a face illumined-第39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！



better。　　I'm　so　out　of　patience　with　her　folly　that　I　can't　trust

myself　to　speak　of　her。〃



〃Stanton；〃　said　Van　Berg；　gloomily；　〃you　have　no　idea　of　the　regret

and　disquiet　which　that　girl　has　caused　me　as　an　artist。　　I　have

seen　her　features　now　for　weeks；　and　I　cannot　help　looking　at　them；

for　they　almost　realize　my　idea　of　perfection。　　But　the　associations

of　this　beauty　are　beginning　to　irritate　me　beyond　endurance。〃



〃It　was　a　motley　crowd　that　I　was　the　means　of　bringing　to　your

table；〃　said　Stanton；　with　an　oath；　〃and　I've　no　doubt　you　have

wished　us　all　away　many　times。〃



Van　Berg　laid　his　hand　on　his　friend's　arm；　and　looked　into　his

eyes。



〃Ik；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃I　was　your　friend　when　I　came　hereI　am

your　friend　still。　　If　I　cannot　love　you　better　than　I　do　myself；

you　must　forgive　me。　　But　I　shall　never　take　one　unfair　advantage

of　you；　and　I　recognize　the　fact　that　you　have　equal　rights　with

myself。　　Ik；　let　us　be　frank　with　each　other　this　once　more；　and

then　the　future　must　settle　all　questions。　　The　woman　we　both　love

is　too　pure　and　good　for　either　of　us　to　do　a　mean　thing　to　win　her。

Do　your　best；　old　fellow。　　If　you　succeed；　I　will　congratulate　you

with　an　honest　heart　even　thought　it　be　a　heavy　one。　　I　shall　not

detract　from　you　in　the　slightest　degree；　or　cease　to　show　for　you

the　thorough　liking　and　respect　that　I　feel。　　It　shall　simply　be

a　maiden's　choice　between　us　two；　and　you　know　it　is　said　that　the

heart　makes　this　choice　for　reasons　inexplicable　even　to　itself。〃



〃Van；　you　are　a　noble；　generous　fellow；〃　said　the　impulsive　Stanton；

grasping　his　friend's　hand。　　〃I　must　admit　that　you　have　been　a

fair　and　considerate　rival。　　Even　my　jealousy　could　find　no　fault。〃

Then　he　added；　in　deep　despondency：　　〃But　it　is　of　no　use。　　You

have　virtually　won　her　already。〃



〃No；〃　said　Van　Berg；　thoughtfully；　〃I　wish　you　were　not　mistaken；

but　you　are。　　There　is　something　in　her　manner　towards　me　at　times

which　I　cannot　understand；　but　I　have　a　conviction　that　I　have　not

touched　her　heart。〃



〃She　does　not　avoid　you　as　she　does　me；〃　said　Stanton；　moodily。



〃No；　she　accepts　my　society　much　too　frankly　and　composedly；〃　answered

Van　Berg　with　a　shrug。　　〃I　fear　that　I　can　join　her　anywhere　and

at　any　time　without　quickening　her　pulse　or　deepening　the　color

in　her　cheeks。　　Now；　Ik；　we　understand　each　other。　　Happy　the　man

who　wins；　and　if　you　are　the　fortunate　one；　I'll　dance　at　your

wedding；　and　no　one　shall　see　that　I　carry　a　thousand　pounds　weight；

more　or　less；　in　my　heart。〃



〃I　can't　promise　to　do　as　much　for　you；　Van；〃　said　Stanton；　trying

to　smile。　　〃I　could　not　come　to　your　wedding。　　In　fact；　Van；　II

hardly　know　what　I　would　dowhat　I　will　do。　　A　few　weeks　since

and　the　world　was　abundantly　satisfactory。　　Now　it　is　becoming　a

vacuum。　　I　fear　I　haven't　a　ghost　of　a　chance；　and　IIdon't　like

to　think　of　the　future。　　Ye　gods！　　What　a　change　one　little　woman

can　make　in　a　man's　life！　　I　used　to　laugh　at　these　things；　and

for　the　past　few　years　thought　myself　invulnerable。　　And　yet；　Van；〃

he　added　with　sudden　energy；　〃I　think　the　better　of　myself　that　I

can　love　and　honor　that　woman。　　Did　I　regard　her　now　as　I　supposed

I　would　when　you　first　uttered　your　half…jesting　prophecy；　what　a

base；　soulless　anatomy　I　would　be…〃



〃SACRE！　here　comes　Sibley　and　others　of　the　same　ilk；　gabbling　like

the　unmitigated　fools　that　they　are。〃



Van　Berg　turned　his　back　upon　the　advancing　party　in　an　unmistakable

manner；　and　Stanton　smoked　with　a　stolid；　impassive　face　that　had

anything　but　welcome　in　it。　　Sibley　was　just　sufficiently　excited

by　wine　to　act　out　recklessly　his　evil　self。



〃What's　the　matter；　Stanton？〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Your　phiz　is　as　long

as　if　the　world　looked　black　and　blue　as　a　prize…fighter's　eye。　　Is

Sunday　an　off　day　in　your　flirtation？　　Does　the　little　school…ma'am

take　after　her　Puritan　daddies；　and　say　'Hold　thy　hand　till　Monday？'

Get　her　out　of　the　crowd；　and　you'll　find　it　all　a　pretence。〃



Stanton　rose　to　his　feet；　but　was　so　quiet　that　Sibley　did　not

realize　the　storm　he　was　raising。　　Van　Berg　remained　on　the　ground

with　his　back　to　the　party；　but　was　smoking　furiously。



By　an　effort　at　self…control　that　made　his　voice　harsh　and　constrained；

Stanton　said；　briefly：



〃Mr。　Sibley；　I　request　that　you　never　mention　that　lady's　name　to

me　again　in　any　circumstances。　　I　request　that　you　never　mention

her　name　to　any　one　else　except　in　tones　and　words　of　the　utmost

respect。　　I　make　these　requests　politely；　as　is　befitting　the　day

and　my　own　self…respect；　but　if　you　disregard　them　the　consequences

to　you　will　be　very　serious。〃



〃Good　Lord；　Stanton！　has　she　treated　you　so　badly！　　But　don't　take

it　to　heart。　　It's　all　Yankee　thrift；　designed　to　enhance　her　value。

We　are　all　men　of　the　world　here；　and　know　what　women　are。　　If　it

is　true　every　man　has　his　price；　every　woman　has　a　smaller…〃



Before　he　could　utter　another　word　a　blow　in　his　face　from　Stanton

sent　him　sprawling　to　the　earth。　　He　sprang　up　and　was　about　to

draw　a　concealed　weapon；　when　his　companions　interfered　and　held

him。



〃I　shall　settle　with　you　for　this；〃　he　half　shouted；　grinding　his

teeth。



〃You　shall　indeed；　sir；〃　said　Stanton；　〃and　as　early；　too；　as　the

light　will　permit　to…morrow。　　Here　is　my　friend　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃

pointing　to　the　artist　who　stood　beside　him；　〃and　you　have　your

friends　with　you。　　You　must　either　apologize；　or　meet　me　as　soon

as　Sunday　is　past。〃



〃I'll　meet　you　now；〃　cried　Sibley；　with　a　volley　of　oaths。　　〃I　want

no　cowardly　subterfuge　of　Sunday。〃



Stanton　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　said　decidedly：



〃No；　I'm　not　a　blackguard　like　yourself；　and　out　of　respect　for　the

Sabbath　and　others　I　will　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　you　to…day；

but　I　will　meet　you　tomorrow　as　soon　as　it　is　light；〃　and　Stanton

turned　away　to　avoid　further　provocation。



Van　Berg　thus　far　had　stood　quietly　to　one　side；　but　his　face　had

that　white；　rigid　aspect　which　indicates　the　rare　but　dangerous

anger　of　men　usually　quiet　and　undemonstrative　in　their　natures。



〃Now　that　you　are　through；　Stanton；　I　have　something　to　say　concerning

this　affair；〃　he　began；　in　words　that　were　as　clean…cut　and　hard

as　steel。　　〃If　you　propose　to　give　this　fellow　a　dog's　whipping

to…morrow；　I　will　go　with　you　and　witness　the　well…deserved

chastisement。　　But　if　you　are　intending　a　conventional　duel；　I'll

have　nothing　to　do　with　it；　for　two　reasons。　　The　first　reason　this

fellow　will　not　understand。　　Dueling　is　against　my　principles；　and

he　knows　nothing　of　principle。　　But　even　if　I　accepted　the　old　and

barbarous　code；　I　should　insist　that　a　friend　of　mine　should　fight

with　a　gentleman；　and　not　a　low　blackguard。〃



〃You　use　that　epithet　again　at　your　peril；〃　hissed　Sibley；　advancing

a　step　towards　him。



Van　Berg　made　a　gesture　of　contempt　toward　the　speaker　as　he　turned

and　said：



〃You　understand　me；　Stanton；　it　is　not　from　any　lack　of　loyalty

toward　you　as　my　friend；　but　I　would　not　be　worthy　of　your　friendship

were　I　false　to　my　sense　of　duty　and　honor。〃



〃You　are　both　white…livered　cowards；〃　roared　Sibley。　　〃One　sneaks

off　under　cover　of　the　dayI　never　saw　a　fellow　taken　with　a

pious　fit　so　suddenly　before。　　The　other；　in　order　to　keep　his　skin

whole；　prates　of　his　dread　lest　his　principles　be　punctured。　　the

devil　take　you　both　for　a　brace　of　champion　sneaks；〃　and　he

turned　on　his　heel　and　was　about　to　stalk　away　with　a　grand　air　of

superiority；　when　Van　Berg　said；　emphatically：



〃Wait　a　moment；　I'm　not　through　with　you　yet。　　I　give　you　but　a　brief

half…hour　to　complete　your　arrangements　for　leaving　the　hotel。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Sibley；　turning　fiercely　upon　him。



〃I　mean；　sir；　that　your　presence　in　that　house　is　an　insult　to

every　lady　in　it；　which　I；　as　a　gentleman；　shall　no　longer　permit。

Curse　you；　had　you　no　mother　that　you　could　thus　insult　all　good

women　by　the　remark　you　made　a　few　moments　since？〃



Half　beside　himself　with　rage；　Sibley　drew　a　pistol；　but　before　he

could　aim　correctly　one　of　his　companions　struck　up　his　hand　and

the　bullet　whizzed　harmlessly　over　Van　Berg's　head。



There　was　a　faint　scream　from　the　house；　which　indicated　that　the

scene　had　been　witnessed　by　some　lady　there。



The　intense　passion　of　the　artist；　which　manifested　itself

characteristically；　held　him　unflinching　to　his　purpose。



〃So　you　can　be　a　murderer　also？〃　he　said；　scornfully。　　〃It　would

almost　compensate　a　man　for　being　SHOT；　if；　as　a　result；　you　could

be　HUNG。〃



Sibley's　companions　speedily　disarmed　him；　strongly　remonstrating

in　the　meantime。　　He；　in　sudden　revulsion；　began　to　realize　what

he　had　attempted；　and　his　flushed　face　became　very　pale。



〃Let　them　leave　me　alone；〃　he　growled　sullenly；　〃and　I'll　leave

them　alone。〃



〃For　Heaven's　sake；　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　cried　Sibley's　companions；　〃let

the　matter　end　here；　lest　worse　come　of　it。〃



In　the　same　steely；　relentless　tones；　which　made　very　word　seem

like　a　bullet；　Van　Berg　took　out　his　watch；　and　said：



〃It　is　now　four　o'clock；　sir。　　After　half…past　four；　you　must　not

show　your　libertine's　face　in　that　house　again；　while　there's　a

lady　in　it　that　I　respect。〃



〃Burleigh　is　proprietor　of　that　house；〃　replied　Sibley；　doggedly；

〃and　I'll　stay　up　the　entire　week；　just　to　spite　you。〃



〃Let　us　go　to　Burleigh；　then；〃　said　the　artist；　promptly。　　〃We　will

settle　this　question　at　once。〃



Sibley　readily　agreed　to　this　appeal　to　his　host；　fully　believing

that　he　would　try　to　smooth　over　matters　and　assure　Van　Berg　that

he　could　not　turn　away　a　wealthy　and　profitable　guest；　and　so；

without　further　parley；　they　all　repaired　to　Mr。　Burleigh's　private

office；　arousing　that　gentleman　from　an　afternoon　nap　to　a　state

of　mind　that　effectually　banished　drowsiness　for　the