a face illumined-第26部分

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some　reason　he　winced　under　it　and　wished　he　had　not　spoken。



When　she　dismissed　her　little　audience　there　were　traces　of　tears

on　some　of　the　children's　faces；　proving　that　she　could　tell

a　pathetic；　as　well　as　a　jolly　story；　and　Van　Berg　observed　with

interest　how　the　power　of　her　magnetism　kept　them　lingering　near

her　even　after　she　entered　the　parlor　and　sought　a　quiet　nook　near

the　old　gentleman　and　lady　to　whom　she　had　been　reading　the　previous

evening。



Mrs。　Chints；　who　liked　to　be　prominent　on　all　occasions；　very

proudly　felt　that　sacred　music　would　be　the　right　thing　on　Sabbath

evening；　and；　with　a　few　of　hew　own　ilk；　was　giving　a　florid　and

imperfect　rendering　of　that　peculiar　style　of　composition　that

suggests　a　poor　opera　while　making　a　rather　shocking　and　irreverent

use　of　words　taken　from　Scriptures。



Van　Berg　and　Stanton；　who　were　out　on　the　piazza；　were　ready　to

grate　their　teeth　in　anguish；　finding　the　narcotic　influence　of

the　strongest　cigar　no　match　for　Mrs。　Chints's　voice。



Suddenly　that　irrepressible　lady　spied　Miss　Burton；　and　she　swooped

down　upon　her　in　a　characteristic　manner；　exclaiming：



〃You　can't　decline；　you　needn't　say　you　don't；　I've　heard　you。　　If

you　sing　half　as　well　for　us　as　you　did　to　Mrs。　Burleigh's　baby

this　afternoon；　we'll　be　more　than　satisfied。　　Now　come；　one　sweet

solojust　one。〃



Stanton　craned　his　neck　from　where　he　sat　to　see　the　result　of　this

onslaught；　but　Miss　Burton　shook　her　head。



〃Well；　then；　won't　you　join　in　with　us？〃　persisted　Mrs。　Chints。

〃Sacred　music　is　so　lovely　and　appropriate　on　Sunday　night。〃



〃You　are　right　in　that　respect；　Mrs。　Chints。　　If　it　is　the　wish　of

those　present　I　think　some　simple　hymns　in　which　we　can　all　join

might　be　generally　enjoyed。〃



〃Now；　my　dear；　you　have　just　hit　it；〃　said　the　old　lady　at　her

side。　　〃I；　for　one；　would　very　much　like　to　hear　some　simple　music

like　that　we　had　when　I　was　young。〃



The　old　lady's　preference　was　taken　up　and　echoed　on　every　side。

Indeed　the　majority　were　ready　for　any　change　from　Mrs。　Chints's

strident　tones。



〃Well；　my　dear；〃　said　the　lady；　〃it　shall　be　as　you　say。〃　　Then　she

added；　〃sotto　voce；〃　with　a　complacent　nod；　〃I　suppose　the　music

we　were　giving　is　beyond　the　masses；　but　if　you　could　once　hear

Madame　Skaronni　render　it　in　our　choir　at　the　Church　of　the　（something

that　sounded　like　'pica…ninny；'　as　by　Mrs。　Chints　pronounced）　you

would　wish　for　no　other。　　Will　you　play；　my　dear？〃



〃Ah；　yes；　please　do；〃　exclaimed　some　of　the　children　who　had　gathered

around　her。



〃In　mercy　to　us　poor　mortals　for　whom　there　is　no　escape　save　going

to　bed；　please　comply；〃　whispered　the　old　lady　in　her　ear。



The　light　in　Miss　Burton's　eyes　was　mirthful　rather　than　sacred　as

she　rose　and　went　to　the　piano；　and　at　once　an　air　of　breezy　and

interested　expectancy　took　the　place　of　the　previous　bored　expression。



〃Come；　Van；〃　said　Stanton；　throwing　away　his　cigar；　〃we'll　need

your　tenor　voice。　　We　must　stand　by　that　little　woman。　　The　Chints

tribe　have　incited　to　profanity　long　enough；　and　shall　make　the

night　hideous　no　more。　　If　we　could　only　drown　them　instead　of　their

voices；　what　a　mercy　it　would　be！〃　　and　the　young　men　went　around

and　stood　in　the　open　door　near　the　piano。



〃You　are　to　sing；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　with　a　decided　little　nod　at

them。



〃We　intend　to；〃　replied　Stanton；　〃since　you　are　to　accompany　us。〃



She　started　〃Coronation；〃　that　spirited　and　always　inspiriting

battle　song　of　the　churchjubilant　and　militanta　melody　that　is

also　admirably　adapted　for　blending　rough　and　inharmonious　voices。



For　a　moment　her　own　voice　was　like　that　of　a　singing　lark；　mounting

from　its　daisy　covert；　or　rather；　like　the　flow　of　a　silver　rill

whose　music　was　soon　lost；　however；　in　the　tumultuous　rush　of　other

tributary　streams　of　sound；　still；　the　general　effect　was　good；　and

the　people　enjoyed　it。　　By　the　time　the　second　stanza　was　reached

the　majority　were　singing　with　hearty　good…will；　the　children

gathering　near　and　joining　in　with　delight。



Other　familiar　and　old…fashioned　hymns　followed；　and　then　one　and

another　began　to　ask　for　their　favorites。　　Fortunately　Mrs。　Chints's

knowledge　of　sacred　music　was　limited；　and　so　she　retired　on　the

laurels　of　having　called　Miss　Burton　out；　informing　half　the　company

of　the　fact　with　an　important　nod；　and　in　remembrance　of　this　fact

they　were　inclined　to　forgive　her　the　anguish　she　had　personally

caused　them。



Mrs。　Burleigh；　who　had　stolen　into　the　parlor　for　a　little　while

that　she　might　enjoy　the　singing；　remembered　that　she　had　a　pile

of　note…books　that　had　grown　dusty　on　a　shelf　since　the　baby　had

furnished　the　music　of　the　household。　　These　were　brought；　and

higher　and　fuller　musical　themes　were　attempted；　until　the　singers

dwindled　to　a　quartet　composed　of　a　lady　who　had　a　fair　soprano

voice；　Miss　Burton；　Stanton　and　Van　Berg。　　　Their　selections；　however；

continued　truly　sacred　in　character；　thus　differing　radically　from

the　florid　style　that　Mrs。　Chints　had　introduced。



The　sweet　and　penetrating　power　of　Miss　Burton's　voice　could　now

be　distinguished。　　For　some　reason　it　thrilled　and　touched　its

hearers　in　a　way　that　they　could　not　account　for。　　The　majority

present　at　once　realized　that　she　was　not；　and　never　could　become；

a　great　singer。　　But　within　the　compass　of　her　voice；　she　could

pronounce　sacred　words　in　a　manner　that　send　them　home　to　the　hears

of　the　listeners　like　rays　that　could　both　cheer　and　melt。



At　last　she　rose　from　the　piano；　remarking　that　there　were　other

musicians　present；　and　no　amount　of　persuasion　could　induce　her　to

remain　there　any　longer。



〃Perhaps　you　gentlemen　play；〃　she　said；　turning　to　the　young　men

who　were　about　to　depart。　　〃A　man's　touch　and　leadership　is　so　much

more　decisive　and　vigorous　than　a　lady's！〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg　plays　very　well　indeed；　considering　his　youth　and

diffidence！〃　remarked　Stanton。



〃And　he　has　been　taking　advantage　of　a　defenceless　woman　all　this

time！　　Mr。　Van　Berg；　if　you　do　not　wish　to　lose　your　character

utterly；　you　must　take　my　place　at　the　piano。〃



〃I　admit；〃　he　replied；　〃that　I　have　taken　more　pleasure　than　you

will　believe　in　your　in　your　contribution　to　our　evening's　enjoyment；

but　rather　than　lose　your　good　opinion　I　will　attempt　to　play　or

sing　anything　you　dictate；　even　though　I　put　every　one　in　the　parlor

to　flight；　with　their　fingers　in　their　ears。〃



〃And　you　fear　my　taste　will　impose　on　you　some　such　blood…curdling

combination　of　sounds？　　Thank　you。〃



〃Now；　Van；　you　have　taught　us　what　unconditional　surrender　means。

Miss　Burton；　ask　him　to　play　and　sing　some　selections　from　the

Oratorio　of　the　Messiah。〃



〃Are　you　familiar　with　that？〃　she　asked；　with　a　sudden　lighting　up

of　her　face。



〃Somewhat　so；　only　as　an　amateur　can　be；　but　I　see；　from　your

expression；　that　you　are。〃



〃I've　contributed　my　share　this　evening；〃　she　said；　decisively。

〃Please　give　us　some　selections　from　the　Oratorio。〃



〃Lay　your　command；　then；　on　Stanton　also。　　There's　a　part　that　we

have　sung　together　as　a　duet　occasionally；　although　it　is　not　'so

nominated　in　the　bond；'　or　score；　rather。〃



〃If　Mr。　Stanton　does　not　stand　by　his　friend；　then　he　should　be

left　to　stand　by　himself。〃



〃In　the　corner；　I　suppose　you　mean。　　But　do　not　leave；　Miss　Burton。

If　you　do　not　stand　by　Mr。　Van　Berg　and　sing　with　him　the　duet　that

begins　with　the　words





'O　death！　where　is　thy　sting？'





you　will　deprive　us　all　of　the　chief　pleasure　of　the　evening；　and

it's　not　in　your　nature　to　do　that。〃



〃Please；　please　do；　Miss　Burton；〃　cried　a　score　of　voices。



〃You　know　nothing　about　my　nature；　sir。　　I　assure　you　that　I　can

be　a　veritable　dragon。　　But　out　of　regard　for　Mr。　Van　Berg's　'youth

and　diffidence'　I　will　sustain　him。〃



Van　Berg's　voice　was　not　strong；　but　he　sang　with　taste　and　good

expression。　　It　suggested　refinement　and　culture　rather　than　deep；

repressed　feeling；　as　had　been　the　case　in　Miss　Burton's　singing。

His　style　would　be　admired；　and　would　not　give　much　occasion　for

criticism；　but；　as　a　general　thing；　it　would　not　stir　and　move　the

heart。　　Still；　the　audience　gave　close　and　pleased　attention。



Ida　Mayhew；　who　all　this　time　had　been　out　on　the　piazza　and　but

half　listening　to　Mr。　Sibley's　compliments　in　her　attention　to　the

scenes　at　the　piano；　now　rose　and　came　to　one　of　the　open　windows；

where；　while　hidden　from　the　singer；　she　could　hear　more　distinctly。

Her　features　did　not　indicate　that　she　shared　in　the　pleasure

expressed　on　the　other　faces　within；　and　her　gathering　frown　was

deepened　by　the　shadow　of　the　window　frame。



〃You　do　not　enjoy　it！〃　said　Mr。　Sibley；　complacently。



〃No；〃　she　answered；　laconically；　but　for　reasons　he　little　understood。



〃Now　you　show　your　taste；　Miss　Mayhew。〃



〃I　fear　I　do。　　Hush！〃　　But　when　Van　Berg's　solo　ended；　she　breathed

a　deep　sigh。



Then　Stanton's　rich；　but　uncultivated　bass　voice　joined　in　the

melody。　　Still　the　effect　was　better　tahn　would　have　been　expected

from　amateurs。　　After　a　few　moments；　Stanton　stood　back　and　Miss

Burton　and　Van　Berg　sang　together；　then　every　one　leaned　forward

and　listened　with　a　breathless　hush。　　Her　voice　seemed　to　pervade

his　with　sould　and　feeling　that　had　been　lacking　hitherto。



As　the　last　rich　chords　died　away；　the　strongest　expression　of

pleasure　were　heard　on　every　side；　but　Ida　Mayhew　stepped　abruptly

out　into　the　dusk　of　the　piazza　with　clenched　hands　and　compressed

lips。



〃'Peste！'〃　she　exclaimed　under　her　breath。　　〃What　a　contrast　between

Sibley　and　myself　last　evening　and　these　two　people　to…night！　　What

a　worse　contrast　there　might　have　been　if　Ik　had　not　interfered　in

time！　　I　have　a　good　voice；　but　the　guests　of　the　house　have　not

even　thought　of　me　in　conn