…and…forty！　　You　might　pass　for　my　grandfather！〃

Raeburn；　who　had　a　large　reserve　fund　of　humor；　caught　up　his　friend's　black　wig　from　the　table　and　put　it　on　above　his　own　thick；　white　hair；　showing　plainly　enough　that　in　face　and　spirits　he　was　as　young　as　ever。　　It　was　seven　years　since　they　had　met；　and　they　fell　to　talk　of　reminiscences；　and　in　the　happiness　of　their　meeting　put　off　the　more　serious　matters　which　must　be　discussed　before　long。　　It　was　a　good　half　hour　before　Haeberlein　alluded　to　the　occasion　of　his　present　visit。

〃Bring　actually　in　London；　I　couldn't　resist　looking　in　upon　you；〃　he　said；　a　cloud　of　care　coming　over　his　face。　　〃I　only　hope　it　won't　get　you　into　a　scrape。　　I　came　over　to　try　to　avert　this　deplorable　business　about　poor　Kellner　too　late；　I　fear。　　And　the　worst　of　it　is；　I　must　have　blundered　somehow　for　my　coming　leaked　out；　and　they　are　on　the　watch　for　me。　　If　I　get　safe　across　to　France　tonight；　I　shall　be　lucky。〃

〃Incautious　as　ever；〃　sighed　Raeburn。　　〃And　that　Kellner　richly　deserves　his　fate。　　Why　should　you　meddle？〃

〃I　was　bound　to；〃　said　Haeberlein。　　〃He　did　me　many　a　good　turn　during　my　exile；　and　though　he　has　made　a　grave　mistake；　yet〃

〃Yet　you　must　run　your　chivalrous　head　into　a　halter　for　his　sake！〃　exclaimed　Raeburn。　　〃You　were　ever　Quixote。　　I　shall　live　to　see　you　hanged　yet。〃

Haeberlein　laughed。

〃No；　I　don't　think　you　will；〃　he　said；　cheerfully。　　〃I've　had　some　bad　falls；　but　I've　always　fallen　on　my　feet。　　With　a　good　cause；　a　man　has　little　to　fear。〃

〃If　this　WERE　a　good　cause；〃　said　Raeburn；　with　significant　emphasis。

〃It　was　the　least　I　could　do；〃　said　Haeberlein；　with　the　chivalrous　disregard　of　self　which　was　his　chief　characteristic。　　〃I　only　fear　that　my　coming　here　may　involve　you　in　it　which　Heaven　forfend！　　I　should　never　forgive　myself　if　I　injured　your　reputation。〃

Raeburn　smiled　rather　bitterly。

〃You　need　not　fear　that。　　My　reputation　has　long　been　at　the　mercy　of　all　the　lying　braggarts　in　the　country。　　Men　label　me　socialist　one　day；　individualist　the　next。　　I　become　communist　or　egotist；　as　is　most　convenient　to　the　speaker　and　most　damaging　to　myself。　　But　there；〃　he　exclaimed；　regaining　the　tranquil　serenity　which　characterized　him；　〃why　should　I　rail　at　the　world　when　I　might　be　talking　to　you？　　How　is　my　old　friend　Hans？〃

The　sound　of　a　key　in　the　latch　startled　them。

〃It　is　only　Erica；〃　said　Raeburn。　〃I　had　forgotten　she　was　out。〃

〃My　pretty　little　namesake！　　I　should　like　to　see　her。　　Is　she　still　a　zealous　little　atheist？〃

〃No；　she　has　become　a　Christian；〃　said　Raeburn；　speaking　with　some　effort。

〃So！〃　exclaimed　Haeberlein；　without　further　comment。　　He　himself　was　of　no　particular　creed；　he　was　just　indifferent；　and　the　zeal　of　his　friend　often　surprised　him。

Raeburn　went　out　into　the　passage；　drew　Erica　into　the　front　sitting　room；　and　closed　the　door。

〃There　is　an　old　friend　of　yours　in　my　study；〃　he　said。　　〃He　wishes　to　see　you；　but　you　must　promise　secrecy；　for　he　is　in　danger。〃

〃Is　it　Herr　Haeberlein？〃　asked　Erica。

〃Yes；　on　one　of　his　rash；　kindly　errands；　but　one　of　which　I　don't　approve。　　However；　his　work　is　over；　and　we　must　try　to　get　him　safely　off　to　France。　　Come　in　with　me　if　you　will；　but　I　wanted　to　tell　you　about　it　first；　so　that　you　should　not　be　mixed　up　with　this　against　your　will；　which　would　be　unfair！〃

〃Would　it？〃　said　Erica；　smiling；　as　she　slipped　her　hand　into　his。

Haeberlein　had　taken　a　newspaper　out　of　his　pocket；　and　was　searching　for　something。　　The　gas　light　fell　on　his　clean…shaven　face；　revealing　a　sweet…tempered　mouth；　keen　blue　eyes；　a　broad　German　forehead；　and　closely　cropped　iron…gray　hair。　　Erica　thought　him　scarcely　altered　since　their　last　meeting。　　He　threw　down　his　newspaper　as　she　approached。

〃Well；　my　Herzblattchen！〃　　he　exclaimed；　saluting　her　with　a　double　kiss；　〃so　you　are　not　ashamed　of　your　old　friend？　　So；〃　holding　her　at　arms'　length　and　regarding　her　critically；　POtztausend！　　The　English　girls　do　beat　ours　all　to　nothing。　　Well；　my　Liebchen；　dost　thou　remember　the　day　when　thou　carried　the　Casati　dispatches　in　thy　geography　book　under　the　very　nose　of　a　spy？　　It　was　a　brave　deed　that；　and　it　saved　a　brave　man's　life。〃

Erica　smiled　and　colored。　〃I　was　not　so　brave　as　I　seemed；〃　she　said。　　〃My　heart　was　beating　so　loud；　I　thought　people　must　hear　it。〃

〃Has　thou　never　heard　the　saying　of　the　first　Napoleon；　'The　bravest　man　is　he　who　can　conceal　his　fear？'　　I　do　not　come　under　that　category；　for　I　never　had　fear　never　felt　it。　　Thou　wouldst　not　dream；　Herzblattchen；　that　spies　are　at　this　moment　dogging　my　steps　while　I　jest　here　with　thee？〃

〃Is　that　indeed　true？〃　exclaimed　Erica。

They　explained　to　her　a　little　more　of　Haeberlein's　errand　and　the　risk　he　ran；　he　alluded　to　his　hopes　that　Raeburn　might　not　be　involved　in　any　unpleasant　consequences。　　Erica　grew　pale　at　the　bare　suggestion。

〃See；〃　exclaimed　Haeberlein；　〃the　little　one　cares　more　for　your　reputation　than　you　do　yourself；　my　friend。　　See　what　it　is　to　have　a　daughter　who　can　be　afraid　for　you；　though　she　can　not　be　afraid　for　herself！　　But；　Liebchen；　Thou　must　not　blame　me　for　coming　to　see　him。　　Think！　　My　best　friend；　and　unseen　for　seven　years！〃

〃It　is　worth　a　good　deal　of　risk；〃　said　Erica；　brightly。　　But　as　the　terror　or　having　her　father's　name　mentioned　in　connection　with　Herr　Kellner's　once　more　returned　to　her；　she　added；　pleadingly；　〃And　you　WILL　be　careful　when　you　leave　the　house？〃

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　said　Haeberlein。　　See　what　a　disguise　I　have。〃

He　hastily　donned　the　black　wig；　mustache　and　eyebrows；　and　the　long　Italian　cloak。

Erica　looked　at　him　critically。

〃Art　thou　not　satisfied？〃　he　asked。

〃Not　a　bit；〃　she　said；　promptly。　　〃In　London　every　one　would　turn　to　look　twice　at　such　a　dress　as　that；　which　is　　what　you　want　to　avoid。　　Besides；　those　eyebrows　are　so　outrageous；　so　evidently　false。〃

She　thought　for　a　minute。

〃My　brown　Inverness；〃　suggested　Raeburn。

〃Too　thick　for　a　summer　night；〃　said　Erica；　〃and〃　glancing　from　her　father　to　Haeberlein　〃too　long　to　look　natural。　　I　think　Tom's　ulster　and　traveling　hat　would　be　better。〃

〃Commend　me　to　a　woman　when　you　want　sound　advice！〃　cried　Haeberlein。

Erica　went　to　search　Tom's　room　for　the　ulster；　and　in　the　meantime　Haeberlein　showed　his　friend　a　paragraph　in　one　of　the　evening　papers　which　proved　to　Raeburn　that　the　risk　was　indeed　very　great。　　They　were　discussing　things　much　more　gravely　when　Erica　returned。

〃The　stations　will　be　watched；〃　Haeberlein　was　saying。

〃What　station　do　you　go　to？〃　asked　Erica。

〃I　thought　of　trying　Cannon　Street；〃　replied　the　German。

〃Because；〃　continued　Erica；　〃I　think　you　had　better　let　me　see　you　off。　　You　will　look　like　a　young　Englishman；　and　I　shall　do　all　the　talking；　so　that　you　need　not　betray　your　accent。　　They　would　never　dream　of　Herr　Haeberlein　laughing　and　talking　with　a　young　girl。〃

〃They　would　never　dream　that　a　young　girl　would　be　brave　enough　to　run　such　a　risk！〃　said　Haeberlein。　　〃No；　my　sweet　Herzblattchen；　I　could　not　bring　thee　into　danger。〃

〃There　will　be　none　for　me；〃　said　Erica；　〃and　it　may　save　you　from　evil　and　my　father　from　suspicion。　　Father；　if　you　will　let　me；　it　would　be　more　of　a　disguise　than　anything。〃

〃You　might　meet　some　one　you　know；〃　said　Raeburn。

〃Very　unlikely；〃　she　replied。　　〃And　even　if　I　did；　what　would　it　matter？　　I　need　not　tell　them　anything；　and　Herr　Haeberlein　would　get　off　all　the　same。〃

He　saw　that　she　was　too　pure　and　too　unconventional　to　understand　his　objection；　but　his　whole　heart　rebelled　against　the　idea　of　letting　her　undertake　the　task；　and　it　was　only　after　much　persuasion　that　she　drew　from　him　a　reluctant　consent。　　After　all；　it　would　be　a　great　safeguard　to　Haeberlein；　and　Haeberlein　was　his　dearest　friend。　　For　no　one　else　could　he　have　risked　what　was　so　precious　to　him。　　There　was　very　little　time　for　discussion。　　The　instant　his　permission　was　given；　Erica　ran　upstairs　to　Tom's　private　den；　lighted　his　gas　stove；　and　made　a　cup　of　chocolate；　at　the　same　time　blackening　a　cork　very　carefully。　　In　a　few　minutes　she　returned　to　the　study；　carrying　the　chocolate　and　a　plate　of　rusks；　which　she　remembered　were　a　particular　weakness　of　Herr　Haeberlein's。　　She　found　that　in　her　absence　the　two　had　been　discussing　matters　again；　for　Haeberlein　met　her　with　another　remonstrance。

〃Liebe　Erica；〃　he　began；　〃I　yielded　just　now　to　thy　generous　proposal；　but　I　think　it　will　not　do。　　For　myself　I　can　be　rash；　but　not　for　thee。　　Thou　art　too　frail　and　lovely；　my　little　one；　to　get　mixed　up　with　the　grim　r