a face illumined-第41部分

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wouldn't　have　thought　that　such　a　man　as　you　have　found　Sibley　to

be　could　gain　so　great　a　hold　upon　her　feelings。　　But　law！　she'll

be　all　over　it　in　a　day　or　two。　　Nothing　lasts　with　Ida；　and　least

of　all；　a　beau。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Stanton；　bitterly；　〃she　is　disgracing　herself　and　all

related　to　her　by　her　inexcusable　folly　in　this　instance。　　Those

who　pretended　to　be　Sibley's　friends　at　dinner；　are　now　trying　to

win　a　little　respectability　by　turning　against　him；　and　the　story

of　his　behavior　is　circulating　through　the　house。　　All　will　soon

know　that　he　shot　at　Van　Berg；　and　that　he　made　insulting　remarks

about　Miss　Burton。　　It　will　appear　to　every　one　as　if　Ida　were

sulking　in　her　room　on　Sibley's　account；　and　people　are　usually

thought　to　be　no　better　than　their　friends。〃



〃Oh；　dear！〃　half　sobbed　Mrs。　Mayhew；　〃won't　you　go　up　to　her　room

and　show　her　the　consequences　of　her　folly？〃



〃No；〃　said　Stanton；　irritably；　〃not　to…night。　　I　know　her　too

well。　　She　will　take　no　advice　from　me　or　any　one　else　at　present。

To…morrow　I　will　have　one　more　plain　talk　with　her；　and　if　she

won't　listen　to　reason　I　wash　my　hands　of　her。　　Where　is　Uncle？〃



〃Don't　ask　me。　　Was　there　ever　a　more　unfortunate　woman？　　With　such

a　husband　and　daughter；　how　can　I　keep　up　appearances？〃



Stanton　walked　away　with　a　gesture　of　disgust　and　impatience。



〃Curse　it　all！〃　he　muttered；　〃and　their　shadows　fall　on　me　too。

What　chance　have　I　with　the　snow…white　maiden　I'd　give　my　life　for

when　followed　by　such　associations？〃











Chapter　XXX。　　The　Deliberate　Wooer　Speaks　First。









Mr。　Burleigh　was　one　of　those　fortunate　men　who　when　the　weather

is　rough　outsideas　was　often　the　case　in　his　callingcan　always

find　smooth　water　in　the　domestic　haven　of　a　wife's　apartment。　　Thus

Mrs。　　Burleigh　soon　learned　the　cause　of　his　perturbation；　and　as

she　knew　Jennie　Burton　would　hear　the　story　from　some　one　else；

could　not　deny　herself　the　feminine　enjoyment　of　being　the　first

to　tell　it；　and　of　congratulating　her　on　the　knightly　defender　she

had　secured；　for　the　quarrel　had　come　before　Mr。　Burleigh　in　such

a　form　as　to　make　Van　Berg　the　principal　in　the　affair。



Miss　Burton's　cheek　flushed　deeply　and　resentfully　as　she　heard

the　circumstances　in　which　her　name　had　been　spoken；　and　she　said

with　emphasis：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg　impressed　me　as　a　chivalric　man　from　the　first　day　of

our　meeting。　　But　I　wish　he　had　paid　no　heed　to　the　words　of　such

a　creature　as　Mr。　Sibley。　　That　his　life　was　endangered　on　my

account　pains　me　more　than　I　can　tell　you；〃　and　she　soon　grew　so

white　and　faint　that　Mrs。　Burleigh　made　her　take　a　glass　of　wine。



〃Death　seems　such　a　terrible　thing　to　a　young；　strong　man；〃　she

added；　shudderingly；　after　a　moment；　and　she　pressed　her　hands

against　her　eyes　as　if　to　shut　out　a　vision　from　which　she　shrank。

〃May　he　not　still　be　in　danger　from　this　ruffian's　revenge？〃　she

asked；　looking　up　in　sudden　alarm。



〃I'm　afraid　that　he　will　be；〃　said　Mrs。　Burleigh；　catching　the

infection　of　her　fears。　　〃I　will　have　Mr。　Burleigh　see　that　he　is

kept　away　from　this　place。〃



Soon　after；　as　Miss　Burton　was　passing　through　the　main　hall…way；

she　met　the　artist；　and　stepping　into　one　of　the　small　parlors　that

was　unoccupied；　she　said：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　wish　to　speak　with　you。　　I　wish　both　to　thank　you；

and　to　ask　a　favor。〃



〃Please　do　the　latter　only；〃　he　replied；　smiling。



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　resumed；　looking　into　his　face　with　an　expression

that　made　his　heart　beat　more　quickly；　〃your　life　was　endangered

on　my　account　this　afternoon。〃



〃That's　a　pleasant　thought　to　me；〃　he　said；　taking　her　hand；　〃that

is　if　you　are　not　offended　that　I　presumed　to　be　your　knight。〃



〃It　is　a　dreadful　thought　to　me；〃　she　answered；　earnestly；　then　in

a　strange　and　excited　manner　she　added：　　〃You　cannot　knowdeath

to　some　is　a　horrible　thingit　prevents　so　muchI've　knownlet

it　come　to　the　old　and　sadI　could　welcome　itbut　to　such　as

youO　merciful　Heaven！　　Grant　me；　please　grant　me；　the　favor　I

would　ask；〃　she　continued；　clinging　to　his　hand。　　〃They　say　this

man　Sibley　is　very　passionate　and　revengeful。　　He　may　still　try

to　carry　out　his　dreadful　purpose。　　Please　shun　him；　please　avoid

himin　mercy　do。　　I've　more　than　I　can　bear　now；　and　ifif〃

and　she　buried　her　face　in　her　hands。



〃And　can　my　poor　life　be　of　such　value　to　you；　Miss　Burton？〃　he

asked；　in　a　deep　low　tone。



〃Ah！　you　cannot　understand；〃　she　said；　with　a　sudden　and　passionate

gesture；　〃and　I　entreat　you　not　to　ask　me　to　explain。　　From　the

first　you　have　been　kind　to　me。　　I　have　felt　from　the　day　we　met

that　I　had　found　a　friend　in　you；　and　your　risk；　your　care　for　me

to…day；　gives　you　a　peculiar　claim　as　a　friend；　but　in　mercy　do

not　ask　me　to　explain　why　I　am　so　urgent　in　my　request。　　I　cannot；

indeed　I　cannotat　least　not　now；　in　this　place。　　Something

happenedSudden　death　in　one　young；　strong；　and　full　of　hope；　like

you；　seems　to　me　horriblehorrible。　　In　mercy　promise　to　incur　no

risk　on　my　account；〃　she　said　passionately；　and　almost　wildly。



〃My　poor　little　friend；　how　needlessly　frightened　you　are！〃　he

said；　soothingly　and　gently。　　〃There；　I　will　promise　you　anything

that　a　man　of　honor　can。　　But　a　word　against　you；　Jennie　Burton；

touches　me　close；　very　close。　　As　said　the　Earl　of　Kent；　'It　invades

the　region　of　my　heart。'〃



She　looked　up　swiftly　and　questioningly；　and　then　a　sudden　crimson

suffused　her　face。　　With　a　strong　and　uncontrollable　instinct　she

appeared　to　shrink　from　him。



〃Kent　served　one　who　had　lost　the　power　to　make　return；〃　she　said；

shaking　her　head　sadly　as　she　turned　away。



〃Let　me　reply　with　Kent　again；〃　he　earnestly　responded。　　〃'You

have　that　in　your　countenance'in　your　character'which　I　would

fain　call　master'；　and　I　am　mastered；　nor　can　I　be　shaken　from　my

allegiance。　　I　can　at　least　imitate　Kent's　faithfulness；　if　not

his　obtrusiveness；　in　the　service　of　his　king。　　You　have　already

claimed　me　as　a　friend；　and　so　much　at　least　I　shall　ever　be。　　Let

me　win　more　if　I　can。〃



She　became　very　quiet　now；　and　looked　steadily　into　his　flushed；

eager　face　with　an　expression　of　sorrowful　regret　and　pain　that

would　have　restrained　him　had　a　ten…fold　stronger　and　more　impetuous

love　been　seeking　utterance；　and　by　a　gesture；　simple　yet　eloquently

impressive；　she　put　her　finger　to　her　lips。　　Then　giving　him　her

hand　she　said；　with　strong　emphasis：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　would　value　such　a　FRIEND　as　you　could　be　to　me

more　than　I　can　tell　you。〃



〃I　shall　be　to　you　all　that　you　will　permit；〃　he　said；　gently　yet

firmly。　　〃As　you　now　appear　I　could　as　soon　think　of　urging　my

clamorous　human　love　on　a　sad…eyed　saint　that　had　suffered　some

cruel　form　of　martyrdom　for　her　faith；　and　then；　as　the　legends

teach；　had　been　sent　from　heaven　among　us　mortals　upon　some　errand

of　mercy。〃



〃Your　words　are　truer　than　you　think；〃　she　replied；　the　pallor

deepening　in　her　face。　　〃I　have　suffered　a　strange；　cruel　form　of

martyrdom。　　But　I　am　not　a　saint；　only　a　weak　woman。　　I　would　value

such　a　friend　as　you　could　be　exceedingly。　　Indeedindeed；〃　she

continued　hesitatingly；　〃there　are　peculiar　reasons　why　I　wish

we　might　meet　as　friends　occasionally。　　If　you　knewif　you　knew

allyou　would　not　ask　to　be　more。　　Can　you　trust　one　who　is　clouded

by　sadness　and　mystery？〃



He　took　her　hand　in　both　of　his　and　answered；　〃Jennie　Burton；

there　could　no　greater　misfortune　befall　me　than　to　lose　my　faith

in　you。　　I　associate　you　with　all　that　is　most　sacred　to　me。　　Every

instinct　of　my　heart　assures　me　that　although　the　mystery　that

enshrouds　your　life　may　be　as　cold　as　death；　it　is；　as　far　as　you

are　concerned；　as　white　as　snow。〃



〃Yes；　and　as　far　as　another　is　concerned　also；〃　she　said

solemnly。　　〃Your　trust　is　generous；　and　I　am　very；　very　grateful。

Perhapspossibly　I　maysome　timetell　you；　for　you　risked　your

life　for　me；　andandthere　is　another　reason。　　But　I　have　never

spoken　of　it　yet。　　Good…night。〃



〃Stay；〃　he　said；　〃I　cannot　begin　being　a　true　friend　to　you　by

being　a　false　friend　to　another。　　I　am　ashamed　that　I　have　been　so

preoccupied　with　myself　that　I　have　not　spoken　of　it　before。　　Mr。

Stanton　resented　Sibley's　insulting　language　more　promptly　than　I

did。　　I　have　been　basely　accepting　a　gratitude　that　rightly　belongs

to　him；　and　I　assure　you　he　is　in　far　more　danger　from　Sibley　than

I　am。〃



Her　brow　contracted　in　a　sudden　frown；　and　there　was　something　like

irritation　in　her　tones　as　she　said：



〃Danger　again！　and　to　another；　for　my　sake！　　Must　I　be　tortured

with　fear　and　anxiety；　because　a　low　fellow；　true　to　his　nature；

will　be　scurrilous？　　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　continued；　with　a　sudden

flash　of　her　eyes；　〃are　you　and　Mr。　Stanton　quarrelling　with　Mr。

Sibley　on　your　own　account；　or　on　mine？　　From　henceforth　I　refuse

to　have　the　remotest　relation　to　such　a　quarrel。　　No　remarks　of

a　man　like　Sibley　can　insult　me；　and　hereafter　any　friend　of　mine

who　lowers　himself　to　resent　them；　or　has　aught　to　do　with　the

fellow；　will　both　wound　and　humiliate　me。〃



〃After　such　words；　Miss　Burton；〃　Van　Berg　answered　with　a　smile；

〃rest　assured　I　shall　avoid　him　as　I　would　a　pestilence。　　But

remember；　I　have　been　as　guilty　as　Stanton；　yes；　more　so；　for

Stanton　received　the　first　provocation；　and　he　is　naturally　more

impetuous　than　I　am。　　But　I　have　been　thanked；　as　well　as　warned

and　justly　rebuked。　　I　think；〃　he　added；　as　if　the　words　cost　him

an　effort；　〃　that　if　you　will　kindly　ask　Stanton　to　have　nothing

more　to　do　with　Sibley；　he　will　accede　to　your　wishes；　and　whatever

he　promises；　he　will　perform。〃



〃Is　your　friend；　then；　so　honorable　a　man？〃　she　asked。



〃He　is；　indeed；〃　replied　Van　Berg；　earnestly；　while　a　generous

flush　suffused　his　face；　〃a　true；　noble…hearted　fellow。　　He　shows