a face illumined-第103节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



table；　which　Ida　seconded　with　a　tact　and　piquancy　but　little

inferior　to　that　of　Miss　Burton　herself。　　Straightforward　and

rather　slow…witted　Stanton　rubbed　his　eyes　and　vowed　between　the

first　hearty　laughs　he　had　known　for　many　a　long　day　that　he　was

practised　upon；　and　that　he　intended　to　have　Miss　Burton　indicted

as　a　witch；　and　Ida　as　an　accomplice。



But　Jennie　Burton　could　not　escape　the　ovation；　for　she　had　won

a　secure　and　large　place　in　the　esteem；　and　in　many　instances；　in

the　affections　of　her　summer　associates。　　After　dinner；　no　matter

which　way　she　turned；　hands　were　extended　and　hearty　words　spoken；

and　while　at　dinner　even　the　colored　waiters　grinned　approvingly

whenever　she　looked　towards　them。　　Mr。　Burleigh　finally　brought

the　congratulations　and　jollity　to　a　climax　by　hoisting　the　flag

and　trying　to　drum　〃Hail　Columbia〃　on　a　gong。



〃That's　his　way；〃　said　Mrs。　Burleigh　in　an　aside　to　Jennie；　〃but

would　you　believe　it；　the　poor　man　has　scarcely　eaten　or　slept

since　you　have　been　ill。　　If　it　had　been　any　one　else　but　you　I'd

been　jealous。〃



But　Van　Berg　knew　well　that　all　this　geniality　was　like　the　ripple

and　sparkle　that　play　above　deep　waters。　　Occasionally　he　found

Miss　Burton's　eyes　directed　towards　himself　in　a　way　that　caused

him　deep　anxiety；　and　he　had　an　uneasy　consciousness　that　she　was

reading　his　innermost　thoughts。　　While　he　exerted　his　utmost　power

to　banish　everything　from　his　mind　that　was　not　loyal　to　her；　he

made　no　effort　to　avoid　Ida　or　say　little　to　her　at　the　table　and

during　the　afternoon；　but　rather　took　pains　to　treat　her　with　frank

and　cordial　courtesy；　however；　in　spite　of　himself；　he　could　not

keep　out　of　his　eyes　at　all　times　the　reverence　and　gratitude　with

which　his　very　soul　overflowed；　for　he　felt　that　he　owed　to　Ida；

who　had　saved　his　manhood；　far　more　than　to　Jennie；　who　had　saved

his　life　only。



Ida　also　observed　Miss　Burton's　slight　and　carefully　disguised

scrutiny　with　a　fluttering　heart。　　〃I　suppose　he　does　the　best　he

can；〃　she　thought；　〃but　she'll　surely　find　him　out；　there　is　no

use　of　trying　to　hide　anything　from　a　woman　who　loves。　　Well；　well；

let　her　but　remain　discreetly　blind　for　a　little　time；　and　with

her　powers　of　fascination　she　will　win　him　heart　and　soul。〃



Before　Jennie　slept　that　night　her　mind　was　clear　as　to　her　course。

〃I　think；〃　she　murmured；　〃I　understand　them　both　now。　　His　manner

towards　Miss　Mayhew　is　certainly　not　that　of　a　conventional

lover；　but　as　I　have　seen　him　look　at　her　twice　as　if　he　could　say

his　prayers　to　her；　I　think　I'll　venture　on　the　only　match…making

I　ever　attempted。　　But　what　to　do　with　Mr。　Stanton；　I　don't　know。

Poor　man！　he　might　as　well　love　a　shadow　as　me；　and　yet　he　seems

so　simple；　honest；　and　real　himself。　　He　is　disappointing　me　daily；

and　I　have　wronged　him　very　much。　　I　thought　him　a　selfish　man　of

the　world；　but　he　persists　in　offering　me　a　chivalric；　unselfish

devotion；　for　which　he　asks　nothing　in　return。　　Alas！　I　can　give

him　nothingnothing　compared　with　what　he　gives。〃



〃I　am　going　to　make　my　last　visit　to　Mr。　Eltinge　and　the　old

garden；〃　said　Ida　to　Van　Berg　as　she　passed　him　on　the　piazza　the

following　morning。



He　looked　after　her　so　wistfully；　and　sighed　so　deeply；　that　Jennie

Burton；　unseen　herself；　smiled　as　if　she　had　discovered　something

that　gave　her　deep　satisfaction。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said　a　few　moments　later　〃can　you　give　me　a

little　of　your　valuable　time　to…day？〃



〃All　of　it；〃　he　said　promptly。



〃Thanks。　　I　shall　take；　then；　all　I　want。　　Come　with　me　to　yonder

shady　rustic　seat；　for　I　long　to　be　out　of　doors　again；　and　you

have　learned　to　hobble　so　gracefully　and　deftly　that　you　can　manage

the　journey；　I'm　sure。〃



He　accompanied　her；　wondering　a　little　at　her　words　and　manner。

When　they　had　reached　the　seclusion　she　sought　her　manner　changed；

and　she　became　very　grave　and　earnest；　for　she　felt　that　it　might

be　the　crisis　moment　of　two　lives；　and　she　was　not　one　who　could

self…complacently　and　confidently　seek　to　shape　human　destiny。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　not　use　any　tedious　circumlocution；

for　your　time　is　precious　this　morning；　more　so　than　you　think　at

this　moment。　　Nor　shall　I　try　to　entrap　you　by　guile　and　feminine

diplomacy；　but　you　made　me　a　very　explicit　pledge　when　I　found　you

last　Tuesday　morning。〃



〃Yes；　Jennie　Burton；　I　am　yours；　body　and　soul。〃



〃But　how　about　your　heart；　Mr。　Van　Berg？〃



〃My　heart　overflows　with　gratitude　to　you；〃　he　said　promptly；　but

with　rising　color；　〃and　as　I　said　when　you　rescued　me；　so　now　I

vow　again；　I　dedicate　my　life　to　you。　　I　do　not　ask　you　to　forget

the　past　all　at　onceI　do　not　ask　you　to　forget　it　at　allbut　only

to　let　me　aid　you　in　taking　the　bitterness　out　of　those　memories

that　now　are　destroying　as　sweet　and　beneficent　a　life　as　God　ever

gave。　　I　have　suspected　that　you　had　some　unselfish　guile　in　that

last　promise　you　obtained　from　me；　but　I　shall　be　loyal　to　the

promise　I　intended　to　make；　and　which　was　in　my　mind；　I　shall　be

loyal　to　the　promise　I　made　you　at　first；　to　win　you　if　I　could；

and　I　shall　wait　till　I　can。〃



〃What；　then；　will　Ida　Mayhew　do？〃　she　asked　looking　him　full　in

the　face。



He　colored　still　more　deeply；　but　meeting　her　searching　gaze　without

blenching；　he　said；　firmly　and　quietly：　　〃She　will　always　do　what

is　right　and　noble；　God　bless　her！〃



Miss　Burton　appeared　a　little　perplexed　and　troubled　for　a　moment；

and　then　said；　slowly：　　〃I　called　you　my　friend　last　July；　and　when

I　speak　in　the　mood　I　was　in　then　I　mean　all　that　I　say。　　Friends

should　be　very　frank　when　the　occasion　requires；　or　else　they　are

but　acquaintances。　　I　am　going　to　be　very　frank　with　you　to…day；

and　if　I　err；　charge　it　to　friendship　only。　　Ida　Mayhew　loves　you；

Mr。　Van　Berg；　she　has　loved　you　almost　from　the　first；　and　now　that

her　life　has　become　so　noble　and　beautiful；　I　am　greatly　mistaken

if　you　do　not　return　her　affection。　　If　this　be　true；　what　are　you

offering　me？〃



〃I　HAVE　given　you；　Miss　Burton；　my　truth　and　loyalty　for　all　coming

time。　　You　may　decline　them　nowyou　probably　willbut　you　cannot

change　my　attitude　towards　you　or　alter　my　course。　　I　shall　not

attempt　to　hide　anything　from　you。　　Indeed；　to　do　so　would　be　vain；

and　I　have　never　been　intentionally　insincere　with　you。〃　　Then　he

told　her　of　the　freak　of　fancy　that　had　led　him　to　follow　Ida　to

the　country　in　the　first　instance；　and　much　that　followed　since；

making　no　reference；　however；　to　her　dark　purpose　against　herself。

In　conclusion　he　said：　　〃Of　late；　for　reasons　obvious　to　you；　she

has　had　strong　fascinations　for　me；　but　above　and　beyond　these

has　been　her　influence　on　the　side　of　all　that's　right；　manly；　and

true。　　I　have　never　spoken　of　love　to　Miss　Mayhew。　　Honor；　loyalty；

unbounded　gratitude；　and　deep　affection　bind　me　to　you；　and　shall

through　life。　　Please　say　no　more；　Miss　Jennie；　for　if　any　question

was　ever　settled；　this　is。〃



〃Then　you　propose　to　sacrifice　yourself　and　Miss　Mayhew　for　the

shadowy　chance　of　making　me　a　little　happier？〃



〃I　shall　not　be　sacrificed；　and　Ida　Mayhew　would　justly　reject

me　with　scorn　were　I　disloyal　to　you。　　I　can　give　you　more　love；

Jennie　Burton；　than　I　fear　you　will　ever　give　me；　but　I　shall　wait

patiently。　　When　months　and　years　have　proved　to　you　the　truth　of

my　words；　you　may　feel　differently。　　Let　us　leave　the　subject　till

then。〃



〃Oh；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　shall　have　to　tell　you　after　all；〃　she　said

burying　her　face　in　her　hands。



〃You　need　not　now；〃　he　replied　gently。　　〃You　have　been　ill　and　are

not　strong　enough　for　this　agitation。　　You　never　need　to　tell　me

unless　it　will　make　your　burden　lighter。〃



〃It　will　make　my　burden　lighter　to…day；〃　she　said　hurriedly。　　〃Pardon

me　if　I　tell　my　story　in　the　briefest　and　most　prosaic　way。　　You

are　the　first　one　that　has　heard　it。　　It　may　not　seem　much　to　you

and　others；　but　to　me　it　is　an　awful　tragedy；　and　I　sometimes　fear

my　life　may　be　an　eternal　condition　of　suspense　and　waiting。　　You

have　been　very　generous　in　taking　me　so　fully　on　trust；　but　now

you　shall　know　all。　　I　am　the　only　daughter　of　a　poor；　unworldly

New　England　clergyman。　　My　mother　died　before　I　can　remember；　and

my　father　gave　to　me　all　the　time　he　could　spare　from　the　duties

of　a　small　village　parish。　　He　and　the　beautiful　region　in　which

we　lived　were　my　only　teachers。　　One　June　morning　Harrold　Fleetwood

came　to　the　parsonage　with　letters　of　introduction；　saying　that　his

physician　had　banished　him　from　books　and　city　life；　and　he　asked

if　he　could　be　taken　as　a　lodger　for　a　few　weeks。　　Poor　and　unworldly

as　father　was；　for　my　sake　he　made　careful　inquiries　and　learned

that　the　young　man　was　from　one　of　the　best　and　wealthiest　families

of　Boston；　and　bore　an　unblemished　reputation。　　Then；　since　we　were

so　very　poor；　he　yielded　to　Mr。　F