a face illumined-第74部分

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interest　in　you；　but　YOU　have　won　an　abiding　interest。　　You　have

been　generous　enough　to　forgive　me；　and　now　you　will　have　to　repel

me　resolutely；　to　prevent　my　being　your　friend。　　Indeed　I　shall　be

one　in　heart　hereafter；　even　though　you　may　not　permit　me　to　enjoy

your　society；　for　you　may　very　naturally　wish　to　shun　one　who　cannot

fail　to　remind　you　of　so　much　that　is　painful。　　As　for　your　story；

it　is　a　revelation　to　me。　　I　may　never　possess　your　happy　faith；

but　I　will　respect　it；〃　and　although　he　turned　hastily　away　she

could　not　fail　to　see　that　he　was　deeply　moved。



Mr。　Eltinge　received　the　young　man　with　some　surprise；　and　did

not　seem　to　regard　his　presence　as　altogether　welcome。　　The　artist

thought　to　disarm　the　old　gentleman　by　a　decided　manifestation　of

frankness　and　courtesy：



〃I　feel　that　in　a　certain　sense　I　am　an　intruder　in　your　beautiful

garden　to…day。　　Miss　Mayhew　met　me　on　the　road；　and　I　fear　I　must

own　that　I　had　the　bad　grace　almost　the　same　as　to　invite　myself

hither。　　At　least　she　saw　that　I　was　exceedingly　anxious　to　come。〃



〃Do　you　know　Miss　Mayhew's　motive　in　coming　hither？〃　asked　Mr。

Eltinge；　gravely。



〃I　do；　and　I　respect　it。〃



〃You　take　safe　ground　there；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Eltinge；　with　increasing

dignity。　　〃Christianity　is　at　least　respectable。　　But　do　you　believe

it　to　be　absolutely　true　and　binding　on　the　conscience？〃



The　artist　was　silent。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　resumed　the　old　gentleman；　with　a　gravity　that　tended

even　towards　sternness；　〃I　would　not　fail　in　any　act　of　courtesy

towards　you；　especially　her　at　my　own　home；　but　justice；　mercy；　and

truth　are　above　all　other　considerations。　　Both　you　and　I　know　this

child's　history　sufficiently　well　to　be　aware　that　it　is　a　dangerous

thing　to　exert　an　influence　at　random　on　human　lives。　　You　say

you　know　her　motive　in　coming　hither。　　Let　me　state　the　truth　very

plainly：　she　has　turned　her　face　heavenward；　she　is　taking　her　first

uncertain　steps　as　a　pilgrim　towards　the　better　home。　　In　justice

to　you　and　in　mercy　to　you　both　let　me　quote　the　words　of　him　before

whom　we　all　shall　stand；〃　and　placing　his　hand　on　Ida's　shoulder

he　repeated　with　the　aspect　of　one　of　God's　ancient　prophets　those

solemn　words　that　too　many　dare　to　ignore：　　〃'Whoso　shall　offend

one　of　these　little　ones　which　believe　in　me；　it　were　better　for

him　that　a　millstone　were　hanged　about　his　neck；　and　that　he　were

drowned　in　the　depth　of　the　sea。'　　Mr。　Van　Berg；　in　memory　of　the

past；　beware　lest　consciously　or　even　unconsciously；　through　your

indifference　to　her　faith；　you　lay　a　straw　in　this　child's　way。

The　weak　and　the　helpless　are　very　near　to　the　heart　of　God；　and

the　most　dangerous　act　a　man　ever　commits　is　when　he　causes　one　of

these　little　ones　to　offend。〃



Ida　trembled　beneath　her　friend's　hand　and　wished　she　had　not

permitted　the　artist　to　come；　but　the　young　man's　sincerity　and

good…breeding　enabled　him　to　pass　the　ordeal。　　Removing　his　hat；　he

replied　to　Mr。　　Eltinge　with　a　fine　blending　of　dignity　and　humility：



〃I　honor　you；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃for　your　faithfulness　to　the　one　who

has　come　to　you　for　counsel　and　in　a　certain　sense　for　protection；

and　I　condemn　myself　with　bitterness　that　you　will　never　understand；

that　I　wronged　her　in　my　thoughts　and　wounded　her　by　any　manner。　　I

am　eager　to　make　any　and　every　atonement　in　my　power。　　No　language

can　express　my　gladness　that　she　heard　and　heeded　your　words。

Pardon　me；　sir；　when　I　say　I　am　not　indifferent　to　her　faith。　　It

is；　indeed；　a　mystery　to　me；　but　a　noble　mystery　which　I　revere

from　the　fruits　that　I　have　already　witnessed。　　In　my　unpardonable

stupidity　and　prejudicein　a　Pharisaic　prideI　have　caused　Miss

Mayhew　to　offend。　　She　has　generously　forgiven　me。　　Myself　I　shall

never　forgive。　　If　she　will　honor　me　with　her　friendship　hereafter；

I　pledge　you　my　word　that　no　act　of　mine；　so　far　as　I　can　help　it；

shall　ever　cause　you　anxiety　for　one　in　whom　you　have　so　strong

and　natural　an　interest。〃



Mr。　Eltinge's　manner　changed　decidedly；　and　when　Van　Berg　concluded

he　extended　his　hand　and　said　cordially：



〃After　such　manly；　straightforward　words　I　can　give　you　the　right

hand　of　respect　and　confidence；　if　not　of　fellowship。　　To　tell　you

the　truth；　sir；　I　was　inclined　to　believe　that　my　little　friend

here　had　a　better　opinion　of　you　than　you　deserved；　but　now　I　can

welcome　you　instead　of　scolding　her　for　bringing　you。〃



At　the　reference　to　herself　Ida；　seemingly；　had　an　impulse　to　pluck

a　flower　that　was　blooming　at　a　little　distance。　　The　moment　he

was　unobserved　Van　Berg　seized　the　old　gentleman's　hand　and　said；

earnestly；　while　tears　sprang　to　his　eyes：



〃God　bless　you　for　the　words　you　spoke　to　that　poor　child。　　I　owe

you　more　than　she　does。　　You　have　saved　me　from　a　life　that　I　would

dread　more　than　death；〃　and　then　he；　too；　turned　away　hastily　and

pretended　to　be　very　busy　in　finding　the　materials　for　his　sketch。



Ida　returned　shyly；　and　it　would　seem　that　some　of　the　color　of

her　flower　had　found　its　way　into　her　cheeks。



〃Mr。　Eltinge；〃　she　said；　hesitatingly；　〃I　don't　believe　I　can　make

you　understand　how　much　I　would　like　a　picture　of　this　pear…tree

and　yourself　sitting　under　it　as　I　have　seen　you　for　the　past　two

days。　　I　must　admit　that　the　wish　to　have　such　a　sketch　was　one　of

the　motives　that　led　me　to　bring　Mr。　Van　Berg。〃　　Then　she　added；

with　deepening　color　still；　〃my　conscience　troubles　me　when　I　hear

Mr。　Van　Berg　condemn　himself　so　harshly。　　I　have　learned　that　I

misjudged　him　as　truly　as　he　did　me；　and　I　have　since　realized　how

sadly　both　facts　and　appearances　were　against　me。〃



〃Well；　Miss　Ida；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　musingly；　〃I　am　inclined

to　think　there　has　been　more　of　misunderstanding　than　of　intentional

and　deliberate　harshness。　　My　long　life　has　taught　me　that　it　is

astonishing　how　blind　we　often　are　to　the　thoughts　and　feelings

of　others。　　But　I　warn　everybody　to　be　careful　how　they　visit　this

old　garden；　for　it's　a　wonderful　place　for　bringing　out　the　truth。

Nature　is　in　the　ascendant　here；〃　and　he　looked　keenly　and　humorously

at　the　artist；　who　remained；　however；　unconscious　of　his　scrutiny；

for　his　eyes　were　following　Ida。　　She　had　suddenly　turned　her　back

upon　them　both　again；　and　was　soon　bending　over　the　little　brook

whose　murmur　he　faintly　heard。



〃These　allusions　to　the　past　are　all　painful　to　her；〃　he　thought；

〃and　she　refers　to　them　only　because；　as　she　says；　her　conscience

compels　her　to。　　It　must　be　my　task　to　make　her　forget　the　past　in

the　present　and　future。〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said；　returning；　〃you　have　visited　the　Jordan

I　believe；　but　I　doubt　whether　its　waters　did　you　more　good　than

that　little　brook　over　there　does　me。　　That's　right；〃　she　added；

looking　over　his　shoulder　at　the　outlines　he　was　rapidly　tracing；

〃I'm　glad　you　are　losing　no　time。〃



〃I　remember　the　condition　on　which　you　allowed　me　to　come；〃　he

replied；　looking　up　with　a　smile　into　her　face；　〃and　I've　already

learned；　as　Mr。　Eltinge　suggests；　that　nothing　will　do　in　this

garden　but　downright　honesty。〃　　Something　in　her　face　caused　his

eyes　to　linger；　and　he　added　hastily：　　〃You're　right　about　the

Jordan。　　The　brook　seems　much　more　potent；　for　apparently　it　has

washed　your　trouble　all　away；　but　has　leftwell　you　might　think

it　flattery　if　I　should　tell　you　all　I　see。　　this　garden　seems　to

contain　the　elixir　of　life　for　you；　Miss　Ida。　　My　heart　was　aching

to　see　how　pale　you　were　becoming；　but　here…〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　said　Ida；　abruptly；　〃will　you　pardon　a　suggestion？〃



He　looked　up　at　her　again　a　little　wonderingly　and　bowed。



〃There　has　been　a　sort　of　necessity；〃　she　resumed；　〃that　my　faulty

self　should　be　the　theme　of　our　conversation　to…day；　but　all　the

mystery　in　which　you　imagined　me　enveloped　must　have　vanished　since

you　came　here。　　I　now　must　ask　that　we　dwell　hereafter　on　more

agreeable　subjects　than　Ida　Mayhew。〃



〃I　must　bring　this　tendency　to　personal　allusions　to　an　end　at　once；〃

she　thought；　〃or　else　I　shall　betray　myself　to　my　bitter　mortification。〃



He　looked　up　with　a　deprecating　smile；　〃I　am　at　your　mercy；〃　he

replied；　〃and　as　I　said　before　I　will　submit　to　any　conditions。〃



〃This　is　an　easy　one；〃　said　Ida；　with　emphasis；　and　then　she　took

up　the　Bible　and　began　reading　to　Mr。　Eltinge；　who　from　his　seat

under　the　pear…tree　had　been　watching　them　with　a　pleased　and

placid　interest　on　his　serene　old　face。　　Their　young　life　appeared

beautiful　now；　and　full　of　hope　and　promise；　but　he　did　not　envy

it。　　The　prospect　before　him　was　better　than　the　best　that　earth

could　offer。



Van　Berg　never　forgot　the　hour　that　followed。　　His　pencil　was　busy

but　his　thoughts　were　busier。　　He　felt　his　artist　life　and　power

kindling　within　him　in　a　way　that　was　exhilarating　and　grand。　　While

his　themes　were　simple　he　felt　that　they　were　nobl