a face illumined-第61章

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good…breeding　enabled　him　to　pass　the　ordeal。　　Removing　his　hat；　he

replied　to　Mr。　　Eltinge　with　a　fine　blending　of　dignity　and　humility：



〃I　honor　you；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃for　your　faithfulness　to　the　one　who

has　come　to　you　for　counsel　and　in　a　certain　sense　for　protection；

and　I　condemn　myself　with　bitterness　that　you　will　never　understand；

that　I　wronged　her　in　my　thoughts　and　wounded　her　by　any　manner。　　I

am　eager　to　make　any　and　every　atonement　in　my　power。　　No　language

can　express　my　gladness　that　she　heard　and　heeded　your　words。

Pardon　me；　sir；　when　I　say　I　am　not　indifferent　to　her　faith。　　It

is；　indeed；　a　mystery　to　me；　but　a　noble　mystery　which　I　revere

from　the　fruits　that　I　have　already　witnessed。　　In　my　unpardonable

stupidity　and　prejudicein　a　Pharisaic　prideI　have　caused　Miss

Mayhew　to　offend。　　She　has　generously　forgiven　me。　　Myself　I　shall

never　forgive。　　If　she　will　honor　me　with　her　friendship　hereafter；

I　pledge　you　my　word　that　no　act　of　mine；　so　far　as　I　can　help　it；

shall　ever　cause　you　anxiety　for　one　in　whom　you　have　so　strong

and　natural　an　interest。〃



Mr。　Eltinge's　manner　changed　decidedly；　and　when　Van　Berg　concluded

he　extended　his　hand　and　said　cordially：



〃After　such　manly；　straightforward　words　I　can　give　you　the　right

hand　of　respect　and　confidence；　if　not　of　fellowship。　　To　tell　you

the　truth；　sir；　I　was　inclined　to　believe　that　my　little　friend

here　had　a　better　opinion　of　you　than　you　deserved；　but　now　I　can

welcome　you　instead　of　scolding　her　for　bringing　you。〃



At　the　reference　to　herself　Ida；　seemingly；　had　an　impulse　to　pluck

a　flower　that　was　blooming　at　a　little　distance。　　The　moment　he

was　unobserved　Van　Berg　seized　the　old　gentleman's　hand　and　said；

earnestly；　while　tears　sprang　to　his　eyes：



〃God　bless　you　for　the　words　you　spoke　to　that　poor　child。　　I　owe

you　more　than　she　does。　　You　have　saved　me　from　a　life　that　I　would

dread　more　than　death；〃　and　then　he；　too；　turned　away　hastily　and

pretended　to　be　very　busy　in　finding　the　materials　for　his　sketch。



Ida　returned　shyly；　and　it　would　seem　that　some　of　the　color　of

her　flower　had　found　its　way　into　her　cheeks。



〃Mr。　Eltinge；〃　she　said；　hesitatingly；　〃I　don't　believe　I　can　make

you　understand　how　much　I　would　like　a　picture　of　this　pear…tree

and　yourself　sitting　under　it　as　I　have　seen　you　for　the　past　two

days。　　I　must　admit　that　the　wish　to　have　such　a　sketch　was　one　of

the　motives　that　led　me　to　bring　Mr。　Van　Berg。〃　　Then　she　added；

with　deepening　color　still；　〃my　conscience　troubles　me　when　I　hear

Mr。　Van　Berg　condemn　himself　so　harshly。　　I　have　learned　that　I

misjudged　him　as　truly　as　he　did　me；　and　I　have　since　realized　how

sadly　both　facts　and　appearances　were　against　me。〃



〃Well；　Miss　Ida；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　musingly；　〃I　am　inclined

to　think　there　has　been　more　of　misunderstanding　than　of　intentional

and　deliberate　harshness。　　My　long　life　has　taught　me　that　it　is

astonishing　how　blind　we　often　are　to　the　thoughts　and　feelings

of　others。　　But　I　warn　everybody　to　be　careful　how　they　visit　this

old　garden；　for　it's　a　wonderful　place　for　bringing　out　the　truth。

Nature　is　in　the　ascendant　here；〃　and　he　looked　keenly　and　humorously

at　the　artist；　who　remained；　however；　unconscious　of　his　scrutiny；

for　his　eyes　were　following　Ida。　　She　had　suddenly　turned　her　back

upon　them　both　again；　and　was　soon　bending　over　the　little　brook

whose　murmur　he　faintly　heard。



〃These　allusions　to　the　past　are　all　painful　to　her；〃　he　thought；

〃and　she　refers　to　them　only　because；　as　she　says；　her　conscience

compels　her　to。　　It　must　be　my　task　to　make　her　forget　the　past　in

the　present　and　future。〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said；　returning；　〃you　have　visited　the　Jordan

I　believe；　but　I　doubt　whether　its　waters　did　you　more　good　than

that　little　brook　over　there　does　me。　　That's　right；〃　she　added；

looking　over　his　shoulder　at　the　outlines　he　was　rapidly　tracing；

〃I'm　glad　you　are　losing　no　time。〃



〃I　remember　the　condition　on　which　you　allowed　me　to　come；〃　he

replied；　looking　up　with　a　smile　into　her　face；　〃and　I've　already

learned；　as　Mr。　Eltinge　suggests；　that　nothing　will　do　in　this

garden　but　downright　honesty。〃　　Something　in　her　face　caused　his

eyes　to　linger；　and　he　added　hastily：　　〃You're　right　about　the

Jordan。　　The　brook　seems　much　more　potent；　for　apparently　it　has

washed　your　trouble　all　away；　but　has　leftwell　you　might　think

it　flattery　if　I　should　tell　you　all　I　see。　　this　garden　seems　to

contain　the　elixir　of　life　for　you；　Miss　Ida。　　My　heart　was　aching

to　see　how　pale　you　were　becoming；　but　here…〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　said　Ida；　abruptly；　〃will　you　pardon　a　suggestion？〃



He　looked　up　at　her　again　a　little　wonderingly　and　bowed。



〃There　has　been　a　sort　of　necessity；〃　she　resumed；　〃that　my　faulty

self　should　be　the　theme　of　our　conversation　to…day；　but　all　the

mystery　in　which　you　imagined　me　enveloped　must　have　vanished　since

you　came　here。　　I　now　must　ask　that　we　dwell　hereafter　on　more

agreeable　subjects　than　Ida　Mayhew。〃



〃I　must　bring　this　tendency　to　personal　allusions　to　an　end　at　once；〃

she　thought；　〃or　else　I　shall　betray　myself　to　my　bitter　mortification。〃



He　looked　up　with　a　deprecating　smile；　〃I　am　at　your　mercy；〃　he

replied；　〃and　as　I　said　before　I　will　submit　to　any　conditions。〃



〃This　is　an　easy　one；〃　said　Ida；　with　emphasis；　and　then　she　took

up　the　Bible　and　began　reading　to　Mr。　Eltinge；　who　from　his　seat

under　the　pear…tree　had　been　watching　them　with　a　pleased　and

placid　interest　on　his　serene　old　face。　　Their　young　life　appeared

beautiful　now；　and　full　of　hope　and　promise；　but　he　did　not　envy

it。　　The　prospect　before　him　was　better　than　the　best　that　earth

could　offer。



Van　Berg　never　forgot　the　hour　that　followed。　　His　pencil　was　busy

but　his　thoughts　were　busier。　　He　felt　his　artist　life　and　power

kindling　within　him　in　a　way　that　was　exhilarating　and　grand。　　While

his　themes　were　simple　he　felt　that　they　were　noble　and　beautiful

in　the　highest　degree。　　The　treea　pretty　object　in　itselfhad

been　endowed　with　a　human　interest　and　suggested　a　divine　philosophy。

Mr。　Eltinge；　who　sat　at　its　foot；　became　to　him　one　of　the　world's

chief　heroesa　man　who　had　met　and　vanquished　evil　for　almost

a　century。　　His　white　hair　and　silver　beard　were　a　halo　of　glory

around　the　quiet　face　that　was　turned　in　kindly　sympathy　towards

his　companion；　and　Van　Berg　did　his　best　to　bring　out　the　noble

profile。



But　the　maiden　herselfwhy　did　his　eyes　turn　so　often　to　her；

and　why　did　he；　unasked；　introduce　her　into　the　sketch　with　a　care

and　lingering　delicacy　of　touch　that　made　even　her　pencilled　image

seem　a　living　girl？　　When　not　affected　or　rendered　conventional　by

society；　her　voice　was　singularly　girlish　and　natural；　and　there

would　often　be　a　tone　in　a　plaintive　and　minor　key　that　vibrated

like　a　low；　sweet　chord　in　his　heart　rather　than　in　his　ears。　　It

must　be　admitted　that　he　gave　little　heed　to　the　sacred　words　she

read；　but　the　flexible　music　of　her　voice；　mingled　with　the　murmur

of　the　brook；　the　rustle　of　the　leaves　and　the　occasional　song　of　a

bird；　all　combined　to　form　the　sweetest　symphony　he　had　ever　heard。



As　an　artist　he　exulted。　　His　hand　had　not　lost　its　cunning；　and

his　ruling　passion；　which　the　strange　experiences　of　the　past　few

weeks　had　held　in　abeyance；　was　reasserting　itself　with　a　fuller；

richer　power　than　he　had　known　before。　　That　WAS　Ida　Mayhew's　face

that　was　growing　beautiful　and　full　of　her　new　and　better　life

under　his　appreciative　and　skilful　touch；　and　the　consciousness

of　success　in　the　kind　of　effort　in　which　success　meant　to　him　so

much；　filled　him　with　a　strong　enthusiasm。



Once　or　twice　Ida　glanced　shyly　at　him；　and　his　appearance　did　not

tend　to　fix　her　thoughts　wholly　on　the　sacred　text。



At　last　Mr。　Eltinge　said：　　〃That　will　do　for　to…day。　　I　think；　under

the　circumstances；　you　have　given　most　praiseworthy　attention　to

what　you　have　read；　and　to　what　little　I　could　say　in　the　way　of

explanation。　　Now　for　the　picture；　and　I　confess　I'm　as　eager　as　a

child　to　see　it；〃　and　they　came　and　looked　over　Van　Berg's　shoulder。



Almost　instantly　Ida　clapped　her　hands；　exclaiming　with　delight：

〃The　tree　is　perfect；　and　oh；　Mr。　Eltinge；　I　shall　always　have

you　now；　with　your　dear　kind　face　turned　towards　me　as　I　have　seen

it　to…day！〃　Suddenly　her　manner　changed；　and　in　a　tone　full　of

disappointment　she　added；　〃Oh；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　how　could　you　spoil

my　picture？　　You　have　put　me　in　it。〃



〃Certainly；〃　he　replied　demurely；　〃you　were　a　part　of　the　picture。〃



〃Not　a　necessary　part。　　I　did　not　ask　you　to　do　that；〃　she　answered；

in　a　way　that　proved　her　feelings　were　hurt。



〃I　am　willing　to　do　more　than　you　ask；　and　if　you　insist　on　it　I

will　efface　your　image；　although　I　should　much　regret　to　do　so。〃



〃I　protest　against　that；〃　cried　Mr。　Eltinge。　　〃So　far　from　spoiling

the　picture；　your　being　there　makes　it　invaluable　to　me。　　I'm　going

to　tax　Mr。　Van　Berg's　generosity；　and　ask　for　this　in　the　hope　that

he　will　make　another　drawing　of　the　old　man　and　the　tree　only；　for

you。〃



〃Would　you　like　to　have　it　so　very　much？〃　said　Ida；　much　pleased

with　this　arrangement。



〃Yes；　my　dear；　very　much　indeed；　and　I'll　place　it　near　my　favorite

chimney　corner；　where　I　can　see　you　all　winter。　　Mr。　Van　Berg；

I　congratulate　you；　I'm　not　much　of　a　judge　of　art；　but　this　is

my　little　friend　here；　true　to　life。　　You　have　been　very　happy　in

catching　the　expression　which　I　am　learning　to　know　so　well。〃



〃Your　words　have　a　fuller　meaning　than　you　think；〃　replied　the

artist；　heartily。　　〃I　have　indeed　been　very　happy　in　my　work。　　I

never　enjoyed　a　morning　more　in　my　life。〃



〃But　I'm　to　go　home　without　any　picture；〃　said　Ida；　trying　to　hide

her　pleasure　by　assumed　reproachfulness。



〃There　is　no　picture　yet；　for　any　one；〃　he　answered；　〃this　is　only

a　sketch　from　which　I　shall　try　to　make　two　pictures　that　will

suggest　a　scene　particularly　attractive　to　one　of　my　calling；　to

say　the　least。〃



As　he　placed　the　sketch　in　his　book；　the　work　he　had　been　engaged

on　that　morning　when　Ida　met　him　by　the　roadside；　dropped　out；　and

she　saw　herself　leaning　on　the　baluster　rail　of　the　staircase；　with

her　hand　half　extended　as　a　token　of　forgiveness　and　reconciliation。

Her　cheeks　flushed　instantly；　but　she　was　able　to　remark　quietly：



〃I　suppose　that　is　the　way　you　artists　keep　a　memorandum　of　current

events。〃



He　replied　gravely；　but　with　some　answering　color　also：　　〃Yes；　Miss

Mayhew；　when　the　current　is　deep　and　strong。〃



Van　Berg　felt　himself　happy　in　securing　from　Mr。　Eltinge　an　invitation

to　come　again。　　As　they　were　riding　home；　Ida　remarked；　shyly：



〃I　did　not　know　you　could　draw　so　well。〃



〃Nor　did　I　either　before。　　That　old　garden　is　enchanted　ground。〃