a face illumined-第3章

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he　soon　regarded　them　as　the　worst；　and　for　the　same　reason；　as　he

speedily　discovered；　that　the　face；　each　feature　of　which　seemed

perfect；　became；　after　brief　study；　so　unsatisfactory　as　to　cause

positive　annoyance。　　To　a　passing　glance　they　were　large；　dark；

beautiful　eyes；　but　they　lost　steadily　under　thoughtful　scrutiny。

A　flashing　gem　may　seem　real　at　first；　but　as　its　meretricious　rays

are　analyzed；　they　lose　their　charm　because　revealing　a　stone　not

only　worthless　worse　than　worthless；　since　it　mocks　us　with　a　false

resemblance；　thus　raising　hopes　only　to　disappoint　them。　　The　other

features　remained　beautiful　and　satisfactory　to　Van　Berg's　furtive

observation　because　further　removed　from　the　informing　mind；　and

therefore　more　justly　capable　of　admiration　upon　their　own　merits；

but　the　eyes　are　too　near　akin　to　the　animating　spirit　not　to　suffer

from　the　relationship；　should　the　spirit　be　essentially　defective。



That　the　beautiful　face　was　but　a　transparent　mask　of　a　deformed；

dwarfed；　contemptible　little　soul　was　speedily　made　evident。　　The

cream　and　a　silly　flirtation　with　her　empty…headed　attendanta

pallid　youth　who　parted　his　hair　like　a　girl　and　had　not　other　parts

worth　namingabsorbed　her　wholly；　and　the　exquisite　symphony　was

no　more　to　her　than　an　annoying　din　which　made　it　difficult　to　hear

her　companion's　compliments　that　were　as　sweet；　heavy；　and　stale

as　Mailard's　chocolates；　left　a　year　on　the　shelves。　　Their　mutual

giggle　and　chatter　at　last　became　so　obtrusive　that　an　old　and

music…loving　German　turned　his　broad　face　towards　them；　and　hissed

out　the　word　〃Hist！〃　with　such　vindictive　force　as　to　suggest　that

all　the　winds　had　suddenly　broken　lose　from　the　cave　of　Aeolus。



Ik　Stanton；　who　had　been　watching　Van　Berg's　perturbed；　lowering

face；　and　the　weak　comedy　at　the　adjacent　table；　was　obviously　much

amused；　although　he　took　pains　to　appear　blind　to　it　all　and　kept

his　back；　as　far　as　possible；　towards　the　young　lady。



The　German's　〃hist〃　had　been　so　fierce　as　to　be　almost　like　a　rap

from　a　policeman's　club；　and　there　was　an　enforced　and　temporary

suspension　of　the　inane　chatter。　　The　attendant　youth　tried

to　assume　the　incensed　and　threatening　look　with　which　an　ancient

gallant　would　have　laid　his　hand　on　the　hilt　of　his　sword。　　But

some　animals　and　men　only　become　absurd　when　they　try　to　appear

formidable。　　It　was　ludicrous　to　see　him　weakly　frowning　at　the

sturdy　Teuton　who　had　already　forgotten　his　existence　as　completely

as　he　might　that　of　a　buzzing　mosquito　he　had　exterminated　with　a

slap。



They　young　girl's　face　grew　even　less　satisfactory　as　it　became

more　quiet。　　A　muddy　pool；　rippled　by　a　breeze；　will　sparkle　quite

brilliantly　while　in　motion；　but　when　quiet　it　is　seen　the　more

plainly　to　be　only　a　shallow　pool。　　At　first　the　beautiful　features

expressed　only　petty　resentment　at　the　public　rebuke。　　As　this

faintly　lurid　light　faded　out　and　left　the　countenance　in　its　normal

state　it　became　more　heavy　and　earthy　in　its　expression　than　Van

Berg　would　have　deemed　possible；　and　it　ever　remained　a　mystery　to

him　how　features　so　delicate；　beautiful；　and　essentially　feminine

could　combine　to　show　so　clearly　that　the　indwelling　nature

was　largely　alloyed　with　clay。　　there　was　not　that　dewy　freshness

in　the　fair　young　face　which　one　might　expect　to　see　in　the　early

morning　of　existence。　　The　Lord　from　heaven　breathed　the　breath　of

life　into　the　first　fair　woman；　but　this　girl　might　seem　to　have

been　the　natural　product　of　evolution；　and　her　soul　to　be　as　truly

of　the　earth　as　her　body。



It　was　evident　that　she　had　been　made　familiar　too　early　and

thoroughly　with　conventional　and　fashionable　society；　and；　although

this　fraction　of　the　world　is　seldom　without　its　gloves；　its　touch

nevertheless　had　soiled　her　nature。　　Her　face　did　not　express　any

active　or　malignant　principle　of　evil；　but　a　close　observer；　like

Van　Berg；　in　whom　the　man　was　in　the　ascendant　over　the　animal；　could

detect　the　absence　of　the　serene；　maidenly　purity　of　expression；

characteristic　of　those　girls　who　have　obtained　their　ideas　of　life

from　good　mothers；　rather　than　from　French　novels；　French　plays；

and　a　phase　of　society　that　borrows　its　inspiration　from　fashionable

Paris。



With　the　ending　of　the　symphony　the　chatting　and　flirting　at　the

table　began　again；　to　Van　Berg's　increased　disgust。　　Indeed；　he

was　so　irritated　that　he　could　no　longer　control　himself；　and　rose

abruptly；　saying　to　his　companion：



〃Come；　let　us　walk　outside。〃



His　sudden　movement　drew　the　young　lady's　attention；　but　by　this

time　he　had　only　his　broad　shoulders　turned　towards　her。　　She　saw

Ik　Stanton　looking　at　her；　however；　with　a　face　full　of　mischief；

and　she　recognized　him　with　a　nod　and　a　smile。



He；　with　the　familiarity　that　indicated　relationship；　but　with　a

motion　too　slight　to　be　noticed　by　others；　threw　her　a　kiss　from

the　tips　of　his　fingers；　as　one　might　toss　a　sugar…plum　to　a　child；

and　then　followed　his　friend。











Chapter　II。　　Ida　Mayhew。









What　is　the　matter；　Van？　　You　remind　me　of　a　certain　horned　beast

that　has　seen　a　red　flag；〃　said　Ik　Stanton；　linking　his　arm　in　that

of　Van　Berg's。



〃An　apt　illustration。　　I　have　been　baited　and　irritated　for　the

last　twenty　minutes。〃



〃I　thought　you　enjoyed　Beethoven's　music；　and　surely　Thomas　rendered

it　divinely　to…night。〃



〃That　is　one　of　the　chief　of　my　grievances。　　I　haven't　been　able

to　hear　a　note；〃　was　the　wrathful　response。



〃That's　strange；〃　said　Stanton　with　mock　gravity。　　〃Were　I　not

afraid　you　would　take　it　amiss　I　would　hint　that　your　ears　are　of

goodly　size。　　How　comes　it　that　they　have　so　suddenly　failed　you？〃



〃Having　seen　your　dinner　you　have　no　eyes　for　anything　else。　　If

you　had；　you　would　have　seen　a　face　near　us。〃



〃I　saw　a　score　of　faces　near　us。　　A　German　had　one　with　the　area

of　an　acre。〃



〃Was　he　the　one　who　said；　'hist；'　like　a　blast　from　the　North？〃



〃From　a　porpoise　rather。〃



〃Did　you　observe　the　girl　towards　whom　his　gusty　rebuke　was　directed？〃



〃Yes；　an　inoffensive　young　lady。〃



〃Inoffensive；　indeed！〃　interrupted　Van　Berg。　　〃She　has　put　me　into

purgatory。〃



〃You　do　seem　quite　ablaze。　　Well；　you　are　not　the　first　one　that

she　has　put　there。　　But　really；　Van；　I　did　not　know　that　you　were

so　inflammable。〃



〃If　you　had　any　of　the　instincts　of　an　artist　you　would　know　that

I　am　inflamed　with　no　gentler　feeling　than　anger。〃



〃Why！　what　has　the　poor　child　done　to　you？〃



〃She　is　not　a　child。　　She　knows　too　much　about　some　things。〃



〃I've　no　doubt　she　is　better　than　either　you　or　I；〃　said　Stanton；

sharply。



〃That　fact　would　be　far　from　proving　her　a　saint。〃



〃What　the　dickens　makes　you　so　vindictive　against　the　girl？〃



〃Because　she　has　the　features　of　an　angel　and　the　face　of　a　fool。

What　business　has　a　woman　to　mock　and　disappoint　one　so！　　When　I

first　saw　her　I　thought　I　had　discovered　a　prizea　new　revelation

of　beauty；　but　a　moment　later　she　looked　so　ineffably　silly　that

I　felt　as　if　I　had　bitten　into　an　apple　of　Sodom。　　Of　course　the

girl　is　nothing　to　me。　　I　never　saw　her　before　and　hope　I　may　never

see　her　again；　but　her　features　were　so　perfect　that　I　could　not

help　looking　at　them；　and　the　more　I　looked　the　more　annoyed　I　became

to　find　that；　instead　of　being　blended　together　into　a　divine　face

by　the　mind　within；　they　were　the　reluctant　slaves　of　as　picayune

a　soul　as　ever　maintained　its　microscopic　existence　in　a　human

body。　　It　is　exasperating　to　think　what　that　face　might　be；　and

to　see　what　it　is。　　How　can　nature　make　such　absurd　blunders？　　The

idea　of　building　so　fair　a　temple　for　such　an　ugly　little　divinity！〃



〃I　thought　you　artists　were　satisfied　with　flesh　and　blood　women；

if　only　put　together　in　a　way　pleasing　to　your　fastidious　eyes。〃



〃If　nature　had　designed　that　women