a face illumined-第8章

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well　that　if　she　came　nearer；　and　spoke　so　as　to　reveal　herself；

the　fatal　defect　in　her　beauty　would　be　as　apparent　as　a　black　line

running　athwart　the　sculptured　face　of　a　Greek　goddess。　　The　only

question　with　him　was；　did　the　ominous　deformity　lie　so　near　the

surface　that　it　could　be　refined　away；　or　was　it　ingrained　into

the　very　material　of　her　nature；　thus　forming　an　essential　part

of　herself？　　He　feared　that　the　latter　might　be　true；　or　that　the

remedy　was　far　beyond　his　skill　or　power；　but　every　glance　he　caught

of　the　girl；　as　with　her　mother　she　paced　the　farther　end　of　the

piazza；　deepened　his　regret；　as　an　artist；　that　so　much　beauty

should　be　in　degrading　bondage　to　a　seeming　fool。











Chapter　VI。　　Reckless　Words　and　Deeds。









Light　carriages　now　began　to　wheel　rapidly　up　to　the　entrance；

and　were　followed　soon　by　the　lumbering　and　heavily…laden　stages。

Joyous　greetings　and　merry　repartee　made　the　scene　pleasant　to

witness　even　by　one　who；　like　Van　Berg；　had　no　part　in　it。　　Stanton；

who　at　this　moment　joined　him；　drew　his　special　attention　to　a　thin

and　under…sized　gentleman　somewhat　past　middle　age；　who　mounted　the

steps　with　a　tread　that　was　as　inelastic　as　his　face　was　devoid　of

animation。



〃There　is　poor　Uncle　Mayhew；〃　remarked　the　young　man　indifferently。

〃I　suppose　I　must　go　and　speak　to　him。〃



〃Mr。　Mayhew？〃　said　Van　Berg；　in　some　surprise。　　〃You　have　not　spoken

of　him　before。　　I　was　not　aware　that　there　was　any　such　person　in

existence。〃



〃You　are　not　to　blame　for　that；〃　replied　Stanton　with　a　shrug。

〃You　might　have　been　one　of　the　friends　of　the　family　and　scarcely

have　learned　the　fact。　　Indeed；　poor　man；　he　only　about　half　exists；

for　he　has　been　so　long　overshadowed　by　his　fashionable　wife　and

daughter；　that　he　is　but　a　sickly　plant　of　a　man。〃



Van　Berg　saw　that　the　greeting　received　by　Mr。　Mayhew　from　his　wife

and　daughter　was　very　undemonstrative　to　say　the　least；　and　that

then　the　gentleman　quickly　disappeared；　as　if　fearing　that　he　might

be　in　the　way。



〃From　my　very　limited　means　of　judging；〃　Van　Berg　remarked；　〃I

cannot　see　anything　more　objectionable　in　the　head　of　the　family

than　in　the　other　members。〃



〃Your　phrase；　'head　of　the　family；'　as　applied　to　Mr。　Mayhew；　makes

me　smile。　　His　name　figures　at　the　head　of　the　large　family　bills；

but　scarcely　elsewhere　with　much　prominence。　　You　will　soon　learn；

if　you　remain　here；　that　Mr。　Mayhew　imbibes　rather　more　than　is

good　for　him；　so　I　may　as　well　mention　the　disagreeable　fact　at

once。　　But　to　do　the　poor　man　justice；　I　suppose　he　drinks　to　keep

his　spirits　up　to　the　ordinary　level；　rather　than　from　any　hope

of　becoming　a　little　jolly　occasionally。　　Why　my　aunt　married　him

I　scarcely　know；　and　yet　I　have　often　thought　that　he　might　be　a

very　different　did　she　not　so　quench　him　by　a　manner　all　her　own。

As　it　is；　his　life　seems　to　consist　of　toiling　and　moiling　all　the

week；　and　of　stolidly　and　joylessly　soaking　himself　into　semi…stupidity

on　Sunday。　　It　this　wretched　state　of　affairs　could　be　kept　secret

I　would　not　mention　it　even　to　you；　my　intimate　friend；　but；　since　it

continues　no　secret　wherever　they　happen　to　remain　for　any　length

of　time；　I　would　rather　tell　you　the　exact　truth　at　once；　than

permit　you　to　guess　at　it　through　distorted　rumors。　　As　you　artists

occasionally　express　yourselves　concerning　pictures；　so　I　suppose

you　will　think　that　this　family；　with　all　its　wealth　is　quite

lacking　in　tone。〃



〃Well；　Stanton；　I　must　admit　that　I　find　myself　chiefly　inclined

towards　the　subdued　and　neutral…tinted　Mr。　Mayhew。　　If　you　have　a

chance　I　wish　you　would　introduce　me　to　him。〃



〃Are　you　in　earnest？〃



〃Certainly。〃



〃Then　I'll　ask　him　to　smoke　with　us　after　supper。　　Well；　Van；

I　congratulate　you　again　that　your　correct　and　cultivated　taste

enabled　you　to　see　the　fatal　flaw　in　my　cousin's　beauty。　　If　you

had　been　bewitched　by　her；　and　had　insisted　on　imagining　（as　so

many　others　have　done）　that　her　faultless　features　were　the　reflex

of　what　she　is　or　could　become　in　mind　and　character；　I　might　have

had　a　good　deal　of　trouble　with　you；　for　you　are　a　mulish　fellow　when

you　get　a　purpose　in　your　head。　　I　don't　care　how　badly　singed　the

average　run　of　moths　become。　　You　may　see　two　or　three　fluttering

around　to…night；　if　you　care　to　look　on；　but　I　wish　no　friend　of　mine

to　make　sport；　at　serious　cost　to　himself；　for　yonder　incorrigible

coquette；　if　she　is　my　cousin。　　But　after　what　you　have　seen　and　now

know；　you　would　be　safe　enough；　even　if　predisposed　to　folly。　　The

little　minx！　but　I　punished　her　well　for　her　spite　this　afternoon。〃



〃O　most　prudent　Ulysses！　you　have　indeed　filled　my　ears　with　wax。

I　thank　you　all　the　same　as　if　my　danger　were　greater。〃



〃Well；　view　them　all　with　such　charity　as　you　can。　　I　hope　you　were

not　very　much　annoyed　by　the　loss　of　your　ride。　　The　young　lady

will　not　be　in　a　hurry　to　play　such　a　trick　again。　　I'll　join　you

after　supper　in　this　your　favorite　and　out…of…the…way　corner。〃



〃Was　beauty　ever　environed　within　and　without　by　such　desperately

prosaic　and　inartistic　surroundings？〃　mused　Van　Berg。　　〃It　glistens

like　a　lost　jewel　in　an　ash…barrel；　or；　more　correctly；　it　is　like

an　exquisite　flower　that　nature　has　perversely　made　the　outcome

of　a　rank　and　poisonous　vine。　　Of　course　the　flower　is　poisonous

also；　and　as　soon　as　its　first　delicate　bloom　is　over；　will　grow

as　rank　and　repulsive　as　the　vine　that　bears　it。　　Like　produces

like；　and　with　such　parentage；　what　hope　is　there　for　her？　　I　am

glad　no　one　suspects　my　absurd　project；　for　every　hour　convinces

me　of　its　impracticability。　　The　ancient　Undine　was　a　myth；　and　my

modern　Undine　might　be　called　a　white　lie；　but　one　that　will　grow

darker　every　day。　　At　a　distance　she　presents　the　semblance　of　a

very　fair　woman；　but　I　have　been　unable　to　detect　a　single　element

yet　that　will　prevent　her　from　developing　into　an　old　and　ugly　hag；

in　spite　of　all　that　art　and　costume　can　do　for　her。〃



After　supper　Stanton　brought　Mr。　Mayhew　to　Van　Berg's　retired

nook；　and　the　artist　gave　the　hand　of　the　weary；　listless　man　such

a　cordial　pressure　as　to　cause　him　a　slight　surprise；　but　after

satisfying　his　faint　interest　by　a　brief　glance；　he　turned　the　back

of　his　chair　towards　all　the　gay　company；　although　it　contained

his　wife　and　daughter；　puffed　mechanically　at　his　cigar；　and　looked

vacantly　into　space。　　Before　the　evening　was　over；　however；　Van　berg

had　drawn　from　him　several　quite　animated　remarks；　and　secured　the

promise　that　he　would　join　him　and　Stanton　in　a　ramble　immediately

after　breakfast　the　following　morning。



Nor　had　the　young　man　been　oblivious　of　the　daughter　who　now　seemed

in　her　native　element。　　From　his　dusky　point　of　observation　he

caught　frequent　glimpses　of　her；　now　whirling　through　a　waltz　in

the　parlor；　now　talking　and　laughing　in　a　rather　pronounced　way　from

the　midst　of　a　group　of　gentlemen；　and　again　coquettishly　stealing

off　with　one　of　them　through　the　moonlit　walks。　　Her　manner；　whether

assumed　or　real；　was　that　of　extravagant　gaiety。　　Occasionally　she

seemed　to　glance　towards　their　obscure　corner；　but　neither　she　nor

her　mother　came　to　seek　the　man　who　had　been　toiling　all　the　week

to　maintain　their　idle　luxury。



As　Mrs。　Mayhew　and　her　daughter　were　preparing　for　dinner　on　the

following　day；　Mr。　Mayhew　entered　with　a　brisker　step　than　usual。



〃Why；　father；　where　have　you　been？〃　Ida　asked；　surprised　by　the

fact　that　he　had　not　been　drinking　and　dozing　in　his　room　all　the

morning。



〃I　have　been　shown　a　glimpse　of　something　that　I　have　not　seen　for

many　years。〃



〃Indeed；　and　what　is　that？〃



〃Beauty　that　seemed　beautiful。〃



〃That's　a　compliment　to　us；〃　remarked　Mrs。　Mayhew；　acidly。



〃I　mean　the　kind　of　beauty　which　does　one　good　and　makes　a　man　wish

that　he　were　a　man。〃



〃Do　you　mean　an　unmarried　man？〃　said　his　wife　with　a　discordant

laugh。



〃Probably　your　own　wishes　suggested　that　speech；　madam；〃　replied

the　husband；　bitterly。



〃And　pray；　where　did　you　find　so　much　beauty？〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；

ignoring　his　last　remark。



〃On　a　breezy　hill…side。　　It's　a　kind　of　beauty；　too；　that　one　can

enjoy　without　paying　numberless　bills　for　its　enhancement。　　I　refer

to　that　of　the　scenery。〃



〃Oh；〃　remarked　Mrs。　Mayhew；　indifferently；　〃it　would　have　been

more　to　your　credit　if　you　had　gone　to　church　instead　of　tramping

around　the　fields。〃



〃I　think　the　fields　have　done　more　for　me　than　church　for　you。〃



〃Why　so？〃　was　the　sharp　response。



〃They　have　at　least　kept　me　from　indulging　in　one　bad　habit。　　I　am

sober。〃



〃They　do　not　keep　you　from　making　ill…natured　remarks；〃　said　Mrs。

Mayhew；　sailing　out　of　the　room　fully　bedizened　for　the　solemnity

of　dinner。



〃You　say　you　were　'shown'　all　this　beauty；〃　remarked　Ida；　who　was

giving　the　finishing　touches　to　her　toilet　before　a　large　mirror；

and　by　whom　the　frequent　bickerings　of　her　parents　were　scarcely

noted。　　〃Who　officiated　as　showman？〃



〃A　man　who　understands　the　beauties　of　a　landscape　so　well　that　he

could　make　them　visible　even　to　my　dim　eyes；　and　attractive　to　my

deadened　and　besotted　nature。　　I'd　give　all　the　world　if　I　could

be　young；　strong；　and　hopeful　like　him；　again。　　It　was　good　of

himyes；　good　of　him；　to　try　to　cheer　a　stranger　with　pleasant

thoughts　and　sights。　　I　suppose　you　are　acquainted　with　Mr。　Van

Berg；　since　he　is　a　friend　of　Ik's？〃



〃No；　I'm　not；〃　was　the　sharp　reply；　〃nor　do　I　wish　to　be。〃



〃Why　not？〃　asked　Mr。　Mayhew　in　some　surprise。



〃It's　sufficient　that　I　don't　like　him。〃



〃He's　not　your　style；　I　suppose　you　mean　to　say？〃



〃Indeed　he　is　not。〃



〃So　much　worse　for　your　style；　Ida。〃



She　was　sweeping　petulantly　from　the　room　when　her　father　added

with　a　depth　of　feeling　very　unlike　his　wonted　apathy：　　〃O；　Ida；　it

were　better　that　all　three　of　us　had　never　been　born　than　to　live

as　we　do！　　Your　life　and　your　mother's　is　froth；　and　mine　is　mud。

How　I　hated　it　all　this　bright　June　morning；　as　Mr。　Van　Berg　gave

me　a　glimpse　into　another　and　better　world！〃



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　Mr。　Van　Berg　presumed　to　criticise　my　mode

of　life？〃　Ida　asked　with　a　darkening　face。



〃Oh；　no；　no！　　How　small　and　egotistical　all　your　ideas　are！　　He

never　mentioned　you；　and　probably　never　thought　of　you。　　He　only

took　a　little　pains　that　a　tired　and　dispirited　man　might　see　and

feel　the　eternal　beauty　and　freshness　of　nature；　as　one　might　give；

in　passing；　a　cup　of　water　to　a　traveller。〃



〃I　don't　see　what　reason　you　have　for　feeling　and　appearing　so

forlornly；　thus　asking　for　sympathy　from　strangers；　as　it　were；

and　causing　it　to　seem　as　if　we　were　making　a　martyr　of　you。　　As

for　this　artist；　with　his　superior　airs；　I　detest　him。　　He　never

loses