a face illumined-第16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！





〃Look　here；　Stanton；　were　I　a　theologian　I'd　make　a　note　of　that。

Miss　Burton　has　discovered　a　logic　that　routs　superstition。〃



Van　Berg　quite　longed　for　the　supper　hour；　that　he　might　resume

conversation　with　the　interesting　stranger；　and　he　was　promptly

in　his　place　at　the　table。　　But　she　did　not　appear。　　The　lady　with

whom　she　had　been　conversing；　remarked：



〃She　was　taken　suddenly　ill；　just　as　you　and　your　friend　drove

away　this　afternoon。　　Learning　from　Mr。　Burleigh　that　she　is　here

alone　and　without　friends；　I　knocked　at　her　door　before　I　came

down；　and　asked　if　I　could　do　anything　for　her。　　She　said　that　she

would　be　better　in　the　morning；　and　that　all　she　needed　was　perfect

quiet。　　It's　strange　how　suddenly　she　was　taken　ill！　　She　seemed

perfectly　well　one　moment；　and　then　she　fled　to　her　room　as　if　the

ghost　were　in　pursuit。　　I　suppose　it　was　reaction　from　excitement；

or　she　may　have　some　form　of　heart　disease。〃



〃Are　heart　difficulties　so　serious　as　that　with　ladies？〃　asked　Van

Berg　with　a　smile。



〃I　never　had　acute　symptoms　of　any　kind；〃　the　lady　replied。　　〃Indeed

I　think　I　am　a　trifle　cold　and　matter…of…fact　in　my　disposition；

but　I　began　to　thaw　so　perceptibly　under　Miss　Burton's　influence

that　I　became　quite　interested　in　her。　　I　think　I　deserve　some　credit

for　saving　the　child　also；　for　it　was　I　who　kept　her　talking　in　the

doorway。　　Most　people　are　a　weariness　to　me；　and　I　was　surprised

to　find　so　marked　an　exception。〃



It　must　not　be　supposed　that　Van　Berg's　interest　in　the　new　arrival

had　led　him　to　forget　the　motive　which　had　brought　him　to　the　Lake

House。　　This　would　not　be　in　accordance　with　his　character；　and

as　far　as　possible；　he　had　been　closely　observant　of　Miss　Mayhew

during　the　scenes　of　the　afternoon。　　He　had　been　rewarded　by

discovering；　for　the　first　time；　that　she　was　at　least　capable　of

a　good　and　generous　impulse；　for　her　face　had　been　expressive　of

genuine　admiration　and　gladness　when　she　saw　Miss　Burton　with　the

rescued　child　in　her　arms　after　the　carriage　swept　by。　　In　this

expression　he　obtained　a　clearer　hint　than　he　had　ever　before

received　of　the　beauty　that　might　be　her　constant　possession　could

the　mean　and　marring　traits　of　her　character　be　exchanged　for

qualities　in　harmony　with　her　perfect　features。　　But　while　this

gleam；　this　flash　of　ideal　beauty　increased　his　desire　for　success

in　his　experiment；　the　young　lady's　bearing　towards　him　was　as

discouraging　as　ever。　　If　he　had　not　been　at　Miss　Burton's　side；

he　believed　that　she　would　have　come　forward　and　offered　her

congratulations　as　had　several　other　ladies。　　It　would　seem　that

her　vanity　had　been　so　severely　wounded　she　would　never　forgive

him；　and　he　determined　he　would　no　longer　make　a　martyr　of　himself

by　playing　the　agreeable　to　all　in　the　hotel　in　the　hope　that；

by　pouring　so　much　oil　on　the　waters；　even　her　asperity　might　be

removed。　　He　half　believed　that　she　recognized　his　effort　to　form

her　acquaintance；　and　found　a　malicious　pleasure　in　thwarting　him。

Therefore；　he　decided　to　take　his　sketch…book　and　go　off　upon

the　hills　in　the　morning；　thus　enjoying　a　little　respite　from　his

apparently　philanthropic　labors。



Before　he　left　the　breakfast　table　the　following　day；　Miss　Burton

appeared。　　He　thought　he　detected　an　ominous　redness　about　her

eyes；　as　well　as　the　pallor　which　would　be　the　natural　result　of

illness；　but　she　seemed　to　have　recovered　her　spirits；　and　the　rather

quiet　and　self…absorbed　little　group　that　had　hitherto　seriously

devoted　themselves　to　steak　and　coffee；　speedily　brightened　up

under　her　pleasantries。　　Indeed　she　kept　them　lingering　so　long

that　the　Mayhews　and　Stanton　passed　out　before　them；　the　latter

casting　a　wistful　glance　at　the　cheerful　party；　for　he　had　been

having　a　stupid　time。



When；　much　later　than　he　expected；　he　started　on　his　brief　sketching

excursion　he　found　that　his　mind　was　kindled　and　aglow　with　pleasant

thoughts；　and　that　the　summer　landscape　had　been　made　sunnier　by

the　sunny　face　he　had　just　left。



But　as　he　plodded　his　way　back　late　in　the　afternoon；　the　sunbeams；

no　longer　genial；　became　oppressive；　and　he　was　glad　to　hail　one

of　the　hotel　stages　that　was　returning　from　a　neighboring　village。



The　vehicle　already　contained　two　adult　passengers。　　One　was

a　stout；　red…faced　woman　with　a　baby　and　an　indefinite　number　of

parcels；　and　the　other　wasIda　Mayhew；　who　was　returning　from　a

brief　shopping　excursion。



As　the　latter　saw　Van　Berg　enter　she　colored；　bit　her　lip；　half

frowned；　and　looked　steadfastly　away　from　him。　　Thus　the　stage

lumbered　on　with　its　oddly　assorted　inmates；　that；　although　belonging

to　the　same　human　family；　seemed　to　have　as　little　in　common　as　if

each　had　come　from　a　different　planet。　　That　Miss　Mayhew　looked　so

resolutely　away　from　him　was　rather　to　Van　Berg's　advantage；　for

it　gave　him　a　chance　to　compare　her　exquisite　profile　with　the

expanse；　slightly　diversified；　of　the　broad　red　face　opposite。



The　stout　woman　held　her　baby　as　if　it　were　a　bundle；　and　stared

straight　before　her。　　As　far　as　Van　Berg　could　observe；　not　a　trace

of　an　idea　or　a　change　of　expression　flitted　across　the　wide　area

of　her　sultry　visage；　and　he　found　himself　speculating　as　to　whether

the　minds　of　these　two　women　differed　as　greatly　as　their　outward

appearance。　　Indeed　he　questioned　whether　one　had　any　more　mind

than　the　other；　and　was　inclined　to　think　that　despite　their　widely

separated　spheres　of　life　they　were　equally　dwarfed。



While　he　was　thus　amusing　himself　with　the　contrasts；　physical

and　metaphysical；　which　the　two　passengers　opposite　him　presented；

the　stout　woman　suddenly　looked　out　of　the　window　at　her　side；　and

then；　in　a　tone　that　would　startle　the　quietest　nerves；　shouted　to

the　driver：



〃Hold　on！〃



Miss　Mayhew　half　rose　from　her　seat　and　looked　around　with　something

like　dismay；　but　as　she　only　encountered　Van　Berg's　slightly　humorous

expression；　she　colored　more　deeply　than　before；　and　recalled　her

eyes　to　the　farther　angle　of　the　stage　with　a　fixedness　and　rigidity

as　great　as　if　it　had　contained　the　head　of　Medusa。



Meantime　the　driver　drew　up　to　a　small　cottage　by　the　road…side；

and　scrambled　down　from　his　seat　that　he　might　assist　the　stout

woman　with　her　accumulation　of　bundles。　　She　handed　him　out　the

baby；　preferring　to　look　after　the　more　precious　parcels　herself。

Van　Berg　politely　held　the　door　open　for　her；　but　just　as　she　was

squeezing　through　the　stage　entrance　with　her　arms　full　and　had　her

foot　on　the　last　step；　her　cottage　door　flew　open　with　something

to　the　effect　of　an　explosion；　and　out　burst　three　or　four　children

with　a　perfect　din　of　cries　and　shouts。　　Two　vociferous　dogs　joined

in　the　sudden　uproar；　the　hitherto　drowsy　horses　started　as　if　a

bomb…shell　had　dropped　under　their　noses；　and　speedily　broke　into

a　mad　gallop；　leaving　the　stout　woman　prostrate　upon　her　bundles

in　the　road；　and　the　driver　helplessly　holding　her　baby。



Miss　Mayhew's　cold　rigidity　vanished　at　once。　　Indeed　dignity　was

impossible　in　the　swaying；　bounding　vehicle。　　There　was　a　momentary

effort　to　ignore　her　companion；　and　then　terror　overcame　all

scruples。　　Turning　her　white　face　towards　him；　she　exclaimed：



〃Are　we　not　in　great　danger？〃



〃I　admit　I　would　rather　be　in　my　chair　on　Mr。　Burleigh's　piazza。

With　your　permission；　I　will　come　to　your　end　of　the　stage　and

speak　to　the　horses　through　the　open　window。〃



〃Oh；　comedo　anything　under　heaven　to　stop　these　horrid　beasts。〃



Van　Berg　edged　his　way　up　a　little　past　Miss　Mayhew；　and　began

speaking　to　the　frightened　horses　in　firm；　quiet　tones。　　At　first

they　paid　no　heed　to　him；　and　as　the　stage　made　a　sudden　and

desperate　lurch；　the　young　lady　commenced　to　scream。



〃If　you　do　that　you　will　insure　the　breaking　of　both　our　necks；〃

said　Van　Berg；　sharply。　　〃If　you　will　keep　quiet　I　think　I　can

stop　them。　　See；　we　have　quite　a　stretch　of　level　road　beyond　us；

before　we　come　to　a　hill。　　Give　me　a　chance　to　quiet　them。〃



The　terror…stricken　girl　kept　still　for　a　moment；　and　then　started

up；　saying



〃I　shall　spring　out。〃



〃No；　Miss　Mayhew；　you　must　not　do　that；〃　said　Van　Berg；　decidedly。

〃You　must　be　greatly　injured；　and　you　would　with　almost　certainty

be　disfigured　for　life　if　you　sprang　out　upon　the　stony　road。　　You

could　not　help　falling　on　your　face。〃



〃Oh；　horrible！〃　she　exclaimed。



At　the　next　heavy　lurch　of　the　stage　she　half…rose　again　to　carry

out　her　rash　purpose；　but　the　artist　seized　her　hand　and　held　her

in　her　place；　at　the　same　time　speaking　kindly　and　firmly　to　the

horses。　　They　now　began　to　heed　his　voice；　and　to　recover　from

their　panic。



〃See；　Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　only　to　control　yourself　a

few　moments　longer；　and　our　danger　is　over。〃



〃Oh；　do　stop　them；　quick；〃　she　gasped；　clinging　to　his　hand　as　i