a face illumined-第81部分

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implicitly；　even　though　she　is　so　shrouded　in　mystery。　　What　the

mischief　is　the　matter　with　my　old　water…logged　heart　that　it　should

be　so　heavy　and　dumpish？〃



But　so　it　was。　　Jennie　Burton　smiled　on　him　and　others　as　brightly

as　ever；　and　yet　he　knew　her　heart　was　breaking；　for　she　was　growing

slighter　and　more　spirit…like　daily。　　His　desire　to　comfort　her；

however；　by　a　life…long　effort　ebbed　away；　till　he　was　cursing　himself

for　a　fickle；　cold…blooded　wretch。　　〃I　had　better　shut　myself　up

in　my　studio；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃I　may　make　a　painter；　but　I

never　will　anything　else；〃　and　early　on　Tuesday　he　went　doggedly

to　work　on　Mr。　Eltinge's　picture。



His　perplexed　and　jarring　thoughts　gradually　ceased　their　discord

as　he　became　absorbed　in　his　loved　and　familiar　tasks。　　Sweet　and

low　at　first；　and　in　the　faint；　broken　suggestion　of　his　kindling

fancy；　the　symphonic　poem　he　had　heard　in　the　garden　began　again；

but　at　last　his　imagination　made　it　almost　real。　　He　listened　once

more　to　Ida's　girlish；　plaintive　voice　blending　with　the　murmur　of

the　brook；　the　sighing　wind　and　rustling　leaves；　and　the　occasional

trill　of　a　bird。　　He　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　and　his　eyes　became

full　of　deep　and　dreamy　pleasure。　　Gradually　a　heavy　frown　contracted

his　brow；　and　his　face　grew　white　and　stern　as　he　repeated　words

that　she　once　had　spoken　to　him：　　〃I　meant　to　compel　your　respect；

and　I　thought　there　was　no　other　way。〃



〃Pharisee；　fool　that　I　was！　　If　I　had　been　kind　and　trustful　at

the　time　her　family　wronged　her；　she　would　not　now　shrink　from　me

as　if　I　summed　up　in　my　person　the　whole　of　that　wretched　experience。

Even　Stanton　appreciated　my　unutterable　folly；　for　he　said：　　〃You

looked　at　her　in　a　way　that　would　have　frozen　even　Jezebel　herself；〃

and　now　whenever　I　glance　towards　her　she　is　reminded　of　that

accursed　stare。　　Would　it　be　possible；　in　painting　her　likeness

for　Mr。　Eltinge；　to　make　her　face　so　noble；　womanly；　and　pure；　that

she　would　recognize　my　present　estimate　of　her　character；　and　so

forgive　me　in　very　truth？〃



The　care　and　earnestness　with　which　he　filled　in　the　outlines　of

his　sketch　proved　how　zealously　he　would　make　the　effort。　　In　the

afternoon　he　drove　over　to　the　garden　again；　and　made　a　careful

drawing　of　the　tree　and　of　Mr。　Eltinge　sitting　beneath　it；　for　Ida；

and　he　determined　to　go　to　the　city　the　following　day　the　he　might

avail　himself　of　the　resources　of　his　studio；　and　by　the　aid　of　this

hasty　sketch　make　as　fine　a　crayon　picture　as　would　be　possible；

before　her　return　on　Saturday。



The　old　gentleman's　heart　was　naturally　warm　towards　his　protege；

whom　they　both　missed　greatly；　and　he　spoke　of　her　often。　　He　could

not　help　noticing　that　the　artist　was　ever　an　excellent　listener

at　such　times　and　would　even　suspend　his　work　for　a　moment　that　he

might　not　lose　a　word。　　〃It　seems　to　me　he　takes　a　wonderful　deal

of　interest　in　her　for　a　man　who　is　seeking　to　engage　himself

to　another　lady；〃　mused　Mr。　Eltinge。　　〃I　think　the　other　lady　had

better　be　looking　after　him。〃



As　Van　Berg　approached　the　hotel；　he　saw　Miss　Burton　mounting　the

steps　with　a　quantity　of　ferns　in　her　hands。　　She　evidently　was

returning　from　a　long　ramble；　and　when　she　came　down　to　supper　he

saw　that　she　had　not　been　able　to　remove　wholly　all　traces　of　grief。

His　conscience　smote　him　sorely。　　He　hesitated　in　his　purpose

of　going　to　the　city；　and　determined　to　speak　of　it　frankly；　and

abandon　it；　if　she　showed；　even　by　the　expression　of　her　face；

that　she　would　prefer　he　would　remain；　but　he　found　himself　both

surprised　and　relieved　that；　so　far　from　manifesting　the　least

reluctance　to　have　him　go；　she　encouraged　the　plan。



〃You　have　a　noble　theme；〃　she　said　cordially；　〃and　you　can't　do

it　justice　in　the　room　of　a　summer　hotel。　　Besides　I　do　think　you

owe　it　to　Miss　Mayhew　to　make　all　the　amends　in　your　power；　and

a　fine　picture　of　that　emblematic　tree；　and　her　kind　old　friend

beneath　it；　may　be　of　very　great　help　to　her　in　her　new　life。　　I

hope　you　will　take　me　to　see　Mr。　Eltinge　on　your　return。〃



〃I'll　wait　over　a　day　and　take　you　there　to…morrow；〃　he　said

promptly。



〃No；〃　she　replied　decisively；　〃you　have　not　enough　time　as　it　is；

before　Saturday；　to　do　justice　to　your　work；　and　I　want　you　to　make

Miss　Mayhew's　friend　look　as　if　he　were　speaking　to　her。〃



〃Miss　Jennie；〃　said　the　artist　rather　impulsively；　〃you　haven't　a

drop　of　selfish　blood　in　your　little　body。〃



〃I　am　under　the　impression　that　Mr。　Van　Berg's　estimates　of　his　lady

acquaintances　are　not　always　correct。　　Not　that　I　was　any　wiser；

but　then　such　positive　assertions　seem　hardly　the　thing　from　people

who　have　shown　themselves　so　fallible。〃



〃I'm　right　for　once；〃　Van　Berg　insisted。　　〃Do　you　know　that　Miss

Mayhew　and　I　nearly　had　a　falling　out。　　Indeed　she　has　been　rather

cool　towards　me　ever　since；　and　you　were　the　cause。　　I　believed

with　absolute　certainty　that　the　new　Ida　Mayhew　that　I　had　learned

to　know　in　Mr。　　Eltinge's　garden　would　gravitate　towards　you　as

surely　as　two　drops　of　dew　run　together　when　brought　sufficiently

near；　and　I　began　to　speak　quite　enthusiastically　of　what　friends

you　would　surely　become；　when　Miss　Mayhew's　manner　taught　me　I　had

better　change　the　subject。　　Oddly　enough；　she　has　never　liked　you；

and　yet；　in　justice　to　her；　I　must　add　that　she　acted　conscientiously；

and　I　have　never　heard　one　lady　speak　of　another　more　favorably　and

sincerely；　than　she　spoke　of　you；　though　it　seemingly　cost　her　an

effort。〃



A　sudden　moisture　came　into　Jennie　Burton's　eyes；　and　she　said

under　her　breath：　　〃Poor　child！　that　was　noble　and　generous　of　her

to　speak　so　of　me。　　Oh；　how　blind　he　is！〃　　But　with　mock　gravity

she　answered　him：



〃Your　rather　sentimental　figure　of　speech；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　shows

where　your　error　lies。　　Miss　Mayhew　and　myself　are　not　pellucid

drops　of　dew　that　you　look　through　at　a　glance。　　We　are　women：　　and

the　one　thing　in　this　world　which　men　never　will　learn　to　understand

is　a　woman。　　I'm　going　to　puzzle　you　still　further。　　I　am　learning

to　have　a　very　thorough　respect　for　Miss　Mayhew。　　I　am　beginning　to

admire　her　exceedingly；　and　to　think　that　she　is　growing　exquisitely

beautiful；　and　yet　were　she　here　this　week　you　would　find　that　I

would　not　seek　her　society。　　Give　your　mind　to　your　art；　and　never

hope　to　untangle　the　snarl　of　a　woman's　mind。　　Men；　in　attempting

such　folly；　have　become　hopelessly　entangled。　　Take　a　woman's　word

for　itwhat　you　see　you　can't　reason　out。　　I've　no　doubt　but　that

Miss　Mayhew　has　excellent　reasons　for　disliking　me；　and　the　fact

that　you　can't　understand　them　is　nothing　against　them。〃



〃Miss　Jennie；〃　said　Van　Berg　resolutely；　〃for　once　I　cannot　take

your　word　for　it。　　You　two　ladies　have　puzzled　me　all　summer；　and

I'll　never　be　content　till　I　solve　the　mysteries　which　so　baffle

me。　　My　interest　is　not　curiosity；　but　friendship；　to　say　the

least；　that　I　hope　will　last　through　life。　　You　will　tell　me　some

day　all　your　trouble；　and　you　will　feel　the　better　for　telling　me。〃



She　became　very　pale　at　these　words；　and　said　gravely：　　〃I　cannot

promise　thatI　doubt　it。　　You　may　have　to　trust　me　blindly　till

you　forget　me。〃



〃I　do　not　trust　you　blindly；　I　never　will　forget　you；〃　he　began；

impetuously。



〃Good…night；　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said；　and　in　a　moment　he　was　alone

on　the　piazza。



〃She　is　an　angel　of　light；　he　muttered；　〃and　not　a　woman。　　I　could

worship　her；　but　I'm　too　earthy　in　my　nature　to　lover　her　as　I

ought。〃



He　took　the　earliest　train　to　New　York；　and　so　had　a　long　afternoon

in　his　studio。　　He　was　surprised　to　find　how　absorbed　he　soon　became

in　his　work。　　〃Miss　Jennie　is　right；〃　he　thought；　〃I'm　an　artist；

and　not　a　reformer　or　a　metaphysician；　and　I　had　better　spend　my

time　here　than　in　trying　to　solve　feminine　enigmas；〃　and　he　worked

like　a　beaver　until　the　fading　light　compelled　him　to　desist。

〃There；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　a　fair　beginning。　　Two　or　three　more

days　of　work　like　this　will　secure　me；　I　think；　a　friendlier　glance

than　Miss　Ida　gave　me　last。〃　　From　which　words　it　might　be　gathered

that　he　was　thinking　of　other　rewards　than　mere　success　in　his　art。



In　the　evening　the　wand　of　Theodore　Thomas　had　a　spell　which

he　never　thought　of　resisting；　and　it　must　be　admitted　that　there

lurked　in　his　mind　the　hope　that　Ida　and　her　father　might　be　drawn

to　the　concert　garden　also。　　If　so；　he　was　sure　he　would　pursue

his　investigations。



He　was　rewarded；　for　Mr。　Mayhew　and　his　daughter　soon　entered　and

took　seats　in　the　main　lobby；　where　he　and　Stanton　had　sat　nearly

three　months　before。　　Van　Berg　congratulated　himself　that　he　was

outside　in　the　promenade；　and　so　had　not　been　observed；　and　he　sought

a　dusky　seat　from　which　he　might　seek　some　further　knowledge　of　a

character　that　had　won　and　retained　a　deepening　interest　from　the

time