a face illumined-第4章

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

that　in　which　Van　Berg　was　quietly　enjoying　a　cigar　and　a　frugal　glass

of　lager。　　They　took　their　places　quite　unaware　of　his　proximity；

and　he　listened　with　considerable　interest　to　the　tones　and　words

of　the　fair　stranger　who　had　so　unexpectedly　taken　possession　of

his　thoughts。　　Were　it　not　for　a　slight　shrillness　and　loudness　at

times；　and　the　fashionable　affectation　of　the　day；　her　voice　would

have　been　sweet　and　girlish　enough。　　As　it　was；　it　suggested　an

instrument　tuned　to　a　false　key　and　consequently　discordant　with

all　true　and　womanly　harmonies。　　Her　conversation　with　young　Minty

was　as　insipid　as　himself；　but　occasionally　Stanton's　cynical　banter

evoked　something　like　repartee　and　wit。



In　the　course　of　her　talk　she　said：　　〃By　the　way；　Ik；　mother　and

I　start　for　the　country　next　week。　　We　are　to　spend　the　summer　at

the　Lake　House；　which　is　up　the　Hudson　somewhereyou　know　where

better　than　I。　　If　you　will　bring　your　bays　and　a　light　wagon

I　shall　be　very　glad　to　see　you　there；　otherwise　I　shall　welcome

youwellas　my　cousin。〃



〃If　I　come　I　will　surely　bring　my　bays；　and　possibly　may　invite

you　to　drive　with　me。〃



〃Oh；　I　will　save　you　all　trouble　in　that　respect　by　inviting　myself；

when　so　inclined。〃



The　orchestra　was　now　about　to　give　a　selection　that　Van　Berg　wished

to　hear　to　better　advantage　than　he　could　in　his　present　position；

therefore；　unobserved　by　the　party　on　the　other　side　of　the　thin

partition；　he　returned　to　his　old　seat　in　the　main　hallway。　　Not

very　long　after；　Stanton；　with　his　cousin　and　Mr。　Minty；　entered

from　the　promenade；　and　again　Van　Berg　received　the　same　vivid

impression　of　beauty；　and；　with　many　others；　could　not　withdraw　his

eyes　from　the　exquisite　features　that　were　slightly　flushed　with

champagne　and　excitement。　　But；　as　before；　this　impression　passed

quickly；　and　the　face　again　became　as　exasperating　to　the　artist

as　the　visage　of　the　Venus　of　Milo　would　be　should　some　vandal　hand

pencil　upon　it　a　leer　or　a　smirk。　　A　heavy　frown　was　gathering　upon

his　brow　when　the　young　lady；　happening　to　turn　suddenly；　caught

and　fully　recognized　his　lowering　expression。　　It　accorded　only

too　well　with　her　cousin's　words　in　regard　to　Van　Berg's　estimate

of　herself；　and　greatly　increased　her　resentment　towards　the　one　who

had　already　wounded　her　vanitythe　most　vulnerable　and　sensitive

trait　in　her　character。　　The　flush　that　deepened　so　suddenly　upon

her　face　was　unmistakably　that　of　anger。　　She　promptly　turned　her

back　upon　her　critic；　nor　did　she　look　towards　him　again　until

the　close　of　the　evening。　　That　his　words　and　manner　rankled　in

her　memory；　however；　was　proved　by　a　slightly　preoccupied　manner；

followed　by　fits　of　gayety　not　altogether　natural；　and　chiefly　by

the　fact　that　she　could　not　leave　the　place　without　a　swift　glance

at　the　disturbing　cause　of　her　wonted　self…approval。　　But　Van　Berg

took　pains　to　manifest　his　indifference　by　standing　with　his　back

towards　her　when　she　knew　that　he　must　be　aware　of　her　departure；

from　her　slightly　ostentatious　leave…taking　of　her　cousin；　in　which；

of　course；　the　spoiled　beauty　had　no　other　object　than　to　attract

attention　to　herself。



As　Van　Berg；　with　his　friend；　was　passing　out　a　few　minutes　later；

he　asked　rather　abruptly；　showing　that　he　also　was　not　so　indifferent

as　he　had　pretended　to　be：



〃What　is　your　cousin's　name；　Stanton？〃



〃Her　name　is　as　pretty　as　herselfIda　Mayhew；　and　it　is　worse　than

a　disquieting　ghost　in　a　good　many　heads　and　hearts　that　I　know

of。　　Indeed　its　owner　has　robbed　men　that　I　thought　sensible；　not

only　of　their　peace；　but；　I　should　say；　of　their　wits　also。　　I　had

one　friend　of　whom　I　thought　a　great　deal；　and　it　was　pitiable　to

see　the　abject　state　to　which　the　heartless　little　minx　reduced

him。　　I　am　glad　to　find　that　her　witchery　has　no　spell　for　you；　and

that　you　detect　just　what　she　is　through　her　disguise　of　beauty。

'Entre　nous；'　Van；　I　will　tell　you　a　secret。　　I　was　once　over　ears

in　love　with　her　myself；　but　my　cousinly　relationship　enabled　me

to　see　her　so　often　and　intimately　that　she　cured　me　of　my　folly

on　homeopathic　principles。　　'Similia　similibus　curantur。'　　Even

the　blindness　of　love　could　not　fail　to　discover　that　when　one

subtracted　vanity；　coquetry；　and　her　striking　external　beauty　from

Ida　Mayhew；　but　little　was　left；　and　that　little　not　a　heavenly

compound。　　Those　who　know　her　least；　and　who　add　to　her　beauty

many　ideal　perfections；　are　the　ones　that　rave　about　her　most。　　I

doubt　whether　she　ever　had　a　heart；　if　so；　it　was　frittered　away

long　ago　in　her　numberless　flirtations。　　But　with　all　her　folly

she　has　ever　had　the　sense　to　keep　within　the　conventionalities　of

her　own　fashionable　'coterie；'　which　is　the　only　world　she　knows

anything　about；　and　whose　unwritten　laws　are　her　only　creed　and

religion。　　Her　disappointed　suitors　can　justly　charge　her　with

cruelty；　silliness；　ignorance；　and　immeasurable　vanity；　but　never

with　indiscretion。　　She　has　to　perfection　the　American　girl's

ability　to　take　care　of　herself；　and　no　man　will　see　twice　to　take

a　liberty　beyond　that　which　etiquette　permits。　　I　have　now　given

you　in　brief　the　true　character　of　Ida　Mayhew。　　It　is　no　secret；

for　all　who　come　to　know　her　well；　arrive　at　the　same　opinion。　　When

I　saw　you　had　observed　her　this　evening　for　the　first　time；　I　was

quite　interested　in　watching　the　impression　she　would　make　upon

you；　and　I　am　very　glad　that　your　judgment　has　been　both　good　and

prompt；　for　I　slightly　feared　that　your　love　of　beauty　might　make

you　blind　to　everything　else。〃



Stanton's　concluding　words　were　as　incense　to　Van　Berg；　for　he

prided　himself　in　no　slight　degree　on　his　even　pulse　and　sensible

heart；　that；　thus　far；　had　given　him　so　little　trouble；　and　he　therefore

replied；　with　a　certain　tinge　of　complacency　and　consciousness　of

security：



〃You　know　me　well　enough；　Ik；　to　be　aware　that　I　am　becoming　almost

a　monomaniac　in　my　art。　　A　woman's　face　is　to　me　little　more　than

a　picture　which　I　analyze　from　an　artistic　stand…point。　　A　MERELY

PRETTY　face　is　like　a　line　of　verse　of　musical　rhythm；　but　without

sense　or　meaning。　　This　is　bad　and　provoking　enough；　but　when

the　most　exquisite　features　give　expression　only　to　some　of　the

meanest　and　unworthiest　qualities　that　can　infest　a　woman's　soul；

one　is　exasperated　almost　beyond　endurance。　　At　least　I　am；　for　I

am　offended　in　my　strongest　instincts。　　Think　of　employing　stately

Homeric　words　and　measure　in　describing　a　belle's　toilet　table　with

its　rouge…pots；　false　hair；　and　other　abominations！　　Much　worse　is

it；　in　my　estimation；　that　the　features　of　a　goddess　should　tell

us　only　of　such　moral　vermin　as　vanity；　silliness；　and　the　egotism

of　a　poor　little　self　that　thinks　of　nothing；　and　knows　nothing

save　its　own　small　cravings。　　Pardon　me；　Ik；　I　am　not　speaking　of

your　cousin　but　in　the　abstract。　　In　regard　to　that　young　lady；

as　you　saw；　I　was　very　much　struck　with　the　face。　　Indeed；　to　tell

the　honest　truth；　I　never　saw　so　much　beauty　spoiled　　before；　and

the　fact　has　put　me　in　so　bad　a　humor　that　you；　no　doubt；　are　glad

I　have　reached　my　corner　and　so　must　say　good…night。〃



〃Ida　Mayhew　can　realize　all　such　abstractions；〃　muttered　Ik　Stanton；

as　he　walked　on　alone。



The　reader　will　be　apt　to　surmise；　however；　that　some　resentment；

resulting　from　his　former　and　unrequited　sentiment　towards　the

girl；　gave　an　unjust　bias　to　his　judgement。











Chapter　III。　　An　Artist's　Freak。









Van　Berg's　night…key　admitted　him　to　a　beautiful　home；　which　he

now　had　wholly　to　himself；　since　his　parents　and　sister　had　sailed

for　Europe　early　in　the　spring；　intending　to　spend　the　summer

abroad。　　The　young　man　had　already　travelled　and　studied　for　years

in　the　lands　naturally　attractive　to　an　artist；　and　it　was　now　his

purpose　to　familiarize　himself　more　thoroughly　with　the　scenery　of

his　own　country。



On　reaching　his　own　apartment　he　took　down　a　prosy　book；　that　he

might　read　himself　into　that　condition　of　drowsiness　which　would

render　sleep　possible；　but　sleep　would　not　come；　and　the　sentences

were　like　the　passers…by　in　the　street；　whom　we　see　but　do　not　note；

and　for　whose　coming　and　going　we　know　not　the　reasons。　　Between

himself　and　the　page　he　saw　continually　the　exquisite　features　and

the　exasperating　face　of　Ida　Mayhew。　　At　last　he　threw　aside　the

book；　lighted　a　cigar；　and　gave　himself　up　to　the　reveries　to　which

this　beautiful；　but　discordant　visage　so　strongly　predisposed　him。

Its　perfection　in　one　respect；　its　strongly　marked　imperfection

in　another；　both　appealed　equally　to　his　artistic　and　thoughtful

mind。　　At　one　moment　it　would　appear　before　him　with　an　ideal

loveliness　such　as　had　never　blessed　the　eye　of　his　fancy　even；

but　while　he　yet　looked　the　features　would　distort　themselves　into

the　vivid　expression　of　some　contemptible　trait；　so　like　what　he

had　seen　in　reality；　during　the　evening；　that；　in　uncontrollable

irritation；　he　would　start　up　and　pace　the　floor。



His　uncurbed　imagination　conjured　up　all　kinds　of　weird　and　grotesque

imagery。　　He　found　himself　commiserating　the　girl's　features　as　if

they　were　high…toned　captives　held　in　degrading　bondage　by　a　spiteful

little　monster；　that　delighted　to　put　them　to　low　and　menial　uses。

To　one　of　his　temperament　such　beauty　as　he　had　just　witnessed；

controlled　by；　and　ministering　to；　some　of　the　meanest　and　pettiest

of　human　vices；　was　like　Mary　Magdalene　when　held　in　thraldom　by

seven　devils。



A　cool　and　matter…of…fact　person　could　scarcely　understand　Van

Berg's　annoyance　and　perturbation。　　If　a　true　artist　were　compelled

to　see　before　him　a　portrait　that　required　only　a　few　skillful

touches　in　order　to　become　a　perfect　likeness；　and　yet　could　not

give　those　touches；　the　picture　would　become　a　constant　vexation；

and　the　better　the　picture；　the　nearer　it　approached　the　truth；　the

deeper　would　be　the　irritation　that　all　should　be　spoiled　through

defects　for　which　there　was　no　necessity。



In　the　face　that　persistently　haunted　him　Van　Berg　saw　a　beauty

that　might　fulfil　his　best　ideal；　and　he　also　saw　just　why　it　did

not　and　never　could；　until　its　defects　were　remedied。　　He　felt

a　sense　of　personal　loss　that　he　should　have　discovered　a　gem　so

nearly　perfect　and　yet　marred　by　so　fatal　a　flaw。



The　next　day　it　was　still　the　same。　　The　face　of　Ida　Mayhew　interposed

itself　before　everything　that　he　sought　to　do　or　see。　　Whether　it

were　true　or　not；　it　appeared　to　him　that　in　all　his　wanderings　and

observations　he　had　never　seen　features　so　capable　of　fulfilling

his　highest　conception　of　beauty　did　they　but　express　the　higher

qualities　and　emotions　of　the　soul。　　He　also　felt　that　never

before　had　he　seen　a　face　that　would　seem　to