a face illumined-第17章

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all　the　actors　in　the　unexpected　scene。











Chapter　XII。　　Miss　Mayhew　is　Puzzled。









〃Miss　Burton；〃　said　Van　Berg；　as　soon　as　they　were　alone；　〃I　wish

I　could　have　saved　you　from　this　disagreeable　experience。　　I　tried

to　do　so；　but　was　not　quick　enough。　　I　much　blame　my　slow　wits　that

I　was　not　more　prompt。〃



〃I　wish　it　might　have　been　prevented；〃　she　replied；　〃for　their

sakes　as　well　as　my　own。〃



〃I　have　no　compunctions　on　their　account　whatever；〃　said　Van　Berg；

〃and　feel　that　you　let　them　off　much　too　kindly。　　I　think；　however；

that　they　and　all　others　here　will　understand　you　much　better

hereafter。　　I　cannot　express　too　strongly　to　you　how　thoroughly　our

brief　acquaintance　has　taught　me　to　respect　you；　and　if　you　will

permit　me　to　give　an　earnest　meaning　to　Mr。　Burleigh's　jesting　offer

to　share　with　me　the　responsibility　of　your　care；　I　will　esteem　it

an　honor。〃



〃I　sincerely　thank　you；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　and　should　I　ever　need　the

services　of　a　gentleman；〃she　laid　a　slight　emphasis　upon　the

term〃I　shall；　without　any　hesitancy；　turn　to　you。　　But　I　have

long　since　learned　to　be　my　own　protectress；　as；　after　all；　one

must　be；　situated　as　I　am。〃



〃You　seem　to　have　the　ability；　not　only　to　take　care　of　yourself；

but　of　others；　Miss　Burton。　　Nevertheless　I　shall；　with　your

permission；　establish　a　sort　of　protectorate　over　you　which　shall

be　exceedingly　unobtrusive　and　undemonstrative；　and　not　in　the

least　like　that　which　some　powers　make　the　excuse　for　exactions；

until　the　protected　party　is　ready　to　cry　out　in　desperation　to

be　delivered　from　its　friends。　　I　hesitated　too　long　this　evening

from　the　fear　of　being　forward；　and　yet　I　did　not　know　what　was

coming；　and　had　learned　only　accidentally　but　a　few　moments　before

that　anything　was　coming。〃



〃Well；〃　replied　Miss　Burton　with　a　slight　laugh；　〃it's　a　comfortable

thought　that　there's　a　fort　near；　to　which　one　can　run　should　an

enemy　appear；　and　a　pleasanter　thought　still；　that　the　fort　is　strong

and　staunch。　　but；　to　change　the　figure；　I　have　a　great　fancy　for

paddling　my　own　light　canoe；　and　such　small　craft　will　often　float；

you　know；　where　a　ship　of　the　line　would　strike。〃



〃I　will　admit；　Miss　Burton；　that　ships　of　the　line　are　often　unwieldy

and　clumsily　deep　in　the　water；　but　if　you　ever　do　need　a　gunboat

with　a　howitzer　or　two　on　deck；　may　I　hope　to　be　summoned？〃



〃I　could　ask　for　no　better　champion。　　I　fairly　tremble　at　the

broadside　that　would　follow。〃



〃Are　you　thinking　of　the　discharge　or　the　recoil？〃



〃Both　might　involve　danger；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　laughing；　〃but　I

have　concluded　to　keep　on　your　side　through　such　wars　as　may　rage

at　the　Lake　House　during　my　sojourn。　　I　cannot　help　thinking　of

poor　Mr。　　and　Mrs。　Chints。　　I　feel　almost　as　sorry　for　such　people

as　I　do　for　the　blind　and　deaf。　　They　seem　to　lack　a　certain　sense

which；　if　possessed；　would　teach　them　to　avoid　such　scenes。〃



〃I　detest　such　people　and　like　to　snub　them　unmercifully；〃　said

Van　Berg；　heartily。



〃That　may　be　in　accordance　with　a　gunboat　character；　but　is　it

knightly？〃



〃Why　not？　　What　does　snobbishness　and　rich　vulgarity　deserve　at

any　man's　hands？〃



〃Nothing　but　sturdy　blows。　　But　what　do　weak；　imperfect；　half…educated

men　and　women；　who　have　never　had　a　tithe　of　your　advantages；　NEED

at　your　hands？　　Can　we　not　condemn　faults；　and　at　the　same　time

pity　and　help　the　faulty？　　The　gunboat　sends　its　shot　crashing　too

much　at　random。　　It　seems　to　me　that　true　knighthood　would　spare

weakness　of　any　kind。〃



〃I'm　glad　you　have　not　spared　mine。　　You　have　demolished　me　as　a

gunboat；　but　I　would　fain　be　your　knight。〃



〃It　is　Mrs。　Chints　who　needs　a　knight　at　present；　and　not　I。　　It

troubles　me　to　think　of　her　worriment　over　this　foolish　little

episode；　and　with　your　permission　I　will　go　and　try　to　banish　the

cloud。〃



As　she　turned　she　was　intercepted　by　Stanton；　who　said：



〃Miss　Burton；　let　my　present　to　you　my　cousin；　Miss　Mayhew。〃



A　ray　from　a　parlor　lamp　fell　upon　Ida's　face；　and　Van　Berg　saw　at

once　that　it　was　clouded　and　unamiable　in　its　expression。　　Stanton

had　evidently　been　reproaching　her　severely。



Miss　Burton　held　out　her　hand　cordially　and　said；　〃I　wish　to　thank

you　for　maintaining　the　credit　of　our　sex　this　morning。　　These

superior　men　are　so　fond　of　portraying　us　as　hysterical；　clinging

creatures　whose　only　instinct　in　peril　is　to　throw　themselves　on

man's　protection；　that　I　always　feel　a　little　exultation　when　one

of　the　'weaker　and　gentler　sex；'　as　we　are　termed；　show　the　courage

and　presence　of　mind　which　they　coolly　appropriate　as　masculine

qualities。〃



〃Are　you　an　advocate　of　woman's　rights；　Miss　Burton？〃　asked　Miss

Mayhew；　stung　by　the　unconscious　sarcasm　of　the　lady's　words；　to　reply

in　almost　as　resentful　a　manner　as　if　a　wound　had　been　intended。



〃Not　of　woman's；　particularly；〃　was　the　quiet　answer；　〃I　would　be

glad　if　every　one　had　their　rights。〃



〃You　philanthropy　is　very　wide；　certainly。〃



〃And　therefore　very　thin；　perhaps　you　think；　since　it　covers　so　much

ground。　　I　agree　with　you；　Miss　Mayhew；　that　general　good…will　is

as　cold　and　thin　as　moonshine。　　One　ray　of　sunlight　that　warms　some

particular　thing　into　life　is　worth　it　all。〃



〃Indeed！　I　think　I　prefer　moonlight。〃



〃There　are　certain　absorbing　avocations　in　life　to　which　moonshine

is　better　adapted　then　sunlight；　is　probably　the　thought　in　my

cousin's　mind；〃　said　Stanton；　satirically。



〃And　what　are　they？〃　asked　Miss　Burton。



〃Flirtation；　for　instance。〃



〃My　cousin　is　speaking　for　himself；〃　said　Ida；　acidly；　〃and　knows

better　what　is　in　his　own　mind　than　in　mine。〃



〃If　some　ladies　themselves　never　know　their　own　minds；　how　can

another　know？〃　Stanton　retorted。



〃Well；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　with　a　laugh；　〃if　we　accept　a　practical

philosophy　much　in　voguethat　of　taking　the　world　as　we　find

itflirting　is　one　of　the　commonest　pursuits　of　mankind。〃



〃I'm　quite　sure；　Miss　Burton；〃　said　Van　Berg；　〃that　your　philosophy

of　life　is　the　reverse　of　taking　the　world　as　we　find　it。〃



〃Indeed；　you　are　mistaken；　sir；　I　am　exceedingly　prosaic　in　my　views；

and　cherish　no　Utopian　dreams　and　theories。　　I　do　indeed　take　the

old　matter…of…fact　world　as　I　find　it；　and　try　to　make　the　best　of

it。〃



〃Ah；　your　last　is　a　very　saving　clause。　　Too　many　are　seemingly

trying　to　make　the　worst　of　it；　and　unfortunately　they　succeed。〃



Ida　here　shot　a　quick　and　vengeful　glance　at　the　speaker。



〃Please　do　not　present　me　as　a　general　reformer；　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃

protested　Miss　Burton；　with　a　light　laugh；　〃I　have　my　hands　full

in　mending　my　own　ways。〃



〃And　so　might　we　all；　no　doubt；〃　said　Stanton；　〃only　most　of　us

leave　our　ways　unmended。　　but　I　am　curious　to　know；　Miss　Burton；　how

you　would　make　the　best　of　a　flirtation；　since　this　is　emphatically

a　part　of　the　world　as　we　find　it；　especially　at　a　summer　hotel。〃



〃The　best　that　we　can　do　with　many　things　that　exist；〃　she　replied；

〃is　to　leave　them　alone。　　Italy　is　pre…eminently　the　land　of　garlic

and　art；　but　fortunately　we　shall　not　find　it　necessary　to　indulge

in　both　and　in　equal　proportions　when　we　are　so　happy　as　to　go

abroad。〃



〃A　great　many　people　prefer　the　garlic；〃　said　Stanton。



〃Oh；　certainly；〃　she　answered；　〃it's　a　matter　of　taste。〃



〃So　then　garlic　and　flirtation　are　corresponding　terms　in　your

vocabulary？〃



〃I　cannot　say　which　term　outranks　the　other；　but　it　seems　to　me　that

if　a　woman　regards　her　love　as　a　sacred　thing；　she　cannot　permit

an　indefinite　number　of　commonplace　people　even　to　attempt　to　stain

it　with　their　soiling　touch。〃



〃I　think　gentlemen　show　just　as　much　of　a　disposition　to　flirt　as

ladies；〃　said　Ida；　with　resentment　in　her　tone。



〃I　will　not　dispute　that　statement；〃　replied　Miss　Burton；　with　a

laugh；　〃indeed；　I'm　inclined　to　think　they　are　very　human。〃



〃Humane；　you　mean；〃　interposed　Stanton。　　〃Yes；　I　often　wonder　at

our　patient　endurance。〃



〃Which　shall　be　taxed　no　longer　to…night　by　me。　　Good…evening；　Miss

Mayhew。　　Good…evening；　patient　martyrs。〃



〃Humane；　indeed！〃　said　Stanton。　　〃Are　you　that　way　inclined；　Van？〃



〃I　have　no　occasion　to　be　otherwise。〃



〃Well；　I　feel　savage　enough　to　scalp　some　one。〃



〃So　I　should　judge；〃　remarked　Ida。



〃Perhaps　then；　as　my　mood　contrasts　somewhat　favorably　with　your

cousin's；　you　will　venture　to　walk　with　me　for　awhile？〃　said　Van

Berg。



〃Indeed；　sir；〃　she　replied；　taking　his　arm；　〃there　are　times　when

any　change　is　a　relief。〃



〃I　cannot　be　very　greatly　elated　over　that　view　of　the　case；

certainly；〃　remarked　Van　Berg；　with　a　laugh。



She　did　not　reply　at　once；　but　after　a　moment　said：　　〃I　suppose

you　regard　me　as　a　hopeless　case　at　best。〃



〃what　suggests　that　thought　to　you；　Miss　Mayhew？〃



〃You　are　not　so　dull　as　to　need　to　ask　that　question；　and　you　only

ask　it　to　draw　me　out。　　For　one　thing；　you　probably　think　that

I　instigated　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Chints　to　act　as　they　did。　　This　is　not

true。〃



〃I'm　very　glad　to　hear　it。〃



〃I'm　no　more　to　blame　than　Mr。　Burleigh　was。　　He　knew　about　it　as

well　as　I　did；　but　Mrs。　Chints　was　bound　to　carry　out　her　project。〃



〃Will　you　permit　a　suggestion？〃



〃I　suppose　you　wish　to　insinuate　that　I　acted　like　a　heathen；

instead　of　saying　that　I　am　one　plainly；　as　does　Cousin　Ik？〃



〃I　think　you　acted　a　little　thoughtlessly。　　If　Miss　Burton　had　been

in　your　place；　she　would　have　tried　to　prevent　the　disagreeable

scene。〃



〃Oh；　certainly！　she　is　perfect。〃



〃No；　she　is　kind。〃



〃Would　it　be　possible　to　speak　upon　some　agreeable　subject；　Mr。

Van　Berg？　　I　have　had　enough　mortifications　for　one　day。〃



He　was　puzzled。　　What　topic　could　he　introduce　that　would　interest

this　spoiled　and　petulant　beauty。



He　touched　on　art；　but　she　was　only　artful　in　her　small　way；　and

could　not　follow　him。　　He　tried　literature；　and　here　they　had　even

less　in　common。　　He　would　not　and　indeed　could　not　read　the　thin

society　novels　which　reflected　modes　of　life　as　trivial　as　her

own；　and　his　books　might　have　been　written　in　another　language；

so　slight　was　her　acquaintance　with　them。　　The　various　political；

social；　or　scientific　questions　of　the　day　had　never　puzzled　her

brain。　　Van　Berg　cautiously　felt　his　way　towards　his　companion's

knowledge　of　two　or　three　of　the　most　popular　of　them。　　Her　answers；

however；　were　so　superficial　and　irrelevant；　and　also　so　evidently

embarrassed；　that　he　saw　his　only　resources　to　be　society　chit…chat；

gossip　about　mutual　acquaintances；　the　latest　modes；　the　attractions

of　pleasure　resorts　in　the　city；　and　of　summer　resorts　in　the　country。

But　he　gave　his　mind　to　these　unwonted　themes；　and　labored　hard　to

be　entertaining；　for　now　that　he　had　gained　the　vantage…ground　he

so