a face illumined-第4部分

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〃Well　well；〃　said　Stanton　laughing；　〃I　am　rather　glad　to　find　one

man　who　is　not　drawn　to　her　pretty　face　like　a　moth　to　a　candle。

I　will　join　you　again　by　and　by。〃



Van　Berg　sat　down　in　one　of　the　little　stalls　that　stood　open　to

the　main　promenade；　and　saw　his　friend　thread　his　way　among　the

moving　figures；　and　address　his　cousin。　　As　she　turned　to　speak

with　Stanton；　the　artist　received　again　that　vivid　impression　of

beauty；　which　her　face　ever　caused　before　time　was　given　for　closer

scrutiny。　　Indeed　from　his　somewhat　distant　point　of　observation；

and　in　the　less　searching　light；　the　fatal　flaw　could　scarcely　be

detected。　　Her　affected　tones　and　silly　words　could　not　be　heard；

and　he　saw　only　dark　lustrous　eyes　lighting　up　features　that　were

almost　a　revelation　even　to　him　with　his　artistic　familiarity　with

beauty。



〃If　I　could　always　keep　her　at　about　that　distance；〃　he　muttered；

〃and　arrange　the　lights　and　shadows　in　which　to　view　her　face；　I

could　not　ask　for　a　better　study；　for　she　would　give　me　a　basis　of

perfect　beauty；　and　I　could　add　any　expression　of　characteristic

that　I　desired。〃　　And　now　he　feasted　his　eyes　as　a　compensation；

in　part；　for　the　annoyance　she　had　caused　him　in　the　glare　of　the

audience　room。



He　soon　saw　a　frown　lower　upon　her　hitherto　laughing　face　like　the

shadow　of　a　passing　cloud；　and　it　was　evident　that　something　had

been　said　that　was　not　agreeable　to　her　vanity。



A　moment　or　two　after　Stanton　had　joined　the　young　lady　her　escort

for　the　evening　had　excused　himself　for　a　brief　time；　and　had　left

the　cousins　together。　　She　had　then　asked；　〃I　say；　Ik；　who　was　that

gentleman　you　were　talking　with？〃



〃He's　an　old　friend　of　mine。〃



〃He's　not　an　OLD　friend　of　any　one。　　He　is　young　and　quite　good…looking；

or　rather　he　has　a　certain　'distingue'　air　that　makes　one　look　at

him　twice。　　Who　is　he？〃



〃He　is　an　artist；　and　if　he　lives　and　works　as　he　is　now　doing；

through　an　ordinary　lifetime；　he　will　indeed　by　distinguished。　　In

fact；　he　stands　high　already。〃



〃How　nice；〃　she　exclaimed。



〃He　has　another　characteristic；　which　you　will　appreciate　far　more

than　anything　he　will　ever　accomplish　with　his　brushhe　is　very

rich。〃



〃Why！　he's　perfectly　splendid。　　Whoever　heard　of　such　a　strange；

rare　creature！　　I've　flirted　with　lots　of　poor　artists；　but　never

with　a　rich　one。　　Bring　him　to　me；　and　introduce　him　at　once。〃



〃He　is　not　one　that　you　can　flirt　with；　like　the　attenuated　youth

who　has　just　meandered　to　the　barroom。〃



〃Why　not？〃



〃If　you　had　eyes　for　anything　save　your　own　pretty　face；　and　the

public　stare；　you　would　have　seen　that　my　friend　is　not　a　'creature；'

but　a　man。〃



〃Come；　Cousin　Ik；〃　she　replied　in　more　natural　tones；　〃too　much

of　your　house　is　made　of　glass　for　you　to　throw　stones。　　Flirting

and　frolicking　are　as　good　any　day　as　eating；　smoking；　and　dawdling。〃



Stanton　bit　his　lip；　but　retorted；　〃I　don't　profess　to　be　a　bit

better　than　you　are；　Coz；　but　I　at　least　have　the　sense　to　appreciate

those　who　are　my　superiors。〃



〃So　have　I；　when　I　find　them；　I　am　beginning　to　think；　however；

that　you　men　are　very　much　alike。　　All　you　ask　is　a　pretty　face；

for　you　all　think　that　you　have　brains　enough　for　two。　　But　bring

your　paragon　and　introduce　him；　that　I　may　share　in　your　gaping

admiration。〃



〃You　would；　indeed；　my　dear　Coz；　yawn　over　his　conversation；　for

you　couldn't　understand　half　of　it。　　I　think　we　had　better　remain

where　we　are　till　your　shadow　returns　with　his　eyes　and　nose

slightly　inflamed。　　He　is　aware　of　at　least　one　method　of　becoming

a　spirited　youth；　it　seems。〃



〃A　man　who　is　worth　half　a　million　is　usually　regarded　as　rather

substantial；〃　she　retorted。



〃Yes；　but　in　this　case　the　money…bags　outweigh　the　man　too

ridiculously。　　For　heaven's　sake；　Coz；　do　not　make　a　spectacle　of

yourself　by　marrying　this　attenuation；　or　society　will　assert　there

was　a　regularly　drawn　bill　of　sale。〃



〃I　assure　you　that　I　do　not　intend　to　put　myself　under　any　man's

thumb　for　a　long　time　to　come。　　I　am　having　too　good　a　time；　and

that　reminds　me　that　I　would　enjoy　meeting　your　friend　much　more

than　listening　to　your　cynical　speeches。　　Did　I　not　know　that　you

were　like　my　little　King　Charlesall　bark　rather　than　biteI

wouldn't　stand　them；　and　I　won't　any　longer；　to…night。　　So　go　and

bring　your　great　embryo　artist；　or　he　will　become　one　of　the　old

masters　before　I　see　him。〃



〃I　fear　I　must　give　you　a　wee　bit　of　bite　this　time。　　I　have　offered

to　introduce　him　and　he　declines　the　honor。〃



〃How　is　that？〃　she　asked；　flushing　with　anger。



〃I　will　quote　his　words　exactly；　and　then　you　can　interpret　them

as　you　think　best。　　He　said；　'I　could　not　speak　civilly　to　a　lady

that　I　had　just　seen　giggling　and　flirting　through　one　of　Beethoven's

finest　symphonies。'〃



The　young　girl's　face　looked　anything　but　amiable　in　response　to

this　speech；　but；　after　a　moment；　she　tossed　her　head；　and　replied：



〃'N'importe'there　are　plenty　who　can　use　not　only　civil　words

but　complimentary　ones。〃



〃Yes；　and　the　mischief　of　it　is　that　you　will　listen　to　them　and

to　no　others。　　What　sort　of　muscle　can　one　make　who　lives　only　on

sugar…plums？〃



〃They　agree　with　me　better　than　the　vinegar　drops　you　and　your

unmannerly　friend　delight　in。　　I　don't　believe　he　ever　painted

anything　better　than　a　wooden　squaw　for　one　of　your　beloved

cigar…shopswelcome　back　Mr。　Minty。　　You　have　been　away　an

unconscionably　long　time。〃



〃Thanks　for　the　compliment　of　being　missed。　　I　have　tried　to　make

amends　by　ordering　a　'petit　souper'　for　three；　for　I　was　sure　your

cousin　would　join　us。　　It　will　be　brought　to　one　of　yonder　stalls；

where；　while　we　enjoy　it；　we　can　both　see　and　hear。〃



Surmising　that　the　viands　would　consist　of　the　choicest　delicacies

of　the　season；　Stanton　readily　accepted　the　invitation；　and　it　so

happened　that　the　cloth　was　laid　for　the　party　in　the　stall　next　to

that　in　which　Van　Berg　was　quietly　enjoying　a　cigar　and　a　frugal　glass

of　lager。　　They　took　their　places　quite　unaware　of　his　proximity；

and　he　listened　with　considerable　interest　to　the　tones　and　words

of　the　fair　stranger　who　had　so　unexpectedly　taken　possession　of

his　thoughts。　　Were　it　not　for　a　slight　shrillness　and　loudness　at

times；　and　the　fashionable　affectation　of　the　day；　her　voice　would

have　been　sweet　and　girlish　enough。　　As　it　was；　it　suggested　an

instrument　tuned　to　a　false　key　and　consequently　discordant　with

all　true　and　womanly　harmonies。　　Her　conversation　with　young　Minty

was　as　insipid　as　himself；　but　occasionally　Stanton's　cynical　banter

evoked　something　like　repartee　and　wit。



In　the　course　of　her　talk　she　said：　　〃By　the　way；　Ik；　mother　and

I　start　for　the　country　next　week。　　We　are　to　spend　the　summer　at

the　Lake　House；　which　is　up　the　Hudson　somewhereyou　know　where

better　than　I。　　If　you　will　bring　your　bays　and　a　light　wagon

I　shall　be　very　glad　to　see　you　there；　otherwise　I　shall　welcome

youwellas　my　cousin。〃



〃If　I　come　I　will　surely　bring　my　bays；　and　possibly　may　invite

you　to　drive　with　me。〃



〃Oh；　I　will　save　you　all　trouble　in　that　respect　by　inviting　myself；

when　so　inclined。〃



The　orchestra　was　now　about　to　give　a　selection　that　Van　Berg　wished

to　hear　to　better　advantage　than　he　could　in　his　present　position；

therefore；　unobserved　by　the　party　on　the　other　side　of　the　thin

partition；　he　returned　to　his　old　seat　in　the　main　hallway。　　Not

very　long　after；　Stanton；　with　his　cousin　and　Mr。　Minty；　entered

from　the　promenade；　and　again　Van　Berg　received　the　same　vivid

impression　of　beauty；　and；　with　many　others；　could　not　withdraw　his

eyes　from　the　exquisite　features　that　were　slightly　flushed　with

champagne　and　excitement。　　But；　as　before；　this　impression　passed

quickly；　and　the　face　again　became　as　exasperating　to　the　artist

as　the　visage　of　the　Venus　of　Milo　would　be　should　some　vandal　hand

pencil　upon　it　a　leer　or　a　smirk。　　A　heavy　frown　was　gathering　upon

his　brow　when　the　young　lady；　happening　to　turn　suddenly；　caught

and　fully　recognized　his　lowering　expression。　　It　accorded　only

too　well　with　her　cousin's　words　in　regard　to　Van　Berg's　estimate

of　herself；　and　greatly　increased　her　resentment　towards　the　one　who

had　already　wounded　her　vanitythe　most　vulnerable　and　sensitive

trait　in　her　character。　　The　flush　that　deepened　so　suddenly　upon

her　face　was　unmistakably　that　of　anger。　　She　promptly　turned　her

back　upon　her　critic；　nor　did　she　look　towards　him　again　until

the　close　of　the　evening。　　That　his　words　and　manner　rankled　in

her　memory；　however；　was　proved　by　a　slightly　preoccupied　manner；

followed　by　fits　of　gayety　not　altogether　natural；　and　chiefly　by

the　fact　that　she　could　not　leave　the　place　without　a　swift　glance

at　the　disturbing　cause　of　her　wonted　self…approval。　　But　Van　Berg

took　pains　to　manifest　his　in