a face illumined-第68节

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and　vital　import　that　morning。　　Life　was　taking　on　new　aspects　that

were　so　unfamiliar　that　she　was　bewildered。　　She　went　back　to　the

garden；　and；　taking　Mr。　Eltinge's　seat；　leaned　against　the　emblematic

pear…tree；　which　she　curiously　began　to　associate　with　herself；

and　for　which　she　was　already　conscious　of　something　like　affection。



〃Oh；〃　she　sighed；　〃if　my　life　would　only　come　to　abound　with　deeds

corresponding　to　the　fruit　that　is　bending　these　boughs　above　me；

it　could　not　be　a　burden；　thought　it　might　be　very　sad　and　lonely。

I　now　begin　to　understand　Jennie　Burtonher　constant　effort　in

behalf　of　others。　　But　HE　will　comfort　her　before　long。　　Her　dark

days　are　nearly　over。　　No　matter　how　deep　or　great　her　troubles　may

have　been；　they　must　vanish　in　the　sunshine　of　such　a　man's　love。

I　wonder　if　he　has　spoken　plainly　yetbut　what　need　of　words？

His　eyes　and　manner　have　told　her　all　a　hundred　times。　　I　wish　she

could　be　my　friend；　I　wish　I　could　speak　to　her　plainly；　for　she

is　so　kind　and　wise；　but　I　must　shun　her；　or　else　she'll　discover

the　secret　that　I'd　hide　from　her　even　more　carefully　than　from　him；

if　such　a　thing　were　possible。　　I　wonder　if　they　ever　met　before

they　came　here。　　I　never　saw　one　human　being　look　at　another　as

she　sometimes　looks　at　him。　　I　believe　that　deep　in　her　heart　she

fairly　idolizes　him；　although　her　singular　self…control　enables

her；　as　a　general　thing；　to　treat　him　with　the　ease　and　frankness

of　a　friend。　　Well；　she　may　love　him　more　deeply　than　I　do　because

possessing　a　deeper　nature。　　I　can　but　give　all　I　have。　　But　I　think

my　love　would　be　like　the　little　brook　over　there。　　It's　not　very

deep　or　obtrusive；　but　Mr。　Eltinge　says　it　has　never　failed。　　Well；

well！　these　are　not　the　thoughts　for　me；　though　how　I　can　help　them

I　cannot　tell。　　I　will　try　to　win　a　little　respect　from　him　before

we　part；　and　then　my　life；　like　this　pear…tree；　must　be　full　of

good　deeds　for　those　who　have　the　best　right　to　receive　them；〃　and

taking　a　small　pen…knife　from　her　pocket　she　mounted　the　chair；　and

carved　within　the　two　lower　branches　where　they　could　not　easily

be　discovered　the　words；



〃Ida　Mayhew。〃











Chapter　XLII。　　The　Corner…Stone　of　Character。









After　the　characteristic　act　by　which　Ida　had　identified　the

treeonce　so　bruised　and　brokenwith　herself；　she　sat　down　again

at　its　foot　and　thought　long　and　deeply。　　The　deep　hush　and　quiet

of　the　quaint　old　garden　was　just　what　she　needed　after　the　delirium

of　her　passion　and　despair。　　Her　pulse　began　to　grow　more　even；

and　her　beautiful　face　sweet　and　noble　with　the　better　thoughts　she

now　was　entertaining。　　As　she　sat　there　leaning　her　head　against

the　bole　of　the　tree；　the　shadows　of　the　leaves　above　deepening

and　brightening　across　her　pale　features；　and　her　large；　dark　eyes

often　growing　humid　with　sympathy　with　her　thoughts；　she　made　as

fair　a　picture　as　could　Eve　herself；　were　she　dreaming　over　her

lost　garden…home。　　At　last　she　said　slowly：



〃I　wonder　if　it　will　be　possible　for　a　Divine　love　gradually　to

supplant　a　human　love？　　'Whom　to　know　is　eternal　life。'　　This　hope

seems　to　be　my　only　hopemy　only　remedy；　my　one　chance。　　I　must

soon　go　back　to　the　city；　where　I　cannot　see　good　old　Mr。　Eltinge；

where　I　will　no　longer　have　the　excitement　of　occasionally　meeting

Mr。　Van　Berg；　where　I　shall　be　fact　to　face　with　only　the　hard；

prosaic　difficulties　that　will　abound　in　the　world　without；　but

especially　in　my　own　home。　　I　plainly　foresee　that　I　shall　become

bitter；　selfish；　and　reckless　again；　unless　I　find　such　a　Friend

as　Mr。　Eltinge　describes；　who　will　give　me　daily　and　positive　help；

a　mere　decorous；　formal　religion　will　be　of　no　more　use　to　me　than

pictures　of　bread　to　the　famishing。　　I　must　have　a　strong；　patient

Friend　who　will　see　me　through　my　troubles；　or　I'm　lost。　　I　may

even　grow　as　desperate　and　wicked　as　I　have　been　again；〃　and　she

buried　her　face　in　her　hands　and　fairly　trembled　with　apprehension。



〃Come；　my　child；　cheer　up！　　All　will　end　well　yet。　　Take　an　old　man's

word　for　it。　　I've　lived　through　several　troubles　that　I　thought

would　finish　me；　thanks　to　the　good　Lord；　and　here　I　am　now；　safe

and　sound　and　in　the　possession　of　two　good　homesthis　one　and

the　better　one　over　the　river　they　say　is　so　dark。　　I　don't　believe

it's　much　more　of　a　river　to　the　Christian　than　yonder　little　brook；

but　I　can　tell　you；　my　child；　we'll　find　a　wonderful　difference

between　the　two　shores。〃



Ida　found　that　the　old　gentleman　had　joined　her　unperceived；　and

she　told　him　of　her　fears。



〃Now；　don't　worry；〃　he　answered；　〃about　what　will　happen　when　you

go　back　to　the　city。　　Christ　himself　has　said：　　'Sufficient　unto

the　day　is　the　evil　thereof。'　　Your　whole　duty　is　to　do　your　best

now；　and　he'll　take　care　of　the　future。　　He　did　not　call　himself

the　'Good　Shepherd'　for　nothing；　as　I　and　millions　of　others；　know

from　experience。　　He'll　see　you　over　all　the　hard　places；　if　you

ask　him　to；　and　just　follow　patiently。　　You　may　not　be　able　to　see

the　way　or　know　where　he　is　leading　you；　any　more　than　the　sheep；

but　the　path；　however　flinty　and　thorny；　will　end　in　the　fold。　　Of

that　be　assured。〃　　And　he　gave　her　one　or　two　sad　chapters　from

his　own　life　of　which　he　could　now　speak　calmly　and　understandingly。



As　they　were　about　to　part；　Ida　said：　　〃Mr。　Eltinge；　I'm　so　ignorant

that　I　have　not　the　remotest　idea　how　to　commence　this　Christian

life。　　I　greatly　wish　to　form　a　character　worthy　of　respect；　but

I　don't　know　how　to　set　about　it。〃



〃Commence　by　living　simple　and　true；　my　dear。　　Truthfulness　is

the　corner…stone　of　the　character　that　men　most　respect　and　God

will　honor。　　None　of　us　can　be　perfect；　but　we　can　all　be　honest；

and　pretend　to　be　no　better　than　we　are。　　Just　simply　follow　your

conscience；　pray　daily　for　light　and　guidance；　and　do　the　best　you

can。　　Live　up　to　the　light　as　you　get　it；　and　remember　the　good

Lord　will　be　as　patient　with　you　as　a　mother　with　her　baby　that　is

just　learning　to　walk。　　Be　truthful　and　sincere　as　you　have　been

with　me　to…day；　and　all　will　be　well。〃



Then　he　brought　a　step…ladder；　and　filled　a　little　basket　with　pears。

〃They'll　ripen　nicely　in　your　drawer；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　shouldn't

wonder　if　you　found　'em　kind　of　nourishing　to　your　soul　as　well　as

body；　now　you　know　how　they　grew。〃



With　a　promise　to　come　on　the　morrow　Ida　drove　away　more　cheered

and　comforted　than　she　had　thought　it　possible　ever　to　be　again。

But　as　she　approached　the　hotel　piazza；　and　saw　the　artist　talking

with　Jennie　Burton；　she　experienced　a　sinking　of　heart　that　taught

her　how　difficult　her　path　must　be　at　best。



Van　Berg　hastened　down　eagerly　to　assist　her　to　alight；　for　her

reappearance　lifted　a　terrible　load　of　anxiety　from　his　mind。　　In

spite　of　herself　the　color　rushed　into　the　cheeks　which　of　late

had　become　so　pale；　and　the　hand　she　gave　him　trembled　as　he　helped

her　from　the　phaeton。



〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　glad　I　am　to　see　you　again。　　I've　been

oppressed　with　fear　all　day；〃　he　could　not　forbear　saying；　in　a

low　tone。



〃I　suppose　you　naturally　felt　that　you　could　not　trust　me；〃　she

replied；　averting　her　face。　　〃I've　been　spending　the　day　with　a

friend。〃



〃Forgive　me；〃　he　said　eagerly。　　〃I　seem　fated　to　wound　you；　but　I

wish　they　might　hereafter　be　the　wounds　of　a　friend。〃



She　would　not　trust　herself　to　look　up　till　she　became　more　composed；

but　could　not　resist　the　impulse　to　say：　　〃Do　friends　give　only

wounds？〃



Van　Berg　bit　his　lip　and　followed　her　slowly　up　the　steps。



〃I　see　from　your　basket；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　kindly；　〃that　you　have

been　foraging。　　I　hope　you　had　good　success。〃



〃Yes；　I　think　I've　been　successful；〃　replied　Ida；　who　was　desperately

sorry　that　Miss　Burton　had　intercepted　her　and　must　see　her　burning

cheeks。　　〃I　have　not　found　roses；　as　you　did；　but　perhaps　these

are　more　in　keeping　with　my　prosaic　and　material　nature；〃　and　she

lifted　the　cover　and　offered　the　fruit。



〃You　treat　me　better　than　I　did　you；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　smilingly；

and　ignoring　an　implied　satire　which　Ida　had　not　intended。　　〃I　did

not　give　you　any　of　my　roses。〃



Ida　shot　a　side　glance　at　the　artist　which　said　to　him　plainly：



〃But　Mr。　Van　Berg　did；〃　and　he　flushed　deeply。



Then　she　selected　a　superb　pear；　and　after　looking　at　it　keenly　a

moment；　handed　it　to　him　with　the　low　words：



〃I　think　you　will　find　that　no　worm　has　been　in　that。〃



He　took　it　with　evident　embarrassment　and　was　about　to　speak　eagerly；

but　she　passed　quickly　in；　and　went　to　her　room。



〃I　am　justly　punished；〃　said　Van　Berg　frankly。　　〃Miss　Burton；　please

let　me　explain　her　allusion。〃



〃I　would　rather　you　would　not；〃　she　replied　promptly；　〃for　Miss

Mayhew　made　it　in　a　low　tone；　showing　that　she　intended　it　for　your

ear　only。〃



〃Well；　then　I　must　content　myself　b