a face illumined-第75节

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kindling　within　him　in　a　way　that　was　exhilarating　and　grand。　　While

his　themes　were　simple　he　felt　that　they　were　noble　and　beautiful

in　the　highest　degree。　　The　treea　pretty　object　in　itselfhad

been　endowed　with　a　human　interest　and　suggested　a　divine　philosophy。

Mr。　Eltinge；　who　sat　at　its　foot；　became　to　him　one　of　the　world's

chief　heroesa　man　who　had　met　and　vanquished　evil　for　almost

a　century。　　His　white　hair　and　silver　beard　were　a　halo　of　glory

around　the　quiet　face　that　was　turned　in　kindly　sympathy　towards

his　companion；　and　Van　Berg　did　his　best　to　bring　out　the　noble

profile。



But　the　maiden　herselfwhy　did　his　eyes　turn　so　often　to　her；

and　why　did　he；　unasked；　introduce　her　into　the　sketch　with　a　care

and　lingering　delicacy　of　touch　that　made　even　her　pencilled　image

seem　a　living　girl？　　When　not　affected　or　rendered　conventional　by

society；　her　voice　was　singularly　girlish　and　natural；　and　there

would　often　be　a　tone　in　a　plaintive　and　minor　key　that　vibrated

like　a　low；　sweet　chord　in　his　heart　rather　than　in　his　ears。　　It

must　be　admitted　that　he　gave　little　heed　to　the　sacred　words　she

read；　but　the　flexible　music　of　her　voice；　mingled　with　the　murmur

of　the　brook；　the　rustle　of　the　leaves　and　the　occasional　song　of　a

bird；　all　combined　to　form　the　sweetest　symphony　he　had　ever　heard。



As　an　artist　he　exulted。　　His　hand　had　not　lost　its　cunning；　and

his　ruling　passion；　which　the　strange　experiences　of　the　past　few

weeks　had　held　in　abeyance；　was　reasserting　itself　with　a　fuller；

richer　power　than　he　had　known　before。　　That　WAS　Ida　Mayhew's　face

that　was　growing　beautiful　and　full　of　her　new　and　better　life

under　his　appreciative　and　skilful　touch；　and　the　consciousness

of　success　in　the　kind　of　effort　in　which　success　meant　to　him　so

much；　filled　him　with　a　strong　enthusiasm。



Once　or　twice　Ida　glanced　shyly　at　him；　and　his　appearance　did　not

tend　to　fix　her　thoughts　wholly　on　the　sacred　text。



At　last　Mr。　Eltinge　said：　　〃That　will　do　for　to…day。　　I　think；　under

the　circumstances；　you　have　given　most　praiseworthy　attention　to

what　you　have　read；　and　to　what　little　I　could　say　in　the　way　of

explanation。　　Now　for　the　picture；　and　I　confess　I'm　as　eager　as　a

child　to　see　it；〃　and　they　came　and　looked　over　Van　Berg's　shoulder。



Almost　instantly　Ida　clapped　her　hands；　exclaiming　with　delight：

〃The　tree　is　perfect；　and　oh；　Mr。　Eltinge；　I　shall　always　have

you　now；　with　your　dear　kind　face　turned　towards　me　as　I　have　seen

it　to…day！〃　Suddenly　her　manner　changed；　and　in　a　tone　full　of

disappointment　she　added；　〃Oh；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　how　could　you　spoil

my　picture？　　You　have　put　me　in　it。〃



〃Certainly；〃　he　replied　demurely；　〃you　were　a　part　of　the　picture。〃



〃Not　a　necessary　part。　　I　did　not　ask　you　to　do　that；〃　she　answered；

in　a　way　that　proved　her　feelings　were　hurt。



〃I　am　willing　to　do　more　than　you　ask；　and　if　you　insist　on　it　I

will　efface　your　image；　although　I　should　much　regret　to　do　so。〃



〃I　protest　against　that；〃　cried　Mr。　Eltinge。　　〃So　far　from　spoiling

the　picture；　your　being　there　makes　it　invaluable　to　me。　　I'm　going

to　tax　Mr。　Van　Berg's　generosity；　and　ask　for　this　in　the　hope　that

he　will　make　another　drawing　of　the　old　man　and　the　tree　only；　for

you。〃



〃Would　you　like　to　have　it　so　very　much？〃　said　Ida；　much　pleased

with　this　arrangement。



〃Yes；　my　dear；　very　much　indeed；　and　I'll　place　it　near　my　favorite

chimney　corner；　where　I　can　see　you　all　winter。　　Mr。　Van　Berg；

I　congratulate　you；　I'm　not　much　of　a　judge　of　art；　but　this　is

my　little　friend　here；　true　to　life。　　You　have　been　very　happy　in

catching　the　expression　which　I　am　learning　to　know　so　well。〃



〃Your　words　have　a　fuller　meaning　than　you　think；〃　replied　the

artist；　heartily。　　〃I　have　indeed　been　very　happy　in　my　work。　　I

never　enjoyed　a　morning　more　in　my　life。〃



〃But　I'm　to　go　home　without　any　picture；〃　said　Ida；　trying　to　hide

her　pleasure　by　assumed　reproachfulness。



〃There　is　no　picture　yet；　for　any　one；〃　he　answered；　〃this　is　only

a　sketch　from　which　I　shall　try　to　make　two　pictures　that　will

suggest　a　scene　particularly　attractive　to　one　of　my　calling；　to

say　the　least。〃



As　he　placed　the　sketch　in　his　book；　the　work　he　had　been　engaged

on　that　morning　when　Ida　met　him　by　the　roadside；　dropped　out；　and

she　saw　herself　leaning　on　the　baluster　rail　of　the　staircase；　with

her　hand　half　extended　as　a　token　of　forgiveness　and　reconciliation。

Her　cheeks　flushed　instantly；　but　she　was　able　to　remark　quietly：



〃I　suppose　that　is　the　way　you　artists　keep　a　memorandum　of　current

events。〃



He　replied　gravely；　but　with　some　answering　color　also：　　〃Yes；　Miss

Mayhew；　when　the　current　is　deep　and　strong。〃



Van　Berg　felt　himself　happy　in　securing　from　Mr。　Eltinge　an　invitation

to　come　again。　　As　they　were　riding　home；　Ida　remarked；　shyly：



〃I　did　not　know　you　could　draw　so　well。〃



〃Nor　did　I　either　before。　　That　old　garden　is　enchanted　ground。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Ida；　〃poor　Eve　was　driven　out　of　the　Garden　of　Eden；

but　I　feel　as　if　I　had　found　my　way　into　it。　　I　only　wish　I　could

stay　there；〃　and　her　sigh　was　long　and　deep。



〃Does　the　world　outside　seem　very　full　of　thorns　and　thistles？〃　he

asked；　kindly。



After　a　moment　she　replied；　simply　and　briefly；　〃Yes。〃



He　looked　at　her　sympathetically　for　a　moment；　and　then　said

earnestly：



〃Miss　Ida；　pardon　me　if　I　venture　a　prediction。　　Wherever　you　dwell；

hereafter；　all　that　is　good　and　beautiful　in　life　and　character

which　the　garden　typifies　will　begin　to　take　the　place　of　thorns

and　thistles。〃



〃I　hope　so；〃　she　faltered；　〃but　that　involves　bleeding　hands；　Mr。

Van　Berg。　　I　am　not　cast　in　heroic　mould。　　I　am　weak　and　wavering；　and

as　a　proof　I　am　dwelling　on　the　very　subject　that　I　had　forbidden。

I　trust　that　you　will　be　too　manly　to　take　advantage　of　my　weakness

henceforth　and　will　try　to　help　me　forget　myself。〃



〃That　may　be　a　harder　task　than　you　think；　but　I　will　attempt

whatever　you　ask；〃　and　from　her　pleased　and　interested　expression

it　would　seem　that　during　the　next　half　hour　he　succeeded　remarkably

well。　　Suddenly；　as　if　a　happy　thought　had　struck　him；　he　said　a

little　abruptly：



〃I　foresee　that　you　and　Miss　Burton　are　destined　to　become　great

friends。　　You　have　not　yet　learned　what　a　lovely　character　she

possesses　and　how　broad　and　deep　are　her　sympathies。〃



Ida's　silence　caused　him　to　turn　and　look　at　her；　and　he　saw　that　the

light　and　color　had　faded　from　her　face；　but　she　said；　emphatically：



〃Miss　Burton　is　even　more　admirable　than　you　think　her　to　be；　if

that　were　possible。〃



〃I　am　pleased　to　hear　one　lady　speak　so　strongly　and　generously　of

another。　　It　is　not　usual。　　I　shall　do　my　utmost　to　make　you　better

acquainted　with　each　other；　and　in　this　pleasant　task　am　sure　I

shall　render　you　a　very　great　service。〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　beg　you　will　not；〃　she　exclaimed；　hastily；　and　he

saw　with　surprise　that　she　appeared　painfully　embarrassed。



〃Pardon　me；　Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　said；　〃I　did　not　mean　to　be　officious。〃



Ida　saw　no　way　of　extricating　herself　save　by　promptly　changing　the

subject；　and　this　she　did；　but　she　could　not　fail　to　observe　that

her　companion　was　hurt　by　her　apparent　unfriendliness　towards　one

on　whom　he　believed　he　had　bestowed　the　best　a　man　could　give。　　The

remainder　of　the　drive　was　not　enjoyed　by　either　of　them　as　the

earlier　part　had　been；　and　something　like　constraint　tinged　the

manner　and　words　of　both。



As　they　drove　up　to　the　hotel　Stanton　gave　a　low　whistle　of　surprise；

but　was　in　no　mood　for　his　old…time　banter。











Chapter　XLV。　　Problems　Beyond　Art。









When　Van　Berg　left　the　garden　he　thought　he　had　learned　to　understand

Ida　almost　as　clearly　as　he　saw　the　pebbly　bed　of　the　little　brook

through　the　limpid　current　that　flowed　over　it；　and　yet　within　a

brief　half…hour　another　baffling　mystery　had　arisen。　　Why　did　she

dislike　Jennie　Burton？　　Why　she　HAD　disliked　her　was　plain；　but　it

seemed　to　follow　inevitably　that　one　who　could　love　old　Mr。　Eltinge

must　also　find　a　congenial　friend　in　the　woman　he　so　greatly　admired。



As　the　remainder　of　the　day　passed；　this　new　cloud　darkened　and

seemed　to　shadow　even　himself。　　While　he　could　detect　no　flaw　in

her　courtesy；　he　could　not　help　feeling　that　she　made　a　conscious

effort　to　avoid　them　both。　　At　dinner　she　conversed　chiefly　with

her　cousin。　　Van　Berg's　eyes　would　wander　often　to　her　face；　but

she　never　looked　towards　him　unless　he　spoke　to　her。　　When　he　or

Miss　Burton　addressed　her　there　was　not　a　trace　of　coldness　in　her

manner　of　responding；　a　superficial　observer　would　merely　think

they　were　people　in　whom　she　was　not　especially　interested。



〃Poor　child；〃　thought　Jennie　Burton；　〃she　acts　her　part　well；〃　and

she　puzzled　the　artist　still　further　by　taking　less　notice　of　Ida

th