a face illumined-第69节

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ear　only。〃



〃Well；　then　I　must　content　myself　by　saying　that　standing　near　this

spot；　not　long　since；　I　acted　like　a　fool。〃



〃It's　an　excellent　sign　of　wisdom；　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said　laughingly；

〃that　you　have　discovered　the　fact。　　The　only　fools　to　be　despaired

of　are　those　who　never　find　themselves　out。〃



〃Did　you　ever　do　a　very　foolish　thing；　Miss　Jennie？〃



〃It　would　be　a　very　foolish　thing　for　me　to　listen　to　any　more　of

such　monstrous　flattery。　　Or　perhaps　you　are　satirical　and　take

this　roundabout　way　of　telling　me　that　I'm　human　like　yourself。

I'm　going　down　to　supper；　for　I　prefer　Mr。　Burleigh's　toast　to　such

doubtful　compliments。〃



〃Miss　Jennie；　I　protest；　I　never　offered　you　a　compliment　in　my

life；〃　he　said；　accompanying　her。



〃In　the　name　of　the　King's　English；　what　are　compliments；　then？〃



〃Mere　verbal　sugar…plums；　sweet；　cloying；　and　often　poisonous。　　My

expressions　of　honest　opinion　are；　like　Mr。　Burleigh's　toast　you

are　so　fond　of；　made　of　the　finest　wheat　of　truth；　leavened　by　my

irrepressible　admiration；　and　done　to　the　nicest　shade　of　brown　by

the　warmth　of　my　FRIENDLY　regard。〃



〃Oh；　oh；　OH！　　Your　compliments　are　verbal　balloons。〃



〃Yes；　that　figure　might　apply　to　them　also；　for　these　opinions　of

minenot　compliments；　mark！often　carry　me　up　above　the　clouds

and　vapors　of　earth。〃



〃Where　you　will　find　the　atmosphere　exceedingly　thin　and　cold；　I

assure　you；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　with　something　like　seriousness　in

her　tone。　　〃I　must　remind　you；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　that　even　Jack　Bunsby

did　not　give　his　opinions　till　they　were　asked；　and　I　will　take

some　toast；　if　you　please；　in　their　stead。〃



Stanton　and　Mrs。　Mayhew　now　appeared；　and　the　conversation　became

general；　in　which　the　former　made　rather　futile　efforts　to　conceal

his　dejection。　　His　aunt　had　told　him　that　Ida　had　merely　said　she

had　spent　the　day　with　a　friend；　and　that　she　would　explain　her

absence　at　the　proper　time。　　〃She　has　such　a　dignified　way　of　speaking；

that　you　are　made　to　feel　it　is　an　insult　to　ask　a　question；　so　I

shall　just　take　her　at　her　word；　and　leave　her　to　herself；〃　concluded

the　lady。



〃She'll　never　forgive　me；〃　muttered　Stanton。



A　little　later　than　the　others；　the　object　of　his　thoughts　came

down　to　supper。　　The　deep　color　which　the　unexpected　episode　with

the　artist　had　caused　now　lingered　only　as　a　faint　glow　in　her

cheeks。　　She　had　fastened　a　few　pear　leaves　in　her　hair；　and　wore

no　other　ornament。　　Her　thin　white　dress　suggested　rather　than

reveated　the　exquisite　symmetry　of　her　neck　and　arms；　and　Van　Berg

was　compelled　to　admit　to　himself　that　his　trained　and　critical

eyes　could　scarcely　detect　a　flaw　in　her　marvellous　beauty；　or　in

the　taste　shown　in　her　costume。



But　there　was　something　about　her　manner　which　appealed　to　him　more

than　her　beauty　even。　　The　evening　before　she　had　chilled　their

hearts　by　her　unnatural　and　icy　words　and　bearing。　　Now　there　was

an　expression　of　humility　and　diffidence　wholly　unlike　anything

he　had　ever　seen　before。　　She　did　not　seem　inclined　to　enter　into

conversation；　and　yet　she　was　not　repellant　and　cold；　but　rather

seemed　to　shrink　from　notice；　and　to　indicate　that　past　memories

were　embarrassing。　　But　she　would　not　look　at　her　cousin；　for　she

still　felt　a　deep　resentment　towards　him。　　She　was　no　saint　because

she　had　cherished　some　good　thoughts　and　impulses　that　day；　and　as

for　poor　Stanton；　he　became　so　depressed　that　he　lapsed　into　utter

silence。



Miss　Burton　was　becoming　deeply　interested　in　Ida。　　When　she　saw

her　crimson　face　as　the　artist　hastened　to　the　phaeton；　a　sudden

light　had　flashed　into　her　eyes；　and　the　thought　crossed　her　mind：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg　is　the　magician　who　is　unwittingly　practising　upon

her　and　making　her　so　unlike　her　former　self；〃　and　as　she　hurriedly

recalled　the　past；　she　found　there　was　much　in　Ida's　manner　not

inconsistent　with　this　theory。　　Still　it　was　not　with　any　prying；

gossipy　interest；　that　she　observed　closely；　in　order　to　discover

if　there　were　good　reasons　for　her　surmise。



But　Ida's　manner　was　so　quiet　and　guarded　it　would　have　required

keener　eyes　than　even　Jennie　Burton's　to　detect　the　hidden　fire。



The　meal　promised　to　pass；　with　some　constraint；　it　is　true；　but

without　any　embarrassing　incident；　when　Mrs。　Mayhew　was　the　means

of　placing　poor　Ida　in　a　very　painful　dilemma。　　Under　a　general

impulse　to　conciliate　her　daughter　and　make　amends；　and　with　her

usual　want　of　tact；　she　suddenly　and　sententiously　said：



〃Well；　I　think　Ida's　very　brave　to　be　able　to　drive　for　herself。〃



There　was　a　moment　of　embarrassed　silence　after　this　unexpected

remark；　and　then　Miss　Burton　made　matters　far　worse　by　saying；　with

the　kindest　intentions：



〃After　Miss　Mayhew's　adventure　in　the　stage　no　one　can　doubt　her

courage；　and　I'm　sure　I　admire　a　brave　woman　much　more　than　a　brave

man。　　Men　are　brave　as　a　matter　of　course。〃　　Then　she　saw　from　the

sudden　scarlet　that　flamed　up　into　Ida's　cheeks；　and　the　manner

of　the　artist；　who　suddenly　became　wholly　absorbed　in　his　supper；

that　she　had　made　an　unfortunate　allusion。　　There　was　nothing　to

do　but　promptly　change　the　subject；　so　she　turned　and　asked：



〃What　is　the　greatest　number　of　miles　you　have　ever　driven　in　a

day；　Mr。　Stanton？〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon！〃　said　the　preoccupied　young　man；　starting　at

the　sound　of　his　name。



Miss　Burton　repeated　her　question。　　But　in　the　meantime　it　was

evident　a　severe　conflict　was　going　on　in　Ida　Mayhew's　mind。　　How

could　she　obey　Mr。　Eltinge's　injunction　to　be　honest　and　true；　if

she　let　this　false　impression　concerning　her　behavior　in　the　stage

remain？　　How　could　she　hope　to　win　a　particle　of　respect　from　Van

Berg　if　she　received　again　this　undeserved　praise？　　How　could　she

look　her　kind　old　friend　in　the　face　if　she　continued　silent？　　She

felt　she　must　either　speak　or　take　the　pear　leaves　out　of　her　hair。

It　was　hard；　bitter　hard　to　speak　then　and　there　before　them　all；

but　her　indecision　soon　gave　place　to　the　resolve　to　lay　at　once

what　Mr。　Eltinge　had　called　the　corner…stone　of　character。



〃Miss　Burton；〃　she　said　abruptly；　as　Stanton　was　trying　to　collect

his　wits　so　as　to　make　a　suitable　reply。



They　all　looked　at　her　involuntarily。　　Her　face　was　pale　now；　and

had　the　white；　resolute　aspect　often　seen　in　those　about　to　face

great　danger。



〃Miss　Burton；　I　am　sorry　to　say　you　have　a　false　impression　of　my

conduct　in　the　stage。　　So　far　from　showing　presence　of　mind　and

courage　on　that　occasion；　I　was　terror…stricken　and；　I　believe；

hysterical。　　With　all　my　faults；　I　shall　at　LEAST　try　to　tell　the

truth　hereafter。〃



〃By　Jupiter！〃　cried　the　impulsive　Stanton；　〃that's　the　pluckiest

thing　I　ever　saw　a　woman　do；　or　man　either。　　Ida；　from　this　day

I'm　proud　of　you；　though　you　have　little　occasion　to　be　so　of　me。〃



The　poor　girl　had　looked　steadily　at　Miss　Burton　while　speaking；

but　the　moment　the　ordeal　was　over　her　lip　quivered　like　that　of

a　child；　and　she　hastily　left　the　table。



She　had　scarcely　mounted　half　the　stairs　that　led　to　her　room　before

Van　Berg　was　at　her　side。



〃Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　said　eagerly；　〃I　did　not　sleep　last　night；　nor

can　I　to…night　until　assured　of　your　forgiveness。　　Myself　I　can

never　forgive。〃



Her　heart　was　full　and　her　nerves　overstrained　already。　　She　could

not　speak；　but　she　bowed　her　head　on　the　rail　of　the　balustrade；

hiding　her　face　against　her　arm；　and　strove　hard　to　check　the　rising

sobs。



〃Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　continued；　in　low；　pleading　tones；　〃in　all　my　life

I　never　condemned　myself　so　bitterly　as　I　have　for　my　treatment　of

you。　　I　can　only　appeal　to　your　generosity。　　I　NEED　your　forgiveness；〃

and　he　waited　for　her　answer。



But　she　could　not　answer。　　It　seemed　as　if　she　could　not　maintain

even　her　partial　self…control　a　moment　longer。　　Her　heart　forgave

him；　however；　and　she　wished　him　to　know　it；　so　without　lifting

her　head　she　held　out　her　hand　in　the　place　of　the　words　she　could

not　trust　herself　to　utter。　　He　seized　it　eagerly；　and　it　so　trembled

and　throbbed　in　his　grasp　that　it　made　him　think　of　a　wounded　bird

that　he　once　had　captured。



〃I　take　your　hand；　Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　said　earnestly；　〃not　as　a　sign

of　truce　between　us；　but　as　a　token　of　forgiveness；　and　the　pledge

of　reconciliation　and　friendship。　　Your　brave　truth…telling　to…night

has　atoned　for　your　past。　　Please　give　me　a　chance　at　least　to　try

to　atone　for　mine。〃



His　only　reply　was　a　faint　pressure　from　her　hand　and　then　she　sped

up　the　stairway。　　He　did　not　see　her　again　till　she　came　down　to

breakfast　the　following　morning；　when　she　treated　him　with　a　quiet；

distant；　well…bred　courtesy　that　did　not　suggest　the　sobbing　girl

who　had　fled　from　him　the　evening　before；　much　less　the　despairing；

desperate　woman　who　had　given　him　the　drug　with　which　she　had

intended　to　end