a face illumined-第39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！



recognize　the　truth　that　often　no　cry　of　pain　is　so　bitter　as　a

reckless　laugh。



A　little　later；　however；　her　companions　missed　her。　　Later　still

her　mother　sought　admission　to　her　room　in　vain。



When　she　came　down　to　breakfast　the　next　morning；　she　was　very

quiet　and　self…possessed；　but　her　face　was　so　pale　and　the　traces

of　suffering　were　so　manifest；　that　her　mother　insisted　that　she

was　not　well。



She　coldly　admitted　the　fact。



The　voluble　lady　launched　out　into　an　indefinite　number　of　questions

and　suggestions　of　remedies。



〃Mother；〃　said　Ida；　with　a　flash　of　her　eyes　and　an　accent　which

caused　not　only　that　lady　but　several　others　to　look　toward　her

with　a　little　surprise；　〃if　you　have　anything　further　to　say　to　me

in　regard　to　my　health；　please　say　it　in　my　own　room。〃



Van　Berg　glanced　towards　her　several　times　after　this；　and　was

compelled　to　admit　that　whatever　fault　he　might　justly　find；　the

face　with　which　she　confronted　him　that　morning　was　anything　but

weak　and　trivial　in　its　expression。



But　her　icy　reserve　and　coldness　did　not　compare　favorably　with　Miss

Burton；　who　had　now　fully　regained　her　smiling　reticence；　acting

as　usual　as　if　the　only　law　of　her　being　was　to　utter　genial　words

and　to　bestow　with　consummate　tact　little　gifts　of　attention　and

kindness　on　every　side；　as　the　summer　sun　without　was　scattering

its　vivifying　rays。











Chapter　XXI。　　A　Deliberate　Wooer。









Miss　Burton's　bearing　toward　Van　Berg　was　very　friendly；　but　he

failed　to　detect　in　her　manner　the　slightest　proof　that　she　had　ever

thought　of　him　otherwise　than　as　a　friend。　　There　was　no　sudden

drooping　of　her　eyelashes；　or　heightening　of　color　when　he　spoke　to

her；　or　permitted　his　eyes　to　dwell　upon　her　face　with　an　expression

that　was　rather　more　than　friendly。　　He　could　detect　no　furtive

glances；　nothing　to　indicate　that　she　had　caught　a　glimpse　of　that

secret　so　interesting　to　every　woman　that　she　would　look　again；

though　cold　as　ice　toward　the　man　cherishing　it。　　Nor　was　there　the

slightest　trace　of　the　constraint　and　reserve　by　which　all　women

who　are　not　coquettes　seek　to　check；　as　with　an　early　frost；　the

first　growth　of　an　unwelcome　regard。　　Her　manner　was　simply　what

would　be　natural　toward　a　gentleman　she　thoroughly　respected　and

liked；　with　whom　her　thoughts；　for　no　hidden　cause；　were　especially

preoccupied。



Why　then　had　she　looked　at　him　so　strangely　the　preceding　evening？

Why　had　she　apparently　shrunk　from　the　expression　of　his　face；　as

if　she　had　seen　there　a　revelation　so　sudden　and　overwhelming　that

she　trembled　at　it　as　a　shy；　sensitive　maiden　might　in　recognizing　the

fact　that　a　strong；　resolute　man　was　seeking　entrance　to　the　very

citadel　of　her　heart？　　He　felt　himself　utterly　unable　to　explain

her　action。



What　was　more；　he　was　puzzled　at　himself。　　The　sympathy　he　felt

for　Miss　Burton　the　previous　evening　had　not　by　any　means　left　him；

but　it　was　no　longer　a　strong　and　absorbing　emotion。　　His　pulse

was　as　calm　and　quiet　as　the　breathless　summer　morning。　　He　was

conscious　of　no　premonitory　chills　and　thrills；　which；　according　to

his　preconceived　notions　of　the　〃grand　passion；〃　ought　to　be　felt

even　in　its　incipiency。　　He　even　found　himself　criticising　her

face；　and　wondering　how　features　so　ordinary　in　themselves　could

combine　in　so　winning　and　happy　an　effect；　and　then　he　mentally

cursed　his　cold…bloodedness；　and　positively　envied　Stanton　in　whose

manner；　in　spite　of　his　efforts　at　concealment；　an　ardent　affection

began　to　manifest　itself。



During　the　day　it　occurred　to　him　more　than　once　that　her　course

was　changing　toward　Stanton。　　There　was　no　less　return　on　her　part

of　his　light　bantering　style　of　conversation。　　Indeed；　she　seemed

to　take　great　pains　to　give　a　humorous　twist　to　everything　he　said；

as　if　she　regarded　even　the　words　in　which　he　tried　to　unfold　his

deeper　thoughts　as　mere　jests。　　But　Van　Berg　imagined　she　began　to

make　herself　more　inaccessible　to　Stanton。　　She　entrenched　herself

among　other　guests　in　the　parlor；　she　took　pains　to　be　so　occupied

as　to　make　him　feel　that　his　approach　would　be　an　interruption；　and

whenever　they　did　meet　at　the　table　and　elsewhere；　it　appeared　as

if　she　were　trying　to　teach　him　by　a　smiling；　friendly　indifference

that　he　was　not　in　her　thoughts　at　all。



The　positive　coldness　and　aversion　Ida　sought　to　manifest　toward　Van

Berg　would　not　have　been　so　disheartening　as　Miss　Burton's　device

of　seeming　to　be　so　agreeably　preoccupied　with　other　people　that

she　could　not　or　would　not　see　the　offering　Stanton　was　eager　to

lay　at　her　feet。



He　felt　this　keenly；　and　chafed　under　it；　but　her　woman's　tact　made

her　shining　armor　invulnerable。　　She　persisted　in　regarding　him　as

the　gay；　self…seeking；　pleasure…loving　man　of　the　world　that　she

had　recognized　him　to　be　on　the　fist　day　of　their　acquaintance。　　He

imagined　that　a　great　and　radical　change　had　taken　place　in　his

nature；　but　she　gave　him　no　opportunity　of　telling　her　so。　　At

first　she　had；　with　laughing　courtesy；　ignored　his　gallantry；　as　if

it　were　only　a　fashion　of　his　towards　any　woman　who　for　the　time

happened　to　take　his　fancy；　but　so　far　from　shunning　him　she　had

seemed　inclined　to　employ　what　she　regarded　as　a　caprice　or　a　bit

of　male　coquetry；　as　the　means　of　adding　to　the　enjoyment　of　as

many　as　possible；　and　Van　Berg　had　often　smiled　to　see　his　languid

friend　of　yore　seconding　Miss　Burton's　efforts　with　an　apparent

zeal　that　was　quite　marvellous。　　To　Stanton's　infinite　relief；　Van

Berg　did　not　twit　him　concerning　this　surprising　departure　from　his

old　ways。　　Indeed；　Miss　Burton　had　become　too　delicate　and　sacred

a　theme　in　both　of　their　minds　to　permit　of　their　old　banter。　　They

had　been　friends　and　were　so　still；　yet　each　recognized　the　fact

that　events　were　coming　that　would　sorely　test　and　perhaps　destroy

their　friendship。　　While　they　gradually　fell　aloof；　as　men　will　who

are　learning　that　their　dearest　interests　are　destined　to　conflict；

they　each　tried　nevertheless　to　maintain　an　honorable　rivalry；　and

their　bearing　toward　each　other；　although　tinged　with　a　growing

reticence　and　dignity；　was　genuinely　kind　and　courteous。



As　the　week　drew　to　a　close；　however；　it　gave　Van　Berg　pleasurethough

not　by　any　means　in　the　same　degree　that　it　caused　Stanton　painto

observe　that　Miss　Burton　was　shunning　the　latter's　society　as　far

as　politeness　permitted。



At　the　same　time；　while　she　evidently　enjoyed　his　companionship；

Van　Berg　observed　that　she　did　not　seem　to　specially　crave　it；　nor

in　truth　did　he　find　himself　when　away　from　her　〃distrait；〃　vacant；

and　miserable；　as　was　manifestly　the　case　with　his　friend。　　He

concluded　that　it　was　difference　of　temperamentthat　it　was　his

nature　to　be　governed　by　judgment　and　taste；　as　it　was　that　of　Stanton

to　be　swayed　by　feeling　and　passion。　　All　the　higher　faculties　of

his　mind　gave　their　voice　for　this　woman　with　increasing　emphasis。

His　heart　undoubtedly　would　slowly　and　surely　gravitate　in　the　same

direction。



How　to　win　her　therefore　was　gradually　becoming　the　one　interesting

and　most　difficult　question　he　had　to　solve。　　Although　she　was

poor　and　alone　in　the　world；　it　was　evident　that　mere　wealth　and

position　would　count　but　little　with　her。　　Stanton　was　handsome；

rich；　well…connected；　and　intelligent；　but　it　seemed　clear；　as　she

recognized　the　sincerity　of　his　suit；　she　withdrew　from　it。　　Some

coarse；　ill…natured　people　in　the　house；　who　at　first；　with

significant　nods；　had　intimated　that　〃the　little　school…ma'am〃　was

bent　on　bettering　her　fortunes；　were　soon　nonplussed　by　her　course。



Thus　far　Van　Berg's　name　had　not　been　associated　with　hers　in　any

such　manner　as　Stanton's。　　His　cooler　head；　or　heart　more　correctly；

had　enabled　him　to　act　very　prudently。　　He　would　enjoy　a　walk　or

conversation　with　her；　and　there　it　would　end。　　Neith