a face illumined-第49章

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Get　her　out　of　the　crowd；　and　you'll　find　it　all　a　pretence。〃



Stanton　rose　to　his　feet；　but　was　so　quiet　that　Sibley　did　not

realize　the　storm　he　was　raising。　　Van　Berg　remained　on　the　ground

with　his　back　to　the　party；　but　was　smoking　furiously。



By　an　effort　at　self…control　that　made　his　voice　harsh　and　constrained；

Stanton　said；　briefly：



〃Mr。　Sibley；　I　request　that　you　never　mention　that　lady's　name　to

me　again　in　any　circumstances。　　I　request　that　you　never　mention

her　name　to　any　one　else　except　in　tones　and　words　of　the　utmost

respect。　　I　make　these　requests　politely；　as　is　befitting　the　day

and　my　own　self…respect；　but　if　you　disregard　them　the　consequences

to　you　will　be　very　serious。〃



〃Good　Lord；　Stanton！　has　she　treated　you　so　badly！　　But　don't　take

it　to　heart。　　It's　all　Yankee　thrift；　designed　to　enhance　her　value。

We　are　all　men　of　the　world　here；　and　know　what　women　are。　　If　it

is　true　every　man　has　his　price；　every　woman　has　a　smaller…〃



Before　he　could　utter　another　word　a　blow　in　his　face　from　Stanton

sent　him　sprawling　to　the　earth。　　He　sprang　up　and　was　about　to

draw　a　concealed　weapon；　when　his　companions　interfered　and　held

him。



〃I　shall　settle　with　you　for　this；〃　he　half　shouted；　grinding　his

teeth。



〃You　shall　indeed；　sir；〃　said　Stanton；　〃and　as　early；　too；　as　the

light　will　permit　to…morrow。　　Here　is　my　friend　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃

pointing　to　the　artist　who　stood　beside　him；　〃and　you　have　your

friends　with　you。　　You　must　either　apologize；　or　meet　me　as　soon

as　Sunday　is　past。〃



〃I'll　meet　you　now；〃　cried　Sibley；　with　a　volley　of　oaths。　　〃I　want

no　cowardly　subterfuge　of　Sunday。〃



Stanton　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　said　decidedly：



〃No；　I'm　not　a　blackguard　like　yourself；　and　out　of　respect　for　the

Sabbath　and　others　I　will　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　you　to…day；

but　I　will　meet　you　tomorrow　as　soon　as　it　is　light；〃　and　Stanton

turned　away　to　avoid　further　provocation。



Van　Berg　thus　far　had　stood　quietly　to　one　side；　but　his　face　had

that　white；　rigid　aspect　which　indicates　the　rare　but　dangerous

anger　of　men　usually　quiet　and　undemonstrative　in　their　natures。



〃Now　that　you　are　through；　Stanton；　I　have　something　to　say　concerning

this　affair；〃　he　began；　in　words　that　were　as　clean…cut　and　hard

as　steel。　　〃If　you　propose　to　give　this　fellow　a　dog's　whipping

to…morrow；　I　will　go　with　you　and　witness　the　well…deserved

chastisement。　　But　if　you　are　intending　a　conventional　duel；　I'll

have　nothing　to　do　with　it；　for　two　reasons。　　The　first　reason　this

fellow　will　not　understand。　　Dueling　is　against　my　principles；　and

he　knows　nothing　of　principle。　　But　even　if　I　accepted　the　old　and

barbarous　code；　I　should　insist　that　a　friend　of　mine　should　fight

with　a　gentleman；　and　not　a　low　blackguard。〃



〃You　use　that　epithet　again　at　your　peril；〃　hissed　Sibley；　advancing

a　step　towards　him。



Van　Berg　made　a　gesture　of　contempt　toward　the　speaker　as　he　turned

and　said：



〃You　understand　me；　Stanton；　it　is　not　from　any　lack　of　loyalty

toward　you　as　my　friend；　but　I　would　not　be　worthy　of　your　friendship

were　I　false　to　my　sense　of　duty　and　honor。〃



〃You　are　both　white…livered　cowards；〃　roared　Sibley。　　〃One　sneaks

off　under　cover　of　the　dayI　never　saw　a　fellow　taken　with　a

pious　fit　so　suddenly　before。　　The　other；　in　order　to　keep　his　skin

whole；　prates　of　his　dread　lest　his　principles　be　punctured。　　the

devil　take　you　both　for　a　brace　of　champion　sneaks；〃　and　he

turned　on　his　heel　and　was　about　to　stalk　away　with　a　grand　air　of

superiority；　when　Van　Berg　said；　emphatically：



〃Wait　a　moment；　I'm　not　through　with　you　yet。　　I　give　you　but　a　brief

half…hour　to　complete　your　arrangements　for　leaving　the　hotel。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Sibley；　turning　fiercely　upon　him。



〃I　mean；　sir；　that　your　presence　in　that　house　is　an　insult　to

every　lady　in　it；　which　I；　as　a　gentleman；　shall　no　longer　permit。

Curse　you；　had　you　no　mother　that　you　could　thus　insult　all　good

women　by　the　remark　you　made　a　few　moments　since？〃



Half　beside　himself　with　rage；　Sibley　drew　a　pistol；　but　before　he

could　aim　correctly　one　of　his　companions　struck　up　his　hand　and

the　bullet　whizzed　harmlessly　over　Van　Berg's　head。



There　was　a　faint　scream　from　the　house；　which　indicated　that　the

scene　had　been　witnessed　by　some　lady　there。



The　intense　passion　of　the　artist；　which　manifested　itself

characteristically；　held　him　unflinching　to　his　purpose。



〃So　you　can　be　a　murderer　also？〃　he　said；　scornfully。　　〃It　would

almost　compensate　a　man　for　being　SHOT；　if；　as　a　result；　you　could

be　HUNG。〃



Sibley's　companions　speedily　disarmed　him；　strongly　remonstrating

in　the　meantime。　　He；　in　sudden　revulsion；　began　to　realize　what

he　had　attempted；　and　his　flushed　face　became　very　pale。



〃Let　them　leave　me　alone；〃　he　growled　sullenly；　〃and　I'll　leave

them　alone。〃



〃For　Heaven's　sake；　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　cried　Sibley's　companions；　〃let

the　matter　end　here；　lest　worse　come　of　it。〃



In　the　same　steely；　relentless　tones；　which　made　very　word　seem

like　a　bullet；　Van　Berg　took　out　his　watch；　and　said：



〃It　is　now　four　o'clock；　sir。　　After　half…past　four；　you　must　not

show　your　libertine's　face　in　that　house　again；　while　there's　a

lady　in　it　that　I　respect。〃



〃Burleigh　is　proprietor　of　that　house；〃　replied　Sibley；　doggedly；

〃and　I'll　stay　up　the　entire　week；　just　to　spite　you。〃



〃Let　us　go　to　Burleigh；　then；〃　said　the　artist；　promptly。　　〃We　will

settle　this　question　at　once。〃



Sibley　readily　agreed　to　this　appeal　to　his　host；　fully　believing

that　he　would　try　to　smooth　over　matters　and　assure　Van　Berg　that

he　could　not　turn　away　a　wealthy　and　profitable　guest；　and　so；

without　further　parley；　they　all　repaired　to　Mr。　Burleigh's　private

office；　arousing　that　gentleman　from　an　afternoon　nap　to　a　state

of　mind　that　effectually　banished　drowsiness　for　the　remainder　of

the　day。



〃Mr。　Burleigh；〃　began　Sibley；　indignantly；　〃this　fellow；　Van　Berg；

has　the　impudence　to　say　that　I　must　leave　this　house　within　half

an　hour。　　I　wish　you　to　inform　him　that　YOU　are　the　proprietor　of

this　establishment。〃



〃Humph；〃　remarked　Mr。　Burleigh；　phlegmatically；　〃that　is　your　side

of　the　story。　　Now；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　let　us　have　yours。〃



〃Mr。　Burleigh；〃　said　Van　Berg；　in　tones　that　straightened　up

the　languid　host　in　his　easy　chair；　〃would　you　permit　a　known　and

recognized　disreputable　woman　to　be　flaunting　about　this　hotel？〃



〃You　know　me　better　than　to　ask　such　a　question；〃　said　the　landlord；

the　color　of　his　ruddy　cheeks　suddenly　deepening。



〃Well；　sir；　I　claim　that　a　man　who　bears　precisely　the　same　character

is　no　more　to　be　tolerated；　and　I　have　learned　to　respect　you　as

one　whom　no　consideration　could　induce　to　permit　the　presence　of

a　human　beast；　whose　every　thought　of　woman　is　an　insult。〃



〃It's　all　an　infernal　lie；〃　began　Sibley。　　〃I　only　made　a　slight；

half…jesting　allusion　to　that　prudish　little　school…ma'am　that

these　fellows　are　so　cracked　over；　and　they　have　gone　on　like　mad

bulls　ever　since。〃



Mr。　Burleigh　started　to　his　feet　with　a　tremendous　oath。



〃You　made　an　'allusion；'　as　you　term　it；　to　Miss　Burton；　eh！the

young　lady　who　was　put　under　my　charge；　and　who　comes　from　one　of

the　best　families　in　New　England。　　I　know　what　kind　of　allusions

fellows　of　your　kidney　make；〃　and　the　incensed　host　struck　his　bell

sharply。



〃Send　the　porter　here　instantly；〃　he　said　to　the　boy　who　answered。



〃What　do　you　mean　to　do？〃　asked　Sibley；　turning　pale。



〃I　mean　to　put　you　out　of　my　house　within　the　next　ten　minutes；〃

said　Mr。　Burleigh；　emphatically。　　〃You　might　as　well　have　made　an

allusion　to　my　wife　as　to　Miss　Burton；　and　let　me　tell　you　that

if　you　wag　your　wanton　tongue　again；　I'll　have　my　colored　waiters

whip　you　off　the　premises。〃



〃But　where　shall　I　go？〃　whined　Sibley；　now　thoroughly　c