a face illumined-第74部分

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her　thoughts　from　far…off　wanderings。　　It　would　seem　that　Mr。

Mayhew　was　troubled　by　her　sad　face　and　absent　manner。　　He　justly

felt　that　the　brilliant　music　ought　to　enliven　her　like　sunlight；

and　that　it　did　not　proved　the　presence　of　some　intervening　cloud。



Van　Berg's　sympathies　and　interest　at　last　became　so　strong　that

he　determined　to　speak　to　her　at　once；　but　before　he　could　take

a　step　towards　her　the　orchestra　began　playing　Beethoven's　Fifth

Symphony；　the　very　music　she　ignored　for　the　sake　of　Mr。　Minty's

compliments　when　first　she　had　so　exasperated　him　by　her　marvellously

perfect　features；　but　disagreeable　face。　　He　had　not　looked　at　the

programme；　and　that　this　symphony　should　now　be　repeated　seemed

such　a　fortunate　coincidence　that　he　could　not　resist　the　temptation

of　contrasting　the　woman　before　him　with　the　silly　and　undeveloped

girl　he　first　had　seen。　　Moreover；　he　knew　that　the　music　must

remind　her　of　him；　and　he　might　gain　a　hint　of　her　present　feelings

toward　him。　　Either　the　beauty　or　something　familiar　in　the　exquisite

strains　soon　caught　her　attention；　and　she　took　up　her　programme；

which　hitherto　had　lain　neglected　on　her　lap。　　She　crimsoned

instantly；　and　her　brow　contracted　into　a　frown；　a　moment　later　an

expression　of　intense　disgust　passed　over　her　face。



〃Now　I　know　what　she　thinks　of　me；〃　he　thought　with　a　sinking

heart。　　〃I　doubt　whether　I　had　better　speak　to　her　this　evening；

and　at　this　place。〃



〃What's　the　matter；　Ida？〃　asked　her　father。　　〃Don't　you　like　the

music？〃



〃I　have　disagreeable　associations　connected　with　it。　　The　fault　is

wholly　in　me；　and　not　the　music。〃



〃Ida；　darling；　you　are　making　me　so　happy　that　I　wish　I　could　do

as　much　for　you。〃



〃Don't　worry；　father；〃　she　said；　trying　to　smile。　　〃I'm　happier

than　I　deserve。　　Listen！〃



As　the　last　exquisite　cadences　died　away；　Van　Berg　saw　that　there

were　tears　in　her　eyes。　　What　did　they　mean？　　〃Stanton　repeated　my

harsh　words　and　she　recalls　them；〃　was　the　best　explanation　he　could

think　of。　　〃By　the　fates！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃if　there　isn't　Sibley

with　a　toilet　as　spotless　as　he　is　himself　smirched　and　blackened。

Curse　him！　he　actually　has　the　impudence　to　speak　to　Miss　Mayhew；〃

and　the　artist　started　up　threateningly；　but　before　discovering

himself；　he　remembered　that　Ida's　natural　protector　was　at　her

side。　　And　yet　he　fairly　trembled　with　rage　and　protest；　that　this

fellow　should　be　so　near　her　again。　　He　also　saw　that　Mr。　Mayhew

rose　and　looked　very　menacing。　　But　Ida　was　equal　to　the　emergency；

and　extricated　herself　with　womanly　dignity；　for　while　she　blushed

scarlet　with　shame；　she　was　quiet　and　self…possessed；　and　paid　no

heed　to　his　eagerly　proffered　hand。



〃I　was　not　myself　that　hateful　day；　Miss　Ida；〃　he　said　hastily。



〃I　fear　you　were；　sir；〃　she　coldly　replied。　　〃At　any　rate；　I　am

not　my　old　self；　and　until　you　win　and　maintain　the　character　of

a　gentleman；　we　must　be　strangers。　　Good　evening；　sir；〃　and　she

turned　her　back　upon　him。



His　face　became　fairly　livid　with　rage；　but　on　encountering　the

stern　and　threatening　eyes　of　Mr。　Mayhew　he　slunk　away　and　left

the　building。



〃That's　my　peerless；　noble　Ida；〃　whispered　her　father。　　〃Oh　thank

God！　thank　God！　I　could　not　have　survived　if　you　had　realized　the

fears　I　once　had　about　that　low　scoundrel。〃



Ida's　lip　quivered　as　she　said；　〃Father；　please　take　me　home。　　I

don't　enjoy　myself　here。〃　　They　had　taken　but　a　few　steps　toward

the　door　when　the　artist　confronted　them　with　eyes　aglow　with

admiration　and　sympathy。



Poor　Ida　had　no　time　to　mask　her　feelings　or　check　her　impulses；

and　she　took　his　extended　hand　as　if　she　were　sinking；　while　the

color　and　light　of　welcome　flashed　brightly　into　her　face。　　Then

her　beautiful　confusion　suggested　that　she　felt　her　greeting　had

been　too　cordial；　and　she　sought　with　indifferent　success　to　regain

her　dignity。



〃Please　don't　go　just　yet；〃　said　Van　Berg　eagerly。　　〃The　concert

is　but　half　over；　and　there　are　some　pretty　things　still　to　come。〃



Ida　hesitated　and　looked　doubtfully　at　her　father。



〃I　shall　be　very　glad　to　stay；〃　he　said　with　a　smile；　〃if　you

feel　able　to。　　My　daughter　is　not　very　well；　I　fear；〃　he　added　in

explanation　to　the　artist。



〃Perhaps　it　has　been　a　little　close　here　in　the　lobby；〃　suggested

Van　Berg；　〃and　a　walk　in　the　open　air　will　be　agreeable。　　If　you

will　trust　your　daughter　to　me；　sir；　I　promise　to　bring　her　back

before　she　is　tired。　　I　have　much　to　tell　her　about　her　old　friend；

Mr。　　Eltinge；　whom　I　visited　yesterday；　and　the　pictures。　　Perhaps

you　will　go　with　us；　for　I　know　what　I　have　to　say　will　interest

you　also。〃



〃I　think　I'll　light　another　cigar　and　wait　for　you　here；〃　Mr。　Mayhew

answered　quietly。　　〃Old　people　like　to　sit　still　after　their　day's

work；　and　if　Ida　feels　strong　enough　I　would　enjoy　hearing　the　rest

of　the　concert。〃



〃It　would　be　hard　to　resist　the　temptation　to　hear　anything　about

dear　old　Mr。　Eltinge；〃　said　Ida；　taking　the　artist's　arm；　and

feeling　as　if　she　were　being　swept　away　on　a　shining　tide。



〃You　WERE　glad　to　see　me；　Miss　Mayhew；　and　you　can't　deny　it；〃　Van

Berg　began　exultantly。



〃You　almost　crushed　my　hand；　and　it　aches　still；〃　was　her　demure

reply。



〃Well；　that　was　surely　the　wound　of　a　friend。〃



〃You　are　very　good　to　speak　to　me　at　all；　after　all　that's　happened；〃

she　said　in　a　low　tone　and　with　downcast　face。



〃What　a　strange　coincidence！　　That　is　exactly　what　I　was　thinking

of　you。　　I　almost　feared　you　would　treat　me　as　you　did　Sibley。　　How

much　good　it　did　me　to　see　him　slinking　away　like　a　whipped　cur！　　I

never　realized　before　how　perfectly　helpless　even　brazen　villainy

is　in　the　presence　of　womanly　dignity。〃



〃Why；　were　you　present　then？〃　she　asked；　with　a　quick　blush。



〃Not　exactly　present；　but　I　saw　your　face　and　his；　and　a　stronger

contrast　I　scarcely　expect　to　see　again。〃



〃You　artists　look　at　everything　and　everybody　as　pictures。〃



〃Now；　Miss　Mayhew；　you　are　growing　severe　again。　　I　don't　carry

the　shop　quite　as　far　as　that；　and　I　have　not　been　looking　at　you

as　a　picture　at　all　this　evening。　　I　shall　make　known　the　whole

enormity　of　my　offence；　and　the　if　I　must　follow　Sibley；　I　must；

but　I　shall　carry　with　me　a　little　shred　of　your　respect　for　telling

the　truth。　　I　had　a　faint　hope　that　you　and　your　father　would　come

to…night；　and　I　was　looking　for　you；　and　when　you　came　I　watched

you。　　I　could　not　resist　the　temptation　of　comparing　the　Miss　Mayhew

I　now　so　highly　esteem　and　respect；　with　the　lady　I　first　met　at

this　place。〃



〃Oh；　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　said　Ida；　in　a　low；　hurt　tone；　〃I　don't　think

that　was　fair　to　me；　or　right。〃



〃I　am　confessing　and　not　excusing　myself；　Miss　Mayhew。　　I　once　very

justly　appeared　to　you　like　a　prig；　and　now　I　fear　I　shall　seem

a　spy；　but　after　our　visit　to　that　old　garden　together；　and　your

frankness　to　me；　I　feel　under　bonds　to　tell　the　whole　truth。　　You

said　we　were　fated　to　misunderstand　each　other。　　I　think　not；　for

if　you　ever　permit　me　to　be　your　friend　I　shall　be　the　frankest

one　you　ever　had；〃　at　these　words　he　felt　her　hand　trembling　on

his　arm；　and　she　would　not　look　up　nor　make　any　reply。



〃Well；〃　said　he；　desperately；　〃I　expect　Sibley's　fate　will　soon

be　mine。　　I　suppose　it　was　a　mean　thing　to　watch　you；　but　it　would

seem　a　meaner　thing　to　me　not　to　tell　you。　　I　was　about　to　speak

to　you；　Miss　Mayhew；　when　by　another　odd　coincidence　the　orchestra

commenced　playing　music　that　I　knew　would　remind　you　of　me。　　I

was　gaining　the　impression　before　you　left　the　country　that　as　you

came　to　think　the　past　all　over；　you　had　found　that　there　was　more

against　me　than　you　could　forgive；　or　else　that　I　was　so　inseparably

associated　with　that　which　was　painful　that　you　would　be　glad　to

forget　the　one　with　the　other。　　I　must　admit　that　this　impression

was　greatly　strengthened　by　the　expression　of　your　face；　and　I

almost　decided　to　leave　the　place　without　speaking　to　you。　　But　I

found　I　could　not；　andwell；　you　know　I　did　not。　　You　see　I'm　at

your　mercy　again。〃



Ida　was　greatly　relieved；　for　she　now　learned　that　he　had　discovered

nothing　in　his　favor；　and　that　she　was　still　mistress　of　the

situation。



〃I　do　not　think　you　are　very　penitent；　I　fear　you　would　do　the　same

thing　over　again；〃　she　said。



〃Indeed；　Miss　Mayhew；　when　I　first　met　you　here　I　thought　I　would

always　do　the　right　and　proper　thing；　and　I　fear　I　thought　some

things　right　because　I　did　them。　　I've　lived　a　hundred　years　since

that　time；　and　am　beginning　to　find　myself　out。　　Didn't　you　think　me

the　veriest　prig　that　ever　smiled　in　a　superior　way　at　the　world？〃



〃I　don't　think　I　shall　give　you　my　opinion；〃　she　replied；　averting

her　face　to　hide　a　blush　and　a　laugh。



〃No　need。　　I　saw　your　opinion　in　your　face　when　you　looked　down　at

your　programme　half　an　hour　since。〃



〃You　are　mistaken；　I　was　thinking　of　myself　at　that　moment；　for　I

could　not　help　remembering　what　a　fool　I　must　have　appeared　to　you

on　that　occasion。〃



He　looked　at　her　in　surprise。　　〃Miss　Burton　was　right；〃　he　ejaculated；

〃I　never　shall　understand　you。〃



〃Was　she　talking　about　me？〃　asked　Ida；　in　a　low　tone。



〃Yes；　and　she　spoke　of　you　in　the　most　complimentary　way；　as　you

did　of　her。　　Why　the　mischief　you　two　ladies　do　not　become　the

warmest　friends　is　beyond　me。　　Sit　down　here　a　little　while；　Miss

Mayhew；　for　you　are　growing　tired；〃　and　she　was　very　glad　to　comply。



As　she　made　no　effort　to　continue　the　conversation　he　resumed；　〃You

haven't　told　me　what　my　punishment　is　to　be。〃



〃Are　you　so　anxious　to　be　punished？〃　she　asked；　looking　up　shyly

at　him。



〃Well；　my　conscience　troubles　me　greatly；　and　I　feel　I　ought　to　do

something　for　you　in　the　way　of　expiation。〃



〃And　so　I　gather　that　anything　done　for　me　would　be　such