a face illumined- 第27部分

time！　　I　have　a　good　voice；　but　the　guests　of　the　house　have　not

even　thought　of　me　in　connection　with　this　evening's　entertainment。

I　am　associated　only　with　the　Sibley　style　of　amusements。〃











Chapter　XVII。　　New　Forces　Developing。









After　Mr。　Van　Berg　and　Miss　Burton　finished　the　selection　from　the

Oratorio　mentioned　in　the　previous　chapter；　the　old　white…haired

gentleman　at　whose　side　the　latter　had　been　sitting　in　the　earlier

part　of　the　evening　rose　and　said：



〃I　want　to　thank　all　the　singers；　and　especially　the　young　lady

and　gentleman　now　at　the　piano；　not　only　for　the　pleasure　they　have

given　us　all；　but　also　for　the　comforting　and　sustaining　thoughts

that　the　sacred　words　have　suggested。　　My　enjoyments　in　this　world

are　but　few；　and　are　fast　diminishing；　and　I　know　that　they　will

not　refuse　an　old　man's　request　that　they　close　this　service　of　song

by　each　singing　along　some　hymn　that　will　strengthen　our　faith　in

the　unseen　Friend　who　watches　over　us　all。〃



Van　Berg　looked　at　Miss　Burton。



〃We　cannot　refuse　such　an　appeal；〃　she　said。



〃I　fear　that　I　shall　seem　a　hypocrite　in　complying；〃　Van　Berg

answered；　in　a　low　tone。　　〃How　can　I　make　a　distinctly　recognized

effort　to　strengthen　faith　in　others　when　lacking　faith　myself。〃



Her　eyes　flashed　up　to　his；　in　sudden　and　strong　approval。　　〃I

like　that；〃　she　said。　　〃It　always　gives　me　a　sense　of　security　and

safety　when　I　meet　downright　honesty。　　In　no　way　can　you　better

strengthen　our　faith　than　by　being　perfectly　true。　　You　give　me　a

good　example　of　sincerity；〃　she　added　slowly；　〃and　perhaps　my　hymn

will　teach　submission　more　than　faith。　　While　I　am　singing　it　you

may　find　something　that　will　not　express　more　than　you　feel。〃



In　her　sweet；　low；　yet　penetrating　voice；　that　now　had　a　pathos　which

melted　every　heart；　she　sang　the　following　words；　which；　like　the

perfume　of　crushed　violets；　have　risen　in　prayer　from　many　bruised

and　broken　sprits：





〃My　God；　my　father；　while　I　stray

　Far　from　my　home　on　life's　rough　way；

　Oh　teach　me　from　my　heart　to　say；

　Thy　will　be　done。



　What　though　in　lonely　grief　I　sigh

　For　friends　beloved　no　longer　nigh；

　Submissive　still　would　I　reply；

　Thy　will　be　done。



　Renew　my　will　from　day　to　day；

　Blend　it　with　Thine；　and　take　away

　Whate'er　now　makes　it　hard　to　say；

　Thy　will　be　done。



　Then　when　on　earth　I　breathe　no　more；

　The　prayer　oft　mixed　with　tears　before；

　I'll　sing　upon　a　happier　shore；

　Thy　will　be　done。〃





Stanton；　warm…hearted　and　genuine　with　all　his　faults；　retired　well

into　the　shadow　of　the　hallway　and　looked　at　the　singer　through

the　lenses　of　sympathetic　tears。



〃Poor　orphan　girl；〃　he　muttered。　　〃What　a　villain　a　man　would　be

who　could　purpose　harm　to　you！〃



Van　Berg；　in　accordance　with　his　cooler　and　less　demonstrative

nature；　kept　his　position　at　her　side；　but　he　regarded　her　with

an　expression　of　respect　and　interest　that　caused　Ida　Mayhew；　who

was　watching　from　her　covert　near；　a　sense　of　pain　and　envy　that

surprised　her　by　its　keenness。



With　a　sudden　longing　which　indicated　that　the　wish　came　direct

from　from　her　heart；　she　sighed：



〃What　would　I　not　give　to　see　him　look　at　me　with　that　expression

on　his　face！〃



Then；　startled　by　her　own　thought；　so　vivid　had　it　been；　she　looked

around　as　if　in　fear　it　was　apparent　to　her　companion。



His　eyes　were　in　truth　bent　upon　her；　and　in　the　dusk　they　seemed

like　livid　coals。　　A　moment　later；　as　with　a　shrinking　sense　of

fear　she　furtively　looked　at　him　again；　his　eyes　suggested　those　of

some　animal　of　prey　that　is　possessed　only　with　the　wolfish　desire

to　devour；　caring　for　the　victim　only　as　it　may　gratify　the　ravenous

appetite。



He　leaned　forward　and　whispered　in　her　ear：



〃Miss　Ida；　you　do　not　know　how　strangely；　how　temptingly　beautiful

you　are　to…night。　　One　might　well　peril　his　soul　for　such　beauty

as　yours。〃



〃Hush；〃　she　said　imperiously；　and　with　a　repelling　gesture；　she

stepped　further　into　the　light　towards　the　singers。



〃Then；　when　on　earth　I　breathe　no　more；〃　sang　Miss　Burton。



The　thought　was　to　the　heart　of　the　unhappy　listener　like　the　touch

of　ice　to　the　hand。　　There　was　a　kindling　light　of　hope　in　Miss

Burton's　face；　and　something　in　her　tone　that　indicated　the　courage

of　an　unfaltering　trust　as　she　sang　the　closing　lines：





〃I'll　sing　upon　a　happier　shore；

　Thy　will　be　done。〃





But　the　words　brought　a　deeper　despondency　to　Ida　Mayhew。　　In

bitterness　she　asked　herself；　〃What　chance　is　there　for　me　to　reach

'that　happier　shore；'　with　the　tempter　at　my　side　and　everything

in　the　present　and　past　combining　to　drag　me　down？〃



〃There；　thank　heaven　'meetin's　over；'〃　whispered　Sibley；　as　Miss

Burton　rose　from　the　piano。　　〃I'm　sick　of　all　this　pious　twaddle；

and　would　a　thousand…fold　rather　listen　to　the　music　of　your　voice

out　under　the　trees。〃



〃You　'thank　heaven'！〃　she　repeated　with　a　reckless　laugh。　　〃I'm

inclined　to　think；　Mr。　Sibley；　from　the　nature　of　your　words；　you

named　the　wrong　locality。〃



The　answering　look　he　gave　her　indicated　that　she　puzzled　him。

She　had　not　seemed　to…day　like　the　shallow　girl　who　had　hitherto

accepted　of　his　more　innocent　compliments　as　if　they　were　sugar…plums；

and　merely　raised　her　finger　in　mock　warning　at　such　as　contained

a　spice　of　wickedness　and　boldness。　　There　seemed　a　current　of

thought　in　her　mind　which　he　could　not　fathom；　and　whether　it　were

carrying　her　away　or　toward　him　he　was　not　sure。　　He　understood　and

welcomed　the　element　of　recklessness；　but　did　not　like　the　way　in

which　she　looked　at　Van　Berg；　nor　did　it　suit　his　purposes　that

she　should　hear　so　much　of　what　he　characterized　as　〃pious　twaddle。〃

He　whispered　again　bolder　words　than　he　had　ever　spoken　to　her

before。



〃I　wish　no　better　heaven　than　the　touch　of　your　hand　and　the　light

of　your　eyes。　　See；　the　moon　is　rising；　come　with　me；　for　this　is

the　very　witching　hour　for　a　ramble。〃



She　turned　upon　him　a　startled　look；　for　he　seemed　the　very　embodiment

of　temptation。　　But　she　only　said　coldly：



〃Hush！　　Mr。　Van　Berg　is　about　to　sing；〃　and　she　stepped　so　far　into

the　lighted　room　that　the　artist　saw　her。



When　Miss　Burton　rose　from　the　piano　she　did　not　return　to　her

seat　in　the　parlor；　but　stood　in　the　shadow　of　the　door…way　leading

into　the　hall。　　The　thought　of　her　hymn　had　come　so　directly　from

her　heart；　that　her　eyes　were　slightly　moist　with　an　emotion　that

was　more　plainly　manifest　on　many　other　faces。　　The　old　gentleman

who　had　asked　her　to　sing　had　taken　off　his　spectacles　and　was

openly　wiping　his　eyes。



Stanton；　ashamed　to　have　her　see　the　feeling　she　had　evoked；

turned　his　back　upon　her　and　slowly　walked　down　the　corridor。　　She

misunderstood　his　act　and　thought　it　caused　by　indifference　or

dislike　for　the　sentiment　she　had　expressed。　　He　had　seemed　to　her

thus　far　only　a　superficial　man　of　the　world；　and　this　act　struck

her　as　characteristic。　　But　beyond　this　passing　impression　she

did　not　give　him　a　thought；　and　turned；　with　genuine　interest；　to

listen　to　Van　Berg　who　had　said　to　her：



〃I　remember　a　few　simple　verses　which　have　no　merit　save　that　they

express　what　I　wish　rather　than　what　I　am。〃



With　much　more　feeling；　and　therefore　power；　than　was　his　custom；

he　sang　as　follows：





〃I　would　I　knew　Thee　better

　That　trust　could　banish　doubt；

　I　wish　that　from　'the　letter'

　Thy　Spirit　might　shine　out。



　I　wish　that　heaven　were　nearer

　That　earth　were　more　akin

　To　the　home　that　should　be　dearer

　Than　the　one　so　marred　by　sin。



　I　wish　that　deserts　dreary

　Might　blossom　as　the　rose；

　That　souls；　despairing；　weary；

　Might　smile　and　find　repose。〃





Before　singing　the　next　stanza　he　could　not　forbear　looking　to　see

if　Miss　Mayhew　were　listening；　and　thus　it　happened　that　his　glance

gave　peculiar　emphasis　to　the　thought　expressed。　　She　was　looking

at　him　with　an　intensity　of　expression　that　he　did　not　understand。

Nothing　that　he　did　escaped　her；　and　the　quick　flash　of　his　eyes

in　her　direction　unintentionally　gave　the　following　words　the　force

and　pointedness　of　an　open　rebuke；





〃I　wish　that　outward　beauty

　Were　the　mirror　of　the　heart；

　That　purity　and　duty

　Supplanted　wily　art。〃





He　did　not　see　that　with　a　sudden　flame　of　scarlet　in　her　face　she

stepped　back　on　the　dusky　piazza　as　abruptly　as　if　she　had　received

a　blow。　　Had　he　done　so；　he　might　not　have　sung　as　effectively　the

remaining　verses。　　After　the　first　confused　moment　of　shame　and

resentment　passed；　she　paused　only　long　enough　to　note　with　a　sense

of　relief　that　others　had　not　seen　or　made　any　such　application　of

his　words　as　she　believed　he　had　intended；　and　then　she　took　Mr。

Sibley's　arm　and　walked　away；　leaving　the　remaning　two　verses

unheard





〃I　wish　that　all　were　better

　And　nearer　to　their　God

　That　evil's　broken　fetter

　Were　buried　with　His　rod；



　That　love　might　last　forever；

　And　we；　in　future；　find

　There　is　no　power　to　sever

　The　strong　and　true　in　mind。〃





As　he　sang　the　last　verse　there　was　also　a　rapid　change

in　the　expression　of　Miss　Burton's　face。　　There　was　something　of

her　old　pallor　that　has　been　mentioned　before。　　She　looked　at　him

questioningly　a　moment　as　if　to　see　if　he　were　consciously　making

an　allusion　that　touched　her　very　nearly；　and　then；　seemingly

overcome　by　some　sudden　emotion　that　she　would　gladly　hide；　she

quickly　vanished　down　the　dimly　lighted　hallway；　and　was　seen　no

more　until　she　came　down　to　breakfast　the　following　morning；　as

smiling　and　cheery　as　ever。



〃Confound　you；　Van；〃　said　Stanton；　as　the　artist　escaped　from　the

thanks　of　the　audience　into　the　hall；　〃What　did　you　put　in　that　last

verse　for？　　You　made　her　think　of　seeing　her　dead　fr