we two-第9章

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ning's　proceedings。　　On　the　whole；　they　were　rather　a　merry　party　as　they　walked　along　Gower　Street　to　the　station。

But　when　they　got　out　again　at　their　destination；　and　walked　through　the　busy　streets　to　the　hall　where　the　lecture　was　to　be　given；　a　sort　of　seriousness　fell　upon　all　three。　　They　were　each　going　to　work　in　their　different　ways　for　what　they　considered　the　good　of　humanity；　and　instinctively　a　silence　grew　and　deepened。

Erica　was　the　first　to　break　it　as　they　came　in　sight　of　the　hall。

〃What　a　crowd　there　is！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Are　these　Mr。　Randolph's　roughs？〃

〃We　can　put　up　with　them　outside；〃　said　Raeburn；　but　Charles　Osmond　noticed　that　as　he　spoke　he　drew　the　child　nearer　to　him；　with　a　momentary　look　of　trouble　in　his　face；　as　though　he　shrunk　from　taking　her　through　the　rabble。　　Erica；　on　the　other　hand；　looked　interested　and　perfectly　fearless。　　With　great　difficulty　they　forced　their　way　on；　hooted　and　yelled　at　by　the　mob；　who；　however；　made　no　attempt　at　violence。　　At　length；　reaching　the　shelter　of　the　entrance　lobby；　Raeburn　left　them　for　a　moment；　pausing　to　give　directions　to　the　door　keepers。　　Just　then；　to　his　great　surprise；　Charles　Osmond　caught　sight　of　his　son　standing　only　a　few　paces　from　them。　　His　exclamation　of　astonishment　made　Erica　look　up。　　Brian　came　forward　eagerly　to　meet　them。

〃You　here！〃　exclaimed　his　father；　with　a　latent　suspicion　confirmed　into　a　certainty。　　〃This　is　my　son；　Miss　Raeburn。〃

Brian　had　not　dreamed　of　meeting　her；　he　had　waited　about　curious　to　see　how　Raeburn　would　get　on　with　the　mob；　it　was　with　a　strange　pang　of　rapture　and　dismay　that　he　had　seen　his　fair　little　ideal。　　That　she　should　be　in　the　midst　of　that　hooting　mob　made　his　heart　throb　with　indignation；　yet　there　was　something　so　sweet　in　her　grave；　steadfast　face　that　he　was；　nevertheless；　glad　to　have　witnessed　the　scene。　　Her　color　was　rather　heightened；　her　eyes　bright　but　very　quiet；　yet　as　Charles　Osmond　spoke；　and　she　looked　at　Brian；　her　face　all　at　once　lighted　up；　and　with　an　irresistible　smile　she　exclaimed；　in　the　most　childlike　of　voices：

〃Why；　it's　my　umbrella　man！〃　　The　informality　of　the　exclamation　seemed　to　make　them　at　once　something　more　than　ordinary　acquaintances。　　They　told　Charles　Osmond　of　their　encounter　in　the　afternoon；　and　in　a　very　few　minutes　Brian；　hardly　knowing　whether　he　was　not　in　some　strange　dream；　found　himself　sitting　with　his　father　and　Erica　in　a　crowded　lecture　hall；　realizing　with　an　intensity　of　joy　and　an　intensity　of　pain　how　near　he　was　to　the　queen　of　his　heart　and　yet　how　far　from　her。

The　meeting　was　quite　orderly。　　Though　Raeburn　was　addressing　many　who　disagreed　with　him；　he　had　evidently　got　the　whole　and　undivided　attention　of　his　audience；　and　indeed　his　gifts　both　as　rhetorician　and　orator　were　so　great　that　they　must　have　been　either　willfully　deaf　or　obtuse　who；　when　under　the　spell　of　his　extraordinary　earnestness　and　eloquence；　could　resist　listening。　　Not　a　word　was　lost　on　Brian；　every　sentence　which　emphasized　the　great　difference　of　belief　between　himself　and　his　love　seemed　to　engrave　itself　on　his　heart；　no　minutest　detail　of　that　evening　escaped　him。

He　saw　the　tall；　commanding　figure　of　the　orator；　the　vast　sea　of　upturned　faces　below；　the　eager　attention　imprinted　on　all；　sometimes　a　wave　of　sympathy　and　approval　sweeping　over　them；　resulting　in　a　storm　of　applause；　at　times　a　more　divided　disapproval；　or　a　shout　of　〃No；　no；〃　which　invariably　roused　the　speaker　to　a　more　vigorous；　clear；　and　emphatic　repetition　of　the　questioned　statement。　　And；　through　all；　he　was　ever　conscious　of　the　young　girl　at　his　side；　who；　with　her　head　bent　over　her　notebook；　was　absorbed　in　her　work。　　While　the　most　vital　questions　of　life　were　being　discussed；　he　was　yet　always　aware　of　that　hand　traveling　rapidly　to　and　fro；　of　the　pages　hurriedly　turned；　of　the　quick　yet　weary…looking　change　of　posture。

Though　not　without　a　strong　vein　of　sarcasm；　Raeburn's　speech　was；　on　the　whole；　temperate；　it　certainly　should　have　been　met　with　consideration。　　But；　unfortunately；　Mr。　Randolph　was　incapable　of　seeing　any　good　in　his　opponent；　his　combative　instincts　were　far　stronger　than　his　Christianity；　and　Brian；　who　had　winced　many　times　while　listening　to　the　champion　of　atheism；　was　even　more　keenly　wounded　by　the　champion　of　his　own　cause。　　Abusive　epithets　abounded　in　his　retort；　at　last　he　left　the　subject　under　discussion　altogether；　and　launched　into　personalities　of　the　most　objectionable　kind。　　Raeburn　sat　with　folded　arms；　listening　with　a　sort　of　cold　dignity。　　He　looked　very　different　now　from　the　genial…mannered；　quiet　man　whom　Charles　Osmond　had　seen　in　his　own　home　but　an　hour　or　two　ago。　　There　was　a　peculiar　look　in　his　tawny　eyes　hardly　to　be　described　in　words；　a　look　which　was　hard；　and　cold；　and　steady。　　It　told　of　an　originally　sensitive　nature　inured　to　ill　treatment；　of　a　strong　will　which　had　long　ago　steeled　itself　to　endure；　of　a　character　which；　though　absolutely　refusing　to　yield　to　opposition；　had　grown　slightly　bitter；　even　slightly　vindictive　in　the　process。

Brian　could　only　watch　in　silent　pain　the　little　figure　beside　him。　　Once　at　some　violent　term　of　abuse　she　looked　up；　and　glanced　for　a　moment　at　the　speaker；　he　just　caught　a　swift；　indignant　flash　from　her　bright　eyes；　then　her　head　was　bent　lower　than　before　over　her　notebook；　and　the　carnation　deepened　in　her　cheek；　while　her　pencil　sped　over　the　paper　fast　and　furiously。　　Presently　came　a　sharp　retort　from　Raeburn；　ending　with　the　perfectly　warrantable　accusation　that　Mr。　Randolph　was　wandering　from　the　subject　of　the　evening　merely　to　indulge　his　personal　spite。　　The　audience　was　beginning　to　be　roused　by　the　unfairness；　and　a　storm　might　have　ensued　had　not　Mr。　Randolph　unintentionally　turned　the　whole　proceedings　from　tragedy　to　farce。

Indignant　at　Raeburn's　accusation；　he　sprung　to　his　feet　and　began　a　vigorous　protest。

〃Mr。　Chairman；　I　denounce　my　opponent　as　a　liar。　　His　accusation　is　utterly　false。　　I　deny　the　allegation；　and　I　scorn　the　allegator　〃

He　was　interrupted　by　a　shout　of　laughter；　the　whole　assembly　was　convulsed；　even　Erica's　anger　changed　to　mirth。

〃Fit　for　'Punch；'〃　she　whispered　to　Brian；　her　face　all　beaming　with　merriment。

Raeburn；　whose　grave　face　had　also　relaxed　into　a　smile；　suddenly　stood　up；　and；　with　a　sort　of　dry　Scotch　humor；　remarked：

〃My　enemies　have　compared　me　to　many　obnoxious　things；　but　never　till　tonight　have　I　been　called　a　crocodile。　　Possibly　Mr。　Randolph　has　been　reading　of　the　crocodiles　recently　dissected　at　Paris。　　It　has　been　discovered　that　they　are　almost　brainless；　and；　being　without　reason；　are　probably　animated　by　a　violent　instinct　of　destruction。　　I　believe；　however；　that　the　power　of　their　'jaw'　is　unsurpassed。〃

Then；　amid　shouts　of　laughter　and　applause；　he　sat　down　again；　leaving　the　field　to　the　much　discomfited　Mr。　Randolph。

Much　harm　had　been　done　that　evening　to　the　cause　of　Christianity。　　The　sympathies　of　the　audience　could　not　be　with　the　weak　and　unmannerly　Mr。　Randolph；　they　were　Englishmen；　and　were；　of　course；　inclined　to　side　with　the　man　who　had　been　unjustly　dealt　with；　who；　moreover；　had　really　spoken　to　themhad　touched　their　very　hearts。

The　field　was　practically　lost　when；　to　the　surprise　of　all；　another　speaker　came　forward。　　Erica；　who　knew　that　their　side　had　had　the　best　of　it；　felt　a　thrill　of　admiration　when　she　saw　Charles　Osmond　move　slowly　to　the　front　of　the　platform。　　She　was　very　tired；　but　out　of　a　sort　of　gratitude　for　his　friendliness；　a　readiness　to　do　him　honor；　she　strained　her　energies　to　take　down　his　speech　verbatim。　　It　was　not　a　long　one；　it　was　hardly；　perhaps；　to　be　called　a　speech　at　all；　it　was　rather　as　if　the　man　had　thrown　his　very　self　into　the　breach　made　by　the　unhappy　wrangle　of　the　evening。

He　spoke　of　the　universal　brotherhood　and　of　the　wrong　done　to　it　by　bitterness　and　strife；　he　stood　there　as　the　very　incarnation　of　brotherliness；　and　the　people；　whether　they　agreed　with　him　or　not；　loved　him。　　In　the　place　where　the　religion　of　Christ　had　been　reviled　as　well　by　the　Christians　as　by　the　atheist；　he　s