a face illumined-第21章

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

light　sometimes　flickered　in　her　deep　blue　eyes　that　might　have

been　caused　by　a　consuming　and　hidden　fire；　rather　than　by　genial

and　joyous　thoughts。



As　he　watched　her　now　through　the　parlor　window；　her　eyes　were

burning；　her　face　reminded　him　of　a　delicate　flame；　and　her　whole

being　appeared　concentrated　into　the　present　moment。　　In　its　vivid

life　it　seemed　one　of　the　most　remarkable　faces　he　ever　saw；　but

the　thought　occurred　again　and　again〃If　the　features　of　Ida　Mayhew

could　be　lighted　up　like　that　I'd　give　years　of　my　lifetime　to　be

able　to　paint　the　beauty　that　would　result。〃



Just　at　this　moment　he　saw　that　young　lady　approach　the　parlor

entrance　with　an　expression　of　wonder　on　her　face。　　He　immediately

joined　her；　and　she　said：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　what　miracle　has　caused　this　scene？〃



〃Come　with　me　and　I'll　show　you；〃　he　answered　and　he　led　her　to

the　window　opposite　to　Miss　Burton；　where　she　sat　at　the　piano。

〃There；〃　he　said；　〃is　the　miracle；a　gifted；　magnetic；　unselfish

woman　devoting　herself　wholly　to　the　enjoyment　of　others。　　She

has　created　more　sunshine　this　dismal　day　than　we　have　had　in　the

house　since　I've　been　here。　　Is　not　that　face　there　a　revelation？〃



〃A　revelation　of　what？〃　she　asked　with　rising　color。



〃Of　the　possibilities　of　the　human　face　to　grow　in　beauty　and

power；　if　kindled　by　a　noble　and　animating　mind。　　Ye　gods！〃　cried

the　artist；　expressing　the　excitement　which　he　felt　in　common　with

others　in　accordance　with　the　law　of　his　own　ruling　passion；　〃but

I　would　give　much　to　reproduce　that　face　on　canvas；〃　and　then

he　added　with　a　despairing　gesture；　〃but　who　can　paint　flame　and

spirit？〃



After　a　moment　he　exclaimed；　with　flushed　cheeks　and　flashing　eyes：

〃It　appears　to　me　that　if　kindled　by　such　a　mind　as　that　which　is

burning　in　yonder　face；　I　could　attempt　anything　and　accomplish

everything。　　Limitations　melt　away　before　a　growing　sense　of　power。

What　an　inspiration　a　woman　can　be　to　a　man；　or　what　a　mill…stone

about　his　neck；　according　to　what　she　is！　　Ah！…〃



The　cause　of　this　exclamation　cannot　be　explained　in　the　brief　time

that　it　occurred。　　Stanton　had　happened　at　that　moment　to　catch　a

glimpse　of　Van　Berg　and　his　cousin；　and　he　called　quite　loudly：



〃Harold；　bring　Miss　Mayhew　in　and　join　us。〃



At　the　same　instant　Mr。　Burleigh's　heavy　step　passing　near　the　piano；

jarred　down　a　picture　that　was　hung　insecurely；　and　it　fell　with

a　crash　at　Miss　Burton's　side。　　Was　it　the　shock　of　the　falling

picture　upon　unprepared　and　overstrained　nerves；　or　what　was　it　that

produced　the　instantaneous　change　in　the　joyous…appearing　maiden？

Her　hands　dropped　nerveless　from　the　keys。　　So　great　was　the　pallor

that　swept　over　her　face　that　it　suggested　to　he　artist　the　sudden

extinguishment　of　a　lamp。　　She　bowed　her　head　and　trembled　a　moment

and　then　escaped　by　a　side　door。



Van　Berg　walked　hastily　to　the　main　entrance；　thinking　she　was

ill；　but　only　saw　her　vanishing　up　the　stairway　with　hasty　steps。

Many　of　the　dancers；　in　their　kindly　solicitude；　had　tried　to　intercept

her；　but　had　been　too　late。　　It　would　seem　that　all　ascribed　her

indisposition　to　a　nervous　shock。



〃It　is　evident；〃　said　the　lady　who　had　been　conversing　with　her

when　she　had　acted　in　a　like　manner　on　the　first　day　of　her　arrival；

〃that　she　possesses　a　highly　sensitive　organism；　which　suddenly

gives　way　when　subjected　to　a　strain　too　severe；〃　and　she　remained

Van　Berg　of　her　former　manifestation　of　weakness。



He　accepted　this　view　as　the　most　natural　explanation　that　could

be　given。











Chapter　XV。　　Contrasts。









Genuine　and　genial　were　the　words　of　sympathy　that　were　expressed

on　every　side　for　the　young　lady　who　had　been　transforming　the

dull　day　into　one　of　exceptional　jollity。　　A　deputation　of　ladies

called　upon　her；　but　from　within　her　locked　door　she　confirmed　the

impression　that　it　was　a　nervous　shock；　and　that　a　few　hours　of

perfect　quiet　would　restore　her。



And　it　would　seem　that　she　was　right；　for　she　came　down　to　supper

apparently　as　genial　and　smiling　as　ever。　　Beyond　a　slight　pallor

and　a　little　fulness　about　her　eyes；　Van　Berg　could　detect　no　trace

of　her　sudden　indisposition。



The　remainder　of　the　day　was　passed　more　quietly　by　the　guests

of　the　Lake　House；　but　the　force　of　Miss　Burton's　example　did　not

spend　itself　at　once；　and　on　the　part　of　some　there　was　developed

quite　a　marked　disposition　to　make　kindly　efforts　to　promote　the

enjoyment　of　others。　　The　unwonted　exhilaration　with　which　she

had　inspired　her　fellow　guests　was　something　they　could　scarcely

account　for；　and　yet　the　means　employed　had　been　so　simple　and　were

so　plainly　within　the　reach　of　all；　as　to　suggest　that　a　genial

manner　and　an　unselfish　regard　for　others　were　the　only　conditions

required　to　enable　each　one　to　do　something　to　brighten　every　cloudy

day。



After　Miss　Burton's　departure；　the　young　people　had　the　dance

to　themselves；　their　elders　resuming　the　avocations　and　soberer

pleasures　from　which　they　had　been　swept　by　an　impulse　evoked　from

their　half…forgotten　youth。



When　Van　Berg　joined　Miss　Mayhew　again；　he　found　her　mother　and

Stanton　trying　to　explain　how　it　all　came　about。



〃There　is　no　use　of　multiplying　words；〃　concluded　Stanton；　　〃Miss

Burton　is　gifted　with　a　mind；　and　she　uses　it　for　the　benefit　of

others　instead　of　tasking　it　solely　on　her　own　account；　which　is

the　general　rule。〃



At　this　moment　a　letter　was　handed　to　Mrs。　Mayhew；　which　she　read

with　a　slight　frown　and　passed　to　her　daughter。　　It　was　from　Mr。

Mayhew；　and　contained　but　a　brief　sentence　to　the　effect　that　his

absence　would　probably　be　a　relief；　and　therefore　he　would　not

spend　the　coming　Sabbath　with　them。



Ida　did　not　show　the　superficial　vexation　that　her　mother　manifested；

and　which　was　more　assumed　than　real。　　Her　cheek　paled　a　little；

and　she　instinctively　glanced　at　Van　Berg　as　if　her　sudden　sense

of　guilt　were　apparent　to　his　keen　eyes。　　He　was　looking　at　he

searchingly；　and　she　turned　away　with　a　quick　flush；　nor　did　she　give

him　a　chance　to　speak　with　her　again　that　day；　but　his　words〃what

a　millstone　about　a　man's　neck　a　woman　can　be！〃haunted　her

continually。　　Still　oftener　rose　before　her　Miss　Burton's　flushed

and　kindled　face；　and　the　artist's　emphatic　assertion　of　the　power

of　mind　and　character　to　add　to　native　beauty。　　Had　she　not　been　a

millstone　about　her　father's　neck？　　Was　there　not　a　fatal　flaw　in

the　beauty　of　which　she　was　so　proud；　that　spoiled　it　for　eyes　that

were　critical　and　unblinded？



Oppressed　by　these　thoughts　and　being　in　no　mood　for　her　cousin's

banter；　or　the　artist's　society　which　always　seemed　to　render　her

more　uncomfortable；　she　was　glad　to　escape　to　the　solitude　of　her

own　room。



Another　〃revelation〃　was　slowly　dawning　upon　her　mind；　namelyjust

what　she；　Ida　Mayhew；　was。　　A　woman　is　an　〃inspiration〃　or　a

〃millstone　according　to　what　she　is；〃　this　stranger；　this　disturber

of　her　peace；　from　whom　it　seemed　she　could　not　escape；　had　not　only

asserted　but　proved　by　showing　her　a　lady　she　would　have　passed　as

plain　and　insignificant；　but　who　nevertheless　possessed　some　sweet

potency　that　won　and　cheered　all　hearts；　and　who；　she　was　compelled

to　admit；　was　positively　beautiful　as　she　sat　at　the　piano；　radiant

with　her　purpose　to　cause　gladness　in　others。　　Miss　Burton　had

created　sunshine　enough　to　enliven　the　dismal　day；　and　had　quickened　a

hundred　pulses　with　pleasure。　　She　had　been　a　burden　even　to　herself。



Everything；　from　the　artist's　first　disturbing　frown　to　the　present

hour；　had　been　preparing　the　way　for　the　sharp　and　painful　contrast

that　circumstances　had　forced　upon　her　attention　to…day。



But　the　thought　that　troubled　her　most；　was　that　he　saw　this　contrast

more　plainly　than　it　was　possible　for　her　to　see　it。



Vaguely；　and　yet　with　some　approach　to　the　truth；　her　intuition

began　to　reveal　to　her　the　attitude　of　his　mind　towards　her。　　She

believed　that　he　was　attracted；　but　also　saw　that　he　was　not　blinded

by　her　beauty。　　She　was　already　beginning　to　revise　her　first　impression

that　he　was　shutting　his　eyes　to　every　other　consideration；　as　she

had　seen　so　many　do　in　their　brief　infatuation。　　His　manner　was　not

that　of　one　who　is　taking　counsel　of　passion　only。　　Those　ominous

words〃according　to　what　she　is〃indicated　that　he　was　looking

into　her　mind；　her　character。　　With　a　sense　of　dismay；　she　was

awakening　to　a　knowledge　of　the　dwarfed　ugliness　her　beauty　but

partially　concealed；　and　she　felt　that　he；　from　the　first；　had　been

discovering　those　defects　of　which　she　had　been　scarcely　conscious

herself。　　She　began　to　fear　that　her　cousin's　words　would　prove　true；

and　that　he　would　not　fall　helplessly　in　love　with　her。　　Therefore

the　opportunity　to　retaliate　and　to　punish　him　for　all　the

mortifications　that　he　had　occasioned　her；　would　never　come。　　On

the　contrary；　he　might　inflict　upon　her；　any　day；　the　crowning

humiliation　of　declaring；　be　indifference　of　manner；　that　he　had

found　her　out　so　thoroughly；　as　to　entertain　for　her　only　feelings

of　disgust　and　repugnance。



〃Well；〃　she　concluded；　recklessly；　〃why　should　I　care　what

he　thinks？　　I　have　lived　thus　far　without　his　good　opinion；　and　I

can　live　a　little　longer；　I　imagine。　　I　have　had　a　good　time　for

eighteen　years　after　my　own　fashion；　and　I　will　just　ignore　him

and　have　a　good　time　still。　　Indeed　I'll　shock　him　to…night　and

to…morrow　so　thoroughly；　that　he　won't　come　near　me　again；　for

I'm　sick　of　his　superior　airs。　　I'm　sick　of　his　learned　talk　about

books；　pictures；　and　politics；　as　if　a　young　society　girl　were

expected　to　know　about　these　things；　and　as　for　his　small　talk；　it

reminded　me　of　an　elephant　trying　to　dance　a　jig；〃　and　she　sprang

up　with　a　snatch　of　song　from　the　〃opera　bouffe；〃　and　began　her

toilet　for　dinner。



In　a　few　moments；　however；　she　dropped　her　hairbrush　absently；　and

forgot　to　look　at　her　fair　face　in　the　mirror。



〃I　wonder；〃　she　mused；　〃if　he　and　Miss　Burton　ever　met　before　they

came　here？　　It　has　been　a　strange　coincidence　that　she　should　have

felt　such　a　sudden　indisposition　in　each　instance　at　the　same　moment

that　his　name　was　casually　mentioned。　　True；　on　both　occasions；

events　occurred　that　might　account　for　the　sudden　giving　way　of　her

nerves；　but　I　cannot　help　thinking　that　she　has　some　association

with　him　that　the　rest　of　us　know　nothing　about。　　She　certainly

seems　more　interested　in　him　than　in　any　one　else　in　the　house；　for

I　have　several　times　noticed　peculiar　and　furtive　glances　towards

him；　besides；　they　are　evidently　growing　to　be　very　good　friends。　　As

for　Ik；　he　seems　quite　inclined　to　enter　upon　a　serious　flirtation

with　her。　　But　what　do　I　care　for　either　of　them！　　M