a face illumined-第25章

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as　yours。〃



〃Hush；〃　she　said　imperiously；　and　with　a　repelling　gesture；　she

stepped　further　into　the　light　towards　the　singers。



〃Then；　when　on　earth　I　breathe　no　more；〃　sang　Miss　Burton。



The　thought　was　to　the　heart　of　the　unhappy　listener　like　the　touch

of　ice　to　the　hand。　　There　was　a　kindling　light　of　hope　in　Miss

Burton's　face；　and　something　in　her　tone　that　indicated　the　courage

of　an　unfaltering　trust　as　she　sang　the　closing　lines：





〃I'll　sing　upon　a　happier　shore；

　Thy　will　be　done。〃





But　the　words　brought　a　deeper　despondency　to　Ida　Mayhew。　　In

bitterness　she　asked　herself；　〃What　chance　is　there　for　me　to　reach

'that　happier　shore；'　with　the　tempter　at　my　side　and　everything

in　the　present　and　past　combining　to　drag　me　down？〃



〃There；　thank　heaven　'meetin's　over；'〃　whispered　Sibley；　as　Miss

Burton　rose　from　the　piano。　　〃I'm　sick　of　all　this　pious　twaddle；

and　would　a　thousand…fold　rather　listen　to　the　music　of　your　voice

out　under　the　trees。〃



〃You　'thank　heaven'！〃　she　repeated　with　a　reckless　laugh。　　〃I'm

inclined　to　think；　Mr。　Sibley；　from　the　nature　of　your　words；　you

named　the　wrong　locality。〃



The　answering　look　he　gave　her　indicated　that　she　puzzled　him。

She　had　not　seemed　to…day　like　the　shallow　girl　who　had　hitherto

accepted　of　his　more　innocent　compliments　as　if　they　were　sugar…plums；

and　merely　raised　her　finger　in　mock　warning　at　such　as　contained

a　spice　of　wickedness　and　boldness。　　There　seemed　a　current　of

thought　in　her　mind　which　he　could　not　fathom；　and　whether　it　were

carrying　her　away　or　toward　him　he　was　not　sure。　　He　understood　and

welcomed　the　element　of　recklessness；　but　did　not　like　the　way　in

which　she　looked　at　Van　Berg；　nor　did　it　suit　his　purposes　that

she　should　hear　so　much　of　what　he　characterized　as　〃pious　twaddle。〃

He　whispered　again　bolder　words　than　he　had　ever　spoken　to　her

before。



〃I　wish　no　better　heaven　than　the　touch　of　your　hand　and　the　light

of　your　eyes。　　See；　the　moon　is　rising；　come　with　me；　for　this　is

the　very　witching　hour　for　a　ramble。〃



She　turned　upon　him　a　startled　look；　for　he　seemed　the　very　embodiment

of　temptation。　　But　she　only　said　coldly：



〃Hush！　　Mr。　Van　Berg　is　about　to　sing；〃　and　she　stepped　so　far　into

the　lighted　room　that　the　artist　saw　her。



When　Miss　Burton　rose　from　the　piano　she　did　not　return　to　her

seat　in　the　parlor；　but　stood　in　the　shadow　of　the　door…way　leading

into　the　hall。　　The　thought　of　her　hymn　had　come　so　directly　from

her　heart；　that　her　eyes　were　slightly　moist　with　an　emotion　that

was　more　plainly　manifest　on　many　other　faces。　　The　old　gentleman

who　had　asked　her　to　sing　had　taken　off　his　spectacles　and　was

openly　wiping　his　eyes。



Stanton；　ashamed　to　have　her　see　the　feeling　she　had　evoked；

turned　his　back　upon　her　and　slowly　walked　down　the　corridor。　　She

misunderstood　his　act　and　thought　it　caused　by　indifference　or

dislike　for　the　sentiment　she　had　expressed。　　He　had　seemed　to　her

thus　far　only　a　superficial　man　of　the　world；　and　this　act　struck

her　as　characteristic。　　But　beyond　this　passing　impression　she

did　not　give　him　a　thought；　and　turned；　with　genuine　interest；　to

listen　to　Van　Berg　who　had　said　to　her：



〃I　remember　a　few　simple　verses　which　have　no　merit　save　that　they

express　what　I　wish　rather　than　what　I　am。〃



With　much　more　feeling；　and　therefore　power；　than　was　his　custom；

he　sang　as　follows：





〃I　would　I　knew　Thee　better

　That　trust　could　banish　doubt；

　I　wish　that　from　'the　letter'

　Thy　Spirit　might　shine　out。



　I　wish　that　heaven　were　nearer

　That　earth　were　more　akin

　To　the　home　that　should　be　dearer

　Than　the　one　so　marred　by　sin。



　I　wish　that　deserts　dreary

　Might　blossom　as　the　rose；

　That　souls；　despairing；　weary；

　Might　smile　and　find　repose。〃





Before　singing　the　next　stanza　he　could　not　forbear　looking　to　see

if　Miss　Mayhew　were　listening；　and　thus　it　happened　that　his　glance

gave　peculiar　emphasis　to　the　thought　expressed。　　She　was　looking

at　him　with　an　intensity　of　expression　that　he　did　not　understand。

Nothing　that　he　did　escaped　her；　and　the　quick　flash　of　his　eyes

in　her　direction　unintentionally　gave　the　following　words　the　force

and　pointedness　of　an　open　rebuke；





〃I　wish　that　outward　beauty

　Were　the　mirror　of　the　heart；

　That　purity　and　duty

　Supplanted　wily　art。〃





He　did　not　see　that　with　a　sudden　flame　of　scarlet　in　her　face　she

stepped　back　on　the　dusky　piazza　as　abruptly　as　if　she　had　received

a　blow。　　Had　he　done　so；　he　might　not　have　sung　as　effectively　the

remaining　verses。　　After　the　first　confused　moment　of　shame　and

resentment　passed；　she　paused　only　long　enough　to　note　with　a　sense

of　relief　that　others　had　not　seen　or　made　any　such　application　of

his　words　as　she　believed　he　had　intended；　and　then　she　took　Mr。

Sibley's　arm　and　walked　away；　leaving　the　remaning　two　verses

unheard





〃I　wish　that　all　were　better

　And　nearer　to　their　God

　That　evil's　broken　fetter

　Were　buried　with　His　rod；



　That　love　might　last　forever；

　And　we；　in　future；　find

　There　is　no　power　to　sever

　The　strong　and　true　in　mind。〃





As　he　sang　the　last　verse　there　was　also　a　rapid　change

in　the　expression　of　Miss　Burton's　face。　　There　was　something　of

her　old　pallor　that　has　been　mentioned　before。　　She　looked　at　him

questioningly　a　moment　as　if　to　see　if　he　were　consciously　making

an　allusion　that　touched　her　very　nearly；　and　then；　seemingly

overcome　by　some　sudden　emotion　that　she　would　gladly　hide；　she

quickly　vanished　down　the　dimly　lighted　hallway；　and　was　seen　no

more　until　she　came　down　to　breakfast　the　following　morning；　as

smiling　and　cheery　as　ever。



〃Confound　you；　Van；〃　said　Stanton；　as　the　artist　escaped　from　the

thanks　of　the　audience　into　the　hall；　〃What　did　you　put　in　that　last

verse　for？　　You　made　her　think　of　seeing　her　dead　friends　again；

and　so　she　was　in　no　mood　to　speak　to　us　poor　mortals　who　are　still

plodding　on　in　this　'vale　of　tears。'　　I'd　give　my　ears　for　a　quiet

chat　with　her　to…night。　　By　Jove；　I　never　was　so　stirred　up　before；

and　could　turn　Christian；　Mohammedan；　Buddhist；　or　anything　else；

if　she　asked　me　to。〃



〃In　either　case；　Ik；〃　said　Van　Berg；　〃your　worship　would　be　the

same；　I　imagine；　and　would　never　rise　higher　than　the　priestess。〃



〃Curse　it　all；〃　exclaimed　Stanton　impetuously；　〃I　feel　to…night　as

if　that　were　higher　than　I　can　ever　rise。　　I　never　was　afraid　of

a　woman　before；　but　no　'divinity'　ever　'hedged　a　king'　like　that

which　fills　me　with　an　indescribable　awe　when　I　approach　this

unassuming　little　woman　who　usually　seems　no　more　formidable　than

a　flickering　sunbeam。　　I　agree　with　you　now。　　She　has　evidently

had　some　deep　experience　in　the　past　that　gives　to　her　character

a　power　and　depth　that　we　only　half　understand。　　I　wish　I　knew　her

better。〃



〃Good…night；〃　said　Van　Berg；　a　little　abruptly；　〃I　think　that

after　this　evening's　experience；　neither　of　us　is　in　the　mood　for

further　talk。〃



Stanton　looked　after　him　with　a　lowering　brow　and　muttered：　　〃Is

he　so　sensitive　on　this　subject？　　By　Jove。　　I'm　sorry！　　I　fear

we　must　become　rivals；　Van。　　And　yet；〃　he　added　with　a　despairing

gesture；　〃what　chance　would　I　have　with　him　against　me？〃



〃I　could　not　hear　distinctly；〃　Sibley　had　remarked　as　Ida　took

his　arm　and　walked　away　from　her　post　of　observation。　　〃Were　you

disgusted　with　his　pious　wail　on　general　principles；　or　did　something

in　his　theology　offend　you？〃



〃It's　enough　that　I　was　not　pleased；〃　she　replied　briefly。



〃Little　wonder。　　I'm　surprised　you　stood　it　so　long。　　Van　Berg　and

Stanton　are　nice　fellows　to　lead　a　conventicle。　　I　think　I'll　take

a　hand　at　it　myself　next　Sunday　evening；　and　certainly　would　with

your　support。　　I'll　say　nothing　of　the　singer；　but　if　you　will　go

with　me　to　the　rustic　seat　in　yonder　shady　walk；　I'll　sing　you　a

song　that　I　know　will　be　more　to　your　taste　than　any　you　have　heard

this　evening。〃



〃Please　excuse　me；　Mr。　Sibley；　I'm　afraid　of　the　night　air。〃



〃You　are　unusually　prudent；〃　he　said；　a　little　tauntingly。



〃Which　proves　that　I　possess　at　least　one　good　quality；〃　she　replied。



〃Perhaps　if　Mr。　Van　Berg　asked　you　to　go　you　would　take　the　risk。〃



〃Perhaps　I　might；〃　she　admitted；　half　unconsciously　and　from　the

mere　force　of　habit；　giving　the　natural　answer　of　a　coquette。



〃He　had　better　not　cross　my　path；〃　said　Sibley；　with　sudden

vindictiveness。



〃Come；　come！〃　replied　Miss　Mayhew；　with　a　careless　laugh；　〃let's

have　no　high　tragedy。　　I'm　in　no　mood　for　it　to…night；　and　you

have　no　occasion　for　alarm。　　If　he　crosses　your　path　he　will　step

daintily　over　it　at　right　angles。〃



At　that　moment　Van　Berg　came　out　on　the　piazza。　　Although　he　could

not　hear　her　words；　her　laugh　and　tones　jarred　unpleasantly　on　his

ear。



〃Yonder　is　a　genuine　affinity；〃　he　muttered；　〃which　I　was　a　fool

to　think　I　could　break　up；〃　and　with　a　slight　contemptuous　gesture

he　turned　on　his　heel　and　went　to　his　room。



〃I　cannot　altogether　understand　you　this　evening；　Miss　Mayhew；〃

said　Sibley；　with　some　resentment　in　his　tone。



〃You　are　not　to　blame　for　that；　Mr。　Sibley；　for　I　do　not　understand

myself。　　I　have　not　felt　well　to…day；　and　so　had　better　say

good…night。〃



But　before　she　could　leave　him　he　seized　her　hand　and　exclaimed；

in　his　soft；　insinuating　tones：



〃That　then　is　the　only　trouble　between　us。　　Next　Saturday　evening

I　shall　find　you　your　old　charming　self？〃



〃Perhaps；〃　was　her　unsatisfactory　answer。



With　a　step　that　grew　slower　and　heavier　every　moment；　she　went

to　her　room；　turned　up　the　light；　and　looked　fixedly　at　herself　in

the　glass；





〃I　wish　that　outward　beauty

　Were　the　mirror　of　the　heart；〃





she　repeated　inaudibly；　and　the　her　exquisite　lip　curled　in

self…contempt。



〃Ida；　what　IS　the　matter　with　you？〃　drawled　her　mother；　looking

through　the　open　door…way　of　her　adjacent　room。　　〃You　act　as　if

you　were　demented。〃



〃Why　did　you　make　me　what　I　am？〃　she　exclaimed；　turning　upon　her

mother　in　a　sudden　passion。



〃Good　gracious！　what　are　you？〃　ejaculated　that　matter…of…fact　lady。



〃I'm　as　good　as　you　areas　good　as　our　set　averages；　I　suppose；〃

she　answered　in　a　weary；　careless　tone。　　〃Good　night；〃　and　she

closed　and　locked　her　door。



〃Oh；　pshaw！〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；　petulantly；　〃those　hymns　have　made

her　out　of　sorts　with　herself　and　everything。　　They　used　to　stir

me　up　in　the　same　way。　　Why　can't　people　learn　to　perform　their

religious　duties　properly　and　then　let　the　matter　rest；〃　and　with

a　yawn　she　retired　at　peace　with　herself　and　all　the　world。



Ida　threw　herself　on　a　lounge　and　looked　straight　before　her　with

that　fixed；　vacant　stare　which　indicates　that　nothing　is　seen　save

by　the　eye　of　the