a face illumined-第11章

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

to　take　advantage　of　you。〃



〃I　did　not　have　any。〃



〃In　order　to　carry　out　this　transaction　honestly；　am　I　expected　to

make　conscious　and　patient　effort　to　come　under　the　influence　of

this　maiden　in　brown；　who　has　had　some　mysterious　complaint　in　the

past；　about　which　'neither　you；　nor　I；　nor　anybody　knows；'　as　the

poet　saith：　or；　like　the　ancient　mariner；　will　she　'hold　me　with

her　glittering　eye？'〃



〃You　have　only　to　jog　on　in　your　old　ways　until　she　wakes　you　up

and　makes　a　man　of　you。〃



〃I　surely　am　dreaming；　for　never　did　the　level…headed　Van　Berg　talk

such　arrant　nonsense　before。　　If　she　seems　to　you　such　a　marvel；

why　don't　you　open　your　own　mouth　and　let　the　ripe　cherry　drop　into

it。〃



〃One　reason　will　answer；　were　there　no　othersshe　wouldn't　drop。

If　you　ever　win　her；　my　boy；　you　will　have　to　bestir　yourself。〃



〃I'd　rather　win　the　picture。　　Let　me　seeI　know　the　very　place　in

my　room　where　I　shall　hang　it。〃



〃You　are　a　little　premature。　　That　chicken　is　not　yet　hatched；

and　you　may　feel　like　hanging　yourself　in　the　place　of　the　picture

before　the　summer　is　over。〃



〃Let　me　wrap　your　head　in　ice…water；　Van。　　There's　mine　hostO；　Mr。

Burleigh！〃　he　cried　to　the　landlord；　who　at　that　moment　happened

to　cross　the　piazza；　〃please　step　here。　　My　friend　Mr。　Van　Berg　has

been　strangely　fascinated　by　the　stranger　in　brown　whom　you；　with

some　deep　and　malicious　design；　placed　opposite　to　him　at　the

table。　　What　are　her　antecedents；　and　who　are　her　uncles？　　I　take

a　friendly　interest　in　this　young　man。　　Indeed；　I'm　sort　of　a

guardian　angel　to　him；　having　saved　his　life　many　a　time。〃



〃Saved　his　life！〃　ejaculated　the　landlord。　　〃How？〃



〃By　quenching　his　consuming　genius　with　good　dinners。　　But　comesolve

for　me　this　riddle　in　brown。　　My　friend　usually　gives　but　little

heed　to　the　feminine　conundrums　that　smilingly　ask　to　be　answered；

but　for　some　occult　reason　he　is　in　a　state　of　sleepless　interest

over　this　one；　and　I　know　that　his　waistcoat　is　selling　with

gratitude　to　me　for　having　the　courage　to　ask　these　questions。〃



〃He　is　speaking　several　words　for　himself　to　one　for　me；〃　said

Van　Berg；　〃and　yet　I　admit　that　her　face　and　manner　struck　me　very

pleasantly。〃



〃Well；　she　has　a　pleasant　little　phiz；　now　hasn't　she；　Mr。　Van　Berg？

I　don't　wonder　Mr。　Stanton　was　taken　by　her；　for　I　was　myself。

It's　but　little　I　can　tell　you；　save　that　she　is　a　teacher　in　one

of　the　New　England　female　colleges；　and　that　she　brings　letters　to

me　from　the　most　respectable　parties；　who　introduce　her　as　a　lady

in　the　best　sense　of　the　word。　　Further　than　that　nothing　was

written；　nor　do　I　know　anything　concerning　her。　　But　any　one　who

can't　see　that　she's　a　perfect　lady　is　no　judge　of　the　article。〃



〃I　will　stake　any　amount　on　that；　basing　my　belief　only　on　the

first　impression　of　one　interview；〃　added　Van　Berg；　decidedly。



〃You　now　see　how　deeply　my　friend　is　impressed；〃　said　Stanton；　with

a　satirical　smile。　　〃Thanks；　Mr。　Burleigh；　we　will　not　detain　you

any　longer。〃



When　alone　again；　he　resumed；　with　an　expression　of　disgust：



〃A　'New　England　FEMALE　college！'　　How　aptly　he　words　it。　　If　there's

any　region　on　the　face　of　the　earth　that　I　detest；　it's　New　England；

and　if　there　is　one　type　of　women　that　I'd　shun　as　I　would　'ever

angry　bears；'　it's　a　New　England　school…ma'am。〃



〃'But　if　thy　flight　lay　toward　the　raging　sea'　of　a　restless；

all…absorbing　passion；　'Thou'dst　meet　the　bear　I'　the　mouth；'　as

you　will　try　to　in　this　case。　　You　will　be　ready　to　barter　your

ears　for　a　kiss　before　very　long。〃



〃It　will　be　after　they　have　grown　prodigiously　long　and　hairy　in

some　transformation　scene　like　that　in　which　the　immortal　Bottom

was　the　victim。〃



〃Your　illustration　tells　against　you；　for　it　was　only　after　his

appropriate　transformation　that　Bottom　saw　the　fairy　queen；　but　in

your　case　the　desire　to　'munch'　will　be　banned。〃



〃Come；　Van；　we　have　had　enough　chaff　on　this　topic；　already

worn　threadbare。　　I　now　know　all　about　the　mysterious　complaint；

the　impress　of　which　on　the　face　of　the　school…ma'am　has　so　dazed

you。　　It's　a　New　England　female　collegea　place　where　they　give

a　razor…like　edge　to　the　wits　of　Yankee　women；　already　too　sharp；

and　develop　in　attenuated　maidens　the　hatchet　faces　of　their　sires。

You　may　as　well　set　about　that　picture　at　once；　whenever　you　feel

in　the　mood　for　work。〃



〃I　admit　that　I　have　been　speaking　nonsense；　and　yet　you　may　find

many　grains　of　truth　in　my　chaff；　nevertheless。〃



〃But　is　my　picture　to　end　in　chaff？〃



〃I　will　stand　by　my　promise。　　If　I　lose；　perhaps　I'll　paint　you

the　school…ma'am's　portrait。〃



〃Then　we　would　both　lose；　for　I　would　have　no　earthly　use　for　that。〃



〃Well；　I　will　paint　what　you　wish；　within　reason。〃



〃I'm　content；　and　with　good　reason；　for　never　did　I　have　such　absurd

good　luck　before。〃



〃Ha！　look　yonderquick！〃



Both　the　young　men　started　to　their　feet；　but　before　they　could

spring　forward；　the　event；　which　had　so　suddenly　aroused　them；　was

an　accomplished　fact。



Both　drew　a　long　breath　of　relief　as　they　looked　at　each　other；

and　Van　Berg　remarked；　with　some　emphasis：



〃Act　first；　scene　first；　and　it　does　not　open　like　a　comedy　either。〃











Chapter　VIII。　　Glimpses　of　Tragedy。









Stanton　threw　away　his　half…burned　cigaran　act　which　proved　him

strongly　movedand　strode　rapidly　towards　the　main　entrance　near

which　a　little　group　had　already　gathered；　and　among　the　others；

Ida　Mayhew。　　Not　a　hair　of　anybody's　head　was　hurt；　but　an　event

had　almost　occurred　which　would　have　more　than　satisfied　Stanton's

spite　against　'Yankee　school…ma'ams；'　and　would　also　have　made　him

very　miserable　for　months　to　come。



He　had　ordered　his　bays　to　the　farther　end　of　the　piazza　where　they

were　smoking；　as　he　proposed　to　take　Van　Berg　out　for　a　drive。　　His

coachmen　liked　to　wheel　around　the　corner　of　the　hotel　and　past　the

main　entrance　in　a　dashing　showy　style；　and　thus　far　had　suffered

no　rebuke　from　his　master　for　this　habit。　　But　on　this　occasion　a

careless　nursery　maid；　neglectful　of　her　charge；　had　left　a　little

child　to　toddle　to　the　centre　of　the　carriage　drive　and　there　it　had

stood；　balancing　itself　with　the　uncertain　footing　characteristic

of　first　steps。　　Even　if　it　could　have　seen　the　rapidly　approaching

carriage　that　was　hidden　by　the　angle　of　the　building；　its　baby

feet　could　not　have　carried　it　out　of　harm's　way　in　time；　and　it

is　more　than　probable　that　its　inexperience　would　have　prevented

any　sense　of　danger。



But　help　was　at　hand　in　the　person　of　one　who　never　seemed　so

preoccupied　with　self　as　to　lose　an　opportunity　to　serve　others。



Two　of　the　ladies；　who　had　casually　formed　Miss　Burton's　acquaintance

at　dinner；　still　lingered　in　the　door…way　to　talk　with　her；　wondering

in　the　mean　time　why　they　remained　so　long；　and　meaning　to　break

away　every　moment；　but　the　expression　of　the　young　lady's　eyes　was

so　pleasant；　and　her　manner；　more　than　anything　she　said；　so　like

spring　sunshine　that　they　were　still　standing　in　the　door…way　when

the　rumble　and　rush　of　the　carriage　was　heard。　　The　others　did　not

notice　these　sounds；　but　Miss　Burton；　whose　eyes　had　been　following

the　child　with　an　amused　interest；　suddenly　broke　off　in　the　midst

of　a　sentence；　listened　a　second；　then　swiftly　springing　down　the

steps；　darted　towards　the　child。



Quick　as　she　had　been　it　seemed　as　if　she　would　be　too　late；　for；

with　cries　of　horror；　the　startled　ladies　on　the　piazza　saw　the

horses　coming　so　rapidly　that　it　appeared　that　both　the　maiden　and

the　child　must　be　trampled　under　their　feet。　　And　so　they　would

have　been；　had　Miss　Burton　sought　to　snatch　up　the　child　and　return；

but　with　rare　presence　of　mind　she　carried　the　child　across　the

carriage　track　to　its　farther　side；　thus　making　the　most　of　the

impetus　with　which　she　had　rushed　to　the　rescue。



The　exclamations　of　the　ladies　drew　many　eyes　to　the　scene；　and

all　held　their　breath　as　the　horses　dashed　past；　the　driver　vainly

endeavoring　to　pull　them　up　in　time。　　Having　passed；　even　Stanton

was　compelled　to　admit　that　the　〃school…ma'am〃　appeared　to　very

great　advantage　as　she　stood　panting；　and　with　heightened　color；

holding　in　her　arms　the　laughing　child　that　seemed　to　think　that

the　whole　excitement　was　created　for　its　amusement。　　She　was　about

to　restore　the　child　to　its　nurse　quietly；　who　now　came　bustling

up　with　many　protestations；　when　she　was　arrested　by　a　loud　voice

exclaiming：



〃Don't　let　that　hateful　creature　touch　my　child　againgive　him

to　me；〃　and　a　lady；　who　had　been　drawn　to　the　scene　by　the　outcry；

ran　down　the　steps；　and　snatching　the　child；　almost　devoured　him

with　kisses。　　Then；　turning　to　the　trembling　nurse；　she　said　harshly：



〃Begone；　I　never　wish　to　see　your　face　again。　　Had　it　not　been　for

this　lady；　my　child　would　have　been　killed　through　your　carelessness。

Excuse　me；　MissMiss〃



〃Miss　Burton；〃　said　the　young　lady　quietly。



〃Excuse　my　show　of　feeling；　but　you　can't　realize　the　service　you

have　done　us。　　Bertie　is　our　only　child；　and　we　just　idolize　him。

I'm　so　agitated；　I　must　go　to　my　room。〃



When　the　lady　had　disappeared；　Miss　Burton　turned　to　the　sobbing

nurse　and　said：



〃Will　you　promise　me　to　be　careful　in　the　future　if　I　intercede

for　you？〃



〃Dade；　Miss；　an'　I　will。〃



〃Come　to　me；　then；　after　supper。　　In　the　mean　time　remain　where

your　mistress　can　summon　you　should　she　need　your　services；　or　be

inclined　to　forgive　you　of　her　own　accord；〃　and　leaving　the　crude

and　offending　jumble　of　humanity　much　comforted；　she　returned　to

the　piazza　again。



Of　course　many　pressed　around　her　with　congratulations　and　words

of　commendation。　　Van　Berg　was　much　interested　in　observing　how

she　would　receive　this　sudden　gush　of　mingled　honest　praise　and

extravagant　flattery；　for　he　recognized　that　the　occasion　would

prove　a　searching　and　delicate　test　of　character　for　which　there

was　no　time　to　prepare。　　She　did　not　listen　to　their　words　with

deprecatory　smirk；　nor　with　the　pained　expression　of　those　sensitive

souls　to　whom　hearty　words　and　demonstrations　are　like　rough　winds；

nor　was　there　a　trace　of　exultation　and　self…complacency　in　her

bearing。　　Van　Berg　thought　that　her　manner　was　peculiarly　her　own；

for　she　looked　into　the　faces　around　her　with　frank　gladness；　and

her　unconsciousness　of　herself　can　be；　perhaps；　best　suggested　by

her　own　words。



〃How　fortunate　it　was；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　stood　where　I　did；　and

happened　to　be　looking　at　the　child。　　If　somebody　had　not　been　at

hand　it　might　have　gone　hard　with　the　little　fellow。　　Not　that　I

think　he　would　have　been　killed；　but　he　might　have　been　maimed　or

disfigured　in　a　way　tha