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train drew up and so； while the others were fighting their way to the van； he； who needed assistance more than any of them； was left to shift for himself。 He moved with great difficulty； dragging down from the carriage a worn black bag； and occasionally muttering to himself； not as a peevish invalid would have done； but as if it were a sort of solace to his loneliness。
〃The hardest day I've had； this！ If I had but my Herzblattchen now； how quickly she would pilot me through this throng。 Ah well！ Having managed to do the rest； I'll not be beaten by this last bit。 Potztausend！ These English are all elbows！〃
He frowned with pain as the self…seeking crowd pushed and jostled him； but never once lost his temper； and at length； after long waiting； his turn came and； having secured his portmanteau； he was before long driving away in the direction of Bloomsbury。 His strength was fast ebbing away； and the merciless jolting of the cab evidently tried him to the utmost； but he bore up with the strong endurance of one who knows that at the end of the struggle relief awaits him。
〃If he is only at home；〃 he muttered to himself； 〃all will be well。 He'll know where I ought to go； he'll do it all for me in the best way。 ACH！ Gott in himmel！ But I need some one！〃
With an excruciating jerk the cab drew up before a somewhat grim…looking house； Had he arrived at the himmel he had just been speaking of； the traveler could not have given an exclamation of greater relief。 He crawled up the steps； overruled some question on the part of the servant； and was shown into a brightly lighted room。 At one glance he had taken in the whole of that restful picture so welcome to his sore need。 It was a good sized room； lined with books； which had evidently seen good service； many of them had been bought with the price of foregone meals； almost all of them embodied some act of denial。 Above the mantel piece hung a little oil painting of a river scene； the sole thing not strictly of a useful order； for the rest of the contents of this study were all admirably adapted for working purposes； but were the reverse of luxurious。
Seated at the writing table was the master of the house； who had impressed his character plainly enough on his surroundings。 He looked up with an expression of blank astonishment on hearing the name of his visitor； then the astonishment changed to incredulity； but； when the weary traveler actually entered the room； he started up with an exclamation of delight which very speedily gave place to dismay when he saw how ill his friend was。
〃Why； Haeberlein！〃 he said； grasping his hand； 〃what has happened to you？〃
〃Nothing very remarkable；〃 replied Haeberlein； smiling。 〃Only a great wish to see you before I die。〃 Then； seeing that Raeburn's face changed fearfully at these words； 〃Yes； it has come to that； my friend。 I've a very short time left； and I wanted to see you； can you tell me of rooms near here； and of a decent doctor？〃
〃Of a doctor； yes；〃 said Raeburn； 〃of one who will save your life； I hope； and for rooms there are none that I know of except in this house； where you will of course stay。〃
〃With the little Herzblattchen to nurse me？〃 said Haeberlein with a sigh of weary content as he sank back in an arm chair。 〃That would be a very perfect ending； but think what the world would say of you if I； who have lent a hand to so much that you disapprove； died in your house； inevitably you would be associated with my views and my doings。〃
〃May be！〃 said Raeburn。 〃But I hope I may say that I've never refused to do what was right for fear of unpleasant consequences。 No； no； my friend； you must stay here。 A hard life has taught me that； for one in my position； it is mere waste of time to consider what people will say； they will say and believe the worst that can be said and believed about me； and thirty years of this sort of thing has taught me to pay very little regard to appearances。〃
As he spoke he took up the end of a speaking tube which communicated with the green room； Haeberlein watching his movements with the placid； weary indifference of one who is perfectly convinced that he is in the right hands。 Presently the door opened and Erica came in。 Haeberlein saw now what he had half fancied at Salzburg that； although loving diminutives would always come naturally to the lips when speaking of Erica； she had in truth lost the extreme youthfulness of manner which had always characterized her。 It had to a great extent been crushed out of her by the long months of wearing anxiety； and though she was often as merry and kittenish as ever her habitual manner was that of a strong； quick temperament kept in check。 The restraint showed in everything。 She was much more ready to hear and much less ready to criticize； her humorous talk was freer from sarcasm； her whole bearing characterized by a sort of quiet steadfastness which made her curiously like her father。 His philosophical calm had indeed been gained in a very different way； but in each the calmness was the direct result of exceptionally trying circumstances brought to bear on a noble nature。
〃Herr Haeberlein has come here to be nursed；〃 said Raeburn when the greetings were over。 〃Will you see that a room is got ready； dear？〃
He went out into the hall to dismiss the cab； and Haeberlein seized the opportunity to correct his words。
〃He thinks I shall get better； but it is impossible； my Herzblattchen； it is only a question of weeks now； possibly only of days。 Was I wrong to come to you？〃
〃Of course not；〃 she said with the sort of tender deference with which she always spoke to him。 〃Did you think father would let you go anywhere else？〃
〃I didn't think about it；〃said Haeberlein wearily； 〃but he wouldn't； you see。〃
Raeburn returned while he was speaking； and Erica went away quickly to see to the necessary preparations。 Herr Haeberlein had come； and she did not for a moment question the rightness of her father's decision； but yet in her heart she was troubled about it； and she could see that both her aunt and Tom were troubled too。 The fact was that for some time they had seen plainly enough that Raeburn's health was failing； and they dreaded any additional anxiety for him。 A man can not be involved in continual and harassing litigation and at the same time agitate perseveringly for reform； edit a newspaper； write books； rush from Land's End to John O'Groat's； deliver lectures； speak at mass meetings； teach science； befriend every unjustly used person； and go through the enormous amount of correspondence； personal supervision； and inevitable interviewing which falls to the lot of every popular leader； without sooner or later breaking down。
Haeberlein had come； however； and there was no help for it。 They all did their very utmost for him； and those last weeks of tender nursing were perhaps the happiest of his life。 Raeburn never allowed any one to see how the lingering expectation； the dark shadow of the coming sorrow； tried him。 He lived his usual busy life； snatching an hour whenever he could to help in the work of nursing； and bringing into the sick room the strange influence of his strength and serenity。
The time wore slowly on。 Haeberlein； though growing perceptibly weaker； still lingered； able now and then to enter into conversation； but for the most part just lying in patient silence； listening with a curious impartiality to whatever they chose to read to him； or whatever they began to talk about。 He had all his life been a man of no particular creed； and he retained his curious indifference to the end； though Erica found that he had a sort of vague belief in a First Cause； and a shadowy expectation of a personal existence after death。 She found this out through Brian； who had a way of getting at the minds of his patients。
One very hot afternoon she had been with him for several hours when about five o'clock her father came into the room。 Another prosecution under the blasphemy Laws had just commenced。 He had spent the whole day in a stifling law court； and even to the dying man his exhaustion was apparent。
〃Things gone badly？〃 he asked。
〃Much as I expected；〃 said Raeburn； taking up a Marechal Niel rose from the table and studying it abstractedly。 〃I've had a sentence of Auerbach's in my head all day； 'The martyrdom of the modern world consists of a long array of thousands of trifling annoyances。' These things are in themselves insignificant； but multiplication makes them a great power。 You have been feeling this heat； I'm afraid。 I will relieve guard； Erica。 Is your article ready？〃
〃Not quite；〃 she replied； pausing to arrange Haeberlein's pillows while her father raised him。
〃Thank you； little Herzblattchen；〃 he said； stroking her cheek； 〃auf wiedersehen。〃
〃Auf wiedersehen；〃 she replied brightly and； gathering up some papers； ran downstairs to finish her work for the 〃Daily Review。〃
A few minutes later Brian came in for his second visit。
〃Any change？〃 he asked。
〃None； I think；〃 she answered； and went on with her writing with an apprehensive glance every now and then at the clock。 The office boy was mercifully late however； and it must have been quite half an hour after she had left Hae