a face illumined- 第80部分

〃Your　affection　for　Mr。　Eltinge；〃　he　said　gently；　〃is　as　beautiful

as　it　is　natural。　　No　manifestation　of　it　needs　any　apology；　and

least　of　all　to　me；　for　I　owe　to　him　far　more　than　life。　　But　I　am

paining　you　by　recalling　the　past；〃　he　said　regretfully；　as　Ida's

tears　began　to　gather　again。　　〃Let　me　try　to　make　amends　by　returning

at　once　to　the　present　and　to　my　work。　　Before　I　go　on　any　farther

with　your　portrait　I　want　you　to　put　this　rose…bud　in　your　hair；〃

and　from　a　hidden　nook　he　brought　a　little　vase　containing　only

one　exquisite　bud。　　Ida　had　barely　time　to　see　that　it　was　in　color

and　size　precisely　like　the　emblem　of　herself　that　he　had　thrown

away；　and　for　a　few　minutes　she　utterly　lost　her　self…control。　　She

buried　her　face　in　her　hands；　and　her　low；　stifled　sobs　filled　Van

Berg　with　the　keenest　distress　and　perplexity。



〃Miss　Ida；〃　he　said　earnestly；　〃I　would　rather　every　tear　you　are

shedding　were　a　drop　of　my　blood；〃　but　his　words　only　made　them

flow　faster　still。



Suddenly　she　sprang　up；　and　turning　her　back　upon　him；　dashed　away

her　tears　almost　fiercely。　　〃Oh！　this　is　shameful！〃　she　exclaimed；

in　low；　indignant　tones。　　〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　what　must　you　think　of

me？　　Please　turn　Mr。　Eltinge's　face　away；　for　he　is　looking　at　me

just　as　he　did　when　my　heart　was　breaking；　andandI've　lost　my

self…control；　and　I　had　better　not　come　here　till　I　can　cease　being

so　weak　and　foolish。〃



〃Is　it　weak　to　be　grateful？〃　he　asked；　gently。　　〃Is　it　foolish　to

love　one　so　thoroughly　entitled　to　your　love？　　I　honor　you　for　your

deep　and　tender　affection　for　Mr。　Eltinge；　and　every　tear　you　have

shed　proves　to　me　that　in　this　perfect　flower　I　am　now　finding　the

true　emblem　of　yourself。〃



〃No；〃　she　said；　almost　passionately；　〃I　have　no　right　to　it。　　The

other　one　that　you　threw　away　is　true　of　me；　and　always　will　be。

This　but　mocks　me　with　its　perfection。　　I　would　be　a　hypocrite　if

I　should　put　it　in　my　hair；　and　smile　complacently　while　you　painted

it。　　My　heart　clings　to　the　other　emblem；　and　I　know　I　must　develop

as　best　I　can；　as　that　would　have　done　after　its　destroyer　was

taken　away。　　No；　Mr。　Van　Berg。　　I　have　seen　myself　in　the　strong；

sharp　light　of　truth。　　If　you　are　willing　to　be　my　friend；　please

be　an　honest　one。　　My　faithful　old　friend　in　the　country　would

scarcely　take　my　portrait　if　this　perfect　flower　were　introduced

with　any　such　meaning　as　you　attach　to　it；　and　I　certainly　would

be　ashamed　to　give　it　to　him。　　Mr。　Van　berg；　we　MUST　let　bygones

by　bygones；　or　we　never　can　get　on。　　See　how　absurdly　I　have　acted

both　yesterday　and　to…day；　and　all　through　recalling　the　past。

Indeed；　indeed；　it　will　never　do　for　me　to　come　here　again；　and

if　you　can　make　such　a　marvellous　likeness　of　Mr。　Eltinge　as　you

have；　I　scarcely　think　there　will　be　any　need。〃



〃My　success　with　Mr。　Eltinge's　portrait　is　the　result　of　a　few　happy

strokes　that　I　might　not　be　able　to　give　again　if　I　tried　a　year。

Believe　me；　Miss　Mayhew；　I　not　only　wish　to　be　an　honest　friend；　but

a　very　considerate　one。　　I　promise　never　to　urge　you　to　do　anything

that　will　cause　you　pain。　　I　can　understand　how　the　features　of

your　kind　friend　have　touched　the　tenderest　chords　of　your　heart；

and　I　respect　your　study　fidelity　to　your　conscience　in　refusing

to　let　me　paint　this　bud　in　your　hair；　but　you　must　also　do　me　the

justice　to　believe　that　I　meant　no　hollow　compliment　when　I　searched

for　it　among　the　florists。　　Must　I　throw　this　one　away；　too？〃　he

asked；　with　a　glance　that　was　very　ardent　for　a　friend；　〃for　since

I　obtained　it　for　you；　it　must　receive　its　fate　at　your　hands　only。〃



〃I'll　wear　it；　simply　as　your　gift；　with　pleasure；〃　and　she　fastened

it　in　her　breastpin；　so　that　its　crimson　blush　rested　against　the

snowy　whiteness　of　her　neck。



He　looked　her　full　in　the　eyes　and　said；　with　low；　sad　emphasis：

〃I　do　not　deserve　such　respect。〃　　Then　the　knowledge　that　she　was

harboring　a　purpose　which　troubled　her　conscience；　but　which　she

could　not　abandon；　became　the　cause　of　a　trace　of　her　old　recklessness

of　manner。　　She　assumed　a　sudden　gayety；　as　if　she　had　stepped　out

of　shadows　into　too　strong　a　light；　as　she　said：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　you　may　well　hesitate　to　bring　the　appetite　you　say

had　last　night　to　our　house　this　evening；　and　if　I　stay　a　moment

longer；　you　will　get　no　dinner　at　all。　　I　have　not　been　after　the

crude　materialas　you　call　ityet；　and　I'm　told　that　there　is　not

a　man　living　so　amiable　and　philosophical；　but　that　a　poor　dinner

provokes　martyr…like　expression；　if　nothing　worse；〃　and　with　a　smile

and　a　piquancy　of　manner　that　seemed　peculiarly　brilliant　against

the　background　of　her　deep　and　repressed　feeling；　she　again　left

him。



He　tried　to　return　to　his　work；　but　found　himself　once　more　possessed

by　the　demon　of　unrest　and　impatience。　　The　spiritual　wave　that

had　been　lifting　him　higher　and　higher　was　changing　its　character

and　becoming　a　smoothly　gliding　current。　　It　was　so　irresistible

that　he　never　thought　of　resisting。　　〃Why　should　he　resist？〃　he

asked　himself。　　Circumstances　had　interested　him　in　this　rare　Undine

before　she　received　a　woman's　soul；　circumstances　had　entangled

his　life　and　hers　in　what　had　almost　been　an　awful　tragedy；　and

now　circumstances；　or　something　far　beyond；　were　swiftly　developing

before　his　eyes　a　spiritual　loveliness　that　was　the　counterpart

of　her　outward　beauty；　and　he　assured　himself　that　it　would　be　the

greatest　folly　of　his　life　to　lose　a　trace　of　the　exquisite　process

that　he　might　be　privileged　to　see。　　What　artist　or　poet　has　not

pictured　himself　the　fair　face　of　Eve　as　God　first　breathed　into

her　perfect　clay　the　breath　of　life；　or　has　not；　in　imagination；

seen　the　closed　eyes　opening　in　surprise　and　intelligence　or　kindling

with　the　light　of　love？　　And　yet　the　change　in　Ida　Mayhew　seemed

to　Van　Berg　far　more　wonderful　and　interesting；　and　to　his　fancy

if；　instead　of　lying　in　the　beauty　of　her　breathless；　statuesque

preparation　for　life；　Eve　had　been　possessed　by　a　legion

of　distorting　imps；　she　would　have　been　the　type　of　the　maiden　he

first　had　recognized。　　But　he　had　seen　these　evil　spirits　exorcised；

and　in　their　place　was　coming　a　noble；　womanly　soulsweet；

tender；　and　strongand　the　perfect　form　and　features　seemed　but

a　transparent　mould；　a　crystal　vase　into　which　heaven　was　pouring

a　new　and　divine　life。　　Why　should　he　not　long　to　escape　from　the

dusty　matter…of…fact　world　and　witness　this　spiritual　repetition

of　the　most　beautiful　story　of　the　past？　　Thus　his　philosophical

mind　was　able　once　more　to　reason　the　whole　matter　out　clearly　and

prove　that　his　wish　to　annihilate　the　intervening　hours　before　he

could　dare　to　present　himself　to　Ida　Mayhew；　was　the　most　natural

and　proper　desire　imaginable。　　He　concluded　that　a　walk　through

Central　Park　might　banish　his　disquietude；　and　leave　time　for　a

careful　toilet；　since　for　some　occult　reason　the　occasion　seemed

to　him　to　require　unusual　preparation。



He　knew　he　was　unfashionably　early　when　he　rang　Mr。　Mayhew's

door…bell；　but　he　had　found　it　impossible　to　curb　his　impatience

to　see　in　what　new　aspect　Ida　would　present　herself　that　evening。

A　hundred　times　he　had　queried　how　she　would　appear　in　her　own

home；　how　she　would　preside　as　hostess；　and　whether　the　taste　of　the

florid　and　fashionable　mother　would　not　be　so　apparent　as　to　annoy

him　like　a　bad　tone　in　the　picture。　　yes；　that　was　Mrs。　Mayhew's

parlor　into　which　he　was　shown。　　It　did　not　suggest　the　maiden　who

had　come　to　visit；　nor　the　quiet；　dignified　gentleman　Mr。　Mayhew　was

seen　to　be　when　at　the　touch　of　love's　wand　a　degrading　vice　fell

away　from　him。　　But　the　artist　could　find　no　fault　with　the　host

who　greeted　him　promptly；　and　when；　a　few　moments　later；　there　was

a　breezy　rustle　on　the　stairs　and　he　turned　to　greet　his　hostess；

his　face　flushed　with　admiration　and　pleasure。　　It　became　evident

that　the　worshipper　of　beauty　was　in　the　presence　of　his　divinity；

and　his　every　glance　burned　incense　to　her　honor。　　She　had　twined

a　few　rose…leaves　in　her　hair；　but　wore　no　other　ornament　save

the　rose　he　had　given　her　in　the　morning；　which　evidently　had　been

kept　carefully　for　the　occasion；　for　it　was　unchanged；　with　the

exception　that　it　revealed　its　heart　a　little　more　openly；　as　did

Ida　herself。　　And　yet　she　did　her　best　to　insure　that　her　manner

should　be　no　more　cordial　than　her　character　of　hostess　demanded。



But　in　spite　of　all　she　could　do；　the　light　of　exultation　and

intense　joy　would　flash　into　her　eyes　and　tremble　in　her　tones　that

evening。　　A　maiden　would　have　been　blind　indeed　had　she　not　been

able　to　read　the　riddle　of　Van　Berg's　ardent　friendship　now；　and

Ida　had　seen　that　expression　too　often　not　to　know　its　meaning

well。　　In　the　morning　she　had　strongly　hoped；　now　she　believed。

She　no　longer　walked　by　faith　but　in　full　vision；　and　she　trod　with

the　grace　of　a　queen　who　knows　her　power　in　the　realm　that　woman

loves　best。　　The　glow　of　her　eyes；　her　repressed　excitement；　that

vitalized　everything　she　said　or　did；　mystified　while　they　charmed

her　guest。　　〃She　has　become　true　to　nature；〃　he　thought；　〃and　like

nature　is　full　of　mysterious　changes；　for　which　we　know　not　the

cause。　　At　one　time　it　is　a　sharp　north　wind；　again　the　south　wind。

This　morning　there　was　a　sudden　shower　of　tears；　and　before　it　was

over　the　sunlight　of　smiles　flashed　through　them。　　Now　she　appears

like　a　June　morning；　and　I　pray　the　weather　holds。〃



〃Oh；〃　thought　Ida；　in　the　wild；　mad　glee　of　her　heart；　〃how　can　I

behave　myself　and　look　innocent　and　unconscious；　seeing　what　I　do？

He　is　my　very　good　friend　is　he？　　I　wish　for　only　one　such　friend

in　the　world。　　It　wouldn't　be　proper　to　have　another。　Oh；　but　isn't

it　rich　to　see　how　unconscious　he　is　of　himself！　　He　is　passing　into

an　exceedingly　acute　attack　of　my　own　complaint；　and　the　poor　ma