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第76章

a face illumined-第76章

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you to my sister。  You think me a saint; but I'll show you what a

human appetite I have。〃



〃I hear a brook near by;〃 said Ida; 〃may I not go to it and bathe

my face?〃



〃Yes; do what you like best while here。  Would you rather bathe in

the brook than at the house?〃



〃Yes; indeed。  Everything seems sacred here; and I can imagine the

brook yonder to be a rill from the Jordan。〃



〃Don't be superstitious and sentimental;〃 said the old gentleman;

shaking his head gravely。  〃The life of a Christian means honest;

patient work; and Christ's blood alone can wash us till we are

whiter than snow。〃



Ida's face grew earnest and noble as she stepped to the symbolic

tree and placed her hand on one of its lower branches。



〃Mr。 Eltinge;〃 she said gently and gravely; 〃as this broken; wounded

tree received all the help nature gave it; so I; more bruised and

broken; will try to receive all the help Christ will give me to

bear my burden and live a life pleasing to him。  I shall be very

glad indeed to come here and learn to know him better under your

most kind and faithful teaching; and as I learn; I will try to do

my best; but oh; Mr。 Eltinge; you can't realize how very weak and

imperfecthow ignorant and full of faults I am!〃



〃Just so the poor little tree might have spoken if it had had a

voice。  Indeed I thought it WOULD die。  But now look at the fruit

over your head。  You shall take some of it home; and every pear

will be a sermon to youa juicy one; too。  If you will do as you

say; my child; all will be well。〃



She bathed her tear…stained face in the brook; and came back looking

fairer than any flower in the garden。  Then they went up to the

old…fashioned house。



〃My dear; this is my sister; Miss Eltinge;〃 he said; presenting a

white…haired old lady; who still was evidently much younger than

her brother。  Then; turning suddenly around in comical dismay; he

said; 〃Why; bless you; my child; I don't know your name!  Well;

well; no matter!  I know YOU。  There are people whose names I've

known half my life; and yet I don't know them and don't trust 'em。〃



〃My name is Ida Mayhew;〃 said the young girl simply。  〃I heard Mr。

Eltinge speak at the prayer…meeting last night in such a way that

I wanted to see him and ask his help and advice; and he has been

very; very kind to me。  He can tell you all。〃



〃Yes; if he chooses;〃 said the old gentleman with a laugh。  〃Sister

knows me too well in my character of father confessor to expect me

to tell everything。〃



They made her at home as the simple and well…bred only can do。



After dinner Miss Eltinge tried to entertain her for a while; but

at last said; with appreciative tact:



〃My dear; I think you will best enjoy yourself if you are left to

range the old house and place at will。  After my brother has rested

he will join you again。〃



Ida was glad to be alone。  She had made a promise of far…reaching

and vital import that morning。  Life was taking on new aspects that

were so unfamiliar that she was bewildered。  She went back to the

garden; and; taking Mr。 Eltinge's seat; leaned against the emblematic

pear…tree; which she curiously began to associate with herself;

and for which she was already conscious of something like affection。



〃Oh;〃 she sighed; 〃if my life would only come to abound with deeds

corresponding to the fruit that is bending these boughs above me;

it could not be a burden; thought it might be very sad and lonely。

I now begin to understand Jennie Burtonher constant effort in

behalf of others。  But HE will comfort her before long。  Her dark

days are nearly over。  No matter how deep or great her troubles may

have been; they must vanish in the sunshine of such a man's love。

I wonder if he has spoken plainly yetbut what need of words?

His eyes and manner have told her all a hundred times。  I wish she

could be my friend; I wish I could speak to her plainly; for she

is so kind and wise; but I must shun her; or else she'll discover

the secret that I'd hide from her even more carefully than from him;

if such a thing were possible。  I wonder if they ever met before

they came here。  I never saw one human being look at another as

she sometimes looks at him。  I believe that deep in her heart she

fairly idolizes him; although her singular self…control enables

her; as a general thing; to treat him with the ease and frankness

of a friend。  Well; she may love him more deeply than I do because

possessing a deeper nature。  I can but give all I have。  But I think

my love would be like the little brook over there。  It's not very

deep or obtrusive; but Mr。 Eltinge says it has never failed。  Well;

well! these are not the thoughts for me; though how I can help them

I cannot tell。  I will try to win a little respect from him before

we part; and then my life; like this pear…tree; must be full of

good deeds for those who have the best right to receive them;〃 and

taking a small pen…knife from her pocket she mounted the chair; and

carved within the two lower branches where they could not easily

be discovered the words;



〃Ida Mayhew。〃











Chapter XLII。  The Corner…Stone of Character。









After the characteristic act by which Ida had identified the

treeonce so bruised and brokenwith herself; she sat down again

at its foot and thought long and deeply。  The deep hush and quiet

of the quaint old garden was just what she needed after the delirium

of her passion and despair。  Her pulse began to grow more even;

and her beautiful face sweet and noble with the better thoughts she

now was entertaining。  As she sat there leaning her head against

the bole of the tree; the shadows of the leaves above deepening

and brightening across her pale features; and her large; dark eyes

often growing humid with sympathy with her thoughts; she made as

fair a picture as could Eve herself; were she dreaming over her

lost garden…home。  At last she said slowly:



〃I wonder if it will be possible for a Divine love gradually to

supplant a human love?  'Whom to know is eternal life。'  This hope

seems to be my only hopemy only remedy; my one chance。  I must

soon go back to the city; where I cannot see good old Mr。 Eltinge;

where I will no longer have the excitement of occasionally meeting

Mr。 Van Berg; where I shall be fact to face with only the hard;

prosaic difficulties that will abound in the world without; but

especially in my own home。  I plainly foresee that I shall become

bitter; selfish; and reckless again; unless I find such a Friend

as Mr。 Eltinge describes; who will give me daily and positive help;

a mere decorous; formal religion will be of no more use to me than

pictures of bread to the famishing。  I must have a strong; patient

Friend who will see me through my troubles; or I'm lost。  I may

even grow as desperate and wicked as I have been again;〃 and she

buried her face in her hands and fairly trembled with apprehension。



〃Come; my child; cheer up!  All will end well yet。  Take an old man's

word for it。  I've lived through several troubles that I thought

would finish me; thanks to the good Lord; and here I am now; safe

and sound and in the possession of two good homesthis one and

the better one over the river they say is so dark。  I don't believe

it's much more of a river to the Christian than yonder little brook;

but I can tell you; my child; we'll find a wonderful difference

between the two shores。〃



Ida found that the old gentleman had joined her unperceived; and

she told him of her fears。



〃Now; don't worry;〃 he answered; 〃about what will happen when you

go back to the city。  Christ himself has said:  'Sufficient unto

the day is the evil thereof。'  Your whole duty is to do your best

now; and he'll take care of the future。  He did not call himself

the 'Good Shepherd' for nothing; as I and millions of others; know

from experience。  He'll see you over all the hard places; if you

ask him to

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