a face illumined-第68章

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a　spy；　but　after　our　visit　to　that　old　garden　together；　and　your

frankness　to　me；　I　feel　under　bonds　to　tell　the　whole　truth。　　You

said　we　were　fated　to　misunderstand　each　other。　　I　think　not；　for

if　you　ever　permit　me　to　be　your　friend　I　shall　be　the　frankest

one　you　ever　had；〃　at　these　words　he　felt　her　hand　trembling　on

his　arm；　and　she　would　not　look　up　nor　make　any　reply。



〃Well；〃　said　he；　desperately；　〃I　expect　Sibley's　fate　will　soon

be　mine。　　I　suppose　it　was　a　mean　thing　to　watch　you；　but　it　would

seem　a　meaner　thing　to　me　not　to　tell　you。　　I　was　about　to　speak

to　you；　Miss　Mayhew；　when　by　another　odd　coincidence　the　orchestra

commenced　playing　music　that　I　knew　would　remind　you　of　me。　　I

was　gaining　the　impression　before　you　left　the　country　that　as　you

came　to　think　the　past　all　over；　you　had　found　that　there　was　more

against　me　than　you　could　forgive；　or　else　that　I　was　so　inseparably

associated　with　that　which　was　painful　that　you　would　be　glad　to

forget　the　one　with　the　other。　　I　must　admit　that　this　impression

was　greatly　strengthened　by　the　expression　of　your　face；　and　I

almost　decided　to　leave　the　place　without　speaking　to　you。　　But　I

found　I　could　not；　andwell；　you　know　I　did　not。　　You　see　I'm　at

your　mercy　again。〃



Ida　was　greatly　relieved；　for　she　now　learned　that　he　had　discovered

nothing　in　his　favor；　and　that　she　was　still　mistress　of　the

situation。



〃I　do　not　think　you　are　very　penitent；　I　fear　you　would　do　the　same

thing　over　again；〃　she　said。



〃Indeed；　Miss　Mayhew；　when　I　first　met　you　here　I　thought　I　would

always　do　the　right　and　proper　thing；　and　I　fear　I　thought　some

things　right　because　I　did　them。　　I've　lived　a　hundred　years　since

that　time；　and　am　beginning　to　find　myself　out。　　Didn't　you　think　me

the　veriest　prig　that　ever　smiled　in　a　superior　way　at　the　world？〃



〃I　don't　think　I　shall　give　you　my　opinion；〃　she　replied；　averting

her　face　to　hide　a　blush　and　a　laugh。



〃No　need。　　I　saw　your　opinion　in　your　face　when　you　looked　down　at

your　programme　half　an　hour　since。〃



〃You　are　mistaken；　I　was　thinking　of　myself　at　that　moment；　for　I

could　not　help　remembering　what　a　fool　I　must　have　appeared　to　you

on　that　occasion。〃



He　looked　at　her　in　surprise。　　〃Miss　Burton　was　right；〃　he　ejaculated；

〃I　never　shall　understand　you。〃



〃Was　she　talking　about　me？〃　asked　Ida；　in　a　low　tone。



〃Yes；　and　she　spoke　of　you　in　the　most　complimentary　way；　as　you

did　of　her。　　Why　the　mischief　you　two　ladies　do　not　become　the

warmest　friends　is　beyond　me。　　Sit　down　here　a　little　while；　Miss

Mayhew；　for　you　are　growing　tired；〃　and　she　was　very　glad　to　comply。



As　she　made　no　effort　to　continue　the　conversation　he　resumed；　〃You

haven't　told　me　what　my　punishment　is　to　be。〃



〃Are　you　so　anxious　to　be　punished？〃　she　asked；　looking　up　shyly

at　him。



〃Well；　my　conscience　troubles　me　greatly；　and　I　feel　I　ought　to　do

something　for　you　in　the　way　of　expiation。〃



〃And　so　I　gather　that　anything　done　for　me　would　be　such　severe

penance　that　your　conscience　would　be　appeased。〃



〃Now；　Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　replied；　looking　earnestly　into　her　face；

〃tell　me　truly；　do　you　gather　any　such　impression　from　my　words

and　manner？〃



But　she　kept　her　eyes　resolutely　on　the　ground；　and　said　demurely；

〃Such　was　the　obvious　meaning　of　your　words。〃



〃Do　you　know　why　I　am　in　the　city？〃　he　asked　after　a　moment。



〃I　have　not　presumed　to　think　why。〃



〃Perhaps　I　can　make　a　little　inroad　in　your　indifference　when　I

tell　you　that　I　have　spent　several　hours　in　my　studio　working　on

your　picture；　and　that　I　intend　to　work　the　remainder　of　the　week

so　as　to　have　it　ready　for　you　Saturday　evening。〃



She　looked　up　now　with　a　face　radiant　with　surprise　and　pleasure；

〃O　Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　did　not　dream　of　your　taking　so　much　trouble

for　me。〃



〃That's　a　small　payment　on　an　old　debt。　　What　can　I　do　for　you

while　I　am　in　the　city；　to　atone　for　my　rudeness？〃



She　looked　at　him　hesitatingly　and　wistfully　a　moment。



〃I　know　you　wish　something；　but　fear　to　ask　it；〃　he　said；　gently；

〃and　I'm　sorry　to　remember　I've　done　so　little　to　inspire　your

confidence。〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said　in　a　low　tone；　looking　earnestly　at　him

while　she　spoke；　so　as　to　learn　from　his　expression　how　he　received

her　request。　　〃Your　kindness　does　tempt　me　to　ask　a　favor。　　Please

remember　I'm　acting　from　an　impulse　caused　by　this　unexpected　talk

we　are　having；　and　pardon　me　if　I　overstep　the　bounds　of　reserve

or　suggest　a　task　that　you　might　very　naturally　shrink　from　as

disagreeable。〃



〃I　pledge　you　my　word　at　once　to　do　what　you　wish。〃



〃No；　don't　do　that。　　Wait　till　you　hear　all。　　If　when　it　comes　easily

and　naturally　in　your　way　you　will　do　a　little　towards　helping　me

keep　father　the　man　he　can　be；　my　gratitude　will　be　deeper　than　you

can　understand。　　I　am　studying　him　very　carefully　and　I　find　that

any　encouraging　recognition　from　those　who　have　known　his　past；　has

great　weight　with　him。　　At　the　same　time　it　must　be　very　unobtrusive

and　come　as　a　matter　of　course　as　it　were。　　You　gave　him　your　society

one　Sunday　morning　last　June　in　a　way　that　did　him　a　great　deal

of　good；　and　if　I　had　only　seconded　your　efforts　then；　everything

might　have　been　different。　　I　can　never　remember　that　day　without

a　blush　of　shame。　　I　can't　help　the　past；　but　my　whole　soul　is　now

bent　on　making　amends　to　father。　　I　fear；　however；　my　deep　solicitude

has　led　me　to　ask　more　than　good　taste　can　sanction。〃



〃Miss　Mayhew；〃　said　the　artist；　eagerly；　〃this　is　one　of　the　best

moments　of　my　life。　　You　could　not　have　made　such　a　request　unless

you　trusted　me；　unless　you　had　fully　forgiven　me　all　the　wrong　I

have　done　you。　　I　doubted　if　I　could　ever　win　your　friendship；　but

I　think　I　can　claim　a　friend's　place　already　in　your　esteem；　since

you　are　willing　to　let　me　share　in　so　sacred　a　duty。　　I　renew　my

pledge　with　double　emphasis。〃



He　never　forgot　the　smile　with　which　she　rewarded　him；　as　she　said；

in　a　low　tone；　〃That's　better　than　I　thought。　　You　are　very　kind

to　me。　　But　I'm　staying　too　long　from　father。〃



〃We'll　understand　each　other　eventually；〃　he　said　gently。　　〃Now　I

know　why　tears　were　in　your　eyes　before　the　symphony　was　over。〃



〃No　you　don't；〃　she　whispered　to　herself。



As　they　took　their　seats　by　Mr。　Mayhew　he　remarked　with　a　smile；

〃Mr。　Van　Berg　must　have　had　a　long　budget　of　news　frm　your　good

old　friend。〃



Ida　looked　at　the　artist　in　dismay；　and　was　still　more　embarrassed

as　she　saw　a　sudden　flash　of　mirth　and　exultation　in　his　eyes。　　But

he　turned　to　Mr。　Mayhew　and　replied；　promptly；　〃Two　pictures　are

growing　out　of　my　visits　to　Mr。　Eltinge　and　his　garden。　　The　one

that　is　for　Mr。　Eltinge　contains　a　portrait　of　Miss　Mayhew　as　I

saw　her　reading　to　him。　　I　wish　you　and　your　daughter　would　visit

my　studio　to…morrow　and　see　the　sketches；　and　if　Miss　Mayhew　would

give　me　one　or　two　sittings；　I　could　make　a　much　better　picture　for

Mr。　Eltinge　than　now　is　possible；　and　I'm　anxious　to　do　the　very

best　I　can　for　him。〃



〃I　would　be　very　glad　to　come；〃　said　Mr。　Mayhew；　and　his　pleased

expression　confirmed　his　words。　　〃Will　a　visit　before　I　go　down

town　be　too　early？〃



〃Not　at　all。　　I　am　always　at　work　early。〃



〃Well；　Ida；　does　Mr。　Eltinge　miss　your　visits　very　much？　　It's

selfish　in　me　to　let　you　stay　in　the　city。〃



〃He　does　indeed；　sir；〃　said　the　artist　answering　for　her。　　〃He

talked　to　me　continually　about　her　yesterday；　although　I　can't　say

I　tried　to　change　the　subject。〃



〃Father；　Mr。　Van　Berg　shall　not　shield　my　short…comings；〃　said　Ida；

with　crimson　cheeks。　　〃I　forgot　to　ask　about　Mr。　Eltinge。　　To　tell

the　truth；　we　were　talking　of　old　times。　　I　met　Mr。　Van　Berg　here

last　June　and　I　made　a　very　bad　impression　on　him。〃



〃And　I　at　the　same　time　made　a　worse　impression　on　Miss　Mayhew；〃

added　the　artist。



〃Well；〃　said　her　father；　with　a　doubtful　smile　and　a　puzzled　glace

from　one　to　the　other；　〃one　almost　might　be　tempted　to　believe　that

you　had　been　revising　your　impressions。〃



〃Mine　has　not　been　revised；　but　changed　altogether；〃　said　Van　Berg；

decisively。



〃Come；　father；　let　us　go　at　once　lest　Mr。　Van　Berg's　impressions

change　again；〃　and　her　mirthful　glance　as　she　gave　him　her　hand

in　parting　revealed　a　new　element　in　her　character。　　She　was　not

developing　the　cloying　sweetness　of　honey。











Chapter　XLVIII。　　Ida's　Temptation。









If　Van　Berg　had　given　thought　to　himself　that　evening　as　he　did　to

Ida　Mayhew　he　might　have　discovered　some　rather　odd　phenomena　in

his　varying　mental　states。　　Earlier　in　the　summer　he　had　been　a

very　deliberate　and　conscientious　wooer。　　He　had　leisurely　taken

counsel　of　his　reason；　judgment；　and　good　taste；　he　mentally

consulted　his　parents；　and　satisfied　himself　that　Miss　Burton　would

have　peculiar　charms　for　them；　and　so　it　had　come　to　seem　almost

a　duty　as　well　as　a　privilege　to　seek　that　young　lady's　hand。　　The

sagacity　and　nice　appreciation　of　character　on　which　he　had　so

greatly　prided　himself　led　to　the　belief　that　fortune　in　giving　him

a　chance　to　win　such　a　maiden　had　been　very　kind。　　That　his　pulse

was　so　even　and　his　heart　had　so　little　to　say　in　the　matter　was

only　a　proof　that　he　did　not　possess　an　unbalanced　head…long　nature

like　that　of　Stanton；　who　had　soon　become　wholly　mastered　by　his

passion。　　He　had　at　one　time　reasoned　it　all　out　to　his　satisfaction；

and　believed　he　was　paying　his　suit　to　the　woman　he　would　make　his

wife　in　an　eminently　proper　way。　　but　now　that　he　was　merely　trying

to　obtain　a　young　girl's　friendship；　the　cool　and　masterful　poise

which　he　had　then　been　able　to　maintain；　was　apparently　deserting

him。　　He　might　have　asked　himself　if　he　ever　remembered　being

such　an　enthusiastic　friend　before。　　He　might　have　considered　how

often　he　had　kept　awake　and　counted　the　hours　till　he　should　meet

a　friend　from　whom　he　had　just　parted。　　That　these　obvious　thoughts

and　contrasts　did　not　occur　to　him　only　proved　that　he　was　smitten

already　by　that　blindness　which　a　certain　spiritual　malady　usually

occasions　in　its　earlier　stages。



As　for　poor　Ida；　she　still　felt　that　her　little　boat　was　being

carried　forward　by　a　shining　tidewhither　she　dared　not　think。

She　had　come　to　the　city　to　escape　from　the　artist；　and　as　a　result

she　might　spend　long　hours　alone　with　him　in　his　studio　and　see

far　more　of　him　than　if　she　had　remained　in　the　country。　　She　had

not　sought　itshe　had　not　even　dared　to　hope　or　dream　of　such　a

thing；　but　now　that　this　exquisite　cup　of　pleasure　had　been　pressed

to　her　very　lips　by　other　hands　she　could　not　refuse　it。



Her　father　had　watched　her　keenly　but　furtively　since　she　had　been

his　companion；　and　until　the　artist　had　accosted　her　the　evening

before　had　not　been　able　to　understand　t