a mortal antipathy-第39章

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records　of　the　school　had　marked　as　their　historic　maxima。　　It　was

not　her　fault　that　she　broke　a　dynamometer　one　day；　she　apologized

for　it；　but　the　teacher　said　he　wished　he　could　have　a　dozen　broken

every　year　in　the　same　way。　　The　consciousness　of　her　bodily　strength

had　made　her　very　careful　in　her　movements。　　The　pressure　of　her　hand

was　never　too　hard　for　the　tenderest　little　maiden　whose　palm　was

against　her　own。　　So　far　from　priding　herself　on　her　special　gifts；

she　was　disposed　to　be　ashamed　of　them。　　There　were　times　and　places

in　which　she　could　give　full　play　to　her　muscles　without　fear　or

reproach。　　She　had　her　special　costume　for　the　boat　and　for　the

woods。　　She　would　climb　the　rugged　old　hemlocks　now　and　then　for　the

sake　of　a　wide　outlook；　or　to　peep　into　the　large　nest　where　a　hawk；

or　it　may　be　an　eagle；　was　raising　her　little　brood　of　air…pirates。



There　were　those　who　spoke　of　her　wanderings　in　lonely　places　as　an

unsafe　exposure。　　One　sometimes　met　doubtful　characters　about　the

neighborhood；　and　stories　weretold　of　occurrences　which　might　well

frighten　a　young　girl；　and　make　her　cautious　of　trusting　herself

alone　in　the　wild　solitudes　which　surrounded　the　little　village。。

Those　who　knew　Euthymia　thought　her　quite　equal　to　taking　care　of

herself。　　Her　very　look　was　enough　to　ensure　the　respect　of　any

vagabond　who　might　cross　her　path；　and　if　matters　came　to　the　worst

she　would　prove　as　dangerous　as　a　panther。



But　it　was　a　pity　to　associate　this　class　of　thoughts　with　a　noble

specimen　of　true　womanhood。　　Health；　beauty；　strength；　were　fine

qualities；　and　in　all　these　she　was　rich。　　She　enjoyed　all　her

natural　gifts；　and　thought　little　about　them。　　Unwillingly；　but　over…

persuaded　by　some　of　her　friends；　she　had　allowed　her　arm　and　hand　to

be　modelled。　　The　artists　who　saw　the　cast　wondered　if　it　would　be

possible　to　get　the　bust　of　the　maiden　from　whom　it　was　taken。

Nobody　would　have　dared　to　suggest　such　an　idea　to　her　except　Lurida。

For　Lurida　sex　was　a　trifling　accident；　to　be　disregarded　not　only　in

the　interests　of　humanity；　but　for　the　sake　of　art。



〃It　is　a　shame；〃　she　said　to　Euthymia；　〃that　you　will　not　let　your

exquisitely　moulded　form　be　perpetuated　in　marble。　　You　have　no　right

to　withhold　such　a　model　from　the　contemplation　of　your　fellow…

creatures。　　Think　how　rare　it　is　to　see　a　woman　who　truly　represents

the　divine　idea！　　You　belong　to　your　race；　and　not　to　yourself；at

least；　your　beauty　is　a　gift　not　to　be　considered　as　a　piece　of

private　property。　　Look　at　the　so…called　Venus　of　Milo。　　Do　you

suppose　the　noble　woman　who　was　the　original　of　that　divinely　chaste

statue　felt　any　scruple　about　allowing　the　sculptor　to　reproduce　her

pure；　unblemished　perfections？〃



Euthymia　was　always　patient　with　her　imaginative　friend。　　She

listened　to　her　eloquent　discourse；　but　she　could　not　help　blushing；

used　as　she　was　to　Lurida's　audacities。　　〃The　Terror's〃　brain　had　run

away　with　a　large　share　of　the　blood　which　ought　to　have　gone　to　the

nourishment　of　her　general　system。　　She　could　not　help　admiring；

almost　worshipping；　a　companion　whose　being　was　rich　in　the　womanly

developments　with　which　nature　had　so　economically　endowed　herself。

An　impoverished　organization　carries　with　it　certain　neutral

qualities　which　make　its　subject　appear；　in　the　presence　of　complete

manhood　and　womanhood；　like　a　deaf…mute　among　speaking　persons。　　The

deep　blush　which　crimsoned　Euthymia's　cheek　at　Lurida's　suggestion

was　in　a　strange　contrast　to　her　own　undisturbed　expression。　　There

was　a　range　of　sensibilities　of　which　Lurida　knew　far　less　than　she

did　of　those　many　and　difficult　studies　which　had　absorbed　her　vital

forces。　　She　was　startled　to　see　what　an　effect　her　proposal　had

produced；　for　Euthymia　was　not　only　blushing；　but　there　was　a　flame

in　her　eyes　which　she　had　hardly　ever　seen　before。



〃Is　this　only　your　own　suggestion？〃　Euthymia　said；　〃or　has　some　one

been　putting　the　idea　into　your　head？〃　　The　truth　was　that　she　had

happened　to　meet　the　Interviewer　at　the　Library；　one　day；　and　she　was

offended　by　the　long；　searching　stare　with　which　that　individual　had

honored　her。　　It　occurred　to　her　that　he；　or　some　such　visitor　to　the

place；　might　have　spoken　of　her　to　Lurida；　or　to　some　other　person

who　had　repeated　what　was　said　to　Lurida；　as　a　good　subject　for　the

art　of　the　sculptor；　and　she　felt　all　her　maiden　sensibilities

offended　by　the　proposition。　　Lurida　could　not　understand　her

excitement；　but　she　was　startled　by　it。　　Natures　which　are

complementary　of　each　other　are　liable　to　these　accidental　collisions

of　feeling。　　They　get　along　very　well　together；　none　the　worse　for

their　differences；　until　all　at　once　the　tender　spot　of　one　or　the

other　is　carelessly　handled　in　utter　unconsciousness　on　the　part　of

the　aggressor；　and　the　exclamation；　the　outcry；　or　the　explosion

explains　the　situation　altogether　too　emphatically。　　Such　scenes　did

not　frequently　occur　between　the　two　friends；　and　this　little　flurry

was　soon　over；　but　it　served　to　warn　Lurida　that　Miss　Euthymia　Tower

was　not　of　that　class　of　self…conscious　beauties　who　would　be　ready

to　dispute　the　empire　of　the　Venus　of　Milo　on　her　own　ground；　in

defences　as　scanty　and　insufficient　as　those　of　the　marble　divinity。



Euthymia　had　had　admirers　enough；　at　a　distance；　while　at　school；　and

in　the　long　vacations；　near　enough　to　find　out　that　she　was　anything

but　easy　to　make　love　to。　　She　fairly　frightened　more　than　one　rash

youth　who　was　disposed　to　be　too　sentimental　in　her　company。　　They

overdid　flattery；　which　she　was　used　to　and　tolerated；　but　which

cheapened　the　admirer　in　her　estimation；　and　now　and　then　betrayed

her　into　an　expression　which　made　him　aware　of　the　fact；　and　was　a

discouragement　to　aggressive　amiability。　　The　real　difficulty　was

that　not　one　of　her　adorers　had　ever　greatly　interested　her。　　It

could　not　be　that　nature　had　made　her　insensible。　　It　must　have　been

because　the　man　who　was　made　for　her　had　never　yet　shown　himself。

She　was　not　easy　to　please；　that　was　certain；　and　she　was　one　of

those　young　women　who　will　not　accept　as　a　lover　one　who　but　half

pleases　them。　　She　could　not　pick　up　the　first　stick　that　fell　in　her

way　and　take　it　to　shape　her　ideal　out　of。　　Many　of　the　good　people

of　the　village　doubted　whether　Euthymia　would　ever　be　married。



〃There　's　nothing　good　enough　for　her　in　this　village；〃　said　the　old

landlord　of　what　had　been　the　Anchor　Tavern。



〃She　must　wait　till　a　prince　comes　along；〃　the　old　landlady　said　in

reply。　　〃She'd　make　as　pretty　a　queen　as　any　of　them　that's　born　to

it。　　Wouldn't　she　be　splendid　with　a　gold　crown　on　her　head；　and

di'monds　a　glitterin'　all　over　her！　　D'　you　remember　how　handsome　she

looked　in　the　tableau；　when　the　fair　was　held　for　the　Dorcas　Society？

She　had　on　an　old　dress　of　her　grandma's；they　don't　make　anything。

half　so　handsome　nowadays；and　she　was　just　as　pretty　as　a　pictur'。

But　what's　the　use　of　good　looks　if　they　scare　away　folks？　　The　young

fellows　think　that　such　a　handsome　girl　as　that　would　cost　ten　times

as　much　to　keep　as　a　plain　one。　　She　must　be　dressed　up　like　an

empress；so　they　seem　to　think。　　It　ain't　so　with　Euthymy：　she'd

look　like　a　great　lady　dressed　anyhow；　and　she　has　n't　got　any　more

notions　than　the　homeliest　girl　that　ever　stood　before　a　glass　to

look　at　herself。〃



In　the　humbler　walks　of　Arrowhead　Village　society；　similar　opinions

were　entertained　of　Miss　Euthymia。　　The　fresh…water　fisherman

represented　pretty　well　the　average　estimate　of　the　class　to　which　he

belonged。　　'I　tell　ye；〃　said　he　to　another　gentleman　of　leisure；

whose　chief　occupation　was　to　watch　the　coming　and　going　of　the

visitors　to　Arrowhead　Village；〃I　tell　ye　that　girl　ain't　a　gon　to

put　up　with　any　o'　them　slab…sided　fellahs　that　you　see　hangin'

raound　to　look　at　her　every　Sunday　when　she　comes　aout　o'　meetin'。

It's　one　o'　them　big　gents　from　Boston　or　New　York　that'll　step　up

an'　kerry　her　off。〃



In　the　mean　time　nothing　could　be　further　from　the　thoughts　of

Euthymia　than　the　prospect　of　an　ambitious　worldly　alliance。　　The

ideals　of　young　women　cost　them　many　and　great　disappointments；　but

they　save　them　very　often　from　those　lifelong　companionships　which

accident　is　constantly　trying　to　force　upon　them；　in　spite　of　their

obvious　unfitness。　　The　higher　the　ideal；　the　less　likely　is　the

commonplace　neighbor　who　has　the　great　advantage　of　easy　access；　or

the　boarding…house　acquaintance　who　can　profit　by　those　vacant　hours

when　the　least　interesting　of　visitors　is　better　than　absolute

loneliness；the　less　likely　are　these　undesirable　personages　to　be

endured；　pitied；　and；　if　not　embraced；　accepted；　for　want　of

something　better。　　Euthymia　found　so　much　pleasure　in　the

intellectual　companionship　of　Lurida；　and　felt　her　own　prudence　and

reserve　so　necessary　to　that　independent　young　lady；　that　she　had

been　contented；　so　far；　with　friendship；　and　thought　of　love　only　in

an　abstract　sort　of　way。　　Beneath　her　abstractions　there　was　a

capacity　of　loving　which　might　have　been　inferred　from　the　expression

of　her　features；　the　light　that　shone　in　her　eyes；　the　tones　of　her

voice；　all　of　which　were　full　of　the　language　which　belongs　to

susceptible　natures。　　How　many　women　never　say　to　themselves　that

they　were　born　to　love；　until　all　at　once　the　discovery　opens　upon

them；　as　the　sense　that　he　was　born　a　painter　is　said　to　have　dawned

suddenly　upon　Correggio！



Like　all　the　rest　of　the　village　and　its　visitors；　she　could　not　help

thinking　a　good　deal　about　the　young　man　lying　ill　amongst　strangers。

She　was　not　one　of　those　who　had　sent　him　the　three…cornered　notes　or

even　a　bunch　of　flowers。　　She　knew　that　he　was　receiving　abounding

tokens　of　kindness　and　sympathy　from　different　quarters；　and　a

certain　inward　feeling　restrained　her　from　joining　in　these

demonstrations。　　If　he　had　been　suffering　from　some　deadly　and

contagious　malady　she　would　have　risked　her　life　to　help　him；　without

a　thought　that　there　was　any　wonderful　heroism　in　such　self…devotion。

Her　friend　Lurida　might　have　been　capable　of　the　same　sacrifice；　but

it　would　be　after　reasoning　with　herself　as　to　the　obligations　which

her　sense　of　human　rights　and　duties　laid　upon　her；　and　fortifying

her　courage　with　the　memory　of　noble　deeds　recorded　of　women　in

ancient　and　modern　history。　　With　Euthymia　the　primary　human

instincts　took　precedence　of　all　reasoning　or　reflection　about　them。

All　her　sympathies　were　excited　by　the　thought　of　this　forlorn

stranger　in　his　solitude；　but　she　felt　the　impossibility　of　giving

any　complete　expression　to　them。　　She　thought　of　Mungo　Park　in　the

African　desert；　and　she　envied　the　poor　negress　who　not　only　pitied

him；　but　had　the　blessed　opportunity　of　helping　and　consoling　him。

How　near　were　these　two　human　creatures；　e