a face illumined-第3章

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〃I　saw　a　score　of　faces　near　us。　　A　German　had　one　with　the　area

of　an　acre。〃



〃Was　he　the　one　who　said；　'hist；'　like　a　blast　from　the　North？〃



〃From　a　porpoise　rather。〃



〃Did　you　observe　the　girl　towards　whom　his　gusty　rebuke　was　directed？〃



〃Yes；　an　inoffensive　young　lady。〃



〃Inoffensive；　indeed！〃　interrupted　Van　Berg。　　〃She　has　put　me　into

purgatory。〃



〃You　do　seem　quite　ablaze。　　Well；　you　are　not　the　first　one　that

she　has　put　there。　　But　really；　Van；　I　did　not　know　that　you　were

so　inflammable。〃



〃If　you　had　any　of　the　instincts　of　an　artist　you　would　know　that

I　am　inflamed　with　no　gentler　feeling　than　anger。〃



〃Why！　what　has　the　poor　child　done　to　you？〃



〃She　is　not　a　child。　　She　knows　too　much　about　some　things。〃



〃I've　no　doubt　she　is　better　than　either　you　or　I；〃　said　Stanton；

sharply。



〃That　fact　would　be　far　from　proving　her　a　saint。〃



〃What　the　dickens　makes　you　so　vindictive　against　the　girl？〃



〃Because　she　has　the　features　of　an　angel　and　the　face　of　a　fool。

What　business　has　a　woman　to　mock　and　disappoint　one　so！　　When　I

first　saw　her　I　thought　I　had　discovered　a　prizea　new　revelation

of　beauty；　but　a　moment　later　she　looked　so　ineffably　silly　that

I　felt　as　if　I　had　bitten　into　an　apple　of　Sodom。　　Of　course　the

girl　is　nothing　to　me。　　I　never　saw　her　before　and　hope　I　may　never

see　her　again；　but　her　features　were　so　perfect　that　I　could　not

help　looking　at　them；　and　the　more　I　looked　the　more　annoyed　I　became

to　find　that；　instead　of　being　blended　together　into　a　divine　face

by　the　mind　within；　they　were　the　reluctant　slaves　of　as　picayune

a　soul　as　ever　maintained　its　microscopic　existence　in　a　human

body。　　It　is　exasperating　to　think　what　that　face　might　be；　and

to　see　what　it　is。　　How　can　nature　make　such　absurd　blunders？　　The

idea　of　building　so　fair　a　temple　for　such　an　ugly　little　divinity！〃



〃I　thought　you　artists　were　satisfied　with　flesh　and　blood　women；

if　only　put　together　in　a　way　pleasing　to　your　fastidious　eyes。〃



〃If　nature　had　designed　that　women　should　consist　only　of　flesh

and　blood　women；　if　only　put　together　in　a　way　pleasing　to　your

fastidious　eyes。〃



〃If　nature　had　designed　that　women　should　consist　only　of　flesh　and

blood；　one　would　have　to　be　content；　but　no　one　save　the　'unspeakable

Turk；'　believes　in　such　a　woman；　or　wants　her。　　Who　admires　such　a

fragment　of　a　woman　save　the　man　that　is　as　yet　undeveloped　beyond

the　animal？　　My　mother　is　my　friend；　my　companion；　my　inspiration。

The　idea　of　yonder　silly　creature　being　the　companion　of　a　MAN。〃



〃Good　evening；　Coz；〃　said　a　voice　that　was　a　trifle　shrill　and　loud

for　a　public　place；　and　looking　up；　the　friends　saw　the　subject

of　their　conversation；　who；　with　her　spindling　attendant　was　also

taking　a　promenade。



Stanton　raised　his　hat　with　a　smile；　while　Van　Berg　touched　his

but　coldly。



〃I　wish　to　speak　with　you；〃　she　said　in　passing。



〃I　will　join　you　soon；〃　Stanton　answered。



〃So　this　lady　is　your　cousin？〃　remarked　Van　Berg。



〃She　is；〃　said　Stanton　laughing。



〃You　will　do　me　the　justice　to　remember　that　I　spoke　in　ignorance

of　the　fact。　　If　I　were　you　I　would　give　her　some　cousinly　advice。〃



〃Bless　you！　　I　have；　but　it's　like　pouring　water　on　a　duck's

back。　　For　one　sensible　word　I　can　say　to　her　she　gets　a　thousand

compliments　from　rich　and　empty…headed　young　fools；　like　the　one

now　with　her；　who　will　eventually　be　worth　half　a　million　in　his

own　name。　　I　was　interested　to　see　how　her　face　would　strike　you；

and　I　imagine　that　your　estimate　has　hit　pretty　close　upon　the

truth；　for　in　my　judgment　she　is　the　prettiest　and　silliest　girl　in

New　York。　　She　has　recently　returned　from　a　year's　absence　abroad；

and　I　was　in　hopes　that　she　would　find　something　to　remember　besides

her　own　handsome　face；　but　I　imagine　she　has　seen　little　else　than

it　and　the　admiring　glances　which　everywhere　follow　her。　　Take　us

as　we　average；　Van；　Mr。　Darwin　has　not　go　us　very　far　along　yet；

and　if　the　face　of　a　woman　suits　us　we　are　apt　to　stare　at　it

as　far　as　such　politeness　as　we　possess　permits；　without　giving

much　thought　to　her　intellectual　endowments。　　When　it　comes　to

companionship；　however；　I　agree　with　you。　　Heaven　help　the　man　who

is　tied　to　such　a　woman　for　life。　　Still；　in　the　fashionable　crowd

my　cousin　trains　with；　this　makes　little　difference。　　The　husband

goes　his　way　and　the　wife　hers；　and　they　are　not　long　in　getting

a　good　ways　apart。　　But　come；　let　me　introduce　you；　I　have　always

thought　the　little　fool　had　some　fine　gold　mingled　with　her　dross；

and　you　are　such　a　skilful　analyst　that　perhaps　you　will　discover

it。〃



〃No；　I　thank　you；〃　said　Van　Berg；　with　a　slight　expression　of

disgust。　　〃I　could　not　speak　civilly　to　a　lady　that　I　had　just　seen

giggling　and　flirting　through　one　of　Beethoven's　finest　symphonies。〃



〃Well　well；〃　said　Stanton　laughing；　〃I　am　rather　glad　to　find　one

man　who　is　not　drawn　to　her　pretty　face　like　a　moth　to　a　candle。

I　will　join　you　again　by　and　by。〃



Van　Berg　sat　down　in　one　of　the　little　stalls　that　stood　open　to

the　main　promenade；　and　saw　his　friend　thread　his　way　among　the

moving　figures；　and　address　his　cousin。　　As　she　turned　to　speak

with　Stanton；　the　artist　received　again　that　vivid　impression　of

beauty；　which　her　face　ever　caused　before　time　was　given　for　closer

scrutiny。　　Indeed　from　his　somewhat　distant　point　of　observation；

and　in　the　less　searching　light；　the　fatal　flaw　could　scarcely　be

detected。　　Her　affected　tones　and　silly　words　could　not　be　heard；

and　he　saw　only　dark　lustrous　eyes　lighting　up　features　that　were

almost　a　revelation　even　to　him　with　his　artistic　familiarity　with

beauty。



〃If　I　could　always　keep　her　at　about　that　distance；〃　he　muttered；

〃and　arrange　the　lights　and　shadows　in　which　to　view　her　face；　I

could　not　ask　for　a　better　study；　for　she　would　give　me　a　basis　of

perfect　beauty；　and　I　could　add　any　expression　of　characteristic

that　I　desired。〃　　And　now　he　feasted　his　eyes　as　a　compensation；

in　part；　for　the　annoyance　she　had　caused　him　in　the　glare　of　the

audience　room。



He　soon　saw　a　frown　lower　upon　her　hitherto　laughing　face　like　the

shadow　of　a　passing　cloud；　and　it　was　evident　that　something　had

been　said　that　was　not　agreeable　to　her　vanity。



A　moment　or　two　after　Stanton　had　joined　the　young　lady　her　escort

for　the　evening　had　excused　himself　for　a　brief　time；　and　had　left

the　cousins　together。　　She　had　then　asked；　〃I　say；　Ik；　who　was　that

gentleman　you　were　talking　with？〃



〃He's　an　old　friend　of　mine。〃



〃He's　not　an　OLD　friend　of　any　one。　　He　is　young　and　quite　good…looking；

or　rather　he　has　a　certain　'distingue'　air　that　makes　one　look　at

him　twice。　　Who　is　he？〃



〃He　is　an　artist；　and　if　he　lives　and　works　as　he　is　now　doing；

through　an　ordinary　lifetime；　he　will　indeed　by　distinguished。　　In

fact；　he　stands　high　already。〃



〃How　nice；〃　she　exclaimed。



〃He　has　another　characteristic；　which　you　will　appreciate　far　more

than　anything　he　will　ever　accomplish　with　his　brushhe　is　very

rich。〃



〃Why！　he's　perfectly　splendid。　　Whoever　heard　of　such　a　strange；

rare　creature！　　I've　flirted　with　lots　of　poor　artists；　but　never

with　a　rich　one。　　Bring　him　to　me；　and　introduce　him　at　once。〃



〃He　is　not　one　that　you　can　flirt　with；　like　the　attenuated　youth

who　has　just　meandered　to　the　barroom。〃



〃Why　not？〃



〃If　you　had　eyes　for　anything　save　your　own　pretty　face；　and　the

public　stare；　you　would　have　seen　that　my　friend　is　not　a　'creature；'

but　a　man。〃



〃Come；　Cousin　Ik；〃　she　replied　in　more　natural　tones；　〃too　much

of　your　house　is　made　of　glass　for　you　to　throw　stones。　　Flirting

and　frolicking　are　as　good　any　day　as　eating；　smoking；　and　dawdling。〃



Stanton　bit　his　lip；　but　retorted；　〃I　don't　profess　to　be　a　bit

better　than　you　are；　Coz；　but　I　at　least　have　the　sense　to　appreciate

those　who　are　my　superiors。〃



〃So　have　I；　when　I　find　them；　I　am　beginning　to　think；　however；

that　you　men　are　very　much　alike。　　All　you　ask　is　a　pretty　face；

for　you　all　think　that　you　have　brains　enough　for　two。　　But　bring

your　paragon　and　introduce　him；　that　I　may　share　in　your　gaping

admiration。〃



〃You　would；　indeed；　my　dear　Coz；　yawn　over　his　conversation；　for

you　couldn't　understand　half　of　it。　　I　think　we　had　better　remain

where　we　are　till　your　shadow　returns　with　his　eyes　and　nose

slightly　inflamed。　　He　is　aware　of　at　least　one　method　of　becoming

a　spirited　youth；　it　seems。〃



〃A　man　who　is　worth　half　a　million　is　usually　regarded　as　rather

substantial；〃　she　retorted。



〃Yes；　but　in　this　case　the　money…bags　outweigh　the　man　too

ridiculously。　　For　heaven's　sake；　Coz；　do　not　make　a　spectacle　of

yourself　by　marrying　this　attenuation；　or　society　will　assert　there

was　a　regularly　drawn　bill　of　sale。〃



〃I　assure　you　that　I　do　not　intend　to　put　myself　under　any　man's

thumb　for　a　long　time　to　come。　　I　am　having　too　good　a　time；　and

that　reminds　me　that　I　would　enjoy　meeting　your　friend　much　more

than　listening　to　your　cynical　speeches。　　Did　I　not　know　that　you

were　like　my　little　King　Charlesall　bark　rather　than　biteI

wouldn't　stand　them；　and　I　won't　any　longer；　to…night。　　So　go　and

bring　your　great　embryo　artist；　or　he　will　become　one　of　the　old

masters　before　I　see　him。〃



〃I　fear　I　must　give　you　a　wee　bit　of　bite　this　time。　　I　have　offered

to　introduce　him　and　he　declines　the　honor。〃



〃How　is　that？〃　she　asked；　flushing　with　anger。



〃I　will　quote　his　words　exactly；　and　then　you　can　interpret　them

as　you　think　best。　　He　said；　'I　could　not　speak　civilly　to　a　lady

that　I　had　just　seen　giggling　and　flirting　through　one　of　Beethoven's

finest　symphonies。'〃



The　young　girl's　face　looked　anything　but　amiable　in　response　to

this　speech；　but；　after　a　moment；　she　tossed　her　head；　and　replied：



〃'N'importe'there　are　plenty　who　can　use　not　only　civil　words

but　complimentary　ones。〃



〃Yes；　and　the　mischief　of　it　is　that　you　will　listen　to　them　and

to　no　others。　　What　sort　of　muscle　can　one　make　who　lives　only　on

sugar…plums？〃



〃They　agree　with　me　better　than　the　vinegar　drops　you　and　your

unmannerly　friend　delight　in。　　I　don't　believe　he　ever　painted

anything　better　than　a　wooden　squaw　for　one　of　your　beloved

cigar…shopswelcome　back　Mr。　Minty。　　You　have　been　away　an

unconscionably　long　time。〃



〃Thanks　for　the　compliment　of　being　missed。　　I　have　tried　to　make

amends　by　ordering　a　'petit　souper'　for　three；　for　I　was　sure　your

cousin　would　join　us。　　It　will　be　brought　to　one　of　yonder　stalls；

where；　while　we　enjoy　it；　we　can　both　see　and　hear。〃



Surmising　that　the　viands　would　consist　of　the　choicest　delicacies

of　the　season；　Stanton　readily　accepted　the　invitation；　and　it　so

happened　that　the　cloth　was　laid　for　the　party　in　the　stall