a face illumined-第3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！





The　German's　〃hist〃　had　been　so　fierce　as　to　be　almost　like　a　rap

from　a　policeman's　club；　and　there　was　an　enforced　and　temporary

suspension　of　the　inane　chatter。　　The　attendant　youth　tried

to　assume　the　incensed　and　threatening　look　with　which　an　ancient

gallant　would　have　laid　his　hand　on　the　hilt　of　his　sword。　　But

some　animals　and　men　only　become　absurd　when　they　try　to　appear

formidable。　　It　was　ludicrous　to　see　him　weakly　frowning　at　the

sturdy　Teuton　who　had　already　forgotten　his　existence　as　completely

as　he　might　that　of　a　buzzing　mosquito　he　had　exterminated　with　a

slap。



They　young　girl's　face　grew　even　less　satisfactory　as　it　became

more　quiet。　　A　muddy　pool；　rippled　by　a　breeze；　will　sparkle　quite

brilliantly　while　in　motion；　but　when　quiet　it　is　seen　the　more

plainly　to　be　only　a　shallow　pool。　　At　first　the　beautiful　features

expressed　only　petty　resentment　at　the　public　rebuke。　　As　this

faintly　lurid　light　faded　out　and　left　the　countenance　in　its　normal

state　it　became　more　heavy　and　earthy　in　its　expression　than　Van

Berg　would　have　deemed　possible；　and　it　ever　remained　a　mystery　to

him　how　features　so　delicate；　beautiful；　and　essentially　feminine

could　combine　to　show　so　clearly　that　the　indwelling　nature

was　largely　alloyed　with　clay。　　there　was　not　that　dewy　freshness

in　the　fair　young　face　which　one　might　expect　to　see　in　the　early

morning　of　existence。　　The　Lord　from　heaven　breathed　the　breath　of

life　into　the　first　fair　woman；　but　this　girl　might　seem　to　have

been　the　natural　product　of　evolution；　and　her　soul　to　be　as　truly

of　the　earth　as　her　body。



It　was　evident　that　she　had　been　made　familiar　too　early　and

thoroughly　with　conventional　and　fashionable　society；　and；　although

this　fraction　of　the　world　is　seldom　without　its　gloves；　its　touch

nevertheless　had　soiled　her　nature。　　Her　face　did　not　express　any

active　or　malignant　principle　of　evil；　but　a　close　observer；　like

Van　Berg；　in　whom　the　man　was　in　the　ascendant　over　the　animal；　could

detect　the　absence　of　the　serene；　maidenly　purity　of　expression；

characteristic　of　those　girls　who　have　obtained　their　ideas　of　life

from　good　mothers；　rather　than　from　French　novels；　French　plays；

and　a　phase　of　society　that　borrows　its　inspiration　from　fashionable

Paris。



With　the　ending　of　the　symphony　the　chatting　and　flirting　at　the

table　began　again；　to　Van　Berg's　increased　disgust。　　Indeed；　he

was　so　irritated　that　he　could　no　longer　control　himself；　and　rose

abruptly；　saying　to　his　companion：



〃Come；　let　us　walk　outside。〃



His　sudden　movement　drew　the　young　lady's　attention；　but　by　this

time　he　had　only　his　broad　shoulders　turned　towards　her。　　She　saw

Ik　Stanton　looking　at　her；　however；　with　a　face　full　of　mischief；

and　she　recognized　him　with　a　nod　and　a　smile。



He；　with　the　familiarity　that　indicated　relationship；　but　with　a

motion　too　slight　to　be　noticed　by　others；　threw　her　a　kiss　from

the　tips　of　his　fingers；　as　one　might　toss　a　sugar…plum　to　a　child；

and　then　followed　his　friend。











Chapter　II。　　Ida　Mayhew。









What　is　the　matter；　Van？　　You　remind　me　of　a　certain　horned　beast

that　has　seen　a　red　flag；〃　said　Ik　Stanton；　linking　his　arm　in　that

of　Van　Berg's。



〃An　apt　illustration。　　I　have　been　baited　and　irritated　for　the

last　twenty　minutes。〃



〃I　thought　you　enjoyed　Beethoven's　music；　and　surely　Thomas　rendered

it　divinely　to…night。〃



〃That　is　one　of　the　chief　of　my　grievances。　　I　haven't　been　able

to　hear　a　note；〃　was　the　wrathful　response。



〃That's　strange；〃　said　Stanton　with　mock　gravity。　　〃Were　I　not

afraid　you　would　take　it　amiss　I　would　hint　that　your　ears　are　of

goodly　size。　　How　comes　it　that　they　have　so　suddenly　failed　you？〃



〃Having　seen　your　dinner　you　have　no　eyes　for　anything　else。　　If

you　had；　you　would　have　seen　a　face　near　us。〃



〃I　saw　a　score　of　faces　near　us。　　A　German　had　one　with　the　area

of　an　acre。〃



〃Was　he　the　one　who　said；　'hist；'　like　a　blast　from　the　North？〃



〃From　a　porpoise　rather。〃



〃Did　you　observe　the　girl　towards　whom　his　gusty　rebuke　was　directed？〃



〃Yes；　an　inoffensive　young　lady。〃



〃Inoffensive；　indeed！〃　interrupted　Van　Berg。　　〃She　has　put　me　into

purgatory。〃



〃You　do　seem　quite　ablaze。　　Well；　you　are　not　the　first　one　that

she　has　put　there。　　But　really；　Van；　I　did　not　know　that　you　were

so　inflammable。〃



〃If　you　had　any　of　the　instincts　of　an　artist　you　would　know　that

I　am　inflamed　with　no　gentler　feeling　than　anger。〃



〃Why！　what　has　the　poor　child　done　to　you？〃



〃She　is　not　a　child。　　She　knows　too　much　about　some　things。〃



〃I've　no　doubt　she　is　better　than　either　you　or　I；〃　said　Stanton；

sharply。



〃That　fact　would　be　far　from　proving　her　a　saint。〃



〃What　the　dickens　makes　you　so　vindictive　against　the　girl？〃



〃Because　she　has　the　features　of　an　angel　and　the　face　of　a　fool。

What　business　has　a　woman　to　mock　and　disappoint　one　so！　　When　I

first　saw　her　I　thought　I　had　discovered　a　prizea　new　revelation

of　beauty；　but　a　moment　later　she　looked　so　ineffably　silly　that

I　felt　as　if　I　had　bitten　into　an　apple　of　Sodom。　　Of　course　the

girl　is　nothing　to　me。　　I　never　saw　her　before　and　hope　I　may　never

see　her　again；　but　her　features　were　so　perfect　that　I　could　not

help　looking　at　them；　and　the　more　I　looked　the　more　annoyed　I　became

to　find　that；　instead　of　being　blended　together　into　a　divine　face

by　the　mind　within；　they　were　the　reluctant　slaves　of　as　picayune

a　soul　as　ever　maintained　its　microscopic　existence　in　a　human

body。　　It　is　exasperating　to　think　what　that　face　might　be；　and

to　see　what　it　is。　　How　can　nature　make　such　absurd　blunders？　　The

idea　of　building　so　fair　a　temple　for　such　an　ugly　little　divinity！〃



〃I　thought　you　artists　were　satisfied　with　flesh　and　blood　women；

if　only　put　together　in　a　way　pleasing　to　your　fastidious　eyes。〃



〃If　nature　had　designed　that　women　should　consist　only　of　flesh

and　blood　women；　if　only　put　together　in　a　way　pleasing　to　your

fastidious　eyes。〃



〃If　nature　had　designed　that　women　should　consist　only　of　flesh　and

blood；　one　would　have　to　be　content；　but　no　one　save　the　'unspeakable

Turk；'　believes　in　such　a　woman；　or　wants　her。　　Who　admires　such　a

fragment　of　a　woman　save　the　man　that　is　as　yet　undeveloped　beyond

the　animal？　　My　mother　is　my　friend；　my　companion；　my　inspiration。

The　idea　of　yonder　silly　creature　being　the　companion　of　a　MAN。〃



〃Good　evening；　Coz；〃　said　a　voice　that　was　a　trifle　shrill　and　loud

for　a　public　place；　and　looking　up；　the　friends　saw　the　subject

of　their　conversation；　who；　with　her　spindling　attendant　was　also

taking　a　promenade。



Stanton　raised　his　hat　with　a　smile；　while　Van　Berg　touched　his

but　coldly。



〃I　wish　to　speak　with　you；〃　she　said　in　passing。



〃I　will　join　you　soon；〃　Stanton　answered。



〃So　this　lady　is　your　cousin？〃　remarked　Van　Berg。



〃She　is；〃　said　Stanton　laughing。



〃You　will　do　me　the　justice　to　remember　that　I　spoke　in　ignorance

of　the　fact。　　If　I　were　you　I　would　give　her　some　cousinly　advice。〃



〃Bless　you！　　I　have；　but　it's　like　pouring　water　on　a　duck's

back。　　For　one　sensible　word　I　can　say　to　her　she　gets　a　thousand

compliments　from　rich　and　empty…headed　young　fools；　like　the　one

now　with　her；　who　will　eventually　be　worth　half　a　million　in　his

own　name。　　I　was　interested　to　see　how　her　face　would　strike　you；

and　I　imagine　that　your　estimate　has　hit　pretty　close　upon　the

truth；　for　in　my　judgment　she　is　the　prettiest　and　silliest　girl　in

New　York。　　She　has　recently　returned　from　a　year's　absence　abroad；

and　I　was　in　hopes　that　she　would　find　something　to　remember　besides

her　own　handsome　face；　but　I　imagine　she　has　seen　little　else　than

it　and　the　admiring　glances　which　everywhere　follow　her。　　Take　us

as　we　average；　Van；　Mr。　Darwin　has　not　go　us　very　far　along　yet；

and　if　the　face　of　a　woman　suits　us　we　are　apt　to　stare　at　it

as　far　as　such　politeness　as　we　possess　permits；　without　giving

much　thought　to　her　intellectual　endowments。　　When　it　comes　to

companionship；　however；　I　agree　with　you。　　Heaven　help　the　man　who

is　tied　to　such　a　woman　for　life。　　Still；　in　the　fashionable　crowd

my　cousin　trains　with；　this　makes　little　difference。　　The　husband

goes　his　way　and　the　wife　hers；　and　they　are　not　long　in　getting

a　good　ways　apart。　　But　come；　let　me　introduce　you；　I　have　always

thought　the　little　fool　had　some　fine　gold　mingled　with　her　dross；

and　you　are　such　a　skilful　analyst　that　perhaps　you　will　discover

it。〃



〃No；　I　thank　you；〃　said　Van　Berg；　with　a　slight　expression　of

disgust。　　〃I　could　not　speak　civilly　to　a　lady　that　I　had　just　seen

giggling　and　flirting　through　one　of　Beethoven's　finest　symphonies。〃



〃Well　well；〃　said　Stanton　laughing；　〃I　am　rather　glad　to　find　one

man　who　is　not　drawn　to　her　pretty　face　like　a　moth　to　a　candle。

I　will　join