a face illumined-第86章

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Mr。　Stanton　what　you　think　best　of　my　story　after　I　am　gone。　　I

regret　unspeakably　that　he　should　think　of　me　as　he　does；　for　I　have

learned　to　respect　him　as　a　true；　noble…hearted　gentleman。　　It　is

one　more　of　life's　strange　mysteries。　　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said；

springing　up；　〃you　have　made　to　me　one　pledge　that　you　can　keeponly

one。　　You　have　promised　to　'make　me　happy　in　my　own　way。'　　Brave

Ida　Mayhew　caught　me　in　her　arms　when　I　fainted　last　Tuesday；　and

she　watched　at　my　side　till　morning。　　Yes；　she　did；　the　noble　and

generous　girl！　　But　I　promised　myself　the　pleasure　of　rewarding

her；　if　possible。　　Now；　if　you　wish　to　do　something　for　me　that

demands　prompt；　heroic　action；　scramble　into　a　buggy　and　let　one　of

Mr。　Burleigh's　men　drive　you　to　that　old　garden　before　she　leaves

it。　　She　found　her　new　spiritual　life　there；　let　her　also　find　her

happy　earthly　life　in　the　same　loved　place。　　Not　a　word；　but　go　at

once　if　you　have　any　regard　for　my　feelings　and　wishes。　　As　I　have

told　my　story；　your　sympathetic　face　has　been　more　eloquent　than

any　words；　and　leaves　nothing　to　be　said。　　I　refuse　to　see　you　or

speak　to　you　again　till　you　have　fulfilled　the　only　promise　I　ever

asked　or　wished　you　to　make；〃　and　she　left　him　and　quickly　disappeared。



Ten　minutes　later　Van　Berg　was　being　driven　towards　Mr。　Eltinge's

place；　at　a　speed　which　threatened；　in　case　of　accident；　to　place

him　beyond　the　use　of　crutches。　　As　he　rode　along　in　front　of　the

house　he　saw　that　Ida's　old　horse　and　low　phaeton　were　still　in　the

shade　of　the　trees；　therefore；　dismissing　his　driver；　he　hobbled

with　singular　alacrity　across　the　lawn　and　suddenly　presented

himself　before　Mr。　Eltinge　and　Ida；　much　to　the　surprise　of　the

latter；　who　hastily　wiped　her　eyes　and　sought　to　hide　the　fact　that

her　thoughts　had　not　been　very　cheerful。



〃Pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　left　my　sketchbook　here　some　days　since；

and　I　especially　wished　to　bid　Mr。　Eltinge　good…by　and　to　thank

him　with　all　the　warmth　and　fulness　that　can　be　put　into　words。〃



Mr。　Eltinge　was　cordially　and　gravely　kind　in　his　reception；　but

Ida　kept　her　face　averted；　for　she　knew　that　the　traces　of　grief

were　too　apparent。



After　a　few　moments　Mr。　Eltinge　said：　　〃Since　this　is　your　last

visit；　I　cannot　think　of　letting　either　of　you　go　back　before　dinner；

and；　if　you　will　excuse　me　for　a　little　time；　I　soon　can　see　that

our　simple　arrangements　are　made。〃



〃I　shall　be　very　glad　to　remain；〃　said　Van　Berg；　so　promptly　that

Ida　turned　and　looked　at　him　with　surprise。　　She　was　still　more

surprised　when；　as　soon　as　they　were　alone；　he　hobbled　to　the　rustic

seat　and　sat　down　beside　her。



〃Miss　Ida；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　always　given　me　such　admirable　advice

that　I　come　to　you　again。　　Miss　Burton　refuses　me　absolutely　and

irrevocably；　and　in　language　that　renders　it　impossible　for　me

ever　to　address　her　again　on　the　subject。　　You　thus　perceive　what

a　forlorn　object　is　before　youa　rejected　man　and　a　cripple！〃



〃Miss　Burton　refused　you！〃　exclaimed　Ida　in　utter　amazement。　　〃You

were　but　a　cold　wooer；　I　imagine；〃　she　added　reproachfully；　and

she　rose　from　the　seat　and　stood　aloof　from　him。



〃You　know　well；　Miss　Ida；〃　he　said　earnestly；　〃that　a　falsehood

would　be　impossible　in　this　place；　and　I　assure　you　I　honestly　did

the　best　I　could。　　We　have　plighted　our　faith　in　a　friendship　that

will　be　a　brother's　love　on　my　part；　but　she　said　solemnly　that

she　would　regard　offers　of　marriage　from　me；　now　or　at　any　future

time；　as　an　insult。　　In　brief；　she　has　at　last　told　me　her　story。

Her　lover　is　dead；　and　it　was　because　she　detected　certain　resemblances

in　my　appearance　to　him　that　she　looked　at　me　sometimes　in　the

way　you　described。　　I　had　surmised　as　much　before；　but　at　one　time

hoped　that　this　accidental　resemblance　might　give　me　a　vantage…ground

in　winning　her　from　a　past　that　I　knew　must　have　been　very　sad

indeed。　　My　resemblance　was　only　an　outward　one；　the　man　himself

was　immeasurably　my　superior；　and　on　the　principle　of　contrast　alone

Jennie　Burton　could　never　think　of　me。　　But　her　love　for　Harrold

Fleetwood　is　her　life。　　It　is　a　strange；　unearthly　devotion　that

time　only　increases。　　I　felt　weeks　since　that　I　could　worship　her

as　a　saint　far　easier　than　I　could　love　her　as　a　woman；　and　I　now

know　the　reason。　　It　would　indeed　be　an　insult　for　any　man　to　speak

to　her　of　love　and　marriage；　if　he　knew　what　I　have　learned　to…day。〃



〃Then　poor　Cousin　Ik　has　no　chance　either；〃　said　Ida；　with　tears

in　her　eyes。



〃No；　I　do　not　think　he　has；　although　she　has　learned　to　appreciate

him。　　She　spoke　of　him　as　a　'true；　noble…hearted　gentleman；'　and

such　terms　from　the　lips　of　a　woman　like　Jennie　Burton　are　better

than　a　king's　title。　　As　far　as　my　complacent　and　deliberate　wooing

of　last　summer　is　concerned；　I　believe　that　when　it　did　not　pain　and

annoy　her　she　was　rather　amused　by　it。　　She　had　seen　the　genuine

thing；　you　know；　and　thus　I　was　the　only　one　imposed　upon　by　a

sentiment　which　at　the　time　received　the　unqualified　approval　of

my　infallible　reason　and　judgment。　　The　very　superior　Mr。　Harold

Van　Berg　once　declined　your　acquaintance；　as　you　may　remember。　　Take

your　full　revenge　upon　him　now；　for　you　see　to　what　a　battered　and

dilapidated　condition　of　body　and　mind　he　has　been　reduced。　　He

has　developed　a　genius　for　blundering　and　getting　himself　and　other

people　into　trouble；　that　is　quite　sublime。　　If　ever　a　man　needed

daily　advice　and　counsel；　he　does；　and　the　incalculable　service

that　you　have　rendered　him　in　this　respect　leads　him　to　come　to

you　again。〃



〃Indeed；　sir；〃　said　Ida；　turning　away　with　a　crimson　face；　〃I　have

no　further　advice　to　give　you。　　Mr。　Eltinge　will　soon　be　back；

take　him　as　your　counsellor。　　I'm　going　to　gather　some　flowers　for

dinner。〃



He　at　once　was　on　his　crutches　and　in　close　pursuit；　but　she

flitted　away　before　him　till　in　despair　he　returned　to　the　rustic

seat。　　Then　she　shyly　and　hesitatingly　began　to　approach；　apparently

absorbed　in　tying　up　her　flowers。



〃Haven't　you　observed　that　I　am　a　cripple？〃　he　asked。



〃I　have　observed　that　you　are　a　very　nimble　one。〃



〃I　think　you　are　very　cruel　to　treat　a　helpless　man　in　this　style。〃



〃Indeed；　sir；　I　have　not　taken　away　your　crutches。　　When　you　spoke

of　a　helpless　man；　to　whom　did　you　refer？〃



〃I　thought　you　once　said　that　mercy　was　'twice　bless'd。'〃



〃That's　a　truism　that　has　become　a　little　trite。　　Don't　you　think

Mr。　Eltinge　will　like　my　bouquet？〃



〃Here　is　a　flower　that　to　me　is　worth　all　that　ever　bloomed。　　Come

and　tell　me　if　you　still　recognize　it；〃　and　he　took　out　the　little

note…book　in　which　was　pressed　the　imperfect　and　emblematic　rose…bud。



〃Poor　little　thing！〃　Ida　sighed；　looking　over　his　shoulder；　〃how

faded　it　has　become！〃



By　a　motion　that　was　almost　instantaneous　he　dropped　the　note…book

and　caught　her　hand。　　〃Yes；　Ida；〃　he　said　eagerly；　it　is　faded；　but

it　grows　dearer　to　me　daily；　as　you　will　long　after　the　exquisite

color　has　faded　from　your　face。　　Ida　Mayhew；　the　brook　has　stopped

now　because　it　cannot　help　itself；　nor　will　it　ever　go　on　again；

even　in　spring　or　summer；　unless　it　bears　you　away　with　it。〃



She　turned　and　looked　him　full　in　his　eyes；　in　accordance　with　her

custom　when　she　felt　that　she　must　know　the　innermost　thoughts　of

the　speaker。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said　very　gravely；　〃let　that　little　emblem

there　remind　you　that　you　are　speaking　to　a　very　faulty　and　ignorant

girl。　　I　cannot　regain　in　a　few　weeks　what　I　have　lost　in　a　wasted

life。　　You　may　regret…〃



〃Hush；　Ida；　for　once　I　will　not　listen　to　you。　　When　I　believed

myself　dying　my　chief　thought　was　of　you；　and　when　I　heard　sounds

near　me；　in　my　half　unconscious　state　I　called　your　name。〃



〃Oh；　that　it　had　been　my　privilege　to　answer；〃　she　sighed。



〃You　saved　me　when　I　was　in　far　worse　peril；〃　he　resumed　in　words

that　flowed　like　a　torrent。　　〃You　saved　my　honor；　my　manhood；　you

saved　me　from　folly　that　would　have　blasted　my　life。　　I　owe　far　more

to　you　than　to　Jennie　Burton；　and　I　know　at　what　cost　to　yourself。

Ida；　I　shall　never　hide　anything　from　you。　　I　came　back　last　Monday

for　my　sketch…book；　and　I　heard　you　say：　　'It　would　be　easier　for

me　to　die　than　give　him　up　for　your　sake；　Jennie　Burton。'　　Then

only　I　learned　your　secret；　then　for　the　first　I　understood　your

self…sacrifice　for　the　sake　of　honor　and　duty。　　Until　then　I　thought

the　struggle　to　forget　would　be　on　my　part　only。　　From　that　moment

never　did　a　man　honor　a　woman　more　than　I　honor　and　reverence　you。

My　mother　gave　me　this　ring　and　told　me　never　to　part　with　it　until

I　found　a　woman　that　I　could　love　and　honor　even　more　than　her；

and　I　never　shall　part　with　it　till　I　put　it　on　your　hand；〃　and

she　had　scarcely　time　to　glance　down；　before　she　saw　a　diamond

glittering　on　her　engagement　finger。



〃I　gave　up　that　which　was　life　to　me　for　His　sake；　and　thus　soon　He

gives　back　to　me　far　more；〃　Ida　murmured；　and　she　rested　her　head

on　Van　Berg's　shoulder　with　a　look　of　infinite　content。　　A　moment

later　she　added：　　〃Oh；　I'm　so　glad　for　father's　sake。〃



〃Are　you　not　a　little　glad　for　your　own？〃



〃Oh；　Harold！　compare　thisGod's　way　out　of　trouble　with　the　one

I　chose！〃



〃The　past　has　gone　by　forever；　Ida；　and　you　have　received　your

woman's　soul　in　the　good　old…fashioned　way。　　In　my　heart　of　hearts

I　have　changed　your　name　from　Ida　to　Ideal。〃



They　had　not　noticed　that　Mr。　Eltinge　had　come　down　the　garden

walk　to　summon　them　to　dinner。　　The　old　gentleman　discovered　that

there　had　been　a　transformation　scene　in　his　absence；　although

he　took　off　his　spectacles　twice；　and　wiped　them　before　he　seemed

fully　satisfied　of　its　reality。



〃Ahem！　　I　fear　our　plain　dinner　will　be　a　very　prosaic　interruption；

but…〃　he　began。



〃Oh；　Mr。　Eltinge；〃　cried　Ida；　springing　to　him；　her　cheeks　putting

to　shame　any　flower　of　his　garden；　〃I　owe　all　this　to　you！〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　said　Mr。　Eltinge；　with　the　stately　courtesy　of　the

old　school；　〃with　your　permission　I　now　shall　take　full　payment；〃

and　stooping　down　he　kissed　her　tenderly；　with　a　fervent　〃God　bless

you；　my　child！　　God　bless　you　both！　　I　thought　it　would　all　end　in

this　way。〃



It　was　late　in　the　day　when　Ida　drove　up　to　the　steps　of　the　Lake

House　and　assisted　Van　Berg　to　alight　with　a　care　and　solicitude

that　Stanton；　who　was　grimly　watching　them；　thought　a　trifle　too

apparent。　　She　gave　a　hasty　side…glance　to　her　cousin；　but　would

not　trust　herself　to　do　more　in　the　presence　of　others。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　would　like　to　see　you　alone　a　few　moments；〃　said

Stanton　in　a　low　tone。



The　artist　hobbled　cheerfully　into　one　of　the　small　private　parlors；

and　stretched　himself　out　very　luxuriously　on　the　sofa；　saying　as

he　did　so；　〃Take　the　rocking…chair；　Ik。〃



〃No；　sir；〃　said