a face illumined-第28章

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Until　this　evening　his　heart　had　remained　sluggish。　　Sweet　and

potent　as　her　voice　had　been；　it　had　not　penetrated　to　the　〃holy

of　holies〃　within　his　soul。　　But　had　not　her　low　sad　tones　echoed

there　to…night　in　the　half　involuntary　confidence　she　had　given

him？



In　his　deep　sympathy；　in　the　answering　feeling　evoked　by　her　strong

but　repressed　emotion；　he　thought　his　heart　had　been　stirred　to

its　depths；　and　that　henceforth　its　chief　desire　would　be　to　banish

the　sorrowful　memories　typified　to　her　mind　by　the　black　clouds

above　him。　　Had　his　face　revealed　this　impulse　of　his　heart　before

he　had　been　fully　conscious　of　it　himself？　　Was　it　an　unwelcome

discovery；　that　she　so　hastily　fled　from　it？　　Or　had　she　been　only

startledher　maidenly　reserve　shrinking　from　the　first　fore…shadowing

of　the　supreme　request　that　she　should　unveil　the　mysteries　of　her

life　to　one　who　but　now　had　been　a　stranger？　　He　did　not　know。　　He

felt　he　scarcely　understood　her　or　himself；　but　he　was　conscious

of　a　hope　that　both　might　meet　their　happy　fate　in　each　other。



He　leaned　thus　for　a　time　absorbed　in　thought　against　a　pillar　where

she　had　left　him；　then　sauntered　with　bowed　head　and　preoccupied

manner　to　the　main　entrance；　down　the　steps　and　out　into　the　darkness。

He　did　not　even　notice　that　he　passed　Ida　Mayhew；　where　she　stood

among　a　group　of　gay　chattering　young　people。　　Still　less　did　he

know　that　she　had　been　furtively　watching　his　interview　with　Miss

Burton；　and　that　when　he　passed　her　without　a　glance　her　face　was

as　pale　as　had　been　that　of　the　object　of　his　thoughts。　　But　he

had　not　strolled　very　far　down　a　gravelled　path　before　she　compelled

him　to　distinguish　her　reckless　laugh　and　tones　above　all　the

others。



With　an　impatient　gesture　he　muttered；　〃God　made　them　both；　I

suppose；　and　so　there's　another　mystery。〃



As　Van　Berg's　interest　in　Miss　Burton　had　deepened；　it　had　naturally

flagged　toward　the　one　whose　marvelously　fair　features　had　first

caught　his　attention　and　now　promised　to　be　links　in　a　chain

of　causes　that　might　produce　effects　little　anticipated。　　He　had

virtually　abandoned　the　project　of　seeking　to　ennoble　and　harmonize

these　features　that　suggested　new　possibilities　of　beauty　to　almost

every　glance；　for　the　reason　that　he　not　only　believed　there　was

no　mind　to　be　awakened；　but　also　because　he　had　been　led　to　think

the　girl　so　depraved　and　selfish　at　heart　that　the　very　thought　of

a　larger；　purer　life　was　repugnant　to　her。　　He　believed　she　disliked

and　even　detested　him；　not　so　much　on　personal　grounds　as　because

he　represented　to　her　mind　a　class　of　ideas　and　a　self…restraint

that　were　hateful。　　Circumstances　had　associated　her　in　his　mind

with　Sibley；　who　thus　cast　a　baleful　shadow　athwart　even　her　beauty

and　made　it　repulsive。　　Indeed　the　mocking　perfection　of　her　features

irritated　him；　and　he　began　to　make　a　conscious　and　persistent　effort

not　to　look　toward　her。　　He　now　regarded　his　hope　to　illumine　her

face　from　within；　by　delicate　touches　of　mind；　thought；　and　motive；

as　vain　as　an　attempt　to　carve　the　Venus　of　Milo　out　of　mottled

pumice…stone。　　Still　he　did　not　regret　to…night　the　freak　of　fancy

that　had　brought　him　to　the　Lake　House；　since　it　had　led　to　his

meeting　a　woman　who　was　to　him　a　new　and　beautiful　revelation　of

the　rarest　excellence　and　grace。



But　there　was　no　such　compensating　outlook　for　poor　Ida。　　To　her；

his　coming　promised　daily　to　result　in　increasing　wretchedness。

From　the　miserable　Sunday　night　on　which　she　had　sobbed　herself

to　sleep；　the　consciousness　had　continually　grown　clearer　that　she

could　never　find　in　her　old　mode　of　life　any　satisfying　pleasure。

She　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　something　so　much　better；　that　her

former　world　looked　as　tawdry　as　the　mimic　scenery　of　a　second…rate

theatre。　　A　genuine　man；　such　as　she　had　not　seen　or　at　least　not

recognized　before；　had　stepped　out　before　the　gilt　and　tinsel；　and

the　miserable　shams　were　seen　in　contrast　in　their　rightful　character。



But；　in　bringing　the　revelation；　it　happened　he　had　so　deeply

wounded　her　pride；　that　she　had　assured　herself；　again　and　again；

she　would　hate　his　very　name　as　long　as　she　lived。　　Did　she　hate　him

as　she　saw　him　absorbed　in　conversation　with　Miss　Burton　whenever

he　could　obtain　the　opportunity？　　Did　she　hate　him　as　she　saw　that

his　eyes　consciously　avoided　her　and　rested　approvingly　on　another

woman？　　Were　hate　and　love　so　near　akin？　　Could　the　belief　that　he

despised　her　make　her　so　wretched　if　she　only　hated　him？



During　the　early　part　of　the　present　week　she　had　struggled　almost

fiercely　to　retain　her　hold　on　her　old　life。　　Uniting　herself　to　a

clique　of　thoughtless　young　people；　who　made　amusement　and　excitement

their　only　pursuit；　she　seemed　to　be　the　gayest　and　most　reckless

of　them　all；　while　her　heart　was　sinking　like　lead。　　Every　glance

toward　the　cold；　averted　face　of　the　artist；　inspired　her　with　more

than　his　own　scorn　toward　what　she　was　and　the　frivolities　of　her

life。　　She　tried　to　shut　her　eyes　to　the　truth；　and　clung　desperately

to　every　impeding　trifle；　but　felt　all　the　time　that　an　irresistible

tide　of　events　was　carrying　her　toward　the　revelation　that　she

loved　a　man　who　despised　her；　and　always　would　despise　her。



And　on　this　night；　when　she　saw　their　dim　forms　and　heard　their　low

tones　as　Miss　Burton　and　Van　Berg　talked　earnestly　on　the　farther

end　of　the　piazza；　when　she　saw　that　they　grasped　hands　in　parting；

and　noted　the　rapt　look　upon　his　face　as　he　passed　her　by　uncaringly

and　unnotinglythe　revelation　came。　　It　was　as　sharply　and　painfully

distinct　as　if　he　had　stopped　and　plunged　a　knife　into　her　heart。



With　all　her　faults　and　follies；　Ida　had　never　been　a　pale　shadowy

creature；　full　of　complex　psychological　moods　which　neither　she

nor　any　one　else　could　untangle。　　She　knew　whom　and　what　she　liked

and　disliked；　and　it　was　not　her　nature　to　do　things　by　halves。

There　had　always　been　a　kind　of　simplicity　and　straightforwardness

even　in　her　wickedness；　and　she　usually　seemed　to　people　quite　as

bad；　and　indeed　worse；　than　she　really　was。



Why　of　all　others　she　loved　this　man；　and　how　it　all　had　come　about；

was　a　mystery　that　puzzled　her　sorely；　but　she　had　no　labyrinthine

heart　in　which　to　play　hide　and　seek　with　her　own　consciousness。

And　so　vividly　conscious　was　she　now　of　this　new　and　absorbing

passion；　that　she　hastily　turned　her　face　from　her　companions　toward

the　cloudy　sky；　that　looked　as　dark　to　her　as　it　had　to　Jennie

Burton；　and　for　a　moment　sought　desperately　to　recover　from　a　dizzy；

reeling　sense　of　pain　that　was　well…nigh　overwhelming。　　Then　the

womanly　instinct　to　hide　her　secret　asserted　itself；　and　a　moment

later　her　laugh　jarred　discordantly　on　Van　Berg's　ears；　and　he

interpreted　it　as　wisely　as　have　thousands　of　others　who　fail　to

recognize　the　truth　that　often　no　cry　of　pain　is　so　bitter　as　a

reckless　laugh。



A　little　later；　however；　her　companions　missed　her。　　Later　still

her　mother　sought　admission　to　her　room　in　vain。



When　she　came　down　to　breakfast　the　next　morning；　she　was　very

quiet　and　self…possessed；　but　her　face　was　so　pale　and　the　traces

of　suffering　were　so　manifest；　that　her　mother　insisted　that　she

was　not　well。



She　coldly　admitted　the　fact。



The　voluble　lady　launched　out　into　an　indefinite　number　of　questions

and　suggestions　of　remedies。



〃Mother；〃　said　Ida；　with　a　flash　of　her　eyes　and　an　accent　which

caused　not　only　that　lady　but　several　others　to　look　toward　her

with　a　little　surprise；　〃if　you　have　anything　further　to　say　to　me

in　regard　to　my　health；　please　say　it　in　my　own　room。〃



Van　Berg　glanced　towards　her　several　times　after　this；　and　was

compelled　to　admit　that　whatever　fault　he　might　justly　find；　the

face　with　which　she　confronted　him　that　morning　was　anything　but

weak　and　trivial　in　its　expression。



But　her　icy　reserve　and　coldness　did　not　compare　favorably　with　Miss

Burton；　who　had　now　fully　regained　her　smiling　reticence；　acting

as　usual　as　if　the　only　law　of　her　being　was　to　utter　genial　words

and　to　bestow　with　consummate　tact　little　gifts　of　attention　and

kindness　on　every　side；　as　the　summer　sun　without　was　scattering

its　vivifying　rays。











Chapter　XXI。　　A　Deliberate　Wooer。









Miss　Burton's　bearing　toward　Van　Berg　was　very　friendly；　but　he

failed　to　detect　in　her　manner　the　slightest　proof　that　she　had　ever

thought　of　him　otherwise　than　as　a　friend。　　There　was　no　sudden

drooping　of　her　eyelashes；　or　heightening　of　color　when　he　spoke　to

her；　or　permitted　his　eyes　to　dwell　upon　her　face　with　an　expression

that　was　rather　more　than　friendly。　　He　could　detect　no　furtive

glances；　nothing　to　indicate　that　she　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　that

secret　so　interesting　to　every　woman　that　she　would　look　again；

though　cold　as　ice　toward　the　man　cherishing　it。　　Nor　was　there　the

slightest　trace　of　the　constraint　and　reserve　by　which　all　women

who　are　not　coquettes　seek　to　check；　as　with　an　early　frost；　the

first　growth　of　an　unwelcome　regard。　　Her　manner　was　simply　what

would　be　natural　toward　a　gentleman　she　thoroughly　respected　and

liked；　with　whom　her　thoughts；　for　no　hidden　cause；　were　especially

preoccupied。



Why　then　had　she　looked　at　him　so　strangely　the　preceding　evening？

Why　had　she　apparently　shrunk　from　the　expression　of　his　face；　as

if　she　had　seen　there　a　revelation　so　sudden　and　overwhelming　that

she　trembled　at　it　as　a　shy；　sensitive　maiden　might　in　recognizing　the

fact　that　a　strong；　resolute　man　was　seeking　entrance　to　the　very

citadel　of　her　heart？　　He　felt　himself　utterly　unable　to　explain

her　action。



What　was　more；　he　was　puzzled　at　himself。　　The　sympathy　he　felt

for　Miss　Burton　the　previous　evening　had　not　by　any　means　left　him；

but　it　was　no　longer　a　strong　and　absorbing　emotion。　　His　pulse

was　as　calm　and　quiet　as　the　breathless　summer　morning。　　He　was

conscious　of　no　premonitory　chills　and　thrills；　which；　according　to

his　preconceived　notions　of　the　〃grand　passion；〃　ought　to　be　felt

even　in　its　incipiency。　　He　even　found　himself　criticising　her

face；　and　wondering　how　features　so　ordinary　in　themselves　could

combine　in　so　winning　and　happy　an　effect；　and　then　he　mentally

cursed　his　cold…bloodedness；　and　positively　envied　Stanton　in　whose

manner；　in　spite　of　his　efforts　at　concealment；　an　ardent　affection

began　to　manifest　itself。



During　the　day　it　occurred　to　him　more　than　once　that　her　course

was　changing　toward　Stanton。　　There　was　no　less　return　on　her　part

of　his　light　bantering　style　of　conversation。　　Indeed；　she　seemed

to　take　great　pains　to　give　a　humorous　twist　to　everything　he　said；

as　if　she　regarded　even　the　words　in　which　he　tried　to　unfold　his

deeper　thoughts　as　mere　jests。　　But　Van　Berg　imagined　she　began　to

make　herself　more　inacce