a face illumined-第50部分

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

they　not　only　received　but　gave　something　better　than　average。

Therefore；　under　the　magic　of　her　good…will；　both　eyes　and　minds

kindled；　and　even　common…place　persons　became　almost　brilliant　and

eloquent。



Stanton's　was　the　only　clouded　face　in　her　circle　that　evening；　and

true　to　her　instinct；　she　set　about　banishing　his　trouble；　whatever

it　might　bean　easy　task　with　her　power　over　him。



Since　it　daily　became　more　evident　to　her　that　she　must　wound　his

vanity；　and　perhaps　his　heart　a　little；　she　tried　to　make　amends　by

showing　him　such　public　consideration　as　might　rob　his　disappointment

of　humiliation　and　bitterness。



Stanton；　therefore；　soon　forgot　Ida's　desperate　face；　and　was

enjoying　himself　at　his　best。



Yet　Ida's　face　but　faintly　revealed　her　heart。　　It　seemed　that　the

end　had　now　come　in　very　truth；　and　she　was　conscious　chiefly　of

a　wild　impulse　to　escape　from　her　shame　and　suffering。　　There　was

also　a　bitter　sense　of　wrong　and　a　wish　to　retaliate。



〃I'll　teach　them　all　a　lesson；〃　she　muttered；　as　she　paced　her　room

swiftly　to　and　fro。　　〃This　proud　artist　thinks　he　can　look　at　me　as

if　I　were　empty　air；　that　he　can　forget　me　as　he　has　the　rose…bud

he　tossed　away。　　I　will　insure　that　he　looks　at　me　once　with

a　face　as　white　as　mine　will　then　be；　and　that　he　remembers　me　to

his　dying　day。〃



After　becoming　more　calm；　and　as　if　acting　under　a　sudden　impulse；

she　hastily　made　a　simple　but　singular　toilet。



When　completed；　her　mirror　reflected　a　plain；　close…fitting；　black

gown；　which　left　her　neck　and　arms　bare。　　Around　her　white　throat

she　placed　a　black　velvet　band；　and　joined　it　by　a　small　jet　poniard

studded　with　diamonds。　　Her　sunny　hair　was　wound　into　a　severely

simple　coil；　and　also　fastened　with　a　larger　poniard；　from　the　haft

and　guard　of　which　glistened　diamonds　of　peculiar　brilliancy。　　She

took　off　all　her　rings；　and　wore　no　other　ornaments。　　Then　taking

from　her　table　a　book；　bearing　conspicuously　as　its　title　the　word

〃Misjudged；〃　she　went　down　to　the　parlor。



She　paused　a　moment　on　the　threshold　before　she　was　noticed。　　Her

mother　was　eagerly　gossiping　with　two　or　three　fashionable

women　about　a　scandal　that　she　hoped　might　cause　her　own　family's

short…comings　to　be　forgotten　in　part。　　Miss　Burton　was　telling　a

story　in　her　own　inimitable　style；　and　ripples　of　smiles　and　laughter

eddied　from　her　constantly。　　Stanton's　and　Van　Berg's　faces　were

aglow　with　pleasure；　and　it　was　plain　the　speaker　absorbed　all

their　thoughts。



〃In　the　same　way　he　will　forget　me；　after　I　am　dead；〃　said　the

unhappy　girl　to　herself；　and　the　thought　sent　a　colder　chill　to

her　heart；　and　a　deeper　pallor　to　her　face。



Her　gaze　seemed　to　draw　his；　for　he　looked　up　suddenly。　　On

recognizing　her　his　first　impulse　was　to　coldly　avert　his　eyes；

but　in　a　second　her　unusual　appearance　riveted　his　attention。　　She

saw　the　impulse；　however；　and　would　not　look　towards　him　again。　　She

entered　as　quietly　and　as　unexpectedly　as　a　ghost；　and　the　people

seemed　as　much　surprised　and　perplexed　as　if　she　were　a　ghost。



She　took　a　seat　somewhat　apart　from　all　others；　and　apparently

commenced　reading。　　She　was　not　so　far　away　but　that　Van　Berg　could

decipher　the　title；　〃Misjudged；〃　and　having　made　out　the　significant

word；　its　letters　grew　luminous　like　the　diamonds　in　her　hair。



Never　before　had　he　been　so　impressed　by　her　beauty；　and　yet　there

was　an　element　in　it　which　made　him　shiver　with　a　dread　he　could

not　explain　to　himself。　　He　was　surprised　and　shocked　to　find　how

pale　and　wan　her　face　had　become；　but　in　every　severe　marble　curve

of　her　features　he　saw　the　word；　〃Misjudged。〃　　He　could　scarcely

recognize　her　as　the　blooming　girl　that　he　had　first　seen　in　the

concert　garden。　　Suffering；　trouble　of　mind；　was　evidently　the　dark

magician　that　was　thus　transforming　her；　but　why　did　she　suffer　so

deeply？　　As　she　sat　there　before　him；　not　only　his　deeper　instincts；

but　his　reason　refused　almost　indignantly　to　associate　her　any

longer　with　Sibley。　　There　was　a　time　when　she　seemed　akin　to　him；

but　now　she　suggested　deep　trouble；　despair；　death　even；　rather

than　a　gross　〃bon　vivant。〃　　Was　she　ill！　　Yes；　evidently；　but　he

doubted　if　her　malady　had　physical　causes。



〃What　a　very　strange　toilet　she　has　made！〃　he　thought；　〃simple　and

plain　to　the　last　degree；　and　yet　singularly　effective　and　striking。

Her　fingers　were　once　loaded　with　rings；　but　she　has　taken　them　all

off；　and　now　her　hands　are　as　perfect　as　her　features。　　She　does

not　wear　a　single　ornament；　save　those　ominous　poniards。　　Does　she

mean　to　signify　by　these　that　she　is　wounded；　or　that　she　proposes

to　inflict　wounds？　　Ye　gods！　how　strangely；　terribly；　exasperatingly

beautiful　she　is！　　I　have　certainly　both　misjudged　and　misunderstood

her。〃



These　thoughts　passed　through　his　mind　as　he　stole　an　occasional

glance　at　their　object；　who　sat　with　her　profile　towards　him　almost

in　the　line　of　his　vision。　　At　the　same　time　he　was　apparently

listening　to　a　prosy　and　interminable　story　from　one　of　the　group

of　which　he　was　a　member。　　They　had　been　telling　anecdotes　of　travel；

and　the　last　speaker's　experience　was；　like　his　journey；　long　and

uninteresting。



Van　Berg　soon　observed　that　many　others　besides　himself　were　observing

Miss　Mayhew。　　She　seemed　to　fascinate；　perplex；　and　trouble　all

who　looked　towards　her。　　The　singular　beauty　and　striking　toilet

might　account；　in　part；　for　the　lingering　glances；　but　not　for　the

perplexity　and　uneasiness　they　caused。　　If　Ida　had　been　dead　her

features　could　not　have　been　more　colorless；　and　they　had　a　stern；

hard；　desperate　expression　that　was　sadly　out　of　harmony　with　what

should　be　the　appearance　of　a　happy　young　girl。



Her　presence　seemed　to　cause　an　increasing　chill　and　restraint。

The　healthful　and　normal　minds　of　those　about　her　grew　vaguely

conscious　of　another　mind　that　had　been　deeply　moved；　shaken　to

its　foundations；　and　so　had　become　almost　abnormal　and　dangerous

in　its　impulses。



There　is　a　very　general　tendency　both　to　observe　and　to　shrink

from　that　which　is　unnatural；　and　if　the　departure　from　what　is

customary　is　shown　in　unexpected　and　unusual　mental　action；　the

stronger　become　the　uneasiness　and　dread　in　those　who　witness　it。

All　who　saw　Ida　recognized　that　she　was　not　only　unlike　herself；

but　unlike　any　one　in　an　ordinary　state　of　mind；　and　people　who　were

intimate　looked　at　each　other　significantly；　as　if　to　ask〃What

is　the　matter　with　Miss　Mayhew？　　What　is　the　matter　with　us　all？〃



Were　it　not　that　the　maiden　occasionally　turned　a　leaf；　in　order

to　keep　up　the　illusion　that　she　was　reading；　she　might　have　been

a　statue；　so　motionless　was　her　form；　and　so　pallid　her　face。

But　she　felt　that　she　was　perplexing　and　troubling　those　who　had

wounded　her；　and　the　consciousness　gave　secret　satisfaction。　　Her

past　experience　taught　her　to　appreciate　stage　effect；　and；　since

she　meditated　a　tragedy；　she　proposed　that　everything　should　be　as

tragic　and　blood…curdling　as　possible。



There　is　usually　but　a　short　step　between　high　tragedy　and　painful

absurdity；　which　exasperates　us　while　we　laugh　at　it；　but　poor

Ida's　thoughts　were　so　desperately　dark　and　despairing；　and　her

exquisite　features；　made　almost　transparent　by　grief　and　fasting；

so　perfectly　interpreted　her　unfeigned　wretchedness；　that　even　those

who　knew　her　but　slightly　were　touched　and　troubled　in　a　way　that

they　could　not　explain　even　to　themselves。



Miss　Burton　was　evidently　meditating　how　she　could　approach　Ida；

who　seemed　encased　in　a　repellant　atmosphere。　　Van　Berg　saw　that

Stanton　looked　anxious　and　perplexed；　and　that　Mrs。　Mayhew　was

exceedingly　worried　and　annoyed。　　At　last　he　hastily　approached

her　daughter　and　whispered；



〃For　heaven's　sake；　Ida；　what's　the　matter？　　You　look　as　if　you

had　gone　into　mourning。〃



The　young　lady　glanced　coldly　up　and　said　stonily：



〃You　have　at　least　taught　me　to　dress　appropriately。〃



〃Nonsense；〃　continued　the　mother；　in　a　low；　irritable　tone。　　〃Why

can't　you　cheer　up　and　act　like　other　people？　　Don't　you　see　you're

giving　us　all　the　shivers？〃



She　slowly　swept　the　room　with　her　eyes；　and　saw　that　not　a　few

curious　glances　were　directed　towards　her。　　Then；　with　bowed　head；

she　glided　from　the　room　without　a　word。



Miss　Burton　caught　up　with　her　in　the　hall…way。　　〃You　are　ill；　Miss

Mayhew；〃　she　said；　with　gentle　solicitude。



〃Yes；〃　Ida　replied；　in　the　same　stony；　repellant　manner；　〃but　you

are　not　a　physician；　Miss　Burton。　　Good　evening。〃　　And　she　went

swiftly　up　to　her　own　room；　as　if　determined　to　speak　with　no　one

else　that　evening。











Chapter　XXXVI。　　Temptation's　Voice









Van　Berg　had　been　so　near　that　he　could　not　help　overhearing　Mrs。

Mayhew's　words　which　had　led　to　the　abrupt　and　silent　departure　of

her　daughter　from　the　parlor。



〃There　is　some　misunderstanding　here；〃　he　thought；　〃whose　effects

are　becoming　outrageously　cruel。　　The　poor　girl　was　driven　away

from　the　supper…table；　and　now　she　is　driven　out　of　the　parlor。

She　has　been　an　anomaly　from　the　moment　I　saw　her；　and　I　now　mean

to　fathom　the　mystery。　　Her　exquisite　face　indicates　that　she

is　almost　desperate　from　some　kind　of　trouble。　　She　is　becoming

illshe　is　wasting　under　it。　　Sibley　would　be　a　fatal　malady　to

any　respectable　girl；　but　I　must　give　up　all　pretence　of　skill　at

diagnosis　if　he　is　the　cause；　for　were　her　heart　set　on　him　why　the

mischief　can't　she　go　to　him　with　all　her　old　reckless　flippancy？

There　is　no　need　of　any　elopement；　as　Ik　fears。　　She　can　easily

compel　her　mother　to　go　to　the　city；　and　her　father　would　have　no

power　to　prevent　the　alliance；　were　she　bent　upon　it。　　I　believe　her

family　misunderstand　and　are　wronging　her；　and　I　may　have　oc