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itter to think that he was no longer the hero she had thought him to be。 That； after all； he was not a grand； noble； self…denying man； but a fault…finding priest！
She spent the rest of the afternoon in alternate wrath and grief。 In the evening Aunt Jean read her a somewhat dry book which required all her attention； and； consequently； her anger cooled for want of thoughts to stimulate it。 Her father did not come in till late； but； as he carried her upstairs to bed； she told him of Charles Osmond's interview。
〃I told him you like a little opposition；〃 was his reply。
〃I don't know about opposition； but I didn't like him； he showed his priestly side。〃
〃I am sorry；〃 replied Raeburn。 〃For my part I genuinely like the man； he seems to me a grand fellow； and I should have said not in the least spoiled by his Christianity； for he is neither exclusive； nor narrow…minded； nor opposed to progress。 Infatuated on one point； of course； but a thorough man in spite of it。〃
Left once more alone in her little attic room； Erica began to think over things more quietly。 So her father had told him that she liked opposition； and he had doled out to her a rebuke which was absolutely unanswerable！ But why unanswerable？ She had been too angry to reply at the time。 It was one of the few maxims her father had given her； 〃When you are angry be very slow to speak。〃 But she might write an answer； a nice； cold； cutting answer； respectful； of course； but very frigid。 She would clearly demonstrate to him that she was perfectly fair； and that he； her accuser； was unfair。
And then quite quietly； she began to turn over the accusations in her mind。 Quoting the words of Christ without regard to the context； twisting their meaning。 Neglecting real study of Christ's character and life。 Seeing all through a veil of prejudice。
She would begin； like her father； with a definition of terms。 What did he mean by study？ What did she mean by study？ Well such searching analysis； for instance； as she had applied to the character of Hamlet； when she had had to get up one of Shakespeare's plays for her examination。 She had worked very hard at that； had really taken every one of his speeches and soliloquies； and had tried to gather his true character from them as well as from his actions。
At this point she wandered away from the subject a little and began to wonder when she should hear the result of the examination； and to hope that she might get a first。 By and by she came to herself with a sudden and very uncomfortable shock。 If the sort of work she had given to Hamlet was study； HAD she ever studied the character of Christ？
She had all her life heard what her father had to say against Him； and what a good many well…meaning； but not very convincing； people had to say for Him。 She had heard a few sermons and several lectures on various subjects connected with Christ's religion。 She had read many books both for and against Him。 She had read the New Testament。 But could she quite honestly say that she had STUDIED the character of Christ？ Had she not been predisposed to think her father in the right？ He would not at all approve of that。 Had she been a true Freethinker？ Had she not taken a good deal to be truth because he said it？ If so； she was not a bit more fair than the majority of Christians who never took the trouble to go into things for themselves； and study things from the point of view of an outsider。
In the silence and darkness of her little room； she began to suspect a good many unpleasant and hitherto unknown facts about herself。
〃After all； I do believe that Mr。 Osmond was right；〃 she confessed at length。 〃I am glad to get back my belief in him； but I've come to a horrid bit of lath and plaster in myself where I thought it was all good stone。〃 She fell asleep and dreamed of the heathen Chinee； reading the translation of the translation of her father's words； and disbelieving altogether in 〃that invented demagogue； Luke Raeburn。〃
The next day Charles Osmond； sitting at work in his study； and feeling more depressed and hopeless than he would have cared to own even to himself； was roused by the arrival of a little three…cornered note。 It was as follow：
〃Dear Mr。 Osmond； You made me feel very angry yesterday； and sad； too； for of course it was a case of 'Et tu； Brute。' But last night I came to the unpleasant conclusion that you were quite right； and that I was quite wrong。 To prove to you that I am no longer angry； I am going to ask you a great favor。 Will you teach me Greek？ Your parable of the heathen Chinee has set me thinking。 Yours very sincerely； Erica Raeburn〃
Charles Osmond felt the tears come to his eyes。 The straightforward simplicity of the letter； the candid avowal of having been 〃quite wrong；〃 an avowal not easy for one of Erica's character to make； touched him inexpressibly。 Taking a Greek grammar from his book shelves； he set off at once for Guilford Terrace。
He found Erica looking very white and fragile； and with lines of suffering about her mouth； but； though physically weary； her mind seemed as vigorous as ever。 She received him with her usual frankness； and with more animation in her look than he had seen for some weeks。
〃I did think you perfectly horrid yesterday！〃 she exclaimed。 〃And was miserable； besides； at the prospect of losing one of my heroes。 You can be very severe。〃
〃The infliction of pain is only justified when the inflictor is certain； or as nearly certain as he can be； that the pain will be productive of good；〃 said Charles Osmond。
〃I suppose that is the way you account for the origin of evil；〃 said Erica； thoughtfully。
〃Yes；〃 replied Charles Osmond； pleased that she should have thought of the subject； 〃that to me seems the only possible explanation； otherwise God would be either not perfectly good or not omnipotent。 His all…wisdom enables Him to overrule that pain which He has willed to be the necessary outcome of infractions of His order。 Pain； you see； is made into a means of helping us to find out where that order has been broken； and so teaching us to obey it in the long run。〃
〃But if there is an all…powerful God； wouldn't it have been much better if He had made it impossible for us to go wrong？〃
〃It would have saved much trouble； undoubtedly； but do you think that which costs us least trouble is generally the most worth having？ I know a noble fellow who has fought his way upward through sins and temptations you would like him； by the way； for he was once an atheist。 He is； by virtue of all he has passed through； all he has overcome； one of the fines men I have ever known。〃
〃That is the friend； I suppose； whom your son mentioned to me。 But I don't see your argument； for if there was an all…powerful God； He could have caused the man you speak of to be as noble and good without passing through pain and temptation。〃
〃But God does not work arbitrarily； but by laws of progression。 Nor does His omnipotence include the working of contradictions。 He cannot both cause a thing to be and not to be at the same time。 If it is a law that that which has grown by struggle and effort shall be most noble； God will not arbitrarily reverse that