a face illumined-第25节

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by　eating　green　apples；〃　ejaculated　Mr。　Burleigh　with　a　despairing

gesture。　　〃Why　do　you　mock　me　with　petitions？　　THERE　is　the　power

behind　the　throne；〃　pointing　to　Miss　Burton。



〃Take　your　places；　small　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　she　cried。　　〃That's

Mr。　Burleigh's　way　of　saying　yes。　　While　you　are　forming；　I'll　play

a　few　bars　to　give　you　the　time。〃



Did　she　bewitch　the　piano　that　it　responded　so　wonderfully　to

her　touch？　　Where　had　she　found　such　quaint；　dainty　music；　simple

as　the　old…fashioned　dance　itself；　so　that　the　little　ones　could

keep　time　to　it；　and　yet　pleasing　Van　Berg's　fastidious　ear　with

its　unhackneyed　and　refined　melody。　　But　the　marked　and　marvellous

feature　in　her　playing　was　an　airy　rolicksomeness　that　was　as

irresistible　as　a　panic。　　Old　ladies'　heads　began　to　bob　over　their

fancy　work　most　absurdly。　　Two　quartets　of　elderly　gentlemen　at

whist　were　evidently　beginning　to　play　badly；　their　feet　meantime

tapping　the　floor　in　a　most　unwonted　manner。



〃Were　I　as　dead　as　Julius　Caesar　I　could　not　resist　that　quickstep；〃

cried　Stanton；　and　he　rushed　over　to　his　aunt；　Mrs。　Mayhew；　and

dragged　her　into　line。



〃What　in　the　name　of　all　the　witches　of　Salem　has　got　into　that

piano！〃　cried　Mr。　Burleigh；　bursting　into　the　parlor　from　the

office；　with　his　pen　stuck　behind　his　ear；　and　his　hair　brushed

up　perpendicularly。　　〃There's　sorcery　in　the　air。　　I'm　practised

uponKeep　still？　　No；　not　if　I　was　nailed　up　in　one　of　the

soldier's　'wooden　overcoats。'　The　world　is　transformed；　transfigured；

transmogrified；　and　'things　are　not　what　they　seem！'　　Here's

a　blooming　girl　who'll　dance　with　me；〃　and　he　seized　the　hand　of

a　white…haired　old　lady　who　yielded　to　the　contagion　so　far　as　to

take　a　place　in　the　line　beside　her　granddaughter。



Indeed；　in　a　few　moments；　all　who　had　been　familiar　with　the　pastime

in　their　youth；　caught　the　joyous　infection；　and　lengthened　out

the　lines；　each　new　accession　being　greeted　with　shouts　and　laughter。



The　scene　approached　in　character　that　described　by　Hawthorne

as　occurring　in　the　grounds　of　the　Villa　Borghese　when　Donatello；

with　a　simple　〃tambourine；〃　produced　music　of　such　〃indescribably

potency〃　that　sallow；　haggard；　half…starved　peasants；　French　soldiers；

scarlet…costumed　contadinas；　Swiss　guards；　German　artists；　English

lords；　and　herdsmen　from　the　Campagna；　all　〃joined　hands　in　the

dance〃　which　the　musician　himself　led　with　the　frisky；　frolicsome

step　of　the　mythical　faun。



In　the　latter　instance　it　was　a　contagious；　mad　excitement　easily

possible　among　hot…blooded　people　and　wandering　pleasure…seekers；

the　primal　laws　of　whose　being　are　impulse　and　passion。　　That　the

joyous　exhilaration　which　filled　Mr。　Burleigh's　parlor　was　akin

to　the　wild；　half　pagan　frenzy　that　the　great　master　of　fiction

imagined　as　seizing　upon　the　loiterers　near　the　Villa　Borghese　cannot

be　denied。　　Both　phases　of　excitement　would　spring　naturally　from

the　universal　craving　for　pleasurable　life　and　activity。　　The

one；　however；　was　a　rank　growth　from　a　rank　soilthe　passionate

ebullition　of　passion…swayed　natures；　the　other　was　inspired　by

the　magnetic　spirit　of　a　New　England　maiden；　who；　by　some　law　of

her　nature　or　consecration　of　her　life；　devoted　every　power　of　her

being　to　the　vivifying　of　others；　and　the　frolic　she　had　instigated

was　as　free　from　the　grosser　elements　as　the　tossing　wild　flowers

of　her　native　hills。　　With　the　exception　perhaps　of　Van　Berg；　she

had　impressed　every　one　as　possessing　a　peculiarly　sunny　temperament。

Be　this　as　it　may；　it　certainly　appeared　true　that　she　found　her

happiness　in　enlivening　others；　and　it　is　difficult　even　to　imagine

how　much　a　gifted　mind　can　accomplish　in　this　respect　when　every

faculty　is　devoted　to　the　ministry　of　kindness。



This　view　of　Miss　Burton's　character　would　account　in　part；　but　not

wholly；　for　the　power　she　exercised　over　others。　　Van　Berg　thought

he　at　times　detected　a　suppressed　excitement　in　her　manner。　　A

light　sometimes　flickered　in　her　deep　blue　eyes　that　might　have

been　caused　by　a　consuming　and　hidden　fire；　rather　than　by　genial

and　joyous　thoughts。



As　he　watched　her　now　through　the　parlor　window；　her　eyes　were

burning；　her　face　reminded　him　of　a　delicate　flame；　and　her　whole

being　appeared　concentrated　into　the　present　moment。　　In　its　vivid

life　it　seemed　one　of　the　most　remarkable　faces　he　ever　saw；　but

the　thought　occurred　again　and　again〃If　the　features　of　Ida　Mayhew

could　be　lighted　up　like　that　I'd　give　years　of　my　lifetime　to　be

able　to　paint　the　beauty　that　would　result。〃



Just　at　this　moment　he　saw　that　young　lady　approach　the　parlor

entrance　with　an　expression　of　wonder　on　her　face。　　He　immediately

joined　her；　and　she　said：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　what　miracle　has　caused　this　scene？〃



〃Come　with　me　and　I'll　show　you；〃　he　answered　and　he　led　her　to

the　window　opposite　to　Miss　Burton；　where　she　sat　at　the　piano。

〃There；〃　he　said；　〃is　the　miracle；a　gifted；　magnetic；　unselfish

woman　devoting　herself　wholly　to　the　enjoyment　of　others。　　She

has　created　more　sunshine　this　dismal　day　than　we　have　had　in　the

house　since　I've　been　here。　　Is　not　that　face　there　a　revelation？〃



〃A　revelation　of　what？〃　she　asked　with　rising　color。



〃Of　the　possibilities　of　the　human　face　to　grow　in　beauty　and

power；　if　kindled　by　a　noble　and　animating　mind。　　Ye　gods！〃　cried

the　artist；　expressing　the　excitement　which　he　felt　in　common　with

others　in　accordance　with　the　law　of　his　own　ruling　passion；　〃but

I　would　give　much　to　reproduce　that　face　on　canvas；〃　and　then

he　added　with　a　despairing　gesture；　〃but　who　can　paint　flame　and

spirit？〃



After　a　moment　he　exclaimed；　with　flushed　cheeks　and　flashing　eyes：

〃It　appears　to　me　that　if　kindled　by　such　a　mind　as　that　which　is

burning　in　yonder　face；　I　could　attempt　anything　and　accomplish

everything。　　Limitations　melt　away　before　a　growing　sense　of　power。

What　an　inspiration　a　woman　can　be　to　a　man；　or　what　a　mill…stone

about　his　neck；　according　to　what　she　is！　　Ah！…〃



The　cause　of　this　exclamation　cannot　be　explained　in　the　brief　time

that　it　occurred。　　Stanton　had　happened　at　that　moment　to　catch　a

glimpse　of　Van　Berg　and　his　cousin；　and　he　called　quite　loudly：



〃Harold；　bring　Miss　Mayhew　in　and　join　us。〃



At　the　same　instant　Mr。　Burleigh's　heavy　step　passing　near　the　piano；

jarred　down　a　picture　that　was　hung　insecurely；　and　it　fell　with

a　crash　at　Miss　Burton's　side。　　Was　it　the　shock　of　the　falling

picture　upon　unprepared　and　overstrained　nerves；　or　what　was　it　that

produced　the　instantaneous　change　in　the　joyous…appearing　maiden？

Her　hands　dropped　nerveless　from　the　keys。　　So　great　was　the　pallor

that　swept　over　her　face　that　it　suggested　to　he　artist　the　sudden

extinguishment　of　a　lamp。　　She　bowed　her　head　and　trembled　a　moment

and　then　escaped　by　a　side　door。



Van　Berg　walked　hastily　to　the　main　entrance；　thinking　she　was

ill；　but　only　saw　her　vanishing　up　the　stairway　with　hasty　steps。

Many　of　the　dancers；　in　their　kindly　solicitude；　had　tried　to　intercept

her；　but　had　been　too　late。　　It　would　seem　that　all　ascribed　her

indisposition　to　a　nervous　shock。



〃It　is　evident；〃　said　the　lady　who　had　been　conversing　with　her

when　she　had　acted　in　a　like　manner　on　the　first　day　of　her　arrival；

〃that　she　possesses　a　highly　sensitive　organism；　which　suddenly

gives　way　when　subjected　to　a　strain　too　severe；〃　and　she　remained

Van　Berg　of　her　former　manifestation　of　weakness。



He　accepted　this　view　as　the　most　natural　explanation　that　could

be　given。











Chapter　XV。　　Contrasts。









Genuine　and　genial　were　the　words　of　sympathy　that　were　expressed

on　every　side　for　the　young　lady　who　had　been　transforming　the

dull　day　into　one　of　exceptional　jollity。　　A　deputation　of　ladies

called　upon　her；　but　from　within　her　locked　door　she　confirmed　the

impression　that　it　was　a　nervous　shock；　and　that　a　few　hours　of

perfect　quiet　would　restore　her。



And　it　would　seem　that　she　was　right；　for　she　came　down　to　supper

apparently　as　genial　and　smiling　as　ever。　　Beyond　a　slight　pallor

and　a　little　fulness　about　her　eyes；　Van　Berg　could　detect　no　trace

of　her　sudden　indisposition。



The　remainder　of　the　day　was　passed　more　quietly　by　the　guests

of　the　Lake　House；　but　the　force　of　Miss　Burton's　example　did　not

spend　itself　at　once；　and　on　the　part　of　some　there　was　developed

quite　a　marked　disposition　to　make　kindly　efforts　to　promote　the

enjoyment　of　others。　　The　unwonted　exhilaration　with　which　she

had　inspired　her　fellow　guests　was　something　they　could　scarcely

account　for；　and　yet　the　means　employed　had　been　so　simple　and　were

so　plainly　within　the　reach　of　all；　as　to　suggest　that　a　genial

manner　and　an　unselfish　regard　for　others　were　the　only　conditions

required　to　enable　each　one　to　do　something　to　brighten　every　cloudy

day。



After　Miss