a face illumined-第77章

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

ask　him　to；　and　just　follow　patiently。　　You　may　not　be　able　to　see

the　way　or　know　where　he　is　leading　you；　any　more　than　the　sheep；

but　the　path；　however　flinty　and　thorny；　will　end　in　the　fold。　　Of

that　be　assured。〃　　And　he　gave　her　one　or　two　sad　chapters　from

his　own　life　of　which　he　could　now　speak　calmly　and　understandingly。



As　they　were　about　to　part；　Ida　said：　　〃Mr。　Eltinge；　I'm　so　ignorant

that　I　have　not　the　remotest　idea　how　to　commence　this　Christian

life。　　I　greatly　wish　to　form　a　character　worthy　of　respect；　but

I　don't　know　how　to　set　about　it。〃



〃Commence　by　living　simple　and　true；　my　dear。　　Truthfulness　is

the　corner…stone　of　the　character　that　men　most　respect　and　God

will　honor。　　None　of　us　can　be　perfect；　but　we　can　all　be　honest；

and　pretend　to　be　no　better　than　we　are。　　Just　simply　follow　your

conscience；　pray　daily　for　light　and　guidance；　and　do　the　best　you

can。　　Live　up　to　the　light　as　you　get　it；　and　remember　the　good

Lord　will　be　as　patient　with　you　as　a　mother　with　her　baby　that　is

just　learning　to　walk。　　Be　truthful　and　sincere　as　you　have　been

with　me　to…day；　and　all　will　be　well。〃



Then　he　brought　a　step…ladder；　and　filled　a　little　basket　with　pears。

〃They'll　ripen　nicely　in　your　drawer；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　shouldn't

wonder　if　you　found　'em　kind　of　nourishing　to　your　soul　as　well　as

body；　now　you　know　how　they　grew。〃



With　a　promise　to　come　on　the　morrow　Ida　drove　away　more　cheered

and　comforted　than　she　had　thought　it　possible　ever　to　be　again。

But　as　she　approached　the　hotel　piazza；　and　saw　the　artist　talking

with　Jennie　Burton；　she　experienced　a　sinking　of　heart　that　taught

her　how　difficult　her　path　must　be　at　best。



Van　Berg　hastened　down　eagerly　to　assist　her　to　alight；　for　her

reappearance　lifted　a　terrible　load　of　anxiety　from　his　mind。　　In

spite　of　herself　the　color　rushed　into　the　cheeks　which　of　late

had　become　so　pale；　and　the　hand　she　gave　him　trembled　as　he　helped

her　from　the　phaeton。



〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　glad　I　am　to　see　you　again。　　I've　been

oppressed　with　fear　all　day；〃　he　could　not　forbear　saying；　in　a

low　tone。



〃I　suppose　you　naturally　felt　that　you　could　not　trust　me；〃　she

replied；　averting　her　face。　　〃I've　been　spending　the　day　with　a

friend。〃



〃Forgive　me；〃　he　said　eagerly。　　〃I　seem　fated　to　wound　you；　but　I

wish　they　might　hereafter　be　the　wounds　of　a　friend。〃



She　would　not　trust　herself　to　look　up　till　she　became　more　composed；

but　could　not　resist　the　impulse　to　say：　　〃Do　friends　give　only

wounds？〃



Van　Berg　bit　his　lip　and　followed　her　slowly　up　the　steps。



〃I　see　from　your　basket；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　kindly；　〃that　you　have

been　foraging。　　I　hope　you　had　good　success。〃



〃Yes；　I　think　I've　been　successful；〃　replied　Ida；　who　was　desperately

sorry　that　Miss　Burton　had　intercepted　her　and　must　see　her　burning

cheeks。　　〃I　have　not　found　roses；　as　you　did；　but　perhaps　these

are　more　in　keeping　with　my　prosaic　and　material　nature；〃　and　she

lifted　the　cover　and　offered　the　fruit。



〃You　treat　me　better　than　I　did　you；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　smilingly；

and　ignoring　an　implied　satire　which　Ida　had　not　intended。　　〃I　did

not　give　you　any　of　my　roses。〃



Ida　shot　a　side　glance　at　the　artist　which　said　to　him　plainly：



〃But　Mr。　Van　Berg　did；〃　and　he　flushed　deeply。



Then　she　selected　a　superb　pear；　and　after　looking　at　it　keenly　a

moment；　handed　it　to　him　with　the　low　words：



〃I　think　you　will　find　that　no　worm　has　been　in　that。〃



He　took　it　with　evident　embarrassment　and　was　about　to　speak　eagerly；

but　she　passed　quickly　in；　and　went　to　her　room。



〃I　am　justly　punished；〃　said　Van　Berg　frankly。　　〃Miss　Burton；　please

let　me　explain　her　allusion。〃



〃I　would　rather　you　would　not；〃　she　replied　promptly；　〃for　Miss

Mayhew　made　it　in　a　low　tone；　showing　that　she　intended　it　for　your

ear　only。〃



〃Well；　then　I　must　content　myself　by　saying　that　standing　near　this

spot；　not　long　since；　I　acted　like　a　fool。〃



〃It's　an　excellent　sign　of　wisdom；　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said　laughingly；

〃that　you　have　discovered　the　fact。　　The　only　fools　to　be　despaired

of　are　those　who　never　find　themselves　out。〃



〃Did　you　ever　do　a　very　foolish　thing；　Miss　Jennie？〃



〃It　would　be　a　very　foolish　thing　for　me　to　listen　to　any　more　of

such　monstrous　flattery。　　Or　perhaps　you　are　satirical　and　take

this　roundabout　way　of　telling　me　that　I'm　human　like　yourself。

I'm　going　down　to　supper；　for　I　prefer　Mr。　Burleigh's　toast　to　such

doubtful　compliments。〃



〃Miss　Jennie；　I　protest；　I　never　offered　you　a　compliment　in　my

life；〃　he　said；　accompanying　her。



〃In　the　name　of　the　King's　English；　what　are　compliments；　then？〃



〃Mere　verbal　sugar…plums；　sweet；　cloying；　and　often　poisonous。　　My

expressions　of　honest　opinion　are；　like　Mr。　Burleigh's　toast　you

are　so　fond　of；　made　of　the　finest　wheat　of　truth；　leavened　by　my

irrepressible　admiration；　and　done　to　the　nicest　shade　of　brown　by

the　warmth　of　my　FRIENDLY　regard。〃



〃Oh；　oh；　OH！　　Your　compliments　are　verbal　balloons。〃



〃Yes；　that　figure　might　apply　to　them　also；　for　these　opinions　of

minenot　compliments；　mark！often　carry　me　up　above　the　clouds

and　vapors　of　earth。〃



〃Where　you　will　find　the　atmosphere　exceedingly　thin　and　cold；　I

assure　you；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　with　something　like　seriousness　in

her　tone。　　〃I　must　remind　you；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　that　even　Jack　Bunsby

did　not　give　his　opinions　till　they　were　asked；　and　I　will　take

some　toast；　if　you　please；　in　their　stead。〃



Stanton　and　Mrs。　Mayhew　now　appeared；　and　the　conversation　became

general；　in　which　the　former　made　rather　futile　efforts　to　conceal

his　dejection。　　His　aunt　had　told　him　that　Ida　had　merely　said　she

had　spent　the　day　with　a　friend；　and　that　she　would　explain　her

absence　at　the　proper　time。　　〃She　has　such　a　dignified　way　of　speaking；

that　you　are　made　to　feel　it　is　an　insult　to　ask　a　question；　so　I

shall　just　take　her　at　her　word；　and　leave　her　to　herself；〃　concluded

the　lady。



〃She'll　never　forgive　me；〃　muttered　Stanton。



A　little　later　than　the　others；　the　object　of　his　thoughts　came

down　to　supper。　　The　deep　color　which　the　unexpected　episode　with

the　artist　had　caused　now　lingered　only　as　a　faint　glow　in　her

cheeks。　　She　had　fastened　a　few　pear　leaves　in　her　hair；　and　wore

no　other　ornament。　　Her　thin　white　dress　suggested　rather　than

reveated　the　exquisite　symmetry　of　her　neck　and　arms；　and　Van　Berg

was　compelled　to　admit　to　himself　that　his　trained　and　critical

eyes　could　scarcely　detect　a　flaw　in　her　marvellous　beauty；　or　in

the　taste　shown　in　her　costume。



But　there　was　something　about　her　manner　which　appealed　to　him　more

than　her　beauty　even。　　The　evening　before　she　had　chilled　their

hearts　by　her　unnatural　and　icy　words　and　bearing。　　Now　there　was

an　expression　of　humility　and　diffidence　wholly　unlike　anything

he　had　ever　seen　before。　　She　did　not　seem　inclined　to　enter　into

conversation；　and　yet　she　was　not　repellant　and　cold；　but　rather

seemed　to　shrink　from　notice；　and　to　indicate　that　past　memories

were　embarrassing。　　But　she　would　not　look　at　her　cousin；　for　she

still　felt　a　deep　resentment　towards　him。　　She　was　no　saint　because

she　had　cherished　some　good　thoughts　and　impulses　that　day；　and　as

for　poor　Stanton；　he　became　so　depressed　that　he　lapsed　into　utter

silence。



Miss　Burton　was　becoming　deeply　interested　in　Ida。　　When　she　saw

her　crimson　face　as　the　artist　hastened　to　the　phaeton；　a　sudden

light　had　flashed　into　her　eyes；　and　the　thought　crossed　her　mind：



〃Mr。　Van　Berg　is　the　magician　who　is　unwittingly　practising　upon

her　and　making　her　so　unlike　her　former　self；〃　and　as　she　hurriedly

recalled　the　past；　she　found　there　was　much　in　Ida's　manner　not

inconsistent　with　this　theory。　　Still　it　was　not　with　any　prying；

gossipy　interest；　that　she　obse