a face illumined-第51章

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counsel　of　despair。　　Ida　Mayhew　might　learn；　as　did　the　jailer　of

Philippi；　that　God　has　a　better　remedy　than　death　for　seemingly

irretrievable　disasters。



The　old　gentleman's　words　came　home　to　her　with　such　a　force

of　personal　application　that　she　was　deeply　moved；　and　even　awed。

They　seemed　like　a　divine　messagenay　more；　like　a　restraining

hand。　　〃How　strange　it　was；〃　she　thought；　that　she　had　come　to　this

place！how　strange　that　a　serene　old；　man；　with　heaven's　peace

already　on　his　brow；　should　have　uttered　the　words　best　adapted

to　her　desperate　need。　　If　he　had　spoken　of　duty；　obligation；　of

truth　in　the　abstract；　his　tones　would　have　been　like　the　sound　of

a　wintry　wind。　　But　he　had　spoken　of　a　Friend；　as　tender；　patient；

and　helpful　as　he　was　powerful。　　What　was　far　more；　he　spoke　with

the　strong　convincing　confidence　of　personal　knowledge。　　He　had　tried

this　Friend　through　all　the　vicissitudes　of　over　half　a　century；

and　found　him　true。　　Could　human　assurancecould　human　testimony

go　farther？　　Deep　in　her　heart　she　was　conscious　that　hope　was

reviving　againthat　the　end　had　not　yet　come。



The　gay　young　party；　touched　and　subdued；　passed　out　quietly　with

the　others。　　But　Ida　lingered。



〃Who　is　that　old　gentleman？〃　she　asked　of　a　lady　near　her。



〃That　is　Mr。　EltingeMr。　James　Eltinge；〃　was　the　reply。



Ida　passed　slowly　towards　the　door；　looking　wistfully　back　at　the

old　man；　who　stopped　to　greet　cheerily　one　and　another。



〃No　one　need　be　afraid　to　speak　to　him；〃　she　thought。　　〃His　every

look　and　tone　show　him　to　be　kind　and　sincere。　　I'll　see　him

beforebefore〃she　shuddered；　and　scarcely　dared　to　put　her　dark

purpose　in　thought　in　the　presence　of　one　who　had　lived　patiently

at　God's　will　for　nearly　a　century。



She　stepped　out　into　the　night　and　watched　for　his　coming。　　In　a

moment　or　two　the　old　gentleman　also　passed　out；　and　stood　waiting

for　his　carriage。



Timidly　approaching　him；　she　said；　〃Mr。　Eltinge；　may　I　speak　with

you？〃



He　stepped　with　her　a　little　aside　from　the　others。



〃Mr。　Eltinge；〃　she　continued；　in　a　voice　that　trembled　and　was

broken　by　her　feeling；　〃I　am　one　of　the　young　people　you　spoke　to

this　evening。　　I'm　in　troubledeep　trouble。　　I　want　such　a　Friend

as　you　described　to…night。〃



He　took　her　hand　and　said；　in　a　hearty　voice；　〃God　bless　you；　my

child。　　He　wants　you　more　than　you　want　him。〃



〃May　I　come　and　see　you　to…morrow　morning？〃　asked　Ida；　hurriedly；

for　his　tones　of　kindness；　for　which　her　heart　was　famishing；　were

fast　breaking　down　her　self…control。



〃I'll　come　and　see　you；〃　was　his　prompt　and　cordial　response。



〃No；〃　she　faltered；　〃let　it　be　as　I　wish。　　Please　tell　me　where　to

find　you。〃



As　he　finished　directing　her；　she　stooped　down　and　kissed　his　hand；

and　then　vanished　in　the　darkness。



〃Perhaps　I'm　not　yet　a　cumberer　of　the　ground；〃　murmured　the　old

man；　wiping　a　sudden　moisture　from　his　eyes。











Chapter　XXXIX。　　Van　Berg's　Escape。









Ida　found　the　party；　on　whose　companionship　she　had　in　a　measure

forced　herself；　waiting　and　calling　for　her。　　The　words　of　the　old

gentleman　had　inspired　them　with　kinder　and　more　considerate　feeling。



〃I'm　coming；〃　she　answered；　〃don't　wait　for　me；　I'll　keep　near

you。〃



As　they　had　already　observed　her　evident　wish　to　be　left　to　herself；

they　complied　with　her　request。



The　icy　calm　of　her　despair　was　now　broken。



〃God　bless　him　for　his　kindness！〃　she　murmured；　and　〃God　bless

him　for　his　hearty；　hopeful　words；　they　may　save　me　yet；〃　and　she

followed　the　others；　crying　softly　to　herself　like　a　little　child。

It　would　seem　as　if　every　warm　tear　fell　on　her　heart；　that　had

been　so　hard　and　desperate　before；　so　rapidly　did　it　melt　at　the

thought　of　the　old　man's　kindness。



But　before　she　reached　the　hotel　she　began　to　grow　excessively

weary。　　She　had　not　only　overtaxed　her　powers　of　endurance；　but

had　over…estimated　them。



At　last；　as　she　was　about　to　ask　her　companions　to　walk　more　slowly；

lest　she　should　be　left　alone　by　the　roadside　in　her　weakness；　she

heard　the　sound　of　strong；　rapid　steps。



〃Where　is　Miss　Mayhew？〃　was　the　anxious　query　of　a　voice　that　made

her　heart　bound　and　color　come　into　her　face；　even　at　the　moment

of　almost　mortal　weakness　and　weariness。



〃Here　is　Miss　Mayhew；〃　said　one　of　the　half…grown　youths。　　〃She

prefers　to　walk　by　herself；　it　seems。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　replied　Van　Berg；　decisively。　　〃I　will　see　her　safely

home；〃　and　the　part　went　on；　leaving　him　face　to　face　with　the

maiden　whom　he　now　believed　he　had　very　greatly　wronged；　and　who；

he　feared　might　yet　proved　herself　capable　of　a　terrible　crime。



She　stood　before　him　with　bowed　head。　　In　her　weakness　and　agitation

she　trembled　so　violently　that　even　in　the　starlight　he　could　not

help　seeing　her　distress；　and　it　filled　him　at　once　with　pity　and

alarm。



〃You　are　ill；　Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　said；　anxiously。



〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　then；　conscious　of　her　growing　need；　she

said；　appealingly；　〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　with　all　my　faults　I　am　at　least

a　woman。　　Please　help　me　home。　　I'm　so　weak　and　weary　that　I'm

almost　ready　to　faint。〃



He　seized　her　hand　and　faltered　hoarsely；　〃Miss　Mayhew；　you　have

notyou　have　not　taken　that　drug…〃



She　was　so　vividly　conscious　of　her　own　dark　secret；　and　so

impressed　by　his　power　to　discover　all　the　evil　in　her　nature；　that

she　replied　in　a　low　tone；



〃Hush。　　I　understand　you。　　Not　yet。〃



〃Thank　God！〃　he　ejaculated；　with　such　a　deep　sigh　of　relief　that

she　looked　at　him　in　surprise。　　The　he　drew　her　hand　within　his　arm；

and　weary　as　she　was；　she　could　not　help　noting　that　it　trembled

as　if　he　had　an　ague。



For　a　few　moments　they　walked　on　without　speaking。　　Then　the　artist

addressed　her。



〃Miss　Mayhew…〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said；　hastily　interrupting　him。　　〃Spare　me

to…night。　　I'm　too　weary　even　to　think。〃



Again　they　walked　on　in　silence；　but　his　agitation　was　evidently

increasing。



〃Let　me　enter　by　that　side　door；　please；〃　she　said　as　they　approached

the　hotel。



〃Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　began　in　a　low；　hurried　tone；　〃I　must　speak。　　You

said　you　were　a　woman。　　As　such　I　appeal　to　you。　　A　woman　may；　at

times；　have　no　pity　on　herself；　but　it　rarely　happens　that　she　is

pitiless　towards　others；　and　it　is　said　that　she　is　often　the　most

generous　and　merciful　towards　those　who　have　wronged　her。　　I　have

wronged　you　cruelly　and　unpardonably。　　I　knew　it　as　soon　as　you

entered　the　parlor　last　evening。　　There　is　no　excuse　for　meI

will　never　forgive　myself；　but　I　do　most　sincerely　apologize　and

ask　your　forgiveness。　　Miss　Mayhew；　I　appeal　to　your　generosityI

appeal　to　your　woman's　heart。　　If　you　should　consummate　the　awful

purpose　which　I　fear　has　been　in　your　mind；　I　should　go　mad　with

remorse。　　You　would　destroy　me　as　surely　as　yourself。　　Pardon　me　for

speaking　thus；　but　I　fear　so　greatlyO　God！　can　she　have　already

committed　the　fatal　act？〃



Ida's　overtaxed　powers　had　given　way；　and　she　would　have　fallen　had

he　not　sustained　her。　　His　words　had　overwhelmed　her；　and；　taken

in　connection　with　those　spoken　by　old　Mr。　Eltinge；　had　given　a

glimpse　of　the　awful　abyss　into　which　she　had　well　nigh　plunged；

dragging　others；　perhaps；　after　her。　　She　recoiled　from　it　all　so

strongly　that　she　became　sick　and　faint　from　dread；　and　Van　Berg

was　compelled　to　support　her　to　a　rustic　seat　near　the　path。　　He

was　bout　to　leave　her　in　order　to　obtain　assistance；　when　she　put

her　hand　on　his　arm　and　gasped：



〃Waitgive　me　timeI'll　soon　be　better。　　Do　not　call　any　one；　I

beg。〃



〃Let　me　quietly　bring　you　a　little　wine；　then；　from　my　own　room？〃



She　bowed　her　assent。



The　stimulant　soon　revived　her。　　He　stood　at　her　side　waiting　with

intense　anxiety　till　she　should　speak。　　At　last　she　rose　slowly

and　weakly；　saying　in　a　low　tone：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　suppose　I　have　now　reached　the　lowest　depth　in

your　estimation；　but　I　cannot　help　it。　　I　admit　that　I　was　in　an

awful　and　desperate　mood；　and　was　about　to　act　accordingly。　　There

is　no　use　of　trying　to　hid　anything　from　you。　　But　a　good　man　spoke

kindly　to　me　to…night；　and　the　black　spell　is　broken。　　There　is

the　drug　I　purchased；〃　and　she　handed　him　the　phial　of　laudanum。

〃You　many　now　dismiss　all　fears。　　I　will　explain　further　another

time　if　you　care　to　hear。　　Please　let　me　go　in　by　myself。〃



〃Pardon　me　for　saying；　no；〃　he　answered；　gently。　　〃I　think　I　am

best　able　to…night　to　judge　of　what　is　right。　　You　must　go　in　at

the　main　entrance；　and　on　my　arm。　　Henceforward　I　shall　treat　you

with　respect；　and　I　intend　that　all　others　shall　also。〃



With　a　low　sob；　she　said；　impulsively：　　〃Oh；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　forgive

me！　　but　that　was　my　motive。　　I　meant　to　compel　your　respect；　and

I　thought　there　was　no　other　way。　　I　thought　that　if　I　went　to　my

grave；　instead　of　going　to　the　man　who　attempted　your　life；　you

would　see　that　you　had　misjudged　me。　　Here　is　a　letter　which　I　wrote

you。　　It　should　go　with　the　poison。　　It　is　all　that　I　can　offer　in

excuse　or　extenuation。〃



〃Good　God！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I　have　escaped　a　worse　fate　than　yours

would　have　been；〃　and　she　felt　his　arm　again　trembling　violently

beneath　her　hand。



〃I　did　not　think　you　would　care　so　greatly；〃　she　murmured。



〃Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　said；　in　a　deep　voice；　〃promise　me；　before　God；

that　you　will　never　harbor　such　a　thought　again。〃



〃I　hope　I　never　may；〃　she　replied；　despondently；　〃but　I've　lost

all　confidence　in　myself；　Mr。　Van　Berg。〃



〃Poor　child！　　What　a　brute　I've　been；〃　he　muttered；　but　she　heard

him。



As　the　mounted　the　piazza；　they　met　Stanton　and　Mrs。　Mayhew。



〃Why；　Ida；〃　exclaimed　her　mother；　〃I　thought　you　were　in　your　room。〃



〃I　walked　to　the　village　with　a　party　of　young　people；〃　was　her

hasty　reply；　〃and　Mr。　Van　Berg　met　me　on　our　return。　　I'm　very

tired。　　Good…night；〃　and　she　went　directly　to　her　room。



The　artist's　manner　in　parting　was　polite　and　respectful；　and　by

this　simple　act；　he　did　much　to　reinstate　her　in　the　social　position

she　had　well　nigh　lost；　through　her　supposed　infatuation　with　the

man　who　was　now　a　synonym　in　the　house　for　everything　that　was

vile。



On　the　following　day；　through　the　aid　of　Miss　Burton；　he　caused

the　impression　to　be　generally　given　that　Miss　Mayhew　had　been

exceedingly　mortified　that　she　had　ever　associated　with　such　a

villain　as　Sibley　had　shown　himself　to　be；　and　still　more　pained

to　think　that　she　should　be　imagined　capable　of　any　other　feeling

save　contempt　for　him；　after　learning　of　his　disgraceful　words　and

actions。　　These　explanations　gave　an　entirely　new　aspect　to　the

matter；　and　sufficiently　accounted　for　her　increasing　indisposition

and　rather　odd　behavior。　　Indeed；　people　placed　it　to　her　credit

that　she　was　so　deeply　affected；　and　were　a