a face illumined-第58章

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closed　forever；　and　the　hands　that　should　faithfully　and　bravely

do　it　paralyzed　in　death。　　Suppose　I　should　tell　you　that　I　had

given　her　a　poisonous　drug　the　night　before；　what　would　I　be？〃



〃A　murderer；〃　whispered　the　girl　with　eyes　dilated　with　fear　and

horror。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　old　man；　shaking　his　head　sadly；　〃I　would　have

destroyed　a　life　that　God　had　given；　and　destroyed　endless　chances

for　happiness　and　usefulness；　and　sent　a　poor　soul　to　judgement；

perhaps　unforgiven　and　unprepared。　　My　child；　it　cuts　me　to　the　heart

to　pain　you　so；　but　the　physician's　probe　must　go　to　the　depth　of

the　wound。　　It　is　no　kindness　to　the　patient　to　put　on　a　soothing

surface　application　and　leave　death　to　rankle　in　the　blood。　　We

have　no　reason　to　believe　that　in　the　eye　of　God　he　that　destroys

himself　is　any　the　less　guilty　than　he　that　kills　another；　and　even

in　the　judgment　of　man　it's　a　cowardly　flight　from　misfortunes　that

should　be　triumphed　over　with　courage　and　patience；　or　endured　with

fortitude　and　resignation。　　Mark　my　words；　it　is　only　a　flight；

not　an　escape；　for　every　evil　you　sought　to　shun　would　have　been

intensified　and　rendered　eternal。　　Now；　the　simple　truth　is；　we

hold　our　own　lives　in　trust　from　God；　to　be　used　according　to　his

will；　and　we　have　no　more　right　to　destroy　the　life　he　entrusts　to

us　than　the　life　he　gives　to　others。〃



Ida　had　buried　her　face　in　her　hands　and　was　trembling　violently。



〃I　did　not　realize　it　before；〃　she　murmured　in　a　low；　shuddering

tone。　　〃Oh；　what　shall　I　do？　　What　shall　I　do？　　Why　doesn't　the

earth　open　and　swallow　me　up？〃



The　old　man　came　to　her　side　again；　and　placing　his　right　hand

gently　on　her　bowed　head　and　holding　a　Bible　in　his　left；　continued

in　grave　by　very　gentle　tones：



〃Take　this　Book；　my　child；　it　will　tell　you　what　to　do。　　It　will

tell　you　that　merciful　and　all…powerful　arms　are　open　to　receive

you；　and　not　a　hopeless　grave。　　The　Son　of　God　has　said　to　the　heavy

laden；　'Come　unto　me；'　and　'whosoever　cometh　I　will　in　nowise　cast

out。'　Heaven　is　full；　my　child；　of　just　such　guilty　souls　as　yours；

but　it　was　HE　who　saved　them。　　It　was　His　precious　blood　that　washed

them　whiter　than　snow。　　When　you　seek　for　forgiveness　and　healing

at　His　feet　all　will　be　well；　but　not　till　then；　and　not　elsewhere。〃



〃O；　Mr。　Eltinge；〃　she　sobbed；　〃you　have　pierced　my　heart　as　with

a　sword。〃



〃I　have；　indeed；　my　poor　childwith　the　sword　of　truth；　and　what's

more；　I　can't　heal　the　wound　I've　made。〃



〃What　shall　I　do？　oh；　what　shall　I　do？〃　and　she　fairly　writhed　in

the　agony　of　her　remorse。



〃'Behold　the　Lamb　of　God；　that　taketh　away　the　sin　of　the　world；'〃

he　said　gently　but　firmly；　and　his　strong　faith　and　the　words　of

Holy　Writ　were　like　a　rock；　at　which；　from　out　of　the　overwhelming

torrent　of　her　remorseful　despair；　she　grasped　as　her　one　chance；

her　one　hope。



Lifting　her　streaming　eyes　to　heaven；　and　clasping　her　hands；　she

cried　passionately：



〃O　Christ；　hope　of　the　sinful；　if　there　is　mercy　for　such　as　I；

forgive　me；　for　my　crime　is　like　a　falling　mountain！〃



A　moment　later　she　sprang　up　and　put　her　arms　around　the　old　man's

neck。



〃My　friend；　my　more　than　father！〃　she　sobbed；　〃I　thinkI　almost

believe　God　has　heard　me。　　It　seems　as　if　I　had　escaped　from　death；

andandmy　heart　was　breaking；　but　nowoh；　it's　all　a　heavenly

mystery！〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Mr。　Eltinge　brokenly；　and　with　answering　emotion；

〃it　is　a　heavenly　mystery。　　'Not　by　might；　nor　by　power；　but　by　my

Spirit；　saith　the　Lord。'〃



Ida　could　never　forget　the　remaining　hours　which　she　spent　that

day　in　the　old　garden。　　it　was　then　and　there　that　she　experienced

the　sensations　of　those　entering　a　new　spiritual　life　and　a　new

world；　and　with　some；　these　first　impressions　are　very　vivid；　and

with　some；　these　first　impressions　are　very　vivid。



It　was　according　to　nature　that　it　should　be　so　in　the　instance　of

Ida　Mayhew；　for　she　was　simple；　positive；　and　warm　in　her　feelings；

rather　than　cold　and　complex。　　But　she　was　sane；　and　abounded　in

the　homely　common　sense　which　enabled　her　to　understand　herself　and

those　about　her。　　She　formed　fairly　correct　estimates　of　all　whom

she　had　met；　and　with　the　same　simple　directness　she　began　to

recognize　the　character　of　the　Divine　Man　that　Mr。　Eltinge　and　the

Bible　they　read　together　presented。



No　earthly　casuistry　could　ever　lead　her　to　doubt　that　he　had　heard

her　prayer　that　morning。　　She　might　reply　simply　to　all　cavil　and

questioning：



〃I　know　he　heard　and　answered　me；　and　if　I　do　not　know　this　to　be

true；　I　cannot　know　anything　to　be　true；〃　for　never　before　had　her

consciousness　made　anything　so　distinct　and　real。



To　say　that　she　and　multitudes　of　others　are　mistaken；　is　begging

the　whole　question。　　It　is　baldly　taking　the　ground　of　denial　of

everything　outside　of　personal　understanding　and　knowledge。　　The

skepticism　of　very　many　would　blot　out　the　greater　part　of　science；

history；　and　geography。　　The　facts　of　Christian　experience　and

Christian　testimony　are　as　truly　facts　as　those　which　are　discovered

by　people　who　are　hostile　or　indifferent　to　the　Bible。



The　broad；　liberal　man　is　he　who　accepts　all　truth　and　humbly

waits　till　the　fuller　wisdom　of　coming　ages　reconciles　what　is

now　apparently　conflicting。　　The　bigot　is　he　who　shuts　his　eyes　to

truth　he　does　not　like；　or　does　not　understand；　and　he　is　as　apt

to　be　a　scientist　as　the　man　who　has　learned　that　the　God　who　made

him　can　also　speak　to　him；　through　his　inspired　word　and　all…pervading

Spirit。



We　are　surrounded　by　earthly　mysteries　which　the　wisest　cannot

solve；　and　some　of　them　are　very　sad　and　dark。　　Why　should　there

not　be；　as　Ida　said；　a　heavenly　mystery？



After　all；　it　is　a　question　of　fact。　　The　Christ　of　the　New　Testament

offers　to　give　peace　and　spiritual　healing。　　Does　he　keep　his　word？

We　say　yes；　on　the　broad　ground　of　human　experience　and　human

testimonythe　ground　on　which　is　built　the　greater　part　of　human

knowledge。



If　this　be　true；　what　a　reproach　is　contained　in　the　words　of　our

Lord：　〃Ye　will　not　come　unto　me　that　ye　might　have　life〃！











Chapter　XLIV。　　〃The　Garden　of　Eden。〃









〃Mr。　Eltinge；〃　Ida　asked；　as　they　were　about　to　part；　〃have　I　a　right

to　the　glad　sense　of　escape　and　safety　that　has　come　so　unexpectedly？〃



〃Your　right；〃　he　replied；　〃depends　on　the　character　of　the　Friend

you　have　found。　　Do　you　think　he　is　able　and　willing　to　keep　his

word？〃



〃Oh；　Mr。　Eltinge；　how　plain　you　make　it　all！〃



〃No；　my　dear；　it　was　made　plain　centuries　ago。　　You　have　as　much

right　to　your　happy　feelings　as　to　the　sunshine；　but　never　put　your

feelings　in　the　place　of　Christ；　and　trust　in　them。　　That's　like

putting　faith　in　one's　gratitude；　instead　of　the　friend　whose

services　inspired　the　gratitude。　　But　come　again　to…morrow；　and

we'll　go　on　with　the　'old；　old　story。'　　I've　read　it　scores　of

times；　but　am　enjoying　it　now　with　you　more　than　ever。　　Good…by。〃



As　Ida　drew　near　to　the　hotel；　Stanton　stepped　from　the　roadside

to　meet　her。



〃Ida；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　cannot　forgive　me　（and　perhaps　you　cannot）；

I'll　leave　to…morrow　morningand　perhaps　I　had　better　any　way。　　I

fear　it　was　an　evil　day　for　us　both　when　we　came　to　this　place。〃



〃I've　thought　so　too；　Cousin　Ik；〃　she　said　kindly；　〃but　I　don't

now。　　I'm　glad　I　came　here；　though　it　has　cost　me　a　great　deal　of

suffering　andandmaybut　no　matter。　　I　was　better　and　worse　than

you　thought　me。　　I　must　in　sincerity　say　that　it　has　been　hard　to

forgive　you；　for　your　suspicion　wounded　me　more　deeply　than　you'll

ever　know。　　But　my　own　need　of　forgiveness　has　taught　me　to　forgive

others；　and　I　now　see　that　I　also　have　been　very　disagreeable　to

you；　Ik。　　Let　us　exchange　forgiveness　and　be　friends。〃



〃Ida；　what　has　come　over　you？　　You　are　no　more　like　the　girl　that

I　brought　to　the　country　than　I'm　like　the　self…satisfied　fool　that

accompanied　you。〃



〃No；　Ik；　you　are　not　a　fool；　and　never　were；　but；　like　myself；　you

had　a　good　deal　of　self…complacency；　and　not　much　cause　for　it。

Pardon　me　for　speaking　plainly；　but　after　what　has　passed　between

us　we　can　afford　to　be　frank。　　You　may　not　win　Jennie　Burton；　but

I　believe　she'll　wake　you　up；　and　make　a　strong；　genuine　man　of

you。〃



〃Ida；〃　he　said　in　a　low　tone；　and　with　lips　that　quivered　a　little；

〃I'm　not　sorry　that　I　love　Jennie　Burton；　though　in　consequence　I

may　never　see　another　happy　day。　　But　good…by；　I'm　too　confoundedly

blue　to…day　to　speak　to　another　mortal。　　It's　a　great　relief；

though；　that　you　have　forgiven　me。　　I　wouldn't　if　I　had　been　in

your　place；　and　don't　think　I　forgive　myself　because　you　have　let

me　off　so　easily；〃　and　he　turned　hastily　away；　and　was　soon　lost

to　her　view　in　the　shrubbery　by　the　roadside。



If　Ida　had　puzzled　Van　Berg　in　the　morning；　he　was　still　more

perplexed　in　the　evening。　　Slight　traces　of　her　deep　emotion　still

lingered　around　her　eyes；　but　in　the　eyes　themselves　there　shone

a　light　and　hopefulness　which　he　had　never　seen　before；　and　which

he　could　not　interpret。　　Moreover；　her　face　was　growing　so　gentle

and　womanly；　so　free　from　the　impress　of　all　that　had　marred

it　heretofore；　that　he　could　not　help　stealing　glances　so　often

that　were　Jennie　Burton　of　a　jealous　disposition　she　might　think

his　interest　not　wholly　artistic。　　Although　there　was　much　of　the

shrinking　and　retiring　manner　of　the　morning；　and　she　did　not　join

in　the　general　conversation；　all　traces　of　resentment　and　coldness

towards　her　companions　had　vanished。　　She　was　considerate　and　even

kind　to　her　mother；　but　in　reply　to　her　questions　concerning　the

people　she　had　visited；　said　gently　but　firmly：



〃I　will　take　you　there　some　day；　mother；　and　then　you　can　judge

for　yourself。〃



But　with　the　exception　of　a　promptness　to　check　all　reference　to

herself　and　the　day's　experiences；　her　manner　was　so　different　from

what　Mrs。　　Mayhew　had　been　accustomed　to；　that　she　could　not　help

turning　many　perplexed　and　curious　glances　toward　her　daughter；

and　was　evidently　no　better　able　to　understand　the　subtle　and　yet

real　change　than　was　the　artist　himself。



Miss　Burton；　with　her　keen；　delicate　perceptions；　recognized　this

difference　more　fully　than　any　of　the　others；　and　her　instinct；　rather

than　anything　she　saw　in　Ida；　enabled　her　to　divine　the　cause　in

part。　　〃I　know　of　but　one　thing　that　can　account　for　Miss　Mayhew's

behavior；〃　she　thought；　〃and　though　she　guards　her　secret　well；

she　cannot　deceive　a　woman　who　has　passed　through　my　experience。

I　begin　to　see　it　all。　　She　used　Sibley　as　a　blind；　and　she　was

blind　herself；　poor　child；　when　she　did　so；　to　everything　save　the

one　womanly　necessity　of　hiding　an　unsought　love。　　Well；　well；　my

outspoken　lover　has　eyes　for　her　sweet；　chastened　beauty　to…night。