we two- 第75部分

So　they　walked　back　together　silently；　and　found　the　poem；　and　at　Raeburn's　request　Brian　stayed　to　breakfast；　and　fell　back　naturally　into　his　old　place　with　them　all。

The　following　day　Raeburn　had　to　attend　a　meeting　in　the　north　of　England；　he　returned　on　the　Tuesday　afternoon；　looking；　Erica　fancied；　tired　and　overdone。

〃Railway　journeys　are　not　quite　the　rest　they　once　were　to　me；〃　he　confessed；　throwing　himself　down　in　a　chair　by　the　open　window　while　she　brought　him　some　tea。　　〃This　is　very　beguiling；　little　one；　but　see；　I've　all　these　letters　to　answer　before　five。〃

〃Your　train　must　have　been　very　late。〃

〃Yes；　there　was　a　block　on　the　line；　and　we　stopped　for　half　an　hour　in　the　middle　of　a　bean　field　bliss　that　a　Londoner　can't　often　enjoy。〃

〃Did　you　get　out？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　and　sat　upon　the　fence　and　meditated　to　the　great　delectation　of　my　olfactory　nerves。〃

Erica's　laugh　was　checked　by　a　knock　at　the　door。　　The　servant　announced　that　a　gentleman　wanted　to　see　Miss　Raeburn。

〃Some　message　from　Mr。　Bircham；　I　expect；〃　said　Erica　to　her　father。　　〃Ask　him　upstairs；　please。　　I　only　hope　he　doesn't　want　me　to　write　another　article　at　the　eleventh　hour。　　If　it's　the　little　Irish　sub…editor；　you　must　be　very　polite　to　him；　father；　for　he　has　been　kind　to　me。〃

But　it　was　no　message　from　the　〃Daily　Review〃　office；　a　perfect　stranger　was　shown　into　the　room。

He　bowed　slightly　as　he　entered。

〃Are　you　Miss　Erica　Raeburn？〃　he　asked；　coming　toward　her。

〃I　am；〃　she　replied。　　〃What　is　your　business　with　me？〃

〃I　have　to　place　this　document　in　your　hands。〃

He　gave　her　a　paper　which　she　rapidly　unfolded。　　To　her　dying　day　she　could　always　see　that　hateful　bit　of　foolscap　with　its　alternate　printing　and　writing。　　The　words　were　to　this　effect：

Writ　Subpoena　Ad　Test；　at　Sittings　of　High　Court。　IN　THE　HIGH　COURT　OF　JUSTICE；　QUEEN'S　BENCH　DIVISION。　Between　Luke　Raeburn；　Plaintiff；　and　William　Henry　Pogson；　　Defendant　VICTORIA；　by　the　Grace　of　God；　of　the　United　kingdom　of　Great　Britain　and　Ireland；　Queen；　Defender　of　the　Faith；　To　Erica　Raeburn；　greeting。　We　command　you　to　attend　at　the　sittings　of　the　Queen's　Bench　division　of　our　High　Court　of　Justice　to　be　holden　at　Westminster　on　Tuesday；　the　Twentieth　day　of　June；　18__；　at　the　hour　of　half　past　Ten　in　the　forenoon；　and　so　from　day　to　day　during　the　said　sittings；　until　the　above　cause　is　tried；　to　give　evidence　on　behalf　of　the　Defendant。　Witness；　etc。；　etc。

Erica　read　the　paper　twice　before　she　looked　up；　she　had　grown　white　to　the　very　lips。　　Raeburn；　recognizing　the　form　of　a　subpoena；　came　hastily　forward；　and　in　the　merest　glance　saw　how　matters　were。　　By　no　possibility　could　the　most　malicious　of　opponents　have　selected　a　surer　means　of　torturing　him。

〃Is　this　legal？〃　asked　Erica；　lifting　to　him　eyes　that　flashed　with　righteous　indignation。

〃Oh；　it　is　legal；〃　he　replied　bitterly　〃the　pound　of　flesh　was　legal。　　A　wife　need　not　appear　against　her　husband；　but　a　daughter　may　be　dragged　into　court　and　forced　to　give　evidence　against　her　father。〃

As　he　spoke；　such　anger　flashed　from　his　eyes　that　the　clerk　shivered　all　down　his　backbone。　　He　thought　he　would　take　his　departure　as　quickly　as　might　be；　and　drawing　a　little　nearer；　put　down　a　coin　upon　the　table　beside　Erica。

〃This　fee　is　to　cover　your　expenses；　madame；〃　he　said。

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Erica；　her　anger　leaping　up　into　a　sudden　flame；　〃do　you　think　I　shall　take　money　from　that　man？〃

She　had　an　insane　desire　to　snatch　up　the　sovereign　and　fling　it　at　the　clerk's　head；　but　restraining　herself　merely　flicked　it　back　across　the　table　to　him；　just　touching　it　with　the　back　of　her　hand　as　though　it　had　been　polluted。

〃You　can　take　that　back　again；〃　she　said；　a　look　of　scorn　sweeping　over　her　face。　　〃Tell　Mr。　Pogson　that；　when　he　martyrs　people　he　need　not　say：　'The　martyrdom　will　make　you　hungry　here　is　luncheon　money；'　or　'The　torture　will　tire　you　here　is　your　cab　fare！'〃

〃But；　madame；　excuse　me；〃　said　the　clerk；　looking　much　embarrassed。　　〃I　must　leave　the　money；　I　am　bound　to　leave　it。〃

〃If　you　leave　it；　I　shall　just　throw　it　into　the　fireplace　before　your　eyes；〃　said　Erica。　　〃But　if　indeed　it　can't　be　sent　back；　then　give　it　to　the　first　gutter　child　you　meet　do　anything　you　like　with　it！　　Hang　it　on　your　watch　chain　as　a　memento　of　the　most　cruel　case　your　firm　every　had　to　do　with！〃

Her　color　had　come　back　again；　her　cheeks　were　glowing；　in　her　wrath　she　looked　most　beautiful；　the　clerk　would　have　been　less　than　human　if　he　had　not　felt　sorry　for　her。　　There　was　a　moment's　silence；　he　glanced　from　the　daughter　to　the　father；　whose　face　was　still　pale　and　rigid。　　A　great　pity　surged　up　in　the　clerk's　heart。　　He　was　a　father　himself；　involuntarily　his　thoughts　turned　to　the　little　home　at　Kilburn　where　Mary　and　Kitty　would　be　waiting　for　him　that　evening。　　What　if　they　should　ever　be　forced　into　a　witness　box　to　confirm　a　libel　on　his　personal　character？　　A　sort　of　moisture　came　to　his　eyes　at　the　bare　idea。　　The　counsel　for　the　defense；　too；　was　that　Cringer；　Q。　C。；　the　greatest　bully　that　ever　wore　silk。　　Then　he　glanced　once　more　at　the　silent；　majestic　figure　with　the　rigid　face；　who；　though　an　atheist；　was　yet　a　man　and　a　father。

〃Sir；〃　he　said；　with　the　ring　of　real　and　deep　feeling　in　his　voice；　〃sir；　believe　me；　if　I　had　known　what　bringing　this　subpoena　meant；　I　would　sooner　have　lost　my　situation！〃

Raeburn's　face　relaxed；　he　spoke　a　few　courteous；　dignified　words；　accepting　with　a　sort　of　unspoken　gratitude　the　man's　regret；　and　in　a　few　moments　dismissing　him。　　But　even　in　these　few　moments　the　clerk；　though　by　no　means　an　impressionable　man；　had　felt　the　spell；　the　strange　power　of　fascination　which　Raeburn　invariably　exercised　upon　those　he　talked　with　that　inexplicable　influence　which　made　cautious；　hard…headed　mechanics　ready　to　die　for　him；　ready　to　risk　anything　in　his　cause。

The　instant　the　man　was　gone；　Raeburn　sat　down　at　Erica's　writing　table　and　began　to　answer　his　letters。　　His　correspondents　got　very　curt　answers　that　day。　　Erica　could　tell　by　the　sound　of　his　pan　how　sharp　were　the　down　strokes；　how　short　the　rapidly　written　sentences。

〃Can　I　help　you？〃　she　asked；　drawing　nearer　to　him。

He　hastily　selected　two　or　three　letters　not　bearing　on　his　anti…religious　work；　gave　her　directions；　then　plunged　his　pen　in　the　ink　once　more；　and　went　on　writing　at　lightning　speed。　　When　at　length　the　most　necessary　ones　were　done；　he　pushed　back　his　chair；　and　getting　up　began　to　pace　rapidly　to　and　fro。　　Presently　he　paused　and　leaned　against　the　mantel　piece；　his　face　half　shaded　by　his　hand。

Erica　stole　up　to　him　silently。

〃Sometimes；　Eric；〃　he　said　abruptly；　〃I　feel　the　need　of　the　word　'DEVIL！'　　My　vocabulary　has　nothing　strong　enough　for　that　man。〃

She　was　too　heartsick　to　speak；　she　drew　closer　to　him　with　a　mute　caress。

〃Eric！〃　he　said；　holding　her　hands　between　his；　and　looking　down　at　her　with　an　indescribably　eager　expression　in　his　eyes；　〃Eric；　surely　NOW　you　see　that　this　persecuting　religion；　this　religion　which　has　been　persecuting　innumerable　people　for　hundreds　of　years；　is　　false；　worthless；　rotten　to　the　core。　　Child！　　Child！　　Surely　you　can't　believe　in　a　God　whose　followers　try　to　promote　His　glory　by　sheer　brutality　like　this？〃

It　was　the　first　time　he　had　spoken　to　her　on　this　subject　since　their　interview　at　Codrington。　　They　had　resolved　never　to　touch　upon　it　again；　but　a　sort　of　consciousness　that　some　good　must　come　to　him　through　this　new　bitterness；　a　hope　that　it　must　and　would　reconvince　his　child；　impelled　Raeburn　to　break　his　resolution。

〃I　could　sooner　doubt　that　you　are　standing　here；　father；　with　your　arm　round　me；〃　said　Erica；　〃than　I　could　doubt　the　presence　of　your　Father　and　mine　the　All…Father。〃

〃Even　though　his　followers　are　such　lying　scoundrels　as　that　Pogson？　　What　do　you　make　of　that？　　What　do　you　think　of　that？〃

〃I　think；〃　she　replied　quietly；　〃that　my　father　is　too　just　a　man　to　judge　Christianity　by　the　very　worst　specimen　of　a　Christian　to　be　met　with。　　Any　one　who　does　not　judge　secularism　by　its　very　best　representatives；　dead　or　living；　is　unfair　and　what　is　unfair　in　one　case　is　unfair　in　another。〃

〃Well；　if　I　judged　it　by　you；　perhaps　I　might　take　a　different　view　of　it；〃　said　Raeburn。　　〃But　then　you　had　the　advantage　of　some　years　of　secularism。〃

〃Not　by　me！〃　cried　Erica。　　〃How　can　it　seem　anything　but　very　faulty　when　you　judge　it　only　by　faulty　people？　　Why　not　judge　it　by　the　life　and　character　of　Christ？〃

Raeburn　turned　away　with　a　gesture　of　impatience。

〃A　myth！　　A　poetic　creation　long　ago　distorted　out　of　its　true　proportions！　　There；　child；　I　see　we　must　stop。　　I　only　pain　you　and　torture　myself　by　arguing　the　question。〃

〃One　more　thing；〃　said　Erica；　〃before　we　go　back　to　the　old　silence。　　Father；　if　you　would　only　write　a　life　of　Christ　I　mean；　a　really　complete　life；　the　one　you　wrote　years　ago　was　scarcely　more　than　a　pamphlet。〃

He　smiled；　knowing　that　she　thought　the　deep　study　necessary　for　such　an　undertaking　would　lead　to　a　change　in　his　views。

〃My　dear；〃　he　said；　〃perhaps　I　would；　but　just　see　how　I　am　overdone。　　I　couldn't　write　an　elaborate　thing　now。　　Besides；　there　is　the　book　on　the　Pentateuch　not　half　finished　though　it　was　promised　months　ago。　　Perhaps　a　year　or　two　hence　when　Pogson　gives　me　time　to　draw　a　long　breath；　I'll　attempt　it；　but　I　have　an　idea　that　one　or　other　of　us　will　have　to　be　'kilt　intirely'　before　that　happy　time　arrives。　　Perhaps　we　shall　mutually　do　for　each　other；　and　reenact　the　historical　song。〃　　And；　with　laughter　in　his　eyes；　he　repeated：

〃There　once　were　two　cats　of　Kilkenny；　Each　thought　there　was　one　cat　too　many；　So　they　quarreled　and　spit；　and　they　scratched　and　they　bit；　Till；　excepting　their　nails　and　the　tips　of　their　tails；　Instead　of　two　cats；　there　weren't　any。〃

Erica　smiled　faintly；　but　sighed　the　next　minute。

〃Well；　there！　　It's　too　grave　a　matter　to　jest　about；〃　said　Raeburn。　　〃Oh；　bairn！　　If　I　could　but　save　you　from　that　brute's　malice；　I　should　care　very　little　for　the　rest。〃

〃Since　you　only　care　about　it　for　my　sake；　and　I　only　for　yours；　I　think　we　may　as　well　gi