a face illumined- 第65部分

but　it　suggests　a　little　the　kindness　which；　they　say；　makes　all

the　world　kin。　　Good…night；　Mr。　Van　Berg。〃



〃Miss　Jennie；〃　he　said；　later　in　the　evening；　〃you　have　an　insight

into　character　which　we　grosser　mortals　do　not　possess。　　Do　you

think　that　there　is　a　marked　change　taking　place　in　Miss　Mayhew？〃



〃And　so　you　expect　me　to　read　Miss　Mayhew's　secrets　and　gossip

about　them　with　you？〃　she　answered　with　one　of　her　piquant　smiles。



〃What　a　sweetbrier　you　are！　　Now　tell　me　in　your　own　happy　way　how

you　would　describe　this　change　which　you　see　and　understand　far

more　clearly　than　I。〃



〃I'll　give　you　one　thought　that　has　occurred　to　me　and　then　leave

you　to　solve　the　problem　for　yourself。　　Have　you　ever　seen　a　person

who　had　been　delirious　or　deranged　become　sand　and　quiet；　simple

and　natural？　　Although　Miss　Mayhew's　expression　and　manner　are

so　different　from　what　we　have　seen　hitherto；　she　looks　and　acts

to…night　just　as　one　instinctively　feels　she　ought　always　to　appear

in　order　to　be　her　true　self。　　Before　there　was　discord；　now　there

is　harmony。〃



〃If　I　had　your　eyes　I'd　never　read　books。　　You　suggest　the　effect

perfectly；　but　what　is　the　cause？〃



〃Was　a　man　ever　satisfied？〃



〃One　certainly　never　is　where　you　are　concerned；　but　will　always

echo　Oliver　Twist's　plaintive　appeal　for　'more。'〃



〃O　constant　moon！　register　that　vow；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　laughing。

〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　one　of　the　first　rules　that　I　teach　my　young　ladies

is　to　say　good…evening　to　a　gentleman　when　he　grows　sentimental；〃

and　she　smiling　vanished　through　a　window　that　opened　on　the　piazza。



〃Jennie　Burton；〃　he　muttered；　〃you　are　a　wraith；　an　exquisite　ghost

that　will　haunt　me　all　my　days；　but　on　which　I　can　never　lay　my

hands。〃



The　next　morning　the　artist；　in　his　kindling　interest；　was　guilty

of　a　stratagem。　　He　took　an　early　breakfast　by　himself；　under　the

pretence　that　he　was　going　on　a　sketching　expedition；　but　he　went

straight　to　the　brow　of　a　little　hill　that　overlooked　the　road

which　Ida　must　take　should　she　visit　her　new…found　friends　again。

He　soon　became　very　busy　with　his　sketch…book；　but　instead　of

outlines　of　the　landscape　before　him　taking　shape　on　the　paper；

you　might　have　seen　the　form　of　a　young　girl　on　a　stairway　with

her　head　bowed　on　her　right　arm　that　rested　on　the　baluster　rail；

which　she　timidly　held　out　her　left　hand　in　the　pace　of　words　she

could　not　speak。



It　was　with　a　foreboding　sigh　that　Ida　realized　how　much　she　missed

him　at　breakfast。



Before　the　meal　was　over　a　letter　was　handed　to　Mrs。　Mayhew。　　It

contained　only　these　words　from　her　husband：　　〃In　memory　of　my

last　visit　I　conclude　it　will　be　mutually　agreeable　to　us　all　that

I　spend　Sunday　elsewhere。　　You　need　not　dread　my　coming。〃



She　handed　the　letter　to　her　daughter　with　a　frown　and　the　remark：

〃It's　just　like　him。〃



But　Ida　seemed　much　pained　by　its　contents；　and　after　a　moment

sprang　up；　saying：　　〃Cousin　Ik；　may　I　speak　with　you？〃



When　they　were　alone　she　continued：　　〃See　what　father　has　written。　　He

must　come　to…night　or　I'll　go　to　him。　　Can't　I　send　him　a　telegram？〃



〃Yes；　Coz；　and　I'll　take　it　over　to　the　depot　at　once。〃



〃Ah；　Ik；　you　are　doing　me　a　greater　kindness　than　you　know。　　But

it's　a　long　drive。〃



〃The　longer　the　better。　　Will　you　go　with　me？〃



〃I　would　had　I　not　promised　my　old　friends　I　visited　yesterday　I'd

come　again　to…day。　　They　are　doing　me　good。　　I'll　tell　you　about

it　some　time；〃　and　she　wrote　the　following　telegram　to　her　father：



〃Come　to　Lake　House　to…day。　　Very　important。〃



〃I　wish　Miss　Burton　would　go　with　you；〃　she　said　looking　up　as　the

thought　occurred　to　her。　　〃Shall　I　ask　her？〃



Stanton's　wistful　face　proved　how　greatly　he　would　enjoy　such　an

arrangement；　but　after　a　moment　he　said　decisively：　　〃No。　　It　would

pain　her　to　decline；　but　she　would。〃



〃You　are　very　considerate　of　her。〃



〃She　is　sorry　for　me；　Ida。　　I　can　see　that。　　She　has　never　exulted

a　moment　in　her　power　over　me。　　My　love　is　only　another　burden

to　her　sad　life。　　I　can't　help　it；　but　I　can　make　it　as　light　as

possible。〃



Tears　came　into　Ida's　eyes　and　she　faltered：　　〃Ik；　I　understand

you。〃



A　little　later　they　both　drove　off　their　different　ways。



In　spite　of　everything；　Ida　found　that　her　heart　would　grow　light

and　gland　as　she　pursued　her　way　along　the　quiet　country　road；　now

in　the　shade　where　the　trees　crowded　up　on　the　eastern　side；　and

again　in　the　sunlight　between　wide　stubble　fields　in　which　the

quails　were　whistling　mellowly　to　each　other。



Van　Berg　watched　her　coming　with　a　heart　that　beat　a　little　quickly

for　so　cool　and　philosophical　an　investigator；　and　was　glad　that

her　quiet　old　horse　resumed　a　slow　walk　at　the　first　suggestion　of

the　hill　on　which　he　had　posted　himself。



Ida　leaned　back　in　the　phaeton　with　the　abandon　of　those　who　think

themselves　alone；　and　sang　a　snatch　from　an　old　English　hymn　that

Van　Berg　remembered　as　one　his　mother　had　crooned　over　him　when　a

child。　　This　melody；　doubly　sacred　to　him　from　its　associations；

would　have　grated　harshly　on　his　ear　if　it　had　been　sung　by　Ida

Mayhew　a　week　before；　but；　strange　to　say；　the　girlish　voice　that

floated　up　to　him　was　all　the　sweeter　for　thus　blending　itself　with

some　of　his　dearest　memories。



When　the　ascent　was　half　made　the　artist　sprang　down　from　his

rocky　perch；　and　horse　and　maiden　were　so　startled　that　they　both

stopped　instantly。



〃Do　not　be　alarmed；〃　said　Van　Berg；　laughing；　〃I'm　not　a　very

vicious　tramp；　and　am　armed　with　nothing　worse　than　a　sketch…book。

If　I　could　only　induce　you　to　be　an　hour　in　coming　up　this　hill

I'd　put　you　and　the　phaeton　in　it。　　I　wish　it　were　possible　to　put

the　song　in；　too。　　Why；　Miss　Mayhew！　　Am　I　an　ogre；　that　I　frighten

you　so？〃



〃I　was　not　expecting　to　see　you；〃　she　faltered；　deeply　vexed　that

her　cheeks　would　crimson　and　her　hand　that　held　the　reins　tremble

so　plainly。　　〃You　naturally　think　I　have　a　very　guilty　conscience

to　be　so　frightened；〃　she　added　after　a　second；　and　regaining　a

little　self…control。



〃That　quaint　old　hymn　tune　did　not　suggest　a　guilty　conscience；〃

he　said　kindly。



〃I　think　I　must　have　heard　it　at　church；〃　she　replied。　　〃It's

been　running　in　my　head　all　the　morning。〃　　（He　now　remembered　with

sudden　pity　that　no　memories　of　sacred　words　and　song　could　follow

her　from　her　home　and　childhood。）　　〃But　I　suppose　you　think　it　is

strange　I　can　sing　at　all；　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　continued　gravely。

〃You　must　think　me　very　superficial　that　I　do　not　appear　to　realize

more　a　crime　that　makes　it　exceedingly　kind　of　you　even　to　speak

to　me；　since　you　know　about　it。　　But　I　have　realized　the　wickedness

of　that　act　more　bitterly　than　you　can　ever　know。〃



〃Miss　Mayhew；　I　admit　that　I　can't　understand　you　at　all。　　You　have

become　a　greater　mystery　to　me　than　ever。　　You　see；　I　imitate　your

truthfulness。〃



〃There　is　no　necessity　of　solving　the　problem；〃　she　said　in　a　low

tone；　and　averting　her　face。



〃Do　you　mean；〃　he　asked；　flushing　slightly；　〃that　my　interest　is

obtrusive　and　not　agreeable　to　you？〃



〃If　inspired　by　curiosityyes；〃　and　she　looked　him　steadily　in

the　face。



〃But　if　inspired　by　a　genuine　and　earnest　wish　to　be　your　friend

and　to　atone　for　the　unpardonable　injustice　which　came　about　from

my　not　understanding　you？〃



〃If　I　believed　that；〃　she　said；　with　something　like　a　smile；　〃I'd

take　you　with　me　this　morning　and　reveal　all　the　mystery　there　is

about　my　poor　little　self　in　one　brief　hour。〃



〃How　can　I　prove　it？〃　he　asked　eagerly。



〃Say　it；〃　she　answered　simply。



〃I　do　say　it's　true；　on　my　honor；〃　he　replied；　giving　her　his　hand。



〃You　may　come；　then；　on　one　other　condition。　　I　would　like　you　to

draw　for　me　a　young　pear…tree；　and　an　old　gentleman　sitting　under

it。〃



〃I　will　agree　to　any　conditions；〃　he　said；　springing　in　by　her　side。

〃Is　it　the　tree　that　bore　the　pear　you　gave　me？　　I　hope　you　don't

think　I　was　capable　of　eating　that　pear。〃



〃Did　you　throw　it　away？〃　she　asked；　with　a　shy　glance。



〃Miss　Mayhew；　I've　something　I　wish　you　to　see；〃　and　he　took　out

his　note…book　and　showed　her　the　rose…bud　he　had　tossed　away。　　〃Do

you　recognize　that？〃



In　spite　of　herself　the　blood　rushed　tumultuously　into　her　face。



〃I　thought　that　was　trampled　into　dust　long　ago；〃　she　said　in　a

low　tone。



〃I　shall　never　forget　your　words　as　you　left　me　that　evening；　Miss

Mayhew。　　It　was　the　severest　and　most　deserved　rebuke　I　ever　had。

I　picked　up　the　bud　immediately；　I　assure　you。〃



〃I　thought　you　left　it　there；〃　she　said；　in　a　still　lower　tone；　and

then　added　hastily：　　〃But　I　have　no　doubt　you　acted　from　a　sense

of　duty。〃



〃I　can't　say　that　I　did；〃　he　answered；　dryly。



〃Will　you　please　give　it　to　me？〃



〃Not　unless　you　compel　me　to；〃　and　he　closed　the　book　and　returned

it　to　an　inside　breast…pocket。　　〃I　would　like　to　carry　it　as　a

talisman　against　Phariseeism；　the　most　hateful　of　vices。〃



〃Oh；　very　well；〃　and　she　turned　away　her　face　again。



〃But　please　tell　me　about　this　pear…tree；〃　he　resumed。



〃It　won't　seem　to　you　as　it　did　to　me；〃　she　replied；　with　an

embarrassed　air；　〃and　I'm　sorry　I　spoke　of　it；　but　now　that　I　have

I　may　as　well　go　on。　　To　explain　I　must　go　back　a　little。　　Mr。

Van　Berg；　I'm　taking　you　to　see　the　old　gentleman　who　saved　me

fromfrom…〃　　Her　face　was　pale　enough　now。



〃My　dear　Miss　Mayhew；　don't　pain　yourself　by　referring　to　that。〃



〃I　must；〃　she　said　slowly。　　〃By　some　strange　fate　you　have　seen　me

at　my　worst；　and　since　you　say　you　care；　you　shall　know　the　rest。

It　may　relieve　your　mind　of　a　fear　that　I've　seen　in　your　face

since。　　I　didn't　think　I'll　ever　be　so　wicked　and　desperate　again；

and　I　wish　you　to　know　my　reasons　for　thinking　so。　　Well；　on　that

dreadful　night　the　party　I　w