第142章 Raeburn v.Pogson (1)

Oh, God of mountains, stars, and boundless spaces!

Oh, God of freedom and of joyous hearts!

When Thy face looketh forth from all men's faces There will be room enough in crowded marts.

Brood Thou around me, and the noise is o'er;Thy universe my closet with shut door.

Heart, heart, awake! The love that loveth all Maketh a deeper calm than Horeb's cave.

God in thee, can His children's folly gall?

Love may be hurt, but shall not love be brave?

Thy holy silence sinks in dews of balm;

Thou art my solitude, my mountain calm.George MacDonald When a particularly unpleasant event has long been hanging over one's head, sure to come at some time, though the precise date is unknown, people of a certain disposition find it quite possible to live on pretty comfortably through the waiting time.But when at length the date is fixed, when you know that that which you dread will happen upon such and such a day, then the waiting begins all at once to seem intolerable.The vague date had been awaited calmly, but the certain date is awaited with a wearing anxiety which tells fearfully on physical strength.When Erica knew that the action for libel would begin in a fortnight's time, the comparative calmness of the nine months which had passed since the outset of the matter gave place to an agony of apprehension.Night after night she had fearful dreams of being cross-examined by Mr.

Cringer, Q.C., who always forced her to say exactly what she did not mean.Night after night coldly curious eyes stared down at her from all parts of a crowded court; while her misery was completed by being perfectly conscious of what she ought to have said directly it was too late.

By day she was too wise to allow herself to dwell on the future;she worked doubly hard, laid in a stock of particularly interesting books, and threw herself as much as possible into the lives of others.Happily, the Farrants were in town, and she was able to see a great deal of them; while on the very day before the trial came a substantial little bit of happiness.

She was sitting in the study doing some copying for her father when a brougham stopped at the door.Erica, who never failed to recognize a horse if she had once seen it before, who even had favorites among the dozens of omnibus horses which she met daily in Oxford Street, at once knew that either Donovan or Gladys had come to see her.

She ran out into the hall to meet them, but had no sooner opened the study door than the tiniest of dogs trotted into the room and began sniffing cautiously at her father's clothes.

"Tottie has made a very unceremonious entrance," said a clear, mellow voice in the passage."May we come in, or are you too busy today?""Oh, please come in.Father is home, and I do so want you to meet," said Erica."You have brought Dolly, too! That is delightful.We are dreadfully in want of something young and happy to cheer us up."The two men shook hands with the momentary keen glance into each other's eyes which those give who have heard much of one another but have never been personally acquainted.

"As to Dolly," said Donovan, "she requires no introduction to Mr.

Raeburn."

"No," said Erica, laughing, "she cried all over his coat two years ago."Dolly did not often wait for introductions unless she disliked people.And no child could have found it in its heart to dislike anything so big and kind and fatherly as Luke Raeburn.

"We blought a little dog for Elica," she said, in her silvery treble.

And the next moment she was established on Raeburn's knee, encouraged to thrust a little, dimpled hand into his pocket for certain Edinburgh dainties.

"Dolly does not beat about the bush," said Donovan, smiling.

"Would you at all care to have this small animal? I knew you were fond of dogs, and Gladys and I saw this little toy Esquimanx the other day and fell in love with him.I find though that another dog rather hurts Waif's feelings, so you will be doing a kindness to him as well if you will accept 'Tottie.'""Oh, how delightful of you! It was kind of you to think of it,"said Erica."I have always so longed to have a dog of my own.And this is such a little beauty! Is it not a very rare breed?""I believe it is, and I think he's a loving little beggar, too,"replied Donovan."He is making himself quite at home here, is he not?"And in truth the small dog seemed deeply interested in his new residence.He was the tiniest of his kind, and was covered with long black hair which stood straight up on end; his pointed nose, bright brown eyes, and cunning little ears, set in the frame work of bushy hair, gave him a most sagacious appearance.And just now he was brimful of curiosity, pattering all over the room, poking his nose into a great pile of "Idol-Breakers," sniffing at theological and anti-theological books with perfect impartiality, rubbing himself against Raeburn's foot in the most ingratiating way, and finally springing up on Erica's lap with the oddest mixture of defiance and devotion in his eyes which said as plainly as if he had spoken: "People may say what they like about you, but I'm your faithful dog from this day forward!"Raeburn was obliged to go out almost directly as he had an appointment in the city, but Erica knew that he had seen enough of Donovan to realize what he was and was satisfied.

"I am so glad you have just met," she said when he had left the room."And, as to Dolly, she's been a real god-send.I haven't seen my father smile before for a week.""Strange, is it not, how almost always children instinctively take to those whom the world treats as outcasts.I have a great belief that God lets the pure and innocent make up in part by their love for the uncharitableness of the rest of us.""That's a nice thought," said Erica."I have never had much to do with children, except with this one." And as she spoke she lifted Dolly on her lap beside Tottie.