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trueand miserable。 If there is no God； let me know it。 I will
not be fooled。 I will not believe in a God that does not exist。
Better be miserable because I am； and cannot help it。O God！'
Yet in his misery； he cried upon God。
These words came upon Robert with such a shock of sympathy； that
they destroyed his consciousness for the moment； and when he thought
about them； he almost doubted if he had heard them。 He rose and
approached the bed。 Ericson lay with his eyes closed； and his face
contorted as by inward pain。 Robert put a spoonful of wine to his
lips。 He swallowed it； opened his eyes； gazed at the boy as if he
did not know him； closed them again； and lay still。
Some people take comfort from the true eyes of a dogand a precious
thing to the loving heart is the love of even a dumb animal。6 What
comfort then must not such a boy as Robert have been to such a man
as Ericson！ Often and often when he was lying asleep as Robert
thought； he was watching the face of his watcher。 When the human
soul is not yet able to receive the vision of the God…man； God
sometimesmight I not say always？reveals himself； or at least
gives himself； in some human being whose face； whose hands are the
ministering angels of his unacknowledged presence； to keep alive the
fire of love on the altar of the heart； until God hath provided the
sacrificethat is； until the soul is strong enough to draw it from
the concealing thicket。 Here were two； each thinking that God had
forsaken him； or was not to be found by him； and each the very love
of God； commissioned to tend the other's heart。 In each was he
present to the other。 The one thought himself the happiest of
mortals in waiting upon his big brother； whose least smile was joy
enough for one day； the other wondered at the unconscious goodness
of the boy； and while he gazed at his ruddy…brown face； believed in
God。
For some time after Ericson was taken ill； he was too depressed and
miserable to ask how he was cared for。 But by slow degrees it
dawned upon him that a heart deep and gracious； like that of a
woman； watched over him。 True； Robert was uncouth； but his
uncouthness was that of a half…fledged angel。 The heart of the man
and the heart of the boy were drawn close together。 Long before
Ericson was well he loved Robert enough to be willing to be indebted
to him； and would lie ponderingnot how to repay him； but how to
return his kindness。
How much Robert's ambition to stand well in the eyes of Miss St。
John contributed to his progress I can only imagine； but certainly
his ministrations to Ericson did not interfere with his Latin and
Greek。 I venture to think that they advanced them； for difficulty
adds to result； as the ramming of the powder sends the bullet the
further。 I have heard； indeed； that when a carrier wants to help
his horse up hill； he sets a boy on his back。
Ericson made little direct acknowledgment to Robert： his tones； his
gestures； his looks； all thanked him； but he shrunk from words； with
the maidenly shamefacedness that belongs to true feeling。 He would
even assume the authoritative； and send him away to his studies； but
Robert knew how to hold his own。 The relation of elder brother and
younger was already established between them。 Shargar likewise took
his share in the love and the fellowship； worshipping in that he
believed。
CHAPTER X。
A FATHER AND A DAUGHTER。
The presence at the street door of which Ericson's over…acute sense
had been aware on a past evening； was that of Mr。 Lindsay； walking
home with bowed back and bowed head from the college library； where
he was privileged to sit after hours as long as he pleased over
books too big to be comfortably carried home to his cottage。 He had
called to inquire after Ericson； whose acquaintance he had made in
the library； and cultivated until almost any Friday evening Ericson
was to be found seated by Mr。 Lindsay's parlour fire。
As he entered the room that same evening； a young girl raised
herself from a low seat by the fire to meet him。 There was a faint
rosy flush on her cheek； and she held a volume in her hand as she
approached her father。 They did not kiss： kisses were not a legal
tender in Scotland then： possibly there has been a depreciation in
the value of them since they were。
'I've been to ask after Mr。 Ericson；' said Mr。 Lindsay。
'And how is he？' asked the girl。
'Very poorly indeed；' answered her father。
'I am sorry。 You'll miss him； papa。'
'Yes； my dear。 Tell Jenny to bring my lamp。'
'Won't you have your tea first； papa？'
'Oh yes； if it's ready。'
'The kettle has been boiling for a long time； but I wouldn't make
the tea till you came in。'
Mr。 Lindsay was an hour later than usual； but Mysie was quite
unaware of that： she had been absorbed in her book； too much
absorbed even to ring for better light than the fire afforded。 When
her father went to put off his long； bifurcated greatcoat； she
returned to her seat by the fire； and forgot to make the tea。 It
was a warm； snug room； full of dark； old…fashioned； spider…legged
furniture； low…pitched； with a bay…window； open like an ear to the
cries of the German Ocean at night； and like an eye during the day
to look out upon its wide expanse。 This ear or eye was now
curtained with dark crimson； and the room； in the firelight； with
the young girl for a soul to it； affected one like an ancient book
in which he reads his own latest thought。
Mysie was nothing over the middle heightdelicately…fashioned； at
once slender and round； with extremities neat as buds。 Her
complexion was fair； and her face pale； except when a flush； like
that of a white rose； overspread it。 Her cheek was lovelily curved；
and her face rather short。 But at first one could see nothing for
her eyes。 They were the largest eyes； and their motion reminded one
of those of Sordello in the Purgatorio：
E nel muover degli occhi onesta e tarda：
they seemed too large to move otherwise than with a slow turning
like that of the heavens。 At first they looked black； but if one
ventured inquiry； which was as dangerous as to gaze from the
battlements of Elsinore； he found them a not very dark brown。 In
her face； however； especially when flushed； they had all the effect
of what Milton describes as
Quel sereno fulgor d'amabil nero。
A wise observer would have been a little troubled in regarding her
mouth。 The sadness of a morbid sensibility hovered about itthe
sign of an imagination wrought upon from the centre of self。 Her
lips were neither thin nor compressedthey closed lightly； and were
richly curved； but there was a mobility almost tremulous about the
upper lip that gave sign of the possibility of such an oscillation
of feeling as might cause the whole fabric of her nature to rock
dangerously。
The moment her father re…entered； she started from her stool on the
rug； and proceeded to make the tea。 Her father took no notice of
her neglect； but drew a chair to the table； helped himself to a
piece of oat…cake； hastily loaded it with as much butter as it could
well carry； and while eating it forgot it and everything else in the
absorption of a volume he had brought in with him from his study； in
which he was tracing out some genealogical thread of which he
fancied he had got a hold。 Mysie was very active now； and lost the
expression of far…off…ness which had hitherto characterized her
countenance； till； having poured out the tea； she too plunged at
once into her novel； and； like her father； forgot everything and
everybody near her。
Mr。 Lindsay was a mild； gentle man； whose face and hair seemed to
have grown gray together。 He was very tall； and stooped much。 He
had a mouth of much sensibility； and clear blue eyes； whose light
was rarely shed upon any one within reach except his daughterthey
were so constantly bent downwards； either on the road as he walked；
or on his book as he sat。 He had been educated for the church； but
had never risen above the position of a parish school…master。 He
had little or no impulse to utterance； was shy； genial； and； save in
reading； indolent。 Ten years before this point of my history he had
been taken up by an active lawyer in Edinburgh； from information
accidentally supplied by Mr。 Lindsay himself； as the next heir to a
property to which claim was laid by the head of a county family of
wealth。 Probabilities were altogether in his favour； when he gave
up the contest upon the offer of a comfortable annuity from the
disputant。 To leave his schooling and his possible estate together；
and sit down comfortably by his own fireside； with the means of
buying books； and within reach of a good old librarythat of King's
College by preferencewas to him the sum of all that was desirable。
The income offered him was such that he had no doubt of layin