a face illumined-第76章

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While　on　the　way　to　the　pilot…house；　and　during　their　conversation

after　arriving　there；　Ida　often　turned　a　quick；　questioning　glance

towards　Van　Berg；　and　her　expression　reminded　him　of　some　children's

faces　he　had　seen　as　they　tried　to　read　the　thoughts　or　intentions

of　those　who　had　their　interests　in　keeping。　　He　tried　his　best

to　be　cordial　and　natural　in　mannerto　be；　in　brief；　the　sincere

friend　that　he　had　professed　himselfand　Mr。　Mayhew　did　not　notice

anything　amiss；　but　even　at　some　inflection　of　his　voice；　or　at　a

pause　in　the　conversation；　Ida　would　turn　towards　him　this　sudden；

questioning；　child…like　look；　which　touched　him　deeply　while　it

puzzled　him。　　But　she　gradually　began　to　grow　〃distrait〃　and　quiet；

and　to　look　less　and　less　often。　　Van　Berg　had　a　deep　affection　for

the　noble　river　on　which　they　were　sailing；　and　had　familiarized

himself　with　its　history　and　legends。　　By　means　of　these　he　sought

to　entertain　Ida　and　her　father；　and　with　the　latter　he　succeeded

abundantly；　but　he　often　doubted　whether　Ida　heard　him；　for　her

eyes　and　thoughts　seemed　to　be　wandering　beyond　the　blue　Highlands

which　they　now　were　entering。　　At　last　Mr。　Mayhew　left　them　for　a

while；　and　Van　Berg　turned　and　said　gently：



〃Miss　Ida；　you　are　not　in　good　spirits　this　afternoon。〃



She　did　not　answer　for　a　moment；　but　averted　her　face　still　further

from　him。　　At　last　she　said；　in　a　low　tone：　　〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　did

you　ever　have　a　presentiment　of　evil？〃



〃I　don't　believe　in　such　things；〃　he　replied　promptly。



〃Of　course　not；　you　are　a　man。　　But　I　have　such　a　presentiment　this

afternoon；　and　it　will　come　true。〃



〃What　do　you　fear；　Miss　Ida？〃



〃What　does　a　woman　always　fear？　　Earthquakes；　political　changes；

disturbances　in　the　world　at　large；　of　course。〃



〃I　have　heard　that　a　woman's　kingdom　was　her　heart；〃　Van　Berg　was

indiscreet　enough　to　say。



〃It　is　a　pity；〃　Ida　replied　with　one　of　her　reckless　laughs；　〃for

it　so　often　happens　that　she　cannot　keep　it；　and　those　who　wrest

it　from　her　do　not　care　to　keep　it；　and　so　it　comes　to　be　what　the

geographies　used　to　call　one　of　the　'waste　places　of　the　earth。'

As　the　world　goes；　I　think　I　had　better　retain　my　kingdom；　small

as　it　is。〃



He　turned　very　pale；　and　swift　as　light　he　thought：　　〃Has　she；　by

the　aid　of　her　woman's　intuition；　read　my　thoughts？　　Has　she　seen

the　beginnings　of　a　regard　for　her　far　warmer　than　my　professed

friendship；　and；　remembering　my　suit　to　Jennie　Burton；　is　she　learning

to　despise　me　as　fickle；　or；　worse；　as　a　hypocritical　specimen　of

that　meanest　type　of　human　vermina　male　flirt？〃　and　his　face　grew

so　white　that　Ida　in　her　turn　was　not　only　perplexed；　but　alarmed。



But　after　a　moment　he　said　quietly：　　〃It　is　not　the　size　of　the

kingdom　that　makes　its　value；　but　what　it　contains。　　I　hope　you　will

keep　treasures　of　yours　till　you　find　some　one　worthy　to　receive

them；　and　I　can　scarcely　imagine　that　such　an　idiot　exists　that　he

would　not　retain　them　if　he　could。　　That　is　Fort　Montgomery　yonder；〃

and　he　resolutely　continued　the　story　of　its　defence　and　capture；

until　her　father　returned　saying　it　was　time　to　come　down　ad　prepare

to　land。



Ida　had　scarcely　heard　a　word。　　Her　heart　almost　stood　still　with

dread　and　foreboding；　and　like　a　dreary　refrain　the　words　kept

repeating　themselves；　〃Oh；　I'm　punished；　I'm　punished。　　I　thought

to　win　him　from　Jennie　Burton；　and　my　reckless　words　will　now　make

him　true　to　her　at　every　cost　to　himself。　　He　knows　that　I　must

have　seen　how　he　won　the　kingdom　of　her　heart；　and　he'll　keep　it

now　in　spite　of　my　love　and　something　I　thought　love　that　I　saw　in

his　face。　　Oh；　my　punishment　is　greater　than　I　can　bear；　but　it　is

deserved；　well　deserved。　　If　he　had　won　my　love　first；　what　would

I　think　of　the　woman　who　tried　to　win　him　from　me？　　She　would　have

suffered　what　I　now　must　suffer。　　My　bright　but　guilty　dream　is

over　forever。〃



Van　Berg　assisted　her　down　to　the　gangway　and　out　on　the　wharf　with

a　grave　and　scrupulous　politeness；　but　she　felt　even　more　than　she

saw　that　her　words　had　stung　his　very　soul。　　It　was　their　apparent

truth　which　he　could　never　explain　away　that　gave　them　their　power

to　wound　so　deeply；　and　every　moment　brought　to　him　a　clearer

realization　of　the　fact　that　he　had　tried　to　win；　and　was　pledged

to　win　a　woman　whom　to　wrong　even　unwittingly　would　be　an　act　for

which　he　could　never　forgive　himself。　　And　yet　his　heart　sank　at

the　thought　of　meeting　her；　indeed；　so　guilty　and　embarrassed　did

he　become　in　his　feelings　that　he　decided　he　would　not　meet　her

before　others；　and　sprang　out　of　the　stage；　saying　to　the　driver

that　he　preferred　walking　the　remainder　of　the　way。　　Mr。　Mayhew

looked　at　him　in　some　surprise；　for　his　manner　had　changed　so　now

as　to　attract　his　attention　and　excite　disagreeable　surmises。



To　Ida's　great　relief　Stanton　had　come　down　to　meet　her　with　his

light…wagon。　　He　had　seen　Van　Berg　at　her　side　again　with　surprise；

and；　after　his　fast　horses　had　whirled　them　well　away　by　themselves；

he　asked　a　little　abruptly：



〃Ida；　have　you　seen　Van　this　week？〃



She　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　said　briefly：　　〃Yes。　　We　met　at

the　concert…garden　again；　and　he　dined　with　us　last　evening。〃



Stanton　turned　and　looked　at　her　earnestly；　and　her　color　rose

swiftly　under　his　questioning　eyes。



〃My　poor　little　Ida；　we　are　in　the　same　boat；　I　fear；〃　he　said

compassionately。



She　hid　her　face　on　his　shoulder。　　〃Oh；　Ik；　spare　me；〃　she　faltered。



〃It's　just　as　I　feared；〃　Stanton　resumed；　with　a　deep　sigh。

〃Maledictions　on　such　a　world　as　ours！　　The　devil　rules　it；　sure

enough。〃



〃Oh；　hush；　hush；〃　Ida　sobbed。



〃I　see　it　all；　now；　indeed；　I've　thought　it　all　out　this　past　week。

You　Sibley　used　only　as　a　blind；　poor　child。〃



〃Yes；　Ik；　I　loathed　and　detested　him　almost　from　the　first。〃



〃And　in　the　meantime　the　sagacious　Van　Berg　and　myself　were

trampling　on　you　like　a　couple　of　long…eared　beasts。　　How　did　you

ever　forgive　us！〃



〃Oh；　Ik；　Ik；　my　heart　is　breaking。　　I've　had　such　dreams　the　last

two　weeks。　　I've　dared　to　think　I　had　learned　a　little　of　God's　love；

and　ohwas　I　blinded　by　my　wishes；　by　my　hopes；　by　the　passionate

longing　of　my　heart？I　thought　I　saw　love　in　his　eyes；　and　heard

it　in　his　tones；　last　evening。　　Everything　now　is　slipping　from

mehappiness；　hope；　and　even　my　faith。　　But　I　deserve　it　all；〃　she

added　in　her　heart。　　〃I　could　almost　curse　the　woman　who　tried　to

win　him　from　me。〃



Stanton　turned　his　horses　off　into　a　shady　and　unfrequented　side

road　where　they　would　not　be　apt　to　meet　any　one。　　〃Good　heavens！〃

he　thought；　〃this　is　just　the　condition　of　mind　that　Van　warned　me

to　guard　against；　and；　confound　him；　he　is　the　cause　of　the　evils

he　feared；　and　in　their　worst　form。　　I　be　hanged　if　I　can　understand

him。　　All　through　July　he　was　Jennie　Burton's　open　suitorat　least

he　made　no　secret　of　it　to　me；　although　his　cool　head　enabled　him

to　throw　the　people　of　the　house　off　the　scentand　now　he　follows

another　lady　to　New　York；　and　leaves　his　first　love　on　very　flimsy

pretexts。　　By　Jove！　　I　don't　like　it；　even　though　it　were　possible

for　me　to　profit　by　his　folly。〃



〃My　poor　little　Ida；〃　he　said　gently；　putting　his　arms　around　her；

〃you　and　I　must　stand　by　each　other；　for　we　are　like　to　have　rough

weather　ahead　for　awhile。　　It's　no　kindness　to　you　now　to　hide　the

truth。　　I　do　not　know　that　Van　Berg　has　formally　proposed　to　Miss

Burton；　but；　as　an　honorable　man；　he　is　committed　to　her；　and

I　believe　he　has　won　her　affections；　although　I　confess　I　don't

understand　her　very　well。　　She　has　evidently　had　very　deep　sorrows

in　the　past；　and　I　am　satisfied　that　she　has　felt　his　absence　keenly

this　week。〃



〃I　deserve　it　all；〃　Ida　murmured　again；　but　so　low　he　could　not

hear　her；　and　she　gave　way　to　another　outburst　of　grief。



〃It　will　pain　even　your　heart；　Ida；　to　see　how　slight　and　pale

Miss　Burton　is　becoming。　　She　also　appears　strangely　restless；　and

takes　long　walks　that　are　far　beyond　her　strength。〃



〃It's　all　plain；〃　groaned　Ida。　　〃How　can　she　act　otherwise！　　Well；

she　will　be　comforted　now；　no　matter　what　becomes　of　me。〃



〃You　will　be　a　brave　woman；　Ida；　and　pull　through　all　right。〃



〃No；　Ik；　I'm　not　brave。　　I　could　easily　die　for　those　I　love；　but

I　can't　just　suffer　and　be　patient；　at　least　I　don't　see　how　I　can；

but　I　suppose　I　must。〃



His　arm　tightened　about　her　waist；　and　she　felt　it　trembling。

〃Ida；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　solemn　tone；　〃promise　me　before　God　that

whatever　happens　you　will　never…〃



〃Hush！〃　she　gasped；　shuddering；　〃I　will　die　in　God's　own　way。　　I

will　endure　as　best　I　can。〃



He　stooped　down　and　kissed　her　tenderly　as　he　said：　　〃Ida；　dear；

from　this　hour　I'm　no　longer　your　cousin　merely；　but　a　brother；　and

your　companion　in　misfortune。　　I'm　going　to　stand　by　you　and　see

you　through　this　trouble。　　Just　count　on　me　to　shield　you　in　every

possible　way。　　I　don't　care　what　the　world　thinks　of　me；　but　never

a　tongue　shall　wag　against　you　again；　or　there　will　be　a　heavy　score

to　settle　with　me。　　Van　and　I　have　been　good　friends；　but　he's　on

ticklish　ground　now。　　He'll　find　he　can't　play　fast　and　loose　with

two　such　women　as　you　and　Jennie　Burton。　　Curse　it　all！　it　isn't

like　him　to　do　it　either。　　But　the　world　is　topsy…turvey；　anyhow。〃



〃Ik；　I　plead　with　you；　say　nothing；　do　nothing。　　Be　blind　and　deaf

to　everything　of　which　we　have　spoken。　　Only　help　me　hide　my　secret

and　get　away　from　this　place　to　some　other　where　I　am　not　known。〃



〃Has　your　father　any　idea　of　all　this？〃



Ida　explained　in　part　her　father's　knowledge。



〃We　can　easily　manage　it　then；〃　he　said。　　〃I　had　decided　to　leave

next　week。　　Miss　Burton　leaves　for　her　college　duties　very　soon

also。　　The　idea　of　that　fragile　flower　being　trampled　on　nine　months

of　the　year　by　a　crowd　of　thoughtless；　heedless　girls！　　And　so　our

disastrous　summer　comes　to　an　end。　　And　yet　I'm　wrong　in　applying

that　term　to　my　own　experience。　　I　wish　you　felt　as　I　do；　Ida。　　I

haven't　a　particle　of　hope；　and　yet　I　would　not　give　up　my　love　for

Jennie　Burton　for　all　the　world；　and　I　don't　believe　I　ever　shall

give　it　up。　　I　think　she　is　beginning　to　understand　me　a　little

better　now；　although　she　does　not　give　me　much　thought。　　One　day；

while　you　have　been　gone；　I　met　her　returning　from　one　of　her　walks；

and　she　looked　so　faint　and　sad　that　I　could　not　endure　it；　and　I

went　straight　to　her　and　took　her　hand　as　I　said：　　'Miss　Burton；

is　there　anything　Ik　Stanton　can　do　to　make　you　happier？　　It's

none　of　my　business；　I　suppose；　but　it's　breaking　my　heart　to　see

you　becoming　so　sad　and　pale。　　I　may　seem　to　you　very　foolish　and

Quixotic；　but　there　is　no　earthly　think　I　would　not　do　or　suffer　for

you。'　　She　did　not　withdraw　her　hand　as　she　replied；　very　gently：