a face illumined-第47部分

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the　world　in　which　he　lived；　and　its　inhabitants。　　He　was　in　the

main；　however；　an　unknown　quantity　to　himself。











Chapter　XXXIV。　　Puzzled。









Tuesday　was　dreary　enough　to　more　than　one　at　the　Lake　House。

Clouds　covered　the　sky；　yet　they　gave　little　promise　of　the　rain

which　the　thirsty　earth　so　needed。　　To　Ida；　as　she　looked　out　late

in　the　morning；　they　seemed　like　a　leaden　wall　around　her；　shutting

off　all　avenues　of　escape。



Her　mother　joined　her　as　she　went　down　to　a　cold　and　dismal　breakfast；

long　after　all　the　other　guests　had　left　the　dining…room；　and　she

commenced　fretting　and　fuming；　as　was　her　custom　when　the　world

did　not　arrange　itself　to　suit　her　mood。



〃Everything　is　on　the　bias　to…day；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　most　of　all

from　your　appearance。　　I　wish　I　could　see　things　straightened　out

for　once。　　The　little　school…ma'am；　who　turns　everybody's　head；　is

sick　in　her　room；　and　did　not　come　down　to　breakfast。　　Therefore

we　had　a　Quaker　meeting。　　If　you　had　been　present　with　your　long

face；　the　occasion　would　have　been　one　of　oppressive　solemnity。　　Ik

appeared　as　dejected　as　if　he　were　to　be　executed　before　dinner；

and　scarcely　ate　a　mouthful；　I　never　saw　a　fellow　so　changed　in　all

my　life。　　Although　your　artist　friend　had　a　rapt；　absorbed　look；

he　was　still　able　to　absorb　a　good　deal　of　steak　and　coffee。　　I

saw　him　and　Miss　Burton　emerge　from　a　private　parlor　last　night；

and　he　probably　understands　Miss　Burton's　malady　better　than　the

rest　of　us。　　Whywhat's　the　matter？　　Would　to　heaven　I　understood

your　malady　better！　　Are　you　sick？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Ida；　rising　abruptly　from　the　table；　〃I　am　sicksick

of　myself；　sick　of　the　world。〃



〃Good　gracious！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Mayhew；　sharply；　〃are　you　so　wrapt

up　in　that　fellow　Sibley；　that　you　can't　live　without　him？〃



Ida　made　a　slight　but　expressive　gesture　of　protest　and　disgust；

then　said；　in　a　low　tone；　as　if　to　herself：　　〃If　my　own　mother　so

misjudges　me；　what　can　I　expect　of　others？〃



Mrs。　Mayhew　followed　her　daughter　to　her　room　with　a　perplexed　and

worried　look。



〃Ida；〃　she　began；　〃you　are　all　out　of　sorts；　you　are　bilious；　you've

got　this　horrid　malaria；　that　the　doctors　are　always　talking　about；

in　your　system。　　Let　me　send　for　our　city　physician；　Doctor　Betts。

Never　was　such　a　man　at　diagnosis。　　He　seems　to　look　right　inside

of　one　and　see　everything　that's　going　on　wrong。〃



〃For　heaven's　sake　don't　send　for　him　then！〃　exclaimed　Ida。



Mrs。　Mayhew　looked　askance　at　her　daughter　a　moment；　and　then　asked

bluntly：



〃Why？　　What's　going　on　wrong　in　you？〃



〃I　do　not　know　of　anything　that's　going　on　right；to　use　your　own

phraseology。〃



〃You　mean　to　say；　then；　that　there　is　something　wrong？〃



〃You　intimated　at　the　breakfast…table　that　everything　was　going

wrong。　　So　it　has　seemed　to　me；　for　some　time。　　But　come；　mother；

drugs　can't　reach　my　trouble；　and　so　you　can't　help　me。　　You　must

leave　me　to　myself。〃



〃I　think　you　might　tell　your　own　mother　what　is　the　matter；〃　whined

Mrs。　Mayhew。



〃I　think　I　might　also；〃　said　Ida；　coldly。　　〃It　is　not　my　fault　but

my　great　misfortune　that　I　cannot。〃



At　this　Mrs。　Mayhew　whimpered：　　〃You　are　very　cruel　to　talk　to　me

in　that　way。〃



〃I　suppose　I'm　everything　that's　bad；〃　Ida　answered　recklessly。

〃That　seems　to　be　the　general　verdict。　　Perhaps　it　would　be　best

for　you　all　were　I　out　of　the　way。　　I　can　scarcely　remember　when

I　have　had　a　friendly　look　from　any　one。　　Things　could　not　be　much

worse　with　me　than　they　are　now。　　I　think　I　would　like　a　change；

and　may　have　a　very　decided　one。〃　　Then　seizing　her　hat；　she　left

her　mother　to　herself。



Mrs。　Mayhew　sank　into　a　chair；　and　a　heavy　frown　gathered　on　her

brow　as　she　thought　deeply　for　a　few　moments。



〃That　girl　means　mischief；〃　she　muttered。　　〃I　wonder　if　she　is

holding　any　communication　with　Sibley？　　I　always　thought　Ida　would

take　care　of　herself；　but　she'll　bear　watching　now。　　She　hasn't

been　like　herself　since　she　came　to　this　place。　　I　must　consult

Ik　at　once。　　Things　are　bad　enough　now；　heaven　knows；　but　if　Ida

should　do　anything　disgraceful；　I'd　have　to　throw　up　the　game。〃　　（Mrs。

Mayhew　was　an　inveterate　card…player；　and　her　favorite　amusement

often　colored　her　thoughts　and　words。）



Stanton　was　found　smoking　and　pretending　to　read　a　newspaper　in

a　retired　corner　of　the　piazza；　but　from　which；　nevertheless；　he

could　see　whether　Miss　Burton　made　her　appearance　during　the　morning。



Mrs。　Mayhew　explained　her　fears；　and　the　young　man　used　very　strong

language　in　expressing　his　disgust　and　irritation。



〃A　curse　upon　it　all！〃　he　concluded。　　〃Since　she　must；　and　apparently

will　gratify　this　low　taste；　can　you　not　return　to　New　York；　patch

up　the　fellow　into　some　sort　of　respectability　and　marry　them　with

a　blare　of　brazen　instruments　that　will　drown　the　world's　unpleasant

remarks？〃



〃That　would　be　better　than　the　scandal　of　an　elopement；〃　mused

perplexed　Mrs。　Mayhew。　　〃From　what　you　say；　Sibley　is　bad　enough；

and　Ida　seems　reckless　enough　to　do　anything。　　I　wish　we　had　never

come　here。〃



〃So　do　I；〃　groaned　Stanton。　　〃No；　I　don't；　either。　　In　fact　I'm　in

a　devil　of　a　mess　myself。　　You　know　it；　and　I　suppose　all　see　it。

I　can't　help　it　if　they　do。　　My　passion；　no　doubt；　is　vain；　but

it's　to　my　credit。　　Ida's　is　disgraceful　to　herself　and　to　us　all。

If　I'd　been　here　alone　and　Van　Berg　had　not　come；　I　might　have

succeeded；　but　NOW〃and　with　a　despairing　gesture　he　turned　away。



〃Ik；　come　back；〃　cried　his　aunt；　〃of　course　I　feel　for　you。　　You

are　independent；　and　can　marry　whom　you　please；　though　heaven　knows

you　could　do　better　than…〃



〃Heaven　knows　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　he　interrupted；　irritably；　〃and

if　you　were　nearer　heavenbut　there；　what's　the　use。〃



〃You're　right　now；　Ik。　　We　can't　afford　to　quarrel。　　You　must

talk　to　Ida。　　We　must　watch　her。　　Find　out　if　you　can　what　is　in

her　mind；　and　if　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst；　they　will　have　to

be　married。　　I　suppose　it　will　be　wise　to　hint　to　her　that　if　she

WILL　marry　Sibley　she　had　better　do　it　in　as　respectable　and　quiet

a　way　as　possible。〃



〃The　idea　of　anything　being　respectable　and　quiet　where　they　are

concerned！〃　snarled　Stanton。



〃Well；　well；〃　groaned　Mrs。　Mayhew；　〃do　your　best。〃



But　Ida　was　not　to　be　found。



She　appeared　at　dinner；　however；　and　not　a　few　looked　at　her；

and　stole　furtive　glances　again　and　again。　　Among　these　observers

was　the　artist；　and　it　was　evident　that　he　was　both　perplexed　and

troubled。　　Was　this　cold；　marble…cheeked　woman　the　butterfly　that

had　fluttered　into　the　country　a　few　weeks　since？



〃She　may　be　a　bad　woman；〃　he　thought；　〃but　she　has　become　a　woman

in　the　last　few　days。　　She　looks　years　older。　　I　thought　her　shallow；

but　she's　too　deep　for　me。　　For　some　reason　I　can't　associate

that　face；　as　it　now　appears；　with　Sibley；　and　yet　it　is　so　full

of　mingled　pain　and　defiance；　that　one　might　almost　think　she

meditated　a　crime。　　She　looks　ill。　　She　is　illshe　is　growing

thin　and　hollow…eyed。　　What　a　magnificent　study　she　would　make　of

a　half…famished　captive；　or　of　beauty　chainednot　married　to　a

man　hateful　and　hated；　or；　possibly；　of　innocence　meditating　guilt；

and　yet　seeking　vainly　to　disguise　the　dark　thoughts　by　a　marble

mask。　　There　is　some　transforming　process　going　on　in　Ida　Mayhew's

mind；　and　from　her　appearance　I　rather　dread　the　outcome；　but　her

face　is　becoming　a　rare　study。〃



Although　with　the　exception　of　a　slight　response　to　his　formal

bow　she　had　sought　to　ignore　his　presence　and　to　avoid　his　eyes；

she　was　still　conscious　of　this　furtive　scrutiny；　and　it　hurt

her　cruelly。　　It　seemed　as　if　he　were　studying　her　as　one　might　a

peculiar　specimen。



〃His　critical　eyes　are　trying　to　look　into　me　heart　as　they　did

into　the　poor　little　rose…bud；〃　she　thought；　and　her　face　grew

more　rigid　and　inscrutable　under　his　gaze。　　as　early　as　possible

she　left　the　table。



〃I　wish　I　knew　just　what　her　trouble　was；〃　thought　the　artist。　　〃If

not　connected　with　that　wretch　Sibley；　I　could　pity　her　with　all

my　heart。　　Well；　take　all　the　good　the　gods　send；　I'll　sketch　her

face　this　afternoon　as　I　have　last　seen　it。〃



〃Your　cousin　begins　to　look　decidedly　ill；〃　he　said　to　Stanton；

after　dinner。



His　friend's　only　reply　was　an　imprecation。



〃Your　remark　is　emphatic　enough；　but　I　don't　understand　it　any

better　than　I　do　Miss　Mayhew。〃



〃It's　to　your　credit　you　don't。　　Her　mother　has　reason　to　believe

that　there　is　some　deviltry　on　foot　between　her　and　Sibley。　　I'm　to

find　out　and　thwart　her　if　I　can。　　I　suppose　I　shall　have　to　say；

in　substance：　　'Since　you　will　throw　yourself　away　on　the　fellow；

go　through　all　the　formalities　that　society　demands。　　In　such　case

your　family　will　submit；　if　they　can't　approve。　　You　see　I'm　frank

with　you；　as　I've　been　from　the　first。'　　Would　to　heaven　she　had

never　come　here；　and　now　　think　of　it　there　has　been　a　change　in

her　for　the　worse　ever　since　she　came。　　It　must　be　the　influence　of

that　cursed　Sibley。　　Some　women　are　fools　to　begin　with；　but　from

a　fool　infatuated　with　a　villain；　good　Lord　deliver　us！〃



〃You　fear　an　elopement　then？〃　said　Van　Berg；　his　face　darkening

into　his　deepest　frown。



〃I　fear　worse　than　that。　　Sibley　is　as　treacherous　as　a　quagmire。

If　a　woman　ventured　into　a　false　position　with　him　he　would　marry

her　only　when　compelled　to　do　so。　　I'm　savage　enough　to　shoot

them　both　this　afternoon。　　I　see　but　one　way　out。　　I　must　warn　her

promptly；　and　in　language　so　emphatic　that　she　will　understand　it；

that　everything　must　be　after　the　regulation　style。〃



Van　Berg　made　a　gesture　of　contempt；　but　said　to　his　friend：



〃Stanton；　I'm　sorry　for　you。　　Such　trouble　as　this　would　cut

me　deeper　than　any　other　kind。　　If　I　can　do　anything　to　help　you；

count　on