a face illumined-第77节

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eyes　fixed　on　his　daughter。



〃Ida　is　bewitched；〃　said　Mr。　Mayhew。



〃And　I　hope　you　will　find　me　bewitching；　father；　for　I　want　as

much　of　your　society　as　you　will　give　me　during　this　visit。〃　　She

tried　to　speak　playfully　and　naturally；　but　tears　were　gathering　in

her　eyes；　for　his　expression　of　perplexity　was　singularly　pathetic

and　full　of　the　keenest　reproach。　　〃O　God；〃　she　murmured；　〃what　have

I　been　that　he　should　be　speechless　from　surprise；　when　I　merely

greet　him　as　a　daughter　should！〃



Van　Berg　turned　hastily　away；　for　he　felt　that　scenes　were　coming；

on　which　he　had　no　right　to　look。　　There　was　nothing　yet　to　indicate

a　wish　on　Ida's　part　to　avoid　inartistic　associations；　and　deep　in

his　heart　he　was　compelled　to　admit　that　she　had　never　appeared　so

supremely　beautiful　as　when　she　looked　love　and　welcome　into　the

eyes　of　the　smirched　and　disheartened　man　to　whom　nature　gave　the

best　right　to　claim　these　gifts。



〃Come　with　me；　father；〃　said　Ida；　trying　to　give　him　a　reassuring

smile；　〃and　I　will　answer　your　scared　and　questioning　glances　in

your　room；〃　and　he　went　with　her　as　if　walking　in　a　dream。



Tears　now　gathered　in　Jennie　Burton's　eyes；　but　she　smiled　again

as　she　thought；　〃Better　done　still；　Ida　Mayhew；　and　Mr。　Van　Berg；

who　is　stalking　away　so　rapidly　yonder；　is　not　the　man　I　think

him；　if　you　have　not　now　made　your　best　and　deepest　impression　on

his　heart。〃



〃Ida；〃　her　father　faltered；　after　they　had　reached　the　privacy　of

his　room；　〃what　does　your　telegram　mean？　　What　is　important？〃



〃YOU　are　to　me。　　O　father；　please；　please　forgive　me；〃　and　she　put

her　arms　around　his　neck　and　burst　into　a　passion　of　tears。



The　bewildered　man　began　to　tremble。　　〃Can　itcan　it　be　that　my

daughter　has　a　heart？〃　he　muttered。



〃Yes；　father；　but　it's　broken　because　of　my　cruel　treatment　of　you；

I　now　hope　better　days　are　coming　for　us　all。〃



He　held　her　away　from　him　and　looked　into　her　face　with　a　longing

intensity　that　suggested　a　soul　perishing　for　the　lack　of　love　and

hope。



〃Father；　father；　I　can't　bear　that　look。　　Oh；　God　forgive　me；　how

I　have　wronged　you！〃　and　she　buried　her　face　on　his　shoulder　again。



〃Ida；〃　he　said；　slowly　and　pleadingly；　〃be　very　carefulbe　sure　this

is　not　a　passing　impulse；　a　mere　remorseful　twinge　of　conscience。

I've　been　hoping　for　yearsI　would　have　prayed；　if　I　dared　tofor

some　token　that　I　was　not　a　burden　to　you　and　your　mother。　　You

seemed　to　love　me　some　when　you　were　little；　but　as　you　grew　older

you　grew　away　from　me。　　I've　tried　to　forget　that　I　had　a　heart。

I've　tried　to　become　a　beast　because　it　was　agony　to　be　a　man。　　why

I　have　lived　I　scarcely　know。　　I　thought　I　had　suffered　all　that　I

could　suffer　in　this　world；　but　I　was　mistaken。　　I　left　this　place

last　Monday　with　the　fear　that　my　beautiful　daughter　was　giving

her　love　to　a　man　even　baser　than　I　am；　base　and　low　from　choice；

base　and　corrupt　in　every　fibre　of　his　soul　and　body；　and　from

that　hour　to　this　it　has　seemed　as　if　I　were　ground　between　two

millstones；〃　and　he　shuddered　as　if　smitten　with　an　ague。　　〃Ida；〃

he　concluded　piteously；　〃I'm　too　weak；　I'm　too　far　gone　to　bear

disappointment。　　　This　is　more　than　an　impulse；　is　it　not？　　You　will

not　throw　yourself　away？　　Oh；　Ida；　my　only　child；　if　you　could　be

in　heart　what　you　were　in　your　face　as　you　greeted　me　to…night；　I

could　die　content！〃



For　a　few　minutes　the　poor　girl　could　only　sob　convulsively　on　his

breast。　　At　last　she　faltered　brokenly：



〃Yes；　fatherit　is　an　impulsean　impulse　from　heaven；　but　I　shall

pray　daily　that　it　be　not　a　passing　one。　　II　have　lost　confidence

in　myself；　but　with　my　Saviour's　help；　I　will　try　to　be　a　loving

daughter　to　you　and　make　your　wishes　first　in　everything。〃



〃Great　God！〃　he　muttered；　〃can　this　be　true？〃



〃Yes；　father；　because　God　IS　great；　and　very；　VERY；　kind。〃



His　bent　form　became　erect　and　almost　steely　in　its　tenseness。　　He

gently　but　firmly　placed　her　in　a　chair；　and　then　paced　the　room

rapidly　a　moment　or　two；　his　dark　eyes　glowing　with　a　strong　and

kindling　excitement。　　Ida　began　to　regard　him　with　wonder　and　almost

alarm。　　Suddenly　he　raised　his　hand　to　heaven；　and　said　solemnly：



〃This　shall　be　no　one…sided　affair　so　help　me　God！〃



Then　opening　his　valise；　he　took　out　a　bottle　of　brandy　and　thew

it；　with　a　crash；　into　the　empty　grate。



Ida　sprang　towards　him　with　a　glad　cry；　exclaiming；　〃O　father；　now

I　understand　you！　　Thank　God！　thank　God！〃



He　kissed　her　tearful；　upturned　face　again　and　again；　as　if　he

found　there　the　very　elixir　of　life。



〃Ida；　my　dear　little　Ida；〃　he　said；　huskily；　〃you　have　saved　your

father　from　a　drunkard's　endfrom　a　drunkard's　grave。　　I　was　in

a　drunkard's　hell　already。〃



Mr。　Mayhew　requested　that　supper　should　be　served　in　his　own　room；

for　neither　he　nor　his　daughter　was　in　a　mood　to　meet　strangers

that　evening。　　Ida　called　her　mother；　and　tried　to　explain　to　her

why　they　did　not　wish　to　go　down；　but　the　poor　woman　was　not　able

to　grasp　very　much　of　the　truth；　and　was　decidedly　mystified　by　the

domestic　changes　which　she　had　very　limited　power　to　appreciate；

and　in　which　she　had　so　little　part。　　She　was　not　a　coarse　woman；

but　matter　of　fact；　superficial；　and　worldly　to　the　last　degree。



Van　Berg　could　scarcely　believe　his　eyes　when　Mr。　Mayhew　came　down　to

breakfast　with　his　family　Sunday　morning。　　The　bondman　had　become

free；　the　slave　of　a　degrading　vice　had　been　transformed　into

a　quiet；　dignified　gentleman。　　His　form　was　erect；　and　while　his

bearing　was　singularly　modest　and　retiring；　there　was　nothing　of

the　old　cowering；　shrinking　manner　which　suggested　defeat；　loss　of

self…respect；　and　hopeless　dejection。　　All　who　knew　him　instinctively

felt　that　the　prostrate　man　had　risen　to　his　feet；　and　there　was

something　in　his　manner　that　made　them　believe　he　would　hold　his

footing　among　other　men　hereafter。



The　artist　found　himself　bowing　to　the　〃spiritless　wretch〃　with　a

politeness　that　was　by　no　means　assumed；　and　from　the　natural　and

almost　cordial　manner　in　which　Mr。　Mayhew　returned　his　salutation；

he　was　very　glad　to　believe　that　Ida　had　not　told　him　the　deeper

and　darker　secrets　of　her　experience　during　the　past　week。



〃This　is　her　work；〃　he　thought；　and　Ida's　radiant　face　confirmed

the　impression。　　She　then　felt　that　after　her　father's　words；　〃You

have　saved　me；〃　she　could　never　be　very　unhappy　again。　　A　hundred

times　she　had　murmured；　〃Oh；　how　much　better　God's　way　out　of

trouble　has　been　than　mine！〃



Mr。　Mayhew　had　always　had　peculiar　attractions　for　Miss　Burton；

and　they　at　once　entered　into　conversation。　　But　as　she　recognized

the　marvellous　change　in　him；　the　pleased　wonder　of　her　face　grew

so　apparent；　that　he　replied　to　it　in　low　tones：



〃I　now　believe　in　your　'remedies；'　Miss　Burton；　but　a　great　deal

depends　on　who　administers　them。　　My　little　girl　and　I　have　been

discovering　how　nearly　related　we　are。〃



Her　eyes　grew　moist　with　her　sympathy　and　gladness。　　〃Mr。　Mayhew；〃

she　said；　〃I'm　inclined　to　think　that　heaven　is　always　within　a

step　or　two　of　us；　if　we　could　only　take　the　right　steps。〃



〃To　me　it　has　seemed　beyond　the　farthest　star；〃　he　replied；　very

gravely。　　〃To　some；　however；　the　word　is　as　indefinite　as　the　place；

and　a　cessation　of　pain　appears　heaven。　　I　could　be　content　to　ask

nothing　better　than　this　Sabbath　morning　has　brought　me。　I　have

found　what　I　thought　lost　forever。〃



Jennie　Burton　became　very　pale；　as　deep　from　her　heart　rose　the

query；　〃Shall　I　ever　find　what　I　have　lost？〃　　Then　with　a　strong

instinct　to　maintain　her　self…control　and　shun　a　perilous　nearness

to　her　hidden　sorrow；　she　changed　the　subject。



It　was　touching　to　see　how　often　Mr。　Mayhew's　eyes　turned　towards

his　daughter；　as　if　to　reassure　himself　that　the　change　in　her

manner　towards　him　was　not　a　dream；　and　the　expression　of　her　face

as　she　met　his　scrutiny　seemed　to　brighten　and　cheer　him　like　a

coming　dawn。



〃What　heavenly　magic　is　transforming　Miss　Mayhew？〃　Jennie　Burton

asked　of　Van　Berg；　as　they　sauntered　out　on　the　piazza。



〃With　your　wonted　felicity；　you　express　it　exactly；〃　he　replied。

〃It　is　a　heavenly　magic　which　I　don't　understand　in　the　least；

but　must　believe　in；　since　cause　and　effect　are　directly　under　my

eyes。　　It　has　been　my　good　fortune　to　witness　as　beautiful　a　scene

as　ever　mortal　saw。　　Since　she　refers　naturally　and　openly　to　the

friends　whom　she　has　visited　during　the　past　week；　I　may　tell　you

about　Mr。　　Eltinge's　influence　and　teaching　without　violating　any

confidence；〃　and　in　harmony　with　the　frank　and　friendly　relations

which　he　now　sustained　to　Miss　Burton；　he　related　his　experience

of　the　previous　day；　remaining　scrupulously　reticent　on　every

point；　however；　that　he　even　imagined　Ida　would　wish　veiled　from

the　knowledge　of　others。　　〃I　cannot　tell　you；〃　he　conclud