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intention to visit the old garden before he finally left the scenes

to which he had been led by following a mere freak of fancy。  He

learned from one of Mr。 Eltinge's workman that the old gentleman

would be absent from home the entire day; and thus feeling secure

from interruption; he entered the quite; shady place in which had

begun the symphony which was now ending in such harsh discord。

Seeing that he was alone he threw himself into the rustic seat;

and burying his face in his hands; soon became unconscious of the

lapse of time in his painful revery。











Chapter LII。  An Illumined Face。









Ida's expression and manner when she came down to breakfast on

Sabbath morning; reminded Miss Burton of the time when the poor

girl believed that the man she loved; both despised and misjudged

her。  And yet there was a vital difference。  Then she was icy and

defiant; now; with all and more than the old sadness; there was

an aspect of humility and gentleness which had never been seen in

former times; but the woman who should have been so glad to cheer

her and remove all misunderstandings found that she was absolutely

unapproachable except by a sort of social violence of which Jennie

Burton was not capable。  Ida's effortwhich was but partially

successfulto be brave and even cheerful for her father's sake;

caused Mr。 Mayhew more than once to go away by himself in order

to hide his feelings。  Mrs。 Mayhew became more and more mystified

and uncomfortable。  She had enjoyed; in her cold…blooded way; a

tranquil; gossipy week during her daughter's and husband's absence;

but now she felt as if some kind of a domestic convulsion might

occur any moment。



〃I don't see why people have to make such a fuss over life;〃 she

complained。  〃If they would only do what was stylish; proper and

religious they wouldn't have any trouble;〃 and the strong and not

wholly repressed feeling of Ida and her father; of which she was

uncomfortably conscious; seemed to her absurd and uncalled for。

Like the majority of matter…of…fact people; she had no patience

or charity for emotion or deep regret。  〃Do the proper thing under

the circumstances and let that end the matter;〃 was one of her

favorite sayings。



Stanton learned from Mr。 Burleigh that Van Berg had gone on a

mountain tramp; and; when he told Ida; hope whispered to her; 〃If

he loved Jennie Burton or felt that he could return to her side;

he would not do that after his long absence。〃



But when he did not return to supper she began to droop and become

pale like a flower growing in too dense a shade。  She was glad

when the interminable day came to an end and she could shut herself

away from every one; for there are wounds which the heart would

hide even from the eyes of love and sympathy。  It had been arranged

during the day that Mr。 Mayhew should find another place at which

to spend his vacation; and that as early in the week as possible

Stanton should take his wife and daughter thither。



When at last poor Ida slept she dreamt that she was sailing on

a beautiful yacht with silver canvas and crimson flagsthat Van

Berg stood at her side pointing to a lovely island which they were

rapidly approaching。  Then a sudden gust of wind swept her overboard

and she was sinking; sinking till the waters became so cold and

dark that she awoke with a cry of terror。  〃Oh;〃 she sobbed; 〃my

dream is true!  my dream is true!〃



Mr。 Mayhew returned to the city in the morning; leaving his daughter

very reluctantly; and Ida; as early as possible; set out again in

the low phaeton to visit Mr。 Eltinge; for never before had she felt

a greater need of his counsel and help。  Tears came into her eyes

when informed of his absence。  〃Everything is against me;〃 she

murmured; but she decided to spend some time in the garden before

she returned。  She had almost reached the rustic seat when a turn

in the walk revealed that it was occupied。  Her first impulse was

to retreat hastily; but observing that Van Berg had not heard her

light step; she hesitated。  Then; his attitude of utter dejection

so won her sympathy that she could not leave him without speaking;

for she remembered how sorely in need she once had been of a

reassuring word。  Moreover; her heart said; 〃Speak to him;〃 hope

cried; 〃Stay;〃 and her temptation to win him if possible; right or

wrong; sprang up with tenfold power and whispered:  〃The man whom

Jennie Burton welcomed so cordially Saturday evening would not

wear this aspect if he had the power to return readily to her side

again。〃  Still she hesitated and found it almost as hard to obtain

words or courage now as when she saw him pulling apart the worm…eaten

rosebud。  At last she faltered:



〃Mr。 Van Berg; are you ill?〃



He started to his feet with a dazed look and passed his hand across

his browthe same gesture she so well remembered seeing him make

at the close of the happy evening he had spent at her home。  As he

realized that the maiden before him was flesh and blood; and not

a creation of his morbid fancy; the hot blood rushed swiftly into

his face; and his eyes fell before her。



〃Yes; Miss Mayhew; I am;〃 he said; briefly。



〃I am very sorry。  Can I not do anything for you?〃 she asked;

kindly。



He looked up at her in strong surprise; and was still more perplexed

by the sympathetic expression of her face; but he only said; 〃I

regret to say you cannot。〃



〃Mr。 Van Berg;〃 said Ida; in tones full of distress; 〃your words

and appearance pain me exceedingly。  You look as if you had been

ill a month。  What has happened?〃  His aspect might trouble one

less interested in him than herself; for his eyes were blood…shot;

and he had become so haggard that she could scarcely realize that

he was the man who but four days previous had compared his hearty

merriment with the 〃laughter of the gods。〃



〃Miss Mayhew;〃 he said; bitterly and slowly; too; as if he were

carefully choosing his words; 〃you had a presentiment last Saturday

that some evil was about to happen。  As far as I am concerned the

worst has happened。  I have lost my self…respect。  I have no right

to stand here in your presence。  I have no right to be in this

place even。  I once tossed away a little flower that had been sadly

marred; through no fault of its own; and as I did so I said in my

pride and self…complacency that its imperfection justified my act。

You understood me too well; and my accursed Phariseeism wounded

your very heart。  You afterwards generously forgave my offence and

a worse one; but God is just and I am now punished in the severest

possible way。  I perceive now that you do not understand me; or you

could not look and speak so kindly。  I thought you had learned me

better; for you spoke words on the boat that pierced my very soul;

revealing me to myself; and later you passed me without a glance。

You were right in both instances。  You are wrong now; and i shall

not take advantage of your present ignorance; which circumstances

will soon remove。  I repeat it; Miss Mayhew; I have no right to be here

and speaking to you; and yet〃he made a passionate and despairing

gesture; and was about to turn hastily away; when Ida said;

earnestly; with her eyes fixed on his face; as was her instinctive

custom when she sought to learn more from the expression of the

speaker than from his words:



〃Mr。 Van Berg; before we part; answer me one question。  Have you

deliberately and selfishly intended to do wrong; or to wrong any

one?〃



〃No;〃 he promptly replied meeting; her searching look unhesitatingly。

Then; with an impatient gesture; he added:  〃But no one will ever

believe it。〃



〃I believe it;〃 she said with a reassuring smile。



〃You?  You of all others?  But you are talking at random; Miss

Mayhew。  When you learn the truth you will look and speak very

differently。  And you shall learn it now。  You once told me of a

wicked and desperate purpose to which you were driven by the wrong

of others。  Your sin seems to me a deed of light compared with

the act I have been led to commit; under the guidance of my proud

reason; my superior judgement; my cool; well…balanced natureinfernally

cool it was; indeed!  Pardon me; but I am beside myself with rage

and self…loathing。  True; I have not been intentionally false;

but there are circumstances in which folly; weakness; and stupid

blundering are nearly as bad; and the results quite as bad。  What

can you say of the man who pays open suit and makes a distinct offer

and pledge to a lady; and the retreats from that suit and breaks

that pledge; and through no fault whatever in the lady herself?

What can you say of that man when the lady is a poor and orphaned

girl; whom any one with a spark of honor would shield with his life;

but that he is a base; fickle wretch; who deserves the contempt of

all good men and women; and that he ought to beas he shall bea

vagabond on the face of the earth?〃



Ida had buried her face in her hands as she learned how thoroughly

Van Berg had committed himself to Miss Burton; and the artist

concluded; abruptly:  〃One thing is certain; he has no right to be

here。  I shall not wait and see your look of scorn; orworseof

pity; for I could not endure it;〃 and he snatched up his sketch…book

and was about to hasten from the place; when Ida sprang forward

and said passionately:



〃Wait。  This is all wrong。  Answer me thiswhen you discovered

the awful crime; which in heart I had already committed; how did

you treat me?〃



〃Your purpose was wicked; but not base。〃



〃You have not intended to be either base or wicked;〃 she began。



〃Hush!〃 he interrupted sternly; 〃you shall not palliate my weakness

by smooth words; and to a man; weakness and stupidity; in some

circumstances; are more contemptible than crime。  Oh; how I envy

Stanton!  His course has been straightforward; noble; regalI have

acted like one of th

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