a face illumined- 第61部分

you　to　my　sister。　　You　think　me　a　saint；　but　I'll　show　you　what　a

human　appetite　I　have。〃



〃I　hear　a　brook　near　by；〃　said　Ida；　〃may　I　not　go　to　it　and　bathe

my　face？〃



〃Yes；　do　what　you　like　best　while　here。　　Would　you　rather　bathe　in

the　brook　than　at　the　house？〃



〃Yes；　indeed。　　Everything　seems　sacred　here；　and　I　can　imagine　the

brook　yonder　to　be　a　rill　from　the　Jordan。〃



〃Don't　be　superstitious　and　sentimental；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；

shaking　his　head　gravely。　　〃The　life　of　a　Christian　means　honest；

patient　work；　and　Christ's　blood　alone　can　wash　us　till　we　are

whiter　than　snow。〃



Ida's　face　grew　earnest　and　noble　as　she　stepped　to　the　symbolic

tree　and　placed　her　hand　on　one　of　its　lower　branches。



〃Mr。　Eltinge；〃　she　said　gently　and　gravely；　〃as　this　broken；　wounded

tree　received　all　the　help　nature　gave　it；　so　I；　more　bruised　and

broken；　will　try　to　receive　all　the　help　Christ　will　give　me　to

bear　my　burden　and　live　a　life　pleasing　to　him。　　I　shall　be　very

glad　indeed　to　come　here　and　learn　to　know　him　better　under　your

most　kind　and　faithful　teaching；　and　as　I　learn；　I　will　try　to　do

my　best；　but　oh；　Mr。　Eltinge；　you　can't　realize　how　very　weak　and

imperfecthow　ignorant　and　full　of　faults　I　am！〃



〃Just　so　the　poor　little　tree　might　have　spoken　if　it　had　had　a

voice。　　Indeed　I　thought　it　WOULD　die。　　But　now　look　at　the　fruit

over　your　head。　　You　shall　take　some　of　it　home；　and　every　pear

will　be　a　sermon　to　youa　juicy　one；　too。　　If　you　will　do　as　you

say；　my　child；　all　will　be　well。〃



She　bathed　her　tear…stained　face　in　the　brook；　and　came　back　looking

fairer　than　any　flower　in　the　garden。　　Then　they　went　up　to　the

old…fashioned　house。



〃My　dear；　this　is　my　sister；　Miss　Eltinge；〃　he　said；　presenting　a

white…haired　old　lady；　who　still　was　evidently　much　younger　than

her　brother。　　Then；　turning　suddenly　around　in　comical　dismay；　he

said；　〃Why；　bless　you；　my　child；　I　don't　know　your　name！　　Well；

well；　no　matter！　　I　know　YOU。　　There　are　people　whose　names　I've

known　half　my　life；　and　yet　I　don't　know　them　and　don't　trust　'em。〃



〃My　name　is　Ida　Mayhew；〃　said　the　young　girl　simply。　　〃I　heard　Mr。

Eltinge　speak　at　the　prayer…meeting　last　night　in　such　a　way　that

I　wanted　to　see　him　and　ask　his　help　and　advice；　and　he　has　been

very；　very　kind　to　me。　　He　can　tell　you　all。〃



〃Yes；　if　he　chooses；〃　said　the　old　gentleman　with　a　laugh。　　〃Sister

knows　me　too　well　in　my　character　of　father　confessor　to　expect　me

to　tell　everything。〃



They　made　her　at　home　as　the　simple　and　well…bred　only　can　do。



After　dinner　Miss　Eltinge　tried　to　entertain　her　for　a　while；　but

at　last　said；　with　appreciative　tact：



〃My　dear；　I　think　you　will　best　enjoy　yourself　if　you　are　left　to

range　the　old　house　and　place　at　will。　　After　my　brother　has　rested

he　will　join　you　again。〃



Ida　was　glad　to　be　alone。　　She　had　made　a　promise　of　far…reaching

and　vital　import　that　morning。　　Life　was　taking　on　new　aspects　that

were　so　unfamiliar　that　she　was　bewildered。　　She　went　back　to　the

garden；　and；　taking　Mr。　Eltinge's　seat；　leaned　against　the　emblematic

pear…tree；　which　she　curiously　began　to　associate　with　herself；

and　for　which　she　was　already　conscious　of　something　like　affection。



〃Oh；〃　she　sighed；　〃if　my　life　would　only　come　to　abound　with　deeds

corresponding　to　the　fruit　that　is　bending　these　boughs　above　me；

it　could　not　be　a　burden；　thought　it　might　be　very　sad　and　lonely。

I　now　begin　to　understand　Jennie　Burtonher　constant　effort　in

behalf　of　others。　　But　HE　will　comfort　her　before　long。　　Her　dark

days　are　nearly　over。　　No　matter　how　deep　or　great　her　troubles　may

have　been；　they　must　vanish　in　the　sunshine　of　such　a　man's　love。

I　wonder　if　he　has　spoken　plainly　yetbut　what　need　of　words？

His　eyes　and　manner　have　told　her　all　a　hundred　times。　　I　wish　she

could　be　my　friend；　I　wish　I　could　speak　to　her　plainly；　for　she

is　so　kind　and　wise；　but　I　must　shun　her；　or　else　she'll　discover

the　secret　that　I'd　hide　from　her　even　more　carefully　than　from　him；

if　such　a　thing　were　possible。　　I　wonder　if　they　ever　met　before

they　came　here。　　I　never　saw　one　human　being　look　at　another　as

she　sometimes　looks　at　him。　　I　believe　that　deep　in　her　heart　she

fairly　idolizes　him；　although　her　singular　self…control　enables

her；　as　a　general　thing；　to　treat　him　with　the　ease　and　frankness

of　a　friend。　　Well；　she　may　love　him　more　deeply　than　I　do　because

possessing　a　deeper　nature。　　I　can　but　give　all　I　have。　　But　I　think

my　love　would　be　like　the　little　brook　over　there。　　It's　not　very

deep　or　obtrusive；　but　Mr。　Eltinge　says　it　has　never　failed。　　Well；

well！　these　are　not　the　thoughts　for　me；　though　how　I　can　help　them

I　cannot　tell。　　I　will　try　to　win　a　little　respect　from　him　before

we　part；　and　then　my　life；　like　this　pear…tree；　must　be　full　of

good　deeds　for　those　who　have　the　best　right　to　receive　them；〃　and

taking　a　small　pen…knife　from　her　pocket　she　mounted　the　chair；　and

carved　within　the　two　lower　branches　where　they　could　not　easily

be　discovered　the　words；



〃Ida　Mayhew。〃











Chapter　XLII。　　The　Corner…Stone　of　Character。









After　the　characteristic　act　by　which　Ida　had　identified　the

treeonce　so　bruised　and　brokenwith　herself；　she　sat　down　again

at　its　foot　and　thought　long　and　deeply。　　The　deep　hush　and　quiet

of　the　quaint　old　garden　was　just　what　she　needed　after　the　delirium

of　her　passion　and　despair。　　Her　pulse　began　to　grow　more　even；

and　her　beautiful　face　sweet　and　noble　with　the　better　thoughts　she

now　was　entertaining。　　As　she　sat　there　leaning　her　head　against

the　bole　of　the　tree；　the　shadows　of　the　leaves　above　deepening

and　brightening　across　her　pale　features；　and　her　large；　dark　eyes

often　growing　humid　with　sympathy　with　her　thoughts；　she　made　as

fair　a　picture　as　could　Eve　herself；　were　she　dreaming　over　her

lost　garden…home。　　At　last　she　said　slowly：



〃I　wonder　if　it　will　be　possible　for　a　Divine　love　gradually　to

supplant　a　human　love？　　'Whom　to　know　is　eternal　life。'　　This　hope

seems　to　be　my　only　hopemy　only　remedy；　my　one　chance。　　I　must

soon　go　back　to　the　city；　where　I　cannot　see　good　old　Mr。　Eltinge；

where　I　will　no　longer　have　the　excitement　of　occasionally　meeting

Mr。　Van　Berg；　where　I　shall　be　fact　to　face　with　only　the　hard；

prosaic　difficulties　that　will　abound　in　the　world　without；　but

especially　in　my　own　home。　　I　plainly　foresee　that　I　shall　become

bitter；　selfish；　and　reckless　again；　unless　I　find　such　a　Friend

as　Mr。　Eltinge　describes；　who　will　give　me　daily　and　positive　help；

a　mere　decorous；　formal　religion　will　be　of　no　more　use　to　me　than

pictures　of　bread　to　the　famishing。　　I　must　have　a　strong；　patient

Friend　who　will　see　me　through　my　troubles；　or　I'm　lost。　　I　may

even　grow　as　desperate　and　wicked　as　I　have　been　again；〃　and　she

buried　her　face　in　her　hands　and　fairly　trembled　with　apprehension。



〃Come；　my　child；　cheer　up！　　All　will　end　well　yet。　　Take　an　old　man's

word　for　it。　　I've　lived　through　several　troubles　that　I　thought

would　finish　me；　thanks　to　the　good　Lord；　and　here　I　am　now；　safe

and　sound　and　in　the　possession　of　two　good　homesthis　one　and

the　better　one　over　the　river　they　say　is　so　dark。　　I　don't　believe

it's　much　more　of　a　river　to　the　Christian　than　yonder　little　brook；

but　I　can　tell　you；　my　child；　we'll　find　a　wonderful　difference

between　the　two　shores。〃



Ida　found　that　the　old　gentleman　had　joined　her　unperceived；　and

she　told　him　of　her　fears。



〃Now；　don't　worry；〃　he　answered；　〃about　what　will　happen　when　you

go　back　to　the　city。　　Christ　himself　has　said：　　'Sufficient　unto

the　day　is　the　evil　thereof。'　　Your　whole　duty　is　to　do　your　best

now；　and　he'll　take　care　of　the　future。　　He　did　not　call　himself

the　'Good　Shepherd'　for　nothing；　as　I　and　millions　of　others；　know

from　experience。　　He'll　see　you　over　all　the　hard　places；　if　you

ask　him　to；　and　just　follow　patiently。　　You　may　not　be　able　to　see

the　way　or　know　where　he　is　leading　you；　any　more　than　the　sheep；

but　the　path；　however　flinty　and　thorny；　will　end　in　the　fold。　　Of

that　be　assured。〃　　And　he　gave　her　one　or　two　sad　chapters　from

his　own　life　of　which　he　could　now　speak　calmly　and　understandingly。



As　they　were　about　to　part；　Ida　said：　　〃Mr。　Eltinge；　I'm　so　ignorant

that　I　have　not　the　remotest　idea　how　to　commence　this　Christian

life。　　I　greatly　wish　to　form　a　character　worthy　of　respect；　but

I　don't　know　how　to　set　about　it。〃



〃Commence　by　living　simple　and　true；　my　dear。　　Truthfulness　is

the　corner…stone　of　the　character　that　men　most　respect　and　God

will　honor。　　None　of　us　can　be　perfect；　but　we　can　all　be　honest；

and　pretend　to　be　no　better　than　we　are。　　Just　simply　follow　your

conscience；　pray　daily　for　light　and　guidance；　and　do　the　best　you

can。　　Live　up　to　the　light　as　you　get　it；　and　remember　the　good

Lord　will　be　as　patient　with　you　as　a　mother　with　her　baby　that　is

just　learning　to　walk。　　Be　truthful　and　sincere　as　you　have　been

with　me　to…day；　and　all　will　be　well。〃



Then　he　brought　a　step…ladder；　and　filled　a　little　basket　with　pears。

〃They'll　ripen　nicely　in　your　drawer；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　shouldn't

wonder　if　you　found　'em　kind　of　nourishing　to　your　soul　as　well　as

body；　now　you　know　how　they　grew。〃



With　a　promise　to　come　on　the　morrow　Ida　drove　away　more　cheered

and　comforted　than　she　had　thought　it　possible　ever　to　be　again。

But　as　she　approached　the　hotel　piazza；　and　saw　the　artist　talking

with　Jennie　Burton；　she　experienced　a　sinking　of　heart　that　taught

her　how　difficult　her　path　must　be　at　best。



Van　Berg　hastened　down　eagerly　to　assist　her　to　alight；　for　her

reappearance　lifted　a　terrible　load　of　anxiety　from　his　mind。　　In

spite　of　herself　the　color　rushed　into　the　cheeks　which　of　late

had　become　so　pale；　and　the　hand　she　gave　him　trembled　as　he　helped

her　from　t