a face illumined-第86部分

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powers！　if　here　isn't　more　books　than　I　can　carry；　on　one　subject。

I　suppose　cartloads　have　been　written　about　art。　　I've　no　doubt

he's　read　them　all；　but　I　never　can；　I　fear　my　attempt　to　read　up

is　like　trying　to　get　strong　by　eating　a　whole　ox　at　once。　　Oh；

why　did　I　waste　my　school…days；　and　indeed　all　my　life　as　I　have！〃

and　she　stamped　her　foot　in　her　impatience　and　irritation。



〃Well；〃　she　sighed　at　last；　with　a　grim　sort　of　humor；　〃I　must　do

the　best　I　can。　　It's　the　same　as　if　I　were　on　a　desert　island。　　I

must　tie　together　some　sort　of　a　raft　in　order　to　cross　the　gulf

that　separates　us；　for　I　never　can　stand　it　to　stay　here　alone。

Since　I　have　not　time　to　spare　I　may　as　well　commence　with　that

encyclopaedia；　and　learn　a　little　about　as　many　things　as　possible；

then　if　he　introduces　a　subject　he　shall　at　least　see　that　I　know

what　he　is　talking　about。〃　　And　during　the　afternoon　the　poor

girl　plodded　through　sever　articles；　often　recalling　her　wandering

thoughts　by　impatient　little　gestures；　and　by　the　time　her　father

returned　she　was　conscious　of　knowing　a　very　little　indeed　about　a

number　of　things。　　〃No　matter；〃　she　thought；　compressing　her　lips；

〃I　won't　give　up　till　I　must。　　It's　my　one　chance　for　happiness

in　this　world；　and　I'll　cling　to　it　while　there　is　a　shred　of　hope

left。〃



It　was　with　an　eager　and　resolute　face　that　she　confronted　her

father　that　evening；　as　they　sat　down　to　dinner。　　He　thought　she

would　descant　on　her　experiences　of　the　morning；　and　he　was　anxious

for　a　chance　to　say　how　truly　he　appreciated　Mr。　Van　Berg's　cordial

manner；　but　she　surprised　him　by　asking　abruptly：



〃Father；　when　do　we　elect　another　president？〃



He　told　her；　and　then　followed　a　rapid　fire　of　questions　about　the

general　and　state　government；　and　the　names　and　characters　of　the

men　who　held　the　chief　offices。　　At　last　Mr。　Mayhew　laid　down　his

knife　and　fork　in　his　astonishment；　and　asked　sententiously：



〃How　long　is　it　since　you　decided　to　go　into　politics？〃



Ida's　laugh　was　very　reassuring；　and　she　said；　〃Poor　father！　　I

don't　wonder　you　think　I've　lost　my　wits；　now　that　I'm　trying　to

use　the　few　I　have。　　Don't　you　see？　　I　don't　know　anything　that's

worth　knowing。　　I　wasted　my　time　at　school；　for　my　head　was　full

of　beaux；　dress；　and　nonsense。　　Besides；　I　don't　think　my　teachers

took　much　pains　to　make　me　understand　anything。　　At　any　rate；　my

dancing…master；　and　perhaps　my　music…teachera　little　bitare

the　only　ones　that　have　any　reason　to　be　proud　of　the　result。　　Now

I　want　you　to　brush　up　your　ideas　about　everything；　so　you　can

answer　the　endless　questions　I　am　going　to　ask　you。〃



〃Why　bless　you；　child；　you　take　away　my　breath。　　Rome　wasn't　built

in　a　day。〃



〃The　way　they　built　Rome　will　never　answer　for　me。　　I　must　grow　like

one　of　our　Western　cities　that　has　a　mayor　and　opera…house　almost

before　the　Indians　and　wolves　are　driven　out　of　town。　　Speaking　of

Rome　reminds　me　how　little　I　know　of　that　city；　and　it's　a　burning

shame；　too；　for　I　spent　a　month　there。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Mayhew；　with　kindling　interest；　〃suppose　we　take

up　a　course　of　reading　about　Rome　for　the　winter。〃



〃For　the　winter！　　That　won't　do　at　all。　　Can't　you　tell　me　something

of　interest　about　Rome　this　evening？〃



〃I've　already　mentioned　the　interesting　factthat　it　wasn't　built

in　a　day。　　I　think　that's　the　most　important　thing　that　you　need

to　know　about　Rome　and　everything　else　this　evening。　　Why；　Ida；

you　can't　become　wise　as　an　ostrich　makes　its　supperby　swallowing

everything　that　comes　in　its　way。　　You　are　not　a　bit　like　an

ostrich。〃



〃An　ostrich　is　a　silly　bird　that　puts　its　head　under　the　sand　and

thins　its　whole　great　body　hidden　because　it　can't　see　itself；

isn't　it；　father？〃



〃I've　heard　that　story　told　of　it；〃　replied　Mr。　Mayhew；　laughing。



〃Anything　but　an　ostrich；　then。　　Come；　I'll　read　the　evening　paper

to　you　on　condition　you　tell　me　the　leading　questions　of　the　day。

What　is　just　now　the　leading　question　of　the　day？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Mayhew；　demurely；　but　with　a　sparkle　of　humor

in　his　eye；　〃one　of　the　leading　questions　of　this　day　with　me　has

been　whether　Mr。　Van　Berg　would　not　enjoy　dining　with　us　to…morrow

evening　now　that　he　is　here　alone　in　the　city？〃



Ida　instantly　held　the　newspaper　before　her　crimson　face　and　said：



〃Father；　you　ought　to　be　ashamed　thus　to　divert　my　mind　from　the

pursuit　of　useful　knowledge。〃



Her　father　came　to　her　side　and　said　very　kindly：　　〃Ida；　darling；

you　are　a　little　bit　like　an　ostrich　now。〃



She　sprang　up；　and；　hiding　her　face　on　his　shoulder；　trembled　like

a　leaf。　　〃Oh；　father；〃　she　whispered；　〃I　would　not　have　him　know

for　the　world。　　Is　it　so　very　plain？〃



〃Not　to　him；　my　child；　but　the　eyes　of　a　love　like　mine　are　very

keen。　　So　you　needn't　be　on　your　guard　before　your　old　father　as

you　must　be　before　him　and　the　world。　　You　shall　have　only　rest　and

sympathy　at　home　as　far　as　I　can　give　them。　　Indeed；　if　you　will

let　me；　I'll　become　a　very　unobtrusive；　but　perhaps；　useful　ally。

At　any　rate；　I'll　try　not　to　make　any　stupid；　ignorant　blunders。

I　have　like　Mr。　Van　Berg　from　the　first　hour　of　our　meeting；　and

I　would　thank　God　from　the　depths　of　my　heart　if　this　could　be。〃



〃Dear；　good　father；　how　little　I　understood　you。　　I've　been　living

in　poverty　over　a　gold　mine。　　But　father；　I'm　so　ignorant　and　Mr。

Van　Berg　knows　everything。〃



〃Not　quite；　you'll　find。　　He's　only　a　man；　Ida。　　But　you　can　never

win　him　through　politics　or　by　discussing　with　him　the　questions

of　the　day。　　These　are　not　in　your　line　nor　his。〃



〃What　can　I　do；　father。　　Indeed；　it　does　not　seem　to　me　maidenly

to　do　anything。〃



〃It　would　not　be　maidenly；　Ida；　to　step　one　hair's　breadth　beyond

the　line　of　scrupulous；　womanly　delicacy；　and　by　any　such　course

you　would　only　defeat　and　thwart　yourself。　　A　woman　must　always

be　sought；　and　as　a　rule；　she　loses　as　she　seeks。　　But　I　strust　to

your　instincts　to　guide　you　here。　　You　have　only　to　be　simple　and

true；　as　you　have　been　since　the　happy　miracle　that　transformed

you。　　Unless　a　man　is　infatuated　as　Ibut　no　matter。　　A　man　that

keeps　his　sense　welcomes　truthfulnessa　high　delicate　sense　of

honorabove　all　things　in　a　woman；　for　it　gives　him　a　sense　of

security　and　rest。　　By　truthfulness　I　do　not　mean　the　indiscreet

blurting　out　of　things　that　good　taste　would　leave　unsaid；　but

clear…eyed　integrity　that　hides　no　guile。　　Then；　again；　unless

a　man　is　blinded　by　passion　or　some　kind　of　infatuation　he　knows

that　the　chief　need　of　his　life　is　a　home　lighted　and　warmed　by　an

unwavering　love。　　With　these　his　happiness　and　success　are　secured；

as　far　as　they　can　be　in　this　world；　unless　he　is　a　brute　and　a

fool；　and　has　no　right　to　exist　at　all。　　But　I　am　growing　preachy。

Let　me　suggest　some　things　that　I　have　observed　in　this　artist。　　He

is　a　high…toned　pagan　and　worships　beauty；　but　with　this　outward

perfection　he　also　demands　spiritual　loveliness；　for　with　him　mind

and　honor　are　in　the　ascendant。　　He　admired　you　immensely　from　the

first；　and　since　your　character　has　been　growing　in　harmony　with

your　face　he　has　sought　your　society。　　So；　be　simple；　true；　and

modest；　and　you　will　win　him　if　the　thing　is　possible。　　You　will

never　win　him　by　being　anything　else；　and　you　might　lose　your　own

respect　and　his　too。〃



〃I'll　suffer　anything　rather　than　that；　father。　　I　think　you　had

better　not　invite　him　to…morrow　evening。〃



〃I'll　be　governed　by　what　I　see　to…morrow；〃　he　replied；　musingly。

〃Both　my　business　and　my　habit　of　mind　have　taught　me　to　observe

and　study　men's　motives　and　impulses　very　closely。　　You　could　order

a　suitable　dinner　after　leaving　the　studio；　could　you　not？〃



〃Yes；　father。〃



〃Well；　then；　my　Princess　Ida；　I'll　be　your　grand　vizier；　and　I'll

treat　with　this　foreign　power　with　such　a　fine　diplomacy　that　he

shall　appreciate　all　the　privileges　he　obtains。　　But　we　will　keep

our　self…respect　hereafter；　Ida；　and　then　we　can　look　the　world　in

the　face　and　ask　no　odds　of　it。〃



〃Yes；　father；　let　us　keep　that　at　all　events。　　And　yet　I'm　only　a

woman。〃



〃You　are　the　woman　that　has　made　me　happy；　and　I　think　there　is

another　man　who　will　want　to　be　made　happy　also。　　And　now　we　will

defer　all　other　questions　of　the　day；　for　I　must　go　out　for　a　time。

Do　not　think　I　undervalue　your　craving　for　information；　and　you

shall　have　it　as　fast　as　you　can　take　care　of　it。　　You　have　grown

pale　and　thin　this　summer；　but　I　do　not　expect　you　to　become　plump

and　rosy　again　in　a　day。〃



〃Oh；　I'm　rosy　too　often　as　it　is。　　Why　is　it　that　girls　must　blush

so　ridiculously　when　they　don't　want　to？　　That's　the　question　of

the　day　for　me。　　I　could　flirt　desperately　in　old　times；　and　yet

look　as　demure　and　cool　as　if　I　were　an　innocent。　　But　now；　oh！

I'm　fairly　enraged　with　myself　at　times。〃



〃They　say　blushes　are