a face illumined-第16章

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theirs。



〃Miss　Mayhew；　we　want　your　opinion　in　regard　to　a　certain　matter；〃

began　the　lady　volubly。　　〃Of　course　I　and　my　husband　feel　very

grateful　to　the　young　woman　who　saved　our　child　from　your　cousin's

horses　yesterday。　　Indeed；　my　husband　feels　so　deeply　indebted　that

he　wishes　to　make　some　return　and　I　have　suggested　that　he　present

her　with　a　check　for　five　hundred　dollars。　　I　learn　from　Mr。　Burleigh

that　she　is　a　teacher；　and　therefore；　of　course；　she　must　be　poor。

Now；　in　my　view；　if　my　husband　or　some　other　gentleman　should　present

this　check　in　the　parlor；　with　an　appropriate　little　speech；　it

would　be　a　nice　acknowledgment　of　her　act。　　Don't　you　think　so？〃



〃I　do　not　think　I　am　qualified　to　give　an　opinion；〃　said　Ida；　〃as

I　have　no　acquaintance　with　the　lady　whatever。〃



〃I'm　sure　it　will　be　just　the　thing　to　do；〃　said　the　lady；　becoming

more　infatuated　with　her　project　every　moment。　　〃Do　you　think　your

cousin　would　be　willing　to　make　the　speech？〃



At　this　suggestion　Ida　laughed　outright。　　〃The　idea；〃　she　said；

〃of　my　cousin　making　a　speech　of　any　kind；　or　in　any　circumstances！〃



〃Now　I　think　of　it；〃　persisted　the　lady；　〃Miss　Burton　and　Mr。　Van

Berg　sit　at　the　same　table；　and　he　seems　better　acquainted　with　her

than　any　of　the　gentlemen。　　He's　the　one　to　make　the　speech；　only

I　do　not　feel　that　I　know　him　well　enough　to　ask　him。　　Do　you；　Miss

Mayhew？〃



〃Indeed　I　do　not；〃　said　the　young　lady；　decisively；　〃I　am　the　last

one　in　the　house　to　ask　any　favors　of　Mr。　Van　Berg。〃



〃Well；　then；　Mr。　Burleigh　can　explain　everything　and　ask　him。〃



〃Really　now；　Mrs。　Chints〃for　such　was　the　lady's　name〃I　don't

quite　believe　that　Mr。　Van　Berg　would　approve　of　giving　Miss　Burton

money　in　public；　and　before　anything　further　is　done　I　would　like

to　ask　his　judgement。　　It　all　may　be　eminently　proper；　as　you

say；　and　I　would　not　like　to　stand　in　the　way　of　the　young　lady's

receiving　so　handsome　a　present；　and　would　not　for　the　world　if　I

thought　it　would　be　agreeable　to　her；　but　there　is　something　about

her　that…〃



〃I　have　it；〃　interrupted　the　positive…minded　lady；　unheeding　and

scarcely　hearing　Mr。　Burleigh's　dubious　circumlocution；　and　she　put

her　finger　to　her　forehead　for　a　moment　in　an　affected　stage…like

manner；　as　if　her　ideas　of　the　〃eternal　fitness　of　things〃　had

been　obtained　from　the　sensational　drama。　　〃I　have　it：　　the　child

himself　shall　hand　her　the　gift　from　his　own　little　hand；　and　you；

Mr。　Chints；　can　say　all　that　need　be　said。　　It　will　be　a　pretty

scene；　a　'tableau　vivant。'　　Mr。　Chints；　come　with　me　before　the

young　woman　leaves　her　present　favorable　position　near　the　parlor

door。　　Mr。　Burleigh；　your　scruples　are　sentimental　and　groundless。

Of　course　the　young　woman　will　be　delighted　to　receive　in　one

evening　as　much；　and　perhaps　more；　than　her　whole　year's　salary

amounts　to。　　Come；　Mr。　Chints；　Mr。　　Burleigh；　if　you　wish；　you　may

group　some　of　your　friends　near；〃　and　away　she　rustled；　sweeping

the　floor　with　her　silken　train。



Mr。　Chints　lumbered　after　her　with　a　perplexed　and　martyr…like

expression。　　He　was　a　mighty　man　in　Washington　Market；　but　in　a

matter　like　this　he　was　as　helpless　as　a　stranded　whale。　　The　gift

of　five　hundred　dollars　did　not　trouble　him　in　the　least；　he　could

soon　make　that　up；　but　taking　part　in　a　〃tableau　vivant〃　under　the

auspices　of　his　dramatic　wife　was　like　being　impaled。



〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Burleigh；　shaking　his　head；　〃I　wash　my　hands　of

the　whole　matter。　　Five　hundred　dollars　is　a　snug　sum；　but　I　doubt

if　that　little　woman　takes　it。　　I'm　more　afraid　she'll　be　offended

and　hurt。　　What　do　you　think；　Miss　Mayhew？〃



〃I've　no　opinion　to　offer；　Mr。　Burleigh。　　These　people　are　all

comparative　strangers　to　me。　　Mrs。　Chints　is　determined　to　have

her　own　way；　and　nothing　that　you　or　I　can　say　would　make　any

difference。　　My　rule　is　to　let　people　alone；　and　if　they　get　into

scrapes　it　sometimes　does　them　good；〃　and　she　left　him　that　she

might　witness　the　Chints'　tableau。



〃That's　just　the　difference　between　you　and　Miss　Burton；〃　muttered

Mr。　Burleigh；　nodding　his　head　significantly　after　her。　　〃She'd

help　a　fellow　out　of　a　scrape　and　you'd　help　him　into　one。　　Well；

if　the　old　saying's　true；　'Handsome　is　that　handsome　does；'　the

little　school…teacher　would　be　the　girl　for　me　were　I　looking　for

my　mate。〃



On　her　way　to　the　entrance　of　the　main　parlor；　Ida　stopped　a　moment

at　an　open　window　near　the　corner　where　Stanton　and　Van　Berg　were

smoking。



〃Cousin　Ik；〃　she　said；　'sotto　voce。'



He　rose　and　joined　her。



〃If　you　wish　to　see　a　rich　scene；　hover　near　the　entrance　of　the

main　parlor。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃



〃I've　learned　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Chints；　and　possibly　your　favorite

new　performer；　Miss　Burton；　are　going　to　act　a　little　comedy

together：　come　and　see；〃　and　she　vanished。



〃Van；〃　said　Stanton　in　a　vexed　tone；　〃there's　some　mischief　on　foot；〃

and　he　mentioned　what　his　cousin　had　said；　adding：　　〃Can　Ida　have

been　putting　that　brassy　Mrs。　Chints　up　to　some　absurd　performance

that　will　hurt　Miss　Burton's　feelings？〃



They　rose　and　sauntered　down　the　piazza；　Van　Berg　trying　to　imagine

what　was　about　to　take　place　and　how　he　could　shield　the　young　lady

from　any　annoyance。



She　sat　inside　the　entrance　of　the　main　parlor　facing　the　open

windows；　and　a　little　group　had　gathered　around　her；　including

the　ladies　who　sat　at　her　table；　with　whom　she　had　already　become

a　favorite。　　Ida　had　demurely　entered　by　one　of　the　open　windows

and　was　apparently　reading　a　novel　under　one　of　the　gas　jets　not

far　away。　　Groups　of　people　were　chatting　near　or　were　seated　around

card…tables；　others　were　quietly　promenading　in　the　hall…ways　and

on　the　piazza。　　There　was　not　an　indication　of　any　expected　or

unexpected　〃scene。〃　　Only　Ida's　conscious；　observant　expression

and　the　absence　of　Mrs。　Chints　foreboded　mischief。



〃What　enormity　can　that　odious　family　be　about　to　perpetrate？〃

whispered　Stanton。



〃I　cannot　surmise；〃　answered　Van　Berg；　〃something　in　reference　to

the　rescue　of　her　child；　I　suppose。　　I　wish　I　could　thwart　them；

for　Miss　Burton's　position　will　place　her　full　in　the　public　eye；

and　I　do　not　wish　her　to　be　the　victim　of　their　vulgarity。〃



After　a　little　further　hesitation　and　thought　he　stepped　in；　and

approaching　Miss　Burton；　said：



〃Pardon　me　for　interrupting　you；　but　I　wish　to　show　you　something

on　the　piazza　that　will　interest　you。〃



She　rose　to　follow　him；　but　before　she　could　take　a　step　Mrs。　Chints

swept　in　on　the　arm　of　her　husband；　followed　by　the　nursewho　had

been　retained　at　Miss　Burton's　intercessionbearing　in　her　arms

the　little　boy；　that　stared　at　the　lights　and　people　with　the　round

eyes　of　childish　wonder。



Every　one　looked　up　in　surprise　at　the　sudden　appearance　of　the

little　group；　that　suggested　a　christening　more　than　anything　else。



Planting　themselves　before　Miss　Burton；　thus　barring　all　egress；

Mr。　　Chints　fumbled　a　moment　in　his　pocket　and　drew　out　an　envelope；

and　with　a　loud；　prefatory　〃Ahem！〃　began：



〃My　dear　Miss　Burtonthat　is　the　way　Mrs。　Chints　says　I　should　address

you；　thought　it　strikes　me　as　a　trifle　familiar　and　affectionate；

but　I　mean　no　harmwe're　under　peculvery　great　obligations　to

YOU。　　We　learnmy　wife　hasthat　you　are　engagedengagedinI

mean　that　youteach。　　I'm　sure　that's　a　lawful　callingI　mean

a　laudable　one；　and　no　one　can　deny　that　it's　useful。　　In　my　view

it's　to　your　credit　that　you　are　engagedinthat　you　teach。

I　work　myself；　and　always　mean　to。　　In　fact　I　enjoy　it　more　than

making　speeches。　　But　feeling　that　we　were　under　wonderful　obligations

to　YOU；　and　learningmy　wife　didthat　you　were　dependent　onon

your　own　labor；　we　thought　that　if　this　little　fellow　that　you　saved

so　handsomely　should　hand　you　this　check　for　five　hundred　dollars

it　wouldn't　be　amiss。〃　　And　here；　according　to　rehearsal；　the　nurse

with　great　parade　handed　the　child　to　Mrs。　Chints；　who　now；　with

much　'empressement；'　advanced　to　a　position　immediately　before　Miss

Burton；　meanwhile　the　poor；　perspiring　Mr。　Chints　put　the　envelope

into　the　child's　chubby　hand；　saying：



〃Give　it　to　the　lady；　Augustus。〃



But　the　small　Augustus；　on　the　contrary；　stared　at　the　lady　and

put　the　envelope　in　his　mouth；　to　the　great　mortification　of　Mrs。

Chints；　who　had　been　so　preoccupied　with　the　Chints　side　of　the

affair；　and　the　impression　they　were　making　on　the　extemporized

audience；　that　she　had　no　eyes　for　Miss　Burton。



And　that　young　lady's　face　was；　in　truth；　a　study。　　An　expression

of　surprise　was　followed　quickly　by　one　of　resentment。　　Even　Stanton

was　obliged　to　admit　that　for　a　moment　the　little　〃school…ma'am〃

looked　formidable。　　But　as　Mr。　Chints　floundered　on　in　his　speech；

as　some　poor　wretch　who　could　not　swim　might　struggle　to　get　out

of　the　deep　water　into　which　he　had　been　thrown；　the　expression

of　her　face　softened；　and　one　might　imagine　the　thought　passing

through　her　mind〃They　don't　know　any　better；〃　and　when；　at　last；

the　child；　instead　of　carrying　out　the　climax　that　Mrs。　Chints　had

intended；　began　vigorously　to　munch　the　envelope　containing　the

precious　check；　there　was　even　a　twinkle　of　humor　in　the　young

lady's　eyes。　　But　she　responded　gravely：



〃Mr。　Chints；　I　was　at　first　inclined　to　resent　this　scene；　but　time

has　been　given　me　to　perceive　that　neither　you　nor　your　wife　wish

to　hurt　my　feelings；　and　that　you　are　in　part；　at　least；　actuated

by　feelings　of　gratitude　for　the　service　that　I　was　so　fortunate

as　to　render　you。　　But　I　fear　you　do　not　quite　understand　me。　　You

are　right　in　one　respect；　however。　　I　do　labor　for　my　own　livelihood；

and　it　is　a　source　of　the　deepest　satisfaction　to　me　that　I　can

live　from　my　own　work　and　not　from　gifts。　　If　your　hearts　prompt

this　large　donation；　there　are　hundreds　of　poor　little　waifs　in

the　city　to　whom　this　money　will　bring　a　little　of　the　care　and

comfort　which　blesses　your　child。　　As　for　myself；　this　is　all　the

reward　that　I　wish　or　can　receive；〃　and　she　stooped　and　kissed

the　child　on　both　cheeks。　　Then　taking　Van　Berg's　arm；　she　gladly

escaped　to　the　cool　and　dusky　piazza。



Mr。　Chints　looked　at　Mrs。　Chints　in　dismay。　　Mrs。　Chints　handed

the　baby　to　the　nurse；　and　beat　an　undramatic　and　hasty　retreat；

her　husband　following　in　a　dazed　sort　of　manner；　treading　on　her

train　at　every　other　step。



As　Van　Berg　passed　out　of　the　parlor；　he　saw　Ida　Mayhew　vanishing

from　its　farther　side；　with　Stanton　in　close　pursuit。　　When　Miss

Burton　ended　the　disagreeable　affair　by　kissing　the　child；　there　had

been　a　slight　murmur　of　applause。　　Significant　smiles　and　a　rising

him　of　voices　descanting　on　the　affair　in　a　way　not　at　all　complimentary

to　the　crestfallen　Chints　family；　followed　the　disappearances　of

all　the　actors　in　the　unexpected　scene。