a face illumined-第74章

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time。　　I　suppose　you　accomplished　a　vast　deal　again　to…day　after

you　were　once　finally　rid　of　an　embodiment　of　April　weather？〃



〃I　would　lose　your　respect　altogether　if　I　should　tell　you　how　I

have　spent　the　afternoon。　　You　would　think　me　an　absurd　jumble　of

moods　and　tenses。　　I　may　as　well　own　up；　I　suppose。　　I　have　done

nothing　but　kill　time；　and　to　that　end　I　took　a　walk　through　Central

Park。〃



〃This　hot　afternoon！　　Mr。　Van　Berg；　what　possessed　you？〃



〃A　demon　of　impatience。　　It　seemed　as　if　old　Joshua　had　commanded

the　sun　to　stand　still　again。〃



〃You　must　indeed　by　a　genius；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　for　I've　always　heard

that　the　peculiarly　gifted　were　full　of　unaccountable　moods。〃



〃I　understand　the　satire　of　your　expression　'PECULIARLY　gifted；'

but　my　turn　will　come　before　the　evening　is　over；〃　and　he　leaned

luxuriously　back　against　the　sofa　cushion　with　a　look　of　infinite

content　with　the　prospect　before　him。　　〃Bless　me；　what　is　this　over

which　I　have　half　broken　my　back；〃　he　exclaimed；　and　he　dragged

out　of　its　partial　concealment　a　huge　volume。



〃Please　let　me　take　that　out　of　your　way；〃　said　Ida；　stepping

hastily　forward　with　crimson　cheeks。



〃Don't　trouble　yourself；　Miss　Mayhew；　fortune　is　favoring　me　once

more；　and　I　am　on　the　point　of　discovering　the　favorite　author　you

would　not　mention　this　morning。　　An　encyclopedia；　as　I　live！　from

A　to　B；　with　a　hair…pin　inserted　sharply　at　the　word　Amsterdam。

Really；　Miss　Ida；　I　can't　account　for　your　absorbing　interest　in

Amsterdam。〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　there　is　no　use　in　trying　to　hide　anything　from　you。

You　find　me　out　every　time　and　I'm　really　growing　superstitious

about　it。〃



〃I　wish　your　words　were　true；　but；　for　the　life　of　me；　I　can't

understand　why　you　should　crave　encyclopaedias　as　August　reading；

nor　can　I　see　the　remotest　connection　between　the　exquisite　color

of　your　face　and　the　old　Dutch　city　of　Amsterdam。〃



〃Well；　the　Fates　are　against　me　once　more。　　Why　I　left　that　book

there　I　don't　know；　for　I'm　not　usually　so　careless。　　Mr。　Van　Berg；

I　scarcely　need　to　remind　you　of　a　fact　that　you　discovered　long

agoI　don't　know　anything。　　Do　you　not　remember　how　you　tried　to

talk　with　me　one　evening？　　You　touched　on　almost　as　many　subjects

as　that　huge　volume　contains；　and　my　face　remained　as　vacant　through

them　all　as　the　blank　pages　in　that　book　before　the　printed　matter

begins。〃



〃But　now；　Miss　Ida；　your　face　is　to　me　like　this　book　after　the

printed　matter　begins；　only　I　read　there　that　which　interests　me

far　more　than　anything　which　this　bulky　tome　contains；　even　under

the　word　Amsterdam。〃



〃You　imagine　far　more　than　you　see。　　I　think　artists　are　like　poets；

and　are　given　to　great　flights。　　Besides；　you　are　becoming　versed

in　my　small　talk。　　When　you　tried　it　on　the　evening　I　referred　to；

you　were　just　a　trifle　ponderous。〃



〃Yes；　I　can　now　see　myself　performing　like　a　lame　elephant。　　Did

you　propose　to　read　this　encyclopaedia　entirely　through？〃



〃I　might　have　skipped　art　as　a　subject　far　too　deep　for　me。〃



〃When　you　come　to　that　let　me　take　the　place　of　the　encyclopaedia。

I　will　sit　just　here　where　you　keep　your　book　and　give　you　a　series

of　familiar　lectures。〃



〃I　never　enjoyed　being　lectured；　sir！〃



〃Then　I'll　teach　you　after　the　Socratic　method；　and　ask　you

questions。〃



〃I　fear　some　of　them　might　be　too　personal。　　You　have　such　a　mania

for　solving　everything。〃



〃And　did　you　fear　that　at　some　of　the　many　sittings　I　shall　need

this　fall　I　might　again　broach　every　subject　under　the　sun；　and　so

you　were　led　to　read　an　encyclopaedia　to　be　prepared？〃



〃Is　that　what　you　mean　by　the　Socratic　method？　　I　decline　any　lessons

concerning　art　or　anything　else　on　that　plan；　for　you　would　find

out　everything。〃



〃I　shall；　anyway。　　How　long　ago　it　seems　since　we　took　that　stupid

walk　together　on　Mr。　Burleigh's　piazza！　　We　are　nearer　together

now；　Miss　Ida；　than　we　were　then。〃



〃Oh！　no；　indeed；〃　she　replied　quickly；　〃I　had　your　arm　on　that

occasion。〃



〃But　you　have　my　sincere　friendship　and　respect　now。　　I　can't　tell

you　how　pleased　I　was　when　I　saw　how　you　had　honored　the　little

emblematic　flower　I　gave　you　this　morning。　　That　you　wear　it

to…night　as　your　only　ornament　gives　me　hope　that　you　do　value　my

respect　and　regard。〃



〃I　think　I　had　better　let　the　rose…bud　answer　you；　and　I　confess

I　like　to　think　how　perfect　it　is　when　I　remember　the　meaning　you

gave　to　it；　though　how　you　can　respect　me　at　all　I　cannot　understand。

Still；　I　am　like　fathernext　to　God's　favor　the　respect　of　those

I　esteem　does　most　to　sustain　and　reassure　me。　　But；　oh！　Mr。　Van

Berg；　you　can't　know　what　an　honest　sense　of　ill…desert　I　have。　　It

is　so　hard　just　to　do　right；　no　matter　what　the　consequences　may

be。〃



〃The　trouble　with　me　is　that　I　am　not　trying　as　you　are。　　But　I

know；　with　absolute　certainty；　that　the　strongest　impulse　of　true

friendship；　or　at　least　of　mine；　in　this　instance；　is　to　render

some　service　to　my　friend。　　You　will　make　me　very　happy　if　you　will

tell　me　something　I　can　do　for　you。〃



〃You　are　helping　me　very　much　in　your　manner　towards　father；　and

I　do　thank　you　from　the　very　depths　of　my　heart。　　In　no　way　could

you　have　won　from　me　a　deeper　gratitude。　　Andwellyour　kindness

almost　tempts　me　to　ask　for　another　favor；　Mr。　Van　Berg。〃



He　sprang　to　her　side　and　took　her　hand。



Quickly　withdrawing　it；　she　said　with　a　little　decisive　node：　　〃You

must　sit　down　and　sit　still；　for　I　have　along；　tiresome　story　to

tell；　and　a　very　prosaic　favor　to　ask；〃　for　she　had　resolved；　〃he

shall　go　forward　now　with　his　eyes　open；　and　he　shall　never　say　I

won　him　by　seeming　what　I　was　not。　　If　I　can't　deal　right　by　Jennie

Burton；　I　will　by　him。〃



〃I　shall　find　no　service　prosaic；　see；　I'm　all　attention；〃　and　he

did　look　very　eager　indeed。



〃That　encyclopaedia　suggests　my　story；　and　I　may　have　to　refer

incidentally　to　myself。〃



〃Leave　the　book　out；　I'll　listen　for　ages。〃



〃I　should　be　out　of　breath　before　that。　　Mr。　Van　Berg；　I'm　in　earnest；

I　don't　know　anything　worth　knowing。　　My　life　has　been　worse　than

wasted；　and　the　only　two　things　I　understand　well　are　dancing　and

flirting。　　Now　I　know　you　are　disgusted；　but　its　the　truth。　　My　old；

fashionable　life　seems　to　me　like　the　tawdry　scenes　of　a　second…rate

theatre；　where　everything　is　for　effect　and　nothing　is　real。　　I

have　hosts　of　acquaintances；　but　I　haven't　any　friends　except　Mr。

Eltinge。〃



〃And　Harold　Van　Berg；〃　put　in　the　artist；　promptly。



〃It's　good　of　you　to　say　that　after　such　confessions；〃　she　continued；

with　a　shy　glance。　　〃I　hope　it　wasn't　out　of　politeness。　　Well；

I've　waked　up　at　last。　　I　think　you　first　startled　me　out　of　my

insufferable　stupidity　and　silliness　at　the　concert　garden；　and

I'm　very　much　obliged　to　you　for　the　remark　you　made　to　Cousin　Ik

on　that　occasion。〃



〃Yes；　I　remember；〃　Van　Berg　groaned。　　〃I　waked　you　up　as　if　I　were

trying　to　put　your　shoulder　out　of　joint。　　Well；　I'm　waking　up

also。〃



〃You　have　no　idea　what　a　perfect　sham　of　a　life　I　led；〃　and　she

told　him　frankly　of　her　wasted　school　days　and　of　her　trip　abroad；

for　which　she　had　no　preparation　of　mind　or　character。　　〃A　butterfly

might　have　flown　over　the　same　ground　and　come　back　just　as　wise；〃

she　said。　　〃But　I　have　suddenly　entered　a　new　world　of　truth

and　duty；　and　I　am　bewildered；　I　am　anxious　to　fit　myself　for　the

society　of　sensible；　cultivated　people；　and　I　am　discouraged　by

the　task　before　me。　　I　went　to　father's　library　yesterday　and　was

perfectly　appalled　by　the　number　of　books　and　subjects　that　I　know

nothing　about。　　The　fact　that　I　stumbled　into　that　encyclopaedia；

which　gave　you　the　laugh　against　me；　shows　how　helpless　I　am。

Indeed；　I'm　like　a　little　child　trying　to　find　its　way　through　a

wilderness　of　knowledge。　　I　blundered　on　as　far　as　Amsterdam；　and

there　I　stopped　in　despair。　　I　didn't　know　what　was　before　me；　and

I　was　getting　everything　I　had　been　over　confused　and　mixed　up　in

my　mind。　　And　now；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　with　your　thorough　education　and

wide　experience　you　can　tell　me　what　to　read　and　how　to　read。〃



Van　Berg's　face　was　fairly　alive　with　interest；　and　he　said　eagerly：

〃The　favor　you　ask　suggests　a　far　greater　one　on　my　part。　　Let　me

go　with　you　through　this　wilderness　of　knowledge。　　We　can　take　up

courses　of　reading　together。〃



At　this　moment　Mr。　Mayhew　entered；　and　the　artist　hesitated　to　go

on　with　his　far…reaching　offers；　and；　indeed；　he　suddenly　began　to

realize；　with　some　embarrassment；　how　much　they　did　　involve。



But　Ida　maintained　her　presence　of　mind；　and　said；　simply：　　〃That

would　be　impossible；　though　no　doubt　exceedingly　helpful　to　me。

Here；　as　in　the　instance　of　the　pictures；　your　good…nature　and

kindness　carry　you　far　beyond　what　I　ever　dreamed　of　asking。　　I

merely　thought　that　in　some　of　your　moments　of　leisure　you　could

jot　down　some　books　and　subjects　that　would　be　the　same　as　if　you

had　pointed　out　smooth　and　shady　paths。　　You　see；　in　my　ignorance；

I've　tried　to　push　my　way　through　the　wilderness　straight　across

everything。　　Last　evening　I　pestered　my　father　with　so　many　questions

about　politics　and　the　topics　of　the　day；　that　he　thought　I　had

lost　my　wits。〃



Mr。　Mayhew　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　laughed　heartily；　as　he

mentally　ejaculated：　　〃Well　done；　little　girl！〃



〃I　will　brush　up　my　literary　ideas；　and　do　the　best　I　can；　very

gladly；〃　said　Van　Berg。　　〃But　you　greatly　underrate　yourself　and

overrate　my　ability。　　I　am　still　but　on　the　edge　of　this　wilderness

of　knowledge　myself；　and　in　crossing　a　wilderness　one　likes　company。〃



〃Oh；　I　could　never　keep　up　with　your　manly　strides；〃　said　Ida；　with

a　sudden　trill　of　laughter。　　〃Having　secured　my　wish；　I　shall　now

reward　you　with　some　very　poor　music；　which　will　suggest　my　need

of　lessons　in　that　direction　also。〃



Van　Berg　was　not　long　in　discovering　that　she　would　never　become　a

great　musician；　no　matter　how　many　lessons　she　had。　　But　she　played

with　taste　and　a　graceful　rhythm；　which　proved　that　music　in　its

simplest　forms　might　become　a　language　by　which　she　could　express

her　thought　and　feeling。



〃Ida；〃　said　Mr。　Mayhew；　a　little　abruptly；　〃I　wish　to　see　a　friend

at　the　club。　　I'll　be　back　before　the　evening　is　over。〃



〃Please　don't　stay　long；〃　Ida　answered；　looking　wistfully　after

him。



Then　they　found　some　ballad…music　that　they　could　sing　together；

and　Van　Berg　expressed　great　pleasure　in　finding　how　well　their

voices　blended。



〃You　have　modestly　kept　quite　all　summer；　and　I　am　just　finding

out　that　you　play　and　sing；〃　he　said。



〃I　would　not　have　the　confidence　to　do　either　at　a　hotel。　　I　shall

never　be　able　to　do　any　more　than　furnish　a　little　simple　home

music　to　friends；　not　critics。〃



〃I'm　content　with　that　arr