a face illumined-第18节

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am　very　glad　that　the　final　event　confirmed　my　opinion。〃



As　they　were　by　this　time　near　to　the　hotel；　others　who　had　been

alarmed　by　seeing　the　horses　tearing　up　to　the　stable　door；　now

hastily　joined　them；　and　last；　but　not　least；　Mrs。　Mayhew　came

panting　upon　the　scene。　　Van　Berg　felt　the　hand　of　the　young　lady

trembling　in　nervous　apprehension　upon　his　arm；　from　which；　in　her

embarrassment；　she　forgot　to　remove　it。　　But　the　artist　did　not

fail　her；　and　in　answer　to　Mr。　Burleigh's　eager　questions　as　to

the　cause　of　the　accident；　explained　all　so　plausibly；　and　in　such

a　matter…of…fact　manner　as　left　little　more　even　to　be　surmised。

His　brief　and　prosaic　history　of　the　affair　concluded　with　the

following　implied　tribute　to　his　companion；　which　still　further

relieved　her　from　fear　of　ridicule：



〃Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　said；　〃instead　of　jumping　out；　after　the　frantic

terror…blinded　manner　of　most　people；　remained　in　the　stage　and

so　has　escaped；　I　trust；　with　nothing　worse　than　a　slight　lameness

caused　by　the　violent　motion　of　the　vehicle。　　I　will　now　resign　her

to　your　care；　Mr。　Stanton；　and　I　am　glad　to　believe　that　the　occasion

will　require　the　services　of　the　wheelwright　and　harness…maker　only；

and　not　those　of　a　surgeon；〃　and　lifting　his　hat　to　Mrs。　Mayhew

and　her　daughter　he　bowed　himself　off　the　scene。



Ida；　leaning　on　the　arm　of　her　cousin；　limped　appropriately　to　her

room；　whither　she　had　her　dinner　sent　to　her；　more　for　the　purpose

of　gaining　time　to　compose　her　nerves　than　for　any　other　reason。



The　impression　that　she　had　behaved　courageously　in　peril　was

rapidly　increased　as　the　story　was　repeated　by　one　and　another；　and

she　received　several　congratulatory　visits　in　the　afternoon　from

her　lady　acquaintances；　and　when　she　came　down　to　supper　she　found

that　she　was　even　a　greater　heroine　than　Miss　Burton　had　been。　　In

answer　to　many　sympathetic　inquiries；　she　said　that　she　〃felt　as

well　as　ever；〃　and　she　tried　to　prove　it　by　her　gayety　and　careful

toilet。



But　she　was　decidedly　ill　at　ease。　　Her　old　self…complacency　was

ebbing　away　faster　than　ever。　　From　the　time　that　it　had　first　been

disturbed　by　the　artist's　frown　in　the　concert　garden；　she　had　been

conscious　of　a　secret　and　growing　self…dissatisfaction。



It　seemed　to　be　this　stranger's　mission　to　break　the　spell　vanity

and　flattery　had　woven　about　her。　　The　congratulations　she　was　now

receiving　were　secured　by　a　fraudulent　impression；　if　not　by　actual

falsehood；　and　she　permitted　this　impression　to　remain　and　grow。

The　one；　who　above　all　others　she　most　feared　and　disliked；　knew

this。　　In　smilingly　accepting　the　compliments　showered　upon　her

from　all　sides　she　felt　that　she　must　appear　to　him　as　if　receiving

stolen　goods；　and　she　believed　that　in　his　heart　he　despised　her

more　thoroughly　than　ever。



To　the　degree　that　he　caused　her　disquietude　and　secret　humiliation；

her　desire　to　retaliate　increased；　and　she　resolved；　before　the

day　closed；　to　use　her　beauty　as　a　weapon　to　inflict　upon　him　the

severest　wound　possible。　　If　it　were　within　the　power　of　her　art

she　would　bring　him　to　her　feet　and　keep　him　there　until　she　could；

in　the　most　decided　and　public　manner；　spurn　his　abject　homage。

She　would　have　no　scruple　in　doing　this　in　any　case；　but；　in　this

instance；　success　would　give　her　the　keenest　satisfaction。



His　very　desire　for　her　acquaintance；　as　she　understood　it；　was

humiliating；　and；　in　a　certain　sense；　demoralizing。　　Her　other

suitors　had　imagined　that　she　had　good　traits　back　of　her　beauty；

and　hitherto　she　had　been　carelessly　content　to　believe　that　she

could　display　such　traits　in　abundance　should　the　occasion　require

them。　　Here　was　one；　however；　who；　while　despising　the　woman；　was

apparently　seeking　her　for　the　sake　of　her　beauty　merely；　and　her

woman's　soul；　warped　and　dwarfed　as　it　was；　resented　an　homage　that

was　seemingly　sensuous　and　superficial；　and　would；　of　necessity；

be　transient。　　In　her　ignorance　of　Van　Berg's　motives；　and　in　the

utter　impossibility　of　surmising　them；　she　could　scarcely　come　to

any　other　conclusion；　and　she　determined　to　punish　him　to　the　utmost

extent　of　her　ability。



Thus　it　came　to　pass　that　Miss　Mayhew　had　designs　against　Van　Berg

that　were　not　quite　as　amiable　as　those　of　the　artist　in　regard　to

herself。



Stanton；　in　a　low　tone；　remarked　to　her　at　the　supper　table；　〃Now

that　fate　has　throw　you　and　Van　Berg　together　in　such　a　remarkable

manner〃　（the　young　lady　colored　deeply　at　this　unfortunate　expression

and　looked　at　him　keenly）；　〃I　trust　that　you　will　yield　gracefully

to　destiny　and　treat　him　with　ordinary　courtesy　when　you　meet。

Otherwise　you　may　occasion　surmises　that　will　not　be　agreeable　to

you。〃



〃Has　he　been　telling　you　anything　about　this　morning？〃　she　asked

quickly。



〃Nothing　more　than　he　said　in　your　presence。　　Why；　was　there　anything

more　to　tell？〃



〃Certainly　not；　but　he　made　ill…natured　remarks　about　me　oncethat

is；　you　said　he　didand　why　should　he　not　again？〃



〃Well；　he　has　not。　　I　think　he　spoke　very　handsomely　of　you　this

morning。　　I　hope　he　didn't　exaggerate　your　good　behavior。〃



〃If　you　prefer　to　believe　ill　of　me　you　are　welcome　to　do　so。　　For

my　part；　I　believe　you　exaggerate　what　Mr。　Van　Berg　said　at　the

concert；　and　that　he　never　meant　to　be　so　rude。　　As　far　as　I　can

judge；　he　has　shown　no　such　unmannerly　disposition　since　coming

here。〃



〃Indeed；　you　are　right。　　I　think　his　disposition　has　compared

favorably　with　your　own。〃



〃Well；〃　she　replied；　with　a　peculiar　smile；　〃we　are　on　speaking

terms　for　the　present。〃



〃That　smile　bodes　no　good…will　towards　my　friend；　but　for　once　you

will　find　a　man　who　will　not　fall　helplessly　in　love　with　your　mere

beauty。〃



〃If　you　will　glance　at　yonder　table　you　can　see　that　Miss　Burton

has　already　so　absorbed　him　that　he　has　eyes　for　no　one　else。〃



〃They　have　jolly　good　times　at　that　table。　　I　wish　we　were　there。〃



〃Indeed！　are　you　bewitched　also？　　I　can't　see　what　it　is　that　people

find　so　attractive　in　that　plain…looking　girl。〃



〃Well；　for　one　thing；　she　has　a　mind。　　Beauty　without　mind　is　like

salad　without　dressing。〃



〃And　do　you　mean　to　say　that　I　have　no　mind？〃　Ida　asked；　with　a

sudden　flush。



〃My　dear　Coz；　we　were　speaking　solely　of　Miss　Burton。　　Indeed；　I

think　you　have　a　very　decided　will　of　your　own。〃



〃I　understand　you。　　Well；　in　what　other　respects　is　Miss　Burton　my

superior？〃



〃I　doubt　if　Miss　Burton　ever　thinks　of　herself　as　superior　to　any

one；　and　that's　another　very　amiable　trait　in　her。〃



〃Can　you　not　sum　up　her　perfections　a　little　more　rapidly？　　Life

is　short；〃　remarked　Ida；　acidly。



〃Come；　Coz；　let　me　get　you　some　sweet…oil　before　you　finish　your

supper。　　You　know　you　are　the　handsomest　girl　in　the　State；　and

that's　distinction　enough　for　one　woman。　　To　you；　Miss　Burton　is

only　a　plain　school…teacher。　　Why　should　you　envy　her？〃



〃I　do　not　envy　her；　nor　can　I　see　why　people　are　so　carried　away

with　her。〃



〃It　IS　remarkable　to　see　what　an　impression　she　has　made　in　two

brief　days。　　Of　course　her　courage　in　saving　the　child　served　as

a　general　and　favorable　introduction；　but　it　does　not　by　any　means

explain　her　growing　popularity。　　For　some　reason　or　other　those

about　her　always　seem　to　be　having　a　good　time。　　See　how　animated

and　pleased　is　the　expression　of　all　the　faces　at　her　table　yonder。

It　was　the　same　on　the　croquet…ground　this　morning。　　She　effervesced

like　champagne；　and　before　we　knew　it　we　were　all　in　a　state　of

exhilaration　and　the　morning　had　gone。〃



〃I　hate　these　bold；　forward　women　who　are　quick　to　become　acquainted

with　every　one。　　A　man　of　this　type　is　bad　enough；　but　a　woman　is

unendurable。〃



〃I　agree　with　you　in　the　abstract　most　heartily；　but　the　only　bold

thing　that　I　have　seen　Miss　Burton　do　was　to　run　under　the　feet

of　my　horses。　　You　might　as　well　call　a　ray　of　sunshine　bold　and

forward；　and　people　like　sunshine　when　it　is　as　nicely　tempered　as

her　manner　is。　　I　confess　that　when　I　first　learned　who　she　was；　and

before　I　had　met　her　personally；　I　was　greatly　prejudiced　against

her；　but　one　would　have　to　be　a　churl　indeed　to　remain　proof　against

her　genial　good…nature。　　For　my　part　I　intend　to　enjoy　it；　as　I　do

all　the　other　good　things　the　gods　throw　in　my　way。〃



〃The　gods　would　indeed　be　careless　to　leave　any　good　things　within

your　reach；　unless　they　were　meant　for　you；〃　snapped　Ida。



〃Good　for　you；　Coz；　your　ride　with　Van　Berg　has　already　brightened

you　up。　　There　is　no　telling　what　you　might　not　become　if　you

would　only　associate　with　men　who　had　sufficient　brains　not　to　grow

spooney　over　your　pretty　face。〃



As　Ida　and　her　mother　passed　out　on　the　piazza；　Van　Berg　joined

them　and　said：



〃I　am　glad　to　see　that　you　have　so　fully　recovered；　Miss　Mayhew。

You　prove　again　that　you　possess　go