a face illumined-第48章

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〃I'm　going　to　have　a　doctor　see　you　this　very　afternoon；〃　said　Mrs。

Mayhew；　emphatically；　as　she　left　the　room。



To　do　her　justice　she　did　send　up　a　very　nice　dinner　to　Ida　before

eating　her　own。　　As　far　as　doctors　and　dinners　were　concerned；　she

could　do　her　whole　duty　in　an　emergency。



〃Isn't　Ida　coming　down？〃　whispered　Stanton　to　his　aunt。



〃No。　　I　can't　make　her　out　at　all；　and　she　looks　dreadfully。　　You

must　go　for　a　doctor；　right　after　dinner。〃



Van　Berg　could　not　hear　their　words；　but　their　ominous　looks　added

greatly　to　his　disquietude。　　He　had　been　too　ill　at　ease　to　seek

even　Miss　Burton's　society　during　the　morning；　and　had　spent　the

time　in　making　a　sketch　of　Ida　as　she　stood　in　the　doorway　before

entering　the　parlor　the　previous　evening。



But　Jennie　Burton　did　not　seem　to　feel　or　resent　his　neglect　in

the　slightest　degree。　　Indeed；　her　thoughts；　like　his　own；　were

apparently　engrossed　with　the　one　whose　chair　had　been　vacant　so

often　of　late；　and　who；　when　present；　seemed　so　unlike　her　former

self。



〃I　fear　you　daughter　is　more　seriously　indisposed　than　you　think；〃

she　said　anxiously　to　Mrs。　Mayhew。



〃I'm　going　to　take　Ida　in　hand；〃　replied　the　matter…of…fact　lady。

〃She　IS　illfar　more　so　than　she'll　admit。　　I'm　going　to　have　the

doctor　at　once　and　put　her　under　a　course　of　treatment。〃



〃Curse　it　all！〃　thought　Van　Berg；　〃that　is　just　the　trouble。　　She

has　been　under　a　course　of　treatment　that　would　make　any　woman　ill；

save　her　mother；　and　I'm　inclined　to　think　that　I　was　the　veriest

quack　of　them　all　in　my　treatment。〃



〃I　wish　she　would　let　me　call　upon　her　this　afternoon；〃　said　Miss

Burton；　gently。



〃Oh；　I　think　she'll　be　glad　to　see　you！at　least　she　ought　to　be；〃

but　it　was　too　evident　that　Mrs。　Mayhew　was　at　last　beginning　to

grow　very　anxious；　and　she　made　a　simpler　meal　than　usual。　　Stanton

in　his　solicitude；　hastened　through　dinner；　and　started　at　once

for　the　physician　who　usually　attended　the　guests　of　the　house。



Ida；　in　the　meantime；　had　forced　herself　to　eat　a　little　of　the　food

sent　to　her；　and　then　informing　the　woman　who　had　charge　of　their

floor　that　she　was　going　out　for　a　walk；　stole　down　and　out　unperceived；

and　soon　gained　a　secluded　path　that　led　into　an　extensive　tract

of　woodland。



Stanton　brought　the　doctor　promptly；　but　no　patient　could　be　found。

All　that　could　be　learned　was　that　〃Miss　Mayhew　had　gone　for　a

walk。〃



〃Her　case　cannot　be　very　critical；〃　the　physician　remarked；　smilingly；

〃I　will　call　again。〃



Stanton　and　his　aunt　looked　at　each　other　in　a　way　that　proved　the

case　was　beginning　to　trouble　them　seriously。



〃She　knew　the　doctor　would　be　here；〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew。



〃I　fear　her　complaint　is　one　that　the　doctors　can't　help；　and　that

she　knows　it；〃　replied　the　young　man；　gloomily。　　〃But　you　seem　to

know　less　about　her　than　any　one　else。　　I　shall　try　to　find　her。〃



But　he　did　not　succeed。



〃Miss　Burton；〃　said　Van　Berg；　after　dinner；　〃I　wish　you　would　call

on　Miss　Mayhew。　　I　think　she　is　greatly　in　need　of　a　little　of　your

inimitable　tact　and　skill。　　'A　wounded　spirit　who　can　bear？'　　And

in　such　an　emergency；　you　are　the　best　surgeon　I　know　of。　　I　think

some　of　us　wounded　her　deeply　and　unpardonably　by　continuing　to

associate　her　with　Sibley；　after　he　revealed　what　an　unmitigated

rascal　he　was。　　Strong　as　appearances　were　against　her；　I　feel　that

I　cannot　forgive　myself　that　I　took　anything　for　granted　in　a　case

like　that。〃



〃I　am　glad；〃　she　answered；　〃that　you　have　come　to　my　own　conclusion；

that　Miss　Mayhew；　with　all　her　faults；　is　too　good　a　girl　to　be

guilty　of　a　passion　for　a　man　like　Sibley。　　If　she　regards　him　in

any　such　way　as　I　do；　I　do　not　wonder　that　it　has　made　her　ill　to

be　so　misjudged。　　I　must　plead　guilty　also　to　having　wronged　her

in　my　thoughts。　　While　I　try　to　exercise　the　broadest　charity；　my

calling；　as　a　teacher；　has　brought　me　in　contact　with　many　girls

thatthrough　immaturity　and　innate　foolishnessare　guilty　of

conduct　that　taxes　one's　faith　in　human　nature　severely。　　Goodish

sort　of　girls　are　sometimes　infatuated　with　very　bad　men。　　I　suppose

it　is　evident　to　all　that　Miss　Mayhew's　early　and；　indeed；　present

influences　are　sadly　against　her；　but　unfortunate　as　have　been

her　associations　of　late；　I　am　coming　to　the　belief　that；　however

faulty　she　may　be；　she　is　not　naturally　either　silly　or　weak。　　But

my　acquaintance　with　her　is　very　slight；　and　I　must　confess　I　do

not　understand　her　very　well。　　For　some　reason　she　shuns　me　and

has　evidently　disliked　me　from　the　first。〃



〃I　don't　understand　her　at　all；〃　said　Van　Berg；　in　a　tone　that

proved　him　greatly　annoyed　with　himself。　　〃I　have　thought　that　I

had　sounded　the　shallow　depths　of　her　character　several　times；　and

then　some　new　and　perplexing　phase　would　present　itself；　and　put

me　all　to　sea　again。　　It　may　seem　ludicrous　to　you　that　her　beauty

should　irritate　me　so　greatly　because　of　its　incongruous　associations。〃



〃Not　at　all；〃　she　replied；　with　a　little　nod。　　〃I　was　not　long　in

discovering　that　you　were　a　pagan；　and　that　beauty　was　your　divinity。〃



〃Correct　in　all　respects　save　the　divinity；〃　he　answered　promptly；

and　he　would　have　said　more；　but　she　passed　into　the　parlor　among

the　other　guests。



Ida　found　herself　too　weak　and　unnerved　to　walk　far；　but　she

discovered　a　secluded　nook　into　which　the　sunlight　streamed　with　a

grateful　warmth；　for　although　the　day　was　warm；　she　shivered　with

cold　as　if　the　chill　in　her　heart　had　diffused　itself　even　to　her

hands　and　feet。　　Dense　shrubbery　hid　her　from　the　path　along　which

she　saw　Stanton　pass　in　his　fruitless　quest。



For　a　long　time　she　sat　in　dreary　apathy；　almost　as　motionless　as

the　mossy　rock　beneath　her；　and　was　conscious　only　of　her　throbbing

forehead　and　aching　heart。　　Gradually；　however；　nature's　vital

touch　began　to　revive　her。　　The　sunlight　warmed　and　tranquilized

the　exquisite　form　that　had　been　entering　its　shuddering　protest

against　the　chill　and　corruption　of　the　grave。　　The　south　wind；

laden　with　fresh　woodland　odors；　fanned　her　cheeks；　and　whispered

that　there　were　flowers　blooming　that　she　could　not　see；　and　that

the　future　also　might　reveal　joys　now　hidden　and　unknown；　if　she

would　only　be　patient。　　Every　rustling　leaf　that　fluttered　in　the

gale；　but　did　not　fall；　called　to　her　with　its　tiny　voice：　　〃Cling

to　your　place；　as　we　do；　till　the　frost　of　age　or　the　blight　of

disease　brings　the　end　in　God's　own　time　and　way。〃　A　partridge　with

her　brood　rustled　by　along　the　edge　of　the　forest；　and　the　poor

girl　imagined　she　saw　in　the　parent　bird；　as　she　led　forward　her

plump　little　bevy；　the　pride　and　complacency　of　a　happy　motherhood；

which　now　would　never　be　hers；　and　from　the　depths　of　her　woman's

heart　came　nature's　protest。　　Then　her　heavy　eyes　were　attracted

by　the　sport　of　two　gray　squirrels　that　were　racing　to　the　top　of

one　tree；　scrambling　down　another；　falling　and　catching　again；　and

tumbling　over　each　other　in　their　mad　excitement。　　She　felt　that；

at　her　age；　their　exuberant　life　and　enjoyment　should　be　a　type　of

her　own；　but　their　wild；　innocent　fun；　in　contrast　with　her　despair；

became　so　unendurable　that　she　sprang　up　and　frightened　them　away。



But　after　she　was　quiet　they　soon　returned；　barking　vociferously；

and　sporting　with　their　old　abandon。　　It　was　not　long　since　they

had　left　the　next　in　the　old　hemlock　tree；　and　they　were　still　like

Ida；　before　she　had　learned　that　there　was　anything　in　the　world

that　could　harm　her。　　Other　wild　creatures　flew　or　scampered　by；

some　stopping　to　look　at　her　with　their　bright　quick　eyes；　as　if

wondering　why　she　was　so　still　and　sad。　　the　woods　seemed　full　of

joyous　midsummer　life；　and　Ida　sighed：



〃Innocent；　happy　little　things；　but　if　they　knew　what　was　in　my

heart；　they　would　be　so　frightened　they　could　scarcely　creep　away

to　hide。〃



Then　with　a　sudden　rush　of　passionate　grief；　she　cried：



〃Oh；　why　cannot　I　life　and　be　happy；　too？〃　and　she　sobbed　till　she

lay　exhausted　on　the　mossy　rock。



Whether　she　had　swooned；　or　from　weakness　had　become　unconscious；

she　did　not　know；　when；　considerably　later；　she　roused　herself

from　what　seemed　like　a　heavy　and　unrefreshing　sleep。　　Her　dress

was　damp　with　dew；　the　sun　had　sunk　so　low　as　to　fill　the　forest

with　a　sombre　shade；　the　happy　life　that　had　sported　around　her

was　hushed　and　hidden；　and　the　wind　now　sighed　mournfully　through

the　trees。　　Gloom　and　darkening　shadows　had　taken　the　place　of　the

light　and　joyousness　she　first　had　seen。　　In　the　face　and　voices

of　nature；　as　in　those　of　earthly　friends；　the　changes　are　often

so　great　that　we　are　tempted　to　ask　in　dismay；　are　theycan　they

be　the　same？



She　was　stiff　and　cold　as　she　rose　from　her　rocky　couch；　but　she

wearily　turned　her　face　towards　the　hotel；　muttering；　as　she　plodded

heavily　along；



〃The　little　people　of　the　woods　are　happy　while　they　can　be；　as　I

was；　but　the　sportsman's　gun；　or　the　hawk；　or　winter's　cold；　will

soon　bring　to　them　bitter　pain；　and　death。　　their　brief　day　will

soon　be　over；　as　mine　is。〃



〃Ah；　the　sun　is　sinking　behind　that　cloud；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　tone；

as　she　came　out　into　the　open　fields。　　〃I　shall　not　see　it　again；

it　will　not　be　able　to　warm　me　to…morrow；〃　and　with　a　slight　gesture

of　farewell；　she　continued　on　her　way　with　bowed　head。











Chapter　XXXVIII。　　A　Good　Man　Speaks。









As　Ida　approached　the　hotel；　Van　Berg　and　Stanton　saw　her；　and　the

latter　hastened　down　the　steps　to　join　her。



〃Why；　Ida！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃where　have　you　been？　　I've　searched　for

you　high　and　low。〃



〃You　had　no　right　to　do　so；　sir；〃　she　said　coldly；　as　she　passed

on。



〃Wait　a　moment；　Ida；　please。　　I　wish　to　speak　with　youto　ask　your

pardonto　apologize　in　the　strongest　terms。〃



She　would　not　break　again　her　ominous　silence；　but　continued　on

with　bowed　head；　up　the　steps；　and　through　the　hall。　　Stanton；　to

save　appearances　before　the　guests　who　were　near；　walked　at　her

side；　but　her　manner　chilled　and　embarrassed　him　so　greatly；　that

only　as　she　was　about　to　enter　her　room　did　he　again　address　her；

and　now　entreatingly：



〃Ida；　won't　you　speak　to　me？〃



〃No！〃　was　her　stern；　brief　response；　and　she　locked　her　door　against

him。



〃Van；〃　said　Stanton　gloomily；　〃I'd　give　a　year's　income　if　I　had

not　spoken　to　my　cousin　as　I　did　last　night。　　She'll　never　forgive

me。　　It　seems　as　if　my　words　had　turned　her　into　ice；　she　is　so　cold

and　calm；　and　yet　her　eyes　were　red　with　weeping。　　I　have　strange

misgivings　about　the　girl。〃



〃Yes；　Ik；〃　said　the　artist；　gloomily；　〃we　have　both　made　an

unpardonable　blunder。　　If　Miss　Burton　cannot　thaw　her　out；　I　shall

not　dare　to　try。〃



〃With　her　usual　perversity；〃　replied　Stanton；　〃she　dislikes　Miss

Burton；　and　I　d