a face illumined-第66章

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〃Who　has　been　hurting　your　feelings？〃　he　asked；　in　a　low　tone。



By　a　scarcely　perceptible　gesture；　she　put　her　finger　on　her　lips

and　said　quietly；　〃They　are　waiting　for　you；　Cousin　Ik。〃　　Then　she

added；　with　a　smile；　〃Somewhere　I've　heard　a　proverb　expressing

surprise　that　Saul　should　be　among　the　prophets。　　I　hardly　think

it　will　be　in　good　taste　for　me　to　appear　among　them　just　yet。〃



〃And　I　once　believed　her　to　be　a　fool；〃　thought　Stanton　as　he

returned　to　his　place。



Again；　on　this　Sunday　evening；　keen　eyes　were　watching　her　from

the　dusky　piazza；　but　so　far　from　being　wolfish　and　ravenous；　they

were　full　of　sympathy　and　admiration。



As　Van　Berg　approached　the　parlor　windows　after　his　return；　he　saw

Stanton　standing　by　the　piano　at　Jennie　Burton's　side；　and　she　was

looking　up　to　him　and　speaking　in　a　very　friendly　manner。　　He　was

not　conscious　of　any　appropriate　pangs　of　jealousy；　and　indeed

did　not　miss　their　absence；　but　he　looked　eagerly　around　for　the

problem　his　philosophical　mind　was　so　bent　on　solving。



At　first　the　favorable　impression　made　by　the　reunited　family　caught

his　attention；　and　he　muttered；　〃There　is　some　more　of　her　magic。

But　what　is　the　matter　with　Miss　Mayhew　herself。　　Her　eyes　are

burning　with　a　fire　that　is　anything　but　tender　and　sacred；　and

there　are　moments　when　her　face　is　almost　stern；　and　again　it　is

full　of　trouble。〃



Some　one　discovered　him　on　the　piazza；　and　there　was　a　general

wish　expressed　that　he　should　sing　with　Miss　Burton　a　duet　that

had　become　a　favorite。　　After　this　and　one　or　two　other　pieces；

he　again　sought　his　place　of　observation。　　The　color　and　fire　had

now　wholly　faded　from　Miss　Mayhew's　face；　and　she　looked　pale　and

sad。　　Her　father　turned　to　her；　and　said：



〃Ida；　I　fear　you　don't　feel　well。〃



〃I'm　very　tired；　and　think　I　had　better　go　to　my　room。〃



He　rose　instantly；　and　gave　her　his　arm；　but　on　the　way　she　reassured

him：　　〃A　night's　sleep；　and　the　rest　I　shall　have　with　you　in　the

city　are　just　what　I　need；　so　don't　worry；　for　I　shall　be　ready　to

take　the　train　with　you　in　the　morning；〃　and　Mr。　Mayhew　rejoined

his　wife；　and　completed　a　happier　day　than　he　ever　expected　to　see

again。



But　poor　Ida；　when　left　alone；　buried　her　face　in　her　hands

and　sobbed；　〃I've　wounded　HIS　feelings；　I've　given　way　to　my　old

passionate　anger；　I've　spoken　to　mother　as　a　daughter　never　should。

What　will　ever　become　of　faulty　Ida　Mayhew？　　The　worm…eaten　emblem

is　true　of　me　still。〃



Then；　as　if　whispered　to　her　by　some　good　angel；　the　words　Mr。

Eltinge　had　spoken　recurred　to　her。　　〃Your　Saviour　will　be　as　tender

and　patient　with　you　as　a　mother　with　her　baby　that　is　learning　to

walk。〃



〃Oh；〃　she　cried；　in　a　low；　passionate　tone；　〃that　is　the　kind　of

a　God　I　need！〃



She　also　remembered　the　reassuring　words　that　Mr。　Eltinge　had

quoted〃As　one　whom　his　mother　comforteth　so　will　I　comfort　you；〃

and　the　promise　was　made　good　to　her。



〃Stanton；〃　said　Van　Berg；　a　little　abruptly；　before　they　parted

that　evening；　〃I　fear；　from　your　cousin's　appearance；　she　was　ill

when　she　left　the　parlor。〃



〃I've　given　up　trying　to　understand　Ida。　　When　she　came　down　with

her　mother；　she　looked　like　an　incensed　goddess；　and　when　she

returned　she　reminded　me　of　the　fading　white　lily　she　wore　in　her

hair。　　I　give　it　up；〃　concluded　Stanton；　whose　language　had　become

a　trifle　figurative　and　poetic　of　late。



〃I　don't；〃　muttered　the　artist；　after　smoking　the　third　consecutive

cigar　in　solitude。











Chapter　XLVII。　　The　Concert　Garden　Again。









Van　Berg　had　scarcely　ever　known　a　day　to　pass　more　slowly　and

heavily　than　Monday。　　He　had　taken　pains　to　be　present　at　Ida's

departure　with　her　father；　and　it　had　depressed　him　unaccountably

that　she　had　been　so　quiet　as　to　seem　even　a　little　cold　in　her

farewell。　　She　would　not　look　towards　him；　nor　could　he　catch　her

eye　or　obtain　one　friendly　expression。　　He　did　not　know　that　the

poor　girl　dared　not　smile　or　speak　lest　she　should　be　too　friendly；

and　that　she　avoided　him　with　the　instinct　of　self…preservation。

His　conclusion　was：　　〃She　finds；　after　thinking　it　all　over；　that

she　has　far　more　to　forgive　than　she　thought；　and　my　presence

reminds　her　of　everything　she　would　be　glad　to　forget。〃



He　tried　once　or　twice　to　find　Jennie　Burton；　but　did　not　succeed。

She　made　no　apparent　effort　to　avoid　him；　and　was　so　cordial　in

her　manner　when　they　met　that　he　had　severe　compunctions　that　he

did　not　seek　her　society　resolutely　and　press　his　suit。　　〃The　summer

is　drawing　to　a　close；〃　he　muttered；　〃and　nothing　is　settled。　　Confound

it　all！　　I'm　the　least　settled　of　anything。　　The　best　chance　I　shall

ever　have　is　passing　swiftly。　　Ever　faculty　I　possess　assures　me

that　she　is　the　one　woman　of　all　the　world。　　I　honor　her；　I　reverence

her；　I　admire　her　and　everything　she　does　and　says。　　I　trust　her

implicitly；　even　though　she　is　so　shrouded　in　mystery。　　What　the

mischief　is　the　matter　with　my　old　water…logged　heart　that　it　should

be　so　heavy　and　dumpish？〃



But　so　it　was。　　Jennie　Burton　smiled　on　him　and　others　as　brightly

as　ever；　and　yet　he　knew　her　heart　was　breaking；　for　she　was　growing

slighter　and　more　spirit…like　daily。　　His　desire　to　comfort　her；

however；　by　a　life…long　effort　ebbed　away；　till　he　was　cursing　himself

for　a　fickle；　cold…blooded　wretch。　　〃I　had　better　shut　myself　up

in　my　studio；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃I　may　make　a　painter；　but　I

never　will　anything　else；〃　and　early　on　Tuesday　he　went　doggedly

to　work　on　Mr。　Eltinge's　picture。



His　perplexed　and　jarring　thoughts　gradually　ceased　their　discord

as　he　became　absorbed　in　his　loved　and　familiar　tasks。　　Sweet　and

low　at　first；　and　in　the　faint；　broken　suggestion　of　his　kindling

fancy；　the　symphonic　poem　he　had　heard　in　the　garden　began　again；

but　at　last　his　imagination　made　it　almost　real。　　He　listened　once

more　to　Ida's　girlish；　plaintive　voice　blending　with　the　murmur　of

the　brook；　the　sighing　wind　and　rustling　leaves；　and　the　occasional

trill　of　a　bird。　　He　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　and　his　eyes　became

full　of　deep　and　dreamy　pleasure。　　Gradually　a　heavy　frown　contracted

his　brow；　and　his　face　grew　white　and　stern　as　he　repeated　words

that　she　once　had　spoken　to　him：　　〃I　meant　to　compel　your　respect；

and　I　thought　there　was　no　other　way。〃



〃Pharisee；　fool　that　I　was！　　If　I　had　been　kind　and　trustful　at

the　time　her　family　wronged　her；　she　would　not　now　shrink　from　me

as　if　I　summed　up　in　my　person　the　whole　of　that　wretched　experience。

Even　Stanton　appreciated　my　unutterable　folly；　for　he　said：　　〃You

looked　at　her　in　a　way　that　would　have　frozen　even　Jezebel　herself；〃

and　now　whenever　I　glance　towards　her　she　is　reminded　of　that

accursed　stare。　　Would　it　be　possible；　in　painting　her　likeness

for　Mr。　Eltinge；　to　make　her　face　so　noble；　womanly；　and　pure；　that

she　would　recognize　my　present　estimate　of　her　character；　and　so

forgive　me　in　very　truth？〃



The　care　and　earnestness　with　which　he　filled　in　the　outlines　of

his　sketch　proved　how　zealously　he　would　make　the　effort。　　In　the

afternoon　he　drove　over　to　the　garden　again；　and　made　a　careful

drawing　of　the　tree　and　of　Mr。　Eltinge　sitting　beneath　it；　for　Ida；

and　he　determined　to　go　to　the　city　the　following　day　the　he　might

avail　himself　of　the　resources　of　his　studio；　and　by　the　aid　of　this

hasty　sketch　make　as　fine　a　crayon　picture　as　would　be　possible；

before　her　return　on　Saturday。



The　old　gentleman's　heart　was　naturally　warm　towards　his　protege；

whom　they　both　missed　greatly；　and　he　spoke　of　her　often。　　He　could

not　help　noticing　that　the　artist　was　ever　an　excellent　listener

at　such　times　and　would　even　suspend　his　work　for　a　moment　that　he

might　not　lose　a　word。　　〃It　seems　to　me　he　takes　a　wonderful　deal

of　interest　in　her　for　a　man　who　is　seeking　to　engage　himself

to　another　lady；〃　mused　Mr。　Eltinge。　　〃I　think　the　other　lady　had

better　be　looking　after　him。〃



As　Van　Berg　approached　the　hotel；　he　saw　Miss　Burton　mounting　the

steps　with　a　quantity　of　ferns　in　her　hands。　　She　evidently　was

returning　from　a　long　ramble；　and　when　she　came　down　to　supper　he

saw　that　she　had　not　been　able　to　remove　wholly　all　traces　of　grief。

His　conscience　smote　him　sorely。　　He　hesitated　in　his　purpose

of　going　to　the　city；　and　determined　to　speak　of　it　frankly；　and

abandon　it；　if　she　showed；　even　by　the　expression　of　her　face；

that　she　would　prefer　he　would　remain；　but　he　found　himself　both

surprised　and　relieved　that；　so　far　from　manifesting　the　least

reluctance　to　have　him　go；　she　encouraged　the　plan。



〃You　have　a　noble　theme；〃　she　said　cordially；　〃and　you　can't　do

it　justice　in　the　room　of　a　summer　hotel。　　Besides　I　do　think　you

owe　it　to　Miss　Mayhew　to　make　all　the　amends　in　your　power；　and

a　fine　picture　of　that　emblematic　tree；　and　her　kind　old　friend

beneath　it；　may　be　of　very　great　help　to　her　in　her　new　life。　　I

hope　you　will　take　me　to　see　Mr。　Eltinge　on　your　return。〃



〃I'll　wait　over　a　day　and　take　you　there　to…morrow；〃　he　said

promptly。



〃No；〃　she　replied　decisively；　〃you　have　not　enough　time　as　it　is；

before　Saturday；　to　do　justice　to　your　work；　and　I　want　you　to　make

Miss　Mayhew's　friend　look　as　if　he　were　speaking　to　her。〃



〃Miss　Jennie；〃　said　the　artist　rather　impulsively；　〃you　haven't　a

drop　of　selfish　blood　in　your　little　body。〃



〃I　am　under　the　impression　that　Mr。　Van　Berg's　estimates　of　his　lady

acquaintances　are　not　always　correct。　　Not　that　I　was　any　wiser；

but　then　such　positive　assertions　seem　hardly　the　thing　from　people

who　have　shown　themselves　so　fallible。〃



〃I'm　right　for　once；〃　Van　Berg　insisted。　　〃Do　you　know　that　Miss

Mayhew　and　I　nearly　had　a　falling　out。　　Indeed　she　has　been　rather

cool　towards　me　ever　since；　and　you　were　the　cause。　　I　believed

with　absolute　certainty　that　the　new　Ida　Mayhew　that　I　had　learned

to　know　in　Mr。　　Eltinge's　garden　would　gravitate　towards　you　as

surely　as　two　drops　of　dew　run　together　when　brought　sufficiently

near；　and　I　began　to　speak　quite　enthusiastically　of　what　friends

you　would　surely　become；　when　Miss　Mayhew's　manner　taught　me　I　had

better　change　the　subject。　　Oddly　enough；　she　has　never　liked　you；

and　yet；　in　justice　to　her；　I　must　add　that　she　acted　conscientiously；

and　I　have　never　heard　one　lady　speak　of　another　more　favorably　and

sincerely；　than　she　spoke　of　you；　though　it　seemingly　cost　her　an

effort。〃



A　sudden　moisture　came　into　Jennie　Burton's　eyes；　and　she　said

under　her　breath：　　〃Poor　child！　that　was　noble　and　generous　of　her

to　speak　so　of　me。　　Oh；　how　blind　he　is！〃　　But　with　mock　gravity

she　answered　him：



〃Your　rather　sentimental　figure　of　speech；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　shows

where　your　error　lies。　　Miss　Mayhew　and　myself　are　not　pellucid

drops　of　dew　that　you　look　through　at　a　glance。