a face illumined-第65章

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her　father's　shoulder；　and　her　voice　was　sweet　and　plaintive　as

she　sang　words　that　he　could　not　hear　distinctly；　but　which　were

as　follows；　as　far　as　he　could　catch　them：





I　know　not　the　way　he　is　leading　me

　　But　I　know　he　is　leading　me　home；

Though　lonely　the　path　and　dark　to　me；

　　It　is　safe　and　it　wends　to　my　home。

　　　　　　Home　of　the　blest；

　　　　　　Home　that　is　rest

To　the　weary　pilgrim's　feet；　to　the　weary　pilgrim's　heart。





and　then　her　words　were　lost　in　the　distance。



With　an　impulse　he　did　not　think　of　resisting　he　followed　them　back

to　the　hotel　and　waited　patiently　till　she　and　her　father　came　out

from　supper。



〃Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　said；　a　little　discontentedly；　〃I　have　scarcely

had　a　chance　to　say　a　word　to　you　to…day；　and　it　seems　to　me　that

I　have　a　great　deal　to　say。〃



She　looked　at　him　with　some　surprise　as　she　replied；　〃Well；　I　think

I　might　at　least　become　a　good　listener。〃



〃Do　you　mean　a　patient　one？〃



〃I　never　had　any　patience；〃　she　answered；　with　something　like　a

smile。



〃And　I　was　never　so　possessed　by　the　demon　of　impatience　as　I　have

been　this　afternoon。　　There　hasn't　been　a　soul　around　that　I　cared

to　talk　with；　and　if　you　knew　how　out　of　conceit　I　am　with　my　own

company；　you　would　feel　some　commiseration。　　How　I　envied　you　your

visit　to　the　garden　this　afternoon；　for　I　felt　sure　you　took　your

father　thither。　　May　I　not　go　with　you　again　to…morrow；　or　soon？　　I

wish　to　make　my　sketch　more　accurate　before　beginning　your　picture。〃



She　hesitated　a　moment；　and　he　little　know　how　he　was　tempting　her。

Then　she　replied；　so　quietly　and　decisively　as　to　seem　almost　cold；

〃Mr。　Eltinge；　I'm　sure；　will　be　very　glad　to　see　you；　but　I　shall

go　to　the　city　with　my　father　in　the　morning　and　remain　in　town

all　the　week。〃　　She　was　puzzled　at　his　unmistakable　expression　of

regret　and　disappointment；　and　added；　hastily；　〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　you

are　taking　far　too　much　trouble。　　I　would　be　more　satisfiedI

would　be　delighted　with　such　a　sketch　as　you　made　to…day；　with　the

omission　of　myself。〃



〃But　if；　instead　of　being　trouble；　it　gave　me　great　pleasure　to

make　the　picture　with　the　utmost　care？〃



〃I　suppose；〃　she　replied；　〃that　you　have　a　high　artistic　sense　that

must　be　satisfied；　and　that　you　see　imperfections　that　I　cannot。〃



〃You　are　too　severe　upon　me；　Miss　Mayhew；　but　since　you　have　such

good　reason；　I　cannot　complain。　　Still；　in　justice　to　myself；　I

must　say　that　satisfying　my　artistic　sense　was　not　my　motive。〃



〃I　did　not　mean　to　be　severeI　do　not　mean　what　you　think；〃　Ida

began；　very　eagerly。　　Then　she　checked　herself　and　added；　after　a

moment；　with　a　slight　tinge　of　sadness　in　her　tone；　〃I　fear　we　are

fated　to　misunderstand　each　other。　　Good…night；　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　and

she　turned　decisively　away　and　joined　her　father　who　was　talking

with　Stanton。



The　artist　was　both　hurt　and　perplexed；　and　he　abruptly　left　the

hall　and　started　again　on　the　walk　which　had　been　so　unexpectedly

interrupted。　　He　strode　away　through　the　starlight　with　a　swiftness

that　was　scarcely　in　harmony　with　the　warm；　still　summer　night。

Before　he　was　aware　of　it　he　was　a　mile　away。　　Stopping　suddenly

he　muttered：



〃I　won't　be　so　baffled　and　puzzled。　　I　will　learn　to　understand

this　Ida　Mayhew　before　this　summer　is　over。　　It's　ridiculous　that

I　should　be　so　dull　and　stupid。　　She　says　she　fears　we　are　'fated

to　misunderstand　each　other。'　　I　defy　such　a　blind　stupid　fate。　　I

used　to　have　some　brains　and　tact　before　I　came　to　this　place；　and

I　scarcely　think　I've　become　an　idiot。　　I　am　determined　to　win　that

girl's　friendship；　and　I　intend　to　follow　her　career　and　watch　the

rare　and　beautiful　development　of　her　character。　　That　one　hour　in

the　garden　yesterday　taught　me　what　an　inspiration　her　exquisite

beauty　can　be　in　my　profession；　and　surely　with　the　vantage…ground　I

already　possess　I　ought　to　have　skill　enough　to　win　a　place　among

her　friends；〃　and　he　walked　back　almost　as　quickly　as　he　had　stalked

away。



Ida　had　seen　his　departure　and　recognized　the　fact　that　she　had

hurt　his　feelings。　　It　was　strange　that　so　little　a　thing　could

depress　her　so　greatly；　for　she　felt　that　the　first　real　Sabbath

she　had　ever　spent　and　which　had　been　in　truth　a　SUN…day　to　her

thus　far；　was　now　ending　in　shadows　darker　than　the　night。　　〃How

weak　I　am；〃　she　thought；　〃I　must　go　away　as　soon　as　possible；

or　else　I　shall　be　sorry。　　The　companionship　that　he　can　give　so

easily　and　frankly　when　Miss　Burton　is　not　at　hand　to　occupy　him　is

impossible　for　me；　and　would　only　end　in　the　betrayal　of　a　secret

that　I　would　hide　even　more　anxiously　than　the　crime　I　could

not　conceal　from　him。　　My　duty　and　my　father　must　be　everything

hereafter；〃　and　she　turned　resolutely　to　him；　saying：



〃Father；　take　a　seat　in　the　parlor　while　I　go　and　find　mother。　　I

want　these　people　to　see　that　you　have　a　family　who　at　least　show

that　they　appreciate　all　the　luxuries　and　comforts　you　are　providing

for　them。〃



Mr。　Mayhew　was　more　deeply　gratified　by　her　words　than　she

could　understand；　for　any　recognition　of　his　manhood　and　rightful

position　which　was　quiet　and　unobtrusive；　was　balm　and　healing　to

his　wounded　self…respect。　　Hitherto　he　had　believed　correctly　that

his　family　wished　to　keep　him　out　of　sight；　and　at　no　time　before

had　he　realized　the　change　that　had　taken　place　in　Ida　more　keenly

than　when　she　made　this　simple　and　natural　proposition。　　His　grateful

smile　as　he　complied　with　her　request　did　her　good；　but　she　soon

discovered　that　in　her　mother　she　had　a　very　difficult　subject

to　manage。　　She　found　that　lady　in　her　room　wearing　a　gloomy　and

injured　expression。



〃You　have　condescended　at　last　to　come　and　see　whether　I　was　alive；

I　see；〃　she　said；　as　Ida　entered　the　room。



Her　daughter　went　directly　to　her　and　kissing　her　replied；　〃We　haven't

intended　to　leave　you　so　long　or　to　neglect　you　in　the　least；　and

I'll　explain。〃



〃Oh；　no　need　of　explaining。　　Excuses　always　make　matters　worse。

Here　is　the　factI've　been　left　all　the　afternoon　to　myself。〃



〃Have　you　noticed　no　other　fact　to…day；　mother？〃　asked　Ida；　gravely。



〃Yes；　I've　noticed　that　you　and　your　father　have　been　so　wrapped

up　in　each　other　that　I'm　nobody；　and　might　as　well　be　Mrs。　John

Smith　as　Mrs。　Mayhew。〃



〃Pardon　me；　mother；　you　are　exaggerating；〃　said　Ida；　firmly。

〃Father　was　very　polite　to　you　at　breakfast　and　dinner；　and　he　went

to　church　with　you　this　morning；　and　I　can　scarcely　remember　when

he　has　done　this　before。　　I　am　chiefly　to　blame　for　keeping　him

away　so　long　this　afternoon；　for　I　wanted　him　to　see　and　talk　with

my　friend　Mr。　　Eltinge；　who　has　done　me　so　much　good。　　I　thought

he　might　help　father　too；　and　I　truly　believe　he　has。　　I　repeat　to

you　again；　in　all　sincerity　and　love；　that　we　have　not　intended　to

neglect　you；　and　father　now　wishes　you　to　come　down　and　join　him　in

the　parlor；　so　that　we　can；　as　a　family；　at　last　appear　as　we　ought

before　the　world。　　In　the　name　of　all　that　is　sacred；　encourage　dear

father　now　that　he　is　trying　to　be　what　we　have　so　often　wished。〃



But　Mrs。　Mayhew's　pets　were　like　spells　of　bad　weather　and　would

run　their　course。　　She　only　looked　more　gloomy　and　injured　than

ever　as　she　replied：



〃It's　all　very　well　to　talk。　　Mr。　Mayhew　must　be　encouraged　and

coaxed　to　do　what　any　man　ought　to　do。　　I　might　have　enjoyed　a　ride

this　evening　as　well　as　your　father。〃



〃You　said　it　was　too　warm　to　go　out　after　dinner。〃



〃Well；　you　might　have　waited　till　it　wasn't　too　warm。〃



A　sudden　scarlet　burned　in　Ida's　cheeks；　and　there　came　an　ominous

sparkle　in　her　eyes。　　〃Mother；〃　she　said　so　abruptly　and　sternly

that　the　lady　looked　up　wonderingly；　and　encountered　an　expression

in　her　daughter's　face　that　awakened　an　undefined　fear。　　In　tones

that　were　low；　indignant；　and　authoritative　Ida　continued：



〃I　requestI　demand　that　you　cease　this　nonsense　at　once。　　As

a　Christian　woman　you　ought　to　be　on　your　knees　thanking　God　that

your　husband　is　not　lying　intoxicated　on　that　sofa；　as　he　was　last

Sunday　at　this　time。　　You　ought　to　be　thanking　God　that　he　is

becoming　his　former　self；　and　winning　respect　by　acting　like　a　true

gentleman。　　It　was　our　unutterable　folly　that　was　destroying　him；

and　I　say　this　folly　must　and　shall　cease。　　I　will　not　permit　my

father's　sensitive　nature　to　be　wounded　as　it　has　been。　　You　shall

not　spoil　this　first　bright　day　he　has　had　after　so　many　years。

If　you　care　for　him　why　don't　you　try　to　win　his　affection？　and

whoever　heard　of　a　heart　being　won　by　whining　and　fault…finding？

But　of　this　be　sure；　you　shall　not　spoil　this　day。　　I　charge　you　as

a　wife　and　a　lady　to　cease　this　childish　petulance；　and　come　down

at　once。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；　rising　mechanically；　〃if　you　are　going　to

make　a　scene…〃



〃I　am　going　to　prevent　scenes；〃　said　Ida；　with　all　her　old　time

imperiousness。　　〃I　insist　that　we　appear　in　the　future　like　a　quiet；

well…bred　family；　and　I　warn　you　that　I　will　permit　my　father　to

be　trifled　with　no　longer。　　He　SHALL　have　a　chance。　　Wait；　let　me

help　you　make　a　more　becoming　toilet　for　Sunday　evening。〃



Ida　was　very　strongly　aroused；　and　the　superior　nature　mastered　the

weaker。　　Mrs。　Mayhew　became　as　wax　in　her　hands；　although　she　made

many　natural　and　irritable　protests　against　her　daughter　speaking

to　her　as　she　had　done。　　Ida　paid　no　heed　to　her　mother's　words；

and　after　giving　a　few　finishing　touches　to　her　dress　relieved　her

sternness　by　a　judicious　compliment；　〃I　wish　you　to　take　the　seat

father　is　reserving　for　you；〃　she　said；　〃and　appear　the　charming

lady　that　you　know　how　to　be　so　well；〃　and　without　further　parley

they　went　down　together。



Once　in　the　social　eye　it　would　be　Mrs。　Mayhew's　strongest　impulse

to　make　a　good　impression；　and　she　behaved　beautifully。　　Something

in　Ida's　manner　puzzled　her　father；　but　she　smiled　so　reassuringly

that　he　gave　himself　up　to　the　quiet　enjoyment　of　the　situation

that　was　so　natural　and　yet　so　novel。　　He　listened　with　a　pleased

expression　to　the　music；　and　noted；　with　deep　satisfaction；　the

friendly　and　respectful　bearing　of　those　near；　towards　both　his

wife　and　himself；　but　he　exulted　in　the　evident　admiration　that

his　daughter　excited。　　The　people　at　the　Lake　House　had　already

discovered　that　there　was　a　decided　change　for　the　better　in　the

Mayhew　family；　and　they　greeted　the　improvement　with　a　kindly　but

well…bred　and　unobtrusive　welcome　that　was　creditable　to　human

nature。　　Of　course　there　was　a　great　deal　of　whispered　surmise；

but　nothing　offensive　to　the　eye。



Stanton　came　and　asked　Ida　to　join　in　the　singing　at　the　piano；

but　she　shook　her　head　decidedly。



〃Who　has　been　hurting　your　feelings？〃　he　asked；　in　a　low　tone。



By　a　scarcely　perceptible　gesture；　she　put　her　finger　on　her　lips

and