a face illumined-第93章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



contrast　I　scarcely　expect　to　see　again。〃



〃You　artists　look　at　everything　and　everybody　as　pictures。〃



〃Now；　Miss　Mayhew；　you　are　growing　severe　again。　　I　don't　carry

the　shop　quite　as　far　as　that；　and　I　have　not　been　looking　at　you

as　a　picture　at　all　this　evening。　　I　shall　make　known　the　whole

enormity　of　my　offence；　and　the　if　I　must　follow　Sibley；　I　must；

but　I　shall　carry　with　me　a　little　shred　of　your　respect　for　telling

the　truth。　　I　had　a　faint　hope　that　you　and　your　father　would　come

to…night；　and　I　was　looking　for　you；　and　when　you　came　I　watched

you。　　I　could　not　resist　the　temptation　of　comparing　the　Miss　Mayhew

I　now　so　highly　esteem　and　respect；　with　the　lady　I　first　met　at

this　place。〃



〃Oh；　Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　said　Ida；　in　a　low；　hurt　tone；　〃I　don't　think

that　was　fair　to　me；　or　right。〃



〃I　am　confessing　and　not　excusing　myself；　Miss　Mayhew。　　I　once　very

justly　appeared　to　you　like　a　prig；　and　now　I　fear　I　shall　seem

a　spy；　but　after　our　visit　to　that　old　garden　together；　and　your

frankness　to　me；　I　feel　under　bonds　to　tell　the　whole　truth。　　You

said　we　were　fated　to　misunderstand　each　other。　　I　think　not；　for

if　you　ever　permit　me　to　be　your　friend　I　shall　be　the　frankest

one　you　ever　had；〃　at　these　words　he　felt　her　hand　trembling　on

his　arm；　and　she　would　not　look　up　nor　make　any　reply。



〃Well；〃　said　he；　desperately；　〃I　expect　Sibley's　fate　will　soon

be　mine。　　I　suppose　it　was　a　mean　thing　to　watch　you；　but　it　would

seem　a　meaner　thing　to　me　not　to　tell　you。　　I　was　about　to　speak

to　you；　Miss　Mayhew；　when　by　another　odd　coincidence　the　orchestra

commenced　playing　music　that　I　knew　would　remind　you　of　me。　　I

was　gaining　the　impression　before　you　left　the　country　that　as　you

came　to　think　the　past　all　over；　you　had　found　that　there　was　more

against　me　than　you　could　forgive；　or　else　that　I　was　so　inseparably

associated　with　that　which　was　painful　that　you　would　be　glad　to

forget　the　one　with　the　other。　　I　must　admit　that　this　impression

was　greatly　strengthened　by　the　expression　of　your　face；　and　I

almost　decided　to　leave　the　place　without　speaking　to　you。　　But　I

found　I　could　not；　andwell；　you　know　I　did　not。　　You　see　I'm　at

your　mercy　again。〃



Ida　was　greatly　relieved；　for　she　now　learned　that　he　had　discovered

nothing　in　his　favor；　and　that　she　was　still　mistress　of　the

situation。



〃I　do　not　think　you　are　very　penitent；　I　fear　you　would　do　the　same

thing　over　again；〃　she　said。



〃Indeed；　Miss　Mayhew；　when　I　first　met　you　here　I　thought　I　would

always　do　the　right　and　proper　thing；　and　I　fear　I　thought　some

things　right　because　I　did　them。　　I've　lived　a　hundred　years　since

that　time；　and　am　beginning　to　find　myself　out。　　Didn't　you　think　me

the　veriest　prig　that　ever　smiled　in　a　superior　way　at　the　world？〃



〃I　don't　think　I　shall　give　you　my　opinion；〃　she　replied；　averting

her　face　to　hide　a　blush　and　a　laugh。



〃No　need。　　I　saw　your　opinion　in　your　face　when　you　looked　down　at

your　programme　half　an　hour　since。〃



〃You　are　mistaken；　I　was　thinking　of　myself　at　that　moment；　for　I

could　not　help　remembering　what　a　fool　I　must　have　appeared　to　you

on　that　occasion。〃



He　looked　at　her　in　surprise。　　〃Miss　Burton　was　right；〃　he　ejaculated；

〃I　never　shall　understand　you。〃



〃Was　she　talking　about　me？〃　asked　Ida；　in　a　low　tone。



〃Yes；　and　she　spoke　of　you　in　the　most　complimentary　way；　as　you

did　of　her。　　Why　the　mischief　you　two　ladies　do　not　become　the

warmest　friends　is　beyond　me。　　Sit　down　here　a　little　while；　Miss

Mayhew；　for　you　are　growing　tired；〃　and　she　was　very　glad　to　comply。



As　she　made　no　effort　to　continue　the　conversation　he　resumed；　〃You

haven't　told　me　what　my　punishment　is　to　be。〃



〃Are　you　so　anxious　to　be　punished？〃　she　asked；　looking　up　shyly

at　him。



〃Well；　my　conscience　troubles　me　greatly；　and　I　feel　I　ought　to　do

something　for　you　in　the　way　of　expiation。〃



〃And　so　I　gather　that　anything　done　for　me　would　be　such　severe

penance　that　your　conscience　would　be　appeased。〃



〃Now；　Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　replied；　looking　earnestly　into　her　face；

〃tell　me　truly；　do　you　gather　any　such　impression　from　my　words

and　manner？〃



But　she　kept　her　eyes　resolutely　on　the　ground；　and　said　demurely；

〃Such　was　the　obvious　meaning　of　your　words。〃



〃Do　you　know　why　I　am　in　the　city？〃　he　asked　after　a　moment。



〃I　have　not　presumed　to　think　why。〃



〃Perhaps　I　can　make　a　little　inroad　in　your　indifference　when　I

tell　you　that　I　have　spent　several　hours　in　my　studio　working　on

your　picture；　and　that　I　intend　to　work　the　remainder　of　the　week

so　as　to　have　it　ready　for　you　Saturday　evening。〃



She　looked　up　now　with　a　face　radiant　with　surprise　and　pleasure；

〃O　Mr。　Van　Berg；　I　did　not　dream　of　your　taking　so　much　trouble

for　me。〃



〃That's　a　small　payment　on　an　old　debt。　　What　can　I　do　for　you

while　I　am　in　the　city；　to　atone　for　my　rudeness？〃



She　looked　at　him　hesitatingly　and　wistfully　a　moment。



〃I　know　you　wish　something；　but　fear　to　ask　it；〃　he　said；　gently；

〃and　I'm　sorry　to　remember　I've　done　so　little　to　inspire　your

confidence。〃



〃Mr。　Van　Berg；〃　she　said　in　a　low　tone；　looking　earnestly　at　him

while　she　spoke；　so　as　to　learn　from　his　expression　how　he　received

her　request。　　〃Your　kindness　does　tempt　me　to　ask　a　favor。　　Please

remember　I'm　acting　from　an　impulse　caused　by　this　unexpected　talk

we　are　having；　and　pardon　me　if　I　overstep　the　bounds　of　reserve

or　suggest　a　task　that　you　might　very　naturally　shrink　from　as

disagreeable。〃



〃I　pledge　you　my　word　at　once　to　do　what　you　wish。〃



〃No；　don't　do　that。　　Wait　till　you　hear　all。　　If　when　it　comes　easily

and　naturally　in　your　way　you　will　do　a　little　towards　helping　me

keep　father　the　man　he　can　be；　my　gratitude　will　be　deeper　than　you

can　understand。　　I　am　studying　him　very　carefully　and　I　find　that

any　encouraging　recognition　from　those　who　have　known　his　past；　has

great　weight　with　him。　　At　the　same　time　it　must　be　very　unobtrusive

and　come　as　a　matter　of　course　as　it　were。　　You　gave　him　your　society

one　Sunday　morning　last　June　in　a　way　that　did　him　a　great　deal

of　good；　and　if　I　had　only　seconded　your　efforts　then；　everything

might　have　been　different。　　I　can　never　remember　that　day　without

a　blush　of　shame。　　I　can't　help　the　past；　but　my　whole　soul　is　now

bent　on　making　amends　to　father。　　I　fear；　however；　my　deep　solicitude

has　led　me　to　ask　more　than　good　taste　can　sanction。〃



〃Miss　Mayhew；〃　said　the　artist；　eagerly；　〃this　is　one　of　the　best

moments　of　my　life。　　You　could　not　have　made　such　a　request　unless

you　trusted　me；　unless　you　had　fully　forgiven　me　all　the　wrong　I

have　done　you。　　I　doubted　if　I　could　ever　win　your　friendship；　but

I　think　I　can　claim　a　friend's　place　already　in　your　esteem；　since

you　are　willing　to　let　me　share　in　so　sacred　a　duty。　　I　renew　my

pledge　with　double　emphasis。〃



He　never　forgot　the　smile　with　which　she　rewarded　him；　as　she　said；

in　a　low　tone；　〃That's　better　than　I　thought。　　You　are　very　kind

to　me。　　But　I'm　staying　too　long　from　father。〃



〃We'll　understand　each　other　eventually；〃　he　said　gently。　　〃Now　I

know　why　tears　were　in　your　eyes　before　the　symphony　was　over。〃



〃No　you　don't；〃　she　whispered　to　herself。



As　they　took　their　seats　by　Mr。　Mayhew　he　remarked　with　a　smile；

〃Mr。　Van　Berg　must　have　had　a　long　budget　of　news　frm　your　good

old　friend。〃



Ida　looked　at　the　artist　in　dismay；　and　was　still　more　embarrassed

as　she　saw　a　sudden　flash　of　mirth　and　exultation　in　his　eyes。　　But

he　turned　to　Mr。　Mayhew　and　replied；　promptly；　〃Two　pictures　are

growing　out　of　my　visits　to　Mr。　Eltinge　and　his　garden。　　The　one

that　is　for　Mr。　Eltinge　contains　a　portrait　of　Miss　Mayhew　as　I

saw　her　reading　to　him。　　I　wish　you　and　your　daughter　would　visit

my　studio　to…morrow　and　see　the　sketches；　and　if　Miss　Mayhew　would

give　me　one　or　two　sittings；　I　could　make