a face illumined-第53章

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of　Milton's　fallen　angels　that　had　lost　Heaven　and　happiness　but

not　the　primal　beauty　of　his　birth…place。



〃Well；〃　she　exclaimed　with　the　sudden　recklessness　which　was　one

of　her　characteristics；　〃if　I　have　caused　your　degradation　I　can

at　least　share　in　it；〃　and　she　took　an　opiate　that　she　knew　would

produce　speedy　and　almost　as　deep　a　lethargy　as　that　which　paralyzed

her　father；　then　threw　herself；　dressed；　upon　her　couch；　and　did

not　waken　until　late　the　following　day。



Stanton　was　sorely　troubled　over　his　rash　promise　that　he　would

meet　Sibley　at　daylight　on　Monday　morning。　　After　Miss　Burton's

words　he　felt　that　he　could　not　keep　his　appointment；　and　yet　he

shrank　from　the　ridicule　he　believed　Sibley　would　heap　upon　him。

His　perturbation　was　so　great　that　he　hunted　up　Van　Berg　before

retiring；　and　told　him　of　his　dilemma。　　The　artist　greatly　relieved

his　mind　by　saying：



〃I　think　we　both　have　had　a　lesson；　Stanton；　in　regard　to　quarreling

with　such　fellows　as　Sibley；　although　I　hardly　see　how　we　could

have　acted　differently。　　But　villains　are　usually　cowards　after

their　passion　cools　and　they　become　sober。　　The　case　in　hand　is　no

exception。　　Burleigh　tells　me　he　has　just　learned　that　Sibley　took

a　late　boat　to　the　city；　and　so　does　not　mean　to　keep　the　appointment

to…morrow。　　Therefore；　sleep　the　sleep　of　the　just；　old　fellow。

Good…night。〃



The　throbbing　pain　in　Ida's　head　was　so　great　when　she　awoke　on

Monday　that　she　half　forgot　the　ache　in　her　heart。　　She　found　that

her　father　had　gone　to　the　City　and　that　the　day　was　well　advanced。

Her　mother　sat　looking　at　her　with　an　expression　in　which　anxiety

and　reproach　were　equally　blended。



The　unhappy　woman　had　learned　from　her　husband's　habits　to　know

what　remedies　to　employ；　and　so　was　able　gradually　to　relieve　her

daughter's　physical　distress；　but　Ida's　weary　lassitude　and　reticence

were　proof　against　all　her　questions　and　reproaches。　　It　seemed　as

if　nothing　could　rouse　or　sting　her　out　of　the　dull　apathy　into　which

she　had　reacted　after　the　desperate　excitement　of　the　preceding　day。

She　pleaded　illness；　and　stubbornly　refused　to　go　down　to　dinner。

At　last　her　mother；　much　to　her　relief；　left　her　to　herself；　and

went　out　to　drive　with　Stanton；　hoping　that　she　might　hit　upon　some

plan　of　action　in　regard　to　the　two　difficult　problems　presented

in　her　husband　and　daughter。



Towards　evening　Ida　slowly　and　languidly　dressed　for　supper；　and

then　sauntered　down　to　the　main　piazza　for　a　little　fresh　air。



The　poor　girl　did　not　exaggerate　the　shadow　that　had　fallen　upon

her　association　with　Sibley；　and　her　supposed　grief　and　resentment

at　his　treatment。　　Two　or　three　whom　she　met　bowed　coldly　and

distantly；　and　one　passed　without　recognition。　　Even　Jennie　Burton

had　been　indignant　all　day　that　one　of　her　sex　could　be　infatuated

with　such　a　fellow；　and　in　her　charitable　thoughts　she　would　be

glad　to　explain　such　perversity　as　the　result　of　a　disordered　and

uncurbed　fancy；　rather　than　of　a　depraved　heart。



It　was　not　strange；　however；　that　she　should　suppose　Ida's　manner

and　indisposition　were　caused　by　Sibley's　ignominious　ejectment　from

the　house；　when　her　own　mother　and　cousin　shared　the　same　view。



What　an　unknown　mystery　each　life　is；　even　to　the　lives　nearest　to

it！



As　with　slow；　heavy　steps；　Ida　approached　the　main　entrance；　she

noted　the　distant　manner　of　those　she　met；　and　divined　the　cause；

but　her　apathy　was　so　great　that　neither　anger　nor　shame　brought

the　faintest　color　to　her　cheeks。



She　stood　in　the　doorway　and　looked　out　a　few　moments；　but　the

lovely　summer　landscape；　with　the　cool　shadows　lengthening　across

it；　was　a　weariness；　and　she　turned　from　it　as　the　miserable　do

from　sights　that　only　mock　by　their　pleasant　contrast。



The　piazza　was　nearly　empty；　but　before　she　stepped　out　upon　it

she　saw　not　far　away　a　gentleman　reading；　who　at　last　did　cause

the　blood　to　rush　tumultuously　into　her　face。



At　another　time　she　would　have　turned　hastily　from　him；　but　in　her

present　morbid　mood　she　acted　from　a　different　impulse。　　The　artist

had　not　observed　her　approach；　and　standing　a　little　back　in　the

shadow　of　the　hall…way　she　found　a　cruel　fascination　in　comparing

the　man　she　loved　with　the　low　fellow　whose　shadow　now　fell　so　darkly

across　her　own　character。　　She　looked　steadily　at　his　downcast　face

until　every　line　and　curve　in　his　strong　profile　was　impressed　on

her　memory。　　In　the　healthful　color　of　his　finely…chiseled　features

there　were　no　indications　of　that　excess　which　already　marred　Sibley's

countenance。　　The　decided　contour　corresponded　with　the　positive

nature。　　The　unhappy　girl　felt　instinctively　that　if　he　were　on　her

side；　he　would　be　a　faithful　ally；　but　if　against　her；　she　would

find　his　inflexible　will　a　granite　wall　against　all　the　allurements

of　her　beauty。　　The　face　before　her　indicated　a　man　controlled　by

his　higher；　not　lower　nature；　and　in　her　deep　humiliation　she　now

felt　that　even　if　he　knew　all　that　was　passing　in　her　heart；　he

would　bestow　only　transient　pity；　mingled　with　contempt。



She　believed　she　could　hope　for　nothing　from　him；　and　yet；　did　not

that　belief　leave　her　hopeless？　　To　what　else；　to　whom　else　could

she　turn？　　Nothing　else；　no　one　else　then　seemed　to　promise　any　help；

any　happiness。　　Her　wretched　experience　had　come　as　unexpectedly　as

one　of　those　mysterious　waves　that　sweep　the　sunny　shore　of　Peru。

Whither　it　would　carry　her　she　did　not　know；　but　every　moment　separated

her　more　hopelessly　from　him　who　appeared　like　an　immovable　rock

in　his　quiet　strength。



She　was　turning　despondently　away　when　she　heard　Jennie　Burton's

voice；　and　a　moment　later　that　young　lady　mounted　the　adjacent

steps　and　said　to　Van　Berg：



〃See　what　a　prize　I　captured　at　this　late　season。　　Roses　early　in

August　are　like　hidden　treasures。　　See；　they　are　genuine　hybrids。

Have　I　not　had　rare　good　fortune？〃



Van　Berg　rose　at　once；　and　met　her　at　the　top　of　the　steps；　and

Ida；　who　still　remained　unseen　in　the　hall；　now　stepped　forward

into　the　doorway；　so　that　she　might　not　seem　a　furtive　listener；

as　he　was　standing　with　his　back　towards　her。



〃Had　I　my　way；　Miss　Burton；〃　said　the　artist；　〃you　should　have　this

rare　good　fortune　every　day　of　the　year。〃



She　blushed　slightly；　and　said；　rather　coldly；　〃Good　evening；　Miss

Mayhew；〃　thus　rendering　Van　Berg　aware　of　the　latter's　presence。

The　artist　only　frowned；　and　gave　no　other　recognition　of　Ida's

proximity。



〃Since　you　can't　have　your　way；　I　shall　make　the　most　of　my　present

good　fortune。　　Is　not　that　a　beautiful　cluster？〃



〃It　is　indeed；　with　one　exception。　　Do　you　not　see　that　this

defective　bud　mars　the　beauty　of　all　the　others？〃



〃A　'worm　I'　the　bud　fell　on　its　damask　cheek。'　　I　took　it　out　and

killed　it；　and　was　in　hopes　that　if　I　placed　the　injured　flower　in

water　with　the　others　it　might　still　make　a　partial　bloom。　　You　will

think　me　absurd　when　I　tell　you　I　felt　sorry　for　it；　and　thought

how　many　roses　and　lives　would　be　more　perfect　were　it　not　for　some

gnawing　'worm　i'　the　bud。'〃



〃The　'worm'　in　Shakespeare's　allusion；〃　said　the　artist；　lightly；

〃is　redeemed　by　its　association　and　symbolism；　but　the　one　that

has　been　at　work　here　was　a　disagreeably　prosaic　thing　that　you

rightly　put　your　foot　upon。　　The　bud；　as　it　now　appears；　suggest

the　worm　more　than　anything　else。　　So；　please；　let　me　cut　it　out；

for　art　cannot　tolerate　anything　so　radically　marred　and　defective。

Its　worm…eaten　heart　spoils　the　beauty　of　the　entire　cluster。〃



〃I　fear　you　artists　become　too　critical　and　exacting。　　Well；　cut

it　out。　　I　will　submit　to　art　in　roses；　but　feel　that　marred　and

defective　lives　should　have　very　different　treatment。〃



〃That　depends。　　If　people　persist　in　cherishing　some　worm　of　evil；

they　cannot　expect　to　be　held　in　the　same　esteem　as　those　who　are

aiming　at　a　more