a face illumined-第14章

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require　that　one　should　both　preach　and　practice。〃



〃I　think　you　are　possessed　by　one　wish　which　swallows　up　most

others；〃　said　Van　Berg；　a　little　abruptly。



A　visible　pallor　overspread　her　face；　and　she　drew　back　perceptibly

as　one　might　shrink　from　a　blow。



〃You　know　how　strong　first　impressions　are；〃　resumed　Van　Berg

hastily；　〃and　the　thought　has　passed　through　my　mind　that　you　might

be　so　preoccupied　in　wishing　good　things　for　others　as　to　quite

forget　yourself。〃



〃If　one　could　be　completely　occupied　in　that　way；〃　she　said；　with

a　faint　smile　which　suggested　rather　than　revealed　a　vista　of　her

past　experience；　〃one　might　have　little　occasion　to　wish　for　anything

for　self。　　But；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　only　we　poor　unreasoning　women　put

much　faith　in　first　impressions；　and　you　know　how　often　they　mislead

even　us；　who　are　supposed　to　have　safe　instincts。〃



〃Do　they　often　mislead　you？〃



〃Indeed；　sir；〃　she　replied；　with　a　merry　twinkle　in　her　eye；　〃I

think　you　must　have　learned　the　questions　in　the　catechism；　if　not

the　answers。〃



Van　Berg　bit　his　lip。　　Here　was　a　suggestion　of　a　thorn　in　the

sweetbrier　he　believed　he　had　discovered。



〃Now　see　how　far　I　am　astray；〃　she　resumed　with　a　frankness　which

had　in　it　no　trace　of　familiarity。　　〃It　is　my　impression　you　are

a　lawyer。〃



At　this　Van　Berg　laughed　outright　and　said：　　〃You　are　indeed

mistaken。　　I　have　no　connection　with　the　influential　class　whose

business　it　is　to　make　and　evade　the　laws。　　I　am　only　one　among

the　humble　masses　who　aim　to　obey　them。　　But　perhaps　you　think　your

intuition　goes　deeper　than　surface　facts　and　that　I　OUGHT　to　have

been　a　cross…questioner。〃



〃I　am　quite　sure　my　intuition　is　correct　in　thinking　that　you　would

not　be　very　cross　about　it。〃



〃Perhaps　not；　if　disarmed　by　so　smiling　a　face　as　yours。〃



The　others；　who　had　been　delayed　by　a　longer　ride　than　usual；　now

entered　and　took　the　vacant　chairs　around　the　table。　　Van　Berg　felt

sufficiently　acquainted　with　them　to　introduce　Miss　Burton；　for　he

was　curious　to　observe　whether　she　would　make　the　same　impression

on　them　as　he　had　been　conscious　of　himself。



They　bowed　with　the　quiet；　well…bred　manner　of　society　people；　but

were　at　first　inclined　to　pay　little　heed　to　the　plainly　dressed

and　rather　plain　appearing　young　stranger。　　As　one　and　another；

however；　glanced　towards　her；　something　about　her　seemed　to　linger

in　their　memories　and　cause　them　to　look　again。　　The　lady　next　to

her　offered　a　commonplace　remark；　chiefly　out　of　politeness；　and

received　so　pleasant　a　reply　in　return　that　she　turned　her　thoughts

as　well　as　her　eyes　to　see　who　it　really　was　that　had　made　it。　　Then

another　spoke；　and　the　response　led　her　to　speak　again　and　again；

and　soon　the　entire　party　were　describing　their　drive　and　living

over　its　pleasantest　features；　and　before　the　meal　ended　they　were

all　gathered；　metaphorically；　around　the　mystical；　maple…wood　fire

that　burned　on　the　hearth　of　a　nature　that　seemed　so　hospitable

and　kindly　as　to　have　no　other　mission　than　to　cheer　and　entertain。



〃Who　is　that　little　brown　thrush　of　a　woman　that　you　were　so　taken

with　at　dinner？〃　asked　Stanton；　as　they　were　enjoying　a　quiet　smoke

in　their　favorite　corner　of　the　piazza。



〃Good　for　you；　Stanton。　　I　never　knew　you　to　be　so　appreciative

before。　　Your　term　quite　accurately　describes　her。　　She　is　both　shy

and　reserved；　but　not　diffident　or　awkward　in　the　least。　　Indeed

her　manner　might　strike　some　as　being　peculiarly　frank。　　But　there

is　something　back　of　it　all；　for　young　as　she　undoubtedly　is；　her

face　suggests　to　me　some　deep　and　unusual　experience。〃



〃Jupiter　Ammon！　　What　an　abyss　of　mystery；　surmise；　and　metaphysics

you　fell　into　while　I　was　eating　my　dinner！　　I　used　the　phrase

'brown　thrush；'　only　in　reference　to　her　dress　and　general　homeliness。〃



〃Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon！　　I　take　all　back　about　your　nice　appreciation

of　character。　　I　now　grasp　the　whole　truthyour　attention　wandered

sufficiently　from　your　dinner　to　observe　that　she　wore　a　brown

dress；　and　the　one　fact　about　the　thrush　that　has　impressed　you　is

that　it　is　brown。　　'Here　be　truths'　which　leave　nothing　more　to　be

said。〃



〃You　imaginative　fellows　are　often　ridiculously　astray　on　the　other

tack；　and　see　a　thousand…fold　more　than　exists。　　But　it's　a　pity

you　could　not　read　all　there　was　in　this　young　woman's　face；　for

it　was　certainly　PLAIN　enough。　　At　this　rate　you　will　be　asking　our

burly　landlord　to　unbosom　himself；　insisting　that　he　has　a　'silent

sorrow'　tucked　away　somewhere　under　his　ample　waistcoat。〃



〃His　troubles；　like　yours；　are　banished　by　the　dinner　hour。　　I

recognize　your　feeble　witticism　about　her　plain　face；　and　forgive

you　because　I　thought　it　plain　also　at　first；　but　when　she　came　to

speak　and　smile　it　ceased　to　be　plain。　　I　do　not　say　she　has　had

trouble；　but　she　has　had　some　experience　in　her　past　history　which

neither　you　nor　I　could　understand。〃



〃Quite　likely；　the　measles；　for　instance；　which　I　never　had　to　my

knowledge。　　Possibly　she　has　had　a　lover　who　was　not　long　in　finding

a　prettier　face；　and　so　left　her；　but　not　so　disconsolate　that　she

could　not　smile　bewilderingly　upon　you。〃



〃Come　now；　Stanton；　I'll　forewarn　and　forearm　you。　　I　confidently

predict　that　the　voice　of　this　brown　thrush　will　lure　you　out

of　a　life　which；　to　put　it　mildly；　is　a　trifle　matter…of…fact　and

material。　　You　have　glanced　at　her；　but　you　have　not　seen　her　yet。

Mark　my　words；　your　appetite　will　flag　before　many　weeks　pass。〃



〃I　wish　I　could　pin　you　down　to　a　large　wager　on　this　absurdity。〃



〃I　agree　to　paint　you　a　picture　if　my　prediction　fails。〃



〃And　to　finish　it　within　a　natural　lifetime？〃　said　Stanton；　with

much　animation。



〃To　finish　as　promptly　as　good　work　can　be　done。〃



〃Pardon　me；　Van。　　You　had　too　much　wine　for　dinner；　I　don't　want

to　take　advantage　of　you。〃



〃I　did　not　have　any。〃



〃In　order　to　carry　out　this　transaction　honestly；　am　I　expected　to

make　conscious　and　patient　effort　to　come　under　the　influence　of

this　maiden　in　brown；　who　has　had　some　mysterious　complaint　in　the

past；　about　which　'neither　you；　nor　I；　nor　anybody　knows；'　as　the

poet　saith：　or；　like　the　ancient　mariner；　will　she　'hold　me　with

her　glittering　eye？'〃



〃You　have　only　to　jog　on　in　your　old　ways　until　she　wakes　you　up

and　makes　a　man　of　you。〃



〃I　surely　am　dreaming；　for　never　did　the　level…headed　Van　Berg　talk

such　arrant　nonsense　before。　　If　she　seems　to　you　such　a　marvel；

why　don't　you　open　your　own　mouth　and　let　the　ripe　cherry　drop　into

it。〃



〃One　reason　will　answer；　were　there　no　othersshe　wouldn't　drop。

If　you　ever　win　her；　my　boy；　you　will　have　to　bestir　yourself。〃



〃I'd　rather　win　the　picture。　　Let　me　seeI　know　the　very　place　in

my　room　where　I　shall　hang　it。〃



〃You　are　a　little　premature。　　That　chicken　is　not　yet　hatched；

and　you　may　feel　like　hanging　yourself　in　the　place　of　the　picture

before　the　summer　is　over。〃



〃Let　me　wrap　your　head　in　ice…water；　Van。　　There's　mine　hostO；　Mr。

Burleigh！〃　he　cried　to　the　landlord；　who　at　that　moment　happened

to　cross　the　piazza；　〃please　step　here。　　My　friend　Mr。　Van　Berg　has

been　strangely　fascinated　by　the　stranger　in　brown　whom　you；　with

some　deep　and　malicious　design；　placed　opposite　to　him　at　the

table。　　What　are　her　antecedents；　and　who　are　her　uncles？　　I　take

a　friendly　interest　in　this　young　man。　　Indeed；　I'm　sort　of　a

guardian　angel　to　him；　having　saved　his　life　many　a　time。〃



〃Saved　his　life！〃　ejaculated　the　landlord。　　〃How？〃



〃By　quenching　his　consuming　genius　with　good　dinners。　　But　comesolve

for　me　this　riddle　in　brown。　　My　friend　usually　gives　but　little

heed　to　the　feminine　conundrums　that　smilingly　ask　to　be　answered；

but　for　some　occult　reason　he　is　in　a　state　of　sleepless　interest

over　this　one；　and　I　know　that　his　waistcoat　is　selling　with

gratitud