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found　a　deep；　sad　echo　in　his　own　nature。



〃Let　us　hear　the　conclusion　of　the　whole　matter；　said　the　wise　man

of　old；　'all　is　vanity　and　vexation　of　spirit；'〃　cried　Stanton；

with　the　air　of　one　who　was　trying　to　escape　from　a　nightmare。



Miss　Burton　at　once　became　her　old；　smiling　self。



〃You　do　not　quote　'the　wise　man'　correctly；〃　she　said；　〃but　you

remind　me　that　he　did　say　'a　merry　heart　doeth　good　like　a　medicine。'

It　is　like　mercy　'twice　blessed。'　　This　much；　at　least；　I　know　is

true；　and　Mr。　Van　Berg's　words　have　put　us　all　at　sea　to　such　an

extant　that　it　is　well　to　find　one　wee　solid　point　to　stand　on。〃



As　the　artist　passed　out　he　found　opportunity　to　whisper　in　her

ear：



〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　much　I　honor　the　woman　who　with　her　SAD

heart　makes　others　'merry。'〃



She　blushed　and　smiled；　but　only　said：　　〃How　blind　you　are；　Mr。　Van

Berg！　　Can't　you　perceive　that　nothing　else　does　me　so　much　good？

Now　you　see　how　selfish　I　am。〃



Ida　saw　him　whisper；　and　noted　the　answering　smile　and　blush。　　Was

it　strange　that　so　slight　a　thing　should　depress　her　more　than　all

the　evils　of　the　present　world　and　the　world　to　come？



Surely；　since　human　hearts　are　what　they　are；　a　far…away　God　would

be　like　the　sun　of　the　tropics　to　the　ice…bound　at　the　poles。











Chapter　XXVII。　　A　Family　Group。









The　old　adage；　that　〃as　the　wine　comes　in　the　man　steps　out；〃　was

not　true　of　Sibley；　for　the　man　had　stepped　out　permanently　long

since。　　But　not　very　much　wine　was　required　to　overthrow　the　flimsy

barriers　of　self…restraint　and　courtesy　that　he　tried　to　interpose

in　his　sober　moments　between　his　true　self　and　society。　　Mr。　Burleigh

frowned　at　him　more　than　once　during　the　dinner…hour；　and　was　glad

to　see　him　stroll　off　in　the　grounds　with　his　boon　companions。



Stanton　followed　the　Mayhews　to　their　rooms；　for　he　wished　to

remonstrate　with　Ida　and　Mrs。　Mayhew　in　regard　to　their　apparent

intimacy　with　the　fellow。



〃Ida；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　realized　the　force　of　your　words　to　Mr。

Van　Berg　at　the　table　to…day；　taken　in　connection　with　your　action？

You　said；　'congenial　society　for　me；　or　none　at　all。'　　Whatever

Van's　faults　are；　he　is　a　perfect　gentleman；　and　yet　you　treat　him

as　rudely　and　coldly　as　you　can；　and　assert　by　your　actions　that

Sibley's　society　is　by　far　the　most　congenial　to　you。〃



Ida's　overstrained　nerves　gave　way；　and　she　said；　irritably：



〃You　understood　the　cheerful　questions　of　our　appetizing　table…talk

to…day　better　than　you　understand　me；　so　please　be　still。〃



〃Oh；　pshaw；　Ik；〃　commenced　Mrs。　Mayhew；　who　now　began　to　wake　up

since　the　theme　was　quite　within　her　sphere；　〃you　are　affecting

very　Puritanical　views　of　late。　　It　does　not　seem　so　very　long

since　you　and　Sibley　were　good　friends。〃



〃It　is　within　the　memory　of　woman；　if　not　of　man；〃　added　Ida；

maliciously；　〃since　you　drank　his　brandy；　and　considerable　of　it；

too。〃



Stanton　flushed　angrily　but　controlled　himself。



〃He　was　never　my　friendnever　more　than　an　acquaintance；〃　he

said　emphatically；　〃and　I　never　before　knew　him　as　well　as　I　do

now。　　Moreover；　I　may　as　well　say　it　plainly；　I　am　through　with

that　style　of　men；　forever。　　There　is　little　prospect　of　my　ever

becoming　saint…like；　but　I　shall；　at　least；　cease　to　be　vulgar　in

my　associations。　　I　protest　against　Sibley's　coming　to　our　table

again。〃



〃You　are　absurdly　unreasonable；〃　replied　Mrs。　Mayhew　in　an　aggrieved

tone。　　〃Sibley　is　only　sowing　his　wild　oats　now　as　you　did　in　the

past。　　I　don't　know　why　he　is　not　as　good　as　your　friend　Mr。　Van

Berg；　who；　as　far　as　I　can　make　out；　is　more　of　an　infidel　than

anything　else。　　I　never　could　endure　these　doubting；　unsettling

people。〃



〃I　admit　that　Sibley　is　established；〃　said　Stanton。　　〃There　is

little　prospect　of　his　ever　getting　out　of　the　mire　in　which　he　is

now　imbedded。〃



〃Nonsense！　　What　has　Sibley　done　that　is　particularly　out　of　the

way；　more　than　you　and　other　young　men？　　I'm　sure　his　family　is

quite　as　rich　and　fashionable　as　that　of　this　artist。〃



〃More　rich　and　fashionable。　　There　is　just　the　difference　between

the　Sibleys　and　the　Van　Bergs　that　there　is　between　a　drop　curtain

at　a　theatre　and　one　of　Bierstadt's　oil　paintings。　　There　is　more

paint　and　surface　in　the　former；　but　truth　and　genius　in　the　latter。

If　you　prefer　paint　and　surface　it　is　a　matter　of　taste。〃



〃I　won't　endure　such　insinuations　from　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；

indignantly。



〃Oh；　hush　mother！〃　said　Ida；　quietly。　　〃I　think　Ik　is　very　magnanimous

in　praising　his　friend　in　view　of　circumstances　that　are　becoming

quite　apparent。　　Possibly　he　is　exaggerating　a　little；　in　order　to

show　us　what　a　great；　generous　soul　he　has。　　For　one；　I　would　like

to　know　wherein　this　superior　race　of　Van　Bergs　differs　from　those

who　have　had　the　presumption　to　suppose　themselves　at　least　equals。〃



Ida's　allusion　and　tone　stung　Stanton　into　saying　more　than　he

intended；　and　thus　the　girl's　artifice　became　successful。　　Hearing

about　Van　berg　and　all　that　related　to　him　was　like　looking　out　of

a　desert　into　a　fruitful　oasis；　and　yet　cruel　as　was　the　fascination；

it　was　also　irresistible。



〃The　manner　in　which　the　Van　Bergs　live；　would　be　a　revelation　to

you；〃　said　Stanton；　angrily；　〃and　one　undoubtedly　not　at　all　to

your　taste。　　In　comparison　with　the　Sibley　show…rooms；　which　are

stuffed　and　crowded　with　costly　and　incongruous　trumpery；　Mrs。　Van

Berg's　house　would　seem　very　plain；　but　to　one　capable　of　distinguishing

the　difference；　the　evidence　of　mind　and　taste；　instead　of　mere

money；　is　seen　on　every　side。　　Simplicity　and　beauty　are　united

as　far　as　possible。　　Everything　is　the　best　of　its　kind　and　devoid

of　veneer　and　sham。　　There　is　no　lavish　and　vulgar　profusion；　and

there　is　a　harmony　of　color　and　decoration　that　makes　every　room

a　picture　in　itself。　　Moreover；　the　house　does　not　grow　suddenly

shabby　after　you　leave　those　parts　which　are　seen　by　visitors。　　It

is　all　genuine　and　high…toned；　like　the　people　who　live　in　it。〃



〃What　sort　of　people　are　Mrs。　Van　Berg　and　her　daughter？〃　Ida　asked；

with　averted　face　and　low　constrained　voice。



〃Mrs。　Van　Berg　comes　of　a　family　that　has　been　aristocratic　for

several　generations；　and　one　that　has　been　singularly　free　from　black

sheep。　　She　appears　to　strangers　somewhat　reserved　and　stately；

but　when　you　become　better　acquainted　you　find　she　has　a　warm；　kind

heart。　　But　she　has　a　perfect　horror　of　vulgarity。　　If　she　had　seen

this　Sibley　take　more　wine　than　he　ought　and　make　a　spectacle　of

himself　at　a　public　table；　she　would　no　more　admit　him　to　her　parlor

than　a　Bowery　rough。　　Mere　wealth　would　not　turn　the　scale　a　hair

in　his　favor。　　If　she　has　impressed　on　her　son　one　trait　more　than

another；　it　is　this　disgust　with　all　kinds　of　vulgar　people　and

vulgar　vice。　　I　don't　think　Van　will　sit　down　at　the　same　table

with　Sibley　again；　or　permit　Miss　Burton　to　do　so。〃



Ida　averted　her　face　still　farther；　but　said　nothing。



〃Indeed！〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；　〃and　has　Miss　Burton　given　him　the

rights　of　a　protector。〃



〃Sorry　to　disappoint　you；　aunt；　but　I　have　no　nice　bit　of　gossip

to　report。　　Miss　Burton　is　an　orphan；　and　so　any　friend　of　hers

has　a　right　to　protect　her。　　I　would　have　taken　this　matter　into

my　own　hands　were　it　not　out　of　consideration　for　you　and　Ida；

who　unfortunately　have　permitted　yourselves　to　be　identified　with

Sibley　as　his　especial　friends。　　Indeed；　most　in　the　house　regard

him　as　Ida's　favored　or　accepted　suitor。　　But　I　warn　you　to　cut

loose　from　him　at　once　or　you　may　suffer　a　severe　humiliation。　　If

you　and　Ida　will　continue　to　encourage　him；　then　I　tell　you　plainly

I　shall　follow　you　no　further　into　the　slough。〃



The　maiden　stamped　her　foot　and　made　an　emphatic　gesture　of　rage

and　protest；　but　did　not　trust　herself　to　answer　the　cruel　words；

each　one　of　which　was　like　the　thrust　of　a　knife。



But　Mrs。　Mayhew；　whose　desire　to　be　respectable　was　a　ruling　passion；

now　became　thoroughly　alarmed　and　said　hastily：



〃Mr。　Sibley　is　certainly　nothing　to　me；　and　I　hope　nothing　to　Ida。

Get　rid　of　him　any　way　you　can；　since　things　have　reached　the　pass

you　represent。　　If　society　is　going　to　put　him　under　ban；　we　must

cut　him；　that's　all　there　is　about　it；　and　his　behavior　at　dinner

gives　us　an　excuse。〃



During　this　conversation　Mr。　Mayhew　had　been　lying　on　the　sofa　with

closed　eyes；　and　as　motionless　as　if　he　were　dead。　　Now　he　said　in

low；　bitter　tones：



〃Mark　it　wellan　excuse；　not　a　reason。　　O；　virtue！　how　beautiful

thou　art！〃



〃You　are　the　last　one　in　the　world　to　speak　on　this　subject；〃　said

Mrs。　Mayhew；　angrily。



〃Right　again。　　You　see；　Ik；　my　family　never　before　met　a　man　who

promised　to　make　such　an　appropriate　addition　to　our　number。　　It's

a　pity　you　are　interfering；〃　and　he　poured　out　a　large　glass　of

brandy。