we two-第98章

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Tom　listened　breathlessly　to　the　examination　which　went　on　in　a　constant　crescendo　of　bitterness。

〃The　plaintiff　was　in　the　habit　of　doing　this？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Your　suspicion　was　naturally　excited；　then？〃

〃Certainly　not。〃

〃Not　excited？〃　incredulously。

〃Not　in　the　least。〃

〃You　are　an　inmate　of　the　plaintiff's　house；　I　believe？〃

〃I　am。〃

〃But　this　has　not　always　been　the　case？〃

〃All　my　life　with　the　exception　of　two　years。〃

〃Your　reason　for　the　two　years'　absence　had　a　connection　with　the　plaintiff's　mode　of　life；　had　it　not？〃

〃Not　in　the　sense　you　wish　to　imply。　　It　had　a　connection　with　our　extreme　poverty。〃

〃Though　an　inmate　of　you　father's　house；　you　are　often　away　from　home？〃

〃No；　very　rarely。〃

〃Oblige　me　by　giving　a　straightforward　answer。　　What　do　you　mean　by　rarely？〃

〃Very　seldom。〃

〃This　is　mere　equivocation；　will　you　give　me　a　straightforward　reply？〃

〃I　can't　make　it　more　so；〃　said　Erica；　keeping　her　temper　perfectly　and　replying　to　the　nagging　interrogatories。　　〃Do　you　mean　once　a　year；　twice　a　year？〃　etc。；　etc。；　with　a　steady　patience　which　foiled　Mr。　Cringer　effectually。　　He　opened　a　fresh　subject。

〃Do　you　remember　the　1st　of　September　last　year？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃Do　you　remember　what　happened　then？〃

〃Partridge　shooting　began。〃

There　was　much　laughter　at　this　reply；　she　made　it　partly　because　even　now　the　comic　side　of　everything　struck　her；　partly　because　she　wanted　to　gain　time。　　What　in　the　world　was　Mr。　Cringer　driving　at？

〃Did　not　something　occur　that　night　in　Guilford　Terrace　which　you　were　anxious　to　conceal？〃

For　a　moment　Erica　was　dumfounded。　　It　flashed　upon　her　that　he　knew　of　the　Haeberlein　adventure　and　meant　to　serve　his　purpose　by　distorting　it　into　something　very　different。　　Luckily　she　was　almost　as　rapid　a　thinker　as　her　father；　she　saw　that　there　was　before　her　a　choice　of　two　evils。　　She　must　either　allow　Mr。　Cringer　to　put　an　atrocious　construction　on　her　unqualified　〃yes〃　or　she　must　boldly　avow　Haeberlein's　visit。

〃With　regard　to　my　father　there　was　nothing　to　conceal；〃　she　replied。

〃Will　you　swear　that　there　was　NOTHING　to　conceal？〃

〃With　regard　to　my　father　there　was　nothing　to　conceal；〃　she　replied。

〃Don't　bandy　words　with　me。　　Will　you　repeat　my　formula　'Nothing　to　conceal？'〃

〃No；　I　will　not　repeat　that。〃

〃You　admit　that　there　WAS　something　to　conceal？〃

〃If　you　call　Eric　Haeberlein　'something'　yes。〃

There　was　a　great　sensation　in　the　court　at　these　words。　　But　Mr。　Cringer　was　nonplused。　　The　mysterious　〃something；〃　out　of　which　he　had　intended　to　make　such　capital；　was　turned　into　a　boldly　avowed　reality　a　reality　which　would　avail　him　nothing。　　Moreover；　most　people　would　now　see　through　his　very　unworthy　maneuvers。　　Furiously　he　hurled　question　upon　question　at　Erica。　　He　surpassed　himself　in　sheer　bullying。　　By　this　time；　too；　she　was　very　weary。　　The　long　hours　of　standing；　the　insufferable　atmosphere；　the　incessant　stabs　at　her　father's　character　made　the　examination　almost　intolerable。　　And　the　difficulty　of　answering　the　fire　of　questions　was　great。　　She　struggled　on；　however；　until　the　time　came　when　Raeburn　stood　up　to　ask　whether　a　certain　question　was　allowable。　　She　looked　at　him　then　for　the　first　time；　saw　how　terribly　he　was　feeling　her　interminable　examination；　and　for　a　moment　lost　heart。　　The　rows　of　people　grew　hazy　and　indistinct。　Mr。　Cringer's　face　got　all　mixed　up　with　his　wig；　she　had　to　hold　tightly　to　the　railing。　　How　much　longer　could　she　endure？

〃Yet　you　doubtless　thought　this　probable？〃　continued　her　tormentor。

〃Oh；　no！　　On　the　contrary；　quite　the　reverse；〃　said　Erica　with　a　momentary　touch　of　humor。

〃Are　you　acquainted　with　the　popular　saying：　'None　are　so　blind　as　those　who　will　not　see？'〃

The　tone　was　so　insulting　that　indignation　restored　Erica　to　her　full　strength；　she　was　stung　into　giving　a　sharp　retort。

〃Yes；〃　she　said　very　quietly。　　〃It　has　often　occurred　to　me　during　this　action　as　strangely　applicable　to　the　defendant。〃

Mr。　Cringer　looked　as　if　he　could　have　eaten　her。　　There　was　a　burst　of　applause　which　was　speedily　suppressed。

〃Yet　you　do　not；　of　course；　mean　to　deny　the　whole　allegation？〃

〃Emphatically！〃

〃Are　you　aware　that　people　will　think　you　either　a　deluded　innocent　or　an　infamous　deceiver？〃

〃I　am　not　here　to　consider　what　people　may　think　of　me；　but　to　speak　the　truth。〃

And　as　she　spoke　she　involuntarily　glanced　toward　those　twelve　fellow…countrymen　of　hers　upon　whose　verdict　so　much　depended。　　Probably　even　the　oldest；　even　the　coldest　of　the　jurymen　felt　his　heart　beat　a　little　faster　as　those　beautiful；　sad　honest　eyes　scanned　the　jury　box。　　As　for　the　counsel　for　the　defense；　he　prudently　accepted　his　defeat　and；　as　Raeburn　would　not　ask　a　single　question　of　his　daughter　in　cross…examination；　another　witness　was　called。

Long　after；　it　was　a　favorite　story　among　the　young　barristers　of　how　Mr。　Cringer　was　checkmated　by　Raeburn's　daughter。

The　case　dragged　on　its　weary　length　till　August。　　At　last；　when　two　months　of　the　public　time　had　been　consumed；　when　something　like　20；000　pounds　had　been　spent；　when　most　bitter　resentment　had　been　stirred　up　among　the　secularists；　Mr。　Pogson's　defense　came　to　an　end。　　Raeburn's　reply　was　short；　but　effective；　and　the　jury　returned　a　verdict　in　his　favor；　fixing　the　damages；　however；　at　the　very　lowest　sum；　not　because　they　doubted　that　Raeburn　had　been　most　grossly　libeled；　but　because　the　plaintiff　had　the　misfortune　to　be　an　atheist。


CHAPTER　XXXVI。　Rose's　Adventure

If　Christians　would　teach　Infidels　to　be　just　to　Christianity；　they　should　themselves　be　just　to　infidelity。　　John　Stuart　Mill

The　green　room　was　one　of　those　rooms　which　show　to　most　advantage　on　a　winter　evening；　attractive　and　comfortable　at　all　times；　it　nevertheless　reached　its　highest　degree　of　comfort　when　the　dusky　green　curtains　were　drawn；　when　the　old　wainscoted　walls　were　lighted　up　by　the　red　glow　from　the　fire；　and　the　well…worn　books　on　the　shelves　were　mellowed　by　the　soft　light　into　a　uniform　and　respectable　brown。　　One　November　evening；　when　without　was　the　thickest　of　London　fogs；　Erica　was　sitting　at　her　writing　table　with　Friskarina　on　her　lap；　and　Tottie　curled　up　at　her　feet；　preparing　for　one　of　her　science　classes；　when　she　was　interrupted　by　the　sound　of　a　cab　drawing　up；　speedily　followed　by　a　loud　ring　at　the　bell。

〃Surely　Monsieur　Noirol　can't　have　come　already！〃　she　said　to　herself；　looking　at　her　watch。　　It　was　just　six　o'clock；　a　whole　hour　before　dinner　time。　　Steps　were　approaching　the　door；　however；　and　she　was　just　inhospitably　wishing　her　guest　elsewhere；　when　to　her　intense　amazement　the　servant　announced　〃Miss　Fane…Smith。〃

She　started　forward　with　an　exclamation　of　incredulity　for　it　seemed　absurd　to　think　of　Rose　actually　coming　to　see　her　in　her　father's　house。　　But　incredulity　was　no　longer　possible　when　Rose　herself　entered；　in　ulster　and　traveling　hat；　with　her　saucy　laughing　face；　and　her　invariable　content　with　herself　and　the　world　in　general。

〃Why；　Erica！〃　she　cried；　kissing　her　on　both　cheeks；　〃I　don't　believe　you're　half　properly　glad　to　see　me！　　Did　you　think　it　was　my　wraith？　　I　assure　you　it's　my　own　self　in　the　flesh；　and　very　cold　flesh；　too。　　What　a　delightful　room！　　I'd　no　idea　atheists'　homes　were　so　much　like　other　people's。　　You　cold…hearted　little　cousin；　why　don't　you　welcome　me？〃

〃I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；〃　said　Erica；　kissing　her　again。　　〃But；　Rose；　what　did　bring　you　here？〃

〃A　fusty　old　cab；　a　four…wheeler；　a　growler；　don't　you　call　them？　　But；　if　you　knew　why　I　have　come　to　you　in　this　unexpected　way；　you　would　treat　me　like　the　heroine　I　am；　and　not　stand　there　like　an　incarnation　of　prudent　hesitation。　　I've　bee　treated　like　the　man　in　the　parable；　I've　fallen　among　thieves；　and　am　left　with　my　raiment；　certainly；　but　not　a　farthing　besides　in　the　world。　　And　now；　of　course；　you'll　enact　the　good　Samaritan。。〃

〃Come　and　get　warm；〃　said　Erica；　drawing　a　chair　toward　the　fire；　but　still　feeling　uncomfortable　at　the　idea　of　Mr。　Fane…Smith's　horror　and　dismay　could　he　have　seen　his　daughter's　situation。　　

〃How　do　you　come　to　be