a face illumined-第19章

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〃Oh；　do　stop　them；　quick；〃　she　gasped；　clinging　to　his　hand　as　if

he　were　her　only　hope；　〃and　I'll　never　forget　your　kindoh；　merciful

heaven！〃



At　this　favorable　moment；　when　the　horses　were　fast　coming　under

control；　a　spiteful　cur　came　tearing　out　after　them；　renewing　their

panic　with　tenfold　intensity。　　As　the　dog　barked　on　one　side　they

sheered　off　on　the　other；　until　they　plunged　down　the　side　of　the

road。　　The　stage　was　nearly　overturned；　and　then　it　stopped　with

a　sudden　and　heavy　thump。　　Miss　Mayhew　was　precipitated　into　Mr。

Van　Berg's　arms；　and　she　clung　to　him　for　a　moment　in　a　paroxysm　of

terror。　　His　wits　had　not　so　far　deserted　him　but　that　he　perceived

that　the　stage　had　struck　against　a　tree；　that　the　horses　had　broken

away；　and　that　he　and　his　companion　were　perfectly　safe。　　If　the

whole　truth　must　be　told；　it　cannot　be　said　that　he　endured　the

young　lady's　embrace　with　only　cold　and　stoical　philosophy。　　He

found　it　wholly　novel　and　not　a　painful　experience。　　Indeed　he　was

conscious　of　a　temptation　to　delay　the　information　of　their　escape；

but　a　second's　thought　taught　him　that　he　must　at　once　employ　all

his　tact　in　the　delicate　and　difficult　task　of　reconciling　the

frightened　girl　to　herself　and　her　own　conduct；　otherwise　her　pride；

and　also　her　sense　of　delicacy；　would　now　receive　a　new　and　far

deeper　wound；　and　a　more　hopeless　estrangement　follow。　　He　therefore

promptly　lifted　her　up；　and　placed　her　limp　form　on　the　opposite

seat。



〃I　assure　you　we　are　now　perfectly　safe；　Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　said；

〃and　let　me　congratulate　you　that　your　self…control　prevented　you

from　leaving　the　stage；　for　if　you　had　done　so　you　would　undoubtedly

have　been　greatly　injured。〃



〃Wherewhere　arethe　horses？〃　she　faltered。



〃I　really　do　not　know！　　They　have　disappeared。　　The　stage　struck

a　tree；　and　the　brutes　broke　away。　　They　will　probably　gallop　home

to　the　alarm　and　excitement　of　every　one　about　the　hotel。　　Pray

compose　yourself。　　The　house　is　not　far　away；　and　we　can　soon　reach

it　if　you　are　not　very　much　hurt。〃



〃Are　you　sure　the　danger　is　all　over？〃



〃Yes；　this　is　now　not　the　slightest　chance　of　a　tragedy。〃



There　must　have　been　a　faint　twinkle　in　his　eye；　for　she　exclaimed；


passionately：



〃The　whole　thing　has　been　a　comedy　to　you；　and　I　half　believe　you

brought　it　all　about　to　annoy　me。〃



〃You　do　me　great　injustice；　Miss　Mayhew；〃　said　Van　Berg；　warmly。



〃Here　we　are　sitting　in　this　horrid　old　stage　by　the　roadside；〃

she　resumed；　in　tones　of　strong　vexation。　　〃Was　there　ever　anything

more　absurd　and　ridiculous　than　it　has　all　been！　　I　am　mortified

beyond　expression；　and　suppose　I　shall　never　hear　the　last　of　it；〃

and　she　burst　into　a　hysterical　passion　of　tears。



〃Miss　Mayhew；〃　said　Van　Berg　hastily；　〃you　certainly　must　realize

that　we　have　passed　through　very　great　peril　together；　and　if　you

think　me　capable　of　saying　a　word　about　this　episode　that　is　not

to　your　credit；　you　were　never　more　mistaken　in　your　life。〃



At　this　assurance　she　became　more　calm。



〃I　know　you　dislike　me　most　heartily；〃　Van　Berg　continued；　〃but

you　have　less　reason　to　do　so　than　you　think…〃



〃I　have　good　reason　to　dislike　you。　　You　despise　me；　and　now　that

I　have　been　such　a　coward　you　are　comparing　me　with　Miss　Burton

who　acted　so　differently　yesterday。〃



〃I　have　not　even　thought　of　Miss　Burton；〃　protested　Van　Berg；　at

the　same　time　conscious；　now　that　her　name　had　been　recalled　to　his

memory；　that　she　would　have　acted　a　much　better　part。　　〃I　am　only

sincerely　glad　that　our　necks　were　not　broken；　and　I　hope　that　you

have　not　suffered　any　severe　bruises。　　As　to　my　despising　you；　if

you　will　honor　me　with　your　acquaintance　you　may　discover　that　you

are　greatly　in　error。〃



〃Then　you　truly　think　that　we　have　been　in　danger？〃　she　asked；

wiping　her　eyes。



〃Most　assuredly。　　When　you　come　to　think　the　matter　over　calmly；

you　will　realize　that　we　were　in　very　great　danger。　　I　think　the

affair　has　ended　most　happily　rather　than　absurdly。〃



〃Really；　sir；　when　I　remember　how　the　'affair；'　as　you　term　it；

actually　did　end；　I　feel　as　if　I　never　wished　to　see　you　again。〃



〃Miss　Mayhew；　I　appeal　to　your　generosity。　　Was　I　to　blame　for

that　which　was　so　disagreeable　to　you？　　Surely　you　will　not　be　so

unfair　as　to　punish　me　for　what　neither　you　nor　I　could　help。　　I

think　fate　means　we　shall　be　friends；　and　has　employed　this　unexpected

episode　to　break　the　ice　between　us。　　If　you　are　now　sufficiently

composed　I　will　assist　you　to　alight；　in　order　that　the　driver；

who　is　approaching；　may　be　relieved　of　all　fears　on　our　account。〃



〃Oh；　certainly。　　As　it　is；　I　suppose　he　will　have　a　ridiculous

story　to　tell。〃



〃There　is　nothing　that　he；　or　the　others　who　are　following　him　can

tell；　save　that　the　horses　ran　away　and　that　we　most　fortunately

escaped　all　injury。　　Ah！　　I　see　that　you　are　a　little　lame。　　Please

take　my　arm；　the　hotel　is　but　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away。　　Or　perhaps

you　would　prefer　that　I　should　send　the　driver　for　a　carriage。　　You

could　wait　in　yonder　cottage；　or　here；　in　the　shade　of　the　trees。〃



〃I　am　not　very　lame；　and　if　I　were　I　would　not　mind　it。　　My　wish　is

that　the　horrid　affair　may　occasion　as　little　remark　as　possible。

I　can　reach　my　room　by　a　side　entrance；　and　so　come　quietly　down

to　dinner。　　I　suppose　that　I　must　take　your　arm　since　I　cannot　walk

very　well　without　it。〃



They　therefore　turned　their　backs　on　the　breathless　driver　and　his

eager　questions；　and　proceeded　slowly　towards　the　hotel。　　After　a

brief　examination　of　the　shattered　stage；　the　man　ran　panting　past

them　in　search　of　his　horses；　and　they　were　again　left　alone。











Chapter　X。　　Phrases　too　Suggestive。









For　a　few　moments　Miss　Mayhew　and　Van　Berg　walked　on　in　silence；

each　very　doubtful　of　the　other。　　At　last　the　artist　began：



〃I　am　well　aware；　Miss　Mayhew；　that　this　unexpected　episode　and

this　enforced　companionship　give　me　no　rights　whatever。　　I　do　not

propose　to　annoy　you；　after　seeing　you　safely　to　the　hotel；　by

assuming　that　we　are　acquainted；　nor　do　I　intend　to　subject　myself

to　the　mortification　of　being　informed　publicly；　by　your　manner；

that　we　are　not　on　speaking　terms。　　I　would　be　glad　to　have　this

question　settled　now。　　I　ask　your　pardon　for　anything　that　I　may

have　said　or　done　to　hurt　your　feelings；　and　having　thus　gone　more

than　half…way　it　would　be　ungenerous　on　your　part　not　to　respond

in　like　spirit。〃



〃You　apologize；　then？〃



〃No；　I　ask　your　pardon　for　anything　that　may　have　hurt　your　feelings。〃



〃You　have　said　very　disagreeable　things　about　me；　Mr。　Van　Berg。〃



〃I　did　not　know　you　then。〃



〃I　do　not　think　you　have　changed　your　opinion　of　me　in　the　least。〃



〃I　evidently　have　a　much　higher　opinion　of　you　than　you　of　me；　and

I　am　seeking　your　acquaintance　with　a　persistence　such　as　I　never

manifested　in　the　case　of　any　other　lady。　　Thus　the　odds　are　all

in　your　favor。　　Having　been　so　unexpectedly　thrown　together…〃



〃'Thrown　together；'　indeedMr。　Van　Berg；　you　ARE　mocking　me；〃　and

her　eyes　again　filled　with　tears　of　vexation。



〃I　assure　you　I　am　not；〃　said　Van　Berg　earnestly。　　〃I　could　not　be

so　mean　as　to　twit　you　with　an　accident　which　you　could　not　help；

and　with　an　act　which　was　wholly　involuntary　on　your　part。　　Can　we

not　both　let　by…gones　by　by…gones　and　commence　anew？〃



Miss　Mayhew　bit　her　lip　and　hesitated　a　few　moments。



〃I　think　that　will　be　the　better　way；〃　she　said。　　〃We　will　both　let

by…gones；　especially　this　ridiculous　episode　in　the　stage。　　I'll

put　you　on　your　good　behavior。〃



〃Thank　you；　Miss　Mayhew。　　I　would　take　our　late　risk　twenty　times

for　such　a　result。〃



〃I　would　not　take　it　again　on　any　account　whatever。　　Please　refer

to　it　no　more。　　I　declare；　there　comes　Cousin　Ik　and　Mr。　Burleigh

to　meet　us。　　Was　one's　fortune　ever　so　exasperating