a face illumined-第18章

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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

sought；　he　was　determined　to　discover　whether　there　was　a　sleeping

mind　or　a　vacuum　behind　Miss　Mayhew's　shapely　forehead。　　Granting

that　there　was　a　womanly　intelligence　there；　as　yet　unquickened；

he　was　not　so　irrational　as　to　imagine　he　could　jostle　it　into

illumining　activity　in　one　short　hour；　or　day；　or　week。　　But　it

seemed　to　him　that　if　any　mind　existed　worth　the　name；　it　would

give　such　encouraging　signs　of　life　before　many　days　passed　as

would　promise　success　of　his　experiment。　　He　felt　that　his　first

aim　must　be　to　establish　an　intimacy　that　would　permit　as　full

and　frank　an　exchange　of　thought　as　was　possible　between　people　so

dissimilar。



While　he　tried　to　bring　himself　down　to　the　littleness　of　her　daily

life；　he　determined　to　show　his　disapproval　of　every　phrase　of　its

meanness　as　far　as　he　could　without　offending　her。　　He　had　made　her

feel　that　he　condemned　her　course　towards　Miss　Burton　that　evening；

and　he　had　meant　to　do　so。



She　resented　this　disapproval；　and　at　the　same　time　respected　him

for　it。　　Indeed　he　puzzled　her。　　He　evidently　sought　and　wished

for　her　society；　and　yet　as　they　walked　back　and　forth；　even　though

she　did　not　look　at　him　when　the　light　gave　her　the　opportunity

to　do　so；　she　felt　intuitively　that　he　did　not　enjoy　her　company。

She　saw　that　he　was　laboring　hard　to　make　himself　agreeable；　but

his　small　talk　had　not　the　familiar　flippancy　and　fluency　of　one

speaking　in　his　native　tongue；　nor　was　his　manner　that　of　one　who；

infatuated　with　her　beauty；　had　thrown　aside　all　other　considerations。



She　felt　that　the　man　at　her　side　measured　her；　and　understood　her

littleness　thoroughly。



And　she　herself　had　a　growing　consciousness　of　insignificance　that

was　as　painful　as　it　was　novel。　　Adding　to　all　the　humiliations

of　this　day　here　was　a　man；　not　so　very　much　older　than　herself；

trying　to　come　down　to　her　level；　as　he　would　accommodate　his

language　to　a　child。　　No　labored　argument　could　have　revealed　her

ignorance　to　her　so　clearly；　as　her　conscious　inability　to　follow

him　into　his　ordinary　range　of　thought。　　Unwittingly　he　had　demonstrated

his　superiority　in　a　way　that　she　could　not　deny；　however　much　she

might　be　inclined　to　resent　it。　　And　yet　he　treated　her　with　a　sort

of　respect；　and　occasionally　she　saw　that　he　bent　his　eyes　upon

her　face　as　if　in　search　of　something。



After　a　transient　effort　to　ignore　everything　and　talk　in　her　usual

superficial　manner；　she　became　more　and　more　silent　and　oppressed；

and；　at　last　said；　somewhat　abruptly：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　am　weary；　and　I　imagine　you　are　too。　　I　think　I

will　say　good…night。〃



〃I　scarcely　wonder　that　you　are　fatigued。　　You　have　had　a　trying

day。〃



〃It　has　been　a　horrid　day；〃　she　said；　emphatically。



〃It　might　have　ended　much　worse；　nevertheless。〃



〃Possibly；〃　she　admitted　with　a　shrug。



〃You　have　more　reason　to　congratulate　yourself　than　you　imagine；

Miss　Mayhew。　　Even　that　disagreeable　souvenir　of　our　morning　peril；

your　lameness；　has　disappeared；　and　you　might　have　been　maimed　for

life。〃



〃My　lameness；　like　my　courage；　was　chiefly　a　fraud　to　begin　with；

and　soon　disappeared；　but　I　have　other　souvenirs　of　that　occasion

that　I　cannot　get　rid　of　so　easily。〃



〃If　I　am　one　of　them；　you　are　right；　Miss　Mayhew；　I　shall　hold　you

to　our　agreement　this　morning。　　You　put　me　on　my　good　behaviorhave

I　not　behaved　well？〃



〃Yes；　better　than　I　have。　　I　was　not　referring　to　you　personally；

but　to　certain　memories。〃



〃We　agreed　to　let　by…gones　be　by…gones。〃



〃But　others　are　not　parties　to　this　agreement；　and　every　reference

to　the　affair　is　odious　to　me。〃



〃I　shall　make　no　further　reference　to　it；　and　you　must　be　fair

enough　not　to　punish　me　for　the　acts　of　others。〃



〃You　also　despise　me　in　your　heart　of　my　course　towards　Miss　Burton

this　evening。〃



〃If　I　despised　you　would　I　have　sought　your　society　this　evening？〃



〃I　do　not　know。　　I　don't　understand　you；　if　you　will　permit　my

bluntness。〃



〃Possibly　you　don't　understand　yourself；　Miss　Mayhew。〃



〃I　understand　that　I　have　had　a　miserable　day；　and　I　hope　I　may

never　see　another　like　it。　　Good…night；　sir。〃











Chapter　XIII。　　Nature's　Broken　Promise。









Van　Berg　had　been　left　to　himself　but　a　little　time　before　Stanton

and　Mr。　Burleigh　came　out　upon　the　piazza；　and　the　three　gentlemen

sat　down　for　a　quiet　chat。



〃Well；〃　remarked　mine　host；　with　a　sigh　of　relief　such　as　a　pilot

might　heave　after　taking　his　ship　round　a　perilous　point；　〃well；

thanks　to　Miss　Burton's　good　sense；　the　affair　has　ended　without　any

trouble。　　In　a　house　like　this；　'Satan　is　finding　mischief　still'

whenever　my　back　is　turned；　and　sometimes　he　threatens　to　get　up

a　row　right　under　my　nose；　as　in　this　instance。　　I　was　a　'blarsted

fool；'　as　our　English　friends　have　it；　not　to　know　that　Mrs。

Chint's　drama；　although　beginning　in　comedy；　might　end　in　tragedy

of　my　losing　some　good　paying　boarders。　　Still　further　did

I　demonstrate　the　length　of　my　ears　by　even　imagining　it　possible

that　Miss　Burton　would　take　five　hundred；　or　five　hundred　thousand

dollars　in　any　such　circumstances。　　But　the　whole　thing　was　done

in　a　jiffy；　and　Mrs。　Chints　was　possessed　to　have　her　'tableau

vivant。'　　Lively　picture　wasn't　it？　　Still；　if　Miss　Mayhew；　when

appealed　to　by　Mrs。　Chints；　had　confirmed　my　doubts；　I　would　have

tried　to　stop　the　nonsense　at　any　cost。〃



〃Did　Miss　Mayhew　advise　the　step？〃　asked　Stanton。



〃Oh；　no！　　She　was　non…committal。　　She　acted　as　if　it　were　none　of

her　affair；　save　as　it　might　afford　her　a　little　amusement。　　But

these　rows　are　no　light　matters　to　us　poor　publicans；　who　must

please　every　one　and　keep　the　whole　menagerie　in　order。　　Mr。　Chints

was　swearing　up　and　down　his　room　that　he　had　been　made　a　fool　of。

Mrs。　Chints　was　for　leaving　to…morrow　morning；　declaring　that　she

would　not　endure　such　airs　from　a　school…teacher。　　They　are　rich

and　have　a　number　of　friends　who　are　coming　soon；　and　so　my　mind

was　full　of　'strange　oaths'　also；　at　my　prospective　loss；　when　this

blessed　little　woman　appears；　taps　at　their　door；　enters　like　the

angel　into　the　lion's　den；　and　shuts　their　mouths　by　some　magic

all　her　own。　　And　now　they're　going　to　stay；　Mr。　Chints　will　give

the　five　hundred　to　the　Children's　Aid　Society；　all　is　serene　and

I'm　happy；　so　much　so　that　I'll　smoke　another　of　your　good　cigars；

Mr。　Stanton。〃



〃Certainly；　half…a…dozen　if　you　wish。　　How　do　you　imagine　she

quieted　the　unruly　beasts？〃



〃Oh；　I　suppose　she　got　around　them　through　the　childsomewhat　as

she　won　over　my　wife　this　afternoon　by　means　of　our　cross　baby。

It's　teething；　you　knowand　yet　how　should　you　young　chaps　know

anything　about　babies！　　No　matter；　your　time　will　come。　　This

promenading　the　piazza　with　lovely　creatures　who　have　been　half　the

afternoon　at　their　toilets　is　all　very　nice；　but　wait　till　you　have

weathered　innumerable　squalls　in　the　dead　of　nightthen　you'll

learn　that　teething…time　in　a　household　is　like　going　around　Cape

Horn。　　Well；　to　return　from　your　future　to　my　present。　　When　so

good…natured　a　man　as　I　am　gets　into　a　sympathetic　mood　with　old

King　Herod；　you　can　imagine　what　a　state　the　mother's　nerves　must　be

in　who　has　to　stand　it　night　and　day。　　But　as　Miss　Burton　had　been

commended　to　my　care；　I　felt　that　I　was　in　duty　bound　to　introduce

her　to　my　wife　and　show　her　some　attention。　　So　I　said　to　my　wife；

this　afternoon；　'I'm　going　to　bring　a　young　lady　in　to　see　you。'

'Do　you　think　I'm　in　a　condition　to　entertain　company？'　she　asked；

with　a　faint　suggestion　of　hard　cider　in　her　tone。　　'Well；　my

dear；'　I　expostulated；　'it　was　just　the　same　yesterday；　and　will

be　a　little　more　so　to…morrow；　and　I　feel　that　I　shall　be　remiss

if　I　delay　any　longer。'　　'Oh；　very　well；'　she　said；　as　if　it　were

a　tooth　that　must　come　out　sooner　or　later；　'since　the　matter　must

be　attended　to；　let　us　have　it　over　at　once。'　　But　bless　you；　it

wasn't　over　till　supper…time。　　As　I　brought　the　young　lady　in；　the

baby　waked　out　of　a　five…minutes'　nap　that　had　cost　about　an　hour's

rocking；　and　I　thought　the　roof　would　come　off。　　My　wife　looked

cross　and　worriedwell；　it　was　prose；　gentlemen；　prosenot　the

poetry　of　life；　and　I　said　to　myself；　'I　suppose　I　have　about　made

it　certain　that　this　young　woman　will　live　and　die　an　old　maid　by

giving　her　this　glimpse　behind　the　scenes。　　I　thought　the　ladies

could　get　on　better　without　me　than　with　me；　so　I　bowed　myself　out；

glad　to　escape　the　din；　and　I　supposed　Miss　Burton　would　say　a　few

pleasant　things　in　the　direction　of　Mrs。　Burleigh；　which　she；　poor

woman；　might　not　be　able　to　hear；　and　then　she　would　bow　herself

out；　also　glad　to　escape。　　An　hour　and　a　half　later　I　went　back　to

see　if　I　could　not　coax　my　wife　away　for　a　drive；　and　what　do　you

suppose　I　saw？〃



〃The　baby　in　convulsions；〃　said　Stanton。



〃Give　it　up；〃　added　Van　Berg。



〃Sweet　transformation　scene；　deep　hush；　my　wife　asleep　in　her

rocking…chair；　the　baby　asleep　in　the　arms　of　Miss　Burton；　who

held　up　a　warning　finger　at　me　to　be　quiet。　　But　the　mischief　was

done；　my　wife　started　up　and　was　mortified　beyond　measure　that　she

had　treated　her　guest　so　rudely。　　The　good　fairy；　however；　was　so

genuinely　delighted　that　she　had　quieted　the　baby　and　given　the

tired　mother　a　little　rest；　that　we　had　to　come　to　the　conclusion

that　she　found　pleasure　in　ways　that　are　a　trifle　uncommon。　　By

some　miracle　or　other　she　kept　the　baby　asleep；　and　then　my　wife

and　I　tried　to　entertain　her　a　little；　but　we　were　the　ones　that

were　entertained。　　Before　we　knew　it；　the　supper…bell　rang；　and

then　I'm　blessed　if　the　little　chap　didn't　wake　up　and　grin　at　us

all。　　To　think　then　that　I　should　reward　her　by　letting　Mr。　Chints

slap　her　face　with　a　five…hundred…dollar　check！　　I　guess　we'll　all

know　better　next　time。〃



〃Did　she　tell　you　anything　further　about　her　history　or　her

connections？〃　asked　Stanton。



Mr。　Burleigh　stroked　his　beard　and　looked　rather　blank　for　a　moment。



〃Now　I　think　of　it；〃　he　ejaculated；　〃I　be　hanged　if　she　said　a　word

about　herself。　　And　now　I　think　further　of　it；　she　somehow　or　other

got　Mrs。　Burleigh　and　myself　a…talking；　and　seemed　so　interested

in　us　and　what　we　said；　that　I　be　hanged　again　if　we　didn't　tell

her　all　we　know　about　ourselves。〃



〃She　impresses　every　one　as　being　remarkably　frank；　and　yet　I

think　it　will　be　found　that　she　is　peculiarly　reticent　in　regard

to　herself；〃　remarked　Van　Berg　musingly。　　〃Well；　it's　not　often　I

take　people　on　trust；　but　I　have　given　this　lady　my　entire　respect

and　confidence。〃



〃I　assure　you　that　there　is　no　trust　in　this　business；〃　said　Mr。

Burleigh；　emphaticall