a face illumined-第7章

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like　an　unawakened　mind；　sleeping　under　that　broad　low　brow　that

mocks　one　with　its　fair　intellectual　outline。　　I　wonder　if　it

would　be　possible　to　set　her　thinking；　and　so　eventually　render

her　capable　of　receiving　a　woman's　soul。　　As　it　is　now　she　seems

to　possess　only　certain　disagreeable　feminine　propensities。　　One

might　engage　in　such　an　experiment　as　a　philosopher　rather　than　a

lover；　or；　what　is　more　to　my　purpose；　as　an　artist。



〃By　Jove！　I　would　half　like　to　make　the　attempt；　it　would　give　zest

to　one's　summer　vacation。　　Well；　what　is　to　hinder？　　Now　I　think

of　it　she　remarked　that　she　was　to　spend　the　season　at　the　Lake

House；　not　far　from　the　Hudson；　a　place　well　suited　to　my　purposes。

There　are　the　wild　highlands　on　one　side；　and　a　soft　pastoral　country

on　the　other。　　I　could　there　find　abundant　opportunity　for　varied

studies　in　scenery；　and　at　the　same　time　beguile　my　idle　hours　at

the　hotel　with　this　face　of　marvellous　capabilities　and　possibilities。

The　features　already　exist；　and　would　be　beautiful　if　the　girl　were

dead；　and　they　could　be　no　longer　distorted　by　the　small　vices　of

the　spirit　back　of　them。　　They　might　become　transcendently　beautiful；

could　she　in　very　truth　receive　the　soul　of　a　true　and　thoughtful

womana　soul　such　as　makes　my　mother　beautiful　in　her　plain　old

age。



〃I'm　inclined　to　follow　this　odd　fancy。　　That　girl　is　a　'rara

avis'　such　as　has　never　flown　across　my　path　before。　　I　shall　have

a　quarrel　with　nature　all　my　life　if　I　must　believe　she　can　fashion

a　face　capable　of　meaning　so　much　and　yet　actually　meaning　so

little；　and　that　little　disgusting。〃



After　a　few　moments　of　deep　thought；　he　again　started　to　his　feet

and　commenced　pacing　his　studio。



〃Suppose；〃　he　soliloquized；　〃I　attempt　a　novel　bit　of　artistic　work

as　my　summer　recreation。　　Suppose　I　take　the　face　of　this　stranger

instead　of　a　piece　of　canvas　and　try　to　illumine　it　with　thought；

with　womanly　character　and　intelligence。　　If　I　fail；　as　I　probably

shall；　no　harm　will　be　done。　　If　her　silliness　and　vanity　are

ingrained　and　essential　parts　of　her　nature；　she　shall　learn　that

there　is　at　least　one　man　who　can　see　her　as　she　is；　and　whose

heart　is　not　wax　on　which　to　stamp　her　pretty　and　senseless　image。

If　I　only　partially　succeed；　if　I　discern　she　has　a　mind；　but

so　feeble　that　it　can　only　half　reclaim　her　from　her　weakness　and

folly；　still　something　will　be　accomplished。　　Her　features　are　so

beautiful；　that　should　they　come　to　express　even　the　glimmerings

of　that　which　is　admirable；　the　face　will　be　in　part　redeemed。

But　if　by　some　happy　miracle；　as　in　the　instance　of　the　original

Undine；　a　mind　can　be　awakened　that　will　gradually　prepare　a　place

for　the　soul　of　a　true　woman；　I　shall　accomplish　the　best　work　of

my　life；　even　estimated　from　an　artistic　point　of　view。　　Possibly；

for　my　reward；　she　will　permit　me　to　paint　her　portrait　as　a　souvenir

of　our　summer's　acquaintance。〃



It　did　not　take　Van　Berg　long　to　complete　his　arrangements　for

leaving　town。　　He　wrote　a　line　to　his　friend　Stanton；　saying　that

he　proposed　spending　a　few　weeks　in　the　vicinity　of　the　Highlands

on　the　Hudson；　and　that　he　could　not　say　when　he　would　be　at　his

rooms　or　at　home　again。　　The　afternoon　of　the　following　day　found

him　a　passenger　on　a　fleet　steamboat；　and　fully　bent　upon　carrying

out　his　odd　artistic　freak。











Chapter　IV。　　A　Parthian　Arrow。











As；　in　the　quiet　June　evening；　Harold　Van　Berg　glided　through　the

shadows　of　the　Highlands；　there　came　a　slight　change　over　his　spirit

of　philosophical　and　artistic　experiment。　　The　season　comported

with　his　early　manhood；　and　the　witching　hour　and　the　scenery　were

not　conducive　to　cold　philosophy。　　He　who　prided　himself　on　his

steady　pulse　and　a　devotion　to　art　so　absorbing　that　it　even　prompted

his　impulses　and　gave　character　to　his　recreation；　was　led　to　feel；

on　this　occasion；　that　his　mistress　was　vague　and　shadowy；　and　to

half　wish　for　that　companionship　which　the　most　self…reliant　natures

have　craved　at　times；　ever　since　man　first　felt；　and　God　knew；　that

it　was　〃not　good　for　him　to　be　alone。〃　　If　he　could　turn　from　the

beauty　of　the　sun…tipped　hills　and　rocks　and　the　gloaming　shadows

to　an　appreciative　and　sympathetic　face；　such　as　he　could　at

least　imagine　the　visage　of　Ida　Mayhew　might　become；　would　not　his

enjoyment　of　the　beauty　he　saw　be　doubly　enhanced？　　In　his　deepest

consciousness　he　was　compelled　to　admit　that　it　would。　　He　caught

a　glimpse　of　the　truth　that　he　would　never　attain　in　his　highest

manhood　until　he　had　allied　himself　to　a　womanhood　which　he　should

come　to　believe　supremely　true　and　beautiful。



The　ringing　of　the　bell　announced　his　landing；　and　in　the　hurry　and

bustle　of　looking　after　his　luggage　and　obtaining　a　ticket　which　he

had　forgotten　to　procure；　he　speedily　became　again；　in　the　world's

estimation；　and　perhaps　in　his　own；　a　practical；　sensible　man。　　An

hour　or　two's　ride　among　he　hills　brought　him　at　last　to　the　Lake

House；　where　he　selected　a　room　that　had　a　fine　prospect　of　the

mountains；　the　far　distant　river；　and　the　adjacent　open　country；

engaging　it　only　for　a　brief　time　so　that　he　might　depart　when　he

chose；　in　case　the　object　of　his　pursuit　should　not　appear；　or　he

should　weary　of　the　effort；　or　despair　of　its　success。



A　few　days　passed；　but　the　face　which　had　so　haunted　his　fancy

presented　no　actual　appearance。　　The　scenery；　however；　was　beautiful；

the　weather　so　perfect；　and　he　enjoyed　his　rambles　among　the　hills

and　his　excursions　on　the　water　so　thoroughly　that　he　was　already

growing　slightly　forgetful　of　his　purpose　and　satisfied　that　he

could　enjoy　himself　a　few　weeks　without　the　zest　of　artistically

redeeming　the　face　of　Ida　Mayhew。　　But　one　day；　while　at　dinner；

he　overheard　some　gossip　concerning　a　〃great　belle〃　who　was　to　come

that　evening；　and　he　at　once　surmised　that　it　was　the　fair　stranger

he　had　seen　at　the　concert。



At　the　time；　therefore；　of　the　arrival　of　the　evening　stage　he

observantly　puffed　his　cigar　in　a　corner　of　the　piazza；　and　was

soon　rewarded　by　seeing　the　object　of　his　contemplated　experiment

step　out　of　the　vehicle；　with　the　airy　grace　and　confidence　of　one

who　regards　each　new　abiding…place　as　a　scene　of　coming　pleasures

and　conquests；　and　who　feels　sure　every　glance　toward　her　is　one

of　admiration。　　There　were　eyes；　however；　that　noted　disapprovingly

her　jaunty　self…assurance　and　self…assertion；　and　when　she　met　those

eyes　her　complacency　seemed　disturbed　at　once；　for　she　flushed　and

promptly　turned　her　back　upon　them。　　In　fact；　from　the　time　she

had　first　seen　Van　Berg's　frowning　face　it　had　been　a　disagreeable

memory；　and　now　here　it　was　again　and　frowning　still。　　Although

he　sat　at　a　distance　from　the　landing…place；　her　eyes　seemed　drawn

towards　his　as　if　by　some　fascination；　and　she　already　had　the

feeling　that　whenever　he　was　present　she　would　be　conscious　of　his

cool；　critical　observation。



Van　Berg　had　scarcely　time　to　note　a　rather　stout　and　overdressed

person　emerge　from　the　stage；　how　was　evidently　the　young　lady's

mother；　when　Ik　Stanton；　with　his　bays　and　a　light　country　wagon；

dashed　up　to　the　main　entrance。　　Stanton　was　an　element　in　the

artistic　problem　that　Van　Berg　had　not　bargained　for；　and　what

influence　he　would　have；　friendly　or　adverse；　only　time　could　show。



While　Stanton　was　accompanying　his　aunt　and　cousin　to　the　register；

as　the　gentleman　of　the　party；　the　young　lady　said　to　him：



〃That　horrid　artist　friend　of　yours　is　here。　　I　wish　he　hadn't

come。　　Did　you　tell　him　we　were　coming　here？〃



〃No；　'pon　my　honor。〃



〃I　have　believe　you　did。　　If　so　I'll　never　forgive　you；　for　the

very　sight　of　him　spoils　everything。〃



〃Come　now；　Coz；　be　reasonable。　　From　all　the　indications　I　have

seen；　Van　Berg　is　the　last　man　to　follow　you　here　or　anywhere　else；

even　though　he　knew　of　your