a face illumined-第7部分

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other　across　a　bloody　chasm　of　dark；　revengeful　thoughts。〃



〃The　ice　isn't　broken　at　all。　　He　has　begged　my　pardon　as　he　ought

to　do　a　hundred　times；　but　I　haven't　granted　it；　and　I　never　will。

What's　more；　I'll　never　speak　to　him　in　all　my　life；　never；　never！〃



〃Swear　it　by　the　'inconstant　moon'！〃



〃Hush；　here　he　comes。　　Ah；　'peste！'　his　table　is　right　opposite

ours。〃



〃Who　is　that　tall　and　rather　distinguished…looking　gentleman

that　just　entered？〃　asked　Mrs。　Mayhew；　suddenly　emerging　from　a

pre…occupation　with　her　supper　which　a　good　appetite　had　induced。



〃He　IS　distinguished；　or　will　be。　　He's　a　particular　friend　of

Ida's；　and　is　as　rich　as　Croesus。〃



〃Three　items　in　his　favor；〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew　complacently；　〃but　Ida

has　so　many　friends；　or　beaux；　rather；　that　I　can't　keep　track　of

them。　　Her　friends　speedily　become　furnace…like　lovers；　or　else

escape　for　their　lives　into　the　dim　and　remote　region　of　mere　bowing

acquaintanceship。　　I　once　tried　to　keep　a　list　of　the　various　and

variegated　gentlemen　with　red　whiskers　and　black　whiskers；　with

whiskers　sandy；　brown；　and　occasionally　almost　white；　but　borrowing

a　golden　hue　from　their　purses；　that　appeared　and　disappeared　so

rapidly；　as　to　almost　make　me　dizzy。　　I　was　about　as　bewildered　as

the　poor　Indian　who　sought　to　take　the　census　of　London　by　notching

a　stick　for　every　passer…by　he　met。　　And　now　before　we　are　through

supper　on　the　first　evening　of　our　arrival；　another　appears；　who

is　evidently　an　eligible　'parti'　and　twice　as　good　as　the　minx

deserves；　but　in　a　few　days　he；　too；　will　vanish　into　thin　air；

and　another　and　different　style　of　man　will　take　his　place。　　Mark

my　words；　Ida；　you　will　be　through　the　woods　before　long；　and　I

expect　you　will　take　up　with　the　crookedest　of　crooked　sticks　on

the　farther　side；〃　and　the　voluble　Mrs。　Mayhew　resumed　her　supper

with　a　zest　which　this　dismal　prospect　did　not　by　any　means　impair。



〃If　I　were　in　search　of　a　crabbed；　crooked　stick；　I　would　not　have

to　look　farther　than　yonder　table；〃　said　the　young　lady；　petulantly。

〃What　you　suppose　about　that　dabbler　in　paint　is　about　as　far　from

the　truth　as　your　sketch　of　those　who　are　my　friends。　　That　man

never　was　my　friend；　and　never　shall　be。　　I　don't　want　you　to　get

acquainted　with　him　or　speak　to　him。　　You　must　not　introduce　him

to　me；　for　if　you　do；　I　shall　be　rude　to　him。〃



〃Hoity…toity！　what's　the　matter？〃



〃I　don't　like　him。　　Only　Ik　thinks　he's　wonderful。　　He　has　probably

blinded　our　cousin　to　his　faults　by　painting　a　flattering　likeness

of　the　vain　youth　here。〃



〃But　in　suggesting　another　portrait　that　was　not　altogether　pleasing；

he　sinned　beyond　hope；〃　whispered　Stanton。



Ida　bit　her　lip　and　frowned；　recalling　the　obnoxious　artist's　portrait

of　herself　as　giggling　and　flirting　through　one　of　Beethoven's

symphonies；　and　she　said　spitefully：



〃He　can　never　hope　for　anything　from　me。〃



〃Poor；　hopeless　wretch！〃　groaned　Stanton。　　〃How　can　he　sip　his　tea

yonder　so　complacently　oblivious　of　his　doom？〃



〃Mother；　I'm　in　earnest；〃　resumed　the　daughter。　　〃I　have　reasons

for　disliking　that　man；　and　I　do　not　wish　the　annoyance　of　his

acquaintance。〃



〃Well；　well；〃　said　Mrs。　Mayhew；　〃as　long　as　the　wind　blows　from

that　cool　quarter；　we　can　keep　cool　till　it　changes。　　If　I　mistake

not；　he　is　the　same　gentleman　who　met　us　in　the　corridor。　　I'm　sure

he　has　fine　manners。〃



〃If　it　is　fine　manners　in　a　man　to　nearly　run　over　two　ladies；　he

is　perfect。　　But　I　am　sick　of　hearing　about　him；　and　especially

of　seeing　him。　　I　insist；　Ik；　that　you　have　our　table　changed　to

yonder　corner；　and　then　arrange　it　so　that　I　can　sit　with　my　back

towards　him。〃



〃I　am　your　Caliban；　but　would　hint；　my　amiable　Coz；　that　you　should

not　bite　off　your　own　pretty　nose　in　spite。　　Must　all　your　kin　join

in　this　bitter　feud？　　May　I　not　smoke　with　my　ancient　familiar？〃



〃Oh；　be　off；　and　if　you　and　your　friend　disappear　like　your　cigars；

the　world　will　survive。〃



〃I　fear　it　is　because　my　friend　will　never　dissolve　in　sighs　that

you　are　so　willing　he　should　end　in　smoke。〃



Having　winged　this　Parthian　arrow　over　his　shoulder；　Stanton　strolled

out　on　the　piazza　whither　Van　Berg　had　preceded　him。











Chapter　V。　　Spite。









Miss　Mayhew　apparently　had　not　given　a　single　glance　to　the　artist；

as　he　sat　opposite　to　her　and　but　a　little　out　of　earshot。　　Indeed；

so　well　did　she　simulate　unconsciousness　of　his　presence；　that

were　if　not　for　an　occasional　glance　from　Mrs。　Mayhew　he　might　have

thought　himself　unnoticed；　but　something　in　that　lady's　manner；　as

caught　by　occasional　glances；　led　him　to　suspect　that　he　was　the

subject　of　their　conversation。



But　Ida's　indifference　was；　in　truth；　only　seeming；　for　although

she　never　looked　directly　at　him；　she　subjected　his　image；　which

was　constantly　flitting　across　the　retina　of　her　eye；　to　the　closest

scrutiny；　and　no　act　or　expression　of　his　escaped　her。　　She　was

piqued　by　the　fact　that　he　showed　no　disturbed　consciousness　of　her

presence；　and　that　his　glance　was　occasionally　as　free　and　natural

towards　her　as　towards　any　other　guest　of　the　house。　　His　bearing

annoyed　her　excessively；　for　it　seemed　an　easy　and　quiet　assertion

of　indifference　and　superioritytwo　manifestations　that　were　to

her　as　objectionable　as　unusual。　　Neither　in　looks　nor　manner　did

she　appear　very　agreeable　during　the　brief　time　she　spent　in　the

public　parlors。　　The　guests　of　the　house；　even　to　the　ladies　who

foresaw　an　eclipse　of　their　own　charms；　were　compelled　to　admit

that　she　was　very　pretty；　but　it　was　a　general　remark　that　her　face

did　not　make　or　leave　a　pleasant　impression。



Van　Berg　surmised　that　Stanton's　disposition　to　teaze　and　banter

would　lead　him　to　repeat　and；　perhaps；　distort；　anything　he　might

say　concerning　the　young　lady；　so　he　made　no　reference　whatever

to　the　Mayhews；　but　took　pains　to　give　the　impression　that　he　was

deeply　interested　in　the　scenery。



〃I　shall　probably　be　off　with　my　sketch…book　before　you　are　up；〃　he

said；　〃for　if　I　remember　correctly；　you　are　up　with　the　lark　only

when　you　have　been　up　over…night。〃



〃You　are　the　greater　sinner　of　the　two；〃　yawned　Stanton；　〃for　if　I

occasionally　keep　unseasonable　hours　at　night；　you　do　so　habitually

in　the　morning。　　Either　you　are　not　as　brilliant　as　usual　this

evening；　or　else　the　country　air　makes　me　drowsy。　　Good…night。　　We

will　take　a　ride　to…morrow；　and　you　can　sketch　five　miles　of　fence

if　you　find　that　you　cannot　resist　your　mania　for　work。〃



Perhaps　Stanton　HAD　found　his　friend　slightly　preoccupied；　for；　in

spite　of　the　constraint　he　had　put　upon　himself　to　appear　as　usual；

this　second　and　closer　view　of　the　face　which　had　taken　so　strong

a　hold　upon　his　fancy　did　not　dissipate　his　first　impressions。

Indeed；　they　were　deepened　rather；　for　he　saw　again　and　more　clearly

the　same　marvellous　capabilities　in　the　features；　and　also　their

exasperating　failure　to　make　a　beautiful　face。



He　dreamed　over　his　project　some　little　time　after　his　friend　had

retired；　and　the　conclusion　of　his　revery　was：



〃I　must　soon　make　some　progress　in　my　experiment　or　else　decamp；　for

that　girl's　contradictory　face　is　a　constant　incentive　to　profanity。〃



After　seeing　Mrs。　Mayhew；　however；　he　felt　that　justice　required

him　to　admit　that　the　daughter　was　a　natural　and　logical　sequence；

and　in　the　mother　he　saw　an　element　more　hopelessly　inartistic　and

disheartening　than　anything　in　the　girl　herself；　for　even　if　the

latter　could　be　changed；　would　not　the　shadow　of　the　stout　and

dressy　mother　ever　fall　athwart　the　picture？



Van　Berg　retired　with　the　feeling　that　his　project　of　illuminating

a　face　by　awakening　a　mind　that；　as　yet；　had　slept；　did　not　promise

very　brilliantly。



Miss　Mayhew　tried　to　persuade　herself　that　it　was　a　relief　not　to

see　the　critical　artist　at　breakfast；　nor　to　meet　him　as　she　strolled

from　the　parlors　to　the　piazza　and　thence　to　the　croquet…ground；

where　she　listlessly　declined　to　take　part　in　a　game。



There　was；　in　truth；　great　need　that　her　mind　should　be　awakened

and　her　whole　nature　radically　changed；　if　it　were　a　possible

thing；a　need　shown　by　the　fact　the　fair　June　morning；　with　its

fragrance　and　beauty；　could　not　light　up　her　face　with　its　own

freshness　and　gladness。　　The　various　notes　of　the　birds　were　only

sounds；　the　landscape；　seen　for　the　first　time；　was　like　the　map

of　Switzerland；　that；　in　the　days　of　her　geography　lessons；　gave

her　as　vivid　an　idea　of　the　country　as　a　dry　sermon　does　of　heaven。

Although　her　ears　and　eyes　were　so　pretty；　she　was；　in　the　deepest

and　truest　sense　of　the　word；　deaf　and　blind。　　The　lack　of　some

petty　and　congenial　excitement　made　time　hang　heavily　on　her　hands

and　clouded　her　face　with　'ennui。'〃



Even　her　cousin　had　failed　her；　for　he　was　down　at　the　stables；

making　arrangements　for　the　care　of　his　bays　and　his　carriage。　　Thus

from　very　idleness　she　fell　to　nursing　her　small　spite　against　the

man　whose　voice　had　made　such　harsh　discord　with　the　honeyed　chorus

of　flattery　to　which　she　was　accustomed。　　She　wished　that　he　would

appear；　and　that　in　some　way　she　might　show　how　little　she　cared

for　him　or　his　opinion；　but　as　he　did　not；　she　at　last　lounged　to

her　room　and　sought　to　kill　a　few　hours　with　a　novel。



Her　wounded　pride；　however；　induced　her　to　dress　quite　elaborately

for　dinner；　for　she　had　faith　in　no　better　way　of　asserting　her

personality　than　that　afforded　by　the　toilet。　　She　would　teach　him；

by　the　admiration　she　excited　in　others；　how　mistaken　he　had　been

in　his　estimate；　and　her　vanity　whispered　that　even　he　could　not

look　upon　her　beauty　for　any　length　of　time　without　being　won　by

it　as　so　many　others　had　been。



The　change　of　seats　having　been　effected；　she　scarcely　thought　it

necessary　to　turn　her