a face illumined-第106部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





〃Ahem！　　I　fear　our　plain　dinner　will　be　a　very　prosaic　interruption；

but…〃　he　began。



〃Oh；　Mr。　Eltinge；〃　cried　Ida；　springing　to　him；　her　cheeks　putting

to　shame　any　flower　of　his　garden；　〃I　owe　all　this　to　you！〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　said　Mr。　Eltinge；　with　the　stately　courtesy　of　the

old　school；　〃with　your　permission　I　now　shall　take　full　payment；〃

and　stooping　down　he　kissed　her　tenderly；　with　a　fervent　〃God　bless

you；　my　child！　　God　bless　you　both！　　I　thought　it　would　all　end　in

this　way。〃



It　was　late　in　the　day　when　Ida　drove　up　to　the　steps　of　the　Lake

House　and　assisted　Van　Berg　to　alight　with　a　care　and　solicitude

that　Stanton；　who　was　grimly　watching　them；　thought　a　trifle　too

apparent。　　She　gave　a　hasty　side…glance　to　her　cousin；　but　would

not　trust　herself　to　do　more　in　the　presence　of　others。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　would　like　to　see　you　alone　a　few　moments；〃　said

Stanton　in　a　low　tone。



The　artist　hobbled　cheerfully　into　one　of　the　small　private　parlors；

and　stretched　himself　out　very　luxuriously　on　the　sofa；　saying　as

he　did　so；　〃Take　the　rocking…chair；　Ik。〃



〃No；　sir；〃　said　Stanton　stiffly。　　〃I　shall　trespass　but　a　few

moments　on　your　timeonly　long　enough　to　keep　a　promise　and　perform

a　duty。　　In　circumstances　that　you　can　scarcely　have　forgotten；

you　assured　me　that　I　was　in　honor　bound　to　give　my　cousin；　Miss

Mayhew；　a　brother's　care。　　You　asserted　very　emphatically　that　with

her　peculiar　temperament　she　ought　to　be　saved　from　any　serious

trouble。　　What　I　then　promised　from　a　sense　of　duty　I　now　perform

from　warm　affection。　　As　far　as　a　brother's　love　and　care　is

concerned；　Ida　Mayhew　is　my　sister；　and　as　a　brother　I　insist；　in

view　of　your　relations　with　Miss　Burton；　that　you　do　not　give　to

her　so　much　of　your　society。　　Not　that　I　mean　to　insinuate　in　the

faintest　possible　way；　that　my　cousin　entertains　for　you　anything

more　than　an　ordinary　and　friendly　regard。　　It　is　my　intention

only　to　remind　you　that　your　course　has　been　a　little　peculiar　of

late；　to　say　the　least；　and　that　it　is　often　far　better　to　prevent

trouble　than　remedy　it。〃



〃The　mischief　is　all　done；　Ik；　you　are　too　late。〃



〃What　do　you　mean；　sir？〃



〃Well；　one　thing　at　a　time。　　Miss　Burton　has　refused　me　absolutely。〃



〃I　don't　wonder！〃　said　Stanton　indignantly。



〃Nor　I　either；　Ik。　　You　are　a　hundredfold　more　worthy　of　her　than

I　am　or　ever　was。　　I　once　regarded　myself　as　slightly　your　superior；

Isaac；　but　circumstances　have　proved　that　you　have　enough　good

metal　in　you　to　make　a　dozen　such　men　as　I　am。〃



〃I　want　explanations；　not　compliments；〃　said　Stanton　sternly。



〃Sit　down；　and　I'll　tell　you　everything。　　Then　you　can　brain　me

with　one　of　the　crutches；　if　you　wish；〃　and　Van　Berg　related　to

Stanton　substantially　all　that　occurred　between　himself　and　Jennie

Burton。　　〃She　said　I　could　tell　you　after　she　was　gone；　but　I　think

it　is　best　you　should　know　before。　　She　understands　and　honors

you；　and　you　should　understand　her。　　Her　heart　is　buried　so　deep

in　some　unnamed；　unmarked　grave　that　it　will　find；　I　fear；　no

resurrection　on　earth。　　I　told　you　the　first　day　she　came　to　this

house　that　she　had　had　an　experience　that　separated　her　from　ordinary

humanity；　and　also　predicted　that　she　would　wake　you　up　and　make

a　man　of　you。　　She　has　made　you　a　prince　among　men。　　You　are　my

elder　brother；　Ik；　from　this　time　forth；　and　I　won't　put　on　any　more

airs　with　you。　　As　I　said；　your　remarks　in　regard　to　your　cousin

came　a　little　late。　　You　see；　my　ring　is　gone；　and　you　know　I　have

often　laughingly　told　you　that　my　mother　gave　it　to　me　on　conditions

that　made　it　very　safe　property。　　I　have　parted　with　it；　however；

and　very　honestly　too；　but　you　will　see　it　again；　soon。〃



〃Van；〃　said　Stanton；　with　a　slight　quaver　in　his　voice；　and　a　very

sickly　attempt　at　his　old　humor；　〃I　have　forfeited　my　wager　that

followed　your　prediction；　which　I　thought　so　absurd　at　the　time；

but　I'll　forgive　you　everything；　and　bestow　my　blessing　on　you　and

Ida；　if　you　will　paint　me　a　portrait　of　Miss　Burton。〃



〃The　best　I　can　possibly　make；　Ik；　and　she　shall　look　as　she　did

when　she　called　you　a　true；　noble…hearted　gentleman。〃



Van　Berg　now　found　no　difficulty　in　bringing　about　a　friendship

between　Ida　and　Jennie　Burton；　and　the　two　maidens　spent　the　greater

part　of　Sabbath　afternoon　together。　　Ida　hid　nothing　in　her　full

confidence；　not　even　the　crime　that　had　been　in　her　thoughts；　and

which　might　have　destroyed　the　life　that　now　was　growing　so　rich

and　beautiful。　　When　her　pathetic　story　was　completed；　Jennie　said：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg　has　told　me　some　things　in　your　favor　that　you　have

omitted。　　I　cannot　flatter　myself　now　that　my　love　is　stronger　than

yours；　but　you　are　stronger；　you　are　braver。　　What　is　the　secret　of

your　strength？　　Your　religion　seems　to　do　you　more　good　than　mine

does　me。〃



〃Well；　Jennie；〃　said　Ida　musingly；　there　seems　to　me　this　difference。

〃You　have　a　God；　I　have　a　Saviour；　you　have　a　faith；　I　have　a　tender

and　helpful　Friend。　　Jesus　Christ　has　said　to　those　who　love　and

trust　him：　　'Let　not　your　hearts　be　troubled。'　　He　said　these　words

to　men　who　were　to　suffer　all　things；　and　did　so；　Mr。　Eltinge　told

me。　　It's　just　the　same　as　if　he　said；　You　don't　know；　I　do；　leave

everything　to　me；　and　it　shall　all　be　for　the　best　in　the　end。　　See

how　all　my　trouble　this　summer　has　just　prepared　for　this　happiness；

and　I　believe；　Jennie；　that　your　eternity　of　happiness　will　be

made　all　the　richer　for　every　sad　day　of　your　unselfish　life。　　The

souls　of　such　men　as　Harrold　Fleetwood　are　God's　richest　treasures；

and　he　whose　name　is　Love　surely　kindled　such　love　as　yours　and

his。　　The　God　that　the　Bible　reveals　to　me　will　not　permit　it　to　be

lost；〃　and　with　Jennie's　head　on　her　bosom　she　sang　low　and　sweetly：





No　hope；　'tis　said；　though　buried　deep；

But　angels　o'er　it　vigils　keep；

No　love　in　sepulchre　shall　stay；

For　Christ　our　Friend　has　rolled　away

　　　　　　The　heavy　stone　of　death。





〃Oh；　sing　me　those　words　again；〃　sobbed　Jennie：　　〃sing　them　again

and　again；　till　they　fill　my　heart　with　hope。〃



Ida　did　so。



〃O　Ida！　　God's　good　angel　to　me　as　well　as　to　Harold　Van　Berg；〃

said　Jennie；　smiling　through　her　tears。　　〃I　bless　you　for　those

hopeful　words。　　They　will　repeat　themselves　in　my　heart　till　all

is　clear　and　our　souls　that　God　mated　are　joined　again。　　My　Harrold

was　not　one　who　said　'Lord；　Lord'　very　often；　but　I　　know　that

he　tried　to　'do　the　will　of　his　Father　which　is　in　heaven。'　　I　am

going　to　your　Friend；　Ida；　for　if　ever　a　poor　mortal　needed　more

than　mortal　help　and　cheer；　I　do。　　I　shall　just　give　up　everything

into　his　hands；　and　wait　patiently。〃



〃The　life　he　will　give　you　again；　Jennie；　will　be　infinitely　richer

than　the　one　you　have　lost。〃



Early　in　the　following　week　Miss　Burton　returned　to　her　college

duties。　　Before　parting　she　said　to　Ida：　　〃I　do　not　think　I　shall

ever　give　way　again　to　my　old；　bitter；　heart…breaking　grief。〃



Almost　every　one　in　the　house　wanted　to　shake　hands　with　her

in　farewell。　　Poor　Mr。　Burleigh　tried　to　disguise　his　feelings　by

putting　crepe　on　his　hat　and　tying　　black　shawl　of　his　wife's　around

his　arm；　but　he　blew　his　nose　so　often　that　he　finally　said　he　was

〃taking　cold　on　the　piazza；〃　and　so　made　a　hasty　retreat。



Ida　and　Van　Berg　accompanied　Jennie　to　the　depot；　but　Stanton　was

not　to　be　found　till　they　reached　the　station；　when　he　quietly

stepped　forward　and　handed　Jennie　her　checks。　　She　was　trying　to

say　something　that　she　meant　should　show　her　appreciation；　when　the

train　thundered　up；　and　he　handed　her　into　a　palace　car；　in　which

she　found　he　had　secured　her　a　seat；　and　before　she　had　time　to

say　a　word　her　tickets　were　in　her　hands　and　he　was　gone。



When；　after　several　hours'　riding；　she　approached　a　station　at　which

she　must　change　cars　and　recheck　her　trunks；　a　friendly　voice　said

to　her：



〃Miss　Burton；　if　you　will　give　me　your　checks　I　will　attend　to　this

little　matter　for　you。〃



〃Mr。　Stanton！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃What　does　this　mean？〃



〃It　means　that　since　I　am　on　the　same　train　with　you；　I　can　do　no

less　than　offer　so　slight　a　service。〃



She　looked　at　him　very　doubtfully；　as　she　said：　　〃I　don't　know

what　to　think　of　this　journey　of　yours。　　Let　me　now　pay　you　for　my

ticket。〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg　handed　me　the　money　you　gave　him　for　that　purpose。

It's　all　right。　　Your　checks　please；　there　is　but　little　time。〃



His　manner　was　so　quiet　and　assured；　that　she　handed　them　to　him

hesitatingly；　and　a　moment　later　stepped　out　on　the　platform。



In　a　few　moments　she　called：　　〃Oh；　Mr。　Stanton；　you　have　lost　your

train。〃



〃Not　at　all。　　I　am　going　to　Boston。　　There　are　your　checks　once

more；　and　here　is　your　train　and　seat；〃　he　added；　as　he　accompanied

her　to　it。　　Then　he　lifted　his　hat；　and　was　about　to　depart；　when

she　s