a face illumined-第88节

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at　me　again。　　I　assure　you　I　ate　like　an　ostrich　after　my　work　was

over。　　I　even　upset　the　dignity　of　an　urbane　Delmonico　waiter。〃



Ida　bit　her　lip　as　she　recalled　certain　resemblances　on　her　own

part　to　that　suggestive　bird；　but　she　said　sympathetically：　　〃It

must　be　rather　stupid　to　dine　alone　at　a　restaurant。〃



〃I　found　it　insufferably　stupid；　and　I'm　more　grateful　to　your

father　for　his　invitation　than　you　would　believe。〃



Ida　could　scarcely　disguise　her　pleasure；　and　with　mirthful　eyes

she　said：



〃Really；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　you　place　me　in　quite　a　dilemma。　　I　find

that　in　one　mood　you　do　not　wish　to　eat　at　all；　and　again　you　say

you　have　the　rather　peculiar　appetite　of　the　bird　you　named。　　Now

I'm　housekeeper　at　present；　and　scarcely　know　how　to　provide。　　What

kind　of　viands　are　best　adapted　to　artists　and　poets；　and…〃



〃And　idiots　in　general；　you　might　conclude；〃　said　Van　Berg；　laughing。

〃After　sitting　so　near　me　at　the　table　all　summer　you　must　have

noticed　that　nothing　but　ambrosia　and　nectar　will　serve　my　purpose。〃



Ida's　laughing　eyes　suddenly　became　deep　and　dreamy　as　she　said：

〃That　time　seems　ages　ago。　　I　cannot　realize　that　we　are　the　same

people　that　met　so　often　in　Mr。　Burleigh's　dining…room；　and　in

circumstances　that　to　me　were　often　so　very　dismal。〃



〃Please　remember　that　I　am　not　the　same　person。　　I　will　esteem　it

a　great　favor　if　you　will　leave　the　man　you　saw　at　that　time　in

the　limbo　of　the　pastthe　farther　off　the　better。〃



〃You　were　rather　distant　then；〃　Ida　remarked　with　a　piquant　smile。



〃But　am　I　now？　　Answer　me　that；〃　he　said　so　eagerly　that　she　was

again　mentally　enraged　at　her　tell…tale　color；　and　she　said　hastily：

〃But　where　am　I　to　find　the　ambrosia　and　nectar　that　you　will　expect

this　evening？〃



〃Any　market　can　furnish　the　crude　materials。　　It　is　the　touch　of

the　hostess　that　transmutes　them。〃



〃Alas；〃　said　Ida；　〃I　never　learned　how　to　cook。　　If　I　should　prepare

your　dinner；　you　would　have　an　awful　mood　to…morrow；　and　probably

send　for　the　doctor。〃



〃I　would　need　a　nurse　more　than　a　doctor。〃



〃I　know　of　an　ancient　womana　perfect　Mrs。　Harris；〃　said　Ida；

gleefully。



〃Wouldn't　you　come　and　see　me　if　I　were　very　ill？〃



〃I　might　call　at　the　door　and　ask　how　you　were；〃　she　replied；

hesitatingly。



〃Now；　Miss　Ida；　the　undertaker　would　do　as　much　as　that。〃



〃Our　motives　might　differ　just　a　little；〃　she　said；　dropping　her

eyes。



〃Well；〃　said　the　artist；　laughing；　〃if　you　will　prepare　the　dinner；

I'll　risk　undertaker；　ancient　woman；　and　all；　rather　than　spend

such　another　long　stupid　evening　as　I　did　last　night。　　I　expected

to　meet　you　at　the　concert　garden　again。〃



〃That's　strange；〃　she　said。



〃I　should　say　rather　that　I　hoped　to　meet　you　and　your　father　there。

Would　you　have　gone　if　I　had　asked　you？〃



〃I　might。〃



〃I'll　set　that　down　as　one　of　the　lost　opportunities　of　life。〃



〃Why　didn't　you　listen　to　the　music？〃



〃Well；　I　didn't。　　I　thought　I'd　inflict　my　stupidity　on　you　for

awhile；　and　came　as　far　as　your　doorsteps　before　I　remembered　that

I　had　not　been　invited；　so　you　see　what　a　narrow　escape　you　had。〃



In　spite　of　herself　Ida　could　not　help　appearing　disappointed　as

she　said；　a　little　reproachfully；　〃Would　a　friend　have　waited　for

a　formal　invitation？〃



〃A　friend　did；〃　replied　Van　Berg　regretfully；　〃but　he　won't　again。〃



〃I'm　not　so　sure　about　that；　my　music　must　have　frightened　you

away。〃



〃I　listened　until　I　feared　the　police　might　think　I　had　designs

against　the　house。　　I　didn't　know　you　were　a　musician。　　Miss　Mayhew；

I'm　always　finding　out　something　new　about　you；　and　I'm　going　to

ask　you　this　evening　to　sing　again　for　me　a　ballad　the　melody　of

which　reminded　me　of　a　running　brook。　　It　took　hold　on　my　fancy

and　has　been　running　in　my　head　ever　since。〃



〃Oh；　you　won't　like　that；　it's　a　silly；　sentimental　little　thing。

I　don't　wonder　you　paused　and　retreated。〃



〃Spare　me；　Miss　Ida；　I　already　feel　that　it　was　a　faint…hearted

retreat；　in　which　I　suffered　serious　loss。　　I　have　accounted　for

myself　since　we　parted；　how　did　YOU　spend　the　time？　　Of　course　you

yawned　over　your　morning's　fatigue；　and　took　a　long　nap。〃



〃Indeed　I　did　not　sleep　a　wink。　　Why　should　I　be　any　more　indolent

than　yourself？　　I　read　most　of　the　afternoon；　and　drummed　on　the

piano　in　the　evening。〃



〃I　know　that　I　like　your　drumming；　but　am　not　yet　sure　about　your

author；　but　he　must　be　an　exceedingly　interesting　one；　to　hold　your

attention　a　long　hot　afternoon。〃



Ida　colored　in　sudden　embarrassment；　but　said；　after　a　moment：　　〃I

shall　not　gratify　your　curiosity　any　further；　for　you　would　laugh

at　me　again　if　I　told　you。〃



〃Now；　indeed；　you　have　piqued　my　curiosity。〃



〃Since　you；　a　man；　admit　having　so　much　of　this　feminine　weakness；

I　who　am　only　a　woman　may　be　pardoned　for　showing　just　a　little。

What　work　was　it　that　so　absorbed　you　yesterday　afternoon　that　you

ceased　to　be　human　in　your　needs？〃



〃Miss　Mayhew；　you　have　been　laughing　at　me　in　your　sleeve　ever　since

you　came　this　morning。　　I　shall　take　my　revenge　on　you　at　once　by

heaping　coals　of　fire　on　your　head；〃　and　he　turned　towards　her　a

large　picture；　all　of　which　was　yet　in　outline；　save　Mr。　Eltinge's

bust　and　face。



Ida　sprang　down　on　her　knees　before　it；　exclaiming：　　〃O！　my　dear；

kind　old　friend！　　He's　just　speaking　to　me。　　Mr。　Van　Berg；　I'll

now　maintain　you　are　a　genius　against　all　the　world。　　You　have

put　kindness；　love；　fatherhood　into　his　face。　　You　have　made　it　a

strong　and　noble；　and　yet　tender　and　gentle　as　the　man　himself。　　I

never　knew　it　was　possible　for　a　portrait　to　express　so　much；〃　and

tears　of　strong；　grateful　feeling　filled　her　eyes。



Was　it　success　in　his　art　or　praise　from　her　lips　that　gave　her

listener　such　an　exquisite　thrill　of　pleasure？　　He　did　not　stop

to　consider；　for　he　was　not　in　an　analytical　mood　at　that　time。

He　was　on　the　crest　of　the　spiritual　wave　that　was　sweeping　him

heavenward；　or　towards　some　beatific　state　of　which　he　had　not

dreamt　before。　　His　face　glowed　with　pleasure　as　he　said：



〃Since　it　pleases　you；　it's　no　more　than　justice　that　you　should

know　that　your　visit　was　the　cause　of　my　success。　　Either　your

laugh　or　your　kind　parting　words　brushed　the　cobwebs　from　my　mind；

and　I　was　able　to　do　better　work　in　a　few　hours　than　I　might　have

accomplished　in　weeks。〃



She　tried　to　look　at　the　picture　more　closely；　but　fast…coming

tears　blinded　her。　　Then　she　rose；　and　averting　her　face　hastily；

wiped　her　eyes；　as　she　said　in　a　low　tone：　　〃I　can't　understand　it

at　all；　and　the　memory　of　Mr。　Eltinge's　kindness　always　overcomes

me。　　Please　pardon　my　weakness。　　There；　I　won't　waste　any　more　of

your　time；〃　and　she　returned　to　her　chair。　　But　her　face　still　wore

the　uncertainty　of　an　April　day。



〃Your　affection　for　Mr。　Eltinge；〃　he　said　gently；　〃is　as　beautiful

as　it　is　natural。　　No　manifestation　of　it　needs　any　apology；　and

least　of　all　to　me；　for　I　owe　to　him　far　more　than　life。　　But　I　am

paining　you　by　recalling　the　past；〃　he　said　regretfully；　as　Ida's

tears　began　to　gather　again。　　〃Let　me　try　to　make　amends　by　returning

at　once　to　the　present　and　to　my　work。　　Before　I　go　on　any　farther

with　your　portrait　I　want　you　to　put　this　rose…bud　in　your　hair；〃

and　from　a　hidden　nook　he　brought　a　little　vase　containing　only

one　exquisite　bud。　　Ida　had　barely　time　to　see　that　it　was　in　color

and　size　precisely　like　the　emblem　of　herself　that　he　had　thrown

away；　and　for　a　few　minutes　she　utterly　lost　her　self…control。　　She

buried　her　face　in　her　hands；　and　her　low；　stifled　sobs　filled　Van

Berg　with　the　keenest　distress　and　perplexity。



〃Miss　Ida；〃　he　said　earnestly；　〃I　would　rather　every　tear　you　are

shedding　were　a　drop　of　my　blood；〃　but　his　words　only　made　them

flow　faster　still。



Suddenly　she　sprang　up；　and　turning　her　back　upon　him；　dashed　away

her　tears　almost　fiercely。　　〃Oh！　this　is　shameful！〃　she　exclaimed；

in　low；　indignant　tones。　　〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　what　must　you　think　of

me？　　Please　turn　Mr。　Eltinge's　face　away；　for　he　is　looking　at　me

just　as　he　did　when　my　heart　was　breaking；　andandI've　lost　my

self…control；　and　I　had　better　not　come　here　till　I　can　cease　being

so　weak　and　foolish。〃



〃Is　it　weak　to　be　grateful？〃　he　asked；　gently。　　〃Is　it　foolish　to

love　one　so　thoroughly　entitled　to　your　love？　　I　honor　you　for　your

deep　and　tender　affection　for　Mr。　Eltinge；　and　every　tear　you　have

shed　proves　to　me　that　in　this　perfect　flower　I　am　now　finding　the

true　emblem　of　yourself。〃



〃No；〃　she　said；　almost　passionately；　〃I　have　no　right　to　it。　　The

other　one　that　you　threw　away　is　true　of　me；　and　always　will　be。

This　but　mocks　me　with　its　perfection。　　I　would　be　a　hypocrite　if

I　should　put　it　in　my　hair；　and　smile　complacently　while　you　painted

it。　　My　heart　clings　to　the　other　emblem；　and　I　kno