a face illumined-第107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！



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

she　said：　〃Since　you　are　on　the　same　train；　perhaps　you　will　venture

to　take　this　seat　near　me。　　I　never　was　curious　about　a　gentleman's

business　before；　but　it　strikes　me　as　a　rather　odd　coincidence　that

you　are　going　to　Boston　to…day。〃



〃A　great　many　people　go　to　Boston；〃　he　replied。



〃It's　for　my　sake　you　are　taking　this　long　journey；　Mr。　Stanton；〃

she　said；　regretfully。



〃Yes；〃　he　replied；　in　the　same　quiet；　undemonstrative　manner　that

he　had　maintained　towards　her　for　some　weeks　past；　〃this　journey

is　for　your　sake；　and　for　your　sake　I　shall　take　a　very　different

journey　through　life　from　the　one　I　had　marked　out　for　myself。　　I

know　your　sad　story；　Miss　Burton。　　I　expect　nothing　from　you；　I

hope　for　nothing；　and　I　shall　never　ask　anything；　except　a　little

confidence　on　your　part；　so　that　I　can　render　you　an　occasional

service。　　Never　for　a　moment　imagine　that　I　am　cherishing　hopes

that　I　know　well　you　cannot　reward。〃



〃Mr。　Stanton；　this　is　beyond　my　comprehension！〃



〃There　seems　to　me　nothing　strange　or　unnatural　in　it；〃　he　said。

〃You　found　me　a　pleasure…loving　animal；　and　through　your　influence

I　think　I　am　becoming　somewhat　different。　　You　have　taught　me　that

there　is　a　higher　and　better　world　than　that　of　sense。　　How　good

a　work　I　can　do　in　life　I　will　let　the　years　prove　as　they　pass。

But　I　do　not　think　my　feelings　will　ever　change　towards　you；　save

as　time　deepens　and　strengthens　them。　　Van　thinks　all　the　world　of

you；　as　well　he　may；　but　his　life　will　be　very　happy　and　full　of

many　interest。　　I　shall　think　of　you　alone；　and　the　work　I　do　for

your　sake　until　I　can　add　another　motive。　　Of　course　I　believe　in　a

heavensuch　lives　as　your　make　one　necessary；　and　I　mean　to　find

a　way　of　getting　there。　　In　the　meantime；　you　are　my　motive；　but　my

regard　for　you　shall　be　so　very　unobtrusive　that　I　trust　you　will

not　resent　it；　and　the　thought　of　my　unseen　care　and　watchfulness

may　in　time　come　to　be　a　pleasant　one。〃



There　was　nothing　in　his　tone　or　manner　to　indicate　that　to　their

fellow…travelers　that　he　was　not　speaking　on　the　most　ordinary

topic；　and　he　looked　her　full　in　the　face　with　his　clear　dark　eyes；

in　which　she　saw　only　truth　and　faithfulness。



She　was　very；　very　deeply　touched；　and　she　could　not　keep　the　tears

out　of　her　eyes　as　she　leaned　towards　him　and　said　in　tones　that

no　others　could　hear：



〃I　am　no　longer　the　friendless　orphan　I　was　when　I　came　to　the　Lake

House。　　In　Mr。　Van　Berg　I　have　found　a　friend　whom　I　can　trust；　in

you；　Ik　Stanton；　a　brother　that　I　can　love。〃



If　the　reader's　patience　has　not　failed　him　up　to　this　long…deferred

moment；　it　shall　now　be　rewarded　by　a　few　brief；　concluding　words。



Mrs。　Mayhew　felt　considerably　aggrieved　that　she　had　had　so　little

part　in　Ida's　engagement　with　the　wealthy　and　aristocratic　Mr。

Van　Berg；　and　in　later　years　she　complained　that　they　were　very

unfashionable；　and　spent　an　unreasonable　amount　of　time　in　looking

after　all　kinds　of　charitable　institutions。　　Mr。　Mayhew　drank　ever

deeper　at　the　full　fountain　of　his　child's　love；　and　is　serenely

passing　on　to　an　honorable　old　age。　　Mr。　Eltinge　is　now　beyond　age

and　weakness；　but　Ida　often　murmurs　with　tears　in　her　eyes　as　she

looks　at　his　portrait；　〃He　is　just　speaking　to　me　as　he　did　when

my　heart　was　breaking。〃　　Stanton's　city　friends　say　that　he　has

greatly　changed　and　might　stand　very　high　as　a　lawyer　and　politician

if　he　were　not　so　quixotic　and　prone　to　take　cases　in　which　there

was　no　money；　but　he　receives　letters　from　New　England　which　seem

to　compensate　him　for　lack　of　large　fees。　　Van　Berg　has　not　yet

regretted　that　he　entrusted　〃faulty　Ida　Mayhew〃　with　his　happiness；

and　he　is　more　anxious　than　ever　to　lure　her　to　his　studio。　　For

a　long　time　he　had　to　take　the　truth　of　her　faith　on　trust　but　at

last　he　stood　by　her　side　at　God's　altar　and　confessed　that　Name

which　has　been　the　lowliest　and　grandest　of　earth。



Ida　is　still　very　human；　but　with　all　her　faults；　her　husband　often

whispers　in　her　ear：　　〃Not　Ida；　but　Ideal。〃　　She　is　continually

giving　up　her　life　for　Christ's　sake；　and　as　often　finds　it　coming

back　to　her　in　some　richer；　sweeter　form；　and　by　her　simple；　joyous

faith　has　led　many　to　the　Friend　she　found　in　the　quaint　old　garden；

and　who　says　of　all　who　come；　〃I　will　give　unto　them　eternal　life。〃



Jennie　Burton　is　still　waiting；　but　at　the　end　of　each　day　of

faithful　work　she　sings　the　song　of　hope　that　Ida　taught　her：





No　hope；　'tis　said；　though　buried　deep；

But　angels　o'er　it　vigils　keep；

No　love　in　sepulchre　shall　stay；

For　Christ　MY　Friend　will　roll　away

　　　　　　The　heavy　stone　of　death。











THE　END