a face illumined-第4部分

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better　than　you　are；　Coz；　but　I　at　least　have　the　sense　to　appreciate

those　who　are　my　superiors。〃



〃So　have　I；　when　I　find　them；　I　am　beginning　to　think；　however；

that　you　men　are　very　much　alike。　　All　you　ask　is　a　pretty　face；

for　you　all　think　that　you　have　brains　enough　for　two。　　But　bring

your　paragon　and　introduce　him；　that　I　may　share　in　your　gaping

admiration。〃



〃You　would；　indeed；　my　dear　Coz；　yawn　over　his　conversation；　for

you　couldn't　understand　half　of　it。　　I　think　we　had　better　remain

where　we　are　till　your　shadow　returns　with　his　eyes　and　nose

slightly　inflamed。　　He　is　aware　of　at　least　one　method　of　becoming

a　spirited　youth；　it　seems。〃



〃A　man　who　is　worth　half　a　million　is　usually　regarded　as　rather

substantial；〃　she　retorted。



〃Yes；　but　in　this　case　the　money…bags　outweigh　the　man　too

ridiculously。　　For　heaven's　sake；　Coz；　do　not　make　a　spectacle　of

yourself　by　marrying　this　attenuation；　or　society　will　assert　there

was　a　regularly　drawn　bill　of　sale。〃



〃I　assure　you　that　I　do　not　intend　to　put　myself　under　any　man's

thumb　for　a　long　time　to　come。　　I　am　having　too　good　a　time；　and

that　reminds　me　that　I　would　enjoy　meeting　your　friend　much　more

than　listening　to　your　cynical　speeches。　　Did　I　not　know　that　you

were　like　my　little　King　Charlesall　bark　rather　than　biteI

wouldn't　stand　them；　and　I　won't　any　longer；　to…night。　　So　go　and

bring　your　great　embryo　artist；　or　he　will　become　one　of　the　old

masters　before　I　see　him。〃



〃I　fear　I　must　give　you　a　wee　bit　of　bite　this　time。　　I　have　offered

to　introduce　him　and　he　declines　the　honor。〃



〃How　is　that？〃　she　asked；　flushing　with　anger。



〃I　will　quote　his　words　exactly；　and　then　you　can　interpret　them

as　you　think　best。　　He　said；　'I　could　not　speak　civilly　to　a　lady

that　I　had　just　seen　giggling　and　flirting　through　one　of　Beethoven's

finest　symphonies。'〃



The　young　girl's　face　looked　anything　but　amiable　in　response　to

this　speech；　but；　after　a　moment；　she　tossed　her　head；　and　replied：



〃'N'importe'there　are　plenty　who　can　use　not　only　civil　words

but　complimentary　ones。〃



〃Yes；　and　the　mischief　of　it　is　that　you　will　listen　to　them　and

to　no　others。　　What　sort　of　muscle　can　one　make　who　lives　only　on

sugar…plums？〃



〃They　agree　with　me　better　than　the　vinegar　drops　you　and　your

unmannerly　friend　delight　in。　　I　don't　believe　he　ever　painted

anything　better　than　a　wooden　squaw　for　one　of　your　beloved

cigar…shopswelcome　back　Mr。　Minty。　　You　have　been　away　an

unconscionably　long　time。〃



〃Thanks　for　the　compliment　of　being　missed。　　I　have　tried　to　make

amends　by　ordering　a　'petit　souper'　for　three；　for　I　was　sure　your

cousin　would　join　us。　　It　will　be　brought　to　one　of　yonder　stalls；

where；　while　we　enjoy　it；　we　can　both　see　and　hear。〃



Surmising　that　the　viands　would　consist　of　the　choicest　delicacies

of　the　season；　Stanton　readily　accepted　the　invitation；　and　it　so

happened　that　the　cloth　was　laid　for　the　party　in　the　stall　next　to

that　in　which　Van　Berg　was　quietly　enjoying　a　cigar　and　a　frugal　glass

of　lager。　　They　took　their　places　quite　unaware　of　his　proximity；

and　he　listened　with　considerable　interest　to　the　tones　and　words

of　the　fair　stranger　who　had　so　unexpectedly　taken　possession　of

his　thoughts。　　Were　it　not　for　a　slight　shrillness　and　loudness　at

times；　and　the　fashionable　affectation　of　the　day；　her　voice　would

have　been　sweet　and　girlish　enough。　　As　it　was；　it　suggested　an

instrument　tuned　to　a　false　key　and　consequently　discordant　with

all　true　and　womanly　harmonies。　　Her　conversation　with　young　Minty

was　as　insipid　as　himself；　but　occasionally　Stanton's　cynical　banter

evoked　something　like　repartee　and　wit。



In　the　course　of　her　talk　she　said：　　〃By　the　way；　Ik；　mother　and

I　start　for　the　country　next　week。　　We　are　to　spend　the　summer　at

the　Lake　House；　which　is　up　the　Hudson　somewhereyou　know　where

better　than　I。　　If　you　will　bring　your　bays　and　a　light　wagon

I　shall　be　very　glad　to　see　you　there；　otherwise　I　shall　welcome

youwellas　my　cousin。〃



〃If　I　come　I　will　surely　bring　my　bays；　and　possibly　may　invite

you　to　drive　with　me。〃



〃Oh；　I　will　save　you　all　trouble　in　that　respect　by　inviting　myself；

when　so　inclined。〃



The　orchestra　was　now　about　to　give　a　selection　that　Van　Berg　wished

to　hear　to　better　advantage　than　he　could　in　his　present　position；

therefore；　unobserved　by　the　party　on　the　other　side　of　the　thin

partition；　he　returned　to　his　old　seat　in　the　main　hallway。　　Not

very　long　after；　Stanton；　with　his　cousin　and　Mr。　Minty；　entered

from　the　promenade；　and　again　Van　Berg　received　the　same　vivid

impression　of　beauty；　and；　with　many　others；　could　not　withdraw　his

eyes　from　the　exquisite　features　that　were　slightly　flushed　with

champagne　and　excitement。　　But；　as　before；　this　impression　passed

quickly；　and　the　face　again　became　as　exasperating　to　the　artist

as　the　visage　of　the　Venus　of　Milo　would　be　should　some　vandal　hand

pencil　upon　it　a　leer　or　a　smirk。　　A　heavy　frown　was　gathering　upon

his　brow　when　the　young　lady；　happening　to　turn　suddenly；　caught

and　fully　recognized　his　lowering　expression。　　It　accorded　only

too　well　with　her　cousin's　words　in　regard　to　Van　Berg's　estimate

of　herself；　and　greatly　increased　her　resentment　towards　the　one　who

had　already　wounded　her　vanitythe　most　vulnerable　and　sensitive

trait　in　her　character。　　The　flush　that　deepened　so　suddenly　upon

her　face　was　unmistakably　that　of　anger。　　She　promptly　turned　her

back　upon　her　critic；　nor　did　she　look　towards　him　again　until

the　close　of　the　evening。　　That　his　words　and　manner　rankled　in

her　memory；　however；　was　proved　by　a　slightly　preoccupied　manner；

followed　by　fits　of　gayety　not　altogether　natural；　and　chiefly　by

the　fact　that　she　could　not　leave　the　place　without　a　swift　glance

at　the　disturbing　cause　of　her　wonted　self…approval。　　But　Van　Berg

took　pains　to　manifest　his　indifference　by　standing　with　his　back

towards　her　when　she　knew　that　he　must　be　aware　of　her　departure；

from　her　slightly　ostentatious　leave…taking　of　her　cousin；　in　which；

of　course；　the　spoiled　beauty　had　no　other　object　than　to　attract

attention　to　herself。



As　Van　Berg；　with　his　friend；　was　passing　out　a　few　minutes　later；

he　asked　rather　abruptly；　showing　that　he　also　was　not　so　indifferent

as　he　had　pretended　to　be：



〃What　is　your　cousin's　name；　Stanton？〃



〃Her　name　is　as　pretty　as　herselfIda　Mayhew；　and　it　is　worse　than

a　disquieting　ghost　in　a　good　many　heads　and　hearts　that　I　know

of。　　Indeed　its　owner　has　robbed　men　that　I　thought　sensible；　not

only　of　their　peace；　but；　I　should　say；　of　their　wits　also。　　I　had

one　friend　of　whom　I　thought　a　great　deal；　and　it　was　pitiable　to

see　the　abject　state　to　which　the　heartless　little　minx　reduced

him。　　I　am　glad　to　find　that　her　witchery　has　no　spell　for　you；　and

that　you　detect　just　what　she　is　through　her　disguise　of　beauty。

'Entre　nous；'　Van；　I　will　tell　you　a　secret。　　I　was　once　over　ears

in　love　with　her　myself；　but　my　cousinly　relationship　enabled　me

to　see　her　so　often　and　intimately　that　she　cured　me　of　my　folly

on　homeopathic　principles。　　'Similia　similibus　curantur。'　　Even

the　blindness　of　love　could　not　fail　to　discover　that　when　one

subtracted　vanity；　coquetry；　and　her　striking　external　beauty　from

Ida　Mayhew；　but　little　was　left；　and　that　little　not　a　heavenly

compound。　　Those　who　know　her　least；　and　who　add　to　her　beauty

many　ideal　perfections；　are　the　ones　that　rave　about　her　most。　　I

doubt　whether　she　ever　had　a　heart；　if　so；　it　was　frittered　away

long　ago　in　her　numberless　flirtations。　　But　with　all　her　folly

she　has　ever　had　the　sense　to　keep　within　the　conventionalities　of

her　own　fashionable　'coterie；'　which　is　the　only　world　she　knows

anything　about；　and　whose　unwritten　laws　are　her　only　creed　and

religion。　　Her　disappointed　suitors　can　justly　charge　her　with

cruelty；　silliness；　ignorance；　and　immeasurable　vanity；　but　never

with　indiscretion。　　She　has　to　perfection　the　American　girl's

ability　to　take　care　of　herself；　and　no　man　will　see　twice　to　take

a　liberty　beyond　that　which　etiquette　permits。　　I　have　now　given

you　in　brief　the　true　character　of　Ida　Mayhew。　　It　is　no　secret；

for　all　who　come　to　know　her　well；　arrive　at　the　same　opinion。　　When

I　saw　you　had　observed　her　this　evening　for　the　first　time；　I　was

quite　interested　in　watching　the　impression　she　would　make　upon

you；　and　I　am　very　glad　that　your　judgment　has　been　both　good　and

prompt；　for　I　slightly　feared　that　your　love　of　beauty　might　make

you　blind　to　everything　else。〃



Stanton's　concluding　words　were　as　incense　to　Van　Berg；　for　he

prided　himself　in　no　slight　degree　on　his　even　pulse　and　sensible

heart；　that；　thus　far；　had　given　him　so　little　trouble；　and　he　therefore

replied；　with　a　certain　tinge　of　complacency　and　consciousness　of

security：



〃You　know　me　well　enough；　Ik；　to　be　aware　that　I　am　becoming　almost

a　monomaniac　in　my　art。　　A　woman's　face　is　to　me　little　more　than

a　picture　which　I　analyze　from　an　artistic　stand…point。　　A　MERELY

PRETTY　face　is　like　a　line　of　verse　of　musical　rhythm；　but　without

sense　or　meaning。　　This　is　bad　and　provoking　enough；　but　when

the　most　exquisite　features　give　expression　only　to　some　of　the

meanest　and　unworthiest　qualities　that　can　infest　a　woman's　soul；

one　is　exasperated　almost　beyond　endurance。　　At　least　I　am；　for　I

am　offended　in　my　strongest　instincts。　　Think　of　employing　stately

Homeric　words　and　measure　in　describing　a　belle's　toilet　table　with

its　rouge…pots；　false　hair；　and　other　abominations！　　Much　worse　is

it；　in　my　estimation；　that　the　features　of　a　goddess　should　tell

us　only　of　such　moral　vermin　as　vanity；　silliness；　and　the　egotism

of　a　poor　little　self　that　thinks　of　nothing；　and　knows　nothing

save　its　own　small　cravings。　　Pardon　me；　Ik；　I　am　not　speaking　of

your　cousin　bu