a face illumined-第69章

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his　companion；　and　until　the　artist　had　accosted　her　the　evening

before　had　not　been　able　to　understand　the　depression　which　she

could　not　disguise　wholly　from　him；　but　the　light　and　welcome　that

flashed　into　her　face　when　greeting　Van　Berg　had　suggested　her

secret；　and　all　that　followed　confirmed　his　surmise。　　The　truth

was　plainer　still　when　she　came　down　to　their　early　breakfast　the

next　morning　with　color　in　her　cheeks　and　a　fitful　light　of　excitement

in　her　eyes。



As　he　realized　the　truth　he　fairly　trembled　with　apprehension　and

longing。　　〃Oh；　if　Ida　could　only　marry　that　man　I　would　be　almost

beside　myself　with　joy；〃　he　thought；　〃but　I　fear　it　is　rash　even

to　hope　for　such　a　thing。　　Indeed；　I　myself　am　the　obstacle　that

would　probably　prevent　it　all。　　The　Van　Bergs　are　a　proud　race；

and　this　young　man's　father　knows　me　too　well。　　O　God！　　I　could　be

annihilated　if　thereby　my　child　could　be　happy。〃



〃Ida；〃　he　said；　hesitatingly；　〃perhaps　I　had　better　not　go　with　you

this　morning。　　I　imagine　Mr。　Van　Berg　asked　me　out　of　politeness

rather　than　from　any　wish　to　see　me　andandI　think　I　had　better

not　go。〃



She　looked　up　at　him　swiftly；　and　the　rich　color　mantled　her　face；

for　she　read　his　thoughts　in　part。　　But　she　only　said　quietly：



〃Then　I　will　not　go。〃



〃That　would　not　be　right　or　courteous；　Ida；〃　but　I　think　you　young

people　will　get　on　better　without　me。〃



〃You　are　mistaken；　Father；　I　never　intend　to　get　on　without　you；

and　any　friend　of　mine　who　does　not　welcome　you　becomes　a　stranger

from　that　hour。　　But　I　think　you　are　doing　Mr。　Van　Berg　an　injustice。

At　any　rate　we　will　give　him　a　chance　to　show　a　better　spirit。〃



〃Ida；　my　child；　if　you　only　knew　how　gladly　I　would　sacrifice　myself

to　make　you　happy！〃



She　came　to　him　and　put　her　arms　around　his　neck　and　looking　up

into　his　face　said；　with　the　earnestness　and　solemnity　of　a　vow；

〃I　will　take　no　happiness　which　I　cannot　receive　as　your　loving

daughter。　　As　long　as　you　are　the　man　you　have　been　since　Sunday　I

will　stand　proudly　at　your　side。　　If　you　should　ever　be　weak　again

you　will　drag　me　down　with　you。〃



He　held　her　from　him　and　looked　at　her　as　a　miser　might　gloat　over

his　treasure。



〃Ida；　my　good　angel；〃　he　murmured。



〃Nonsense！〃　she　exclaimed；　trying　to　hide　her　feelings　by　a　little

brusqueness；　〃I'm　as　human　a　girl　as　there　is　in　this　city；　and　will

try　your　patience　a　hundred　times　before　the　year　is　out。　　Come；

let　us　go　and　visit　this　proud　artist。　　He　had　better　beware；　or

he　may　find　an　expression　on　my　face　that　he　won't　like　if　I　should

decide　to　give　him　a　sitting。〃



But　the　artist　did　like　the　expression　of　Ida's　face　as　he　glanced

up　from　his　work　with　great　frequency　and　with　an　admiring　glow　in

his　eyes　that　was　anything　but　cool　and　business…like。　　Even　her

jealous　love　had　not　detected　a　tone　or　act　in　his　reception　of

her　father　that　was　not　all　she　could　ask；　and　she　had　never　seen

the　poor　man　look　so　pleased　and　hopeful　as　when　he　left　the　studio

for　his　office。　　There　had　not　been　a　particle　of　patronage　in

Van　Berg's　manner；　but　only　the　cordial　and　respectful　courtesy　of

a　younger　gentleman　towards　an　elderly　one。　　Mr。　Mayhew　had　been

made　at　home　at　once；　and　before　he　left；　the　artist　had　obtained

his　promise　to　come　again　with　his　daughter　on　the　following　morning。



〃His　bearing　towards　father　was　the　perfection　of　good　breeding；〃

thought　Ida；　and　it　would　seem　that　some　of　the　gratitude　with

which　her　heart　overflowed　found　its　way　into　her　tones　and　eyes。



〃You　look　so　pleasantly　and　kindly；　that　you　must　be　thinking　of

Mr。　Eltinge；〃　said　Van　Berg。



〃You　are　not　to　paint　my　thoughts；〃　said　Ida；　with　a　quick　flush。



〃I　wish　I　could。〃



〃I'm　glad　you　can't。〃



〃You　do　puzzle　one；　Miss　Mayhew。　　On　the　day　of　our　visit　to　the

old　garden　your　thoughts　seemed　as　clear　to　me　as　the　water　of　the

little　brook；　and　I　supposed　I　saw　all　that　was　in　your　mind。　　But

before　the　day　was　over　I　felt　that　I　did　not　understand　you　at

all。〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　I'm　astonished　you　are　an　artist。〃



〃Because　of　the　character　of　my　work？〃



〃No；　indeed。　　But　such　a　wonderful　taste　for　solving　problems

suggests　a　metaphysician。　　I　think　you　would　become　discouraged

with　such　tasks。　　Just　think　how　many　ladies　there　are　in　the　world；

and　I'm　sure　any　one　of　them　is　a　more　abstruse　problem　than　I　am。〃



The　artist　looked　up　at　her　in　surprise　and　bit　his　lip　with　a　faint

trace　of　embarrassment；　but　he　said；　after　a　moment；　〃But　it　does

not　follow　that　they　are　interesting　problems。〃



〃You　don't　know；〃　she　replied。



〃And　never　shall；〃　he　added。　　〃I　do　know；　however；　that　you　are　a

very　interesting　one。〃



〃I　didn't　agree　to　come　here　to　be　solved　as　a　problem；〃　she　said

demurely；　but　with　a　mirthful　twinkle　in　her　eyes；　〃I　only　promised

you　a　sitting　for　the　sake　of　Mr。　Eltinge。〃



〃Two　sittings；　Miss　Mayhew。〃



〃Well；　yes；　if　two　are　needful。〃



〃By　all　the　nine　muses！　you　do　not　expect　me　to　make　a　good　picture

from　only　two　sittings？〃



〃You　know　how　slight　is　my　acquaintance　with　any　of　those　superior

divinities；　and　in　this　sacred　haunt　of　theirs　I　feel　that　I　should

express　all　my　opinions　with　bated　breath；　but　truly；　Mr。　Van　Berg；

I　thought　you　could　make　a　picture　from　the　sketch　you　made　in　the

garden。〃



〃Yes；　I　could　make　A　picture；　but　every　sitting　you　will　give　enables

me　to　make　a　better　picture；　and　you　know　how　much　we　both　owe　to

Mr。　Eltinge。〃



〃I'm　learning　every　day　how　much；　how　very　much；　I　owe　to　him；〃

she　said；　earnestly。



〃Then　for　his　sake　you　will　promise　to　come　as　often　as　I　wish　you

to；〃　was　his　eager　response；　and　it　was　so　eager　that　she　looked

up　at　him　in　surprise。



〃Really；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　am　becoming　bewildered　as　to　what　that

little　sketch　I　asked　you　to　make　may　involve。〃



〃Will　it　be　so　wearisome　for　you　to　come　here？〃　he　asked；　with　a

look　of　disappointment　that　surprised　her　still　more。



〃I　didn't　say　that；〃　was　her　quick　reply；　〃and　I　promise　to　come

to…morrow。　　Perhaps　you　will　find　that　sufficient。〃



〃I　know　it　won't　be　sufficient。〃



〃Cousin　Ik　has　told　me　that　you　are　very　painstaking　and　conscientious

in　your　work。〃



〃Thanks　to　Cousin　Ik。　　When　I　get　a　chance　to　paint　such　a　picture

as　this　I　do；　indeed；　wish　to　make　the　most　of　it。〃



〃But　how　long　must　Mr。　Eltinge　wait　for　it？〃



〃I　think　we　can　send　it　to　him　as　a　Christmas　present。〃



〃We？　　You；　rather；　will　send　it。〃



〃No；　WE；　or　rather；　in　giving　me　the　sittings　you　give　Mr。　Eltinge

all　that　makes　the　picture　valuable　to　him。〃



Ida's　cheeks　began　to　burn；　for　the　artist's　words　suggested　a

powerful　temptation　that；　in　accordance　with　her　impetuous　nature；

came　in　the　form　of　an　impulse　rather　than　an　insidious　and　lurking

thought。　　The　impulse　was　to　accept　of　the　opportunities　he　pressed

upon　her；　and；　if　possible；　win　him　away　from　Jennie　Burton。　　At

first　it　seemed　a　mean　and　dishonorable　thing　to　do；　and　her　face

grew　crimson　with　shame　at　the　very　thought。　　Van　Berg　looked

at　her　with　surprise。　　Conscious　himself　that　while　he　meant　that

Mr。　Eltinge　should　profit　richly　from　her　visits；　it　was　not　by

any　means　for　the　sake　of　the　old　gentleman　only　that　he　had　been

requesting　her　to　come　so　often；　his　own　color　began　to　rise。



〃She　begins　to　see　that　my　motives　are　a　little　mixed；　and　that　is

what　is　embarrassing　her；〃　he　thought　as　he　bent　over　his　work　to

hide　his　own　confusion。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　I'm　getting　tired　of　sitting　still；〃　Ida　exclaimed。

〃It's　contrary　to　my　restless　disposition。　　May　I　not　make　an　exploring

tour　around　your　studio？　　You　have　no　idea　what　a　constraint　I've

been　putting　on　my　feminine　curiosity。〃



〃I　give　you　a　'carte…blanche'　to　do　as　you　please。　　Have　you　much

curiosity？〃



〃I'm　a　daughter　of　Eve。〃



〃Well；　I'm　coming　to　the　conclusion　that　there　is　a　good　deal　of

'old　Adam'　in　me；〃　and　he　felt　that　as　she　then　appeared　she　could

tempt　him　to　almost　anything。



Now　that　her　back　was　towards　him　she　felt　safer；　and　her　mellow

laugh　trilled　out　as　she　said；　〃We　may　have　to　dub　this　place　a

confessional　rather　than　a　studio　of　you　talk　in　that　way。〃



〃If　I　confessed　all　my　sins　against　you；　Miss　Mayhew；　it　would；

indeed；　be　a　confessional。〃　　He　spoke　so　earnestly　that　she　gave

him　a　quick　glance　of　surprise。



〃There　is　no　need；〃　she　said；　hesitatingly；　〃since　I　have　given　you

full　absolution；〃　and　she　suddenly　became　interested　in　something　in

the　farthest　corner　of　the　apartment。　　After　a　moment　she　added；

〃If　I　am　to　come　here　I　must　say　to　you　again；　as　I　did　on　the

day　I　so　disgusted　you　by　my　behavior　in　the　stageyou　must　let

by…gones　be　by…gones。〃



It　was　now　the　artist's　turn　to　laugh；　and　his　merriment　was

so　hearty　and　prolonged　that　she　turned　a　vexed　and　crimson　face

towards　him　and　said；　〃I　think　it's　too　bad　in　you　to　laugh　at　me

so。〃



〃Miss　Mayhew；　I　assure　you　I'm　not　laughing　at　you　at　all。　　But　your

words　suggest　a　good　omen。　　Didn't　that　stage　teach　you　that　fate

means　us　to　be　good　friends　in　spite　of　all　you　can　do？　　Before　we

met　in　that　car　of　fortune　I　had　been　trying　for　a　week　or　more　to

make　your　acquaintance；　and　made　a　martyr　of　myself　in　the　effort。

I　played　the　agreeable　to　nearly　every　lady　in　the　hotel；　and

perspired　on　picnics　and　boating　parties　that　I　did　not　enjoy。　　I

played　croquet　and　other　games　till　I　was　half　bored　to　death；　and

all　in　the　effort　to　produce　such　a　genial　atmosphere　of　enjoyment

and　good…feeling　that　you　would　thaw　a　little　towards　me；　but　you

wouldn't　speak　to　me；　nor　even　look　at　me。　　At　last　I　gave　up　in

despair　and　went　off　among　the　hills　with　my　sketch…book；　and　when

returning　that　blessed　old　stage　overtook　me。　　Wasn't　I　pleased

when　I　found　you　were　a　fellow…passenger！　and　let　me　now　express

my　thanks　that　you　looked　so　resolutely　away　from　me；　for　it　gave

me　a　chance　to　contrast　a　profile　in　which　I　could　detect　no　fault

with　the　broad；　sultry　visage　of　the　stout　woman　opposite　me。　　And

then；　thank　heaven；　the　horses　ran　away。　　Whoever　heard　of　stage

horses　running　away　before？　　It　was　a　smile　of　fortunea　miracle。

Submit　to　destiny；　Miss　Mayhew；　for　it's　decreed　that　we　should　be

good　friends；〃　and　he　laughed　again　in　huge　enjoyment　of　the　whole

scene。



In　spite　of　herself　Ida　found　his　humor　contagious　and　irresistible；

and　she　laughed　also　till　the　tears　came　into　her　eyes。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　ought　to　be　indignant；　or　I　ought

to　be　ashamed　to　look　you　in　the　face。　　I　don't　know　what　I　ought

to　do；　only　I'm　sure　it　isn't　the　proper　thing　at　all　for　me　to　be

laughing　in　this　way。　　I　think　I'll　go　home　at　once；　for　I'm　only

wasting　your　time。



His　answer　was　not　very　relevant；　f