a face illumined-第17章

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

dropped　her　own　to　her　book　again。



〃Well；　Miss　Burton；〃　said　Stanton；　with　a　slightly　embarrassed

laugh；　〃I　admit　that　I　am　cornered；　so　you　can　make　your　own　terms。〃



〃They　shall　be　grievous；　I　assure　you。　　Do　you　see　that　rueful　face

in　your　carriage　yonder？〃



〃That　of　my　coachman？　　Bad　luck　to　his　ill…omened　visage！　　Yes。〃



〃No　need　of　wishing　bad　luck　to　any　poor　creatureit　will　come　only

too　soon　without。　　In　view　of　the　indebtednesswhich　you　have　so

gracefully　acknowledgedto　one　of　that　trading　and　thrifty　race

that　never　loses　an　opportunity　to　turn；　if　not　a　penny　more　or

less　honest；　why；　something　else；　to　their　advantage；　I　stipulate

that　you　give　your　dependent　there　another　chance。　　I　heard　you

dismiss　him　from　your　service　a　short　time　since；　and　he　evidently

does　not　wish　to　go。　　His　disconsolate　face　troubles　me；　so　please

banish　his　dismal　looks；　and　he'll　be　more　careful　hereafter。〃



〃And　have　you　had　time　to　see　and　think　about　him？〃　said　Stanton；

with　a　little　surprise　in　his　tone。　　〃You　shall　banish　his　dismal

looks　yourself。　　Barney；〃　he　called；　〃drive　close　to　the　piazza

here。　　This　lady　has　probably　saved　you　from　arrest；　and　she　now

intercedes　in　your　behalf。　　In　compliance　with　her　request；　I　will

keep　you　in　my　service；　but　I　wish　you　to　thank　her　and　not　me。〃



Barney　took　off　his　hat　and　ejaculated：　　〃May　yees　shadder　niver

grow　less；　me　leddy；　an'　may　the　Powers　grant　that　yees　bright

eyes　may　see　no　trouble　o'　their　own；　bain　they're　so　quick　to　see

a　poor　man's　bad　luck。〃



The　smiling　manner　with　which　she　acknowledged　his　good　wishes

seemed　to　warm　the　man　all　over；　and　he　looked　as　if　transformed

as　he　drove　back　to　his　stand。



〃How　is　this；　Miss　Burton？〃　said　Stanton。　　〃I　feel　as　if　I　had　had

the　best　of　this　bargain。〃



〃That　impression　is　wholly　due　to　my　Yankee　shrewdness；　and　now；

having　gained　my　point；〃　she　added；　with　a　graceful　inclination；

〃I　will　not　keep　you　from　your　drive　any　longer。〃



〃My　conscience　will　not　permit　me　to　complete　this　transaction

until　I　have　assured　you　that　my　horses　and　carriage　are　at　your

service　at　any　time。〃



〃Be　careful；　I　may　take　advantage　of　you　again。〃



〃Please　do　so；〃　replied　Stanton；　lifting　his　hat；　and　then　he　went

to　his　carriage　more　surprised　at　himself　than　at　anything　else

that　had　occurred。　　Miss　Burton　returned　to　the　doorway　and　quietly

resumed　the　conversation　that　had　been　interrupted　by　the　peril　of

the　child。



Van　Berg　was　about　to　follow　his　friend；　but　an　acquaintance　coming

up　the　steps；　detained　him　a　few　moments。



〃Oh；　Harold；　come！〃　cried　Stanton；　impatiently。



Miss　Burton　started　violently。　　The　sentence　upon　her　lips　was　never

finished；　and　her　face　became　ashen　in　color。　　She　looked　at　Van

Berg　with　a　strange　expression　as　he；　unconscious　of　her　agitation；

answered：



〃Yes；　I'm　coming；〃　and　moved　away。



〃My　dear　Miss　Burton；〃　said　the　lady　with　whom　she　was　speaking；

〃you　are　ill；　you　look　ready　to　faint。　　This　excitement　has　been

a　greater　strain　upon　you　than　you　have　realized。〃



〃Perhaps　I　had　better　go　to　my　room；〃　faltered　the　young　lady；　and

she　fled　with　a　precipitancy　that　her　companion　could　not　understand。



Ida　Mayhew　also　witnessed　this　unexpected　bit　of　mystery；　and　it

puzzled　her　not　a　little。　　She　had　left　the　parlor　and　was　standing

in　the　hall…way　when　her　cousin's　voice　summoned　his　friend　after

his　familiar　fashion。　　Why　should　this　stranger　look　at　Mr。　Van

Berg　as　if　the　sound　of　his　Christian　name　were　a　mortal　wound？　　Or

was　that　a　mere　coincidenceand　in　reaction　from　excitement　and

unwonted　effort　had　she　suddenly　taken　ill？　　For　a　wonder；　she

thought　more　about　Miss　Burton　than　herself　that　afternoon。　　She

had　decided　from　the　first　that　she　did　not　like　this　new…comer。

That　point　had　been　settled　by　the　fact　that　the　artist's　first

impressions　concerning　her　had　evidently　been　favorable；　and　she

remembered　that　his　earliest　glances　and　words　in　regard　to　herself

had　been　anything　but　complimentary。











Chapter　IX。　　Unexpectedly　Thrown　Together。









〃I　suppose　you　are　satisfied　by　this　time；　Stanton；〃　began　Van

Berg；　as　they　drove　away；　〃that　I　was　very　safe　in　offering　you

that　picture　on　the　conditions　named；　and　that　you　have　not　the

ghost　of　a　chance　of　obtaining　it。〃



〃Nonsense；〃　replied　Stanton。　　〃The　picture　is　practically　won　already。

I　admit　that　Miss　Burton　is　an　exception　to　all　her　species；　and；

now　that　I　have　seen　her；　I　prove　how　little　I　am　under　the　influence

of　prejudice　by　acknowledging　the　fact；　and　by　giving　her　credit

for　her　courage　and　agreeable　manners。　　But　how　absurd　to　imagine

that　this　plain　little　stranger　can　ever　be　to　me　more　than　she　is

to…daya　summer　acquaintance　at　a　summer　resort！　　She　will　soon

drop　from　our　memories　and　leave　no　more　trace　than　these　rustling

leaves　overhead　after　they　have　fulfilled　their　brief　purpose。〃



〃Here's　a　symptom　already；〃　cried　Van　Berg。　　〃My　matter…of…fact

friend　is　already　in　the　subtle　current；　and　unconsciously　drops

into　sentiment；　and　expresses　himself　in　poetic　trope。　　I　foresee

that　the　'rustling　leaves'　will　end　in　a　rustling　wedding…robe　and

gorgeous　apparel；　for　when　you　cage　the　'brown　thrush'　you　will

have　the　bad　taste　to　insist　on　a　change　of　plumage。〃



〃I　begin　to　understand　you　at　last；〃　retorted　Stanton。　　〃You　have

been　smitten　yourself；　and　this　is　your　strategy　to　conceal　the　fact。

The　trouble　is　that　you　have　overdone　the　matter；　and　revealed　your

transfixed　heart　long　before　I　should　have　suspected　the　wound。

Had　you　not　better　commence　on　the　picture　soon；　for　this　matter

may　disable　you　for　a　season？〃



〃I　won't　swear　that　I　will　not　become　your　rival；　for　our　little

heroine　interests　me　hugely。　　There　is　something　back　of　her　smiling

face。　　Her　manner　seems　like　crystal　in　its　frankness；　and　yet　I

think　few　in　the　house　will　ever　become　better　acquainted　with　her

than　they　are　to…day。〃



〃I　shall　take　more　than　a　languid　interest　in　watching　you　progress

with　this　smiling　sphinx；〃　said　Stanton；　〃and　in　the　mean　time

shall　gloat　over　my　picture。〃



〃Well；　Barney；〃　said　Van　Berg；　as　they　drove　up　to　the　stables　on

their　return；　〃you　did　have　a　streak　of　good　luck　this　afternoon。

I　hope　you　are　grateful　to　the　lady　who　secured　it　for　you。〃



〃Faix；　sur；　an'　I　niver　seed　the　likes　o'　her　afore。　　The　smilin'

look　she　gave　me　jist　warmed　the　very　core　o'　me　heart；　and　her　swate

eyes　seemed　to　say；　'Nary　a　bit　o'　ill…luck　would　ye　have　again；

Barney；　had　I　me　way。'　　What's　more；　she's　a　goin'　to　intercade

for　the　nurse…maid。　　They　nadn't　tell　me　that　all　the　heretics　will

stay　in　purgatory。〃



〃Look　here；　Stanton；　were　I　a　theologian　I'd　make　a　note　of　that。

Miss　Burton　has　discovered　a　logic　that　routs　superstition。〃



Van　Berg　quite　longed　for　the　supper　hour；　that　he　might　resume

conversation　with　the　interesting　stranger；　and　he　was　promptly

in　his　place　at　the　table。　　But　she　did　not　appear。　　The　lady　with

whom　she　had　been　conversing；　remarked：



〃She　was　taken　suddenly　ill；　just　as　you　and　your　friend　drove

away　this　afternoon。　　Learning　from　Mr。　Burleigh　that　she　is　here

alone　and　without　friends；　I　knocked　at　her　door　before　I　came

down；　and　asked　if　I　could　do　anything　for　her。　　She　said　that　she

would　be　better　in　the　morning；　and　that　all　she　needed　was　perfect

quiet。　　It's　strange　how　suddenly　she　was　taken　ill！　　She　seemed

perfectly　well　one　moment；　and　then　she　fled　to　her　room　as　if　the

ghost　were　in　pursuit。　　I　suppose　it　was　reaction　from　excitement；

or　she　may　have　some　form　of　heart　disease。〃



〃Are　heart　difficulties　so　serious　as　that　with　ladies？〃　asked　Van

Berg　with　a　smile。



〃I　never　had　acute　symptoms　of　any　kind；〃　the　lady　replied。　　〃Indeed