a face illumined-第23章
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his feet。 Dance with him till Burleigh sends a couple of colored
waiters to take him from your embrace and carry him off to bed。〃
She made a gesture of rage and disgust； and went straight to her
room。
Sibley； in the mean time； paid a lengthened visit to his brandy；
and having already passed the point of discretion； drank recklessly。
When he descended the stairs again to look for his partner； his
step was uncertain and his utterance thick。
Stanton gave Mr。 Burleigh a hint that the young man needed looking
after； and the adroit host； skilled in managing all kinds of people
and in every condition； induced him to return to his room； under
the pretence of wishing to taste his fine old brandy； and then kept
him there until the lethargic stage set in as the result of his
excess。 And so an affair； which might have created much scandal；
was smuggled out of sight and knowledge as far as possible。 Mrs。
Mayhew had been so occupied with whist that she had not observed
that anything was amiss； and merely remarked that 〃Mr。 Sibley's
ball had ended earlier than usual。〃
Chapter XVI。 Out Among Shadows。
The expression of Ida Mayhew's face was cold and defiant on the
following day。 She did not attend church with her mother； but remained
all the morning in her room。 She not only avoided opportunities
of speaking to Van Berg when coming down to dinner and during the
afternoon； but she would not even look towards him； and her manner
towards her cousin also was decidedly icy。
〃I don't know what is the matter with Ida；〃 her mother remarked to
Stanton； 〃she has acted so strangely of late。〃
〃It's the old complaint； I imagine；〃 he replied with a shrug。
〃What's that？〃
〃Caprice。〃
〃Oh； well！ she's no worse than other pretty； fashionable girls；〃
said Miss Mayhew； carelessly。
Stanton； in his anger on the previous evening； had not spoken of
his cousin to Van Berg in a very complimentary way； but the artist
remembered that the young man himself was not in a condition to
form either a correct or charitable judgment； while the fact that
Ida； as a result of his remonstrance； had gone directly to her room；
was in her favor。 He still resolved to suspend his final opinion
and not to give over his project until satisfied that her nature
contained too much alloy to permit of its success。 He paid no heed
therefore to her coldness of manner； and when at last meeting her
face to face on the piazza Sunday evening； he lifted his hat as
politely as possible。
Sibley did not appear until the arrival of the dinner hour。 He was
under the impression that he had gone a little too far the night
before； and tried to make amends by an immaculate toilet and an
urbane yet dignified courtesy towards all whom he knew。 Society
very readily winks at the indiscretions of wealthy young men。
Moreover； he had been inveigled back to his room before his condition
had been observed to any extent。 There fore he found himself so
well received in the main； that he soon fully recovered his wonted
self…assurance。
Mrs。 Mayhew was particularly gracious； and Ida； who at first had
been somewhat distant towards him as well as all others； concluded
that she had not sufficient cause to be ashamed of him； and so
it came about that they spent much of the afternoon and evening
together。 She did not fail to note； however； that when he approached
Van Berg he received a cold and curt reception。 Was jealousy
the cause of this？ In her elation and excitement on the previous
evening； she had been inclined to think so； but now she feared that
it was because the artist despised the man； and in her secret soul
she was compelled to admit that he had reason to despise himyes；
to despise them both。 She felt； with bitter humiliation； that his
superiority was not assumed but real。
More than once before the day closed； she found herself contrasting
the two men。 The one had not had a shred of true worth about him。
Stanton； to teaze her and to justify his interference； had told her
that Mr。 Burleigh had been compelled to take charge of her companion
in order to prevent him from disgracing himself and the house。
Although too proud to acknowledge it； she still saw plainly that
it was her cousin's interference； and indirectly the intervention
of the artist that had kept her from being involved in that disgrace。
Even her perverted mind recognized that one was a gentleman； and
the otherwell； 〃a fashionable young man；〃 as she would phrase
it。 The one； as a friend； would shield her from every detracting
breath； the other； if given a chance； would inevitably tumble into
some slough of infamy himself； and drag her after him with reckless
selfishness。
Still； with something like self…loathing； she saw that Sibley was
her natural ally and companion； and that she had far more in common
with him than with the artist。 She could easily maintain with him
the inane chatter of their frivolous life； but she could not talk
with the artist； nor he with her； without an effort that was as
humiliating as it was apparent。
What was more； she saw that all others classed her with Sibley；
and that the people in the house who were akin to the artist in
character and high breeding； stood courteously but coolly aloof
from both herself and her mother。 She also felt that she could
not lay all the blame of this upon her poor father。 Indeed； since
the previous miserable Sunday on which Van Berg had tried to win
Mr。 Mayhew from his evil habit for one day at least； and she had
thwarted his kindly intention； she had begun to feel that she and
her mother were the chief causes of his increasing degradation。
Others； she feared； and especially Van Berg； took the same view。
With such thoughts surging up in her mind and clouding her brow；
Sibley did not find her altogether the same girl that she had been
the evening before。 Still； as has been said； he was her natural
ally； and she tried to second his efforts to re…establish a good
character and to keep up the appearance of fashionable respect。
Stanton was in something of a dilemma。 He did not like Sibley；
and was ashamed of his recent excess； but having drank with him；
and so； in a sense； having accepted his hospitality； felt himself
obliged to be rather affable。 He managed the matter by keeping out
of the way as far as possible； and was glad to remember that the
young man would depart in the morning。 While scarcely acknowledging
the fact to himself； he was on the alert most of the day to find
an opportunity of enjoying a conversation with Miss Burton； but
she kept herself very much secluded。 After attending church at a
neighboring village in the morning； she spent most of the afternoon
with Mrs。 Burleigh； assisting her in the care of the cross baby。
Van Berg； much to Stanton's envy； found her as genial and cheery
as ever when they met at the table。 He learned； from her manner
more than from anything she said； that the day and its associations
were sacred to her。 She affected no solemnity and seemed under
no constraint； only her thought and bearing had a somewhat soberer
coloring； like the shading of a picture。 To his mind it was but
another example of her entire reticence in regard to herself； while
her smiling face seemed as open as the light。
But as she came out from supper the children pounced upon her；
clamorous for a story。 She assented on condition that Mr。 Burleigh
would give them the use of one of the private parlorsa stipulation
speedily complied with； and soon she had nearly all the small folk
in the hotel gathered round her。
〃I shall stand without； like the 'Peri at the gate；'〃 Stanton found
a chance to say。
〃The resemblance is very striking；〃 was her smiling reply； but for
some reason he winced under it and wished he had not spoken。
When she dismissed her little audience there were traces of tears
on some of the children's faces； proving that she could tell
a pathetic； as well as a jolly story； and Van Berg observed with
interest how the power of her magnetism kept them lingering near
her even after she entered the parlor and sought a quiet nook near
the old gentleman and lady to whom she had been reading the previous
evening。
Mrs。 Chints； who liked to be prominent on all occasions； very
proudly felt that sacred music would be the right thing on Sabbath
evening； and； with a few of hew own ilk； was giving a florid and
imperfect rendering of that peculiar style of composition that
suggests a poor opera while making a rather shocking and irreverent
use of words taken from Scriptures。
Van Berg and Stanton； who were out on the piazza； were ready to
grate their teeth in anguish； finding the narcotic influence of
the strongest cigar no match for Mrs。 Chints's voice。
Suddenly that irrepressible lady spied Miss Burton； and she swooped
down upon her in a characteristic manner； exclaiming：
〃You can't decline； you needn't say you don't； I've heard you。 If
you sing half as well for us as you did to Mrs。 Burleigh's baby
this afternoon； we'll be more than satisfied。 Now come； one sweet
solojust one。〃
Stanton craned his neck from where he sat to see the result of this
onslaught； but Miss Burton shook her head。
〃Well； then； won't you join in with us？〃 persisted Mrs。 Chints。
〃Sacred music is so lovely and appropriate on Sunday night。〃
〃You are right in that respect； Mrs。 Chints。 If it is the wish of
those present I think some simple hymns in which we can all join
might be generally enjoyed。〃
〃Now； my dear； you have just hit it；〃 said the old lady at her
side。 〃I； for one； would very much like to hear some simple music
like that we had when I was young。〃
The old lady's preference was taken up and echoed on every side。
Indeed the majority were ready for any change from Mrs。 Chints's
strident tones。
〃Well； my dear；〃 said the lady； 〃it shall be as you say。〃 Then she
added； 〃sotto voce；〃 with a complacent nod； 〃I suppose the music
we were giving is beyond the masses； but if you could once hear
Madame Skaronni render it in our choir at the Church of the （something
that sounded like 'pica…ninny；' as by Mrs。 Chints pronounced） you
would wish for no other。 Will you play； my dear？〃
〃Ah； yes； please do；〃 exclaimed some of the children who had gathered
around her。
〃In mercy to us poor mortals for whom there is no escape save going
to bed； please comply；〃 whispered the old lady in her ear。
The light in Miss Burton's eyes was mirthful rather than sacred as
she rose and went to the piano； and at once an air of breezy and
interested expectancy took the place of the previous bored expression。
〃Come； Van；〃 said Stanton； throwing away his cigar； 〃we'll need
your tenor voice。 We must stand by that little woman。 The Chints
tribe have
