a face illumined-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



of　commendation。　　Van　Berg　was　much　interested　in　observing　how

she　would　receive　this　sudden　gush　of　mingled　honest　praise　and

extravagant　flattery；　for　he　recognized　that　the　occasion　would

prove　a　searching　and　delicate　test　of　character　for　which　there

was　no　time　to　prepare。　　She　did　not　listen　to　their　words　with

deprecatory　smirk；　nor　with　the　pained　expression　of　those　sensitive

souls　to　whom　hearty　words　and　demonstrations　are　like　rough　winds；

nor　was　there　a　trace　of　exultation　and　self…complacency　in　her

bearing。　　Van　Berg　thought　that　her　manner　was　peculiarly　her　own；

for　she　looked　into　the　faces　around　her　with　frank　gladness；　and

her　unconsciousness　of　herself　can　be；　perhaps；　best　suggested　by

her　own　words。



〃How　fortunate　it　was；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　stood　where　I　did；　and

happened　to　be　looking　at　the　child。　　If　somebody　had　not　been　at

hand　it　might　have　gone　hard　with　the　little　fellow。　　Not　that　I

think　he　would　have　been　killed；　but　he　might　have　been　maimed　or

disfigured　in　a　way　that　would　have　caused　him　pain　and　mortification

all　his　life。〃



〃Miss　Burton；　I　take　my　hat　to　you；〃　said　Van　Berg；　laughing。

〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　I　hope　you　all　appreciate　the　force　of　Miss

Burton's　phrase；　'somebody；'　since　it　implies　that　any　one　of　us

would　have　shown　like　courage　and　presence　of　mind　if　we　had　only

been　'at　hand；'　or　had　stood　where　she　did。　　Really　Miss　Burton；

you　are　like　smiling　fortune；　and　'thrust　upon'　us　'greatness'　and

heroism。〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；　you　are　laughing　at　me；　and　your　quotation　suggests

that　other　Shakespearean　words　are　in　your　mindto　wit；　'much

ado　about　nothing。'　　Now　if　YOU　had　had　the　opportunity　you　would

have　achieved　the　rescue　in　a　way　that　would　have　been　heroic　and

striking。　　Instead　of　scrambling　out　of　the　way　with　the　child；

like　a　timid　woman；　you　would　have　rushed　upon　the　horses；　seized

them　by　their　heads；　thrown　them　back　upon　their　haunches；　and

while　posing　in　that　masterful　attitude；　you　would　have　called　out

in　stentorian　tones'Remove　the　child。'〃



All　laughed　at　this　unexpected　sally；　and　no　one　enjoyed　it　more

than　Stanton；　who；　a　little　before；　had　been　excessively　angry

at　his　coachman；　and；　like　the　mother　of　the　child；　had　summarily

dismissed　the　poor　fellow　from　his　service。　　Quite　forgetful　of　his

uncomplimentary　words　concerning　〃Yankee　school…ma'ams〃　in　general；

and　this　one　in　particular；　he　now　stood　near；　and　was　regarding

her　not　only　with　approval　but　with　admiration。　　Her　ready　reply

to　Van　Berg　pleased　him　exceedingly；　especially　as　the　rising　color

in　the　face　of　his　self…possessed　friend　indicated　a　palpable　hit。

But　the　artist　was　equal　to　the　occasion；　and　quickly　replied　as

one　who　had　felt　a　slight　spur。



〃I　fear　you　are　in　part　correct；　Miss　Burton。　　Instead　of　deftly

saving　the　child　and　taking　both　it　and　myself　out　of　harm's　way；

after　your　quiet　womanly　fashion；　I　should；　no　doubt；　have　'rushed

upon　the　horses　and　seized　them　by　their　heads。'　　But　I　fear　your

striking　tableau；　in　which　I　appeared　to　such　advantage；　would

have　been　wholly　wanting。　　I　could　not　have　stopped　the　horses　in

time；　the　child　would　have　been　run　over　and　killed；　the　big；　fat

coroner　would　have　come　and　sat　on　it　and　have　made　us　all；　who

witnessed　the　scene；　swear　over　the　matter；　the　poor　mother　would

have　gone　to　the　lunatic　asylum；　the　father　would　have　committed

suicide；　the　nursery　maid　would　haveobtained　another　place　and

been　the　death　of　an　indefinite　number　of　other　innocent　babies；

and　last；　but　not　least；　I　should　have　been　dragged　and　trampled

upon；　my　legs　and　arms　broken；　and　perhaps　my　head；　and　so　you

would　all　have　had　to　take　care　of　meand　you　know　a　cross　bear

is　a　pleasanter　subject　than　a　sick　man。〃



〃Oh；　what　a　chapter　of　horrors！〃　exclaimed　several　ladies　in　chorus。



〃Nevertheless；　we　would　have　been　equal　to　the　occasion；　even　if

you　had　been　so　dreadfully　fractured；〃　said　Miss　Burton。　　〃We　all

would　have　become　your　devoted　nurses；　and　each　one　of　us　would

have　had　a　separate　and　infallible　remedy；　which；　out　of　courtesy；

you　would　have　been　compelled　to　use。〃



〃Oh；　bless　my　soul！〃　exclaimed　Van　Berg；　〃I　have　had　a　greater

escape　than　the　child。　　In　being　'at　hand'　as　you　express　it；　Miss

Burton；　I　am　beginning　to　feel　that　you　have　saved　me　from　death

by　torture。〃



〃What　a　compliment　to　us！〃　said　Miss　Burton；　appealing　to　the　ladies；

〃he　regards　our　ministrations　as　equivalent　to　death　by　torture。〃



〃Oh；　pardon　me；　I　referred　to　the　numberless　'separate　and　infallible

remedies；'　the　very　thought　of　which　curdles　my　blood。〃



〃I　cannot　help　thinking　that　my　friend's　prospects　would　have　been

very　dismal；〃　put　in　Stanton；　〃for　with　broken　legs　and　arms　and

head　he　would　have　been　very　badly　fractured　indeed　to　begin　with；

and　then　some　one　of　his　fair　nurses　might　have　broken　his　heart。〃



〃My　friend　probably　thinks；　from　a　direful　experience；〃　said　Van

Berg；　〃that　this　would　be　worse　than　all　the　other　fractures　put

together；　and　perhaps　it　would。　　An　additional　cause　for　gratitude；

Miss　Burton；　that　you；　and　not　I；　were　'at　hand。'〃



〃My　reasons　for　gratitude　to　Miss　Burton；〃　said　Stanton；　〃do　not

rest　on　what　undoubtedly　would　have　happened　had　my　friend　attempted

the　rescue；　but　on　what　has　happened；　and　if　Mr。　Van　Berg　will

introduce　me　I　will　cordially　express　my　thanks。〃



〃With　all　my　heart。　　Miss　Burton；　permit　me　to　present　to　you　Mr。

Stanton；　whose　only　fault　is　a　slight　monomania　for　New　England

and　her　institutions。〃



The　lady　recognized　Stanton　with　her　wonted　smiling　and　pleasant

manner；　which　seemed　so　frank　and　open；　but　behind　which　some

present　eventually　learned　the　real　woman　was　hiding；　and　said：



〃I　am　inclined　to　think　that　Mr。　Van　Berg's　English；　like　Hebrew；

reads　backwards。　　I　warn　you　Mr。　Stanton；　not　to　express　any

indebtedness　to　me；　or　I　shall　straightway　exhibit　one　of　the　Yankee

traits　which　you　undoubtedly　detest；　and　attempt　a　bargain。〃



〃Although　assured　that　I　shall　get　the　worst　of　this　bargain；　I

shall　nevertheless　heartily　thank　you　that　you　were　not　only　'at

hand；'　but　that　you　acted　so　promptly　and　courageously　that　the

child　was　saved。　　What　pleasure　could　I　have　taken　with　my　horses

if　their　feet　had　trampled　that　little　boy？〃



〃I　see　my　opportunity；〃　replied　Miss　Burton；　with　a　decisive　little

nod。　　〃Your　afternoon　drives　might　have　been　marred　by　unpleasant

thoughts　as　one's　sleep　is　sometimes　disturbed　by　bad　dreams。　　You

have　no　idea　what　a　delight　it　is　to　the　average　New　England　mind；

Mr。　Stanton；　to　secure　the　vantage　ground　in　a　bargain。　　In　view　of

your　own　voluntary　admissions；　you　can　scarcely　do　otherwise　than

let　me　have　my　own　way。〃



With　the　exception　of　the　two　or　three　who　had　formed　Miss　Burton's

acquaintance　at　dinner；　those　who　at　first　had　gathered　around　her

had　by　this　time　dwindled　away。　　Ida　Mayhew　sat　near　in　an　open

window　of　the　parlor；　ostensibly　reading　a　novel；　but　in　reality

observant　of　all　that　occurred。　　Both　she　and　Van　Berg　had　been

amused　by　the　fact　that　Stanton；　usually　so　languid　and　nonchalant；

had　been　for　once　thoroughly　aroused。　　Between　anger　at　his　coachmen；

alarm　for　the　child；　and　interest　in　its　preserver；　he　was　quite

shaken　out　of　his　wonted　equanimity；　which　was　composed　equally

of　indolent　good…nature；　self…complacency；　and　a　disposition　to

satirize　the　busy；　earnest　world　around　him。　　It　was　apparent　that

he　was　somewhat　nonplussed　by　Miss　Burton's　manner　and　words；　and

those　who　knew　him　well　enjoyed　his　perplexity；　although　at　a　loss

themselves　to　imagine　what　object　Miss　Burton　could　have　in　view。

Half　unconsciously　Van　Berg　turned　his　smiling；　interested　face

towards　Ida　Mayhew；　who　was　regarding　her　cousin　with　a　similar

expression；　but　the　moment　she　caught　the　artist's　eyes　she　coldly

dropped　her　own　to　her　book　ag