a face illumined-第46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！



indeed　I　cannotat　least　not　now；　in　this　place。　　Something

happenedSudden　death　in　one　young；　strong；　and　full　of　hope；　like

you；　seems　to　me　horriblehorrible。　　In　mercy　promise　to　incur　no

risk　on　my　account；〃　she　said　passionately；　and　almost　wildly。



〃My　poor　little　friend；　how　needlessly　frightened　you　are！〃　he

said；　soothingly　and　gently。　　〃There；　I　will　promise　you　anything

that　a　man　of　honor　can。　　But　a　word　against　you；　Jennie　Burton；

touches　me　close；　very　close。　　As　said　the　Earl　of　Kent；　'It　invades

the　region　of　my　heart。'〃



She　looked　up　swiftly　and　questioningly；　and　then　a　sudden　crimson

suffused　her　face。　　With　a　strong　and　uncontrollable　instinct　she

appeared　to　shrink　from　him。



〃Kent　served　one　who　had　lost　the　power　to　make　return；〃　she　said；

shaking　her　head　sadly　as　she　turned　away。



〃Let　me　reply　with　Kent　again；〃　he　earnestly　responded。　　〃'You

have　that　in　your　countenance'in　your　character'which　I　would

fain　call　master'；　and　I　am　mastered；　nor　can　I　be　shaken　from　my

allegiance。　　I　can　at　least　imitate　Kent's　faithfulness；　if　not

his　obtrusiveness；　in　the　service　of　his　king。　　You　have　already

claimed　me　as　a　friend；　and　so　much　at　least　I　shall　ever　be。　　Let

me　win　more　if　I　can。〃



She　became　very　quiet　now；　and　looked　steadily　into　his　flushed；

eager　face　with　an　expression　of　sorrowful　regret　and　pain　that

would　have　restrained　him　had　a　ten…fold　stronger　and　more　impetuous

love　been　seeking　utterance；　and　by　a　gesture；　simple　yet　eloquently

impressive；　she　put　her　finger　to　her　lips。　　Then　giving　him　her

hand　she　said；　with　strong　emphasis：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　would　value　such　a　FRIEND　as　you　could　be　to　me

more　than　I　can　tell　you。〃



〃I　shall　be　to　you　all　that　you　will　permit；〃　he　said；　gently　yet

firmly。　　〃As　you　now　appear　I　could　as　soon　think　of　urging　my

clamorous　human　love　on　a　sad…eyed　saint　that　had　suffered　some

cruel　form　of　martyrdom　for　her　faith；　and　then；　as　the　legends

teach；　had　been　sent　from　heaven　among　us　mortals　upon　some　errand

of　mercy。〃



〃Your　words　are　truer　than　you　think；〃　she　replied；　the　pallor

deepening　in　her　face。　　〃I　have　suffered　a　strange；　cruel　form　of

martyrdom。　　But　I　am　not　a　saint；　only　a　weak　woman。　　I　would　value

such　a　friend　as　you　could　be　exceedingly。　　Indeedindeed；〃　she

continued　hesitatingly；　〃there　are　peculiar　reasons　why　I　wish

we　might　meet　as　friends　occasionally。　　If　you　knewif　you　knew

allyou　would　not　ask　to　be　more。　　Can　you　trust　one　who　is　clouded

by　sadness　and　mystery？〃



He　took　her　hand　in　both　of　his　and　answered；　〃Jennie　Burton；

there　could　no　greater　misfortune　befall　me　than　to　lose　my　faith

in　you。　　I　associate　you　with　all　that　is　most　sacred　to　me。　　Every

instinct　of　my　heart　assures　me　that　although　the　mystery　that

enshrouds　your　life　may　be　as　cold　as　death；　it　is；　as　far　as　you

are　concerned；　as　white　as　snow。〃



〃Yes；　and　as　far　as　another　is　concerned　also；〃　she　said

solemnly。　　〃Your　trust　is　generous；　and　I　am　very；　very　grateful。

Perhapspossibly　I　maysome　timetell　you；　for　you　risked　your

life　for　me；　andandthere　is　another　reason。　　But　I　have　never

spoken　of　it　yet。　　Good…night。〃



〃Stay；〃　he　said；　〃I　cannot　begin　being　a　true　friend　to　you　by

being　a　false　friend　to　another。　　I　am　ashamed　that　I　have　been　so

preoccupied　with　myself　that　I　have　not　spoken　of　it　before。　　Mr。

Stanton　resented　Sibley's　insulting　language　more　promptly　than　I

did。　　I　have　been　basely　accepting　a　gratitude　that　rightly　belongs

to　him；　and　I　assure　you　he　is　in　far　more　danger　from　Sibley　than

I　am。〃



Her　brow　contracted　in　a　sudden　frown；　and　there　was　something　like

irritation　in　her　tones　as　she　said：



〃Danger　again！　and　to　another；　for　my　sake！　　Must　I　be　tortured

with　fear　and　anxiety；　because　a　low　fellow；　true　to　his　nature；

will　be　scurrilous？　　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　continued；　with　a　sudden

flash　of　her　eyes；　〃are　you　and　Mr。　Stanton　quarrelling　with　Mr。

Sibley　on　your　own　account；　or　on　mine？　　From　henceforth　I　refuse

to　have　the　remotest　relation　to　such　a　quarrel。　　No　remarks　of

a　man　like　Sibley　can　insult　me；　and　hereafter　any　friend　of　mine

who　lowers　himself　to　resent　them；　or　has　aught　to　do　with　the

fellow；　will　both　wound　and　humiliate　me。〃



〃After　such　words；　Miss　Burton；〃　Van　Berg　answered　with　a　smile；

〃rest　assured　I　shall　avoid　him　as　I　would　a　pestilence。　　But

remember；　I　have　been　as　guilty　as　Stanton；　yes；　more　so；　for

Stanton　received　the　first　provocation；　and　he　is　naturally　more

impetuous　than　I　am。　　But　I　have　been　thanked；　as　well　as　warned

and　justly　rebuked。　　I　think；〃　he　added；　as　if　the　words　cost　him

an　effort；　〃　that　if　you　will　kindly　ask　Stanton　to　have　nothing

more　to　do　with　Sibley；　he　will　accede　to　your　wishes；　and　whatever

he　promises；　he　will　perform。〃



〃Is　your　friend；　then；　so　honorable　a　man？〃　she　asked。



〃He　is；　indeed；〃　replied　Van　Berg；　earnestly；　while　a　generous

flush　suffused　his　face；　〃a　true；　noble…hearted　fellow。　　He　shows

his　worst　side　at　once；　but　you　would　discover　new　and　good　traits

hin　him　every　day。〃



She　turned　away　with　a　low　laugh。　　〃Since　you　are　so　loyal　to　your

old　friend；〃　she　said；　〃I　think　you　will　prove　true　to　your　new

one。　　I　shall　put　Mr。　Stanton　to　the　test；　and　discover　whether　he

will　give　up　his　quarrel　with　Mr。　Sibley　for　the　sake　of　such　poor

thanks　as　I　can　give。　　Once　more；　good…night。〃



She　was　hastening　away；　when　he　seized　her　hand　and　said：



〃Why　do　you　go　with　averted　face？　　Have　I　offended　you？〃



She　trembled　violently。　　〃Please　do　not　look　at　me　so；〃　she　said；

falteringly。　　〃I　cannot　endure　it。　　Pity　my　weakness。〃



His　hand　tightened　in　its　warm　grasp；　and　the　expression　of　his

face　grew　more　ardent。



She　looked　up　with　a　sudden　flash　in　her　eyes；　and　said；　almost

sternly：



〃You　must　not　look　at　me　in　that　way；　or　else　even　friendship　will

be　impossible　and　we　must　become　strangers。　　Perhaps；　after　all；

this　will　be　the　wisest　course　for　us　both；〃　she　added；　in　a　gentler

tone。



He　dropped　her　hand；　but　said　firmly；　〃No；　Miss　Jennie；　you　have

given　me　the　right　to　call　you　my　friend；　and　I　have　seen　friendship

in　your　eyes；　and　friends　at　least　we　shall　be　till　the　end　of　time。

I　shall　not　say　good…night。　　I　shall　not　let　you　go　away　and　brood

by　yourself。　　I　have　learned　that　cheering　others　is　the　very　elixir

of　your　life；　so；　come　into　the　parlor。　　I　will　find　Stanton　and

our　friend　with　the　soprano　voice；　and　the　guests　of　the　house

shall　again　bless　the　stars　that　sent　you　to　us；　as　I　do　daily。〃



She　smiled　faintly　and　said：



〃I'll　join　you　there　after　a　little　while；〃　and　she　flitted　out

into　the　darkening　hall…way；　and　sought　her　room　by　a　side　stair。



A　few　moments　later　Stanton；　finding　the　object　of　his　thoughts　did

not　appear　among　the　guests　who　sought　to　escape　the　sultriness　of

the　evening　on　the　wide　piazzas　or　in　the　large；　spacious　parlor；

began　to　wander　restlessly　in　a　half…unconscious　search。　　A　servant

was　just　lighting　the　gas　in　the　small　and　remote　reception…room

as　he　glanced　in。　　The　apartment　was　empty；　and　no　echoes　of　the

words　just　spoken　were　lingering。



A　little　later　Miss　Burton　came　down　the　main　stair…way　in　her

breezy；　cheery　manner；　and　his　jealous　fears　were　quieted。



He　joined　her　at　once；　saying　that　it　was　the　unanimous　wish　that

she　should　give　them　some　music　again　that　evening。



She　would　join　with　him　and　others；　she　said；　and　her　manner　was

so　perfectly　frank　and　cordial；　so　like　her　bearing　towards　a　lady

friend　to　whom　she　next　spoke；　that　he　fairly　groaned　in　despair

of　touching　a　heart　that　seemed　to　overflow　with　kindness　toward

all。



Van　Berg　soon　appeared；　but　Miss　Burton；　on　this　occasion；　managed

that　the　singing　should　be　maintained　by　quite　a　large　group　about

the　piano；　and　on　account　of　the　sultriness　of　the　evening　the

service　of　song　was　brief。



While　Van　Berg　was　leading　a　hymn　that　had　been　asked　for　by　one

of　the　guests；　Miss　Burton　found　the　opportunity　of　saying；　〃Mr。

Stanton；　I　wish　to　thank　you　for　your　chivalric　defence　to…day　of

one　who　is　poor　and　orphaned。　　Mr。　Van　Berg　told　me　of　your　generous

and　friendly　course。　　Thus　far　I　can　believe　that　your　conduct　has

been　inspired　by　the　truest　and　most　manly　impulses。　　But　if　in

any　way　you　again　have　aught　to　do　with　Mr。　Sibley；　I　shall　feel

deeply　wounded　and　humiliated。　　I　refuse　to　be　associated　with　that

man；　even　in　the　remotest　degree。　　Your　delicate　sense　of　honor　will

teach　you　that　if　any　further　trouble　grows　out　of　this　affair　no

effort　on　your　part　can　separate　my　name　from　it。　　The　world　rarely

distinguishes　between　a　gentlemanly　quarrel　and　a　vulgar　brawl；

especially　where　one　of　the　parties　is　essentially　vulgar。　　As　a

gentleman　you　will　surely　shield　me　from　any　such　associations。〃



Stanton；　rememberi