a face illumined-第75部分

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

penance　that　your　conscience　would　be　appeased。〃



〃Now；　Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　replied；　looking　earnestly　into　her　face；

〃tell　me　truly；　do　you　gather　any　such　impression　from　my　words

and　manner？〃



But　she　kept　her　eyes　resolutely　on　the　ground；　and　said　demurely；

〃Such　was　the　obvious　meaning　of　your　words。〃



〃Do　you　know　why　I　am　in　the　city？〃　he　asked　after　a　moment。



〃I　have　not　presumed　to　think　why。〃



〃Perhaps　I　can　make　a　little　inroad　in　your　indifference　when　I

tell　you　that　I　have　spent　several　hours　in　my　studio　working　on

your　picture；　and　that　I　intend　to　work　the　remainder　of　the　week

so　as　to　have　it　ready　for　you　Saturday　evening。〃



She　looked　up　now　with　a　face　radiant　with　surprise　and　pleasure；

〃O　Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　did　not　dream　of　your　taking　so　much　trouble

for　me。〃



〃That's　a　small　payment　on　an　old　debt。　　What　can　I　do　for　you

while　I　am　in　the　city；　to　atone　for　my　rudeness？〃



She　looked　at　him　hesitatingly　and　wistfully　a　moment。



〃I　know　you　wish　something；　but　fear　to　ask　it；〃　he　said；　gently；

〃and　I'm　sorry　to　remember　I've　done　so　little　to　inspire　your

confidence。〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said　in　a　low　tone；　looking　earnestly　at　him

while　she　spoke；　so　as　to　learn　from　his　expression　how　he　received

her　request。　　〃Your　kindness　does　tempt　me　to　ask　a　favor。　　Please

remember　I'm　acting　from　an　impulse　caused　by　this　unexpected　talk

we　are　having；　and　pardon　me　if　I　overstep　the　bounds　of　reserve

or　suggest　a　task　that　you　might　very　naturally　shrink　from　as

disagreeable。〃



〃I　pledge　you　my　word　at　once　to　do　what　you　wish。〃



〃No；　don't　do　that。　　Wait　till　you　hear　all。　　If　when　it　comes　easily

and　naturally　in　your　way　you　will　do　a　little　towards　helping　me

keep　father　the　man　he　can　be；　my　gratitude　will　be　deeper　than　you

can　understand。　　I　am　studying　him　very　carefully　and　I　find　that

any　encouraging　recognition　from　those　who　have　known　his　past；　has

great　weight　with　him。　　At　the　same　time　it　must　be　very　unobtrusive

and　come　as　a　matter　of　course　as　it　were。　　You　gave　him　your　society

one　Sunday　morning　last　June　in　a　way　that　did　him　a　great　deal

of　good；　and　if　I　had　only　seconded　your　efforts　then；　everything

might　have　been　different。　　I　can　never　remember　that　day　without

a　blush　of　shame。　　I　can't　help　the　past；　but　my　whole　soul　is　now

bent　on　making　amends　to　father。　　I　fear；　however；　my　deep　solicitude

has　led　me　to　ask　more　than　good　taste　can　sanction。〃



〃Miss　Mayhew；〃　said　the　artist；　eagerly；　〃this　is　one　of　the　best

moments　of　my　life。　　You　could　not　have　made　such　a　request　unless

you　trusted　me；　unless　you　had　fully　forgiven　me　all　the　wrong　I

have　done　you。　　I　doubted　if　I　could　ever　win　your　friendship；　but

I　think　I　can　claim　a　friend's　place　already　in　your　esteem；　since

you　are　willing　to　let　me　share　in　so　sacred　a　duty。　　I　renew　my

pledge　with　double　emphasis。〃



He　never　forgot　the　smile　with　which　she　rewarded　him；　as　she　said；

in　a　low　tone；　〃That's　better　than　I　thought。　　You　are　very　kind

to　me。　　But　I'm　staying　too　long　from　father。〃



〃We'll　understand　each　other　eventually；〃　he　said　gently。　　〃Now　I

know　why　tears　were　in　your　eyes　before　the　symphony　was　over。〃



〃No　you　don't；〃　she　whispered　to　herself。



As　they　took　their　seats　by　Mr。　Mayhew　he　remarked　with　a　smile；

〃Mr。　Van　Berg　must　have　had　a　long　budget　of　news　frm　your　good

old　friend。〃



Ida　looked　at　the　artist　in　dismay；　and　was　still　more　embarrassed

as　she　saw　a　sudden　flash　of　mirth　and　exultation　in　his　eyes。　　But

he　turned　to　Mr。　Mayhew　and　replied；　promptly；　〃Two　pictures　are

growing　out　of　my　visits　to　Mr。　Eltinge　and　his　garden。　　The　one

that　is　for　Mr。　Eltinge　contains　a　portrait　of　Miss　Mayhew　as　I

saw　her　reading　to　him。　　I　wish　you　and　your　daughter　would　visit

my　studio　to…morrow　and　see　the　sketches；　and　if　Miss　Mayhew　would

give　me　one　or　two　sittings；　I　could　make　a　much　better　picture　for

Mr。　Eltinge　than　now　is　possible；　and　I'm　anxious　to　do　the　very

best　I　can　for　him。〃



〃I　would　be　very　glad　to　come；〃　said　Mr。　Mayhew；　and　his　pleased

expression　confirmed　his　words。　　〃Will　a　visit　before　I　go　down

town　be　too　early？〃



〃Not　at　all。　　I　am　always　at　work　early。〃



〃Well；　Ida；　does　Mr。　Eltinge　miss　your　visits　very　much？　　It's

selfish　in　me　to　let　you　stay　in　the　city。〃



〃He　does　indeed；　sir；〃　said　the　artist　answering　for　her。　　〃He

talked　to　me　continually　about　her　yesterday；　although　I　can't　say

I　tried　to　change　the　subject。〃



〃Father；　Mr。　Van　Berg　shall　not　shield　my　short…comings；〃　said　Ida；

with　crimson　cheeks。　　〃I　forgot　to　ask　about　Mr。　Eltinge。　　To　tell

the　truth；　we　were　talking　of　old　times。　　I　met　Mr。　Van　Berg　here

last　June　and　I　made　a　very　bad　impression　on　him。〃



〃And　I　at　the　same　time　made　a　worse　impression　on　Miss　Mayhew；〃

added　the　artist。



〃Well；〃　said　her　father；　with　a　doubtful　smile　and　a　puzzled　glace

from　one　to　the　other；　〃one　almost　might　be　tempted　to　believe　that

you　had　been　revising　your　impressions。〃



〃Mine　has　not　been　revised；　but　changed　altogether；〃　said　Van　Berg；

decisively。



〃Come；　father；　let　us　go　at　once　lest　Mr。　Van　Berg's　impressions

change　again；〃　and　her　mirthful　glance　as　she　gave　him　her　hand

in　parting　revealed　a　new　element　in　her　character。　　She　was　not

developing　the　cloying　sweetness　of　honey。











Chapter　XLVIII。　　Ida's　Temptation。









If　Van　Berg　had　given　thought　to　himself　that　evening　as　he　did　to

Ida　Mayhew　he　might　have　discovered　some　rather　odd　phenomena　in

his　varying　mental　states。　　Earlier　in　the　summer　he　had　been　a

very　deliberate　and　conscientious　wooer。　　He　had　leisurely　taken

counsel　of　his　reason；　judgment；　and　good　taste；　he　mentally

consulted　his　parents；　and　satisfied　himself　that　Miss　Burton　would

have　peculiar　charms　for　them；　and　so　it　had　come　to　seem　almost

a　duty　as　well　as　a　privilege　to　seek　that　young　lady's　hand。　　The

sagacity　and　nice　appreciation　of　character　on　which　he　had　so

greatly　prided　himself　led　to　the　belief　that　fortune　in　giving　him

a　chance　to　win　such　a　maiden　had　been　very　kind。　　That　his　pulse

was　so　even　and　his　heart　had　so　little　to　say　in　the　matter　was

only　a　proof　that　he　did　not　possess　an　unbalanced　head…long　nature

like　that　of　Stanton；　who　had　soon　become　wholly　mastered　by　his

passion。　　He　had　at　one　time　reasoned　it　all　out　to　his　satisfaction；

and　believed　he　was　paying　his　suit　to　the　woman　he　would　make　his

wife　in　an　eminently　proper　way。　　but　now　that　he　was　merely　trying

to　obtain　a　young　girl's　friendship；　the　cool　and　masterful　poise

which　he　had　then　been　able　to　maintain；　was　apparently　deserting

him。　　He　might　have　asked　himself　if　he　ever　remembered　being

such　an　enthusiastic　friend　before。　　He　might　have　considered　how

often　he　had　kept　awake　and　counted　the　hours　till　he　should　meet

a　friend　from　whom　he　had　just　parted。　　That　these　obvious　thoughts

and　contrasts　did　not　occur　to　him　only　proved　that　he　was　smitten

already　by　that　blindness　which　a　certain　spiritual　malady　usually

occasions　in　its　earlier　stages。



As　for　poor　Ida；　she　still　felt　that　her　little　boat　was　being

carried　forward　by　a　shining　tidewhither　she　dared　not　think。

She　had　come　to　the　city　to　escape　from　the　artist；　and　as　a　result

she　might　spend　long　hours　alone　with　him　in　his　studio　and　see

far　more　of　him　than　if　she　had　remained　in　the　country。　　She　had

not　sought　itshe　had　not　even　dared　to　hope　or　dream　of　such　a

thing；　but　now　that　this　exquisite　cup　of　pleasure　had　been　pressed

to　her　very　lips　by　other　hands　she　could　not　refuse　it。



Her　father　had　watched　her　keenly　but　furtively　since　she　had　been

his　companion；　and　until　the　artist　had　accosted　her　the　evening

before　had　not　been　able　to　understand　the　depression　which　she

could　not　disguise　wholly　from　him；　but　the　light　and　welcome　that

flashed　into　her　face　when　greeting　Van　Berg　had　suggested　her

secret；　and　all　that　followed　confirmed　his　surmise。　　The　truth

was　plainer　still　when　she　came　down　to　their　early　breakfast　the

next　morning　with　color　in　her　cheeks　and　a　fitful　light　of　excitement

in　her　eyes。



As　he　realized　the　truth　he　fairly　trembled　with　apprehension　and

longing。　　〃Oh；　if　Ida　could　only　marry　that　man　I　would　be　almost

beside　myself　with　joy；〃　he　thought；　〃but　I　fear　it　is　rash　even

to　hope　for　such　a　thing。　　Indeed；　I　myself　am　the　obstacle　that

would　probably　prevent　it　all。　　The　Van　Bergs　are　a　proud　race；

and　this　young　man's　father　knows　me　too　well。　　O　God！　　I　could　be

annihilated　if　thereby　my　child　could　be　happy。〃



〃Ida；〃　he　said；　hesitatingly；　〃perhaps　I　had　better　not　go　with　you

this　morning。　　I　imagine　Mr。　Van　Berg　asked　me　out　of　politeness

rather　than　from　any　wish　to　see　me　andandI　think　I　had　better

not　go。〃



She　looked　up　at　him　swiftly；　and　the　rich　color　mantled　her　face；

for　she　read　his　thoughts　in　part。　　But　she　only　said　quietly：



〃Then　I　will　not　go。〃



〃That　would　not　be　right　or　courteous；　Ida；〃　but　I　think　you　young

people　will　get　on　better　without　me。〃



〃You　are　mistaken；　Father；　I　never　intend　to　get　on　without　you；

and　any　friend　of　mine　who　does　not　welcome　you　becomes　a　stranger

from　that　hour。　　But　I　think　you　are　doing　Mr。　Van　Berg　an　injustice。

At　any　rate　we　will　give　him　a　chance　to　show　a　better　spirit。〃



〃Ida；　my　child；　if　you　only　knew　how　gladly　I　would　sacrifice　myself

to　make　you　happy！〃



She　came　to　him　and　put　her　arms　around　his　neck　and　looking　up

into　his　face　said；　with　the　earnestness　and　solemnity　of　a　vow；

〃I　will　take　no　happiness　which　I　cannot　receive　as　your　loving

daughter。　　As　long　as　you　are　the　man　you　have　been　since　Sunday　I

will　stand　proudly　at　your　side。　　If　you　should　ever　be　weak