a face illumined-第84章

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Are　not　hope；　patience；　peace；　when　the　world　could　give　no　peace；

as　real　as　your　picture？　　Is　not　the　honest　purpose　to　overcome

a　nature　that　you　know　is　so　very　faulty；　as　real　a　gift　as　any　I

could　receive？　　If　the　Friend　I　have　found　promises　me　such　things；

and　at　once　begins　to　keep　his　word；　why　should　I　not　trust　him？

But　remember；　you　must　not　expect　from　me　very　much　at　first；　any

more　than　did　Mr。　Eltinge　from　the　little　pear…tree　he　lifted　up

and　gave　a　chance　to　live。　　Now；　with　one　more　thought；　my　small

cup　of　theology　is　emptied。　　To　go　back　to　my　illustration：　　Suppose

some　person　should　say　that　he　had　not　a　picture　of　Mr。　Eltinge；

that　would　be　no　proof　that　I　did　not　have　one；　or　that　you　had

not　given　one　to　me。　　I　don't　see；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　that　the　fact　that

you　have　no　faith　this　morning；　is　anything　against　the　fact　that

I　and　Mr。　Eltinge；　and　so　many　others　do　have　faith；　with　good

reasons　for　it；　and　are　able　to　say；　〃I　KNOW　that　my　Redeemer

liveth。'　　The　testimony　of　other　people　counts　for　something　in

most　matters。　　Why　must　such　men　as　Mr。　Eltinge　be　set　down　either

as　deceivers　or　deceived；　when　they　state　some　of　the　most　certain

facts　of　their　experience？〃



〃I　knew　you　were　the　right　one　to　come　to；〃　he　said；　looking　at

her　so　earnestly　that　her　eyes　fell　before　his；　〃but　why　is　it；　do

you　think；　that　I　receive　no　answer？〃



〃As　I　told　you；　my　little　cup　of　knowledge　is　empty；　but　it　seems

to　me　that　in　your　happy；　wonderful　rescue　you　were　answered。　　You

have　promised　to　become　a　Christian；　Mr。　Van　Berg。　　You　certainly

did　not　limit　your　effort　to　this　week。　　Surely　to　be　a　Christian

is　worth　a　lifetime　of　effort。〃



〃I　understand　you　again；〃　he　said　with　a　smile；　〃you　leave　me

no　other　choice　than　to　make　a　lifetime　of　effort。　　But　I　fear　it

will　be　awfully　up…hill　work。　　The　Bible　seems　to　me　an　old…world

book。　　Many　parts　take　a　strong　hold　on　my　imagination；　and　of

course　I　know　its　surpassing　literary　merit；　but　I　don't　find　in

it　much　that　seems　personally　applicable　or　helpful。　　Do　you？　　I

admit；　though；　that　when　I　read　words　this　morning　to　the　effect

that　'a　brutish　man　knoweth　not；　neither　doth　a　fool　understand。'

I　felt　that　the　good　old　saint　must　have　had　his　prophetic　eye　on

me　at　the　time　of　writing。〃



〃You　are　as　unjust　towards　yourself　as　ever；　I　see；〃　she　said。

〃I　have　found　another　Psalm　that　to　me　meant　so　much　that　I　have

committed　the　first　part　of　it　to　memory。　　You　can　understand　why

the　following　words　are　significant；〃　and　in　the　plaintive　tones　that

had　vibrated　so　deeply　in　his　heart　when　she　read　to　Mr。　Eltinge；

she　repeated：



〃I　love　the　Lord　because　he　hath　heard　my　voice　and　my　supplication。



〃Because　he　hath　inclined　his　ear　unto　me；　therefore　will　I　call

upon　him　as　long　as　I　live。



〃The　sorrows　of　death　compassed　me；　and　the　pains　of　hell　got　hold

upon　me：　　I　found　trouble　and　sorrow。



〃Then　called　I　upon　the　name　of　the　Lord；　O　Lord；　I　beseech　thee；

deliver　my　soul。



〃The　Lord　preserveth　the　simple：　　I　was　brought　low　and　he　HELPED

me。



〃Return　unto　thy　rest；　O　my　soul；　for　the　Lord　hath　dealt　bountifully

with　thee。



〃For　thou　hast　delivered　my　soul　from　death；　mine　eyes　from　tears；

and　my　feet　from　falling。



〃And　this　is　my　conclusion；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　'I　will　walk　before　the

Lord　in　the　land　of　the　living。'　　I　am　going　to　find　plenty　of

good；　live；　wholesome　work　to　do　'in　the　land　of　the　living；'　and

I　intend　to　do　it　as　if　I　enjoyed　it；　indeed；　I　think　I　shall　enjoy

it；〃　and　she　rose　and　left　him　with　a　genial　and　cheery　smile。



But　he　sat　still　and　thought　long　and　deeply。　　At　last　he　muttered

in　conclusion：　　〃'By　their　fruits　ye　shall　know　them。'　　Once　more；

God　bless　Ida　Mayhew　for　all　she　has　been　to　me！〃



When　they　were　gathered　at　dinner；　Jennie　Burton　walked　in　and　took

her　seat　in　the　most　quiet　and　matter　of　course　way　possible。



Van　Berg　laid　down　his　knife　and　fork　and　exclaimed：　　〃You　have

stolen　a　march　on　us。　　We　designed　giving　you　an　ovation　when　you

came　down。〃



〃Will　you　please　pass　me　the　bread　in　its　place；　Mr。　Van　Berg？〃　　she

replied　in　her　former　piquant；　mirthful　way。　　〃With　the　appetite

that　is　coming　back　to　me；　one　of　Mr。　Burleigh's　good　dinners　is　far

more　to　my　taste　than　an　ovation　which　I　now　decline　with　thanks。〃



Very　pale　and　slight　she　certainly　had　become；　but　they　saw　her　old

cheery；　indomitable　spirit　once　more　looked　out　of　her　blue　eyes

and　vibrated　in　the　tones　of　her　voice。　　With　the　changes　indicated；

she　was　the　same　bright　little　〃enigma　in　brown〃　that　had　so

fascinated　Van　Berg　the　first　day　of　her　arrival；　and　led　him　to　make

the　half…jesting　prediction　to　Stanton　that　had　been　so　thoroughly

fulfilled。　　In　spite　of　themselves　her　irresistible　grace；　wit；

and　humor　created　continuous　and　irrepressible　merriment　at　their

table；　which　Ida　seconded　with　a　tact　and　piquancy　but　little

inferior　to　that　of　Miss　Burton　herself。　　Straightforward　and

rather　slow…witted　Stanton　rubbed　his　eyes　and　vowed　between　the

first　hearty　laughs　he　had　known　for　many　a　long　day　that　he　was

practised　upon；　and　that　he　intended　to　have　Miss　Burton　indicted

as　a　witch；　and　Ida　as　an　accomplice。



But　Jennie　Burton　could　not　escape　the　ovation；　for　she　had　won

a　secure　and　large　place　in　the　esteem；　and　in　many　instances；　in

the　affections　of　her　summer　associates。　　After　dinner；　no　matter

which　way　she　turned；　hands　were　extended　and　hearty　words　spoken；

and　while　at　dinner　even　the　colored　waiters　grinned　approvingly

whenever　she　looked　towards　them。　　Mr。　Burleigh　finally　brought

the　congratulations　and　jollity　to　a　climax　by　hoisting　the　flag

and　trying　to　drum　〃Hail　Columbia〃　on　a　gong。



〃That's　his　way；〃　said　Mrs。　Burleigh　in　an　aside　to　Jennie；　〃but

would　you　believe　it；　the　poor　man　has　scarcely　eaten　or　slept

since　you　have　been　ill。　　If　it　had　been　any　one　else　but　you　I'd

been　jealous。〃



But　Van　Berg　knew　well　that　all　this　geniality　was　like　the　ripple

and　sparkle　that　play　above　deep　waters。　　Occasionally　he　found

Miss　Burton's　eyes　directed　towards　himself　in　a　way　that　caused

him　deep　anxiety；　and　he　had　an　uneasy　consciousness　that　she　was

reading　his　innermost　thoughts。　　While　he　exerted　his　utmost　power

to　banish　everything　from　his　mind　that　was　not　loyal　to　her；　he

made　no　effort　to　avoid　Ida　or　say　little　to　her　at　the　table　and

during　the　afternoon；　but　rather　took　pains　to　treat　her　with　frank

and　cordial　courtesy；　however；　in　spite　of　himself；　he　could　not

keep　out　of　his　eyes　at　all　times　the　reverence　and　gratitude　with

which　his　very　soul　overflowed；　for　he　felt　that　he　owed　to　Ida；

who　had　saved　his　manhood；　far　more　than　to　Jennie；　who　had　saved

his　life　only。



Ida　also　observed　Miss　Burton's　slight　and　carefully　disguised

scrutiny　with　a　fluttering　heart。　　〃I　suppose　he　does　the　best　he

can；〃　she　thought；　〃but　she'll　surely　find　him　out；　there　is　no

use　of　trying　to　hide　anything　from　a　woman　who　loves。　　Well；　well；

let　her　but　remain　discreetly　blind　for　a　little　time；　and　with

her　powers　of　fascination　she　will　win　him　heart　and　soul。〃



Before　Jennie　slept　that　night　her　mind　was　clear　as　to　her　course。

〃I　think；〃　she　murmured；　〃I　understand　them　both　now。　　His　manner

towards　Miss　Mayhew　is　certainly　not　that　of　a　conventional

lover；　but　as　I　have　seen　him　look　at　her　twice　as　if　he　could　say

his　prayers　to　her；　I　think　I'll　venture　on　the　only　match…making

I　ever　attempted。　　But　what　to　do　with　Mr。　Stanton；　I　don't　know。

Poor　man！　he　might　as　well　love　a　shadow　as　me；　and　yet　he　seems

so　simple；　honest；　and　real　himself。　　He　is　disappointing　me　daily；

and　I　have　wronged　him　very　much。　　I　thought　him　a　selfish　man　of

the　world；　but　he　persists　in　offering　me　a　chivalric；　unselfish

devotion；　for　which　he　asks　nothing　in　return。　　Alas！　I　can　give

him　nothingnothing　compared　with　what　he　gives。〃



〃I　am　going　to　make　my　last　visit　to　Mr。　Eltinge　and　the　old

garden；〃　said　Ida　to　Van　Berg　as　she　passed　him　on　the　piazza　the

following　morning。



He　looked　after　her　so　wistfully；　and　sighed　so　deeply；　that　Jennie

Burton；　unseen　herself；　smiled　as　if　she　had　discovered　something

that　gave　her　deep　satisfaction。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said　a　few　moments　later　〃can　you　give　me　a

little　of　your　valuable　time　to…day？〃



〃All　of　it；〃　he　said　promptly。



〃Thanks。　　I　shall　take；　then；　all　I　want。　　Come　with　me　to　yonder

shady　rustic　seat；　for　I　long　to　be　out　of　doors　again；　and　you

have　learned　to　hobble　so　gracefully　and　deftly　that　you　can　manage

the　journey；　I'm　sure。〃



He　accompanied　her；　wondering　a　little　at　her　words　and　manner。

When　they　had　reached　the　seclusion　she　sought　her　manner　changed；

and　she　became　very　grave　and　earnest；　for　she　felt　that　it　might

be　the　crisis　moment　of　two　lives；　and　she　was　not　one　who　could

self…complacently　and　confidently　seek　to　shape　human　destiny。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　not　use　any　tedious　circumlocution；

for　your　time　is　precious　this　morning；　more　so　than　you　think　at

this　moment。　　Nor　shall　I　try　to　entrap　you　by　guile　and　feminine

diplomacy；　but　you　made　me　a　very　explicit　pledge　when　I　found　you

last　Tuesday　morning。〃



〃Yes；　Jennie　Burton；　I　am　yours；　body　and　soul。〃



〃But　how　about　your　heart；　Mr。　Van　Berg？〃



〃My　heart　overflows　with　gratitude　to　you；〃　he　said　promptly；　but

with　rising　color；　〃and　as　I　said　when　you　rescued　me；　so　now　I

vow　again；　I　dedicate　my　life　to　you。　　I　do　not　ask　you　to　forget

the　past　all　at　onceI　do　not　ask　you　to　forget　it　at　allbut　only

to　let　me　aid　you　in　taking　the　bitterness　out　of　those　memories

that　now　are　destroying　as　sweet　and　beneficent　a　life　as　God　ever

gave。　　I　have　suspected　that　you　had　some　unselfish　guile　in　that

last　promise　you　obtained　from　me；　but　I　shall　be　loyal　to　the

promise　I　intended　to　make；　and　which　was　in　my　mind；　I　shall　be

loyal　to　the　promise　I　made　you　at　first；　to　win　you　if　I　could；

and　I　shall　wait　till　I　can。〃



〃What；　then；　will　Ida　Mayhew　do？〃　she　asked　looking　him　full　in

the　face。



He　colored　still　more　deeply；　but　meeting　her　searching　gaze　without

blenching；　he　said；　firmly　and　quietly：　　〃She　will　always　do　what

is　right　and　noble；　God　bless　her！〃



Miss　Burton　appeared　a　little　perplexed　and　troubled　for　a　moment；

and　then　said；　slowly：　　〃I　called　you　my　friend　last　July；　and　when

I　speak　in　the　mood　I　was　in　then　I　mean　all　that　I　say。　　Friends

should　be　very　frank　when　the　occasion　requires；　or　else　they　are

but　acquaintances。　　I　am　going　to　be　very　frank　with　you　to…day；

and　if　I　err；　charge　it　to　friendship　only。　　Ida　Mayhew　loves　you；

Mr。　Van　Berg；　she　has　loved　you　almost　from　the　first；　and　now　that

her　life　has　become　so　noble　and　beautiful；　I　am　greatly　mistaken

if　you　do