a face illumined- 第28部分

verse　for？　　You　made　her　think　of　seeing　her　dead　friends　again；

and　so　she　was　in　no　mood　to　speak　to　us　poor　mortals　who　are　still

plodding　on　in　this　'vale　of　tears。'　　I'd　give　my　ears　for　a　quiet

chat　with　her　to…night。　　By　Jove；　I　never　was　so　stirred　up　before；

and　could　turn　Christian；　Mohammedan；　Buddhist；　or　anything　else；

if　she　asked　me　to。〃



〃In　either　case；　Ik；〃　said　Van　Berg；　〃your　worship　would　be　the

same；　I　imagine；　and　would　never　rise　higher　than　the　priestess。〃



〃Curse　it　all；〃　exclaimed　Stanton　impetuously；　〃I　feel　to…night　as

if　that　were　higher　than　I　can　ever　rise。　　I　never　was　afraid　of

a　woman　before；　but　no　'divinity'　ever　'hedged　a　king'　like　that

which　fills　me　with　an　indescribable　awe　when　I　approach　this

unassuming　little　woman　who　usually　seems　no　more　formidable　than

a　flickering　sunbeam。　　I　agree　with　you　now。　　She　has　evidently

had　some　deep　experience　in　the　past　that　gives　to　her　character

a　power　and　depth　that　we　only　half　understand。　　I　wish　I　knew　her

better。〃



〃Good…night；〃　said　Van　Berg；　a　little　abruptly；　〃I　think　that

after　this　evening's　experience；　neither　of　us　is　in　the　mood　for

further　talk。〃



Stanton　looked　after　him　with　a　lowering　brow　and　muttered：　　〃Is

he　so　sensitive　on　this　subject？　　By　Jove。　　I'm　sorry！　　I　fear

we　must　become　rivals；　Van。　　And　yet；〃　he　added　with　a　despairing

gesture；　〃what　chance　would　I　have　with　him　against　me？〃



〃I　could　not　hear　distinctly；〃　Sibley　had　remarked　as　Ida　took

his　arm　and　walked　away　from　her　post　of　observation。　　〃Were　you

disgusted　with　his　pious　wail　on　general　principles；　or　did　something

in　his　theology　offend　you？〃



〃It's　enough　that　I　was　not　pleased；〃　she　replied　briefly。



〃Little　wonder。　　I'm　surprised　you　stood　it　so　long。　　Van　Berg　and

Stanton　are　nice　fellows　to　lead　a　conventicle。　　I　think　I'll　take

a　hand　at　it　myself　next　Sunday　evening；　and　certainly　would　with

your　support。　　I'll　say　nothing　of　the　singer；　but　if　you　will　go

with　me　to　the　rustic　seat　in　yonder　shady　walk；　I'll　sing　you　a

song　that　I　know　will　be　more　to　your　taste　than　any　you　have　heard

this　evening。〃



〃Please　excuse　me；　Mr。　Sibley；　I'm　afraid　of　the　night　air。〃



〃You　are　unusually　prudent；〃　he　said；　a　little　tauntingly。



〃Which　proves　that　I　possess　at　least　one　good　quality；〃　she　replied。



〃Perhaps　if　Mr。　Van　Berg　asked　you　to　go　you　would　take　the　risk。〃



〃Perhaps　I　might；〃　she　admitted；　half　unconsciously　and　from　the

mere　force　of　habit；　giving　the　natural　answer　of　a　coquette。



〃He　had　better　not　cross　my　path；〃　said　Sibley；　with　sudden

vindictiveness。



〃Come；　come！〃　replied　Miss　Mayhew；　with　a　careless　laugh；　〃let's

have　no　high　tragedy。　　I'm　in　no　mood　for　it　to…night；　and　you

have　no　occasion　for　alarm。　　If　he　crosses　your　path　he　will　step

daintily　over　it　at　right　angles。〃



At　that　moment　Van　Berg　came　out　on　the　piazza。　　Although　he　could

not　hear　her　words；　her　laugh　and　tones　jarred　unpleasantly　on　his

ear。



〃Yonder　is　a　genuine　affinity；〃　he　muttered；　〃which　I　was　a　fool

to　think　I　could　break　up；〃　and　with　a　slight　contemptuous　gesture

he　turned　on　his　heel　and　went　to　his　room。



〃I　cannot　altogether　understand　you　this　evening；　Miss　Mayhew；〃

said　Sibley；　with　some　resentment　in　his　tone。



〃You　are　not　to　blame　for　that；　Mr。　Sibley；　for　I　do　not　understand

myself。　　I　have　not　felt　well　to…day；　and　so　had　better　say

good…night。〃



But　before　she　could　leave　him　he　seized　her　hand　and　exclaimed；

in　his　soft；　insinuating　tones：



〃That　then　is　the　only　trouble　between　us。　　Next　Saturday　evening

I　shall　find　you　your　old　charming　self？〃



〃Perhaps；〃　was　her　unsatisfactory　answer。



With　a　step　that　grew　slower　and　heavier　every　moment；　she　went

to　her　room；　turned　up　the　light；　and　looked　fixedly　at　herself　in

the　glass；





〃I　wish　that　outward　beauty

　Were　the　mirror　of　the　heart；〃





she　repeated　inaudibly；　and　the　her　exquisite　lip　curled　in

self…contempt。



〃Ida；　what　IS　the　matter　with　you？〃　drawled　her　mother；　looking

through　the　open　door…way　of　her　adjacent　room。　　〃You　act　as　if

you　were　demented。〃



〃Why　did　you　make　me　what　I　am？〃　she　exclaimed；　turning　upon　her

mother　in　a　sudden　passion。



〃Good　gracious！　what　are　you？〃　ejaculated　that　matter…of…fact　lady。



〃I'm　as　good　as　you　areas　good　as　our　set　averages；　I　suppose；〃

she　answered　in　a　weary；　careless　tone。　　〃Good　night；〃　and　she

closed　and　locked　her　door。



〃Oh；　pshaw！〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；　petulantly；　〃those　hymns　have　made

her　out　of　sorts　with　herself　and　everything。　　They　used　to　stir

me　up　in　the　same　way。　　Why　can't　people　learn　to　perform　their

religious　duties　properly　and　then　let　the　matter　rest；〃　and　with

a　yawn　she　retired　at　peace　with　herself　and　all　the　world。



Ida　threw　herself　on　a　lounge　and　looked　straight　before　her　with

that　fixed；　vacant　stare　which　indicates　that　nothing　is　seen　save

by　the　eye　of　the　mind。



〃Father's　drunk　to…night；〃　she　moaned；　〃I　know　it　as　surely　as　if

I　saw　him。　　I　also　know　that　I'm　in　part　to　blame　for　it。　　Could

outward　beauty　mask　a　blacker　heart　than　mine？　　It　does　not　mask

it　from　him　who　sang　those　words；〃　and　she　buried　her　face　in　her

hands　and　sobbed；　until；　exhausted　and　disheartened；　she　sough　such

poor　rest　and　respite　as　a　few　hours　of　troubled　sleep　could　bring。











Chapter　XVIII。　　Love　Put　to　Work。









On　the　following　day　there　was　the　usual　bustle　of　change　and

departure　that　is　characteristic　of　a　large　summer　resort　on　Monday

morning。　　Stanton　found　Mrs。　Mayhew　very　ready　to　occupy　the　seats

he　had　obtained；　and　all　the　more　so　from　his　statement　of　the　fact

that　several　others　had　spoken　for　them。



〃Ida；　my　dear；〃　called　her　mother；　〃come　here；　I've　good　news　for

you。　　Ik　has　got　us　out　of　that　odious　corner　of　the　dining…room；

and　secured　seats　for　us　at　Mr。　Van　Berg's　table。〃



〃I　wish　no　seat　there；〃　she　said　decisively。



〃Oh；　its　all　arranged；　my　dear；　and　a　good　many　others　want　the

seats；　but　Ik　was　too　prompt。〃



〃I'll　stay　where　I　am；〃　said　Ida；　sullenly。



〃And　have　every　one　in　the　house　asking　why？〃　added　Stanton；

provokingly。　　〃Mr。　Van　Berg　treats　you　as　a　gentleman　should。　　Why

cannot　you　act　like　a　lady　toward　him？　　If　I　were　you　I　would　not

carry　my　preferences　for　the　Sibley　style　of　fellows　so　far　that

I　could　not　be　civil　to　a　man　like　my　friend。〃



〃You　misjudge　me；〃　cried　Ida；　passionately。



〃You　have　a　strange　way　of　proving　it。　　All　that　is　asked　of　you　is

to　sit　at　the　same　table　with　a　gentleman　who　has　won　the　respect

and　admiration　of　every　one　in　the　hotel；　whose　society　is　peculiarly

agreeable　to　your　mother　and　myself；　and　who　has　also　shown　unusual

courtesy　towards　you　ever　since　he　learned　who　you　were。　　What

else　can　I　thinkwhat　else　can　others　think；　than　that　your　taste

leans　so　decidedly　to　the　Sibley　style　that　you　cannot　even　be

polite　to　a　man　of　high　culture　and　genuine　worth？〃



〃You　are　too　severe；　Ik；〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew。　　〃For　some　reason　that

I　cannot　fathom；　Ida　does　not　like　this　artist；　and　yet　I　think

myself　that　she　would　subject　herself　to　very　unpleasant　remarks

if　she　made　any　trouble　about　sitting　at　the　same　table　with　him。〃



〃Can　you　not　see；〃　retorted　Ida；　irritably；　〃that　Ik　has　not

considered　us　at　all；　but　only　himself？　　He　wishes　to　be　near　Miss

Burton；　and　without　giving　us　any　chance　to　object；　has　made　all

the　arrangements　so　that　we　must　either　comply　or　else　be　the　talk

of　the　house。　　It's　just　a　piece　of　his　selfishness；〃　she　concluded

with　tears　of　vexation　in　her　eyes。



〃Oh；　come　Ida！〃　said　her　mother　coaxingly；　〃I　can　see　only　a　mole…hill

in　this　matter；　and　I　wouldn't　make　a　mountain　out　of　it。　　As　far

as　I　am　concerned；　I　should　enjoy　the　change　very　much；　and；　as　you

say；　the　affair　has　gone　too　far　now　to　make　objection。　　I　do　not

intend　that　either　you　or　myself　shall　be　the　subject　of　unpleasant

remark。〃



And　so　the　matter　was　settled；　but　Ida's　coldness　and　constraint；

when　they　all　met　at　dinner；　very　clearly　indicated　that　the　change

had　been　made　without　her　consent。　　Van　Berg　addressed　her　affably

two　or　three　times；　but　received　brief　and　discouraging　answers。



〃Your　cousin　evidently　is　not　pleased　with　the　new　arrangement　you

have　brought　about。　　I　cannot　see　what　I　have　done　of　late　to　vex

her。〃



〃I'll　tell　you　the　trouble。　　You　offend　her　by　not　being　the

counterpart　of　Mr。　Sibley；〃　said　Stanton；　irritably。



Van　Berg's　brow　darkened。　　〃Do　you　think；〃　he　asked　in　a　meaning

tone；　〃that　she　understands　what　kind　of　a　man　he　is？〃



〃Oh；　she　knows　that　he　can　dance；　flirt；　and　talk　nonsense；　and

she　asks　for　nothing　more　and　thinks　of　nothing　further。　　I'm　out

of　patience　with　her。〃



Stanton's　words　contained　the　most　plausible　explanation　of　Ida's

conduct　that　occurred　to　Van　Berg。　　The　episode　in　the　stage　had

made　them　acquainted；　and　her　preconceived　prejudice　and　hostility

had　been　so　far　removed　as　to　permit　a　certain　degree　of　social

companionship；　whose　result　would　now　seem　only　increased　dislike

and　distaste。　　As　he　supposed　she　would　express　herself；　〃he　was

not　of　her　style。〃　　Had　she　not　spent　the　greater　part　of　Sunday

afternoon　and　evening　with　Sibley？　　What　other　conclusion　was

there　save　that　he　was　〃of　her　style；〃　congenial　both　in　thought

and　character！　　And　yet　he　still　refused　to　entertain　the　belief

that　she　recognized　in　him　more　than　a　fashionable　man　of　the　world。



If　only　as　the　result　of　the　pique　originating　on　the　evening　of

the　concert；　Ida　Mayhew　had　stood　aloof　from　him；　he　could　hope　to

remove　this　early　prejudice　by　better　acquaintance。　　But　if　fuller

acquaintance　increased　her　aversion；　then　he　must　believe　that

the　defects　in　her　character　were　radical；　inwrought　th