a face illumined-第94部分

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so　he　entered　no　protest　to　the　family　schemes；　but　drifted。　　That

was　the　one　defect　of　his　character。　　He　was　a　man　of　thought　and

fancy　rather　than　of　decision　and　action。



〃When　he　returned　home　and　told　his　parents　of　his　attachment　for

me；　they　were　furious；　and　wrote　very　bitter　letters　to　both　father

and　myself；　accusing　us　of　having　intrigued　to　obtain　a　wealthy

alliance。　　Thank　God！　father　never　saw　the　letter；　as　he　died

suddenly；　before　he　knew　how　sore　a　wound　I　had　received。　　Nor　did

I　ever　show　the　letter　to　Mr。　Fleetwood；　for　my　father　had　trained

me　too　well　to　sow　dissension　between　parents　and　son。



〃An　aunt　took　me　to　her　home。　　She　was　a　kindhearted　old　lady；　but

very　matter…of…fact　and　wholly　engrossed　in　her　housekeeping；　and

I　told　her　nothing。　　I　waited　till　Mr。　Fleetwood　sought　me　out；

which　he　soon　did。　　I　saw　that　his　family　were　moving　heaven　and

earth　to　break　off　his　engagement　with　me；　and　it　evidently　pained

him　deeply　that　he　must　so　greatly　disappoint　his　parents。　　But

the　consideration　that　weighed　most　with　him　was　this：　　they　urged

upon　him　in　every　possible　way　that　hopes　had　been　raised　in　the

heart　of　the　young　lady　herself；　and　although　he　was　always　very

reticent　in　regard　to　her。　　I　think　she　seconded　the　family　scheme；

for　the　marriage　would　have　joined　two　very　large　estates。　　Although

my　heart　often　stood　still　with　fear　while　he　apparently　wavered　a

little；　I　can　honestly　say　I　left　him　free　to　make　his　own　choice。

They　persecuted　and　urged　him　to　that　extent；　and　so　confused　his

sense　of　right　and　wrong；　that；　in　order　to　escape　from　his　dilemma；

he　managed　to　get　a　lieutenant's　commission　in　the　army　in　spite　of

his　physician's　protest；　and　before　his　family　realized　what　they

regarded　as　an　immeasurable　disaster　he　was　in　the　Union　ranks　at

the　front。　　It　HAS　proved　an　immeasurable　disaster　to　me。



〃He　came　to　see　me　before　he　went　south；　and　told　me　that　he　preferred

death　to　any　other　bride　than　myself。　　In　sad　foreboding　I　begged

him　to　give　me　up　rather　than　go　into　that　awful　war　with　his

imperfect　health。　　But　he　went。　　The　rest　of　my　story　is　soon　told。

Life　in　the　field　seemed　to　brace　him　up　every　way。　　He　wrote　me

that　he　had　lived　hitherto　in　books　and　dreams；　and　that　contact

with　strong；　forceful　men　was　just　what　he　needed。　　He　wrote　almost

daily；　and　I　lived　on　his　letters。　　He　grew　strong　and　heroic　in　his

exposure　to　danger　and　hardship；　and　won　promotion　on　the　simple

ground　of　merit。　　At　last；　after　an　arduous　campaign；　he　was　slightly

wounded　and　greatly　worn；　and　he　received　a　long　leave　of　absence

after　the　troops　went　into　winter　quarters。　　He　wrote　then　that　he

was　coming　home　to　marry　me；　and　no　power　on　earth　could　prevent　it

except　my　'own　little　self；'　as　he　expressed　itoh！　I　can　repeat

all　those　letters　word　for　word。　　He　wrote　me　the　very　day　and　hour

on　which　he　would　start；　and　I　have　waited　ever　since；　and　I　have

vowed　before　God　that　I　will　wait　till　he　comes。〃　　And　she　bowed　her

head；　her　eyes　were　tearless；　and　she　went　on　still　more　hurriedly。

〃I　afterwards　learned　from　a　brother　officer；　and　also　from　the

papers；　that　he　left　his　regimental　headquarters　at　the　time　he　said；

but　that　he　had　to　ride　through　a　region　infested　with　guerrillas；

and　that　is　absolutely　all　I　know。　　I　am　sure　he　wrote　to　his　family

of　his　intentions　in　regard　to　me；　but　they　have　never　recognized

me　in　the　slightest　way。　　The　young　lady　to　whom　they　would　have

married　him　wore　mourning　a　year；　and　then　was　led　to　the　alter　by

another　man。　　But；　as　my　Harrold　said；　God　mated　our　souls；　and　I

shall　wait　till　he　joins　our　lives。　　Your　name　startled　me　greatly

when　I　heard　it　last　June　for　the　first　time　since　I　had　spoken

it　myself　to　one　who　has　seemingly　vanished　but　is　ever　present　to

me；　and　while　you　do　not　resemble　him　in　appearance　to　any　close

extent；　there　is　at　times　something　in　your　expression　that　is

singularly　like　his；　and　this　fact　must　explain　and　excuse　all　the

weak　exhibitions　of　myself　this　summer。　　And　now；　my　friend；　permit

me　to　say　that　your　rather　ardent　words　on　one　or　two　occasions

never　deceived　me　for　a　moment。　　You　mistook　your　warm　sympathy

for　love。　　I；　who　had　seen　and　known　the　love　of　Harrold　Fleetwood；

could　not　make　such　a　mistake。　　You　do　love　Ida　Mayhew；　and　she　is

worthy；　and　in　no　possible　way　could　you　do　so　much　to　add　to　my

happiness；　now　and　always；　as　by　aiding　that　beautiful　girl　develop

her　new　and　beautiful　life。　　Harold　Van　Berg；　I　would　regard　it　as

an　insult　if　you　ever　spoke　to　me　of　love　and　marriage　after　what

I　have　told　you　to…day。　　I　shall　always　value　your　friendship　very；

very　much；　for　I　am　now　alone　in　the　world；　and　I　think　I　have

found　in　you　a　friend　in　whom　I　can　trust　absolutely；　and　to　whom

I　could　go　in　case　there　should　be　need。　　Probably　there　never　will

be；　for；　in　my　simple；　busy　life；　I　have　few　wants。　　You　may　tell

Mr。　Stanton　what　you　think　best　of　my　story　after　I　am　gone。　　I

regret　unspeakably　that　he　should　think　of　me　as　he　does；　for　I　have

learned　to　respect　him　as　a　true；　noble…hearted　gentleman。　　It　is

one　more　of　life's　strange　mysteries。　　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said；

springing　up；　〃you　have　made　to　me　one　pledge　that　you　can　keeponly

one。　　You　have　promised　to　'make　me　happy　in　my　own　way。'　　Brave

Ida　Mayhew　caught　me　in　her　arms　when　I　fainted　last　Tuesday；　and

she　watched　at　my　side　till　morning。　　Yes；　she　did；　the　noble　and

generous　girl！　　But　I　promised　myself　the　pleasure　of　rewarding

her；　if　possible。　　Now；　if　you　wish　to　do　something　for　me　that

demands　prompt；　heroic　action；　scramble　into　a　buggy　and　let　one　of

Mr。　Burleigh's　men　drive　you　to　that　old　garden　before　she　leaves

it。　　She　found　her　new　spiritual　life　there；　let　her　also　find　her

happy　earthly　life　in　the　same　loved　place。　　Not　a　word；　but　go　at

once　if　you　have　any　regard　for　my　feelings　and　wishes。　　As　I　have

told　my　story；　your　sympathetic　face　has　been　more　eloquent　than

any　words；　and　leaves　nothing　to　be　said。　　I　refuse　to　see　you　or

speak　to　you　again　till　you　have　fulfilled　the　only　promise　I　ever

asked　or　wished　you　to　make；〃　and　she　left　him　and　quickly　disappeared。



Ten　minutes　later　Van　Berg　was　being　driven　towards　Mr。　Eltinge's

place；　at　a　speed　which　threatened；　in　case　of　accident；　to　place

him　beyond　the　use　of　crutches。　　As　he　rode　along　in　front　of　the

house　he　saw　that　Ida's　old　horse　and　low　phaeton　were　still　in　the

shade　of　the　trees；　therefore；　dismissing　his　driver；　he　hobbled

with　singular　alacrity　across　the　lawn　and　suddenly　presented

himself　before　Mr。　Eltinge　and　Ida；　much　to　the　surprise　of　the

latter；　who　hastily　wiped　her　eyes　and　sought　to　hide　the　fact　that

her　thoughts　had　not　been　very　cheerful。



〃Pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　left　my　sketchbook　here　some　days　since；

and　I　especially　wished　to　bid　Mr。　Eltinge　good…by　and　to　thank

him　with　all　the　warmth　and　fulness　that　can　be　put　into　words。〃



Mr。　Eltinge　was　cordially　and　gravely　kind　in　his　reception；　but

Ida　kept　her　face　averted；　for　she　knew　that　the　traces　of　grief

were　too　apparent。



After　a　few　moments　Mr。　Eltinge　said：　　〃Since　this　is　your　last

visit；　I　cannot　think　of　letting　either　of　you　go　back　before　dinner；

and；　if　you　will　excuse　me　for　a　little　time；　I　soon　can　see　that

our　simple　arrangements　are　made。〃



〃I　shall　be　very　glad　to　remain；〃　said　Van　Berg；　so　promptly　that

Ida　turned　and　looked　at　him　with　surprise。　　She　was　still　more

surprised　when；　as　soon　as　they　were　alone；　he　hobbled　to　the　rustic

seat　and　sat　down　beside　her。



〃Miss　Ida；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　always　given　me　such　admirable　advice

that　I　come　to　you　again。　　Miss　Burton　refuses　me　absolutely　and

irrevocably；　and　in　language　that　renders　it　impossible　for　me

ever　to　address　her　again　on　the　subject。　　You　thus　perceive　what

a　forlorn　object　is　before　youa　rejected　man　and　a　cripple！〃



〃Miss　Burton　refused　you！〃　exclaimed　Ida　in　utter　amazement。　　〃You

were　but　a　cold　wooer；　I　imagine；〃　she　added　reproachfully；　and

she　rose　from　the　seat　and　stood　aloof　from　him。



〃You　know　well；　Miss　Ida；〃　he　said　earnestly；　〃that　a　falsehood

would　be　impossible　in　this　place；　and　I　assure　you　I　honestly　did

the　best　I　could。　　We　have　plighted　our　faith　in　a　friendship　that

will　be　a　brother's　love　on　my　part；　but　she　said　solemnly　that

she　would　regard　offers　of　marriage　from　me；　now　or　at　any　future

time；　as　an　insult。　　In　brief；　she　has　at　last　told　me　her　story。

Her　lover　is　dead；　and　it　was　because　she　detected　certain　resemblances

in　my　appearance　to　him　that　she　looked　at　me　sometimes　in　the

way　you　described。　　I　had　surmised　as　much　before；　but　at　one　time

hoped　that　this　accidental　resemblance　might　give　me　a　vantage…ground

in　winning　her　from　a　past　that　I　knew　must　have　been　very　sad

indeed。　　My　resemblance　was　only　an　outward　one；　the　man　himself

was　immeasurably　my　superior；　and　on　the　principle　of　contrast　alone

Jennie　Burton　could　never　think　of　me。　　But　her　love　for　Harrold

Fleetwood　is　her　life。　　It　is　a　strange；　unearthly　devotion　that

time　only　increases。　　I　felt　weeks　since　that　I　could　worship　her

as　a　saint　far　easier　than　I　could　love　her　as　a　woman；　and　I　now

know　the　reason。　　It　would　indeed　be　an　insult　for　any　man　to　speak

to　her　of　love　and　marriage；　if　he　knew　what　I　have　learned　to…day。〃



〃Then　poor　Cousin　Ik　has　no　chance　either；〃　said　Ida；　with　tears

in　her　eyes。



〃No；　I　do　not　think　he　has；　although　she　has　learned　to　appreciate

him。　　She　spoke　of　him　as　a　'true；　noble…hearted　gentleman；'　and

such　terms　from　the　lips　of　a　woman　like　Jennie　Burton　are　better

than　a　king's　title。　　As　far　as　my　complacent　and　deliberate　wooing

of　last　summer　is　concerned；　I　believe　that　when　it　did　not　pain　and

annoy　her　she　was　rather　amused　by　it。　　She　had　seen　the　genuine

thing；　yo