a face illumined-第49部分

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arrange　the　matter　after　the　fashion　of　the　day！　　Out　of　regard

for　your　family；　go　through　all　the　regular　formalities。〃



She　started　violently　and　then　leaned　back　in　her　chair　as　if　she

were　faint；　and　half　stunned　by　a　blow。　　He　regarded　her　manner　as

evidence　of　guilt；　or；　at　least；　of　proposed　criminal　imprudence

on　her　part；　and　went　on　still　more　plainly：



〃If　you　can't　exist　without　Sibleywhy；　marry　him；　but　see　to　it

that　there　is　a　plenty　of　priest；　altar；　and　service；　for　you　know；

or　you　ought　to；　that　he's　a　man　who　can't　be　trusted　a　hair's

breadth。〃



She　averted　her　face　still　farther；　and　said　in　a　low　constrained

tone：



〃My　family；　then；　consent　that　I　should　marry　Mr。　Sibley？〃



〃No；　we　submit　to　the　marriage　as　an　odious　necessity；　on　condition

that　you　put　the　whole　matter　into　your　mother's　hands　and　allow

her　to　arrange　everything　according　to　society's　requirements。〃



〃Please　let　me　understand　you；〃　she　said　in　a　lower　voice。　　〃My

family　offer　to　submit　to　the　marriage　as　a　dire　necessity　lest　my

relations　with　Mr。　Sibley　cover　them　with　a　deeper　shame？〃



〃Well；　in　plain　English；　yes。〃



〃It　is　indeed　extraordinarily　plain　Englishbrutally　plain。　　And

doesdoes　Mr。　Van　Berg　share　in　your　estimate　of　me？〃



Her　manner　and　words　began　to　puzzle　Stanton；　and　he　remembered

the　artist's　question〃Are　you　absolutely　sure　that　Sibley　is　the

cause　of　her　trouble？〃　　He　thought　that　perhaps　it　might　be　good

policy　to　contrast　the　two　men。



〃To　be　frank；〃　he　replied；　〃I　think　Mr。　Van　Berg　has　both　wished

and　tried　to　think　well　of　you。　　He　admired　your　beauty　immensely；

and　sought　to　find　something　in　your　character　that　corresponded　with

it。　　Even　after　your　studied　rudeness　to　him；　your　open　preference

of　Sibley's　society　to　his；　and　your　remark　explaining　your　course；

'congenial　society　or　none　at　all'〃　（Ida　fairly　groaned　as　he

recalled　her　folly）；　〃he　tried　to　treat　you　politely。　　That　you

should　refuse　the　society　of　a　gentleman　like　my　friend　for　the

sake　of　such　a　low　fellow　as　Sibley；　is　to　us　all　a　disgusting　and

fathomless　mystery。　　The　belief　that　you　could　throw　yourself　and

your　rare　beauty　into　this　abominable　slough；　was　so　revolting　to

Van　Berg；　that　he　never　would　wholly　accept　of　it　until　to…day。〃



She　rose　to　her　feet　and　turned　upon　him。　　Her　eyes　were　fairly

blazing　with　indignation；　and　her　face　was　white　and　terrible

from　her　anger。　　In　tones　such　as　he　had　never　heard　any　woman　use

before；　she　said：



〃But　to…day　you　have　succeeded　in　satisfying　him　that　this　is　not

only　possible；　but　the　most　natural　thing　for　me　to　do。　　You　have

told　him　that　my　family　will　submit　to　my　marriage　with　a　loathsome

wretch；　who　got　drunk　in　the　presence　of　ladies；　insulted　an　orphan

girl；　and　attempted　murderand　all　in　one　Sunday　afternoon。　　I

suppose　you　thought　me　captivated；　and　carried　away　by　such　a　burst

and　blaze　of　villainy；　and　so　my　high…toned　family　explain　to　the

faultless　and　aristocratic　Mr。　Van　Berg　that　they　will　submit　to

an　odious　marriage　lest　I　clandestinely　follow　the　scoundrel　who

was　very　properly　driven　away；　like　the　base　cur　he　is。　　This　is

why　you　received　me　to…night　as　if　I　were　a　pestilence。　　This　is

why　I　was　treated　at　the　table　as　if　I　were　a　death's　head。　　This

is　why　your　perfect　friend　looked　towards　me　as　if　my　chair

were　vacant。　　He　refused　even　to　recognize　the　existence　of　such

a　loathsome　thing　as　my　family　explain　to　him　that　I　am。　　Great

heaven！　may　I　never　live　to　receive　a　deeper　humiliation　than　this！〃



〃But；　Ida；〃　cried　Stanton；　deeply　alarmed　and　agitated　by　her　manner；

〃how　else　could　we　explain　your　action　and　your　reckless　words　to

your　mother？〃



〃Oh；　I　admit　that　circumstances　are　against　me；　but　there　is　no

excuse　for　this　outrage！　　I　don't　know　what　I　did　say　to　mother。

I've　been　too　wretched　and　discouraged　to　remember。　　She　IS　my

mother；　and　I'll　say　nothing　against　her；　though；　heaven　knows；

she　has　been　a　strange　mother　to　me。　　Would　to　God　I　had　a　father

that　I　could　go　to；　or　a　brother！　　But　it　seems　I　have　not　a　friend

in　the　great；　scornful　world。　　Don't　interrupt　me。　　Words　count

for　nothing　now；　and　mine　least　of　all。　　If　you　were　all　ready　to

believe　me　capable　of　what　you　have　plainly　intimated；　you　need

something　stronger　than　words　to　convince　you　to　the　contrary。　　Of

one　thing　I　shall　make　sureyou　and　your　faithless　friend　shall

never　have　the　chance　to　insult　me　again。　　I　wish　you　to　leave　my

room。〃



〃Oh　come；　Ida；　listen　to　reason；〃　Stanton　began　coaxingly。



〃I　admitted　you；〃　she　interrupted　with　a　repellant　gesture；　〃in

the　hope　of　receiving　a　little　kindness；　for　which　I　was　famishing；

but　I　would　rather　you　had　stabbed　me　than　have　said　what　you　have。

Hush；　not　a　word　more。　　The　brutal　wrong　has　been　done。　　Will　you

not　go？　　This　is　my　private　apartment。　　I　command　you　to　leave

it；　and　if　you　will　not　obey　I　will　summon　Mr。　Burleigh；〃　and　she

placed　her　hand　on　the　bell。



Her　manner　was　at　once　so　commanding　and　threatening　that　Stanton；

with　a　gesture　of　deprecation　and　protest；　silently　obeyed。



He　was　so　surprised　and　unnerved　by　the　interview　in　which　the

maiden　had　turned　upon　him　with　a　fiery　indignation　that　was　almost

volcanic；　that　he　wished　to　think　the　affair　all　over　and　regain

his　composure　before　meeting　any　one。　　Clearly　they　had　failed　to

understand　Ida　of　late；　and　had　misjudged　her　utterly。　　And　yet；

guided　by　appearances；　he　felt　that　they　could　scarcely　have　come

to　any　other　conclusion。



Now　that　he　had　been　jostled　out　of　his　preoccupation；　he　began　to

realize　that　Ida　had　not　appeared　of　late　like　the　frivolous　girl

that　had　accompanied　him　to　the　country。　　Changes　were　taking

place　in　her　as　well　as　in　himself；　〃but　not　from　the　same　cause；〃

he　thought。　　〃After　her　words　and　manner　to…night；　I　cannot　doubt

that　Sibley　has　disgusted　her　as　well　as　the　rest　of　us；　although

she　had　a　strange　way　of　showing　it。　　It　cannot　be　that　a　woman

would　speak　of　a　man　for　whom　she　had　any　regard；　as　Ida　did　of

the　wretch　with　whom　we　were　associating　her；　and　as　for　Van　Berg；

she　has　taken　no　pains　to　conceal　her　strong　dislike　for　him　from

the　first　day　of　their　meeting。　　I　can't　think　of　anyone　else　at

present　（although　there　might　be　a　score）　who　is　disturbing　the

shallow　waters　of　her　mind。



〃I'm　inclined　to　think　that　she　is　deeply　mortified　at　the　false

position　in　which　Sibley　has　placed　her；　and　is　too　proud　to　make

explanations。　　It　may　be　also　that　she　is　realizing　more　fully　the

disgrace　of　her　father's　course；　and　it　is　also　possible　that　she

is　waking　up　to　a　sense　of　her　own　deficiencies。　　Although　she

could　not　fail　to　dislike　such　people　as　Jennie　Burton　and　Van　Berg；

she　would　be　apt　to　contrast　herself　with　them　and　the　impression

which　she　and　they　made　on　society。　　Confound　it　all！　　I　wish　I　had

not　taken　it　for　granted　that　she　was　pining　for　Sibley　and　ready

to　throw　herself　away　for　his　sake。　　It　has　placed　me　in　a　deucedly

awkward　position。　　I　doubt　if　she　ever　fully　forgives　me；　and　I

can't　blame　her　if　she　doesn't。〃



〃Well？〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；　as　Stanton　moodily　approached　her。



〃Come　with　me；〃　he　said。　　When　they　were　alone　he　prefaced　his

story　with　the　irritable　remark：



〃It's　a　pity　you　can't　understand　your　daughter　better。　She　detests

Sibley。〃



〃Thank　heaven　for　that；〃　exclaimed　the　mother。



〃I　should　be　more　inclined　to　thank　both　heaven　and　yourself　if

you　had　discovered　the　fact　before　sending　me　on　such　an　intensely

disagreeable　mission。　　You　must　manage　your　daughter　yourself

hereafter；　for　she'll　never　take　anything　more　from　me；〃　and　he　told

her　substantially　the　nature　of　his　interview；　and　his　surmises　as

to　the　real　causes　of　her　trouble。



〃I　think　you　are　right；〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；　whose　impressions　were

as　changeable　as　superficial；　〃and　I'm　excessively　glad　to　think　so。

With　her　beauty；　Ida　can；　in　spite　of　her　father；　make　a　brilliant

match；　in　every　sense　of　the　word；〃　and　with　the　prospect　of　this

supreme　consummation　of　life　regained；　the　wife　and　mother　gave　a

sigh　of　great　relief。



〃But　she's　in　an　awful　mood；　I　can　tell　you；〃　said　Stanton；　dubiously。

〃I　never　knew　a　woman　to　look　and　speak　as　she　did　to…night。　　If

you　don't　manage　better　she'll　make　us　trouble　yet。〃



〃Oh；　I'm　used　to　Ida's　tantrums。　　They　don't　last。　　Nothing　does

with　her。　　Time　and　another　admirer　will　bring　her　around。〃



〃Well；　you　ought　to　know；〃　said　Stanton　with　a　shrug；　〃but　I　retire

from　the　management。　　I　can't　help　saying；　however；　that　something

in　her　looks　and　words　makes　me　uneasy。　　I　regret　exceedingly　I

spoke　as　I　did；　and　shall　apologize　at　the　first　opportunity。〃



〃You'll　have　that　in　the　morning。　　Things　are　so　much　better　than

I　feared　that　I　am　greatly　relieved。　　She'll　come　around　now　if

nothing　more　is　said。　　Roiled　water　always　settles　when　kept　quiet；〃

and　Mrs。　　Mayhew　returned　to　the　parlor　in　much　better　spirits。



Stanton　followed　his　aunt　and　joined　a　small　group　that　had　gathered

around　Miss　Burton。　　Van　Berg　gave　him　a　quick；　questioning　look；

but　gathered　the　impression　only　that　he　had　been　subjected　to　a

very　painful　interview。



〃She　has　evidently　realized　his　worst　fears；〃　he　thought；　〃curses

on　her！〃　and　his　face　grew　fairly　black　for　a　moment　with　anger

and　disgust。



But　Jennie　Burton's　silver　tongue　soon　charmed　away　the　evil　spirits

from　both　the　young　men。



She　had　fine　conversation　powers；　and　her　keen　intuition　and　her

controlling　passion　to　give　pleasure　enabled　her　to　detect　and　draw

out　the　best　thoughts　of　others。　　Her　evident　sympathy　put　every

one　at　ease；　and　gave　people　the　power　of　such　happy　expression

that　they　were　surprised　at　themselves；　and　led　to　believe　that

they　not　only　received　but　gave　something