a face illumined-第22章

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

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

will　be　here　to…night；　and　I'll　enable　this　artist　to　bring　his

investigations　to　a　close　at　once。　　I　am　what　I　am；　and　that's　the

end　of　it；　and　I　won't　mope　and　have　a　stupid　time　for　anybody；　and

certainly　not　for　him。　　Let　him　marry　the　school…ma'am。　　She　can

talk　books；　art；　and　all　the　'isms'　going；　to　his　heart's　content。

I；　as　well　as　Miss　Burton；　have　my　opinion　of　flirting；　and　know

from　some　little　experience　that　it　is　jolly　good　fun。





〃He　can　go　his　way；　I'll　go　mine；

　E'en　though　he　frowns；　the　sun　will　shine。〃





And　with　a　careless　gesture　she　affected　to　dismiss　him　from　her

thoughts。



To　judge　from　her　manner　that　evening　and　the　following　day；

one　might　suppose　that　she　succeeded　very　fully。　　Sibley；　with　an

unwonted　venturesomeness；　did　risk　his　one　immaculate　possession；

his　clothes；　and　came　from　the　city　through　the　storm。　　Ida　and

himself；　between　them；　brought　about　the　nearest　approach　to　a

〃ball〃　possible　in　the　circumstances。



The　dancing；　under　their　auspices；　differed　from　that　of　the　morning；

not　merely　in　name　and　form；　but　in　its　subtle　character。　　In　the

one　instance　it　had　been　an　innocent　pastime；　occasioned　by　childlike

and　joyous　impulses。　　The　people's　manner　might　have　reminded　one

of　a　bit　of　darkened　landscape　that　had　been　rapidly　filled　with

light；　and　almost　ecstatic　life　by　the　advent　of　a　May　morning。



In　the　evening；　however；　everything　was　artificial　and　in　keeping

with　the　gaslight。　　The　ladies　were　conscious　of　their　toilets；

conscious　of　themselves；　looking　for　admiration　rather　than　hearty

enjoyment。　　Even　the　older　boys　and　girls；　who　had　been　joyous

children　in　the　morning；　were　now　small　parodies　of　fashionable　men

and　women！　　A　band　of　hired　performers　twanged　out　the　hackneyed

dancing　music　then　in　vogue；　going　over　their　small　〃repertoire〃

with　wearisome　repetition。　　People　danced　at　first　because　it　was

the　thing　to　do；　and　not　from　any　inspiration　from　the　melody。　　As

the　evening　wore　on；　Sibley；　who　had　been　drinking　quite　freely；

tried　to　introduce；　as　far　as　possible；　the　excitement　of　a　revel；

calling　chiefly　for　swift　waltzes　and　gallops　through　which　he　and

Ida　whirled　in　a　way　that　made　people's　heads　dizzy。



Miss　Burton；　after　going　through　a　quadrille　with　Stanton　early

in　the　evening；　had　declined　to　dance　any　more。　　She　did　not　feel

very　well；　she　explained　to　Van　Berg　as　he　sought　her　for　the

next　form；　but　he　imagined　that　she　early　foresaw　that　Sibley　and

others；　and　among　them　even　Stanton；　were　inclined　to　give　the

evening　a　character　that　was　not　to　her　taste。



As　Ida　had　made　herself　somewhat　prominent　in　inaugurating　the

〃ball；〃　as　Sibley　took　pains　to　term　it　on　all　occasions；　Van　Berg；

as　a　part　of　his　tactics　to　win　the　beauty's　good…will；　tried　at

first　to　make　the　affair　successful。　　He　danced　with　others；　and

twice　sought　her　hand；　but　in　each　case　she　rather　indifferently

told　him　that　she　was　engaged。　　He　would　not　have　sought　her　as　a

partner　after　his　first　rebuff　had　he　not　imagined；　from　occasional

and　furtive　glances；　that　she　was　not　as　indifferent　as　she　seemed。



Early　in　the　evening　it　occurred　to　him　that　her　slightly　reckless

manner　was　assumed；　but　he　saw　that　she　was　abandoning　herself　to

the　growing　excitement　of　the　dance；　as　Sibley；　her　most　frequent

partner；　and　others；　were　to　the　stronger　excitement　of　liquor。

Observant　mothers　called　away　their　daughters。　　Ladies；　in　whom　the

instincts　of　true　refined　womanhood　were　in　the　ascendancy；　looked

significantly　at　each　other；　and　declined　further　invitations。



Van　Berg　had　also　withdrawn；　but　with　his　disposition　to　watch

manifestations　of　character　in　general；　and　of　one　present　in

particular；　he　still　stood　at　a　parlor　window　looking　on。　　The　band

had　just　struck　up　a　livelier　waltz　than　usual；　and　Ida　and　Sibley

were　whirling　through　the　wide　apartment　as　if　treading　on　air；

but　when；　a　few　moments　later；　they　circled　near　where　he　stood；

he　saw　upon　the　young　man's　face　an　expression　of　earthiness　and

grossness　that　was　anything　but　ethereal。　　Indeed　so　unmistakably

wanton　was　the　look　which　Sibley　bent　upon　his　companion；　whose

heaving　bosom　he　clasped　against　his　won；　that　the　artist　frowned

darkly　at　him；　and　felt　his　hand　tingling　to　strike　the　fellow　a

blow。



She；　looking　up；　caught　his　frown；　and　in　her　egotism　and　excitement；

thought　it　meant　only　jealousy　of　the　man　she　had　so　favored　during

the　evening。



〃Perhaps　he　is　more　deeply　smitten　than　I　imagined；　and　I　can　punish

him　yet；〃　was　the　hope　that　entered　her　mind；　and　this　prospect

added　to　the　elation　and　excitement　which　had　mastered　her。



〃Can　she　know　how　that　scoundrel　is　looking　at　her？　　If　I　believed

it　I'd　leave　her　marvellous　features　to　their　fate；〃　was　the　thought

that　passed　through　his　mind。



In　his　perturbation　he　walked　down　the　long　piazza。　　Happening　to

glance　into　one　of　the　small　private　parlors；　he　witnessed　a　scene

that　made　a　very　sharp　contrast　with　the　one　he　had　just　left。

An　old　white…haired；　white…bearded　man；　a　well…known　guest　of　the

house；　reclined　in　an　easy…chair　with　an　expression　of　real　enjoyment

on　his　face。　　His　aged　wife　sat　near；　knitting　away　as　tranquilly

as　if　at　home；　while　under　the　gas…jet　was　Miss　Burton；　reading　a

newspaper；　with　two　or　three　others　upon　her　lap。　　She　had　evidently

found　the　old　gentleman　trying　to　glean；　with　his　feeble　sight；

the　evening　journals　that　had　been　brought　from　the　city；　and

was　lending　him　her　young　eyes　and　mellow　voice　for　an　hour。　　The

picture　struck　him　so　pleasantly　that　he　took　out　his　notebook　and

indicated　the　fortunate　grouping　within；　for　a　future　sketch。



〃It　would　make　some　difference　in　a　man's　future；〃　he　muttered；

〃whether　this　maiden　or　the　one　in　yonder　roue's　embrace　were

installed　as　the　mistress　of　his　home。〃



Going　back　into　the　main　hallway　he　met　Stanton　coming　down　the

stairs　with　his　face　unusually　flushed。



〃Oh；　Van；〃　he　cried；　〃where　have　you　been　keeping　yourself？　　Come

with　me　and　have　some　of　the　best　brandy　you　ever　tasted。〃



〃Where　is　it？〃



〃In　Sibley's　room。　　He　brought　up　a　couple　of　bottles　of　the　prime

old　article；　and　has　invited　all　his　friends　to　make　free　with　it。〃



〃I'm　not　one　of　his　friends。〃



〃Oh　well；　you're　my　friend！　　What's　the　odds？　　A　swig　of　such　brandy

will　do　you　good；　so　come　along。〃



〃Come　out　on　the　piazza；　Stanton。　　I　want　to　show　you　something。〃



〃Can't　you　wait　a　few　moments？　　I　want　to　have　a　whirl　in　this

jolly　waltz　before　it's　over。〃



〃No；　then　it　will　be　too　late。　　I　won't　keep　you　long；〃　and　Stanton

reluctantly　followed　him。



Van　Berg　understood　his　friend　sufficiently　well　to　know　that

any　ordinary　remonstrance　would　have　no　influence　in　his　present

condition；　and　so　sought　to　use　a　little　strategy。　　Taking　him　to

the　window　of　the　small　private　parlor；　he　showed　and　explained　to

him　the　pretty　and　quiet　scene　within。



Stanton's　manner　changed　instantly；　and　he　seemed　in　no　haste　to

return　to　the　waltz。



〃I　thought　it　would　strike　you　as　a　pretty　picture；　as　it　did　me；〃

remarked　Van　Berg；　quietly；　〃and　I　also　thought　that　after　seeing

it　you　would　not　want　any　more　of　Sibley's　brandy。　　It　would　choke

me。〃



〃You　are　right；　Van。　　I　fear　I've　taken　too　much　of　it　already。

I'm　glad　you　showed　me　this　quiet　pictureit　makes　me　wish　I　were

a　better　man。〃



〃I　like　that；　Ik；　I　always　knew　you　had　plenty　of　good　metal　in　you。

Now　I　don't　want　to　be　officious；　but　I　would　not　let　a　cousin　of

mine　dance　with　Sibley　any　longer　if　I　could　prevent　it　without

attracting　attention。　　However　generous　he　may　have　been　with　his

brandy；　he　has　had　more　than　his　share　himself。〃



〃Thank　you；　Van；　I　understand　you。　　By　Jove；　I'll　try　the　same

tactics　with　her　that　you　have　with　me。　　I'll　bring　her　here　and

show　her　a　scene　that　has　been　to　me　like　a　quieting　and　restraining

hand。〃



A　few　moments　later　the　waltz　ceased；　and　Miss　Mayhew　came　out　on

the　cool；　dusky　piazza；　leaning　on　Sibley's　arm。　　Stanton　joined

her　and　said：



〃Ida；　come　with　me；　I　wish　to　speak　with　you　a　moment。　　Mr。　Sibley；

please　excuse　us。〃



〃Indeed；　Mr。　Stanton；〃　said　Sibley　in　tones　of　maudlin　sentiment；

〃you　are　cruel　to　deprive　me　of　your　cousin's　society　even　for　a

moment。　　I'll　forgive　you　this　once；　but　never　again。〃　　And　then

he　availed　himself　of　the　opportunity　to　pay　another　visit　to　his

brandy。



〃Ida；〃　said　Stanton；　〃I　want　to　show　you　a　little　picture　that　has

done　me　good。〃



But　the　young　lady　was　in　no　mood　for　pictures　or　moralizing。　　Her

blood　was　coursing　feverishly　through　her　veins；　her　spirit　had

been　made　reckless　by　the　wilful　violence　that　she　was　doing　her

conscience；　and　also　by　her　deep　and　growing　dissatisfaction　with

herself；　that　was　like　an　irritating　wound。　　She　was　therefore

prepared　to　resent　any　interruption　to　the　whirl　of　excitement；

which　gave　her　a　kind　of　pleasure　in　the　place　of　the　happiness

that　was　impossible　to　one　in　her　condition。



〃You　call　that　a　pretty　picture！〃　she　said　disdainfully；　〃Miss

Burton　reading　a　newspaper　to　two　stupid　old　people　who　ought　to　be

abed！　　A　more　humdrum　scene　I　never　saw。　　Truly；　both　your　breath

and　your　words　show　that　you　have　been　drinking　too　much。　　But

you　need　not　expect　me　to　share　in　your　tipsy　sentiment　over　Miss

Burton。　　Did　Mr。　　Van　Berg　ask　you　to　show　me　this　matter…of…fact

group　which；　in　his　artistic　jargon；　you　call　a　picture？〃



〃If　he　had；　he　showed　you　a　greater　kindness　than　you　deserved。〃



〃Yes；　and　a　greater　one　than　I　asked　or　wished　from　him。〃



〃Then　you　are　going　back　to　dance　with　Sibley？〃



〃Yes；　I　am。〃



〃The　prospects　are；　that　you　and　Mrs。　Chints　and　a　couple　of

half…tipsy　men　will　soon　have　it　all　to　yourselves。　　I　suppose　the

old　adage　about　'birds　of　a　feather'　swill　still　hold　good。　　I　was

in　hopes；　however；　that　even　if　you　had　no　appreciation　of　what

was　beautiful；　refined；　and　unselfish　in　another　woman's　action；

you　still　had　some　self…respect；　or　at　least　some　fear　of　ridicule；

left。　　Since　you　won't　listen　to　me；　I　shall　warn　your　mother。

If　Sibley　and　two　or　three　others　drink　much　more；　Burleigh　will

interfere　for　the　credit　of　his　house。〃



〃You　have　been　drinking　as　well　as　Mr。　Sibley。〃



〃Well；　thanks　to　Van　Berg；　I　stopped　before　I　lost　my　head。〃



〃From　your　maudlin　sentiment　over　Miss　Burton；　I　think　you　have

lost　your　head　and　heart　both。〃



〃Go；　dance　with　Sibley；　then；〃　he　said　in　sudden　irritation；　〃dance

with　him　till　you　and　Mrs。　Chints　between　you　have　to　hold　him　on

his　feet。　　Dance　with　him　till　Burleigh　sends　a　couple　of　col