a face illumined- 第95部分

annoy　her　she　was　rather　amused　by　it。　　She　had　seen　the　genuine

thing；　you　know；　and　thus　I　was　the　only　one　imposed　upon　by　a

sentiment　which　at　the　time　received　the　unqualified　approval　of

my　infallible　reason　and　judgment。　　The　very　superior　Mr。　Harold

Van　Berg　once　declined　your　acquaintance；　as　you　may　remember。　　Take

your　full　revenge　upon　him　now；　for　you　see　to　what　a　battered　and

dilapidated　condition　of　body　and　mind　he　has　been　reduced。　　He

has　developed　a　genius　for　blundering　and　getting　himself　and　other

people　into　trouble；　that　is　quite　sublime。　　If　ever　a　man　needed

daily　advice　and　counsel；　he　does；　and　the　incalculable　service

that　you　have　rendered　him　in　this　respect　leads　him　to　come　to

you　again。〃



〃Indeed；　sir；〃　said　Ida；　turning　away　with　a　crimson　face；　〃I　have

no　further　advice　to　give　you。　　Mr。　Eltinge　will　soon　be　back；

take　him　as　your　counsellor。　　I'm　going　to　gather　some　flowers　for

dinner。〃



He　at　once　was　on　his　crutches　and　in　close　pursuit；　but　she

flitted　away　before　him　till　in　despair　he　returned　to　the　rustic

seat。　　Then　she　shyly　and　hesitatingly　began　to　approach；　apparently

absorbed　in　tying　up　her　flowers。



〃Haven't　you　observed　that　I　am　a　cripple？〃　he　asked。



〃I　have　observed　that　you　are　a　very　nimble　one。〃



〃I　think　you　are　very　cruel　to　treat　a　helpless　man　in　this　style。〃



〃Indeed；　sir；　I　have　not　taken　away　your　crutches。　　When　you　spoke

of　a　helpless　man；　to　whom　did　you　refer？〃



〃I　thought　you　once　said　that　mercy　was　'twice　bless'd。'〃



〃That's　a　truism　that　has　become　a　little　trite。　　Don't　you　think

Mr。　Eltinge　will　like　my　bouquet？〃



〃Here　is　a　flower　that　to　me　is　worth　all　that　ever　bloomed。　　Come

and　tell　me　if　you　still　recognize　it；〃　and　he　took　out　the　little

note…book　in　which　was　pressed　the　imperfect　and　emblematic　rose…bud。



〃Poor　little　thing！〃　Ida　sighed；　looking　over　his　shoulder；　〃how

faded　it　has　become！〃



By　a　motion　that　was　almost　instantaneous　he　dropped　the　note…book

and　caught　her　hand。　　〃Yes；　Ida；〃　he　said　eagerly；　it　is　faded；　but

it　grows　dearer　to　me　daily；　as　you　will　long　after　the　exquisite

color　has　faded　from　your　face。　　Ida　Mayhew；　the　brook　has　stopped

now　because　it　cannot　help　itself；　nor　will　it　ever　go　on　again；

even　in　spring　or　summer；　unless　it　bears　you　away　with　it。〃



She　turned　and　looked　him　full　in　his　eyes；　in　accordance　with　her

custom　when　she　felt　that　she　must　know　the　innermost　thoughts　of

the　speaker。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said　very　gravely；　〃let　that　little　emblem

there　remind　you　that　you　are　speaking　to　a　very　faulty　and　ignorant

girl。　　I　cannot　regain　in　a　few　weeks　what　I　have　lost　in　a　wasted

life。　　You　may　regret…〃



〃Hush；　Ida；　for　once　I　will　not　listen　to　you。　　When　I　believed

myself　dying　my　chief　thought　was　of　you；　and　when　I　heard　sounds

near　me；　in　my　half　unconscious　state　I　called　your　name。〃



〃Oh；　that　it　had　been　my　privilege　to　answer；〃　she　sighed。



〃You　saved　me　when　I　was　in　far　worse　peril；〃　he　resumed　in　words

that　flowed　like　a　torrent。　　〃You　saved　my　honor；　my　manhood；　you

saved　me　from　folly　that　would　have　blasted　my　life。　　I　owe　far　more

to　you　than　to　Jennie　Burton；　and　I　know　at　what　cost　to　yourself。

Ida；　I　shall　never　hide　anything　from　you。　　I　came　back　last　Monday

for　my　sketch…book；　and　I　heard　you　say：　　'It　would　be　easier　for

me　to　die　than　give　him　up　for　your　sake；　Jennie　Burton。'　　Then

only　I　learned　your　secret；　then　for　the　first　I　understood　your

self…sacrifice　for　the　sake　of　honor　and　duty。　　Until　then　I　thought

the　struggle　to　forget　would　be　on　my　part　only。　　From　that　moment

never　did　a　man　honor　a　woman　more　than　I　honor　and　reverence　you。

My　mother　gave　me　this　ring　and　told　me　never　to　part　with　it　until

I　found　a　woman　that　I　could　love　and　honor　even　more　than　her；

and　I　never　shall　part　with　it　till　I　put　it　on　your　hand；〃　and

she　had　scarcely　time　to　glance　down；　before　she　saw　a　diamond

glittering　on　her　engagement　finger。



〃I　gave　up　that　which　was　life　to　me　for　His　sake；　and　thus　soon　He

gives　back　to　me　far　more；〃　Ida　murmured；　and　she　rested　her　head

on　Van　Berg's　shoulder　with　a　look　of　infinite　content。　　A　moment

later　she　added：　　〃Oh；　I'm　so　glad　for　father's　sake。〃



〃Are　you　not　a　little　glad　for　your　own？〃



〃Oh；　Harold！　compare　thisGod's　way　out　of　trouble　with　the　one

I　chose！〃



〃The　past　has　gone　by　forever；　Ida；　and　you　have　received　your

woman's　soul　in　the　good　old…fashioned　way。　　In　my　heart　of　hearts

I　have　changed　your　name　from　Ida　to　Ideal。〃



They　had　not　noticed　that　Mr。　Eltinge　had　come　down　the　garden

walk　to　summon　them　to　dinner。　　The　old　gentleman　discovered　that

there　had　been　a　transformation　scene　in　his　absence；　although

he　took　off　his　spectacles　twice；　and　wiped　them　before　he　seemed

fully　satisfied　of　its　reality。



〃Ahem！　　I　fear　our　plain　dinner　will　be　a　very　prosaic　interruption；

but…〃　he　began。



〃Oh；　Mr。　Eltinge；〃　cried　Ida；　springing　to　him；　her　cheeks　putting

to　shame　any　flower　of　his　garden；　〃I　owe　all　this　to　you！〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　said　Mr。　Eltinge；　with　the　stately　courtesy　of　the

old　school；　〃with　your　permission　I　now　shall　take　full　payment；〃

and　stooping　down　he　kissed　her　tenderly；　with　a　fervent　〃God　bless

you；　my　child！　　God　bless　you　both！　　I　thought　it　would　all　end　in

this　way。〃



It　was　late　in　the　day　when　Ida　drove　up　to　the　steps　of　the　Lake

House　and　assisted　Van　Berg　to　alight　with　a　care　and　solicitude

that　Stanton；　who　was　grimly　watching　them；　thought　a　trifle　too

apparent。　　She　gave　a　hasty　side…glance　to　her　cousin；　but　would

not　trust　herself　to　do　more　in　the　presence　of　others。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　would　like　to　see　you　alone　a　few　moments；〃　said

Stanton　in　a　low　tone。



The　artist　hobbled　cheerfully　into　one　of　the　small　private　parlors；

and　stretched　himself　out　very　luxuriously　on　the　sofa；　saying　as

he　did　so；　〃Take　the　rocking…chair；　Ik。〃



〃No；　sir；〃　said　Stanton　stiffly。　　〃I　shall　trespass　but　a　few

moments　on　your　timeonly　long　enough　to　keep　a　promise　and　perform

a　duty。　　In　circumstances　that　you　can　scarcely　have　forgotten；

you　assured　me　that　I　was　in　honor　bound　to　give　my　cousin；　Miss

Mayhew；　a　brother's　care。　　You　asserted　very　emphatically　that　with

her　peculiar　temperament　she　ought　to　be　saved　from　any　serious

trouble。　　What　I　then　promised　from　a　sense　of　duty　I　now　perform

from　warm　affection。　　As　far　as　a　brother's　love　and　care　is

concerned；　Ida　Mayhew　is　my　sister；　and　as　a　brother　I　insist；　in

view　of　your　relations　with　Miss　Burton；　that　you　do　not　give　to

her　so　much　of　your　society。　　Not　that　I　mean　to　insinuate　in　the

faintest　possible　way；　that　my　cousin　entertains　for　you　anything

more　than　an　ordinary　and　friendly　regard。　　It　is　my　intention

only　to　remind　you　that　your　course　has　been　a　little　peculiar　of

late；　to　say　the　least；　and　that　it　is　often　far　better　to　prevent

trouble　than　remedy　it。〃



〃The　mischief　is　all　done；　Ik；　you　are　too　late。〃



〃What　do　you　mean；　sir？〃



〃Well；　one　thing　at　a　time。　　Miss　Burton　has　refused　me　absolutely。〃



〃I　don't　wonder！〃　said　Stanton　indignantly。



〃Nor　I　either；　Ik。　　You　are　a　hundredfold　more　worthy　of　her　than

I　am　or　ever　was。　　I　once　regarded　myself　as　slightly　your　superior；

Isaac；　but　circumstances　have　proved　that　you　have　enough　good

metal　in　you　to　make　a　dozen　such　men　as　I　am。〃



〃I　want　explanations；　not　compliments；〃　said　Stanton　sternly。



〃Sit　down；　and　I'll　tell　you　everything。　　Then　you　can　brain　me

with　one　of　the　crutches；　if　you　wish；〃　and　Van　Berg　related　to

Stanton　substantially　all　that　occurred　between　himself　and　Jennie

Burton。　　〃She　said　I　could　tell　you　after　she　was　gone；　but　I　think

it　is　best　you　should　know　before。　　She　understands　and　honors

you；　and　you　should　understand　her。　　Her　heart　is　buried　so　deep

in　some　unnamed；　unmarked　grave　that　it　will　find；　I　fear；　no

resurrection　on　earth。　　I　told　you　the　first　day　she　came　to　this

house　that　she　had　had　an　experience　that　separated　her　from　ordinary

humanity；　and　also　predicted　that　she　would　wake　you　up　and　make

a　man　of　you。　　She　has　made　you　a　prince　among　men。　　You　are　my

elder　brother；　Ik；　from　this　time　forth；　and　I　won't　put　on　any　more

airs　with　you。　　As　I　said；　your　remarks　in　regard　to　your　cousin

came　a　little　late。　　You　see；　my　ring　is　gone；　and　you　know　I　have

often　laughingly　told　you　that　my　mother　gave　it　to　me　on　conditions

that　made　it　very　safe　property。　　I　have　parted　with　it；　however；

and　very　honestly　too；　but　you　will　see　it　again；　soon。〃



〃Van；〃　said　Stanton；　with　a　slight　quaver　in　his　voice；　and　a　very

sickly　attempt　at　his　old　humor；　〃I　have　forfeited　my　wager　that

followed　your　prediction；　which　I　thought　so　absurd　at　the　time；

but　I'll　forgive　you　everything；　and　bestow　my　blessing　on　you　and

Ida；　if　you　will　paint　me　a　portrait　of　Miss　Burton。〃



〃The　best　I　can　possibly　make；　Ik；　and　she　shall　look　as　she　did

when　she　called　you　a　true；　noble…hearted　gentleman。〃



Van　Berg　now　found　no　difficulty　in　bringing　about　a　friendship

between　Ida　and　Jennie　Burton；　and　the　two　maidens　spent　the　greater

part　of　Sabbath　afternoon　together。　　Ida　hid　nothing　in　her　full

confidence；　not　even　the　crime　that　had　been　in　her　thoughts；　and

which　might　have　destroyed　the　life　that　now　was　growing　so　rich

and　beautiful。　　When　her　pathetic　story　was　completed；　Jennie　said：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg　has　told　me　some　things　in　your　favor　that　you　have

omitted。　　I　cannot　flatter　myself　now　that　my　love　is　stronger　than

yours；　but　you　are　stronger；　you　are　braver。　　What　is　the　secret　of

your　strength？　　Your　religion　seems　to　do　you　more　good　than　mine

does　me。〃



〃Well；　Jennie；〃　said　Ida　musingly；　there　seems　to　me　this　difference。

〃You　have　a　God；　I　have　a　Saviour；　you　have　a　faith；　I　h