we two-第96章

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Raeburn　smiled　a　little　at　this。

〃Something　cool；　I　should　advise；〃　he　said。　　〃The　place　will　be　like　a　furnace　today。〃

He　pushed　back　his　chair　as　he　spoke　and　went　away　to　his　study。　　Tom　had　to　hurry　away；　too；　being　due　at　his　office　by　nine　o'clock；　and　Erica　began　to　rack　her　brains　to　devise　the　nicest　of　dinners　for　them　that　evening。　　She　dressed　in　good　time；　and　was　waiting　for　her　father　in　the　green　room　when　just　before　ten　o'clock　the　front　door　opened；　quick　steps　came　up　the　stairs；　and；　to　her　amazement；　Tom　entered。

〃Back　again！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Have　you　got　a　holiday？〃

〃I've　got　my　conge'；〃　he　said　in　a　hoarse　voice；　throwing　himself　down　in　a　chair　by　the　window。

〃Tom！　　What　do　you　mean？〃　she　cried；　dismayed　by　the　trouble　in　his　face。

〃Got　the　sack；〃　he　said　shortly。

〃What！　　Lost　your　situation？　　But　how？　　Why？〃

〃I　was　called　this　morning　into　Mr。　Ashgrove's　private　room；　he　informed　me　that　he　had　just　learned　with　great　annoyance　that　I　was　the　nephew　of　that　（you　can　supply　his　string　of　abusive　adjectives）　Luke　Raeburn。　　Was　it　true？　　I　told　him　I　had　that　honor。　　Was　I；　then；　an　atheist？　　Certainly。　　A　Raeburnite？　　Naturally。　　After　which　came　a　long　jobation；　at　the　end　of　which　I　found　myself　the　wrong　side　of　the　office　door　with　orders　never　to　darken　it　again；　and　next　month's　salary　in　my　hand。　　That's　the　matter　in　brief；　CUGINA。〃

His　face　settled　into　a　sort　of　blank　despair　so　unlike　its　usual　expression　that　Erica's　wrath　flamed　up　at　the　sight。

〃It's　a　shame！〃　she　cried　〃a　wicked　shame！　　Oh；　Tom　dear；　I　am　so　sorry　for　you。　　I　wish　this　had　come　upon　me　instead。〃

〃I　wouldn't　care　so　much；〃　said　poor　Tom　huskily；　〃if　he　hadn't　chosen　just　this　time　for　it；　but　it　will　worry　the　chieftain　now。〃

Erica　was　on　the　verge　of　tears。

〃Oh；　what　shall　we　do　what　can　we　do？〃　she　cried　almost　in　despair。　　〃I　had　not　thought　of　that。　　Father　will　feel　it　dreadfully。〃

But　to　conceal　the　matter　was　now　hopeless　for；　as　she　spoke；　Raeburn　came　into　the　room。

〃What　shall　I　feel　dreadfully？〃　he　said；　smiling　a　little。　　〃If　any　man　ought　to　be　case…hardened；　I　ought　to　be。〃

But　as　he　drew　nearer　and　saw　the　faces　of　the　two；　his　own　face　grew　stern　and　anxious。

〃You　at　home；　Tom！　　What's　the　matter？〃

Tom　briefly　told　his　tale；　trying　to　make　as　light　of　it　as　possible；　even　trying　to　force　a　little　humor　into　his　account；　but　with　poor　success。　　There　was　absolute　silence　in　the　green　room　when　he　paused。　Raeburn　said　not　a　word；　but　he　grew　very　pale；　evidently　in　this　matter　being　by　no　means　case…hardened。　　A　similar　instance；　further　removed　from　his　immediate　circle；　might　have　called　forth　a　strong；　angry　denunciation；　but　he　felt　too　deeply　anything　affecting　his　own　family　or　friends　to　be　able　in　the　first　keenness　of　his　grief　and　anger　to　speak。

〃My　boy；〃　he　said　at　last；　in　a　low；　musical　voice　whose　perfect　modulations　taxed　Tom's　powers　of　endurance　to　the　utmost；　〃I　am　very　sorry　for　this。　　I　can't　say　more　now；　we　will　talk　it　over　tonight。　　Will　you　come　to　Westminster　with　us？〃

And　presently　as　they　drove　along　the　crowded　streets；　he　said　with　a　bitter　smile：

〃There's　one　Biblical　woe　which　by　no　possibility　can　ever　befall　us。〃

〃What's　that？〃　said　Tom。

〃'Woe　unto　you　when　all　men　speak　well　of　you；'〃　said　Raeburn。

A　few　minutes　later；　and　the　memorable　trial　of　Raeburn　v。　Pogson　had　at　length　begun。　　Raeburn's　friends　had　done　their　best　to　dissuade　him　from　conducting　his　own　case；　but　he　always　replied　to　them　with　one　of　his　Scotch　proverbs　〃A　man's　a　lion　in　his　ain　cause。〃　　His　opening　speech　was　such　an　exceedingly　powerful　one　that　all　felt　on　the　first　day　that　he　had　been　right　though　inevitably　it　added　not　a　little　to　the　disagreeableness　of　the　case。

As　soon　as　the　court　had　risen；　Erica　went　home　with　her　aunt　and　Tom；　thankful　to　feel　that　at　least　one　day　was　well　over；　but　her　father　was　closeted　for　some　hours　with　his　solicitor　and　did　not　rejoin　them　till　late　that　evening。　　He　came　in　then；　looking　fearfully　tired；　and　scarcely　spoke　all　through　dinner；　but　afterward；　just　as　Tom　was　leaving　the　room；　he　called　him　back。

〃I've　been　thinking　things　over；〃　he　said。　　〃What　was　your　salary　with　Mr。　Ashgrove？〃

〃One　hundred　pounds　a　year；〃　replied　Tom；　wondering　at　what　possible　hour　the　chieftain　had　found　a　spare　moment　to　bestow　upon　his　affairs。

〃Well；　then；　will　you　be　my　secretary　for　the　same？〃

For　many　years　Tom　had　given　all　his　spare　time　to　helping　Raeburn　with　his　correspondence；　and　for　some　time　he　had　been　the　practical；　though　unrecognized；　sub…editor　of　the　〃Idol…Breaker；〃　but　all　his　work　had　been　done　out　of　pure　devotion　to　the　〃cause。〃　　Nothing　could　have　pleased　him　more　than　to　give　his　whole　time　to　the　work　while　his　great　love　and　admiration　for　Raeburn　eminently　qualified　him　for　the　service　of　a　somewhat　autocratic　master。

Raeburn；　with　all　his　readiness　to　help　those　in　any　difficulty；　with　all　his　geniality　and　thoroughness　of　character；　was　by　no　means　the　easiest　person　to　work　with。　　For；　in　common　with　other　strong　and　self…reliant　characters；　he　liked　in　all　things　to　have　his　own　way；　and　being　in　truth　a　first…rate　organizer；　he　had　scant　patience　with　other　people's　schemes。　　Erica　was　very　glad　that　he　had　made　the　proposal　to　Tom　for；　though　regretting　that　he　should　give　his　life　to　the　furtherance　of　work；　much　of　which　she　strongly　disapproved；　she　could　not　but　be　relieved　at　anything　which　would　save　her　father　in　some　degree　from　the　immense　strain　of　work　and　anxiety；　which　were　now　altogether　beyond　the　endurance　of　a　single　man；　and　bid　fair　to　overtax　even　Raeburn's　giant　strength。

Both　Charles　Osmond　and　Brian　appeared　as　voluntary　witnesses　on　behalf　of　the　plaintiff；　and　naturally　the　first　few　days　of　the　trial　were　endurable　enough。　　But　on　the　Friday　the　defense　began；　and　it　became　evident　that　the　most　bitter　spirit　would　pervade　the　rest　of　the　proceedings。　　Mr。　Pogson　had　spared　neither　trouble　nor　expense；　he　had　brought　witnesses　from　all　the　ends　of　the　earth　to　swear　that；　in　some　cases　twenty　years　ago；　they　had　heard　the　plaintiff　speak　such　and　such　words；　or　seen　him　do　such　and　such　deeds。　　The　array　of　witnesses　appeared　endless；　there　seemed　no　reason　why　the　trial　ever　should　come　to　an　end。　　It　bid　fair　to　be　a　CAUSE　CELEBRE；　while　inevitably　Raeburn's　notoriety　made　the　public　take　a　great　interest　in　the　proceedings。　　It　became　the　topic　of　the　day。　　Erica　rarely　went　in　any　public　conveyance　without　hearing　it　discussed。

One　day　she　heard　the　following　cheering　sentiment：

〃Oh；　of　course　you　know　the　jury　will　never　give　a　verdict　for　such　a　fellow　as　Raeburn。〃

〃I　suppose　they　can't　help　being　rather　prejudiced　against　him　because　of　his　views；　but；　upon　my　word；　it　seems　a　confounded　shame。〃　〃Oh；　I　don't　see　that；〃　replied　the　first　speaker。　　〃If　he　holds　such　views；　he　must　expect　to　suffer　for　them。〃

Day　after　day　passed　and　still　the　case　dragged　on。　　Erica　became　so　accustomed　to　spending　the　day　in　court　that　at　last　it　seemed　to　her　that　she　had　never　done　anything　else　all　her　life。　　Every　day　she　hoped　that　she　might　be　called；　longing　to　get　the　hateful　piece　of　work　over。　　But　days　and　weeks　passed；　and　still　Mr。　Cringer　and　his　learned　friends　examined　other　witnesses；　but　kept　her　in　reserve。　　Mr。　Bircham　had　been　exceedingly　kind　to　her；　and　in　the　〃Daily　Review〃　office；　where　Erica　was　treated　as　a　sort　of　queen；　great　indignation　had　been　caused　by　Mr。　Pogson；'s　malice。　　〃Our　little　lady〃　（her　sobriquet　there）　received　the　hearty　support　and　sympathy　of　every　man　in　the　place　from　the　editor　himself　to　the　printer's　devil。　　Every　morning　the　office　boy　brought　her　in　court　the　allotted　work　for　the　day；　which　she　wrote　as　well　as　she　could　during　the　proceedings　or　at　luncheon　time；　with　the　happy　consciousness　that　all　her　short　comings　would　be　set　right　by　the　little　Irish　sub…editor　who　worshipped　the　ground　she　trod　on　and　was　always　ready　with　courteous　and　unofficious　help。

There　were　many　little　pieces　of　kindness　which　served　to　heighten　that　dreary　summer　for　Mr。　Pogson's　ill