a face illumined-第37部分

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〃An'　pity　'tis；　'tis　true；〃　added　Stanton；　with　a　shrug。



〃I　can't　think　it　is　only　affection　that　has　made　her　appear　ill

the　last　two　or　three　days；〃　resumed　Van　Berg；　musingly。　　〃Her　face

suggests　trouble　and　suffering　of　some　kind。〃



〃Touch　of　dyspepsia；　like　enough。　　However；　Sibley　will　be　here　in

a　few　minutes　and　he　will　cheer　her　up；　never　fear。　　I'm　disgusted

with　her　that　she　takes　so　to　that　fellow；　for　although　no　saint

myself；　I　can't　stomach　him。〃



At　the　mention　of　Sibley's　name；　Van　Berg　frowned；　turned　on　his

heel　and　walked　away。



〃If　Stanton　is　right　about　that　fellow's　power　over　her；〃　he　muttered；

〃I'll　tear　up　the　sketch　I　made　this　afternoon　and　never　give　her

another　thought。〃



The　moment　Ida　became　conscious　of　Van　Berg's　observant　eyes　her

languor　passed　away。　　She　had　scarcely　glanced　at　him　while　at

dinner；　but　she　had　felt；　by　some　subtle　power　of　perception；　that

he　was　furtively　watching　her；　and　she　also　felt　there　was　more

of　curiosity　than　kindliness　in　his　regard。　　With　an　instinct　as

strong　as　that　of　self…preservation；　she　sought　to　hide　her　secret；

and　when　a　few　moments　later　the　stage　was　driven　to　the　door；

she　was　prepared　to　welcome　the　man　she　now　detested；　in　order　to

conceal　her　heart　from　the　man　she　loved。



Van　Berg；　leaning　against　a　pillar　near；　saw　Mr。　Mayhew　with　his

sallow；　listless　face　and　lifeless　tread　mount　the　steps　to　greet

his　wife　and　daughter；　but；　before　he　could　take　Ida's　hand；　Sibley；

in　snowy　linen　and　a　coat　from　which　the　stains　and　dust　of　earth

seemed　ever　kept　miraculously；　brushed　past　him；　and　seizing　the

daughter's　hand；　exclaimed：



〃You　see　I've　kept　my　promise；　and　am　here。〃　　And　then　he　whispered

in　her　ear：　　〃By　Jupiter；　Miss　Ida；　you　look　like　a　houri　just　from

Paradise　to…night。〃



Mr。　Mayhew　paused　a　moment　and　looked　from　the　forward　youth　to

his　daughter's　scarlet　face；　frowned　heavily；　and　then　gave　her

and　her　mother　a　very　cool　greeting　before　passing　on　to　his　room。



Ida　could　not　forbear　stealing　a　look　at　Van　Berg；　and　her　face

grew　pale　again　as　she　encountered　his　scornful　glance。　　Pride　was

one　of　her　predominant　traits；　and　his　manner　touched　it　to　the

quick。　　She　resolved　to　return　him　scorn　for　scorn；　and　to　show　him

that　in　spite　of　her　heart　that　had　turned　against　her　and　become

his　ally；　she　could　still　be　her　old　gay　self。　　Therefore　she　gave

Sibley　back　his　badinage　in　kind；　and　in　repartee　that　was　bright

and　sharp　as　well　as　reckless；　she　answered　the　compliments　of

other　gay　young　fellows　who　also　gathered　around　her。



〃Did　I　not　tell　you　Sibley　would　revive　her？〃　Stanton　remarked　as

they　went　down　to　supper。　　〃Such　humdrum　fellows　as　you　and　I　are

not　to　the　taste　of　one　who　has　been　brought　up　on　a　diet　of　cayenne

pepper　and　chocolate　cream。〃



〃But　what　kind　of　blood　does　such　a　diet　make？〃



〃Judge　for　yourself。　　It　looks　well　as　it　comes　and　goes　in　a　pretty

face。〃



〃Look　here；　Stanton；〃　said　Van　Berg；　pausing　at　the　dining　room

door；　〃there　is　that　Sibley　at　our　table。〃



〃Oh；　certainly！　　He　claims　to　be　Ida's　friend；　and　you　see　that

Mrs。　　Mayhew　is　very　gracious　to　him。　　He's　rich；　and　will　inherit

his　father's　business　also；　and　my　sagacious　aunt　inquires　no

further。〃



〃Stanton；　we　both　fee　that　he　is　not　fit　to　sit　at　the　same　table

with　Miss　Burton。〃



〃You　are　right；　Van；〃　Stanton　replied　with　a　deep　flush；　〃but　I　can

do　nothing　without　drawing　attention　to　my　relatives。　　After　all；

it　is　only　a　casual　and　transient　association　in　a　public　place；

over　which　we　have　no　control。　　While　she　seems　too　near　to　him

there　you　know　that　heaven　is　as　near　to　hell　as　they　are　to　each

other。　　For　the　sake　of　poor　Mr。　Mayhew；　if　for　no　one　else；　let

the　matter　pass。〃



〃Very　well；　Stanton；　but　it　must　not　happen　so　another　week；〃　and

then　the　young　men　who　had　withdrawn　into　the　hall…way　entered；

but　the　expression　of　coldness　and　displeasure　did　not　wholly　pass

from　their　faces。











Chapter　XXIII。　　Jennie　Burton's　〃Remedies。〃









Fortunately　Mr。　Mayhew　had　been　placed　at　the　supper…table　next

to　Miss　Burton；　and　Van　Berg　speedily　became　absorbed　in　watching

the　impression　made　on　each　other　by　these　two　characters　that　were

so　utterly　diverse。　　It　needed　but　a　glance　to　see　that　Mr。　Mayhew

was　a　heavy…hearted；　broken…spirited　man。　　His　shrunken　inanimate

features；　and　slight；　bent　form；　looked　all　the　more　dim　and　shadowy

in　contrast　with　his　stout；　florid　wife；　who　even　in　public　scarcely

more　than　tolerated　his　presence。　　This　evening　she　devoted　herself

to　Sibley；　who　sat　between　her　and　her　daughter。



Mr。　Mayhew　seemed　unusually　depressed　even　for　him；　and　began　to

make　a　supper　only　in　form。　　Jennie　Burton　stole　a　few　shy　glances

at　his　sallow　face；　and　seemed　to　find　an　attraction　in　it　she　could

not　resist。　　Two　handsome　lovers　sat　near　her；　but　she　evidently

forgot　them　wholly　save　when　they　addressed　her；　and　she　wooed　the

elderly　man　at　her　side　with　consummate　tact　and　grace。



At　first　he　was　unconscious　of　her　presence。　　She　was　but　another

human　atom；　and　of　no　more　interest　to　him　than　the　chair　on　which

she　sat。　　Mechanically　he　declined　one　or　two　things　she　passed　to

him；　and　in　an　absent　manner　replied　to　the　few　casual　remarks　by

which　she　sought　to　engage　him　in　conversation。　　At　last　she　said；

in　a　voice　that　was　indescribably　winning　and　sympathetic：



〃Mr。　Mayhew；　your　sultry　week　in　town　has　wearied　you。　　Our　country

air　will　do　you　good。〃



There　was　so　much　more　in　her　tones　than　in　her　words　that　he

turned　to　look　at　her；　and　then；　for　the　first　time；　became　aware

that　he　was　not　sitting　at　the　side　of　an　ordinary；　well…bred　lady。



〃Country　air　is　good　as　far　as　it　goes；〃　he　said　slowly；　scanning

her　face　as　he　spoke；　〃but　it　does　not　make　much　difference　with

me。〃



〃There　are　other　remedies；〃　she　resumed　in　her　low　gentle　tone；

〃which；　like　the　air；　are　not　exactly　tangible；　and　yet　are　more

potent。〃



〃Indeed；〃　he　said；　the　dawning　interest　deepening　in　his　face；

〃what　are　they？〃



〃I　do　not　mean　to　tell　you；〃　she　replied　with　a　little　piquant

nod　and　smile。　　〃I've　learned　better　than　those　people　who　have　a

dozen　infallible　medicines　at　their　tongues'　end　for　every　trouble

under　heaven。　　I　never　name　my　remedies；　for　if　I　did；　people　would

turn　away　in　contempt　for　such　commonplace　simples。〃



〃I　can　guess　one　of　them　already；〃　he　said　with　a　pleased　light

coming　into　his　eyes。



〃So　quickly；　Mr。　Mayhew？　　I　doubt　it。〃



〃Kindness；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　tone。



〃Well；〃　she　replied　with　a　slight　flush；　〃I　can　stoutly　assert

that　this　remedy　did　me　good　when　all　the　long…named　drugs　in　the

'Materia　Medica'　could　not　have　helped　me。〃



He　looked　at　her　searchingly　a　moment；　and　then　said　in　the　same

low　tone：



〃And　so　you　are　trying　to　apply　your　remedy　to　me？　　It　certainly

is　very　good　of　you。　　Most　people　when　they　are　cured；　throw　away

the　medicine；　forgetting　how　many　others　are　sick。〃



〃Perhaps　we　can　never　exactly　say　we　are　cured　in　this　life；　but

I　think　we　can　all　get　better。〃



〃It　depends　a　great　deal　upon　the　disease；〃　he　replied；　with　a

shrug。



〃No；　Mr。　Mayhew；〃　she　said；　and；　although　her　tone　was　low；　it

was　almost　passionate　in　its　earnestness。　　〃God　forbid　that　there

should　be　a　disease　without　a　remedy。〃



He　again　looked　at　her　with　a　peculiar　expression；　and　then　slowly

turned　toward　his　wife　and　daughter。　　Mrs。　Mayhew　was　too　preoccupied

to　heed　him；　and　Sibley　was　just　saying：



〃Miss　Ida；　I　claim　you　for　the　first　waltz　this　evening；　and　only

wish　that　it　would　last　indefinitely。〃



〃Pardon　me　for　saying　it　to　one　so　young　and　hopeful　as　yourself；

Miss　Burton；〃　Mr。　Mayhew　resumed　gloomily；　〃but　that　which　both

God　and　good…sense　forbid　seems　the　thing　most　sure　to　take　place

in　this　world。〃



Although　so　dissimilar；　deep　and　sad　experiences　made　them　kin；　and

Miss　Burton　found　she　must　make　an　effort　not　to　let　their　thoughts

color　their　words　too　darkly　for　the　time　and　place。



〃I　shall　not　let　you　destroy　my　faith　in　my　old…fashioned　simples；〃

she　said　in　tones　that　were　lighter　than　her　meaning。　　〃You　must　not

be　sure　that　because　you　are　so　much　my　senior；　all　my　complaints

have　been　merely　children's　troubles。　　Appearances　are　often

misleading；　you　know。〃



〃Not　in　your　case；　I　think；　Miss　Burton。　　I　have　lost　faith　in

almost　everything；　and　most　of　all　in　myself；　but　this　unexpected

little　talk　has　touched　me　deeper　than　you　can　know；　and　I　cannot

help　having　faith　in　you。〃



〃I　will　believe　it；〃　she　said　with　a　smile；　〃if　you　will　give　me

a　little　of　your　society　before　you　go　back　to　the　city。〃



He　looked　at　her　with　sudden　suspicion。　　〃Do　you　mean　what　you

say？〃



〃I　do。〃



〃Why　do　you