a face illumined-第45章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



mother；　and　I'll　say　nothing　against　her；　though；　heaven　knows；

she　has　been　a　strange　mother　to　me。　　Would　to　God　I　had　a　father

that　I　could　go　to；　or　a　brother！　　But　it　seems　I　have　not　a　friend

in　the　great；　scornful　world。　　Don't　interrupt　me。　　Words　count

for　nothing　now；　and　mine　least　of　all。　　If　you　were　all　ready　to

believe　me　capable　of　what　you　have　plainly　intimated；　you　need

something　stronger　than　words　to　convince　you　to　the　contrary。　　Of

one　thing　I　shall　make　sureyou　and　your　faithless　friend　shall

never　have　the　chance　to　insult　me　again。　　I　wish　you　to　leave　my

room。〃



〃Oh　come；　Ida；　listen　to　reason；〃　Stanton　began　coaxingly。



〃I　admitted　you；〃　she　interrupted　with　a　repellant　gesture；　〃in

the　hope　of　receiving　a　little　kindness；　for　which　I　was　famishing；

but　I　would　rather　you　had　stabbed　me　than　have　said　what　you　have。

Hush；　not　a　word　more。　　The　brutal　wrong　has　been　done。　　Will　you

not　go？　　This　is　my　private　apartment。　　I　command　you　to　leave

it；　and　if　you　will　not　obey　I　will　summon　Mr。　Burleigh；〃　and　she

placed　her　hand　on　the　bell。



Her　manner　was　at　once　so　commanding　and　threatening　that　Stanton；

with　a　gesture　of　deprecation　and　protest；　silently　obeyed。



He　was　so　surprised　and　unnerved　by　the　interview　in　which　the

maiden　had　turned　upon　him　with　a　fiery　indignation　that　was　almost

volcanic；　that　he　wished　to　think　the　affair　all　over　and　regain

his　composure　before　meeting　any　one。　　Clearly　they　had　failed　to

understand　Ida　of　late；　and　had　misjudged　her　utterly。　　And　yet；

guided　by　appearances；　he　felt　that　they　could　scarcely　have　come

to　any　other　conclusion。



Now　that　he　had　been　jostled　out　of　his　preoccupation；　he　began　to

realize　that　Ida　had　not　appeared　of　late　like　the　frivolous　girl

that　had　accompanied　him　to　the　country。　　Changes　were　taking

place　in　her　as　well　as　in　himself；　〃but　not　from　the　same　cause；〃

he　thought。　　〃After　her　words　and　manner　to…night；　I　cannot　doubt

that　Sibley　has　disgusted　her　as　well　as　the　rest　of　us；　although

she　had　a　strange　way　of　showing　it。　　It　cannot　be　that　a　woman

would　speak　of　a　man　for　whom　she　had　any　regard；　as　Ida　did　of

the　wretch　with　whom　we　were　associating　her；　and　as　for　Van　Berg；

she　has　taken　no　pains　to　conceal　her　strong　dislike　for　him　from

the　first　day　of　their　meeting。　　I　can't　think　of　anyone　else　at

present　（although　there　might　be　a　score）　who　is　disturbing　the

shallow　waters　of　her　mind。



〃I'm　inclined　to　think　that　she　is　deeply　mortified　at　the　false

position　in　which　Sibley　has　placed　her；　and　is　too　proud　to　make

explanations。　　It　may　be　also　that　she　is　realizing　more　fully　the

disgrace　of　her　father's　course；　and　it　is　also　possible　that　she

is　waking　up　to　a　sense　of　her　own　deficiencies。　　Although　she

could　not　fail　to　dislike　such　people　as　Jennie　Burton　and　Van　Berg；

she　would　be　apt　to　contrast　herself　with　them　and　the　impression

which　she　and　they　made　on　society。　　Confound　it　all！　　I　wish　I　had

not　taken　it　for　granted　that　she　was　pining　for　Sibley　and　ready

to　throw　herself　away　for　his　sake。　　It　has　placed　me　in　a　deucedly

awkward　position。　　I　doubt　if　she　ever　fully　forgives　me；　and　I

can't　blame　her　if　she　doesn't。〃



〃Well？〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；　as　Stanton　moodily　approached　her。



〃Come　with　me；〃　he　said。　　When　they　were　alone　he　prefaced　his

story　with　the　irritable　remark：



〃It's　a　pity　you　can't　understand　your　daughter　better。　She　detests

Sibley。〃



〃Thank　heaven　for　that；〃　exclaimed　the　mother。



〃I　should　be　more　inclined　to　thank　both　heaven　and　yourself　if

you　had　discovered　the　fact　before　sending　me　on　such　an　intensely

disagreeable　mission。　　You　must　manage　your　daughter　yourself

hereafter；　for　she'll　never　take　anything　more　from　me；〃　and　he　told

her　substantially　the　nature　of　his　interview；　and　his　surmises　as

to　the　real　causes　of　her　trouble。



〃I　think　you　are　right；〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；　whose　impressions　were

as　changeable　as　superficial；　〃and　I'm　excessively　glad　to　think　so。

With　her　beauty；　Ida　can；　in　spite　of　her　father；　make　a　brilliant

match；　in　every　sense　of　the　word；〃　and　with　the　prospect　of　this

supreme　consummation　of　life　regained；　the　wife　and　mother　gave　a

sigh　of　great　relief。



〃But　she's　in　an　awful　mood；　I　can　tell　you；〃　said　Stanton；　dubiously。

〃I　never　knew　a　woman　to　look　and　speak　as　she　did　to…night。　　If

you　don't　manage　better　she'll　make　us　trouble　yet。〃



〃Oh；　I'm　used　to　Ida's　tantrums。　　They　don't　last。　　Nothing　does

with　her。　　Time　and　another　admirer　will　bring　her　around。〃



〃Well；　you　ought　to　know；〃　said　Stanton　with　a　shrug；　〃but　I　retire

from　the　management。　　I　can't　help　saying；　however；　that　something

in　her　looks　and　words　makes　me　uneasy。　　I　regret　exceedingly　I

spoke　as　I　did；　and　shall　apologize　at　the　first　opportunity。〃



〃You'll　have　that　in　the　morning。　　Things　are　so　much　better　than

I　feared　that　I　am　greatly　relieved。　　She'll　come　around　now　if

nothing　more　is　said。　　Roiled　water　always　settles　when　kept　quiet；〃

and　Mrs。　　Mayhew　returned　to　the　parlor　in　much　better　spirits。



Stanton　followed　his　aunt　and　joined　a　small　group　that　had　gathered

around　Miss　Burton。　　Van　Berg　gave　him　a　quick；　questioning　look；

but　gathered　the　impression　only　that　he　had　been　subjected　to　a

very　painful　interview。



〃She　has　evidently　realized　his　worst　fears；〃　he　thought；　〃curses

on　her！〃　and　his　face　grew　fairly　black　for　a　moment　with　anger

and　disgust。



But　Jennie　Burton's　silver　tongue　soon　charmed　away　the　evil　spirits

from　both　the　young　men。



She　had　fine　conversation　powers；　and　her　keen　intuition　and　her

controlling　passion　to　give　pleasure　enabled　her　to　detect　and　draw

out　the　best　thoughts　of　others。　　Her　evident　sympathy　put　every

one　at　ease；　and　gave　people　the　power　of　such　happy　expression

that　they　were　surprised　at　themselves；　and　led　to　believe　that

they　not　only　received　but　gave　something　better　than　average。

Therefore；　under　the　magic　of　her　good…will；　both　eyes　and　minds

kindled；　and　even　common…place　persons　became　almost　brilliant　and

eloquent。



Stanton's　was　the　only　clouded　face　in　her　circle　that　evening；　and

true　to　her　instinct；　she　set　about　banishing　his　trouble；　whatever

it　might　bean　easy　task　with　her　power　over　him。



Since　it　daily　became　more　evident　to　her　that　she　must　wound　his

vanity；　and　perhaps　his　heart　a　little；　she　tried　to　make　amends　by

showing　him　such　public　consideration　as　might　rob　his　disappointment

of　humiliation　and　bitterness。



Stanton；　therefore；　soon　forgot　Ida's　desperate　face；　and　was

enjoying　himself　at　his　best。



Yet　Ida's　face　but　faintly　revealed　her　heart。　　It　seemed　that　the

end　had　now　come　in　very　truth；　and　she　was　conscious　chiefly　of

a　wild　impulse　to　escape　from　her　shame　and　suffering。　　There　was

also　a　bitter　sense　of　wrong　and　a　wish　to　retaliate。



〃I'll　teach　them　all　a　lesson；〃　she　muttered；　as　she　paced　her　room

swiftly　to　and　fro。　　〃This　proud　artist　thinks　he　can　look　at　me　as

if　I　were　empty　air；　that　he　can　forget　me　as　he　has　the　rose…bud

he　tossed　away。　　I　will　insure　that　he　looks　at　me　once　with

a　face　as　white　as　mine　will　then　be；　and　that　he　remembers　me　to

his　dying　day。〃



After　becoming　more　calm；　and　as　if　acting　under　a　sudden　impulse；

she　hastily　made　a　simple　but　singular　toilet。



When　completed；　her　mirror　reflected　a　plain；　close…fitting；　black

gown；　which　left　her　neck　and　arms　bare。　　Around　her　white　throat

she　placed　a　black　velvet　band；　and　joined　it　by　a　small　jet　poniard

studded　with　diamonds。　　Her　sunny　hair　was　wound　into　a　severely

simple　coil；　and　also　fastened　with　a　larger　poniard；　from　the　haft

and　guard　of　which　glistened　diamonds　of　peculiar　brilliancy。　　She

took　off　all　her　rings；　and　wore　no　other　ornaments。　　Then　taking

from　her　table　a　book；　bearing　conspicuously　as　its　title　the　word

〃Misjudged；〃　she　went　down　to　the　parlor。



She　paused　a　moment　on　the　threshold　before　she　was　noticed。　　Her

mother　was　eagerly　gossiping　with　two　or　three　fashionable

women　about　a　scandal　that　she　hoped　might　cause　her　own　family's

short…comings　to　be　forgotten　in　part。　　Miss　Burton　was　telling　a

story　in　her　own　inimitable　style；　and　ripples　of　smiles　and　laughter

eddied　from　her　constantly。　　Stanton's　and　Van　Berg's　faces　were

aglow　with　pleasure；　and　it　was　plain　the　speaker　absorbed　all

their　thoughts。



〃In　the　same　way　he　will　forget　me；　after　I　am　dead；〃　said　the

unhappy　girl　to　herself；　and　the　thought　sent　a　colder　chill　to

her　heart；　and　a　deeper　pallor　to　her　face。



Her　gaze　seemed　to　draw　his；　for　he　looked　up　suddenly。　　On

recognizing　her　his　first　impulse　was　to　coldly　avert　his　eyes；

but　in　a　second　her　unusual　appearance　riveted　his　attention。　　She

saw　the　impulse；　however；　and　would　not　look　towards　him　again。　　She

entered　as　quietly　and　as　unexpectedly　as　a　ghost；　and　the　people

seemed　as　much　surprised　and　perplexed　as　if　she　were　a　ghost。



She　took　a　seat　somewhat　apart　from　all　others；　and　apparently

commenced　reading。　　She　was　not　so　far　away　but　that　Van　Berg　could

decipher　the　title；　〃Misjudged；〃　and　having　made　out　the　significant

word；　its　letters　grew　luminous　like　the　diamonds　in　her　hair。



Never　before　had　he　been　so　impressed　by　her　beauty；　and　yet　there

was　an　element　in　it　which　made　him　shiver　with　a　dread　he　could

not　explain　to　himself。　　He　was　surprised　and　shocked　to　find　how

pale　and　wan　her　face　had　become；　but　in　every　severe　marble　curve

of　her　features　he　saw　the　word；　〃Misjudged。〃　　He　could　scarcely

recognize　her　as　the　blooming　girl　that　he　had　first　seen　in　the

concert　garden。　　Suffering；　trouble　of　mind；　was　evidently　the　dark

magician　that　was　thus　transforming　her；　but　why　did　she　suffer　so

deeply？　　As　she　sat　there　before　him；　not　only　his　deeper　instincts；

but　his　reason　refused　almost　indignantly　to　associate　her　any

longer　with　Sibley。　　There　was　a　time　when　she　seemed　akin　to　him；

but　now　she　suggested　deep　trouble；　despair；　death　even；　rather

than　a　gross　〃bon　vivant。〃　　Was　she　ill！　　Yes；　evidently；　but　he

doubted　if　her　malady　had　physical　causes。



〃What　a　very　strange　toilet　she　has　made！〃　he　thought；　〃simple　and

plain　to　the　last　degree；　and　yet　singularly　effective　and　striking。

Her　fingers　were　once　loaded　with　rings；　but　she　has　taken　them　all

off；　and　now　her　hands　are　as　perfect　as　her　features。　　She　does

not　wear　a　single　ornament；　save　those　ominous　poniards。　　Does　she

mean　to　signify　by　these　that　she　is　wounded；　or　that　she　proposes

to　inflict　wounds？　　Ye　gods！　how　strangely；　terribly；　exasperatingly

beautiful　she　is！　　I　have　certainly　both　misjudged　and　misunderstood

her。〃



These　thoughts　passed　through　his　mind　as　he　stole　an　occasional

glance　at　their　object；　who　sat　with　her　profile　towards　him　al