a face illumined-第83章

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her　darkened　mind。　　At　last　she　opened　her　eyes　and　looked　at　Ida；

who　smiled　reassuringly。　　In　a　few　moments　the　events　of　the　past

day　came　back　to　her；　and　she　started　up　and　asked　earnestly：



〃Mr。　Van　Bergis　he　safe？〃



Ida　stooped　down　and　kissed　her　as　she　replied；　〃Mr。　Van　Berg　is

rallying　fast；　and　is　out　of　all　danger。〃



Jennie　leaned　back　among　her　pillows　with　a　smile　of　deep　content；

and　closed　her　eyes。　　When　she　opened　them　again　Ida　had　gone；　and

Mrs。　Burleigh　had　taken　her　place　as　watcher。



But　the　need　of　such　care　passed　speedily。　　The　doctor；　after　his

morning　call；　said　that　the　critical　moment　of　danger　had　gone　by。

So　it　had；　but　his　understanding　of　Jennie's　case　was　superficial

indeed；　and　he　ascribed　to　his　opiate　a　virtue　that　it　had　never

possessed。　　The　balm　that　had　soothed　her　wounded　spirit　was

the　thought　of　saved　life　and　the　happiness　that　might　result　to

those　in　whom　she　was　deeply　interested。　　The　dreaded　anniversary

had　passed；　and　she　was　profoundly　grateful　that　it　had　ended　in

physical　exhaustion　rather　than　in　vain　and　agonized　regret。　　She

readily　obeyed　the　physician's　injunction　to　keep　very　quiet　for

two　or　three　days；　for　memory　during　the　past　few　weeks　had　caused

a　fever　of　mind　that　was　scarcely　less　wearing　than　would　have

been　the　disease　against　which　rest　was　the　best　safeguard。　　The

condition　in　which　she　found　Van　Berg　suggested　some　light　on　the

dark　problem　of　her　life；　but　she　only　sighed　deeply：　　〃I　shall

never　know　in　this　world　why　he　does　not　come。〃



When　told　how　Ida　had　taken　care　of　her　and　watched　till　all　danger

was　passed；　she　murmured　to　herself；　〃Brave；　noble　Ida　Mayhew！　but

I　may　be　able　to　reward　her　yet。〃　　She　needed　very　little　care；

and　felt　no　surprise　that　Ida　now　permitted　others　to　render　these

attentions；　contenting　herself　with　brief　but　gentle　inquiries

concerning　her　welfare。　　Jennie　only　took　pains　to　learn　that　Ida

would　not　leave　the　Lake　House　till　Monday　of　the　following　week；

and　then　rested　and　waited。　　She　was　not　sure　of　Van　Berg；　and　until

she　was　she　would　shield　Ida　as　herself。　　But　if　it　were　true；　as

she　surmised　that　Van　Berg　imagined　that　honor　and　loyalty　bound

him　to　her；　while　his　heart　was　disposed　to　reward　the　maiden　who

had　given　him　hers；　she　hoped　that　a　little　wise　diplomacy　on　her

part　might　do　no　harm。　　She　very　justly　feared　that　Van　Berg's

gratitude　to　herself　would　be　so　strong　that　he　would　consider

nothing　else；　and　she　also　feared　that　in　order　to　accomplish　her

kind　intentions　towards　them；　it　might　become　necessary　for　her

to　tell　him　the　sad　story　of　her　lifea　story　which　she　had　never

yet　put　in　words。　　Therefore　she　sought　to　obtain　the　strength　and

tranquility　of　mind　which　this　effort　might　tax　to　the　utmost。　　She

also　imagined　that　if　she　could　only　see　Ida　and　Van　Berg　together

a　few　times；　her　course　would　be　clearer。



Van　Berg's　vital　forces　had　not　been　drained　by　weeks　of　mental

distress；　and　he　rallied　rapidly。　　Stanton　took　care　of　him　with　a

sort　of　grim　faithfulness　which　his　friend　appreciated；　but　neither

of　them　made　any　reference　to　the　subject　uppermost　in　their　minds。

On　the　afternoon　of　the　day　following　his　rescue；　he　was　able　to

use　crutches；　and　seated　in　his　arm…chair　was　carried　down　to　the

hotel　parlor。　　The　guests　thronged　around　him　with　congratulations；

and　Ida　came　forward　promptly　with　the　others　but　her　manner　was

the　most　undemonstrative　and　quiet　of　any　who　spoke　to　him。　　His

earnest　look　and　the　pressure　of　his　hand　meant　so　much　to　her；

however；　that　she　soon　retreated　to　the　solitude　of　her　room；　and

her　smile　was　almost　glad　as　she　murmured：



〃Oh；　how　much　better　it　is　to　just　take　God　at　his　word　and　do

right！　　If　I　had　yielded　to　my　strong　temptation　I　would　not　have

won　him；　for　now　he　is　bound　to　Miss　Burton　by　every　motive。　　But

by　doing　right　I　have　kept　his　respect。　　Thank　God　for　the　glance

I　have　just　received；　for　it　is　worth　far　more　than　any　expressions

of　dishonorable　passion。　　My　conscience　is　light；　if　my　heart　is

heavy！〃



In　the　quiet　and　friendly　courtesy　that　Van　Berg　and　Ida　maintained

towards　each　other；　a　casual　observer　would　have　seen　nothing　to

excite　remark；　and　the　gossips　at　the　house　believed　they　had　been

misled　by　the　facts　that　the　artist　had　followed　Ida　to　the　city；

and　returned　with　her　as　if　by　arrangement。　　They　now　all　agreed

that　he　could　not　do　less　than　bestow　himself　as　a　reward　upon

the　〃pretty　little　school　ma'am；〃　as　some　of　the　tattling　genus

persisted　in　calling　Miss　Burton。　　Mr。　Mayhew　had　written　that

unexpected　business　complications　had　arisen　which　required　his

whole　attention；　and　as　he　was　acting　in　trust　for　others　he　could

not　give　his　time　just　then　to　making　the　change　that　Ida　had

wished；　but　that　he　would　arrange　matters　so　he　could　enter　on　his

vacation　the　following　week；　and　then　would　take　Ida　wherever　she

wished　to　go。　　He　wrote　daily；　and　his　letters　were　sources　of

double　cheer　to　Ida；　for　she　read　between　the　lines　her　father's

deep　sympathy　and　in　the　lines　found　increasing　proof　that　he　was

a　changed　man。



Now　that　events　had　taken　their　strange　and　unexpected　turn；　she

was　not　sorry　to　remain。　　She　had　no　belief　that　change　of　place

would　make　any　difference　in　her　feelings；　and　she　found　that　her

heart　clung　strongly　to　the　scenes　with　which　were　associated　her

recent　deep　experiences。　　There　was　nothing　in　Van　Berg's　manner

now　that　made　it　embarrassing　for　her　to　meet　him。　　While　in　his

honest　effort　to　keep　his　pledges；　she　saw　that　he　apparently　gave

the　most　of　his　thoughts　to　Miss　Burton；　and　daily　had　conveyed

to　her　room　the　rarest　flowers　and　fruits　he　could　obtain；　sending

to　the　city　for　them　as　well　as　having　the　country　scoured　for

its　choicest　treasures；　she　also　occasionally　caught　a　glimpse　of

the　truth　that　he　honored　and　reverenced　her　from　the　depths　of

his　heart。　　Although　in　her　sincere　diffidence　she　did　not　regard

herself　as　worthy　of　such　esteem；　still　the　poor　girl；　who　had　been

so　deeply　humiliated　and　discouraged；　was　comforted　and　sustained

by　his　strong　and　silent　homage。　　She　would　also　be　very　sorry　to

forego　her　daily　visits　to　Mr。　Eltinge。



As　Thursday　was　warm；　Van　Berg　spent　the　greater　part　of　it

on　the　cool　piazza；　for　he　was　now　able　to　move　about　on　crutches

very　well。　　He　had　no　lack　of　company；　but　all　found　him　reticent

concerning　his　accident　and　the　causes　which　had　led　to　it。　　The

most　persistent　gossip　in　the　house　learned　no　more　than　the　bare

facts；　and　was　inclined　to　believe　there　was　nothing　more　to　learn。

That　Stanton　was　so　distant　was　explained　by　the　fact　that　he　was

an　unsuccessful　rival。　　Both　Van　Berg　and　Ida　puzzled　Stanton　as

far　as　he　gave　them　thought；　but　in　his　honest　loyalty　his　heart

was　in　the　darkened　room　in　which　poor　Jennie　was　resting；　more

from　her　long　passionate　struggle　with　a　sorrow　she　could　not　bury

than　from　the　exhaustion　caused　by　her　rescue　of　Van　Berg。



Friday　morning　happened　to　be　very　warm；　and　Ida　did　not　visit　Mr。

Eltinge；　but　ensconced　herself　in　a　distant　corner　of　the　piazza

with　a　book；　the　pages　of　which　were　not　turned　very　regularly。

〃I　wonder；〃　she　thought；　〃when；　if　ever；　we　shall　have　another

friendly　talk。　　What　a　strange；　deep　hush；　as　it　were；　has　come

after　the　passionate　joy　and　desperate　sorrow　and　fear　of　the　past

week！　　It　is　the　type　of　what　my　inner　life　will　be。　　But　I　must

not　complain；　thousands　of　hearts；　no　doubt；　are　the　burial…places

of　as　dear　a　hope　as　mine；　and　One　is　pledged　to　give　me　back　my

life　in　some　way；　and　at　some　time。



〃Miss　Ida；〃　said　a　voice　that　made　her　start　and　crimson　in　spite

of　herself；　〃may　I　come　out　and　talk　with　you　a　little　while？〃　and

she　saw　that　Van　Berg　was　speaking　to　her　through　the　window　blinds

of　one　of　the　private　parlors。



〃Yes；〃　she　said　hesitatingly；　〃if　you　think　it　is　best。〃



He　went　around　and　came　openly　to　her　side；　bringing　a　small　camp…chair

with　him。　　as　he　steadied　himself　against　a　piazza　column　in　taking

his　seat；　and　leaned　his　crutches　on　the　railing；　her　looks　were

very　sympathetic。　　With　a　smile　he　took　on　of　his　crutches　in　his

hands　as　he　said：



〃I　have　come　to　these　very　properly　at　last；　and　you　must　have

seen　their　significance。　　It　is　my　spiritual　and　moral　lameness；

however；　that　now　troubles　me　most；　Miss　Mayhew。　　When　lying　at　the

bottom　of　that　ravine；　expecting　death；　I　vowed；　like　most　sinners

in　similar　circumstances；　I　suppose；　that　if　I　ever　escaped　I

would　become　a　Christian　man。　　I　intend　to　keep　the　vow　if　it　is

a　possible　thing。　　But　I　make　no　progress。　　I　prayed　then；　and　I

have　prayed　and　read　my　Bible　since；　but　everything　is　forced　and

formal；　and　the　thought　will　come　to　me　continually；　that　I　might

as　well　pray　to　Socrates　or　Plato　as　to　Christ。　　I　wish　you　could

teach　me　your　faith。〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　replied　Ida；　with　a　troubled　face；　〃I'm　not　wise

enough　to　guide　you　in　such　a　matter。　　I　would　much　rather　you

would　talk　with　Mr。　Eltinge　or　some　learned；　good　man。〃



〃I　shall　be　glad　to　see　Mr。　Eltinge；　but　I　don't　care　to　go　to　the

learned　man　just　yet。　　We　might　get　into　an　argument；　in　which　of

course　I　should　be　worsted；　but　I　fear　not　convinced。　　I　have　never

known　anything　so　real　as　your　faith　has　seemed；　but　I　can　obtain

nothing　that　in　the　least　corresponds　with　it。　　I　ask；　but　receive

no　more　response　than　if　I　spoke　to　the　empty　air。　　Then　comes　the

strong　temptation　to　relapse　into　the　old　materialistic　philosophy；

which　I　had　practically　accepted；　and　to　believe　that　religious

experiences　are　imaginary；　or　the　result　of　education　and

temperament。　　At　the　same　time　I　have　found　this　philosophy　such　a

wretched　support；　either　in　life　or　in　the　prospect　of　death；　that

I　would　be　glad　to　throw　it　away　as　worthless。〃



〃I　fear　to　speak　to　you　on　this　subject；〃　she　said；　〃and　shall　not

for　a　moment　attempt　to　teach　you　anything。　　They　say　facts　are

stubborn　things；　and　I'll　tell　you　a　few；　which　to　my　simple；　homely

common…sense　are　conclusive。　　To　a　man's　reason　they　may　count　for

little。　　My　religious　experiences　are　not　the　result　of　education

or　temperament；　but　are　contrary　to　both；　and　if　they　are　imaginary；

all　my　experiences　are　imaginary。　　Perhaps　I　can　best　tell　you　what

I　mean　by　an　illustration　that　is　a　pleasant　one　to　me。　　There　is

a　partially　finished　picture　in　your　studio　that　I　hope　to　hang

some　day　in　my　own　sanctum　at　home。　　How　shall　I　ever　know　that　I

have　that　picture？　　How　shall　I　ever　know　that　you　have　given　it　to

me？　　I　shall　know　it　because　you　keep　your　promise　and　send　it　to

me。　　I　shall　have　it　in　my　possession；　and　I　shall　enjoy　it　daily。

Are　not　hope；　patience；　peace；　when　the　world　could　give　no　peace；

as　real　as　your　picture？