a face illumined-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



strong　and　erratic　impulses。　　His　aims　were　definite　and　decided

rather　than　vague　and　diffusive；　but　his　standards　were　so　high

that；　thus　far；　he　had　scarcely　attempted　more　than　studies　that

were　like　the　musician's　scales　by　which　he　seeks　to　acquire　a

skill　in　touch　that　shall　enable　him　to　render　justly　the　works　of

the　great　composers。



His　family　had　praised　his　work　unstintedly；　and　honestly　thought

it　wonderful；　he　had　also　been　deluged　with　that　kind　of　flattery

which　relaxes　the　rules　of　criticism　in　favor　of　the　wealthy。　　Thus

it　was　not　strange　that　the　young　fellow；　at　one　time；　believed

that　he　was　born　to　greatness　by　a　kindly　decree　of　fate。　　But　as

his　horizon　widened　he　was　taught　better。　　His　mind；　fortunately；

grew　faster　than　his　vanity；　and　as　he　compared　his　crude　but

promising　work　with　that　of　mature　genius；　he　was　not　stricken

with　that　most　helpless　phase　of　blindnessthe　inability　to　see

the　superiority　of　others　to　one's　self。　　Every　day；　therefore；

of　study　and　observation　was　now　chastening　Harold　Van　Berg　and

preparing　him　to　build　his　future　success　on　the　solid　ground　of

positive　merit　as　compared　with　that　of　other　and　gifted　artists。



Van　Berg's　taste　and　talent　led　him　to　select；　as　his　specialty；

the　human　form　and　countenance；　and　he　chiefly　delighted　in　those

faces　which　were　expressive　of　some　striking　or　subtle　characteristic

of　the　indwelling　mind。　　He　would　never　be　content　to　paint　surfaces

correctly；　giving　to　features　merely　their　exact　proportions。　　Whether

the　face　were　historical；　ideal；　or　a　portrait；　the　controlling

trait　or　traits　of　the　spirit　within　must　shine　through；　or　else

he　regarded　the　picture　as　scarcely　half　finished。



A　more　sincere　idolator　than　Van　Berg；　in　his　worship　of　beauty；

never　existed；　but　it　was　the　beauty　of　a　complete　man　or　a　complete

woman。　　Even　in　his　early　youth　he　had　not　been　so　sensuous　as　to

be　captivated　by　that　opaque　fragment　of　a　womanan　attractive

form　devoid　of　a　mind。　　Indeed　with　the　exception　of　a　few　boyish

follies；　his　art　had　been　his　mistress　thus　far；　and　it　was　beginning

to　absorb　both　heart　and　brain。



With　what　a　quiet　pulsewith　what　a　complacent　sense　of　security

we　often　meet　those　seemingly　trivial　events　which　may　change　the

whole　character　of　our　lives！　　The　ride　had　been　taken；　the　dinner

enjoyed；　and　the　two　friends　were　seated　in　the　large　cool　hallway

off　the　concert　garden；　where　they　could　smoke　without　offence。　　The

unrivalled　leader；　Thomas；　had　just　lifted　his　batonthat　magic

wand　whose　graceful　yet　mysterious　motion　evokes　with　equal　ease；

seemingly；　the　thunder　of　a　storm；　the　song　of　a　bird；　the　horrid

din　of　an　inferno；　or　a　harmony　so　pure　and　lofty　as　to　suggest

heavenly　strains。　　One　of　Beethoven's　exquisite　symphonies　was　to

be　rendered；　and　Van　Berg　threw　away　his　half…burned　cigar；　settled

himself　in　his　chair　and　glanced　around　with　a　congratulatory　air；

as　if　to　say；　〃Now　we　are　to　have　one　of　those　pleasures　which

fills　the　cup　of　life　to　overflowing。〃



Oh；　that　casual　glance！　　It　was　one　of　those　things　that　we　might

justly　call　〃little。〃　　Could　anything　have　been　more　trivial；

slight；　and　apparently　inconsequential　than　this　half　involuntary

act？　　Indeed　it　was　too　aimless　even　to　have　been　prompted　by　a

conscious　effort　of　the　will。　　But　this　book　is　one　of　the　least

results　of　that　momentary　sweep　of　the　eye。　　Another　was；　that　Van

Berg　did　not　enjoy　the　symphony　at　all；　and　was　soon　in　a　very　bad

humor。　　That　casual　glance　had　revealed；　not　far　away；　a　face　that

with　his　passion　for　beauty；　at　once　riveted　his　attention。　　His

slight　start　and　faint　exclamation；　caused　Ik　Stanton　to　look　around

also；　and　then；　with　a　mischievous　and　observant　twinkle　in　his

eyes；　the　bon　vivant　resumed　his　cigar；　which　no　symphony　could

exorcise　from　his　mouth。



At　a　table　just　within　the　main　audience　room；　there　sat　a　young

lady　and　gentleman。　　Even　Van　berg；　who　made　it　his　business　to

discover　and　study　beauty；　was　soon　compelled　to　admit　to　himself

that　he　had　never　seen　finer　features　than　were　possessed　by　this

fair　young　stranger。　　Her　nose　was　straight；　her　upper　lip　was

short；　and　might　have　been　modelled　from　Cupid's　bow；　her　chin　did

not　form　a　perfect　oval　after　the　cold　and　severe　Grecian　type；　but

was　slightly　firm　and　prominent；　receding　with　decided　yet　exquisite

curves　to　the　full　white　throat。　　Her　cheeks　had　a　transparent

fairness；　in　which　the　color　came　and　went　instead　of　lingering

in　any　conventional　place　and　manner；　her　hair　was　too　light　to　be

called　brown　and　too　dark　to　be　golden；　but　was　shaded　like　that　on

which　the　sunlight　falls　in　one　of　Bougereau's　pictures　of　〃Mother

and　Child；〃　and　it　rippled　away　from　a　broad　low　brow　in　natural

waves；　half　hiding　the　small；　shell…like　ears。



Van　Berg　at　first　though　her　eyes　to　be　her　finest　feature；　but

he　soon　regarded　them　as　the　worst；　and　for　the　same　reason；　as　he

speedily　discovered；　that　the　face；　each　feature　of　which　seemed

perfect；　became；　after　brief　study；　so　unsatisfactory　as　to　cause

positive　annoyance。　　To　a　passing　glance　they　were　large；　dark；

beautiful　eyes；　but　they　lost　steadily　under　thoughtful　scrutiny。

A　flashing　gem　may　seem　real　at　first；　but　as　its　meretricious　rays

are　analyzed；　they　lose　their　charm　because　revealing　a　stone　not

only　worthless　worse　than　worthless；　since　it　mocks　us　with　a　false

resemblance；　thus　raising　hopes　only　to　disappoint　them。　　The　other

features　remained　beautiful　and　satisfactory　to　Van　Berg's　furtive

observation　because　further　removed　from　the　informing　mind；　and

therefore　more　justly　capable　of　admiration　upon　their　own　merits；

but　the　eyes　are　too　near　akin　to　the　animating　spirit　not　to　suffer

from　the　relationship；　should　the　spirit　be　essentially　defective。



That　the　beautiful　face　was　but　a　transparent　mask　of　a　deformed；

dwarfed；　contemptible　little　soul　was　speedily　made　evident。　　The

cream　and　a　silly　flirtation　with　her　empty…headed　attendanta

pallid　youth　who　parted　his　hair　like　a　girl　and　had　not　other　parts

worth　namingabsorbed　her　wholly；　and　the　exquisite　symphony　was

no　more　to　her　than　an　annoying　din　which　made　it　difficult　to　hear

her　companion's　compliments　that　were　as　sweet；　heavy；　and　stale

as　Mailard's　chocolates；　left　a　year　on　the　shelves。　　Their　mutual

giggle　and　chatter　at　last　became　so　obtrusive　that　an　old　and

music…loving　German　turned　his　broad　face　towards　them；　and　hissed

out　the　word　〃Hist！〃　with　such　vindictive　force　as　to　suggest　that

all　the　winds　had　suddenly　broken　lose　from　the　cave　of　Aeolus。



Ik　Stanton；　who　had　been　watching　Van　Berg's　perturbed；　lowering

face；　and　the　weak　comedy　at　the　adjacent　table；　was　obviously　much

amused；　although　he　took　pains　to　appear　blind　to　it　all　and　kept

his　back；　as　far　as　possible；　towards　the　young　lady。



The　German's　〃hist〃　had　been　so　fierce　as　to　be　almost　like　a　rap

from　a　policeman's　club；　and　there　was　an　enforced　and　temporary

suspension　of　the　inane　chatter。　　The　attendant　youth　tried

to　assume　the　incensed　and　threatening　look　with　which　an　ancient

gallant　would　have　laid　his　hand　on　the　hilt　of　his　sword。　　But

some　animals　and　men　only　become　absurd　when　they　try　to　appear

formidable。　　It　was　ludicrous　to　see　him　weakly　frowning　at　the

sturdy　Teuton　who　had　already　forgotten　his　existence　as　completely

as　he　might　that　of　a　buzzing　mosquito　he　had　exterminated　with　a

slap。



They　young　girl's　face　grew　even　less　satisfactory　as　it　became

more　quiet。　　A　muddy　pool；　rippled　by　a　breeze；　will　sparkle　quite

brilliantly　while　in　motion；　but　when　quiet　it　is　seen　the　more

plainly　to　be　only　a　shallow　pool。　　At　first　the　beautiful　features

expressed　only　petty　resentment　at　the　public　rebuke。　　As　this

faintly　lurid　light　faded　out　and　left　the　countenance　in　its　normal

state　it　became　more　heavy　and　earthy　in　its　expression　than　Van

Berg　would　have　deemed　possible；　and　it　ever　remained　a　mystery　to

him　how　features　so　delicate；　beautiful；　and　essentially　feminine

could　combine　to　show　so　clearly　that　the　indwelling　nature

was　largely　alloyed　with　clay。　　there　was　not　that　dewy　freshness

in　the　fair　young　face　which　one　might　expect　to　see　in　the　early

morning　of　existence。　　The　Lord　from　heaven　breathed　the　breath　of

life　into　the　first　fair　woman；　but　this　girl　might　seem　to　have

been　the　natural　product　of　evolution；　and　her　soul　to　be　as　truly

of　the　earth　as　her　body。



It　was　evident　that　she　had　been　made　familiar　too　early　and

thoroughly　with　conventional　and　fashionable　society；　and；　although

this　fraction　of　the　world　is　seldom　without　its　gloves；　its　touch

nevertheless　had　soiled　her　nature。　　Her　face　did　not　express　any

active　or　malignant　principle　of　evil；　but　a　close　observer；　like

Van　Berg；　in　whom　the　man　was　in　the　ascendant　over　the　animal；　could

detect　the　absence　of　the　serene；　maidenly　purity　of　expression；

characteristic　of　those　girls　who　have　obtained　their　ideas　of　life

from　good　mothers；　rather　than　from　French　novels；　French　plays；

and　a　phase　of　society　that　borrows　its　inspiration　from　fashionable

Paris。



With　the　ending　of　the　symphony　the　chatting　and　flirting　at　the

table　began　again；　to　Van　Berg's　increased　disgust。　　Indeed；　he

was　so　irritated　that　he　could　no　longer　control　himself；　and　rose

abruptly；　saying　to　his　companion：



〃Come；　let　us　walk　outside。〃



His　sudden　movement　drew　the　young　lady's　attention；　but　by　this

time　he　had　only　his　broad　shoulders　turned　towards　her。　　She　saw

Ik　Stanton　looking　at　her；　however；　with　a　face　full　of　mischief；

and　she　recognized　him　with　a　nod　and　a　smile。



He；　with　the　familiarity　that　indicated　relationship；　but　with　a

motion　too　slight　to　be　noticed　by　others；　threw　her　a　kiss　from

the　tips　of　his　fingers；　as　one　might　toss　a　sugar…plum　to　a　child；

and　then　followed　his　friend。











Chapter　II。　　Ida　Mayhew。









What　is　the　matter；　Van？　　You　remind　me　of　a　certain　horned　beast

that　has　seen　a　red　flag；〃　said　Ik　Stanton；　linking　his　arm　in　that

of　Van　Berg's。



〃An　apt　illustration。　　I　have　been　baited　and　irritated　for　the

last　twenty　minutes。〃



〃I　thought　you　enjoyed　Beethoven's　music；　and　surely　Thomas　rendered

it　divinely　to…night。〃



〃That　is　one　of　the　chief　of　my　grievances。　　I　haven't　been　able

to　hear　a　note；〃　was　the　wrathful　response。



〃That's　strange；〃　said　Stanton　with　mock　gravity。　　〃Were　I　not

afraid　you　would　take　it　amiss　I　would　hint　that　your　ears　are　of

goodly　size。　　How　comes　it　that　they　have　so　suddenly　failed　you？〃



〃Having　seen　your　dinner　you　have　no　eyes　for　anything　else。　　If

you　had；　you　would　have　seen　a　face　near　us。〃



〃I　saw　a　score　of　faces　near　us。　　A　German　had　one　with　the　area

of　an　acre。〃



〃Was　he　the