a face illumined-第17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！



only　a　plain　school…teacher。　　Why　should　you　envy　her？〃



〃I　do　not　envy　her；　nor　can　I　see　why　people　are　so　carried　away

with　her。〃



〃It　IS　remarkable　to　see　what　an　impression　she　has　made　in　two

brief　days。　　Of　course　her　courage　in　saving　the　child　served　as

a　general　and　favorable　introduction；　but　it　does　not　by　any　means

explain　her　growing　popularity。　　For　some　reason　or　other　those

about　her　always　seem　to　be　having　a　good　time。　　See　how　animated

and　pleased　is　the　expression　of　all　the　faces　at　her　table　yonder。

It　was　the　same　on　the　croquet…ground　this　morning。　　She　effervesced

like　champagne；　and　before　we　knew　it　we　were　all　in　a　state　of

exhilaration　and　the　morning　had　gone。〃



〃I　hate　these　bold；　forward　women　who　are　quick　to　become　acquainted

with　every　one。　　A　man　of　this　type　is　bad　enough；　but　a　woman　is

unendurable。〃



〃I　agree　with　you　in　the　abstract　most　heartily；　but　the　only　bold

thing　that　I　have　seen　Miss　Burton　do　was　to　run　under　the　feet

of　my　horses。　　You　might　as　well　call　a　ray　of　sunshine　bold　and

forward；　and　people　like　sunshine　when　it　is　as　nicely　tempered　as

her　manner　is。　　I　confess　that　when　I　first　learned　who　she　was；　and

before　I　had　met　her　personally；　I　was　greatly　prejudiced　against

her；　but　one　would　have　to　be　a　churl　indeed　to　remain　proof　against

her　genial　good…nature。　　For　my　part　I　intend　to　enjoy　it；　as　I　do

all　the　other　good　things　the　gods　throw　in　my　way。〃



〃The　gods　would　indeed　be　careless　to　leave　any　good　things　within

your　reach；　unless　they　were　meant　for　you；〃　snapped　Ida。



〃Good　for　you；　Coz；　your　ride　with　Van　Berg　has　already　brightened

you　up。　　There　is　no　telling　what　you　might　not　become　if　you

would　only　associate　with　men　who　had　sufficient　brains　not　to　grow

spooney　over　your　pretty　face。〃



As　Ida　and　her　mother　passed　out　on　the　piazza；　Van　Berg　joined

them　and　said：



〃I　am　glad　to　see　that　you　have　so　fully　recovered；　Miss　Mayhew。

You　prove　again　that　you　possess　good　strong　nerves。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　young　lady；　laconically；　and　with　a　sudden

accession　of　color。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　began　Mrs。　Mayhew　with　great　animation；　〃I'm

excessively　thankful　that　you　happened　to　be　on　the　road；　and　that

the　stage　overtook　you　this　morning。　　It　was　so　fortunate　that

I　almost　think　it　providential。　　How　dreadful　it　would　have　been

if　Ida　had　been　alone　in　such　frightful　peril！　　I　cannot　tell　you

also　how　delighted　I　am　that　my　daughter　behaved　so　beautifully。

Indeed；　I　must　confess　that　I　am　agreeably　surprised；　for　Ida　was

never　famous　for　her　courage。　　Your　own　manner　must　have　inspired

confidence　in　her；　and　now　that　you　have　been　so　fortunately　THROWN

TOGETHER；　I　trust　you　may　be　better　friends　in　the　future。〃



Miss　Mayhew's　rising　color　deepened　into　an　intense　scarlet；　and；

as　she　turned　away　to　hide　her　confusion；　she　could　not　forbear

shooting　a　wrathful　glance　at　the　artist。　　He　had　sufficient

self…control　not　to　change　a　muscle；　or　to　appear　in　the　slightest

degree　aware　of　the　embarrassment　caused　by　her　mother's　words；

and　especially　the　use　of　the　phrasegrown　to　be　most　hateful　from

its　associationsthat　so　vividly　recalled　to　the　incensed　maiden

the　anomalous　position　in　which　she　found　herself　at　the　end　of

her　perilous　morning　ride。



〃You　ladies　differ　favorably　from　us　men；〃　said　Van　Berg；　quietly。

〃You　rise　to　meet　an　emergency　by　an　innate　quality　of　your　sex；

whereas；　in　our　case；　if　our　native　strength　is　not　equal　to　the

occasion　we　fall　below　it　as　a　matter　of　course。〃



〃Oh；　that　accounts　for　Ida's　coming　off　with　such　flying　colorsshe

rose　to　meet　the　emergency。　　I　hope；　however；　she　will　EMBRACE

no　more　such　opportunities　of　showing　her　couragewhy！　Ida；　what

IS　the　matter？　what　have　I　said？〃　but　the　young　lady；　with　face

inflamed；　vanished　in　the　direction　of　her　room。



〃Well；　this　IS　strange；〃　remarked　the　lady　with　a　sharp　glance　of

inquiry　at　the　artist；　who　still　managed　to　maintain　an　expression

of　lamb…like　innocence。　　〃I　do　believe　the　poor　child　is　ill；　and；

now　I　think　of　it；　she　has　not　acted　like　herself　for　several　days；〃

and　she　sought　her　daughter　with　hasty　steps。



But　the　young　lady　did　not　go　to　her　room；　being　well　aware　that

her　mother　would　soon　follow　for　the　explanation　which　she　could

not　give。　　Therefore；　taking　a　side　corridor；　she　joined　some

acquaintances　on　another　piazza。











Chapter　XI。　　A　〃Tableau　Vivant。〃









〃Miss　Mayhew；　will　you　please　step　here？〃　said　a　very　fashionably

dressed　lady。



Turning；　Ida　saw　near　her　the　mother　of　the　child　that　had　been

rescued　the　previous　day。　　She；　with　her　husband；　had　been　talking

very　earnestly　to　Mr。　Burleigh；　the　proprietor　of　the　house；　who

seemed　in　rather　a　dubious　state　of　mind　over　some　proposition　of

theirs。



〃Miss　Mayhew；　we　want　your　opinion　in　regard　to　a　certain　matter；〃

began　the　lady　volubly。　　〃Of　course　I　and　my　husband　feel　very

grateful　to　the　young　woman　who　saved　our　child　from　your　cousin's

horses　yesterday。　　Indeed；　my　husband　feels　so　deeply　indebted　that

he　wishes　to　make　some　return　and　I　have　suggested　that　he　present

her　with　a　check　for　five　hundred　dollars。　　I　learn　from　Mr。　Burleigh

that　she　is　a　teacher；　and　therefore；　of　course；　she　must　be　poor。

Now；　in　my　view；　if　my　husband　or　some　other　gentleman　should　present

this　check　in　the　parlor；　with　an　appropriate　little　speech；　it

would　be　a　nice　acknowledgment　of　her　act。　　Don't　you　think　so？〃



〃I　do　not　think　I　am　qualified　to　give　an　opinion；〃　said　Ida；　〃as

I　have　no　acquaintance　with　the　lady　whatever。〃



〃I'm　sure　it　will　be　just　the　thing　to　do；〃　said　the　lady；　becoming

more　infatuated　with　her　project　every　moment。　　〃Do　you　think　your

cousin　would　be　willing　to　make　the　speech？〃



At　this　suggestion　Ida　laughed　outright。　　〃The　idea；〃　she　said；

〃of　my　cousin　making　a　speech　of　any　kind；　or　in　any　circumstances！〃



〃Now　I　think　of　it；〃　persisted　the　lady；　〃Miss　Burton　and　Mr。　Van

Berg　sit　at　the　same　table；　and　he　seems　better　acquainted　with　her

than　any　of　the　gentlemen。　　He's　the　one　to　make　the　speech；　only

I　do　not　feel　that　I　know　him　well　enough　to　ask　him。　　Do　you；　Miss

Mayhew？〃



〃Indeed　I　do　not；〃　said　the　young　lady；　decisively；　〃I　am　the　last

one　in　the　house　to　ask　any　favors　of　Mr。　Van　Berg。〃



〃Well；　then；　Mr。　Burleigh　can　explain　everything　and　ask　him。〃



〃Really　now；　Mrs。　Chints〃for　such　was　the　lady's　name〃I　don't

quite　believe　that　Mr。　Van　Berg　would　approve　of　giving　Miss　Burton

money　in　public；　and　before　anything　further　is　done　I　would　like

to　ask　his　judgement。　　It　all　may　be　eminently　proper；　as　you

say；　and　I　would　not　like　to　stand　in　the　way　of　the　young　lady's

receiving　so　handsome　a　present；　and　would　not　for　the　world　if　I

thought　it　would　be　agreeable　to　her；　but　there　is　something　about

her　that…〃



〃I　have　it；〃　interrupted　the　positive…minded　lady；　unheeding　and

scarcely　hearing　Mr。　Burleigh's　dubious　circumlocution；　and　she　put

her　finger　to　her　forehead　for　a　moment　in　an　affected　stage…like

manner；　as　if　her　ideas　of　the　〃eternal　fitness　of　things〃　had

been　obtained　from　the　sensational　drama。　　〃I　have　it：　　the　child

himself　shall　hand　her　the　gift　from　his　own　little　hand；　and　you；

Mr。　Chints；　can　say　all　that　need　be　said。　　It　will　be　a　pretty

scene；　a　'tableau　vivant。'　　Mr。　Chints；　come　with　me　before　the

young　woman　leaves　her　present　favorable　position　near　the　parlor

door。　　Mr。　Burleigh；　your　scruples　are　sentimental　and　groundless。

Of　course　the　young　woman　will　be　delighted　to　receive　in　one

evening　as　much；　and　perhaps　more；　than　her　whole　year's　salary

amounts　to。　　Come；　Mr。　Chints；　Mr。　　Burleigh；　if　you　wish；　you　may

group　some　of　your　friends　near；〃　and　away　she　rustled；　sweeping

the　floor　with　her　silken　train。



Mr。　Chints　lumbered　after　her　with　a　perplexed　and　martyr…like

expression。　　He　was　a　mighty　man　in　Washington　Market；　but　in　a

matter　like　this　he　was　as　helpless　as　a　stranded　whale。　　The　gift

of　five　hundred　dollars　did　not　trouble　him　in　the　least；　he　could

soon　make　that　up；　but　taking　part　in　a　〃tableau　vivant〃　under　the

auspices　of　his　dramatic　wife　was　like　being　impaled。



〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Burleigh；　shaking　his　head；　〃I　wash　my　hands　of

the　whole　matter。　　Five　hundred　dollars　is　a　snug　sum；　but　I　doubt

if　that　little　woman　takes　it。　　I'm　more　afraid　she'll　be　offended

and　hurt。　　What　do　you　think；　Miss　Mayhew？〃



〃I've　no　opinion　to　offer；　Mr。　Burleigh。　　These　people　are　all

comparative　strangers　to　me。　　Mrs。　Chints　is　determined　to　have

her　own　way；　and　nothing　that　you　or　I　can　say　would　make　any

difference。　　My　rule　is　to　let　people　alone；　and　if　they　get　into

scrapes　it　sometimes　does　them　good；〃　and　she　left　him　that　she

might　witness　the　Chints'　tableau。



〃That's　just　the　difference　between　you　and　Miss　Burton；〃　muttered

Mr。　Burleigh；　nodding　his　head　significantly　after　her。　　〃She'd

help　a　fellow　out　of　a　scrape　and　you'd　help　him　into　one。　　Well；

if　the　old　saying's　true；　'Handsome　is　that　handsome　does；'　the

little　school…teacher　would　be　the　girl　for　me　were　I　looking　for

my　mate。〃



On　her　way　to　the　entrance　of　the　main　parlor；　Ida　stopped　a　moment

at　an　open　window　near　the　corner　where　Stanton　and　Van　Berg　were

smoking。



〃Cousin　Ik；〃　she　said；　'sotto　voce。'



He　rose　and　joined　her。



〃If　you　wish　to　see　a　rich　scene；　hover　near　the　entrance　of　the

main　parlor。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃



〃I've　learned　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Chints；　and　possibly　your　favorite

new　performer；　Miss　Burton；　are　going　to　act　a　little　comedy

together：　come　and　see；〃　and　she　vanished。



〃Van；〃　said　Stanton　in　a　vexed　tone；　〃there's　some　mischief　on　foot；〃

and　he　mentioned　what　his　cousin　had　said；　adding：　　〃Can　Ida　have

been　putting　that　brassy　Mrs。　C