a face illumined-第76节

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

than　usual。



〃But　when　I　think　of　it；〃　he　mused；　〃it's　just　like　my　unique　little

friend。　　Only　those　in　trouble　interest　her；　and　Miss　Mayhew　is　on

a　straight　road　to　happiness　now；　she　believes；　although　the　young

lady　herself　seems　to　dread　a　world　full　of　thorns　and　thistles；　and

her　father　and　mother；　at　least；　will　insure　an　abundance　of　both

in　her　own　home。　　But　her　repulsion　from　Miss　Burton；　the　very　one

towards　whom　I　supposed　she　would　be　attracted　in　her　new　life；

is　what　perplexes　me　most。　　I　imagine　all　women　are　mysteries　when

you　come　to　scrutinize　their　motives　and　impulses　closely。　　The　two

who　have　occupied　my　thoughts　this　summer　certainly　are；　and　I'll

stick　to　painting　if　I　ever　get　out　of　this　muddle。〃



After　dinner　he　found　a　chance　to　ask　Stanton　if　Mr。　Mayhew　was

expected　that　evening。



〃Yes；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃In　memory　of　last　Sunday　he　wrote　he　would

not　come；　but　Ida　sent　a　telegram　asking　him　to　be　here　without

fail。　　I　took　it　over　to　the　station　for　her；　and　made　sure　that

my　uncle　received　it。　　She　will　puzzle　him　more　than　she　has　the

rest　of　us；　I　suppose；　and　I　am　quite　curious　to　see　the　result。〃



The　artist　made　no　reply；　but　went　to　his　room　and　tried　to　work　on

his　pictures。　　He　was　more　than　curioushe　was　deeply　interested；

but　felt　that　he　was　trenching　on　delicate　ground。　　The　relations

between　the　father　and　daughter　were　too　sacred；　he　believed；　for

even　sympathetic　observation　on　his　part。



He　soon　threw　aside　his　work。　　The　inspiration　of　the　morning　was

all　gone；　and　in　its　place　had　come　an　unaccountable　dissatisfaction

with　himself　and　the　world　in　general。　　He　had　left　the　garden　with

a　sense　of　exhilaration　that　made　life　appear　beautiful　and　full

of　richest　promise。　　He　had　been　saved　from　disaster　that　would

have　been　crushing；　his　object　in　coming　to　the　country　had　been

accomplished；　and　the　Undine　he　discovered　HAD　received　a　woman's

soul　that　was　blending　the　perfect　but　discordant　features　into　an

exquisitely　beautiful　face。　　The　result；　certainly；　had　not　been

brought　about　as　he　expected；　nor　in　a　way　tending　to　increase　his

self…complacency；　but　he　felt　that　he　would　be　a　broader　and　better

man　for　the　ordeal　through　which　he　had　passed。　　He　also　realized

that　the　changes　in　Ida　were　not　the　superficial　ones　he　had

contemplated。　　he　had　regarded　her　face　and　character　as　little

better　than　a　piece　of　canvas　on　which　there　was　already　a　drawing

of　great　promise；　but　very　defective。　　By　erasures　here　and　skillful

touches　there　he　had　hoped　to　assist　nature　in　carrying　out　her

evident　intentions。　　The　tragedy　that　well…nigh　resulted　taught

him　that　human　lives　are　dangerous　playthings；　and　that　quackery

in　attempting　spiritual　reform　involved　more　peril　than　ignorant

interference　with　physical　laws。



And　yet　that　morning　had　proved　that　the　desired　change　had　been

accomplished；　even　more　thoroughly　than　he　had　hoped。　　The　dangerous

period　of　transition　had　been　safely　passed；　and　the　beautiful

face　expressed　that　which　was　more　than　womanly　refinement；　thought

and　culture。　　These　elements　would　develop　with　time。　　But　the

countenance　on　which　he　had　seen　the　impress　of　vanity；　pride；

and　insincerity；　and　later　the　despair　of　a　wronged　and　desperate

woman；　had　grown　open　and　childlike　again　as　she　told　him　her　story

and　read　to　Mr。　　Eltinge；　and　in　it；　as　through　a　clear　transparency；

he　had　witnessed　the　kindling　light　of　the　Christian　faith　his

mother　had　taught　him　to　respect　at　least；　long　years　before。



He　had　left　the　garden　with　the　belief　that　he　had　secured　the

friendship　of　this　rare　Undine；　and　that　she　would　bring　to　his

art　an　inspiration　like　that　of　which　he　was　so　grandly　conscious

while　making　the　picture　in　which　she　formed　the　loveliest　feature。

He　had　expected　with　instinctive　certainty　that　she　would　now　be　drawn

towards　the　woman　he　hoped　to　make　his　wife；　and　that　friendships

would　be　cemented　that　would　last　through　life。



But　in　suggesting　this　hope　and　expectation　to　Ida　it　had　been　as

if　a　cloud　had　suddenly　passed　before　the　sun；　and　now　the　whole

sky　was　darkening。　　Jennie　Burton　seemed　more　shadowy　and　remote

than　evermore　wrapped　up　in　a　past　in　which　she　had　no　part；　and

the　maiden　into　whose　very　soul　he　thought　he　had　looked　became

inscrutable　again　in　the　distant　courtesy　of　her　manner。　　Even

during　the　brief　hour　of　dinner　he　was　led　to　feel　that　he　had　no

inevitable　place　in　the　thoughts　of　either　of　the　ladies；　and　this

impression　was　increased　as　he　sought　their　society　later　in　the

day。



Moreover；　in　his　changed　mood　he　again　began　to　chafe　irritably　at

Ida's　associations。　　She　herself　had　been　thoroughly　redeemed　in

an　artistic　point　of　view；　and　it　was　his　nature　to　look　at　things

in　this　light。　　While　he　shuddered　at　her　terrible　purpose　he

recognized　the　high；　strong　spirit　which　in　it　perversion　and　wrong

had　rendered　the　deed　possible；　and　her　dark　design　made　a　grand

and　sombre　background　against　which　the　maiden　he　had　sketched　that

morning　was　all　the　more　luminous。　　Hitherto　everything　connected

with　her　change　of　character　had　been　not　only　conventional；　but

had　appealed　to　his　aesthetic　temperament　as　singularly　beautiful。

The　quaint　garden　with　its　flowers；　brook；　and　allegorical　tree

were　associations　that　harmonized　with　Ida's　loveliness；　while

Mr。　Eltinge；　who　had　rendered　such　an　immeasurable　service　to　them

both；　realized　his　best　ideal　of　dignified　and　venerable　age。



But　when　he　compared　her　spiritual　father　with　the　man　she　expected

that　night；　he　found　his　whole　nature　becoming　full　of　irritable

protest　and　dissatisfaction。



〃This　morning；〃　he　muttered；　〃she　appeared　capable　of　realizing　a

poet's　dreams；　but　already　I　see　the　hard　and　prosaic　conditions

of　her　lot　dwarfing　her　growth　and　throwing　their　grotesque　shadows

across　her　beauty。　　What　can　she　do　while　inseparable　from　such

a　father　and　mother？　　The　more　unlike　them　she　becomes　the　more

hideous　they　will　appear。　　Mrs。　Mayhew　is　essentially　lacking

in　womanly　delicacy；　and　mere　coarseness　is　more　tolerable　than

fashionable；　veneered　vulgarity。　　Mr。　Mayhew　is　a　spiritless　wretch

whose　only　protest　against　his　wife's　overbearance　and　indifference

has　been　intoxication。　　Linked　on　either　side　to　so　much　deformity；

what　chance　has　the　daughter　unless　she　escapes　from　them　and

develops　a　separate　life？　　But　are　not　the　ties　of　nature　too　close

to　permit　such　escape；　and　would　it　not　be　wrong　to　seek　it？　　It

certainly　would　not　be　Christian；　and　I　am　confident　Mr。　Eltinge

would　not　advise　it。　　Her　lot　is　indeed　a　cruel　one。　　No　wonder　she

clings　to　Mr。　Eltinge　and　the　garden；　and　that　the　outside　world

seems　full　of　thorns　and　thistles。　　Well；　I　pity　her　from　the　depths

of　my　heart；　and　cannot　see　how　she　will　solve　the　harsh　problem

of　her　life。　　I　imagine　she　will　soon　become　discouraged　and　seek

by　marriage　to　obliterate　her　present　ties　as　far　as　possible。〃



Having　reached　this　unsatisfactory　conclusion　he　threw　his　sketch

impatiently　aside　and　went　down　to　the　piazza。　　Ida　and　her　mother

were　already　there；　for　it　was　about　time　for　arrivals　from　the

earlier　train。　　Van　Berg　felt　almost　sure　that　Ida　must　have　been

aware　that　he　was　standing　near　her；　but　she　exhibited　no　consciousness

of　his　presence。　　When　a　little　later　they　met　in　promenade　she

bowed　politely　but　absently；　and　in　a　way　that　would　lead　any　who

were　observing　them　to　think　that　he　was　not　in　her　thoughts。　　So

he　was　led　to　believe　himself；　but　Miss　Burton；　who　was　reading　in

one　of　the　parlor　windows；　smiled　and　whispered　to　herself；　〃Well

done。〃



Ida　was　in　hopes　that　her　father　would　take　the　first　opportunity

of　reaching　the　Lake　House；　and　she　was　not　disappointed。　　The　telegram

had　flashed　into　his　leaden…hued　life　that　day　like　a　meteor。　　Did

it　portend　good　or　evil？　　Evil　only；　he　feared；　for　it　seemed　to

him　that　evil　would　ever　be　his　portion。　　It　was　therefore　with　a

vague　sense　of　apprehension　that　he　looked　forward　to　meeting　his

wife　and　daughter。



As　he　emerged　from　the　stage　with　the　others　he　found　Ida　half…way

down　the　steps　to　greet　him。



〃I'm　so　glad　you've　come！〃　she　said　in　a　low　earnest　voice；　and

she　kissed　him；　not　in　the　old　formal　way；　as　if　it　were　the　only

proper　thing　to　do；　but　as　a　daughter　greeting　her　father。　　Then；

before　he　could　recover　from　his　surprise；　his　light　travelling

bag　was　taken　from　him　and　the　young　girl's　arm　linked　lovingly　in

his；　and　he　led　to　Mrs。　Mayhew；　who　also　kissed　him；　but　in　a　way；

it　must　be　admitted；　that　suggested　a　duty　rather　than　a　pleasure。



Her　husband　scarcely　gave　to　her　a　glance；　however；　but　kept　his

eyes　fixed　on　his　daughter。



〃Ida　is　bewitched；〃　said　Mr。　Mayhew。



〃And　I　hope　you　will