a face illumined-第42章

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then　the　young　men　who　had　withdrawn　into　the　hall…way　entered；

but　the　expression　of　coldness　and　displeasure　did　not　wholly　pass

from　their　faces。











Chapter　XXIII。　　Jennie　Burton's　〃Remedies。〃









Fortunately　Mr。　Mayhew　had　been　placed　at　the　supper…table　next

to　Miss　Burton；　and　Van　Berg　speedily　became　absorbed　in　watching

the　impression　made　on　each　other　by　these　two　characters　that　were

so　utterly　diverse。　　It　needed　but　a　glance　to　see　that　Mr。　Mayhew

was　a　heavy…hearted；　broken…spirited　man。　　His　shrunken　inanimate

features；　and　slight；　bent　form；　looked　all　the　more　dim　and　shadowy

in　contrast　with　his　stout；　florid　wife；　who　even　in　public　scarcely

more　than　tolerated　his　presence。　　This　evening　she　devoted　herself

to　Sibley；　who　sat　between　her　and　her　daughter。



Mr。　Mayhew　seemed　unusually　depressed　even　for　him；　and　began　to

make　a　supper　only　in　form。　　Jennie　Burton　stole　a　few　shy　glances

at　his　sallow　face；　and　seemed　to　find　an　attraction　in　it　she　could

not　resist。　　Two　handsome　lovers　sat　near　her；　but　she　evidently

forgot　them　wholly　save　when　they　addressed　her；　and　she　wooed　the

elderly　man　at　her　side　with　consummate　tact　and　grace。



At　first　he　was　unconscious　of　her　presence。　　She　was　but　another

human　atom；　and　of　no　more　interest　to　him　than　the　chair　on　which

she　sat。　　Mechanically　he　declined　one　or　two　things　she　passed　to

him；　and　in　an　absent　manner　replied　to　the　few　casual　remarks　by

which　she　sought　to　engage　him　in　conversation。　　At　last　she　said；

in　a　voice　that　was　indescribably　winning　and　sympathetic：



〃Mr。　Mayhew；　your　sultry　week　in　town　has　wearied　you。　　Our　country

air　will　do　you　good。〃



There　was　so　much　more　in　her　tones　than　in　her　words　that　he

turned　to　look　at　her；　and　then；　for　the　first　time；　became　aware

that　he　was　not　sitting　at　the　side　of　an　ordinary；　well…bred　lady。



〃Country　air　is　good　as　far　as　it　goes；〃　he　said　slowly；　scanning

her　face　as　he　spoke；　〃but　it　does　not　make　much　difference　with

me。〃



〃There　are　other　remedies；〃　she　resumed　in　her　low　gentle　tone；

〃which；　like　the　air；　are　not　exactly　tangible；　and　yet　are　more

potent。〃



〃Indeed；〃　he　said；　the　dawning　interest　deepening　in　his　face；

〃what　are　they？〃



〃I　do　not　mean　to　tell　you；〃　she　replied　with　a　little　piquant

nod　and　smile。　　〃I've　learned　better　than　those　people　who　have　a

dozen　infallible　medicines　at　their　tongues'　end　for　every　trouble

under　heaven。　　I　never　name　my　remedies；　for　if　I　did；　people　would

turn　away　in　contempt　for　such　commonplace　simples。〃



〃I　can　guess　one　of　them　already；〃　he　said　with　a　pleased　light

coming　into　his　eyes。



〃So　quickly；　Mr。　Mayhew？　　I　doubt　it。〃



〃Kindness；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　tone。



〃Well；〃　she　replied　with　a　slight　flush；　〃I　can　stoutly　assert

that　this　remedy　did　me　good　when　all　the　long…named　drugs　in　the

'Materia　Medica'　could　not　have　helped　me。〃



He　looked　at　her　searchingly　a　moment；　and　then　said　in　the　same

low　tone：



〃And　so　you　are　trying　to　apply　your　remedy　to　me？　　It　certainly

is　very　good　of　you。　　Most　people　when　they　are　cured；　throw　away

the　medicine；　forgetting　how　many　others　are　sick。〃



〃Perhaps　we　can　never　exactly　say　we　are　cured　in　this　life；　but

I　think　we　can　all　get　better。〃



〃It　depends　a　great　deal　upon　the　disease；〃　he　replied；　with　a

shrug。



〃No；　Mr。　Mayhew；〃　she　said；　and；　although　her　tone　was　low；　it

was　almost　passionate　in　its　earnestness。　　〃God　forbid　that　there

should　be　a　disease　without　a　remedy。〃



He　again　looked　at　her　with　a　peculiar　expression；　and　then　slowly

turned　toward　his　wife　and　daughter。　　Mrs。　Mayhew　was　too　preoccupied

to　heed　him；　and　Sibley　was　just　saying：



〃Miss　Ida；　I　claim　you　for　the　first　waltz　this　evening；　and　only

wish　that　it　would　last　indefinitely。〃



〃Pardon　me　for　saying　it　to　one　so　young　and　hopeful　as　yourself；

Miss　Burton；〃　Mr。　Mayhew　resumed　gloomily；　〃but　that　which　both

God　and　good…sense　forbid　seems　the　thing　most　sure　to　take　place

in　this　world。〃



Although　so　dissimilar；　deep　and　sad　experiences　made　them　kin；　and

Miss　Burton　found　she　must　make　an　effort　not　to　let　their　thoughts

color　their　words　too　darkly　for　the　time　and　place。



〃I　shall　not　let　you　destroy　my　faith　in　my　old…fashioned　simples；〃

she　said　in　tones　that　were　lighter　than　her　meaning。　　〃You　must　not

be　sure　that　because　you　are　so　much　my　senior；　all　my　complaints

have　been　merely　children's　troubles。　　Appearances　are　often

misleading；　you　know。〃



〃Not　in　your　case；　I　think；　Miss　Burton。　　I　have　lost　faith　in

almost　everything；　and　most　of　all　in　myself；　but　this　unexpected

little　talk　has　touched　me　deeper　than　you　can　know；　and　I　cannot

help　having　faith　in　you。〃



〃I　will　believe　it；〃　she　said　with　a　smile；　〃if　you　will　give　me

a　little　of　your　society　before　you　go　back　to　the　city。〃



He　looked　at　her　with　sudden　suspicion。　　〃Do　you　mean　what　you

say？〃



〃I　do。〃



〃Why　do　you　wish　my　society？〃



She　hesitated。



His　face　darkened　still　more；　for　he　remembered　what　he　was；　and

how　little　this　young　and　lovely　girl　had　in　common　with　him。



〃Answer　me　truly；〃　he　insisted；　〃why　should　you　wish　my　society？

I've　not　a　particle　of　vanity。　　I　know　what　I　am；　and　you　undoubtedly

know　also。　　If　you　wish　to　advise　me　and　preach　at　me；　let　me

tell　you　plainly　but　courteously　that　your　efforts；　however；　well

intentioned；　would　be　in　vain；　and　not　altogether　welcome。　　I　can

conceive　of　no　other　reason　why　you　should　wish　for　my　society。〃



Her　face　became　very　pale；　but　she　looked　him　full　in　his　eyes　as

she　replied：



〃I　do　not　wish　to　preach　or　advise　at　all。　　Can　you　not　understand

that　one　may　ease　one's　own　pain　by　trying　to　relieve　the　suffering

of　another？　　Now　you　see　how　selfish　I　am。〃



His　face　softened　instantly；　and　he　said：



〃Miss　Burton；　that　is　too　divine　a　philosophy　for　me　to　grasp　at

once。　　As　the　world　goes　now；　I　think　you　are　founding　a　school

of　your　own。　　You　will　find　me　an　eager　listener；　if　not　an　apt

scholar；　whenever　you　will　honor　me　with　your　company。〃　　And　smiling

his　thanks　he　rose　and　left　the　table。



This　conversation　had　been　carried　on　in　tones　too　low　and　quiet

to　be　heard　by　others　in　the　crowded　and　noisy　dining…room。　　Van

Berg；　who　sat　opposite；　had　taken　pains　not　to　follow　it　and　to

appear　oblivious；　and　yet　he　could　not　refrain　from　observing　its

general　drift　and　scope　in　Mr。　Mayhew's　manner；　and　his　eyes　glowed

with　admiration　for　her　winning　tact　and　kindness。　　The　glance　he

bent　upon　her　was　perhaps　more　ardent　and　approving　than　he　was

aware；　for　she；　looking　up　from　the　abstraction　which　the　recent

conversation　had　occasioned；　seemed　strangely　affected　by　it；　for

she　trembled　and　her　face　blanched　with　a　sudden　pallor；　while　her

eyes　were　riveted　to　his　face。



〃You　are　not　well；　Miss　Burton；〃　said　Stanton　hastily；　but　in　a

low　tone。　　〃Let　me　get　you　some　wine。〃



She　started　perceptibly；　and　then　a　sudden　crimson　suffused　her

face　as　she　became　conscious　that　other　eyes　were　upon　her。



In　almost　a　second　she　recovered　herself　fully；　and　replied；　with

a　smile：



〃No；　I　think　you；　Mr。　Stanton。　　A　cup　of　tea　is　a　panacea　for　all

a　woman's　troubles；　and　you　see　I　have　it　here。　　I　did　not　feel

well　for　a　moment；　but　am　better　now。〃



The　eyes　of　Stanton　and　Ida　met。　　Both　had　seen　this　little

episode；　and　each　drew　from　it　conclusions　that　were　anything　but

inspiriting。　　But　Van　Berg　was　thoroughly　puzzled。　　While　as　he　felt

hen　he　would　have　gladly　drawn　encouragement　from　it；　and　perhaps

did　so　to　some　extent；　he　still　felt　there　was　something　peculiar

in　her　manner；　of　which　he　seemed　the　occasion；　but　was　not　the

adequate　cause。



Miss　Burton　soon　after　sought　her　room；　and　for　a　few　moments　paced

it　in　deep　disquiet；　and　her　whole　form　s