a face illumined-第65节

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stern；　white　face；　and　heard　him　mutter：　　〃What　were　you　to　me

that　you　should　commit　this　awful　deed　and　lay　it　at　my　door；　thus

blighting　a　life　full　of　the　richest　promise　with　your　horrible

shadow？〃



〃Thank　God；　thank　God！〃　she　cried　passionately。　　〃It's　all　like　a

dreadful　dream　and　never　happened。〃



〃Why；　Ida；　what　IS　the　matter？〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；　coming　in　hastily。



〃I　had　a　bad　dream；〃　said　Ida；　with　something　like　a　low　sob。



〃Ida；　I　want　you　to　see　the　doctor；　to…day。　　You　haven't　acted　like

yourself　for　over　two　weeks。〃



〃Mother；　what　time　is　it？〃



〃Ten　o'clock　and　after。〃



〃Please　draw　the　curtain。　　I　want　to　see　the　sunlight。〃



〃The　sun　is　very　hot　to…day。〃



〃Is　it？〃　　Then　under　her　breath　she　murmured：　　〃Thank　God；　so　it

is。〃



She　arose　and　began　making　her　toilet　slowly；　for　the　languor　of

her　long　sleep　and　excessive　fatigue　was　on　her　still。　　But　thought

was　very　busy。　　The　subject　uppermost　in　her　mind　was　the　promised

visit　to　old　Mr。　Eltinge；　and　she　resolved　to　go　at　once；　if　it

were　a　possible　thing。　　Mrs。　Mayhew　having　again　referred　to　her

purpose　of　sending　for　a　physician；　Ida　turned　to　her　and　said；

decisively：



〃Mother；　do　you　not　realize　that　I　am　not　a　child？　　What　is　the　use

of　sending　for　a　doctor　when　I　will　not　see　him？　　I　askI　insist

that　you　and　Mr。　Stanton　interfere　with　me　no　longer。〃



〃My　goodness；　Ida；　shall　not　I；　your　own　mother；　take　any　care　of

you？〃



〃It　is　too　late　in　the　day　now　to　commence　taking　care　of　me。　　You

have　permitted　me　to　grow　up　so　wanting　in　mental　and　moral　culture

that　you　naturally　suspect　me　of　the　vilest　action。　　Henceforth

I　take　care　of　myself；　and　act　for　myself；〃　and　she　abruptly　left

the　room　and　went　to　Mr。　Burleigh's　office；　requesting　that　the

light　phaeton　and　a　safe　horse；　such　as　she　could　drive；　should　be

sent　around　to　he　door　at　once。



〃Miss　Ida；　you've　not　been　well。　　Do　you　think　you　had　better　go

out　in　the　heat　of　the　day？〃　asked　Mr。　Burleigh；　kindly。



She　looked　at　him　a　moment；　and　then　said；　a　little　impulsively；

〃Mr。　　Burleigh；　I　thank　you　for　speaking　to　me　in　that　way。　　Yes；

I　wish　to　go；　and　think　I　shall　be　better　for　it。〃



As　she　entered　the　large　hall；　Van　Berg；　who　had　been　on　the　watch；

rose　to　greet　her；　but　she　merely　bowed　politely　and　distantly；

and　passed　at　once　into　the　dining　room。　　After　a　hasty　breakfast

she　returned　to　her　room　by　a　side　passage；　and　prepared　for　her

expedition；　paying　no　heed　to　her　mother's　expostulations。



Van　Berg　was　on　the　piazza　when　she　came　down；　but　she　passed　him

swiftly；　giving　him　no　time　to　speak　to　her；　and　springing　into　the

phaeton；　drove　away。　　His　anxiety　was　so　deep　that　he　took　pains　to

note　the　road　she　took；　and　then　waited　impatiently　for　her　return。



After　driving　several　miles；　and　making　a　few　inquiries　by　the

way；　Ida　found　herself　approaching　an　old…fashioned　house　secluded

among　the　hills。



It　was　on　a　shady　side　road；　into　which　but　few　eddies　from　the

turbulent　current　of　worldly　life　found　their　way。



The　gate　stood　hospitably　open；　and　she　drove　in　under　the　shade　of

an　enormous　silver　poplar；　whose　leaves　fluttered　in　the　breathless

summer　air；　as　if　each　one　possessed　a　separate　life　of　its　own。



As　she　drew　near　to　the　house　she　saw　old　Mr。　Eltinge　coming　from

his　garden　to　greet　her。



〃I　had　about　given　you　up；〃　he　said；　〃and　so　you　are　doubly　welcome。

Old　people　are　like　children；　and　don't　bear　disappointments　very

well。〃



〃Did　you　really　want　to　see　me　very　much？〃　Ida　asked；　as　he　assisted

her　to　alight。



〃Yes；　my　child；〃　he　replied；　gravely；　holding　her　hand　in　a　strong；

warm　grasp。　　〃I　felt；　from　your　manner　last　evening；　you　were

sincere。　　You　come　on　an　errand　that　is　most　pleasing　to　my　Master；

and　I　welcome　you　in　his　name　as　well　as　my　own。〃



〃Perhaps　if　you　knew　all　you　would　not　welcome　me；〃　she　said　in　a

low　tone；　turning　away。



〃Only　for　one　cause　could　I　withdraw　my　welcome；〃　he　said；　still

more　gravely。



〃What　is　that？〃　she　asked　in　a　lower　tone；　not　daring　to　look　at

him。



〃If　you　are　not　sincere；〃　he　replied；　looking　at　her　keenly。



Giving　him　her　hand　again；　and　looking　up　into　his　face；　she　said；

earnestly：



〃Mr。　Eltinge；　I　am　sincere。　　I　could　not　be　otherwise　with　you

after　your　words　last　night。　　I　come　to　you　in　great　trouble；　with

a　burdened　heart　and　conscience；　and　I　shall　tell　you　everything；

and　then　you　must　advise　me；　for　I　have　no　other　friend　to　whom　I

can　go。〃



〃Oh；　yes；　you　have；　my　child；〃　said　the　old　man；　cheerily。　　〃The

One　they　called　the　'Friend　of　sinners'　is　here　to…day　to　welcome

you；　and　is　more　ready　to　receive　and　advise　you　than　I　am。　　I'm

not　going　to　do　anything　for　you　but　lead　you　to　him　who　said；

'Come　unto　me；　all　ye　that　are　heavy　laden；'　and；　'Whosoever　cometh

I　will　in　nowise　cast　out。'〃



〃How　much　you　make　those　words　mean；　as　you　speak　them；〃　faltered

Ida。　　〃You　almost　lead　me　to　feel　that　not　far　away　there　is　some

one；　good　and　tender…hearted；　who　will　take　me　by　the　hand　with

reassuring　kindness；　as　you　have。〃



〃And　you　are　right。　　Why；　bless　you；　my　child；　religion　doesn't　do

us　much　good　until　we　learn　to　know　our　Lord　as　'good　and　tender…hearted；'

and　so　near；　too；　that　we　can　speak　to　him；　whenever　we　wish；　as

the　disciples　did　in　old　times。　　So　don't　be　one　bit　discouraged；

see；　I'll　fasten　your　horse　right　here　in　the　shade；　and　by　and　by

I'll　have　him　fed；　for　you　must　spend　the　day　with　us；　and　not　go

back　until　the　cool　of　the　evening。　　It　hasn't　seemed　hospitable

that　you　should　have　stood　so　long　here　under　the　trees；　and　I

didn't　mean　that　you　should；　but　things　never　turn　out　as　we　expect。〃



〃It　is　often　well　they　don't；〃　thought　Ida；　as　she　looked　around

the　quiet　and　quaintly　beautiful　spot；　to　which　a　kind　Providence

had　brought　her。　　It　seemed　as　if　her　burden　already　were　beginning

to　grow　lighter。



〃Now　come　in；　my　child；　and　tell　me　all　your　trouble。〃



〃Please；　Mr。　Eltinge；　may　I　not　go　back　with　you　into　the　garden？〃



〃Yes；　why　not？　　We　can　talk　there　just　as　well；〃　and　he　led　her

to　a　rustic　seat　in　a　shady　walk；　while　from　a　tool…house　near　he

brought　out　for　himself　a　chair　that　had　lost　its　back。



〃I'll　lean　against　this　pear…tree；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　young　and

strong；　and　owes　me　a　good　turn。　　Now；　my　child；　tell　me　what　you

think　best；　and　then　I'll　tell　you　of　One　whose　word　and　touch

cures　every　trouble。〃



But　poor　Ida　had　sudden　and　strong　misgivings。　　As　she　saw　the

old　gentleman　surrounded　by　his　flowers　and　fruits；　as　she　glanced

hesitatingly　into　his　serene；　quiet　face；　from　which　the　fire　and

passion　of　youth　had　long　since　faded；　she　thought。　　〃So　Adam　might

have　looked　had　he　never　sinned　but　grown　old　in　his　beautiful

garden。　　This　aged　man；　who　lives　nearer　heaven　than　earth；　can't

understand　my　wicked；　passionate　heart。　　My　story　will　only　shock

and　pain　him；　and　it's　a　shame　to　pollute　this　place　with　such　a

story。〃



〃You　spoke　as　if　you　were　alone　and　friendless　in　the　world；〃　said

Mr。　Eltinge；　trying　to　help　her　make　a　beginning。　　〃Are　you　an

orphan？〃



〃No；〃　said　Ida；　with　rising　color；　and　averting　her　face。　　〃My

parents　are　both　living。〃



〃And　yet　you　cannot　go　to　them？　　Poor　child！　　That　is　the　worst

kind　of　orphanage。〃



〃Oh；　Mr。　Eltinge；　this　place　seems　like　the　garden　of　Eden；　and　I

am　bringing　into　it　a　heart　full　of　trouble　and　wickedness。〃



〃Well；　my　child；〃　replied　the　old　gentleman；　with　a　smile。　　〃I've

brought　here　a　heart　full　of　trouble　and　wickedness　many　a　time；

so　you　need　not　fear　hurting　the　garden。〃



〃But　I　fear　I　shall　pain　and　shock　you。〃



〃I　hope　you　will。　　I'm　going　to　feel　with　and　for　you。　　What's　the

good　of　my　sitting　here　like　a　post？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Ida；　desperately；　〃I　promised　to　tell　you　everything；

and　I　will。　　If　there　is　any　chance　for　me　I'll　then　know　it；　for

you　will　not　deceive　me。　　Somehow；　what　I　am　and　what　I　have　to　say

seemed　in　such　sad　contrast　with　you　and　your　garden　that　I　became

afraid。　　You　asked　about　my　parents。　　My　father　is　a　very　unhappy

man。　　He　seems　to　have　lost　hope　and　courage。　　I　now　begin　to　see

that　I　have　been　chiefly　to　blame　for　this。　　I　do　nothing　for　his

comfort。　　Indeed；　I　have　been　so　occupied　with　myself　and　my　own

pleasure　that　I　have　given　him　little　thought。　　He　does　not　spend

much　of　his　time　at　home；　and　when　I　saw　him　he　was　always　tired；

sad；　and　moody。　　He　seemed　to　possess　nothing　that　could　minister

to　my　pride　and　pleasure　save　money；　and　I　took　that　freely；　with

scarcely　even　thanks　in　return。



〃I　don't　like　to　speak　against　my　mother；　but　truth　compels　me　to

add　that　she　acts　much　in　the　same　way。　　I　don't　think　she　loves

papa。　　Perhaps　our　treatment　is　the　chief　reason　why　life；　seemingly；

has　bec