a face illumined-第6章

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feeling　that　whenever　he　was　present　she　would　be　conscious　of　his

cool；　critical　observation。



Van　Berg　had　scarcely　time　to　note　a　rather　stout　and　overdressed

person　emerge　from　the　stage；　how　was　evidently　the　young　lady's

mother；　when　Ik　Stanton；　with　his　bays　and　a　light　country　wagon；

dashed　up　to　the　main　entrance。　　Stanton　was　an　element　in　the

artistic　problem　that　Van　Berg　had　not　bargained　for；　and　what

influence　he　would　have；　friendly　or　adverse；　only　time　could　show。



While　Stanton　was　accompanying　his　aunt　and　cousin　to　the　register；

as　the　gentleman　of　the　party；　the　young　lady　said　to　him：



〃That　horrid　artist　friend　of　yours　is　here。　　I　wish　he　hadn't

come。　　Did　you　tell　him　we　were　coming　here？〃



〃No；　'pon　my　honor。〃



〃I　have　believe　you　did。　　If　so　I'll　never　forgive　you；　for　the

very　sight　of　him　spoils　everything。〃



〃Come　now；　Coz；　be　reasonable。　　From　all　the　indications　I　have

seen；　Van　Berg　is　the　last　man　to　follow　you　here　or　anywhere　else；

even　though　he　knew　of　your　prospective　movements。　　He　is　here；　as

scores　of　others　are；　for　his　own　pleasure。　　So　follow　your　mother

to　your　room；　smooth　your　ruffled　plumage　and　come　down　to　supper。〃



Even　Miss　Mayhew's　egotism　could　find　no　fault　with　so　reasonable

an　explanation；　and　she　went　pouting　up　the　stairway　in　anything

but　a　complacent　mood。



Stanton　stepped　out　upon　the　piazza　to　greet　his　friend；　saying：



〃Why；　Van；　it　is　an　unexpected　pleasure　to　find　you　here。〃



〃I　was　equally　and　quite　as　agreeably　surprised　to　see　you　drive

to　the　door。　　If　you　cousin　had　not　come　I　might　have　helped　you

exercise　your　bays。　　I　am　doing　some　sketching　in　the　vicinity。〃



〃My　cousin　shall　not　keep　you　from　many　an　idle　hour　behind　the

baysthat　is；　if　you　will　not　carry　your　antipathy　so　far　as　to

cut　me　on　account　of　my　relationship。〃



〃I'm　not　conscious　of　any　antipathy　for　Miss　Mayhew；〃　replied　Van

Berg；　with　a　slight　shrug。



〃Oh；　only　indifference！　　Well；　if　you　will　both　maintain　that

attitude　there　will　be　no　trouble　about　the　bays　or　anything　else。

I'll　smoke　with　you　after　supper。〃



〃She　evidently　has　an　antipathy　for　me；〃　mused　Van　Berg。　　〃Stanton；

no　doubt；　has　told　her　of　my　uncomplimentary　remarks；　and　possibly

of　the　fact　that　I　declined　an　introduction。　　That's　awkward；　for

if　I　should　now　ask　to　be　presented　to　her；　she　would　very　naturally

decline；　and　so　we　might　drift　into　something　as　closely　resembling

a　quarrel　as　is　possible　in　the　case　of　two　people　who　have　never

spoken　to　each　other。〃



He　concluded　that　it　would　be　best　to　leave　to　chance　the　occasion

which　should　place　them　on　speaking　terms；　and　tried　to　persuade

himself　that　her　unpromising　attitude　towards　him　was　not　wholly

unfavorable　to　his　purpose。　　He　never　could　hope　to　accomplish

anything　without　at　first　piquing　her　pride　and　wounding　her　vanity。

His　only　fear　was　that　this　had　been　done　too　effectually；　and　that

from　first　to　last　she　would　simply　detest　him。



In　his　preoccupation　he　forgot　that　the　supper　hour　was　passing；

but　at　last　started　hastily　for　his　room。　　As　he　rapidly　turned　a

sharp　corner　he　nearly　ran　into　two　ladies　who　were　coming　from　an

opposite　direction；　and　looking　up　saw　Mrs。　Mayhew　and　the　flushed；

resentful　face　of　her　daughter。　　In　spite　of　himself　our　even…pulsed

philosopher　flushed　also；　but　instantly　removing　his　hat　he

ejaculated：



〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　and　passed　on。



As　Ida　joined　her　cousin　at　the　supper…table　she　whispered　exultantly：



〃He　has　spoken　to　me。〃



〃Who　has　spoken　to　you？〃



〃Your　artist…bear。〃



〃How　did　that　happen？〃



〃Well；　he　nearly　ran　over　mehorrid　thing！　　I　suppose　that's

another　of　his　peculiar　ways。〃



〃Did　he　embrace　you？〃



〃Embrace　me！　　Good　heavens；　what　an　escape　I　have　had！　　So　this

too　is　characteristic　of　your　friend？〃



〃You　said　he　was　a　bear。　　If　so；　he　should　have　given　you　a　hug　on

the　first　opportunity。〃



〃He　didn't　have　an　opportunity；　and　he　never　will。〃



〃Poor　fellow！　　It　will　make　him　sick　if　I　tell　him　so。　　Well；　since

it　is　another　case　of　beauty　and　the　beast；　what　did　the　beast

say？〃



〃He　said　that　it　was　very　proper　he　should　say　to　me　after　all　his

hatefulness。　　He　said；　'I　beg　your　pardon。'〃



〃And　then　I　suppose　you　kissed　and　made　up。〃



〃Hush；　you　horrid　thing。　　I　noticed　him　no　more　than　I　would　a

chair　that　I　might　have　stumbled　over。〃



〃Thus　displaying　that　sweet　trait　of　yoursCharity。　　But　I　thought

it　was　he　that　stumbled　over　you？〃



〃A　musty；　miserable　pun！　　It　was　he；　and　I'm　delighted　it　so　happened；

that　the　first　time　he　ever　spoke　to　me　he　had　to　ask　my　pardon。〃



〃Well；　well！　　I'm　glad　it　so　happened；　too；　and　that　the　ice　is

broken　between　you；　for　Van　Berg　is　a　good　friend　of　mine；　and　it

would　be　confoundedly　disagreeable　to　have　you　two　lowering　at　each

other　across　a　bloody　chasm　of　dark；　revengeful　thoughts。〃



〃The　ice　isn't　broken　at　all。　　He　has　begged　my　pardon　as　he　ought

to　do　a　hundred　times；　but　I　haven't　granted　it；　and　I　never　will。

What's　more；　I'll　never　speak　to　him　in　all　my　life；　never；　never！〃



〃Swear　it　by　the　'inconstant　moon'！〃



〃Hush；　here　he　comes。　　Ah；　'peste！'　his　table　is　right　opposite

ours。〃



〃Who　is　that　tall　and　rather　distinguished…looking　gentleman

that　just　entered？〃　asked　Mrs。　Mayhew；　suddenly　emerging　from　a

pre…occupation　with　her　supper　which　a　good　appetite　had　induced。



〃He　IS　distinguished；　or　will　be。　　He's　a　particular　friend　of

Ida's；　and　is　as　rich　as　Croesus。〃



〃Three　items　in　his　favor；〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew　complacently；　〃but　Ida

has　so　many　friends；　or　beaux；　rather；　that　I　can't　keep　track　of

them。　　Her　friends　speedily　become　furnace…like　lovers；　or　else

escape　for　their　lives　into　the　dim　and　remote　region　of　mere　bowing

acquaintanceship。　　I　once　tried　to　keep　a　list　of　the　various　and

variegated　gentlemen　with　red　whiskers　and　black　whiskers；　with

whiskers　sandy；　brown；　and　occasionally　almost　white；　but　borrowing

a　golden　hue　from　their　purses；　that　appeared　and　disappeared　so

rapidly；　as　to　almost　make　me　dizzy。　　I　was　about　as　bewildered　as

the　poor　Indian　who　sought　to　take　the　census　of　London　by　notching

a　stick　for　every　passer…by　he　met。　　And　now　before　we　are　through

supper　on　the　first　evening　of　our　arrival；　another　appears；　who

is　evidently　an　eligible　'parti'　and　twice　as　good　as　the　minx

deserves；　but　in　a　few　days　he；　too；　will　vanish　into　thin　air；

and　another　and　different　style　of　man　will　take　his　place。　　Mark

my　words；　Ida；　you　will　be　through　the　woods　before　long；　and　I

expect　you　will　take　up　with　the　crookedest　of　crooked　sticks　on

the　farther　side；〃　and　the　voluble　Mrs。　Mayhew　resumed　her　supper

with　a　zest　which　this　dismal　prospect　did　not　by　any　means　impair。



〃If　I　were　in　search　of　a　crabbed；　crooked　stick；　I　would　not　have

to　look　farther　than　yonder　table；〃　said　the　young　lady；　petulantly。

〃What　you　suppose　about　that　dabbler　in　paint　is　about　as　far　from

the　truth　as　your　sketch　of　those　who　are　my　friends。　　That　man

never　was　my　friend；　and　never　shall　be。　　I　don't　want　you　to　get

acquainted　with　him　or　speak　to　him。　　You　must　not　introduce　him

to　me；　for　if　you　do；　I　shall　be　rude　to　him。〃



〃Hoity…toity！　what's　the　matter？〃



〃I　don't　like　him。　　Only　Ik　thinks　he's　wonderful。　　He　has　probably

blinded　our　cousin　to　his　faults　by　painting　a　flattering　likeness

of　the　vain　youth　here。〃



〃But　in　suggesting　another　portrait　that　was　not　altogether　pleasing；

he　sinned　beyond　hope；〃　whispered　Stanton。



Ida　bit　her　lip　and　frowned；　recalling　the　obnoxious　artist's　portrait

of　herself　as　giggling　and　flirting　through　one　of　Beethoven's

symphonies；　and　she　said　spitefully：



〃He　can　never　hope　for　anything　from　me。〃



〃Poor；　hopeless　wretch！〃　groaned　Stanton。　　〃How　can　he　sip　his　tea

yonder　so　complacently　oblivious　of　his　doom？〃



〃Mother；　I'm　in　earnest；〃　resumed　the　daughter。　　〃I　have　reasons

for　disliking　that　man；　and　I　do　not　wish　the　annoyance　of　his

acquaintance。〃



〃Well；　well；〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；　〃as　long　as　the　wind　blows　from

that　cool　quarter；　we　can　keep　cool　till　it　changes。　　If　I　mistake

not；　he　is　the　same　gentleman　who　met　us　in　the　corridor。　　I'm　sure

he　has　fine　manners。〃



〃If　it　is　fine　manners　in　a　man　to　nearly　run　over　two　ladies；　he

is　perfect。　　But　I　am　sick　of　hearing　about　him；　and　especially

of　seeing　him。　　I　insist；　Ik；　that　you　have　our　table　changed　to

yonder　corner；　and　then　arrange　it　so　that　I　can　sit　with　my　back

towards　him。〃



〃I　am　your　Caliban；　but　would　hint；　my　amiable　Coz；　that　you　should

not　bite　off　your　own　pretty　nose　in　spite。　　Must　all　your　kin　join

in　this　bitter　feud？　　May　I　not　smoke　with　my　ancient　familiar？〃



〃Oh；　be　off；　and　if　you　and　your　friend　disappear　like　your　cigars；

the　world　will　survive。〃



〃I　fear　it　is　because　my　friend　will　never　dissolve　in　sighs　that

you　are　so　willing　he　should　end　in　smoke。〃



Having　winged　this　Parthian　arrow　over　his　shoulder；　Stanton　strolled

out　on　the　piazza　whither　Van　Berg　had　preceded　him。











Chapter　V。　　Spite。









Miss　Mayhew　apparently　had　not　given　a　single　glance　to　the　artist；

as　he　sat　opposite　to　her　and　but　a　little　out　of　earshot。　　Indeed；

so　well　did　she　simulate　unconsciousness　of　his　presence；　that

were　if　not　for　an　occasional　glance　from　Mrs。　Mayhew　he　might　have

thought　himself　unnoticed；　but　something　in　that　lady's　manner；　as

caught　by　occasional　glances；　led　him　to　suspect　that　he　was　the

subject　of　their　conversation。



But　Ida's　indifference　was；　in　truth；　only　seeming；　for　although

she　never　looked　directly　at　him；　she　subjected　his　image；　which

was　constantly　flitting　across　the　retina　of　her　eye；　to　the　closest

scrutiny；　and　no　act　or　expression　of　his　escaped　her。　　She　was

piqued　by　the　fact　that　he　showed　no　disturbed　consciousness　of　her

presence；　and　that　his　glance　was　occasionally　as　free　and　natural

towards　her　as　towards　any　other　guest　of　the　house。　　His　bearing

annoyed　her　excessively；　for　it　seemed　an　easy　and　quiet　assertion

of　indifference　and　superioritytwo　manifestations　that　were　to

her　as　objectionable　as　unusual。　　Neither　in　looks　nor　manner　did

she　appear　very　agreeable　during　the　brief　time　she　spent　in　the

public　parlors。　　The　guests　of　the　house；　even　to　the　ladies　who

foresaw　an　eclipse　of　their　own　charms；　were　compelled　to　admit

that　she　was　very　pretty；　but　it　was　a　general　remark　that　her　face

did　not　make　or　leave　a　pleasant　impression。



Van　Berg　surmised　that　Stanton's　disposition　to　teaze　and　banter

would　lead　him　to　repeat　and；　perhaps；　distort；　anything　he　might

say　concerning　the　young　lady；　so　he　made　no　reference　whatever

to　the　Mayhews；　but　took　pains　to　give　the