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〃Don't be afraid of speaking；〃 she said； a softer light coming into her eyes。 〃I don't know why people shrink from meeting trouble。 Even Tom is half afraid of me。 I am not changed； I am still Erica； can't you understand how much I want every one now？
〃People differ so much；〃 said Brian； a little huskily； 〃and then when one feels strongly words do not come easily。〃
〃Do you think I would not rather have your sympathy than an oration from any one else！ You who were here to the end！ You who did everything forfor her。 My father has told me very little； he was not able to； but he told me of you； how helpful you were； how good； not like an outsider at all！〃
Evidently she clung to the comforting recollection that at least one trustable； sympathetic person had been with her mother at the last。 Brian could only say how little he had done； how much more he would fain have done had it been possible。
〃I think you do comfort me by talking；〃 said Erica。 〃And now I want you； if you don't mind； to tell me all from the very first。 I can't torture my father by asking him； and I couldn't hear it from the landlady。 But you were here； you can tell me all。 Don't be afraid of hurting me； can't you understand； if the past were the only thing left to you； you would want to know every tiniest detail！〃
He looked searchingly into her eyes； he thought she was right。 There were no degrees to pain like hers！ Besides； it was quite possible that the lesser details of her mother's death might bring tears which would relieve her。 Very quietly； very reverently； he told her all that had passedshe already knew that her mother had died from aneurism of the hearthe told her how in the evening he had been summoned to her； and from the first had known that it was hopeless； had been obliged to tell her that the time for speech even was but short。 He had ordered a telegram to be sent to her father at Birmingham； but Mrs。 Craigie and Tom were out for the evening； and no one knew where they were to be found。 He and the landlady had been alone。
〃She spoke constantly of you；〃 he continued。 〃The very last words she said were these； 'Tell Erica that only love can keep from bitterness； that love is stronger than the world's unkindness。' Then； after a minute's pause； she added； 'Be good to my little girl； promise to be good to her。' After that； speech became impossible； but I do not think she suffered。 Once she motioned to me to give her the frame off the mantlepiece with your photograph； she looked at it and kept it near hershe died with it in her hand。〃
Erica hid her face； that one trifling little incident was too much for her； the tears rained down between her fingers。 That it should have come to that！ No one whom she loved there at the lastbut she had looked at the photograph； had held it to the very end； the voiceless； useless picture had been there； the real Erica had been laughing and talking at Paris！ Brian talked on slowly； soothingly。 Presently he paused； then Erica suddenly looked up； and dashing away her tears； said； in a voice which was terrible in its mingled pain and indignation。
〃I might have been here！ I might have been with her！ It is the fault of that wretched man who went bankrupt； the fault of the bigots who will not treat us fairlywho ruin us！〃
She sobbed with passionate pain； a vivid streak of crimson dyed her cheek； contrasting strangely with the deathly whiteness of her brow。
〃Forgive me if I pain you；〃 said Brian； 〃but have you forgotten the message I gave you？ 'It is only love that can keep from bitterness！'〃
〃Love！〃 cried Erica； she could have screamed it； if she had not been so physically exhausted。 〃Do you mean I am to love our enemies？〃
〃It is only the love of all humanity that can keep from bitterness；〃 said Brian。
Erica began to think over his reply； and in thinking grew calm once more。 By and by she lifted up her face； it was pale again now； and still； and perfectly hopeless。
〃I suppose you think that only Christians can love all humanity；〃 she said； a little coldly。
〃I should call all true lovers of humanity Christians；〃 replied Brian； 〃whether they are consciously followers of Christ or not。〃
She thought a little； then with a curiously hard look in her face； she suddenly flashed round upon him with a question； much as her father was in the habit of doing when an adversary had made some broad…hearted statement which had baffled him。
〃Some of you give us a little more charity than others； but what do you mean by Christianity？ You ask us to believe what is incredible。 WHY do you believe in the resurrection： What reason have you for thinking it true？〃
She expected him to go into the evidence question； to quote the number of Christ's appearances； to speak of the five hundred witnesses of whom she was weary of hearing。 Her mind was proof against all this； what could be more probable than that a number of devoted followers should be the victims of some optical delusion； especially when their minds were disturbed by grief。 Here was a miracle supported on one side by the testimony of five hundred and odd spectators all longing to see their late Master； and contradicted on the other side by common sense and the experience of the remainder of the human race during thousands of years！ She looked full at Brian； a hard yet almost exultant expression in her eyes； which spoke more plainly than words her perfect conviction：
〃You can't set your evidences against my counter…evidences！ You can't logically maintain that a few uneducated men are to have more weight than all the united experience of mankind。〃
Never would she so gladly have believed in the doctrine of immortality as now； yet with characteristic honesty and resoluteness she set herself into an attitude of rigid defense； lest through strong desire or mere bodily weariness she should drift into the acceptance of what might be； what indeed she considered to be error。 But to her surprise； half to her disappointment； Brian did not even mention the evidences。 She had braced herself up to withstand arguments drawn from the five hundred brothers； but the preparation was useless。
〃I believe in the resurrection；〃 said Brian； 〃because I cannot doubt Jesus Christ。 He is the most perfectly lovable and trustable being I know； or can conceive of knowing。 He said He should rise again； I believe that He did rise。 He was perfectly truthful； therefore He could not mislead； He KNEW； therefore He could not be misled。〃
〃We do not consider Him to be all that you assert；〃 said Erica。 〃Nor do His followers make one inclined to think that either He or His teaching were so perfect as you try to make out。 You are not so hard…hearted as some of them〃
She broke off； seeing a look of pain on her companion's face。 〃Oh； what am I saying！〃 she cried in a very different tone； 〃you who have done so muchyou who were always good to usI did not indeed mean to hurt you； it is your creed that I can't help hating； not you。 You are our friend； you said so long ago。〃
〃Always；〃 said Brian； 〃never doubt that。〃
〃Then you must forgive me for having wounded you；〃 said Erica； her whole face softening。 〃You must remember how hard it all is； and that I am so very； very miserable。〃
He would have given his life to bring her comfort； but he was not a very great believer in words； and besides； he thought she had talked quite as long as she ought。
〃I think；〃 he said； 〃that； honestly acted out； the message intrusted to me ought to comfort your misery。〃
〃I can't act it out；〃 she said。
〃You will begin to try；〃 was Brian's answer； and then； with a very full heart； he said goodbye and left his Undine sitting by the fire； with her head resting on her hands； and the words of her mother's message echoing in her ears。 〃It is only love that can keep from bitterness； love is stronger than the world's unkindness。〃
Presently； not daring to dwell too much on that last scene which Brian had described； she turned to his strange； unexpected reason for his belief in the resurrection； and mused over the characteristics of his ideal。 Then she thought she would like to see again what her ideal man had to say about his； and she got up and searched for a small book in a limp red cover； labeled 〃Life of Jesus of NazarethLuke Raeburn。〃 It was more than two years since she had seen it； she read it through once more。 The style was vigorous； the veiled sarcasms were not unpleasant to her； she detected no unfairness in the mode of treatment； the book satisfied her； the conclusion arrived at seemed to her inevitableBrian Osmond's ideal was not perfect。
With a sigh of utter weariness she shut the book and leaned back in her chair with a still； white； hopeless face。 Presently Friskarina sprung up on her knee with a little sympathetic mew； she had been too miserable as yet to notice even her favorite cat very much； now a scarcely perceptible shade of relief came to her sadness； she stroked the soft gray head。 But scarcely had she spoken to her favorite； when the cat suddenly turned away； sprung from her knee and trotted out of the room。 It seemed like actual desertion； and Erica could ill bear it just then。
〃What； you too； Friskie；〃 she said to herself