a face illumined-第20章

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would　also　be　defined。　　But　perhaps　you　will　think　better　of　me　if

I　tell　that　little　fellow　a　story　to　pass　the　time　for　him。　　What's

the　matter；　little　folk？〃　she　asked；　for　two　or　three　more　small

clouded　faces　had　gathered　at　the　door。



〃Matter　enough；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃This　horrid　old　rain　keeps　us　in

the　house；　where　we　can't　do　anything　or　stay　anywhere。　　We　mustn't

play　in　the　parlor；　we　mustn't　make　a　noise　in　the　halls；　we　mustn't

run　on　the　piazzas。　　I'd　like　to　live　in　a　world　where　there　was

some　place　for　boys。〃



〃Poor　child；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　〃this　rain　is　as　bad　for　you　as

the　deluge　to　Noah's　dove；　it　has　left　you　no　refuge　for　the　sole

of　your　foot。　　Will　you　come　with　me？　　No　one　has　said　you　must

not　hear　a　jolly　story。〃



〃You　won't　tell　me　about　any　good　little　boys　who　died　when　they

were　as　big　as　I　am？〃



〃I'll　keep　my　wordit　shall　be　a　jolly　story。〃



〃May　we　hear　it　too？〃　asked　the　other　children。



〃Yes；　all　of　you。〃



〃Where　shall　we　go？〃



〃We　won't　disturb　any　one　in　the　far　corner　of　the　parlor　by　the

piano。　　If　you　know　of　any　other　little　people；　you　can　bring　them

there；　too；〃　and　they　each　darted　off　in　search　of　especial　cronies。



〃May　we　not　hear　the　story　also？〃　asked　Stanton。



〃No；　indeed；　I　may　be　able　to　interest　children；　but　not　philosophers。〃



〃Then　we　will　go　and　meditate；〃　said　Van　Berg。



〃Yes；〃　she　added；　〃and　in　accordance　with　a　New　York　custom　of　great

antiquity；　made　familiar　to　you；　no　doubt；　by　that　grave　historian

Diedrich　Knickerbocker；　who　gives　several　graphic　accounts　of　such

cloudy　ruminations　on　the　part　of　your　city's　great…grandfathers。〃



〃I　fear　you　think　that　the　worshipful　Peter　Stuyvensant's　counsellors

indulged　in　more　tobacco　than　thought；　and　that　the　majority　of

them　had　as　few　ideas　as　one　of　Mr。　Burleigh's　chimneys；〃　said　Van

Berg。　　〃And　you　regard　us　as　the　direct　descendants　of　these　men；

whose　lives　were　crowned　with　smoke…wreaths　only。〃



〃Now；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　you　prove　yourself　to　be　a　philosopher　of　a

modern　school；　you　draw　your　inductions　so　far　and　wide　from　your

diminutive　premise。〃



〃Well；　Miss　Burton；　you　stand　in　very　favorable　contrast　with　us

poor　mortals。　　We　are　going　out　to　add　to　the　clouds　that　lower

over　the　world；　while　you　are　trying　to　banish　them。〃



〃And　if；　after　helping　the　children　towards　the　close　of　this

dismal　day；　your　heart　should　relent　towards　us；〃　added　Stanton；

〃you　will　find　two　worthy　objects　of　your　charity。〃



〃Oh　what　a　falling　off　is　here！〃　she　exclaimed；　following　the

impatient　children。　　〃Knights　at　first；　then　philosophers；　and　now

objects　of　charity。〃



Miss　Burton　evidently　kept　her　word；　and　told　a　〃jolly　story；〃　for

the　friends　saw　through　the　parlor　windows　that　the　circle　around

her　grew　larger　and　more　hilarious　continually。　　Then　would　follow

moments　of　rapt　and　eager　attention；　showing　that　the　tale　gained

in　excitement　and　interest　what　it　lost　in　humor。　　Young　people；

who　did　not　like　to　be　classed　with　children；　one　by　one　yielded

to　the　temptation。　　There　was　life　and　enjoyment　in　that　corner

and　dulness　elsewhere；　and　nothing　is　so　attractive　in　the　world

as　genuine　and　joyous　life。



Even　elderly　ladies　looked　wistfully　up　at　the　occasional　bursts

of　contagious　merriment；　and　then　sighed　that　they　had　lost　the

power　of　laughing　so　easily。



At　last　the　marvelous　legend　came　to　an　end　amid　a　round　of　prolonged

applause。



〃Another；　another！〃　was　the　general　outcry。



But　Miss　Burton　had　observed　that　the　ladies　and　gentlemen　present

seemed　inclined　to　be　friendly　towards　the　young　people's　fun；　and

therefore　she　broached　another　scheme　of　pleasure　that　would　vary

the　entertainment。



〃Perhaps；〃　she　said；　〃your　papas　and　mammas　and　the　other　good

people　will　not　object　to　an　old…fashioned　Virginia　reel。〃



A　shout　of　welcome　greeted　this　proposition。



Miss　Burton　raised　her　finger　so　impressively　that　there　was　an

instant　hush。　　Indeed　she　seemed　to　have　gained　entire　control　of

the　large　and　miscellaneous　group　which　surrounded　her。



〃We　will　draw　up　a　petition；〃　she　said；　〃for　we　best　enjoy　our　own

rights　and　pleasures　when　respecting　those　of　others。　　This　little

boy　and　girl　shall　take　the　petition　around　to　all　the　ladies　and

gentlemen　in　the　room；　and　this　shall　be　the　petition：



〃'Dear　lady　and　kind　sir：　　Please　don't　object　to　our　dancing　a

Virginia　reel　in　the　parlor。'〃



〃All　who　wish　to　dance　can　sign　it。　　Now　we　will　go　to　the　office

and　draw　up　the　petition。〃　　And　away　they　all　started；　the　younger

children；　wild　with　glee；　capering　in　advance。



Stanton　threw　away　his　cigar　and　met　her　at　the　office　register。



〃Gentle　shepherdess；〃　he　asked；　〃whither　are　you　leading　your

flock？〃



〃How　behind　the　age　you　are！〃　she　replied。　　〃Can　you　not　see　that

the　flock　is　leading　me？〃



〃If　I　were　a　wolf　I　would　not　trouble　the　flock　but　would　carry

off　the　shepherdessto　a　game　of　billiards。〃



〃What；　then；　would　become　of　the　flock？〃



〃that's　a　question　that　never　troubles　a　wolf。〃



〃A　wolfish　answer　truly。　　I　think；　however；　you　have　reversed　the

parable；　and　are　but　a　well…meaning　sheep　that　has　donned　a　wolf's

skin；　and　so　we　will　put　you　to　the　test。　　We　young　people　will

give　you　a　chance　to　draw　up　our　petition；　which；　if　you　would

save　your　character；　you　must　do　at　once　with　sheep…like　docility；

asking　no　questions　and　causing　no　delay。　　There；　that　will　answer；

very　sheepishly　done；　but　no　sheep's　eyes；　if　you　please；〃　she

added；　as　Stanton　pretended　to　look　up　to　her　for　inspiration；

while　writing。　　〃Now；　all　sign。　　I　think　I　can　trust　you；　sir；　on

the　outskirts　of　the　flock。　　Here；　my　little　man　and　woman；　go　to

each　of　the　ladies　and　gentlemen；　make　a　bow　and　a　courtesy；　and

present　the　petition。〃



〃May　I　not　gambol　with　the　shepherdess　in　the　coming　pastoral？〃

asked　Stanton。



〃No；　indeed！　　You　are　much　too　old；　besides；　I　am　going　to　play。

You　may　look　gravely　on。〃



Every　one　in　the　parlor　smiling　assented　to　the　odd　little　couple

that　bobbed　up　and　down　before　them；　and　moved　out　of　the　way　for

the　dancers。　　The　petitioners　therefore　soon　returned　and　were

welcomed　with　applause。



〃Now　go　to　the　inner　office　and　present　the　petition　to　Mr。　Burleigh；〃

said　Miss　Burton。



〃Hollo！〃　cried　that　gentleman；　looking　around　with　a　great　show

of　savagery；　as　the　little　girl　pulled　the　skirt　of　his　coat　to

attract　his　attention；　〃where's　King　Herod？〃



〃We　wish　to　try　another　method　with　the　children；〃　answered　Miss

Burton。　　〃Will　it　please　you　therefore　graciously　to　read　the

petition。　　All　in　the　parlor　have　assented。〃



〃My　goodness　gracious…〃



〃No　swearing；　sir；　if　you　please。〃



〃Woman　has　been　too　many　for　man　ever　since　she　got　him　into　trouble

by　eating　green　apples；〃　ejaculated　Mr。　Burleigh　with　a　despairing

gesture。　　〃Why　do　you　mock　me　with　petitions？　　THERE　is　the　power

behind　the　throne；〃　pointing　to　Miss　Burton。



〃Take　your　places；　small　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　she　cried。　　〃That's

Mr。　Burleigh's　way　of　saying　yes。　　While　you　are　forming；　I'll　play

a　few　bars　to　give　you　the　time。〃



Did　she　bewitch　the　piano　that　it　responded　so　wonderfully　to

her　touch？　　Where　had　she　found　such　quaint；　dainty　music；　simple

as　the　old…fashioned　dance　itself；　so　that　the　little　ones　could

keep　time　to　it；　and　yet　pleasing　Van　Berg's　fastidious　ear　with

its　unhackneyed　and　refined　melody。　　But　the　marked　and　marvellous

feature　in　her　playing　was　an　airy　rolicksomeness　that　was　as

irresistible　as　a　panic。　　Old　ladies'　heads　began　to　bob　over　their

fancy　work　most　absurdly。　　Two　quartets　of　elderly　gentlemen　at

whist　were　evidently　beginning　to　play　badly；　their　feet　meantime

tapping　the　floor　in　a　most　unwonted　manner。



〃Were　I　as　dead　as　Julius　Caesar　I　could　not　resist　that　quickstep；〃

cried　Stanton；　and　he　rushed　over　to　his　aunt；　Mrs。　Mayhew；　and

dragged　her　into　line。



〃What　in　the　name　of　all　the　witches　of　Salem　has　got　into　that

piano！〃　cried　Mr。　Burleigh；　bursting　into　the　parlor　from　the

office；　with　his　pen　stuck　behind　his　ear；　and　his　hair　brushed

up　perpendicularly。　　〃There's　sorcery　in　the　air。　　I'm　practised

uponKeep　still？　　No；　not　if　I　was　nailed　up　in　one　of　the

soldier's　'wooden　overcoats。'　The　world　is　transformed；　transfigured；

transmogrified；　and　'things　are　not　what　they　seem！'　　Here's

a　blooming　girl　who'll　dance　with　me；〃　and　he　seized　the　hand　of

a　white…haired　old　lady　who　yielded　to　the　contagion　so　far　as　to

take　a　place　in　the　line　beside　her　granddaughter。



Indeed；　in　a　few　moments；　all　who　had　been　familiar　with　the　pastime

in　their　youth；　caught　the　joyous　infection；　and　lengthened　out

the　lines；　each　new　accession　being　greeted　with　shouts　and　laughter。



The　scene　approached　in　character　that　described　by　Hawthorne

as　occurring　in　the　grounds　of　the　Villa　Borghese　when　Donatello；

with　a　simple　〃tambourine；〃　produced　music　of　such　〃indescribably

potency〃　that　sallow；　haggard；　half…starved　peasants；　French　soldiers；

scarlet…costumed　contadinas；　Swiss　guards；　German　artists；　English

lords；　and　herdsmen　from　the　Campagna；　all　〃joined　hands　in　the

dance〃　which　the　musician　himself　led　with　the　frisky；　frolicsome

step　of　the　mythical　faun。



In　the　latter　instance　it　was　a　contagious；　mad　excitement　easily

possible　among　hot…blooded　people　and　wandering　pleasure…seekers；

the　primal　laws　of　whose　being　are　impulse　and　passion。　　That　the

joyous　exhilaration　which　filled　Mr。　Burleigh's　parlor　was　akin

to　the　wild；　half　pagan　frenzy　that　the　great　master　of　fiction

imagined　as　seizing　upon　the　loiterers　near　the　Villa　Borghese　cannot

be　denied。　　Both　phases　of　excitement　would　spring　naturally　from

the　universal　craving　for　pleasurable　life　and　activity。　　The

one；　however；　was　a　rank　growth　from　a　rank　soilthe　passionate

ebullition　of　passion…swayed　natures；　the　other　was　inspired　by

the　magnetic　spirit　of　a　New　England　maiden；　who；　by　some　law　of

her　nature　or　consecration　of　her　life；　devoted　every　power　of　her

being　to　the　vivifying　of　others；　and　the　frolic　she　had　instigated

was　as　free　from　the　grosser　elements　as　the　tossing　wild　flowers

of　her　native　hills。　　With　the　exception　perhaps　of　Van　Berg；　she

had　impressed　every　one　as　possessing　a　peculiarly　sunny　temperament。

Be　this　as　it　may；　it　certainly　appeared　true　that　she　found　her

happiness　in　enlivening　others；　and　it　is　difficult　even　to　imagine

how　much　a　gifted　mind　can　accomplish　in　this　respect　when　every

faculty　is　devoted　to　the　ministry　of　kindness。



This　view　of　Miss　Burton's　character　would　account　in　part；　but　not

wholly；　for　the　power　she　exercised　over　others。　　Van　Berg　thought

he　at　times　detected　a　suppressed　excitement　in　her　manner。　　A

light　sometim