we two-第81章

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t　within。　　The　vaulted　roof；　with　its　quaintly　carved　angels；　was　for　the　most　part　dim　and　shadowy；　but　here　and　there　a　ray　of　sunshine；　slanting　in　through　the　clerestory　windows；　changed　the　sombre　tones　to　a　golden　splendor。　　Erica；　very　susceptible　to　all　high　influences；　was　more　conscious　of　the　ennobling　influence　of　light；　and　space；　and　beauty　than　of　the　curious　eyes　which　were　watching　her　from　below。　　But　all　at　once　her　attention　was　drawn　to　a　group　of　men　who　stood　near　her；　and　her　thoughts　were　suddenly　brought　back　to　the　hard；　every…day　world；　from　which　for　a　brief　moment　she　had　escaped。　　With　a　quick；　apprehensive　glance；　she　noted　that　among　them　was　a　certain　Sir　Algernon　Wyte；　a　man　who　never　lost　an　opportunity　of　insulting　her　father。

〃Did　you　see　the　fellow？〃　said　one　of　the　group。　　〃He　came　to　the　door　just　now。〃

〃And　left　his　fair　daughter　to　be　a　spectacle　to　men　and　angels？〃　said　Sir　Algernon。

Then　followed　words　so　monstrous；　so　intolerable；　that　Erica；　accustomed　as　she　was　to　discourtesies；　broke　down　altogether。　　It　was　so　heartless；　so　cruelly　false；　and　she　was　so　perfectly　defenseless！　　A　wave　of　burning　color　swept　over　her　face。　　If　she　could　but　have　gone　away　have　hidden　herself　from　those　cruel　eyes。　　But　her　knees　trembled　so　fearfully　that；　had　she　tried　to　move；　she　must　have　fallen。　　Sick　and　giddy；　the　flights　of　steps　looked　to　her　like　a　precipice。　　She　could　only　lean　for　support　against　the　gray…stone　moldings　of　the　door　way；　while　tears；　which　for　once　she　could　not　restrain；　rushed　to　her　eyes。　　Oh！　　If　Tom　or　the　professor；　or　some　one　would　but　come　to　her！　　Such　moments　as　those　are　not　measured　by　earthly　time；　the　misery　seemed　to　her　agelong　though　it　was　in　reality　brief　enough　for　Brian；　coming　into　Westminster　Hall；　had　actually　heard　Sir　Algernon's　shameful　slander；　and　pushing　his　way　through　the　crowd；　was　beside　her　almost　immediately。

The　sight　of　his　face　checked　her　tears。　　It　positively　frightened　her　by　its　restrained　yet　intense　passion。

〃Miss　Raeburn；〃　he　said；　in　a　clear；　distinct　voice；　plainly　heard　by　the　group　below；　〃this　is　not　a　fit　place　for　you。　　Let　me　take　you　home。〃

He　spoke　much　more　formally　than　was　his　wont；　yet　in　his　actions　he　used　a　sort　of　authority；　drawing　her　hand　within　his　arm；　leading　her　rapidly　through　the　crowd；　which　opened　before　them。　　For　that　one　bitter…sweet　moment　she　belonged　to　him。　　He　was　her　sole；　and　therefore　her　rightful；　protector。　　A　minute　more；　and　they　stood　in　Palace　Yard。　　He　hastily　called　a　hansom。

In　the　pause　she　looked　up　at　him；　and　would　have　spoken　her　thanks；　but　something　in　his　manner　checked　her。　　He　had　treated　her　so　exactly　as　if　she　belonged　to　him；　that；　to　thank　him　seemed　almost　as　absurd　as　it　would　have　done　to　thank　her　father。　　Then　a　sudden　fear　made　her　say　instead：

〃Are　you　coming　home？〃

〃I　will　come　to　see　that　you　are　safely　back　presently；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　unlike　his　own。　　〃But　I　must　see　that　man　first。〃

〃No；　no；〃　she　said；　beginning　to　tremble　again。　　〃Don't　go　back。　　Please；　please　don't　go！〃

〃I　must；〃　he　said；　putting　her　into　the　hansom。　　Then；　speaking　very　gently。　　〃Don't　be　afraid；　I　will　be　with　you　almost　directly。〃

He　closed　the　doors；　gave　the　address　to　the　driver；　and　turned　away。

Erica　was　conscious　of　a　vague　relief　as　the　fresh　winter　wind　blew　upon　her。　　She　shut　her　eyes；　that　she　might　not　see　the　passers…by；　only　longing　to　get　away　right　away；　somewhere　beyond　the　reach　of　staring　eyes　and　cruel　tongues。　　One　evening　years　ago；　she　remembered　coming　out　of　St。　James's　Hall　with　Tom；　and　having　heard　a　woman　in　Regent　Street　insulted　in　precisely　the　same　language　that　had　been　used　to　her　today。　　She　remembered　how　the　shrill；　passionate　cry　had　rung　down　the　street：　〃How　dare　you　insult　me！〃　　And　remembered；　too；　how　she　had　wondered　whether　perfect　innocence　would　have　been　able　to　give　that　retort。　　She　knew　now　that　her　surmise　had　been　correct。　　The　insult　had　struck　her　dumb　for　the　time。　　Even　now；　as　the　words　returned　to　her　with　a　pain　intolerable；　her　tears　rained　down。　　It　seemed　to　her　that　for　once　she　could　no　more　help　crying　than　she　could　have　helped　bleeding　when　cut。

Then　once　more　her　thoughts　returned　to　Brian　with　a　warmth　of　gratitude　which　in　itself　relieved　her。　　He　was　a　man　worth　knowing；　a　friend　worth　having。　　Yet　how　awful　his　face　had　looked　as　he　came　toward　her。　　Only　once　in　her　whole　life　had　she　seen　such　a　look　on　a　man's　face。　　She　had　seen　it　in　her　childhood　on　her　father's　face；　when　he　had　first　heard　of　a　shameful　libel　which　affected　those　nearest　and　dearest　to　him。　　She　had　been　far　too　young　to　understand　the　meaning　of　it；　but　she　well　remembered　that　silent；　consuming　wrath；　she　remembered　running　away　by　herself　with　the　sort　of　half…fearful　delight　of　a　child's　new　discovery　〃Now　I　know　how　men　look　when　they　KILL！〃

All　at　once；　in　the　light　of　that　old　recollection；　the　truth　dashed　upon　her。　　She　smiled　through　her　tears；　a　soft　glow　stole　over　her　face；　a　warmth　found　its　way　to　her　aching　heart。　　For　at　last　the　love　of　seven　years　had　found　its　way　to　her。

She　felt　all　in　a　glad　tumult　as　that　perception　came　to　her。　　It　had；　in　truth；　been　an　afternoon　of　revelations。　　She　had　never　until　now　in　the　least　understood　Brian's　character；　never　in　the　least　appreciated　him。　　And　as　to　dreaming　that　his　friendship　had　been　love　from　the　very　first；　it　had　never　occurred　to　her。

The　revelation　did　not　bring　her　unalloyed　happiness　for　there　came　a　sharp　pang　as　she　recollected　what　he　had　gone　back　to　do。　　What　if　he　should　get　into　trouble　on　her　behalf？　　What　if　he　should　be　hurt？　　Accustomed　always　to　fear　for　her　father　actual　physical　injury；　her　thoughts　at　once　flew　to　the　same　danger　for　Brian。　　But；　however　sick　with　anxiety；　she　was　obliged；　on　reaching　home；　to　try　and　copy　out　her　article；　which　must　be　in　type　and　upon　thousands　of　breakfast　tables　by　the　next　morning　whether　her　heart　ached　or　not；　whether　her　life　were　rough　or　smooth。

In　the　meantime；　Brian；　having　watched　her　cab　drive　off；　turned　back　into　Westminster　Hall。　　He　could　see　nothing　but　the　one　vision　which　filled　his　brain　the　face　of　the　girl　he　loved；　a　lovely；　pure　face　suffused　with　tears。　　He　could　hear　nothing　but　that　intolerable　slander　which　filled　his　heart　with　a　burning；　raging　indignation。　　Straight　as　an　arrow　and　as　if　by　instinct；　he　made　his　way　to　the　place　where　Sir　Algernon　and　three　or　four　companions　were　pacing　to　and　fro。　　He　confronted　them；　bringing　their　walk　to　an　enforced　pause。

〃I　am　here　to　demand　an　apology　for　the　words　you　spoke　just　now　about　Miss　Raeburn；〃　he　said；　speaking　in　a　voice　which　was　none　the　less　impressive　because　it　trembled　slightly　as　with　a　wrath　restrained　only　by　a　great　effort。

Sir　Algernon；　a　florid；　light…haired　man　of　about　thirty；〃　coolly　stared　at　him　for　a　moment。

〃Who　may　you　be；　sir；　who　take　up　the　cudgels　so　warmly　in　Miss　Raeburn's　defense？〃

〃A　man　who　will　not　hear　a　defenseless　girl　insulted；〃　said　Brian；　his　voice　rising。　　〃Apologize！〃

〃Defenseless　girl！〃　repeated　the　other　in　a　tone　so　insufferable　that　Brian's　passion　leaped　up　like　wild　fire。

〃You　vile　blackguard！〃　he　cried；　〃what　you　said　was　an　infernal　lie；　and　if　you　don't　retract　it　this　moment；　I'll　thrash　you　within　an　inch　of　your　life。〃

Sir　Algernon　laughed　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃'Pon　my　life！〃　he　exclaimed；　turning　to　one　of　his　companions；　〃if　I'd　know　that　Miss　Raeburn〃

But　the　sentence　was　never　ended　for；　with　a　look　of　fury；　Brian　sprung　at　him；　seized　him　by　the　collar　of　his　coat；　and　holding　him　like　a　vise　with　one　hand；　with　the　other　brought　down　his　cane　upon　the　slanderer's　shoulders　with　such　energy　that　the　wretch　writhed　beneath　it。

The　on…lookers；　　being　gentlemen　and　fully　aware　that　Sir　Algernon　deserved　all　he　was　getting；　stood　by；　not　offering　to　interfere；　perhaps　in　their　hearts　rather　sympathizing　with　the　stranger　whose　righteous　indignation　had　about　it　a　manliness　that　appealed　to　them。　　Presently　Sir　Algernon　ceased　to　kick；　his　struggles　grew　fainter。　　Brian　let　his　righ