a face illumined-第21部分

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keep　the　peace　between　you。〃



〃I　think　the　change　will　be　far　more　disagreeable　to　Miss　Mayhew

than　to　me。〃



〃You　are　very　polite　to　say　so。　　Good…night。〃



〃Well；〃　mused　Van　Berg；　when　left　to　himself；　〃I've　made　progress

to…day　after　a　fashion。　　We　have　been　quite　thoroughly　introducedin

fact　'thrown　together；'　as　fate　and　all　her　friends　will　have　it。

I　might　have　been　weeks　in　gaining　as　much　insight　into　her　character

as　circumstances　have　given　me　in　a　few　brief　hours。　　But　what

a　miserable　revelation　she　has　made　of　herselfcowardice　this

morningfraud　this　afternoon；　and　cold　selfishness；　that　can

amuse　itself　with　the　mortification　and　misfortunes　of　others；　this

evening。　　This　is　the　moral　side　of　the　picture。　　But　when　I　came

to　'speer'　around　to　see　whether　she　had　any　mind　or　real　culture；

the　exhibition　was　still　more　pitiable。　　Ye　gods！　that　a　girl　can

live　to　her　age　and　know　so　little　that　is　worth　knowing！　　She

knows　how　to　dressthat　is；　how　to　enhance　her　physical　beauty；

and　that；　I　admit；　is　a　great　deal。　　As　far　as　it　goes　it　is　well。

But　of　the　taste　of　a　beautiful　and；　at　the　same　time；　intellectual

and　highly　cultivated　woman；　she　has　no　conception；　with　her　it　is

a　question　of　flesh　and　blood　only。〃



〃I　wonder　if　it　will　ever　be　otherwise？　　I　wonder　if　her　marvellous

beauty；　which　is　now　like　a　budding　rose；　that　partly　conceals　the

worm　in　its　heart；　will　soon；　like　the　overblown　flower；　reveal

so　clearly　what　mars　its　life　that　scarcely　anything　else　will　be

noticed。　　What　a　fate　for　a　manto　be　tied　for　life　to　a　woman

who　will；　with　sure　gradation；　pass　from　at　least　outward　beauty

to　utter　hideousness！　　Beauty；　in　a　case　like　this；　is　but　a　mask

which　time　or　the　loathsome　fingers　of　disease　would　surely　strip

off；　and　then　what　an　object　would　confront　the　disenchanted　lover！

It　would　be　like　marrying　a　disguised　death's…head。　　Never　before

did　I　realize　how　essential　is　mental　and　moral　culture　to　give

value　to　mere　external　beauty。



〃And　yet　she　seems　to　have　a　kind　of　quickness　and　aptness。　　She　is

not　wanting　in　womanly　intuition。　　I　still　am　inclined　to　believe

she　has　been　dwarfed　by　circumstances　and　her　wretched　associations。

Her　mind　has　been　given　no　better　means　of　development　than

the　knowledge　of　her　beauty；　the　general　and　superficial　homage

that　it　always　receives；　the　little　round　of　thought　that　centres

about　self；　and　the　daily　question　of　dress。　　That's　narrowing　the

world　down　to　a　cage　large　enough　only　for　a　poll…parrot。　　If　the

bird　within　has　a　parrot's　nature；　what　is　the　use　of　opening　the

door　and　showing　it　larks　singing　in　the　sky？　　I　fear　that's　what

I'm　trying　to　do；　and　that　I　shall　go　back　to　my　fall　work　with　a

meagre　portfolio　and　a　grudge　against　nature；　for　mocking　me　with

the　fairest　broken　promise　ever　made。〃











Chapter　XIV。　　A　Revelation。









The　next　day　threatened　to　be　a　dreary　one；　for　the　rain　fell　so

steadily　as　to　make　all　sunny；　out…of…door　pleasures　impossible。

Many　looked　abroad　with　faces　as　dismal　and　cloudy　as　the　sky；

for　the　number　of　those　who　rise　above　their　circumstances　with　a

cheery　courage　are　but　few。　　Human　faces　can　shine；　although　the

sun　be　clouded；　but；　as　a　rule；　the　shadow　falls　on　the　face　also；

and　the　regal　spirit　succumbs　like　a　clod　of　earth。



The　people　came　straggling　down　late　to　breakfast　in　the　dark

morning；　and；　with　a　childish　egotism　that　considers　only　self　and

immediate　desires；　the　lowering　weather　which　meant　renewed　beauty

and　wealth　to　all　the　land；　was　berated　as　if　it　were　a　small　spite

against　the　handful　of　people　at　the　Lake　House。　　Van　Berg　heard

Ida　Mayhew　exclaiming　against　the　clouds　as　if　this　spite　were

aimed　at　herself　only。



〃Some　of　her　friends　might　not　venture　from　the　city；〃　she　said。



〃They　youths　are　not　venturesome；　then；〃　remarked　Stanton；　who

never　lost　an　opportunity　to　tease。



〃Of　course　they　don't　wish　to　get　wet；〃　she　pouted。



〃And　yet　I'll　wager　any　amount　that　they　are　not　of　the　'salt　of

the　earth'　in　any　scriptural　sense。　　Well；　they　had　better　stay

in　town；　for　this　would　be　an　instance　of　'much　ventured；　nothing

gained。'〃



〃You　remind　me　of　a　certain　fox　who　could　not　say　enough　hard　things

about　the　grapes　that　were　out　of　reach。　　But　mark　my　words；　Mr。

Sibley　will　come；　if　it　pours。〃



〃He　wouldn't　risk　the　spoiling　of　his　clothes　for　any　woman　living。〃



〃You　judge　him　by　yourself。　　Oh；　dear；　how　shall　I　get　through　this

long；　horrible　day！　　You　men　can　smoke　like　bad　chimneys　through

a　storm；　but　for　me　there　is　no　resource　to…day；　but　a　dull　novel

that　I've　read　once　before。　　Let　me　see；　I'll　read　an　hour　and

sleep　three；　and　then　it　will　be　time　to　dress　for　dinner。　　Oh；

good…morning；　Mr。　　Van　Berg；〃　she　says　to　the　artist　who　had　been

listening　to　her　while　apparently　giving　close　attention　to　Mrs。

Mayhew's　interminable　tirade　against　rainy　days；　〃I　have　just　been

envying　you　gentlemen　who　can　kill　stupid　hours　by　smoking。〃



〃I　admit　that　it　is　almost　as　bad　as　sleeping。〃



〃I　see　that　you　have　a　homily　prepared　on　improving　the　time；　so

I　shall　escape　at　once。〃



On　the　stairs　she　met　Miss　Burton；　who　was　descending　with　a　breezy

swiftness　as　if　she　were　making　a　charge　on　the　general　gloom　and

sullenness　of　the　day。



〃Good…morning；　Miss　Mayhew；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　glad　to　see　you　looking

so　well　after　the　severe　shaking　up　you　had　yesterday。　　You　would

almost　tempt　one　to　believe　that　rough　usage　is　sometimes　good　for

us。〃



〃I　have　no　such　belief；　I　assure　you。　　Yesterday　was　bad　enough；

but　to…day　promises　to　be　worse。　　I　was　going　to　make　up　a　boating

party；　but　what　can　one　do　when　the　water　is　overhead　instead　of

under　the　keel？〃



〃Scores　of　things；〃　was　the　cheery　reply。　　〃I'm　going　to　have　a

good　time。〃



〃I'm　going　to　sleep；〃　said　Ida；　passing　on。



〃Miss　Burton；〃　said　Stanton；　joining　her　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；

〃I　perceive；　even　from　your　manner　of　descending　to　our　lower　world；

that　you　are　destined　to　vanquish　the　dullness　of　this　rainy　day。

Don't　you　wish　an　ally？〃



〃Would　you　be　an　ally；　Mr。　Stanton；　if　you　saw　I　was　destined　to

be　vanquished？〃



〃Of　course　I　would。〃



〃Look　in　the　parlor　then。　　There　are　at　least　a　dozen　ladies

already　vanquished。　　They　are　oppressed　by　the　foul…fiend；　'ennui。'

Transfer　your　chivalric　offer　to　them　and　deliver　them。〃



〃Stanton；〃　laughed　Van　Berg；　〃you　are　in　honor　bound　to　devote

yourself　to　those　oppressed　ladies。〃



〃The　prospect　is　so　dark　and　depressing　that　I　shall　at　least　cheer

myself　first　with　the　light　of　a　cigar。〃



〃And　so　your　chivalry　will　end　in　smoke；〃　she　said。



〃Yes；　Miss　Burton；　the　smoke　of　battle；　where　you　are　concerned。〃



〃I　fear　your　wit　is　readier　than　your　sword。　　The　soldier　that

boasts　how　he　would　overwhelm　some　other　foe　than　the　one　before

him　loses　credit　to　the　degree　that　he　protests。〃



〃You　are　more　exacting；　Miss　Burton；　than　the　lady　who　threw　her

glove　down　among　the　lions。　　What　chance　would　Hercules　himself

have　of　lifting　those　twelve　heavy　females　out　of　the　dumps？〃



〃It's　not　what　we　do；　but　what　we　attempt；　that　shows　our　spirit。〃



〃Then　I　shall　expect　to　see　you　attempt　great　things。〃



〃I'm　only　a　woman。〃



〃And　I'm　only　a　man。〃



〃Only　a　man！　what　greater　vantage…ground　could　one　have　than　to　be

a　man？〃



〃The　advantage　is　not　so　uncommon　that　one　need　be　unduly　elated；〃

state　Stanton　with　a　shrug。　　〃I　forget　how　many　hundred　millions

of　us　there　are。　　But　I'm　curious　to　see　how　you　will　set　about

rendering　the　hues　of　this　leaden　day　prismatic。〃



〃Only　by　being　the　innocent　cause　of　your　highly　colored　language；

I　imagine。〃



〃Oh；　dear；〃　exclaimed　a　little　boy　petulantly；　as　he　strolled　through

the　hall　and　looked　out　at　the　steady　downfall　of　rain。　　〃Oh　dear！

Why　can't　it　stop　raining？〃



〃There's　the　philosophy　of　our　time　for　you　in　a　nutshell；〃　said

Van　Berg。　　〃When　a　human　atom　wants　anything；　what　business　has

the　universe　to　stand　in　its　way？〃



〃But　you　have　no　better　philosophy　to　offer　the　disconsolate　little

fellow；　Mr。　Ban　Berg？〃　Miss　Burton　asked。



〃Now；　Van；　it's　your　turn。　　Remember；　Miss　Burton；　he　has　the　same

vantage…ground　that　I　have。　　Indeed　he's　half　an　inch　taller。〃



〃The　world　long　ago　learned　better　than　to　measure　men　by　inches；

Mr。　　Stanton。〃



〃Alas；　Miss　Burton；〃　said　Van　Berg；　〃the　best　philosophy　I　have　is

this：　　when　it　rains；　let　it　rain。〃



〃And　thus　I'm　privileged　to　meet　representatives　of　those　two

ancient　and　honorable　schools；　the　Stoic　and　Epicurean；　and　you　both

think；　I　fear；　that　if　Xanthippe　had　founded　a　school；　my　philosophy

would　also　be　defined。　　But　perhaps　you　will　think　better　of　me　if

I　tell　that　little　fellow　a　story　to　pass　the　time　for　him。　　What's

the　matter；　little　folk？〃　she　asked；　for　two　or　three　more　small

clouded　faces　had　gathered　at　the　door。



〃Matter　enough；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃This　horrid　old　rain　keeps　us　in

the　house；　where　we　can't　do　anything　or　stay　anywhere。　　We　mustn't

play　in　the　parlor；　we　mustn't　make　a　noise　in　the　halls；　we　mustn't

run　on　the　piazzas。　　I'd　like　to　live　in　a　world　where　there　was

some　place　for　boys。〃



〃Poor　child；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　〃this　rain　is　as　bad　for　you　as

the　deluge　to　Noah's　dove；　it　has　left　you　no　refuge　for　the　sole

of　your　foot。　　Will　you　come　with　me？　　No　one　has　said　you　must

not　hear　a　jolly　story。〃



〃You　won't　tell　me　about　any　good　little　boys　who　died　when　they

were　as　big　as　I　am？〃



〃I'll　keep　my　wordit　shall　be　a　jolly　story。〃



〃May　we　hear　it　too？〃　asked　the　other　children。



〃Yes；　all　of　you。〃



〃Where　shall　we　go？〃



〃We　won't　disturb　any　one　in　the　far　corner　of　the　parlor　by　the

piano。　　If　you　know　of　any　other　litt