a face illumined-第10章

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But　she　had　entangled　herself　in　the　snarl　of　her　own　previous

words　and　manner。　　She　had　charged　her　mother　and　cousin　to　permit

no　overtures　of　peace；　and　once　or　twice；　when　mine　host；　in　his

good…natured；　off…hand　manner；　had　sought　to　introduce　them；　she

had　been　so　blind　and　deaf　to　his　purpose　as　to　appear　positively

rude。　　Her　repugnance　to　the　artist　had　become　a　generally　recognized

fact；　and　she　had　built　up　such　a　barrier　that　she　could　not　break

it　down　without　asking　for　more　help　than　was　agreeable　to　her

pride。　　But　she　chafed　inwardly　at　her　false　position；　and　at　the

increasing　popularity　of　the　object　of　her　spite。



Even　her　mother　at　last　formed　his　acquaintance；　and；　as　the　artist

listened　to　the　garrulous　lady　for　half　an　hour　with　scarcely　an

interruption；　she　pronounced　him　one　of　the　most　entertaining　of

men。



As　Mrs。　Mayhew　was　chanting　his　praises　that　evening；　Ida　broke

out　petulantly：



〃Was　there　ever　such　a　gad…fly　as　this　artist！　　He　pesters　me　from

morning　till　night。〃



〃Pesters　you！　　I　never　saw　a　lady　so　severely　let　alone　as　you　are

by　him。　　Whatever　is　the　cause　of　your　spite　it　seems　to　harm　only

yourself；　and　I　should　judge　from　your　remark　that　it　disturbs　you

much　more　than　you　would　have　it　appearcertainly　far　more　than

it　does　him。〃



There　was　no　soothing　balm　in　these　words；　as　may　well　be　supposed；

and　yet　the　impression　grew　upon　Ida　that　the　artist　would　be

friendly　if　he　could；　and　the　belief　strengthened　with　him　also

that　she　took　far　too　much　pains　to　manifest　what　she　would　have

others　think　to　be　mere　indifference　and　dislike；　and　he　intercepted

besides；　with　increasing　frequency；　furtive　glances　towards　himself。

So　much　ice　had　accumulated　between　them；　however　that　neither　knew

how　it　was　to　be　broken。



One　day；　about　the　middle　of　the　week；　Van　Berg　found　a　stranger

seated　opposite　to　him　at　the　dinner　table。　　His　first　impression

was；　that　the　lady　was　not　very　young　and　that　her　features　were

quite　plain；　but　before　the　meal　was　over　he　concluded　that　her

face　was　decidedly　interesting；　and　that　the　suggestion　of　age　had

been　made　by　maturity　of　character　and　the　impress　which　some　real

and　deep　experience　gives　to　the　countenance；　rather　than　by　the

trace　of　years。



While　yet　a　stranger；　the　expression　of　her　blue　eyes；　as　she

glanced　around；　was　so　kindly　that　she　at　once　won　the　good…will

of　all　who　encountered　them。　　This　genial；　friendly　light　in　her

eyes　seemed　a　marked　characteristic。　　It　was　so　different　from　the

obtrusive；　forward　manner　with　which　some　seek　to　make　acquaintances；

that　it　would　not　have　suggested　a　departure　from　modest　reserve；

even　to　the　most　cynical。　　It　rather　indicated　a　heart　aglow　with

gentle　feeling　and　genial　good…will；　like　a　maple…wood　fire　on　a

hospitality　hearth；　that　warms　all　who　come　within　the　sphere　of

its　influence。



Van　Berg　was　naturally　reserved；　and　slow　to　make　new　acquaintances。

But　before　he　had　stolen　many　glances　of　the　face　opposite　him　he

began　to　wish　for　the　privilege　of　speaking　to　hera　wish　that

was　increased　by　the　fact　that　they　were　alone　at　the　table；　the

other　guests　who　usually　occupied　the　chairs　not　having　returned

from　their　morning　drive。　　she　did　not　look　at　him　in　particular；

nor　appear　to　be　in　the　least　struck　by　his　〃distingue〃　air；　as

Ida　had　been　before　she　was　blinded　by　prejudice；　but　she　looked

out　upon　the　world　at　large　with　such　a　friendly　aspect　that　he

was　sure　she　had　something　pleasant　to　say。　　He　was　therefore　well

pleased　when　at　last　the　landlord　bustled　up　in　his　brusque　way

and　said：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　permit　me　to　make　you　acquainted　with　Miss　Burton。

She　has　had　the　faith　to　put　herself　under　my　charge　for　a　few

weeks；　and　I　shall　reward　her　by　sharing　the　responsibility　with

you；　who　seem　blessed　with　the　benevolent　desire　of　giving　us　all

a　good　time；〃　and　then　he　bustled　off　to　look　after　some　other　matter

which　required　his　attention　during　the　critical　hour　of　dinner。



Miss　Burton　acknowledged　the　young　man's　bow　without　a　trace　of

affectation　or　reserve。



〃I　shall　try　not　to　prove　a　burden　to　either　of　you；〃　she　said；

with　a　smile。



〃I　have　already　discovered　that　you　will　not　be；〃　said　Van　Berg；

〃and　was　wishing　for　an　introduction。〃



〃I　hope　your　wishes　may　always　find　so　ready　a　fulfillment。〃



〃That's　a　kindly　wish；　Miss　Burton；　but　a　vain　one。〃



〃Were　we　misanthropical　people；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　we　might　sigh；　'and

such　are　human　wishes　generally。'〃



〃One　is　often　tempted　to　do　that　anyway；　even　when　not　especially

prone　to　look　askance　at　fortune。〃



〃There　is　an　easy　way　of　escaping　that　temptation。〃



〃How？〃



〃Do　not　form　many　wishes。〃



〃Have　you　very　few　wishes？〃



With　a　slight　and　piquant　motion　of　her　head　she　replied；　〃I　was

only　giving　a　bit　of　trite　advice。　　It's　asking　a　great　deal　to

require　that　one　should　both　preach　and　practice。〃



〃I　think　you　are　possessed　by　one　wish　which　swallows　up　most

others；〃　said　Van　Berg；　a　little　abruptly。



A　visible　pallor　overspread　her　face；　and　she　drew　back　perceptibly

as　one　might　shrink　from　a　blow。



〃You　know　how　strong　first　impressions　are；〃　resumed　Van　Berg

hastily；　〃and　the　thought　has　passed　through　my　mind　that　you　might

be　so　preoccupied　in　wishing　good　things　for　others　as　to　quite

forget　yourself。〃



〃If　one　could　be　completely　occupied　in　that　way；〃　she　said；　with

a　faint　smile　which　suggested　rather　than　revealed　a　vista　of　her

past　experience；　〃one　might　have　little　occasion　to　wish　for　anything

for　self。　　But；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　only　we　poor　unreasoning　women　put

much　faith　in　first　impressions；　and　you　know　how　often　they　mislead

even　us；　who　are　supposed　to　have　safe　instincts。〃



〃Do　they　often　mislead　you？〃



〃Indeed；　sir；〃　she　replied；　with　a　merry　twinkle　in　her　eye；　〃I

think　you　must　have　learned　the　questions　in　the　catechism；　if　not

the　answers。〃



Van　Berg　bit　his　lip。　　Here　was　a　suggestion　of　a　thorn　in　the

sweetbrier　he　believed　he　had　discovered。



〃Now　see　how　far　I　am　astray；〃　she　resumed　with　a　frankness　which

had　in　it　no　trace　of　familiarity。　　〃It　is　my　impression　you　are

a　lawyer。〃



At　this　Van　Berg　laughed　outright　and　said：　　〃You　are　indeed

mistaken。　　I　have　no　connection　with　the　influential　class　whose

business　it　is　to　make　and　evade　the　laws。　　I　am　only　one　among

the　humble　masses　who　aim　to　obey　them。　　But　perhaps　you　think　your

intuition　goes　deeper　than　surface　facts　and　that　I　OUGHT　to　have

been　a　cross…questioner。〃



〃I　am　quite　sure　my　intuition　is　correct　in　thinking　that　you　would

not　be　very　cross　about　it。〃



〃Perhaps　not；　if　disarmed　by　so　smiling　a　face　as　yours。〃



The　others；　who　had　been　delayed　by　a　longer　ride　than　usual；　now

entered　and　took　the　vacant　chairs　around　the　table。　　Van　Berg　felt

sufficiently　acquainted　with　them　to　introduce　Miss　Burton；　for　he

was　curious　to　observe　whether　she　would　make　the　same　impression

on　them　as　he　had　been　conscious　of　himself。



They　bowed　with　the　quiet；　well…bred　manner　of　society　people；　but

were　at　first　inclined　to　pay　little　heed　to　the　plainly　dressed

and　rather　plain　appearing　young　stranger。　　As　one　and　another；

however；　glanced　towards　her；　something　about　her　seemed　to　linger

in　their　memories　and　cause　them　to　look　again。　　The　lady　next　to

her　offered　a　commonplace　remark；　chiefly　out　of　politeness；　and

received　so　pleasant　a　reply　in　return　that　she　turned　her　thoughts

as　well　as　her　eyes　to　see　who　it　really　was　that　had　made　it。　　Then

another　spoke；　and　the　response　led　her　to　speak　again　and　again；

and　soon　the　entire　party　were　describing　their　drive　and　living

over　its　pleasantest　features；　and　before　the　meal　ended　they　were

all　gathered；　metaphorically；　around　the　mystical；　maple…wood　fire

that　burned　on　the　hearth　of　a　nature　that　seemed　so　hospitable

and　kindly　as　to　have　no　other　mission　than　to　cheer　and　entertain。



〃Who　is　that　little　brown　thrush　of　a　woman　that　you　were　so　taken

with　at　dinner？〃　asked　Stanton；　as　they　were　enjoying　a　quiet　smoke

in　their　favorite　corner　of　the　piazza。



〃Good　for　you；　Stanton。　　I　never　knew　you　to　be　so　appreciative

before。　　Your　term　quite　accurately　describes　her。　　She　is　both　shy

and　reserved；　but　not　diffident　or　awkward　in　the　least。　　Indeed

her　manner　might　strike　some　as　being　peculiarly　frank。　　But　there

is　something　back　of　it　all；　for　young　as　she　undoubtedly　is；　her

face　suggests　to　me　some　deep　and　unusual　experience。〃



〃Jupiter　Ammon！　　What　an　abyss　of　mystery；　surmise；　and　metaphysics

you　fell　into　while　I　was　eating　my　dinner！　　I　used　the　phrase

'brown　thrush；'　only　in　reference　to　her　dress　and　general　homeliness。〃



〃Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon！　　I　take　all　back　about　your　nice　appreciation

of　character。　　I　now　grasp　the　whole　truthyour　attention　wandered

sufficiently　from　your　dinner　to　observe　that　she　wore　a　brown

dress；　and　the　one　fact　about　the　thrush　that　has　impressed　you　is

that　it　is　brown。　　'Here　be　truths'　which　leave　nothing　more　to　be

said。〃



〃You　imaginative　fellows　are　often　ridiculously　astray　on　the　other

tack；　and　see　a　thousand…fold　more　than　exists。　　But　it's　a　pity

you　could　not　read　all　there　was　in　this　young　woman's　face；　for

it　was　certainly　PLAIN　enough。　　At　this　rate　you　will　be　asking　our

burly　landlord　to　unbosom　himself；　insisting　that　he　has　a　'silent

sorrow'　tucked　away　somewhere　under　his　ample　waistcoat。〃



〃His　troubles；　like　yours；　are　banished　by　the　dinner　hour。　　I

recognize　your　feeble　witticism　about　her　plain　face；　and　forgive

you　because　I　thought　it　plain　also　at　first；　but　when　she　came　to

speak　and　smile　it　ceased　to　be　plain。　　I　do　not　say　she　has　had

trouble；　but　she　has　had　some　experience　in　her　past　history　which

neither　you　nor　I　could　understand。〃



〃Quite　likely；　the　measles；　for　instance；　which　I　never　had　to　my

knowledge。　　Possibly　she　has　had　a　lover　who　was　not　long　in　finding

a　prettier　face；　and　so　left　her；　but　not　so　disconsolate　that　she

could　not　smile　bewilderingly　upon　you。〃



〃Come　now；　Stanton；　I'll　forewarn　and　forearm　you。　　I　confidently

predict　that　the　voice　of　this　brown　thrush　will　lure　you　out

of　a　life　which；　to　put　it　mildly；　is　a　trifle　matter…of…fact　and

material。　　You　have　glanced　at　her；　but　you　have　not　seen　her　yet。

Mark　my　words；　your　appetite　will　flag　before　many　weeks　pass。〃



〃I　wish　I　could　pin　you　down　to　a　large　wager　on　this　absurdity。〃



〃I　agree　to　paint　you　a　picture　if　my　prediction　fails。〃



〃And　to　finish　it　within　a　natural　lifetime？〃　said　Stanton；　with

much　animation。



〃To　finish　as　promptly　as　good　work　can　be　done。〃



〃Pardon　me；　Van。　　You　had　too　much　wine　for　dinner；　I　don't　want

to　take　advantage　of　you。〃



〃I　did　no