a face illumined- 第84部分

light…wagon。　　He　had　seen　Van　Berg　at　her　side　again　with　surprise；

and；　after　his　fast　horses　had　whirled　them　well　away　by　themselves；

he　asked　a　little　abruptly：



〃Ida；　have　you　seen　Van　this　week？〃



She　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　said　briefly：　　〃Yes。　　We　met　at

the　concert…garden　again；　and　he　dined　with　us　last　evening。〃



Stanton　turned　and　looked　at　her　earnestly；　and　her　color　rose

swiftly　under　his　questioning　eyes。



〃My　poor　little　Ida；　we　are　in　the　same　boat；　I　fear；〃　he　said

compassionately。



She　hid　her　face　on　his　shoulder。　　〃Oh；　Ik；　spare　me；〃　she　faltered。



〃It's　just　as　I　feared；〃　Stanton　resumed；　with　a　deep　sigh。

〃Maledictions　on　such　a　world　as　ours！　　The　devil　rules　it；　sure

enough。〃



〃Oh；　hush；　hush；〃　Ida　sobbed。



〃I　see　it　all；　now；　indeed；　I've　thought　it　all　out　this　past　week。

You　Sibley　used　only　as　a　blind；　poor　child。〃



〃Yes；　Ik；　I　loathed　and　detested　him　almost　from　the　first。〃



〃And　in　the　meantime　the　sagacious　Van　Berg　and　myself　were

trampling　on　you　like　a　couple　of　long…eared　beasts。　　How　did　you

ever　forgive　us！〃



〃Oh；　Ik；　Ik；　my　heart　is　breaking。　　I've　had　such　dreams　the　last

two　weeks。　　I've　dared　to　think　I　had　learned　a　little　of　God's　love；

and　ohwas　I　blinded　by　my　wishes；　by　my　hopes；　by　the　passionate

longing　of　my　heart？I　thought　I　saw　love　in　his　eyes；　and　heard

it　in　his　tones；　last　evening。　　Everything　now　is　slipping　from

mehappiness；　hope；　and　even　my　faith。　　But　I　deserve　it　all；〃　she

added　in　her　heart。　　〃I　could　almost　curse　the　woman　who　tried　to

win　him　from　me。〃



Stanton　turned　his　horses　off　into　a　shady　and　unfrequented　side

road　where　they　would　not　be　apt　to　meet　any　one。　　〃Good　heavens！〃

he　thought；　〃this　is　just　the　condition　of　mind　that　Van　warned　me

to　guard　against；　and；　confound　him；　he　is　the　cause　of　the　evils

he　feared；　and　in　their　worst　form。　　I　be　hanged　if　I　can　understand

him。　　All　through　July　he　was　Jennie　Burton's　open　suitorat　least

he　made　no　secret　of　it　to　me；　although　his　cool　head　enabled　him

to　throw　the　people　of　the　house　off　the　scentand　now　he　follows

another　lady　to　New　York；　and　leaves　his　first　love　on　very　flimsy

pretexts。　　By　Jove！　　I　don't　like　it；　even　though　it　were　possible

for　me　to　profit　by　his　folly。〃



〃My　poor　little　Ida；〃　he　said　gently；　putting　his　arms　around　her；

〃you　and　I　must　stand　by　each　other；　for　we　are　like　to　have　rough

weather　ahead　for　awhile。　　It's　no　kindness　to　you　now　to　hide　the

truth。　　I　do　not　know　that　Van　Berg　has　formally　proposed　to　Miss

Burton；　but；　as　an　honorable　man；　he　is　committed　to　her；　and

I　believe　he　has　won　her　affections；　although　I　confess　I　don't

understand　her　very　well。　　She　has　evidently　had　very　deep　sorrows

in　the　past；　and　I　am　satisfied　that　she　has　felt　his　absence　keenly

this　week。〃



〃I　deserve　it　all；〃　Ida　murmured　again；　but　so　low　he　could　not

hear　her；　and　she　gave　way　to　another　outburst　of　grief。



〃It　will　pain　even　your　heart；　Ida；　to　see　how　slight　and　pale

Miss　Burton　is　becoming。　　She　also　appears　strangely　restless；　and

takes　long　walks　that　are　far　beyond　her　strength。〃



〃It's　all　plain；〃　groaned　Ida。　　〃How　can　she　act　otherwise！　　Well；

she　will　be　comforted　now；　no　matter　what　becomes　of　me。〃



〃You　will　be　a　brave　woman；　Ida；　and　pull　through　all　right。〃



〃No；　Ik；　I'm　not　brave。　　I　could　easily　die　for　those　I　love；　but

I　can't　just　suffer　and　be　patient；　at　least　I　don't　see　how　I　can；

but　I　suppose　I　must。〃



His　arm　tightened　about　her　waist；　and　she　felt　it　trembling。

〃Ida；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　solemn　tone；　〃promise　me　before　God　that

whatever　happens　you　will　never…〃



〃Hush！〃　she　gasped；　shuddering；　〃I　will　die　in　God's　own　way。　　I

will　endure　as　best　I　can。〃



He　stooped　down　and　kissed　her　tenderly　as　he　said：　　〃Ida；　dear；

from　this　hour　I'm　no　longer　your　cousin　merely；　but　a　brother；　and

your　companion　in　misfortune。　　I'm　going　to　stand　by　you　and　see

you　through　this　trouble。　　Just　count　on　me　to　shield　you　in　every

possible　way。　　I　don't　care　what　the　world　thinks　of　me；　but　never

a　tongue　shall　wag　against　you　again；　or　there　will　be　a　heavy　score

to　settle　with　me。　　Van　and　I　have　been　good　friends；　but　he's　on

ticklish　ground　now。　　He'll　find　he　can't　play　fast　and　loose　with

two　such　women　as　you　and　Jennie　Burton。　　Curse　it　all！　it　isn't

like　him　to　do　it　either。　　But　the　world　is　topsy…turvey；　anyhow。〃



〃Ik；　I　plead　with　you；　say　nothing；　do　nothing。　　Be　blind　and　deaf

to　everything　of　which　we　have　spoken。　　Only　help　me　hide　my　secret

and　get　away　from　this　place　to　some　other　where　I　am　not　known。〃



〃Has　your　father　any　idea　of　all　this？〃



Ida　explained　in　part　her　father's　knowledge。



〃We　can　easily　manage　it　then；〃　he　said。　　〃I　had　decided　to　leave

next　week。　　Miss　Burton　leaves　for　her　college　duties　very　soon

also。　　The　idea　of　that　fragile　flower　being　trampled　on　nine　months

of　the　year　by　a　crowd　of　thoughtless；　heedless　girls！　　And　so　our

disastrous　summer　comes　to　an　end。　　And　yet　I'm　wrong　in　applying

that　term　to　my　own　experience。　　I　wish　you　felt　as　I　do；　Ida。　　I

haven't　a　particle　of　hope；　and　yet　I　would　not　give　up　my　love　for

Jennie　Burton　for　all　the　world；　and　I　don't　believe　I　ever　shall

give　it　up。　　I　think　she　is　beginning　to　understand　me　a　little

better　now；　although　she　does　not　give　me　much　thought。　　One　day；

while　you　have　been　gone；　I　met　her　returning　from　one　of　her　walks；

and　she　looked　so　faint　and　sad　that　I　could　not　endure　it；　and　I

went　straight　to　her　and　took　her　hand　as　I　said：　　'Miss　Burton；

is　there　anything　Ik　Stanton　can　do　to　make　you　happier？　　It's

none　of　my　business；　I　suppose；　but　it's　breaking　my　heart　to　see

you　becoming　so　sad　and　pale。　　I　may　seem　to　you　very　foolish　and

Quixotic；　but　there　is　no　earthly　think　I　would　not　do　or　suffer　for

you。'　　She　did　not　withdraw　her　hand　as　she　replied；　very　gently：

'Mr。　Stanton；　please　do　me　the　kindness　to　be　happy　yourself；　and

forget　me。'　　I　could　only　say；　in　honesty：　　'You　have　asked　just

the　two　things　which　are　utterly　impossible。'　　Tears　came　into

her　eyes　as　she　replied；　with　emphasis：　'Then；　my　FRIEND；　you　can

understand　me。　　There　is　one　whom　I　can　never　forget。'　　She　was

kind　enough　to　say　some　words　about　my　having　been　generous　and

considerate　of　her　feelings；　etc。；　but　no　matter　about　them。　　We

parted；　and　it's　all　over　as　far　as　she　is　concerned。　　When　I　left

town　last　June　I　thought　I'd　be　a　bachelor　always；　because　I　loved

my　jolly　ease。　　I've　a　better　reason　now；　Ida。　　Of　course　Van　must

be　the　one　referred　to　by　Miss　Burton。　　You　have　seen　how　she　looks

at　him　at　times　when　thinking　herself　unobserved！〃



〃Yes；〃　sighed　Ida；　〃it's　all　right。　　God　is　just；　and　there　is　no

use　of　trying　to　thwart　his　will。〃



〃Well；　Ida；　I　don't　know。　　It's　all　a　snarl　to　me。　　Sometimes

I　think　the　world　goes　on　the　toss…up…a…penny　plan；　and　again　it

seems　almost　as　if　Old　Nick　himself　was　behind　the　scenes。



〃Dear　Brother　Ik；　don't　talk　to　me　that　way。　　If　I　do　lose　ALL　my

faith　now；　I　don't　know　what　will　happen。〃



〃Forgive　me；　Ida；　I　will　try　to　do　better　by　you　though　I　fear　I

shall　prove　one　of　Job's　comforters。　　We'll　stop　in　the　village；

get　some　supper　there；　and；　thus　you　won't　have　to　face　anybody

to…night；　and　by　to…morrow　you　will　be　your　own　brave　self。〃



〃Oh；〃　moaned　Ida；　〃I　am　almost　as　sorry　for　father's　sake　as　for

my　own。　　How　can　I　keep　him　up　when　I　am　sinking　myself？〃



Mr。　Mayhew　stood　on　the　piazza；　waiting　for　Ida　and　wondering　why

she　did　not　come；　as　Van　Berg　mounted　the　steps。　　The　majority　of

the　people　had　gone　in　to　supper；　but　Miss　Burton；　who　was　a　little

late；　recognized　him　from　the　hallway；　and　she　came　swiftly　out　to

greet　him。　　Her　very　cordiality　was　another　stab；　and　he　exerted

the　whole　power　of　his　manhood　to　meet　her　in　like　spirit。



〃I　did　not　know　I　should　miss　you　so　much；〃　she　said；　her　eyes

growing　a　little　moist　from　her　strong　feeling。　　〃I　suppose　we

never　value　our　friends　as　we　ought　till　taught　their　worth　to　us

by　absence。　　But　if　you　have　been　successful　in　your　work　I　shall

be　well　content。〃



〃Yes；　Miss　Jennie；〃　he　replied；　〃I　think　I　have　been　successful。

The　picture　is　far　from　being　complete；　but　I've　been　able　to　obtain

a　much　better　likeness　of　Mr。　Eltinge　than　I　even　hoped　to　catch。〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　you　have　been　working　too　hard。　　You　look　exceedingly

weary。　　What　possessed　you　to　walk　all　these　miles？　　Leave　us　women

to　do　the　unreasonable　things；　and　least　of　all　are　they　becoming

in　you；　come　at　once　and　get　a　good　supper。〃



He　could　not　disguise　the　pain　and　humiliation　that　her　words　caused

him；　and　said　hurriedly；　〃I　will　join　you　in　a　few　moments；〃　and

then　hastened　to　his　room。



Mr。　Mayhew；　with　the　delicacy　of　a　gentleman；　had　withdrawn　out　of

earshot　as　they　conversed；　but　the　warmth　of　Miss　Burton's　greeting

had　suggested　a　thought　that　was　exceedingly　disquieting。　　As　if

from　a　sudden　impulse　he　went　directly　to　the　supper　table；　and

his　quiet　courtesy　masked　the　closest　observation。



Van　Berg　stood　in　his　room　a　moment　and　fairly　trembled　with　shame

and　rage　at　himself。　　Then；　with　a　bitter　imprecation；　he　made　the

brief　toilet　the　dust　of　his　walk　required；　and　his　face　was　so

stern　and　white　one　might　think　he　was　about　to　face　an　executioner

instead　of　Jennie　Burton's　blue　eyes　beaming　with　friendship　at

least。　　The　thought　of　discovering　anything　warmer　in　their　expression

sent　a　mortal　chill　to　her　former　wooer's　heart。　　He　expected　to

meet　Ida　at　the　table；　and　the　ordeal　of　meeting　the　woman　to　whom

he　was　pledged　in　the　presence　of　the　woman　he　loved　was　like　the

ancient　Trial　by　Fire。



〃Curse　it　all；〃　he　muttered；　〃they　both　can　read　one's　thoughts　as

if　they　were　printed　on　sign…boards。　　I　was　scarcely　co