a face illumined-第13章

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mutual　respect；　made　even　homely　daily　life　noble　and　beautiful；

he　could　not　look　on　the　discordant　Mayhew　family　with　the　charity；

or　the　indifference；　of　those　who　have　seen　more　of　the　wrong　side

of　life。　　Had　there　been　only　poor；　besmirched　Mr。　Mayhew；　and

stout；　dressy；　voluble　Mrs。　Mayhew；　he　would　never　have　glanced

towards　them　the　second　time；　but　his　artist's　eyes　had　fallen　on

the　contradictory　being　that　linked　them　together。　　Morally　and

mentally　she　seemed　one　with　her　parent　stock；　but　her　beauty；　in

some　of　its　aspects；　was　so　marvellous；　that　the　desire　to　redeem

it　from　its　hateful　and　grotesque　associations　grew　stronger　every

hour。



Instead；　therefore；　of　going　off　upon　solitary　rambles；　as　he　had

done　hitherto；　he　mingled　more　frequently　in　the　amusements　of

the　guests　of　the　house；　with　the　hope　he　would　thus　be　brought　so

often　in　contact　with　the　subject　of　his　experiment；　that　her　pique

would　wear　away　sufficiently　to　permit　them　to　meet　on　something

like　friendly　terms。



As　far　as　the　other　guests　were　concerned；　he　had　not　trouble。

They　welcomed　him　to　croquet；　to　walking　and　boating　excursions；

and　to　their　evening　games　and　promenades。　　Such　of　the　ladies　as

danced　were　pleased　to　secure　him　as　a　partner。　　Indeed；　from　the

dearth　of　gentlemen　during　the　week；　he　soon　found　himself　more

in　demand　than　he　cared　to　be；　and　saw　that　even　the　landlord

was　beginning　to　rely　upon　him　to　keep　up　a　state　of　pleasurable

effervescence　among　his　patrons。　　His　languid　friend；　Stanton；　was

not　a　little　surprised；　and　at　last　remarked：



〃Why；　Van；　what　has　come　over　you？　　I　never　saw　you　in　the　role　of

a　society　fellow　before！〃



But　his　unwonted　courtesies　seemed　wholly　in　vain。　　He　propitiated

and　won　all　save　one；　and　that　one　was　the　sole　object　of　his　effort。

While　all　others　smiled；　her　face　remained　cold　and　averted。　　Indeed

she　took　such　pains　to　ignore　and　avoid　him；　that　it　was　generally

recognized　that　there　was　a　difference　between　them；　and　of　course

there　was　an　endless　amount　of　gossiping　surmise。　　As　the　hostility

seemed　wholly　on　the　lady's　side；　Van　Berg　appeared　to　the　better

advantage；　and　Ida　was　all　the　more　provoked　as　she　recognized　the

fact。



She　now　began　to　wish　that　she　had　taken　a　different　course。　　As

Van　Berg　pursued　his　present　tactics；　her　feminine　intuition　was

not　so　dull　but　that　she　was　led　to　believe　he　wished　to　make　her

acquaintance。　　Of　course　there　was；　to　her　mind；　but　one　explanation

of　this　facthe　was　becoming　fascinated；　like　so　many　others。



〃If　I　were　only　on　speaking　and　flirting　terms；〃　she　thought　（the

two　relations　were　about　synonymous　in　her　estimation）；　〃I　might

draw　him　on　to　a　point　which　would　give　me　a　chance　of　punishing

him　far　more　than　is　now　possible　by　sullenly　keeping　aloof。　　As

it　is；　it　looks　to　these　people　here　as　if　he　had　jilted　me　instead

of　I　him；　and　that　I　am　sulking　over　it。〃



But　she　had　entangled　herself　in　the　snarl　of　her　own　previous

words　and　manner。　　She　had　charged　her　mother　and　cousin　to　permit

no　overtures　of　peace；　and　once　or　twice；　when　mine　host；　in　his

good…natured；　off…hand　manner；　had　sought　to　introduce　them；　she

had　been　so　blind　and　deaf　to　his　purpose　as　to　appear　positively

rude。　　Her　repugnance　to　the　artist　had　become　a　generally　recognized

fact；　and　she　had　built　up　such　a　barrier　that　she　could　not　break

it　down　without　asking　for　more　help　than　was　agreeable　to　her

pride。　　But　she　chafed　inwardly　at　her　false　position；　and　at　the

increasing　popularity　of　the　object　of　her　spite。



Even　her　mother　at　last　formed　his　acquaintance；　and；　as　the　artist

listened　to　the　garrulous　lady　for　half　an　hour　with　scarcely　an

interruption；　she　pronounced　him　one　of　the　most　entertaining　of

men。



As　Mrs。　Mayhew　was　chanting　his　praises　that　evening；　Ida　broke

out　petulantly：



〃Was　there　ever　such　a　gad…fly　as　this　artist！　　He　pesters　me　from

morning　till　night。〃



〃Pesters　you！　　I　never　saw　a　lady　so　severely　let　alone　as　you　are

by　him。　　Whatever　is　the　cause　of　your　spite　it　seems　to　harm　only

yourself；　and　I　should　judge　from　your　remark　that　it　disturbs　you

much　more　than　you　would　have　it　appearcertainly　far　more　than

it　does　him。〃



There　was　no　soothing　balm　in　these　words；　as　may　well　be　supposed；

and　yet　the　impression　grew　upon　Ida　that　the　artist　would　be

friendly　if　he　could；　and　the　belief　strengthened　with　him　also

that　she　took　far　too　much　pains　to　manifest　what　she　would　have

others　think　to　be　mere　indifference　and　dislike；　and　he　intercepted

besides；　with　increasing　frequency；　furtive　glances　towards　himself。

So　much　ice　had　accumulated　between　them；　however　that　neither　knew

how　it　was　to　be　broken。



One　day；　about　the　middle　of　the　week；　Van　Berg　found　a　stranger

seated　opposite　to　him　at　the　dinner　table。　　His　first　impression

was；　that　the　lady　was　not　very　young　and　that　her　features　were

quite　plain；　but　before　the　meal　was　over　he　concluded　that　her

face　was　decidedly　interesting；　and　that　the　suggestion　of　age　had

been　made　by　maturity　of　character　and　the　impress　which　some　real

and　deep　experience　gives　to　the　countenance；　rather　than　by　the

trace　of　years。



While　yet　a　stranger；　the　expression　of　her　blue　eyes；　as　she

glanced　around；　was　so　kindly　that　she　at　once　won　the　good…will

of　all　who　encountered　them。　　This　genial；　friendly　light　in　her

eyes　seemed　a　marked　characteristic。　　It　was　so　different　from　the

obtrusive；　forward　manner　with　which　some　seek　to　make　acquaintances；

that　it　would　not　have　suggested　a　departure　from　modest　reserve；

even　to　the　most　cynical。　　It　rather　indicated　a　heart　aglow　with

gentle　feeling　and　genial　good…will；　like　a　maple…wood　fire　on　a

hospitality　hearth；　that　warms　all　who　come　within　the　sphere　of

its　influence。



Van　Berg　was　naturally　reserved；　and　slow　to　make　new　acquaintances。

But　before　he　had　stolen　many　glances　of　the　face　opposite　him　he

began　to　wish　for　the　privilege　of　speaking　to　hera　wish　that

was　increased　by　the　fact　that　they　were　alone　at　the　table；　the

other　guests　who　usually　occupied　the　chairs　not　having　returned

from　their　morning　drive。　　she　did　not　look　at　him　in　particular；

nor　appear　to　be　in　the　least　struck　by　his　〃distingue〃　air；　as

Ida　had　been　before　she　was　blinded　by　prejudice；　but　she　looked

out　upon　the　world　at　large　with　such　a　friendly　aspect　that　he

was　sure　she　had　something　pleasant　to　say。　　He　was　therefore　well

pleased　when　at　last　the　landlord　bustled　up　in　his　brusque　way

and　said：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　permit　me　to　make　you　acquainted　with　Miss　Burton。

She　has　had　the　faith　to　put　herself　under　my　charge　for　a　few

weeks；　and　I　shall　reward　her　by　sharing　the　responsibility　with

you；　who　seem　blessed　with　the　benevolent　desire　of　giving　us　all

a　good　time；〃　and　then　he　bustled　off　to　look　after　some　other　matter

which　required　his　attention　during　the　critical　hour　of　dinner。



Miss　Burton　acknowledged　the　young　man's　bow　without　a　trace　of

affectation　or　reserve。



〃I　shall　try　not　to　prove　a　burden　to　either　of　you；〃　she　said；

with　a　smile。



〃I　have　already　discovered　that　you　will　not　be；〃　said　Van　Berg；

〃and　was　wishing　for　an　introduction。〃



〃I　hope　your　wishes　may　always　find　so　ready　a　fulfillment。〃



〃That's　a　kindly　wish；　Miss　Burton；　but　a　vain　one。〃



〃Were　we　misanthropical　people；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　we　might　sigh；　'and

such　are　human　wishes　generally。'〃



〃One　is　often　tempted　to　do　that　anyway；　even　when　not　especially

prone　to　look　askance　at　fortune。〃



〃There　is　an　easy　way　of　escaping　that　temptation。〃



〃How？〃



〃Do　not　form　many　wishes。〃



〃Have　you　very　few　wishes？〃



With　a　slight　and　piquant　motion　of　her　head　she　replied；　〃I　was

only　giving　a　bit　of　trite　advice。　　It's　asking　a　great　deal　to

require　that　one　should　both　preach　and　practice。〃