a face illumined- 第9部分

week；　and　of　stolidly　and　joylessly　soaking　himself　into　semi…stupidity

on　Sunday。　　It　this　wretched　state　of　affairs　could　be　kept　secret

I　would　not　mention　it　even　to　you；　my　intimate　friend；　but；　since　it

continues　no　secret　wherever　they　happen　to　remain　for　any　length

of　time；　I　would　rather　tell　you　the　exact　truth　at　once；　than

permit　you　to　guess　at　it　through　distorted　rumors。　　As　you　artists

occasionally　express　yourselves　concerning　pictures；　so　I　suppose

you　will　think　that　this　family；　with　all　its　wealth　is　quite

lacking　in　tone。〃



〃Well；　Stanton；　I　must　admit　that　I　find　myself　chiefly　inclined

towards　the　subdued　and　neutral…tinted　Mr。　Mayhew。　　If　you　have　a

chance　I　wish　you　would　introduce　me　to　him。〃



〃Are　you　in　earnest？〃



〃Certainly。〃



〃Then　I'll　ask　him　to　smoke　with　us　after　supper。　　Well；　Van；

I　congratulate　you　again　that　your　correct　and　cultivated　taste

enabled　you　to　see　the　fatal　flaw　in　my　cousin's　beauty。　　If　you

had　been　bewitched　by　her；　and　had　insisted　on　imagining　（as　so

many　others　have　done）　that　her　faultless　features　were　the　reflex

of　what　she　is　or　could　become　in　mind　and　character；　I　might　have

had　a　good　deal　of　trouble　with　you；　for　you　are　a　mulish　fellow　when

you　get　a　purpose　in　your　head。　　I　don't　care　how　badly　singed　the

average　run　of　moths　become。　　You　may　see　two　or　three　fluttering

around　to…night；　if　you　care　to　look　on；　but　I　wish　no　friend　of　mine

to　make　sport；　at　serious　cost　to　himself；　for　yonder　incorrigible

coquette；　if　she　is　my　cousin。　　But　after　what　you　have　seen　and　now

know；　you　would　be　safe　enough；　even　if　predisposed　to　folly。　　The

little　minx！　but　I　punished　her　well　for　her　spite　this　afternoon。〃



〃O　most　prudent　Ulysses！　you　have　indeed　filled　my　ears　with　wax。

I　thank　you　all　the　same　as　if　my　danger　were　greater。〃



〃Well；　view　them　all　with　such　charity　as　you　can。　　I　hope　you　were

not　very　much　annoyed　by　the　loss　of　your　ride。　　The　young　lady

will　not　be　in　a　hurry　to　play　such　a　trick　again。　　I'll　join　you

after　supper　in　this　your　favorite　and　out…of…the…way　corner。〃



〃Was　beauty　ever　environed　within　and　without　by　such　desperately

prosaic　and　inartistic　surroundings？〃　mused　Van　Berg。　　〃It　glistens

like　a　lost　jewel　in　an　ash…barrel；　or；　more　correctly；　it　is　like

an　exquisite　flower　that　nature　has　perversely　made　the　outcome

of　a　rank　and　poisonous　vine。　　Of　course　the　flower　is　poisonous

also；　and　as　soon　as　its　first　delicate　bloom　is　over；　will　grow

as　rank　and　repulsive　as　the　vine　that　bears　it。　　Like　produces

like；　and　with　such　parentage；　what　hope　is　there　for　her？　　I　am

glad　no　one　suspects　my　absurd　project；　for　every　hour　convinces

me　of　its　impracticability。　　The　ancient　Undine　was　a　myth；　and　my

modern　Undine　might　be　called　a　white　lie；　but　one　that　will　grow

darker　every　day。　　At　a　distance　she　presents　the　semblance　of　a

very　fair　woman；　but　I　have　been　unable　to　detect　a　single　element

yet　that　will　prevent　her　from　developing　into　an　old　and　ugly　hag；

in　spite　of　all　that　art　and　costume　can　do　for　her。〃



After　supper　Stanton　brought　Mr。　Mayhew　to　Van　Berg's　retired

nook；　and　the　artist　gave　the　hand　of　the　weary；　listless　man　such

a　cordial　pressure　as　to　cause　him　a　slight　surprise；　but　after

satisfying　his　faint　interest　by　a　brief　glance；　he　turned　the　back

of　his　chair　towards　all　the　gay　company；　although　it　contained

his　wife　and　daughter；　puffed　mechanically　at　his　cigar；　and　looked

vacantly　into　space。　　Before　the　evening　was　over；　however；　Van　berg

had　drawn　from　him　several　quite　animated　remarks；　and　secured　the

promise　that　he　would　join　him　and　Stanton　in　a　ramble　immediately

after　breakfast　the　following　morning。



Nor　had　the　young　man　been　oblivious　of　the　daughter　who　now　seemed

in　her　native　element。　　From　his　dusky　point　of　observation　he

caught　frequent　glimpses　of　her；　now　whirling　through　a　waltz　in

the　parlor；　now　talking　and　laughing　in　a　rather　pronounced　way　from

the　midst　of　a　group　of　gentlemen；　and　again　coquettishly　stealing

off　with　one　of　them　through　the　moonlit　walks。　　Her　manner；　whether

assumed　or　real；　was　that　of　extravagant　gaiety。　　Occasionally　she

seemed　to　glance　towards　their　obscure　corner；　but　neither　she　nor

her　mother　came　to　seek　the　man　who　had　been　toiling　all　the　week

to　maintain　their　idle　luxury。



As　Mrs。　Mayhew　and　her　daughter　were　preparing　for　dinner　on　the

following　day；　Mr。　Mayhew　entered　with　a　brisker　step　than　usual。



〃Why；　father；　where　have　you　been？〃　Ida　asked；　surprised　by　the

fact　that　he　had　not　been　drinking　and　dozing　in　his　room　all　the

morning。



〃I　have　been　shown　a　glimpse　of　something　that　I　have　not　seen　for

many　years。〃



〃Indeed；　and　what　is　that？〃



〃Beauty　that　seemed　beautiful。〃



〃That's　a　compliment　to　us；〃　remarked　Mrs。　Mayhew；　acidly。



〃I　mean　the　kind　of　beauty　which　does　one　good　and　makes　a　man　wish

that　he　were　a　man。〃



〃Do　you　mean　an　unmarried　man？〃　said　his　wife　with　a　discordant

laugh。



〃Probably　your　own　wishes　suggested　that　speech；　madam；〃　replied

the　husband；　bitterly。



〃And　pray；　where　did　you　find　so　much　beauty？〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；

ignoring　his　last　remark。



〃On　a　breezy　hill…side。　　It's　a　kind　of　beauty；　too；　that　one　can

enjoy　without　paying　numberless　bills　for　its　enhancement。　　I　refer

to　that　of　the　scenery。〃



〃Oh；〃　remarked　Mrs。　Mayhew；　indifferently；　〃it　would　have　been

more　to　your　credit　if　you　had　gone　to　church　instead　of　tramping

around　the　fields。〃



〃I　think　the　fields　have　done　more　for　me　than　church　for　you。〃



〃Why　so？〃　was　the　sharp　response。



〃They　have　at　least　kept　me　from　indulging　in　one　bad　habit。　　I　am

sober。〃



〃They　do　not　keep　you　from　making　ill…natured　remarks；〃　said　Mrs。

Mayhew；　sailing　out　of　the　room　fully　bedizened　for　the　solemnity

of　dinner。



〃You　say　you　were　'shown'　all　this　beauty；〃　remarked　Ida；　who　was

giving　the　finishing　touches　to　her　toilet　before　a　large　mirror；

and　by　whom　the　frequent　bickerings　of　her　parents　were　scarcely

noted。　　〃Who　officiated　as　showman？〃



〃A　man　who　understands　the　beauties　of　a　landscape　so　well　that　he

could　make　them　visible　even　to　my　dim　eyes；　and　attractive　to　my

deadened　and　besotted　nature。　　I'd　give　all　the　world　if　I　could

be　young；　strong；　and　hopeful　like　him；　again。　　It　was　good　of

himyes；　good　of　him；　to　try　to　cheer　a　stranger　with　pleasant

thoughts　and　sights。　　I　suppose　you　are　acquainted　with　Mr。　Van

Berg；　since　he　is　a　friend　of　Ik's？〃



〃No；　I'm　not；〃　was　the　sharp　reply；　〃nor　do　I　wish　to　be。〃



〃Why　not？〃　asked　Mr。　Mayhew　in　some　surprise。



〃It's　sufficient　that　I　don't　like　him。〃



〃He's　not　your　style；　I　suppose　you　mean　to　say？〃



〃Indeed　he　is　not。〃



〃So　much　worse　for　your　style；　Ida。〃



She　was　sweeping　petulantly　from　the　room　when　her　father　added

with　a　depth　of　feeling　very　unlike　his　wonted　apathy：　　〃O；　Ida；　it

were　better　that　all　three　of　us　had　never　been　born　than　to　live

as　we　do！　　Your　life　and　your　mother's　is　froth；　and　mine　is　mud。

How　I　hated　it　all　this　bright　June　morning；　as　Mr。　Van　Berg　gave

me　a　glimpse　into　another　and　better　world！〃



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　Mr。　Van　Berg　presumed　to　criticise　my　mode

of　life？〃　Ida　asked　with　a　darkening　face。



〃Oh；　no；　no！　　How　small　and　egotistical　all　your　ideas　are！　　He

never　mentioned　you；　and　probably　never　thought　of　you。　　He　only

took　a　little　pains　that　a　tired　and　dispirited　man　might　see　and

feel　the　eternal　beauty　and　freshness　of　nature；　as　one　might　give；

in　passing；　a　cup　of　water　to　a　traveller。〃



〃I　don't　see　what　reason　you　have　for　feeling　and　appearing　so

forlornly；　thus　asking　for　sympathy　from　strangers；　as　it　were；

and　causing　it　to　seem　as　if　we　were　making　a　martyr　of　you。　　As

for　this　artist；　with　his　superior　airs；　I　detest　him。　　He　never

loses　a　chance　to　annoy　and　mortify　me。　　I've　no　doubt　he　hoped

you　would　come　home　and　tell　us；　as　you　have；　how　much　better　he

was　than…〃



〃There；　there；　quit　that　kind　of　talk　or　I'll　be　drunk　in　half

an　hour。〃　said　her　father；　harshly。　　〃If　you　had　the　heart　of　a

woman；　let　alone　that　of　a　daughter；　you　would　thank　the　man　who

had　unwittingly　kept　me　from　making　a　beast　of　myself　for　one　day

at　least。　　Go　down　to　your　dinner；　I'm　in　no　mood　for　eating。〃



She　went　without　a　word；　but　with　a　more　severe　compunction　of

conscience　than　she　had　ever　felt　before　in　her　life。　　Her　father's

face　and　words　smote　her　with　a　keen　reproach；　piercing　the　thick

armor　of　her　vanity　and　selfishness。　　She　saw；　for　a　moment；　how

unnatural　and　unlovely　she　must　appear　to　him；　in　spite　of　her

beauty；　and　the　thought　crossed　her　mind：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg　despises　me　because　he　sees　me　in　the　same　light。

How　I　hate　his　cold；　critical　eyes！〃



Even　at　his　far　remove　Van　Berg　could　see　that　she　was　ill　at

ease　during　the　dinner　hour。　　There　would　be　times　of　forced　and

unnatural　gayety；　followed　by　a　sudden　cloud　upon　the　brow　and

an　abstracted　air；　as　if　her　thoughts　had　naught　to　do　with　the

chattering　group　around　her。　　It　would　also　appear　that　her　appetite

was　flagging　unusually；　and　once　or　twice　he　thought　she　darted　an

angry　look　towards　him。



As　if　something　were　burdening　her　mind；　she　at　last　left　the　table

hastily；　before　the　others　were　through　with　their　dessert。



As　may　be　surmised；　she　sought　her　father's　room。　　Receiving　no　response

to　her　knock；　she　entered　and　saw　at　a　glance　the　confirmation　of

her　fears。　　Her　father　sat　in　an　arm…chair　with　his　head　upon　his

breast。　　A　brandy　bottle　stood　on　the　table　beside　him。　　At　the

sound　of　her　step　he　looked　up　for　a　moment　with　heavy　eyes；　and

mumbled：



〃He　ain't　of　your　style；　is　he？　　Nor　of　mine；　either。　　Froth　and

mud！〃



Ida　gave　a　sudden　stamp　of　rage　and　disgust；　and　whirled