we two-第111章

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afternoon；　and　set　off　in　good　time　for　his　evening　lecture。　　It　was　Sunday　evening；　Erica　was　going　to　church　with　Donovan；　and　had　her　walking　things　on　when　her　father　looked　into　the　room　to　say　goodbye。

〃What；　going　out？〃　he　said。　　〃You　don't　look　fit　for　it；　Eric。〃

〃Oh！〃　she　said；　〃it　is　no　use　to　give　way　to　this　sort　of　headache；　it's　only　one's　wretched　nerves。〃

〃Well；　take　carte　of　yourself；〃　he　said；　kissing　her。　　〃I　believe　you　are　worn　out　with　all　these　weeks　of　attendance　on　a　cantankerous　old　father。〃

She　laughed　and　brightened　up；　going　out　with　him　to　the　head　of　the　stairs；　and　returning　to　watch　him　from　the　window。　　Just　as　he　left　the　door　of　the　hotel；　a　small　child　fell　face　downward　on　the　pavement　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　road　and　began　to　cry　bitterly。　　Raeburn　crossed　over　and　picked　up　the　small　elf；　they　could　hear　him　saying：　〃There；　there；　more　frightened　than　hurt；　I　think；〃　as　he　brushed　the　dust　from　the　little　thing's　clothes。

〃How　exactly　like　father！〃　said　Erica；　smiling；　he　never　would　let　us　think　ourselves　hurt。　　I　believe　it　is　thanks　to　him　that　Tom　has　grown　up　such　a　Stoic；　and　that　I'm　not　a　very　lachrymose　sort　of　being。〃

A　little　later　they　started　for　church；　but　toward　the　end　of　the　Psalms　Donovan　felt　a　touch　on　his　arm。　　He　turned　to　Erica；　she　was　a　white　as　death；　and　with　a　strange；　glassy　look　in　her　eyes。

〃Come；〃　she　said　in　a　hoarse　whisper；　〃come　out　with　me。〃

He　thought　she　felt　faint；　but　she　walked　steadily　down　the　aisle。　　When　they　were　outside　she　grasped　his　arm　and　seemed　to　make　a　great　effort　to　speak　naturally。

〃Forgive　me　for　disturbing　you；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　have　such　a　dreadful　feeling　that　something　is　going　to　happen。　　I　feel　that　I　must　go　to　my　father。〃

Donovan　thought　that　she　was　probably　laboring　under　a　delusion。　　He　knew　that　she　was　always　very　anxious　about　her　father　and　that　Ashborough；　owing　to　various　memories；　was　exactly　the　place　where　this　anxiety　would　be　likely　to　weigh　upon　her。　　He　thought；　too；　that　Raeburn　was　very　likely　right　and　that　she　was　rather　overdone　by　the　strain　of　those　long　weeks　of　solitary　attendance。　　But　he　was　much　too　wise　to　attempt　to　reason　away　her　fears；　he　knew　that　nothing　but　her　father's　presence　would　set　her　at　rest；　and　they　walked　as　fast　as　they　could　to　the　Town　Hall。　　He　was　just　turning　down　a　street　which　led　into　the　High　Street　when　Erica　drew　him　instead　in　the　direction　of　a　narrow　byway。

〃Down　here；〃　she　said；　walking　straight　on　as　though　she　held　some　guiding　clew　in　her　hand。

He　was　astonished　as　she　could　not　possibly　have　been　in　this　part　of　the　town　before。　　Moreover；　her　whole　bearing　was　very　strange；　she　was　still　pale　and　trembling；　and　her　ungloved　hands　felt　as　cold　as　ice　while；　although　he　had　given　her　his　arm；　he　felt　all　the　time　that　she　was　leading　him。

At　length　a　sound　of　many　voices　was　heard　in　the　distance。　　Donovan　felt　a　sort　of　thrill　pass　through　the　hand　that　rested　on　his　arm；　and　Erica　began　to　walk　more　quickly　than　ever。　　A　minute　more；　and　the　little　byway　led　them　out　into　the　market　place。　　It　was　lighted　with　the　electric　light；　and　tonight　the　light　was　concentrated　at　one　end；　the　end　at　which　stood　the　Town　Hall。　　Instinctively　Donovan's　eyes　were　turned　at　once　toward　that　brightest　point　and　also　toward　the　sound；　the　subdued　roar　of　the　multitude　which　they　had　heard　on　their　way。　　There　was　another　sound；　too　a　man's　ringing　voice；　a　stentorian　voice　which　reached　them　clearly　even　at　that　distance。　　Raeburn　stood　alone；　facing　an　angry；　tumultuous　throng；　with　his　back　to　the　closed　door　of　the　building　and　his　tawny　eyes　scanning　the　mass　of　hostile　faces　below。

〃Every　Englishman　has　a　right　to　freedom　of　speech。　　You　shall　not　rob　me　or　any　other　man　of　a　right。　　I　have　fought　for　this　all　my　life；　and　I　will　fight　as　long　as　I've　breath。〃

〃That　shall　not　be　long！〃　shouted　another　speaker。　　〃Forward；　brothers！　　Down　with　the　infidel！　Vengeance；　vengeance。〃

The　haggard；　wild…looking　man　who　had　addressed　Raeburn　the　day　before　at　Greyshot　now　sprang　forward　；　there　was　a　surging　movement　in　the　crowd　like　wind　in　a　corn　field。　　Donovan　and　Erica；　hurrying　forward；　saw　Raeburn　surrounded　on　every　side；　forced　away　from　the　door；　and　at　length　half　stunned　by　a　heavy　blow　from　the　fanatical　leader；　then；　taken　thus　at　a　disadvantage；　he　was　pushed　backward。　　They　saw　him　fall　heavily　down　the　stone　steps。

With　a　low　cry　Erica　rushed　toward　him；　breaking　away　from　Donovan　and　forcing　a　way　through　that　rough　crowd　as　if　by　magic。　　Donovan；　though　so　much　taller　and　stronger；　was　longer　in　reaching　the　foot　of　the　steps；　and　when　at　length　he　had　pushed　his　way　through　the　thickest　part　of　the　throng　he　was　hindered　for　the　haggard…looking　man　who　had　been　the　ringleader　in　the　assault　ran　into　his　very　arms。　　He　was　evidently　struck　with　horror　at　the　result　of　his　mad　enterprise　and　now　meditated　flight。　　But　Donovan　stopped　him。

〃You　must　come　with　me；　my　friend；〃　he　exclaimed；　seizing　the　fanatic　by　the　collar。

Nor　did　he　pause　till　he　had　handed　him　over　to　a　policeman。　　Then　once　more　he　forced　a　passage　through　the　hushed　crowd　and　at　last　reached　the　foot　of　the　steps。　　He　found　Erica　on　the　ground　with　her　father's　head　raised　on　her　knees。　　He　was　perfectly　unconscious；　but　it　seemed　as　if　his　spirit　and　energy　had　been　transmitted　to　his　child。　　Erica　was　giving　orders　so　clearly　and　authoritatively　that　Donovan　could　only　marvel　at　her　strength　and　composure。

〃Stand　back！〃　she　was　saying　as　he　approached。　　〃How　can　he　come　to　while　you　are　shutting　out　the　air？　　Some　one　go　quickly　and　fetch　a　door　or　a　litter。　　You　go；　and　you。〃

She　indicated　two　or　three　more　respectable…looking　men；　and　they　at　once　obeyed　her。　　She　looked　relieved　to　see　Donovan。

〃Won't　you　go　inside　and　speak　to　the　people？〃　she　said。　　〃I　have　sent　for　a　doctor。　　If　some　one　doesn't　go　soon；　they　will　come　out；　and　then　there　might　be　a　riot。　　Tell　them　if　they　have　any　feeling　for　my　father　to　separate　quietly。　　Don't　let　them　all　out　upon　these　people；　there　is　sure　to　be　fighting　if　they　meet。〃

Donovan　could　not　bear　to　leave　her　in　such　a　position；　but　just　then　a　doctor　came　up；　and　the　police　began　to　drive　back　the　crowd；　and　since　the　people　were　rather　awed　by　what　had　happened；　they　dispersed　meekly　enough。　　Donovan　went　into　the　Town　Hall　then；　and　gradually　learned　what　had　taken　place。　　It　seemed　that　soon　after　the　beginning　of　Raeburn's　lecture；　a　large　crowd　had　gathered　outside；　headed　by　a　man　named　Drosser；　a　street　preacher；　well…known　in　Ashborough　and　the　neighborhood。　　This　crowd　had　stormed　the　doors　of　the　hall　and　had　created　such　an　uproar　that　it　was　impossible　to　proceed　with　the　lecture。　　The　doors　had　been　quite　unequal　to　the　immense　pressure　from　without；　and　Raeburn；　foreseeing　that　they　would　give　way　and　knowing　that；　if　the　insurgents　met　his　audience；　there　would　be　serious　risk　to　the　lives　of　many；　had　insisted　on　trying　to　dismiss　the　crowd　without；　or；　at　any　rate；　to　secure　some　sort　of　order。　　Several　had　offered　to　go　with　him；　but　he　had　begged　the　audience　to　keep　still　and　had　gone　out　alone　the　crowd　being　so　astonished　by　this　unexpected　move　that　they　fell　back　for　a　moment　before　him。　　Apparently　his　plan　would　have　succeeded　very　well　had　it　not　been　for　Drosser's　deliberate　assault。　　He　had　gained　a　hearing　from　the　people　and　would　probably　have　dispersed　them　had　he　not　been　borne　down　by　brute　force。

It　was　no　easy　task　to　tell　the　audience　what　had　happened；　but　Donovan　was　popular　and　greatly　respected　and；　thanks　to　his　tact；　their　wrath；　though　very　great；　was　restrained。　　In　fact；　Raeburn　was　so　well　known　to　disapprove　of　any　sort　of　violence　that　Donovan's　appeal　to　them　to　preserve　order　for　his　sake　met　with　a　deep；　suppressed　murmur　of　assent。　　When　all　was　safe　he　hurried　back　to　the　hotel　where　they　were　glad　enough　of　his　services。　　Raeburn　had　recovered　his　senses　for　a　minute　but　only　to　sink　almost　immediately　into　another　swoon。　　For　many　hours　this　went　on；　he　would　partly　revive；　even　speak　a　few　words；　and　then　sink　back