a face illumined-第80节

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neglect　you；　and　father　now　wishes　you　to　come　down　and　join　him　in

the　parlor；　so　that　we　can；　as　a　family；　at　last　appear　as　we　ought

before　the　world。　　In　the　name　of　all　that　is　sacred；　encourage　dear

father　now　that　he　is　trying　to　be　what　we　have　so　often　wished。〃



But　Mrs。　Mayhew's　pets　were　like　spells　of　bad　weather　and　would

run　their　course。　　She　only　looked　more　gloomy　and　injured　than

ever　as　she　replied：



〃It's　all　very　well　to　talk。　　Mr。　Mayhew　must　be　encouraged　and

coaxed　to　do　what　any　man　ought　to　do。　　I　might　have　enjoyed　a　ride

this　evening　as　well　as　your　father。〃



〃You　said　it　was　too　warm　to　go　out　after　dinner。〃



〃Well；　you　might　have　waited　till　it　wasn't　too　warm。〃



A　sudden　scarlet　burned　in　Ida's　cheeks；　and　there　came　an　ominous

sparkle　in　her　eyes。　　〃Mother；〃　she　said　so　abruptly　and　sternly

that　the　lady　looked　up　wonderingly；　and　encountered　an　expression

in　her　daughter's　face　that　awakened　an　undefined　fear。　　In　tones

that　were　low；　indignant；　and　authoritative　Ida　continued：



〃I　requestI　demand　that　you　cease　this　nonsense　at　once。　　As

a　Christian　woman　you　ought　to　be　on　your　knees　thanking　God　that

your　husband　is　not　lying　intoxicated　on　that　sofa；　as　he　was　last

Sunday　at　this　time。　　You　ought　to　be　thanking　God　that　he　is

becoming　his　former　self；　and　winning　respect　by　acting　like　a　true

gentleman。　　It　was　our　unutterable　folly　that　was　destroying　him；

and　I　say　this　folly　must　and　shall　cease。　　I　will　not　permit　my

father's　sensitive　nature　to　be　wounded　as　it　has　been。　　You　shall

not　spoil　this　first　bright　day　he　has　had　after　so　many　years。

If　you　care　for　him　why　don't　you　try　to　win　his　affection？　and

whoever　heard　of　a　heart　being　won　by　whining　and　fault…finding？

But　of　this　be　sure；　you　shall　not　spoil　this　day。　　I　charge　you　as

a　wife　and　a　lady　to　cease　this　childish　petulance；　and　come　down

at　once。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；　rising　mechanically；　〃if　you　are　going　to

make　a　scene…〃



〃I　am　going　to　prevent　scenes；〃　said　Ida；　with　all　her　old　time

imperiousness。　　〃I　insist　that　we　appear　in　the　future　like　a　quiet；

well…bred　family；　and　I　warn　you　that　I　will　permit　my　father　to

be　trifled　with　no　longer。　　He　SHALL　have　a　chance。　　Wait；　let　me

help　you　make　a　more　becoming　toilet　for　Sunday　evening。〃



Ida　was　very　strongly　aroused；　and　the　superior　nature　mastered　the

weaker。　　Mrs。　Mayhew　became　as　wax　in　her　hands；　although　she　made

many　natural　and　irritable　protests　against　her　daughter　speaking

to　her　as　she　had　done。　　Ida　paid　no　heed　to　her　mother's　words；

and　after　giving　a　few　finishing　touches　to　her　dress　relieved　her

sternness　by　a　judicious　compliment；　〃I　wish　you　to　take　the　seat

father　is　reserving　for　you；〃　she　said；　〃and　appear　the　charming

lady　that　you　know　how　to　be　so　well；〃　and　without　further　parley

they　went　down　together。



Once　in　the　social　eye　it　would　be　Mrs。　Mayhew's　strongest　impulse

to　make　a　good　impression；　and　she　behaved　beautifully。　　Something

in　Ida's　manner　puzzled　her　father；　but　she　smiled　so　reassuringly

that　he　gave　himself　up　to　the　quiet　enjoyment　of　the　situation

that　was　so　natural　and　yet　so　novel。　　He　listened　with　a　pleased

expression　to　the　music；　and　noted；　with　deep　satisfaction；　the

friendly　and　respectful　bearing　of　those　near；　towards　both　his

wife　and　himself；　but　he　exulted　in　the　evident　admiration　that

his　daughter　excited。　　The　people　at　the　Lake　House　had　already

discovered　that　there　was　a　decided　change　for　the　better　in　the

Mayhew　family；　and　they　greeted　the　improvement　with　a　kindly　but

well…bred　and　unobtrusive　welcome　that　was　creditable　to　human

nature。　　Of　course　there　was　a　great　deal　of　whispered　surmise；

but　nothing　offensive　to　the　eye。



Stanton　came　and　asked　Ida　to　join　in　the　singing　at　the　piano；

but　she　shook　her　head　decidedly。



〃Who　has　been　hurting　your　feelings？〃　he　asked；　in　a　low　tone。



By　a　scarcely　perceptible　gesture；　she　put　her　finger　on　her　lips

and　said　quietly；　〃They　are　waiting　for　you；　Cousin　Ik。〃　　Then　she

added；　with　a　smile；　〃Somewhere　I've　heard　a　proverb　expressing

surprise　that　Saul　should　be　among　the　prophets。　　I　hardly　think

it　will　be　in　good　taste　for　me　to　appear　among　them　just　yet。〃



〃And　I　once　believed　her　to　be　a　fool；〃　thought　Stanton　as　he

returned　to　his　place。



Again；　on　this　Sunday　evening；　keen　eyes　were　watching　her　from

the　dusky　piazza；　but　so　far　from　being　wolfish　and　ravenous；　they

were　full　of　sympathy　and　admiration。



As　Van　Berg　approached　the　parlor　windows　after　his　return；　he　saw

Stanton　standing　by　the　piano　at　Jennie　Burton's　side；　and　she　was

looking　up　to　him　and　speaking　in　a　very　friendly　manner。　　He　was

not　conscious　of　any　appropriate　pangs　of　jealousy；　and　indeed

did　not　miss　their　absence；　but　he　looked　eagerly　around　for　the

problem　his　philosophical　mind　was　so　bent　on　solving。



At　first　the　favorable　impression　made　by　the　reunited　family　caught

his　attention；　and　he　muttered；　〃There　is　some　more　of　her　magic。

But　what　is　the　matter　with　Miss　Mayhew　herself。　　Her　eyes　are

burning　with　a　fire　that　is　anything　but　tender　and　sacred；　and

there　are　moments　when　her　face　is　almost　stern；　and　again　it　is

full　of　trouble。〃



Some　one　discovered　him　on　the　piazza；　and　there　was　a　general

wish　expressed　that　he　should　sing　with　Miss　Burton　a　duet　that

had　become　a　favorite。　　After　this　and　one　or　two　other　pieces；

he　again　sought　his　place　of　observation。　　The　color　and　fire　had

now　wholly　faded　from　Miss　Mayhew's　face；　and　she　looked　pale　and

sad。　　Her　father　turned　to　her；　and　said：



〃Ida；　I　fear　you　don't　feel　well。〃



〃I'm　very　tired；　and　think　I　had　better　go　to　my　room。〃



He　rose　instantly；　and　gave　her　his　arm；　but　on　the　way　she　reassured

him：　　〃A　night's　sleep；　and　the　rest　I　shall　have　with　you　in　the

city　are　just　what　I　need；　so　don't　worry；　for　I　shall　be　ready　to

take　the　train　with　you　in　the　morning；〃　and　Mr。　Mayhew　rejoined

his　wife；　and　completed　a　happier　day　than　he　ever　expected　to　see

again。



But　poor　Ida；　when　left　alone；　buried　her　face　in　her　hands

and　sobbed；　〃I've　wounded　HIS　feelings；　I've　given　way　to　my　old

passionate　anger；　I've　spoken　to　mother　as　a　daughter　never　should。

What　will　ever　become　of　faulty　Ida　Mayhew？　　The　worm…eaten　emblem

is　true　of　me　still。〃



Then；　as　if　whispered　to　her　by　some　good　angel；　the　words　Mr。

Eltinge　had　spoken　recurred　to　her。　　〃Your　Saviour　will　be　as　tender

and　patient　with　you　as　a　mother　with　her　baby　that　is　learning　to

walk。〃



〃Oh；〃　she　cried；　in　a　low；　passionate　tone；　〃that　is　the　kind　of

a　God　I　need！〃



She　also　remembered　the　reassuring　words　that　Mr。　Eltinge　had

quoted〃As　one　whom　his　mother　comforteth　so　will　I　comfort　you；〃

and　the　promise　was　made　good　to　her。



〃Stanton；〃　said　Van　Berg；　a　little　abruptly；　before　they　parted

that　evening；　〃I　fear；　from　your　cousin's　appearance；　she　was　ill

when　she　left　the　parlor。〃



〃I've　given　up　trying　to　understand　Ida。　　When　she　came　down　with

her　mother；　she　looked　like　an　incensed　goddess；　and　when　she

returned　she　reminded　me　of　the　fading　white　lily　she　wore　in　her

hair。　　I　give　it　up；〃　concluded　Stanton；　whose　language　had　become

a　trifle　figurative　and　poetic　of　late。



〃I　don't；〃　muttered　the　artist；　after　smoking　the　third　consecutive

cigar　in　solitude。











Chapter　XLVII。　　The　Concert　Garden　Again。









Van　Berg　had　scarcely　ever　known　a　day　to　pass　more　slowly　and

heavily　than　Monday。　　He　had　taken　pains　to　be　present　at　Ida's

departure　with　her　father；　and　it　had　depressed　him　unaccountably

that　she　had　been　so　quiet　as　to　seem　even　a　little　cold　in　her

farewell。　　She　would　not　look　towards　him；　nor　could　he　catch　her

eye　or　obtain　one　friendly　expression。　　He　did　not　know　that　the

poor　girl　dared　not　smile　or　speak　lest　she　should　be　too　friendly；

and　that　she　avoided　him　with　the　instinct　of　self…preservation。

His　conclusion　was：　　〃She　finds；　after　thinking　it　all　over；　that

she　has　far　more　to　forgive　than　she　thought；　and　my　presence

reminds　her　of　everything　she　would　be　glad　to　forget。〃



He　tried　once　or　twice　to　find　Jennie　Burton；　but　did　not　succeed。

She　made　no　apparent　effort　to　avoid　him；　and　was　so　cordial　in

her　manner　when　they　met　that　he　had　severe　compunctions　that　he

did　not　seek　her　society　resolutely　and　press　his　suit。　　〃The　summer

is　drawing　to　a　close；〃　he　muttered；　〃and　nothing　is　settled。　　Confound

it　all！　　I'm　the　least　settled　of　anything。　　The　best　chance　I　shall

ever　have　is　passing　swiftly。　　Ever　faculty　I　possess　assures　me

that　she　is　the　one　woman　of　all　the　world。　　I　honor　her；　I　reverence

her；　I　admire　her　and　everything　she　does　and　says。　　I　trust　her

implicitly；　even　though　she　is　so　shrouded　in　mystery。　　What　the

mischief　is　the　matter　with　my　old　water…log