a face illumined-第97章

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Rome　reminds　me　how　little　I　know　of　that　city；　and　it's　a　burning

shame；　too；　for　I　spent　a　month　there。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Mayhew；　with　kindling　interest；　〃suppose　we　take

up　a　course　of　reading　about　Rome　for　the　winter。〃



〃For　the　winter！　　That　won't　do　at　all。　　Can't　you　tell　me　something

of　interest　about　Rome　this　evening？〃



〃I've　already　mentioned　the　interesting　factthat　it　wasn't　built

in　a　day。　　I　think　that's　the　most　important　thing　that　you　need

to　know　about　Rome　and　everything　else　this　evening。　　Why；　Ida；

you　can't　become　wise　as　an　ostrich　makes　its　supperby　swallowing

everything　that　comes　in　its　way。　　You　are　not　a　bit　like　an

ostrich。〃



〃An　ostrich　is　a　silly　bird　that　puts　its　head　under　the　sand　and

thins　its　whole　great　body　hidden　because　it　can't　see　itself；

isn't　it；　father？〃



〃I've　heard　that　story　told　of　it；〃　replied　Mr。　Mayhew；　laughing。



〃Anything　but　an　ostrich；　then。　　Come；　I'll　read　the　evening　paper

to　you　on　condition　you　tell　me　the　leading　questions　of　the　day。

What　is　just　now　the　leading　question　of　the　day？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Mayhew；　demurely；　but　with　a　sparkle　of　humor

in　his　eye；　〃one　of　the　leading　questions　of　this　day　with　me　has

been　whether　Mr。　Van　Berg　would　not　enjoy　dining　with　us　to…morrow

evening　now　that　he　is　here　alone　in　the　city？〃



Ida　instantly　held　the　newspaper　before　her　crimson　face　and　said：



〃Father；　you　ought　to　be　ashamed　thus　to　divert　my　mind　from　the

pursuit　of　useful　knowledge。〃



Her　father　came　to　her　side　and　said　very　kindly：　　〃Ida；　darling；

you　are　a　little　bit　like　an　ostrich　now。〃



She　sprang　up；　and；　hiding　her　face　on　his　shoulder；　trembled　like

a　leaf。　　〃Oh；　father；〃　she　whispered；　〃I　would　not　have　him　know

for　the　world。　　Is　it　so　very　plain？〃



〃Not　to　him；　my　child；　but　the　eyes　of　a　love　like　mine　are　very

keen。　　So　you　needn't　be　on　your　guard　before　your　old　father　as

you　must　be　before　him　and　the　world。　　You　shall　have　only　rest　and

sympathy　at　home　as　far　as　I　can　give　them。　　Indeed；　if　you　will

let　me；　I'll　become　a　very　unobtrusive；　but　perhaps；　useful　ally。

At　any　rate；　I'll　try　not　to　make　any　stupid；　ignorant　blunders。

I　have　like　Mr。　Van　Berg　from　the　first　hour　of　our　meeting；　and

I　would　thank　God　from　the　depths　of　my　heart　if　this　could　be。〃



〃Dear；　good　father；　how　little　I　understood　you。　　I've　been　living

in　poverty　over　a　gold　mine。　　But　father；　I'm　so　ignorant　and　Mr。

Van　Berg　knows　everything。〃



〃Not　quite；　you'll　find。　　He's　only　a　man；　Ida。　　But　you　can　never

win　him　through　politics　or　by　discussing　with　him　the　questions

of　the　day。　　These　are　not　in　your　line　nor　his。〃



〃What　can　I　do；　father。　　Indeed；　it　does　not　seem　to　me　maidenly

to　do　anything。〃



〃It　would　not　be　maidenly；　Ida；　to　step　one　hair's　breadth　beyond

the　line　of　scrupulous；　womanly　delicacy；　and　by　any　such　course

you　would　only　defeat　and　thwart　yourself。　　A　woman　must　always

be　sought；　and　as　a　rule；　she　loses　as　she　seeks。　　But　I　strust　to

your　instincts　to　guide　you　here。　　You　have　only　to　be　simple　and

true；　as　you　have　been　since　the　happy　miracle　that　transformed

you。　　Unless　a　man　is　infatuated　as　Ibut　no　matter。　　A　man　that

keeps　his　sense　welcomes　truthfulnessa　high　delicate　sense　of

honorabove　all　things　in　a　woman；　for　it　gives　him　a　sense　of

security　and　rest。　　By　truthfulness　I　do　not　mean　the　indiscreet

blurting　out　of　things　that　good　taste　would　leave　unsaid；　but

clear…eyed　integrity　that　hides　no　guile。　　Then；　again；　unless

a　man　is　blinded　by　passion　or　some　kind　of　infatuation　he　knows

that　the　chief　need　of　his　life　is　a　home　lighted　and　warmed　by　an

unwavering　love。　　With　these　his　happiness　and　success　are　secured；

as　far　as　they　can　be　in　this　world；　unless　he　is　a　brute　and　a

fool；　and　has　no　right　to　exist　at　all。　　But　I　am　growing　preachy。

Let　me　suggest　some　things　that　I　have　observed　in　this　artist。　　He

is　a　high…toned　pagan　and　worships　beauty；　but　with　this　outward

perfection　he　also　demands　spiritual　loveliness；　for　with　him　mind

and　honor　are　in　the　ascendant。　　He　admired　you　immensely　from　the

first；　and　since　your　character　has　been　growing　in　harmony　with

your　face　he　has　sought　your　society。　　So；　be　simple；　true；　and

modest；　and　you　will　win　him　if　the　thing　is　possible。　　You　will

never　win　him　by　being　anything　else；　and　you　might　lose　your　own

respect　and　his　too。〃



〃I'll　suffer　anything　rather　than　that；　father。　　I　think　you　had

better　not　invite　him　to…morrow　evening。〃



〃I'll　be　governed　by　what　I　see　to…morrow；〃　he　replied；　musingly。

〃Both　my　business　and　my　habit　of　mind　have　taught　me　to　observe

and　study　men's　motives　and　impulses　very　closely。　　You　could　order

a　suitable　dinner　after　leaving　the　studio；　could　you　not？〃



〃Yes；　father。〃



〃Well；　then；　my　Princess　Ida；　I'll　be　your　grand　vizier；　and　I'll

treat　with　this　foreign　power　with　such　a　fine　diplomacy　that　he

shall　appreciate　all　the　privileges　he　obtains。　　But　we　will　keep

our　self…respect　hereafter；　Ida；　and　then　we　can　look　the　world　in

the　face　and　ask　no　odds　of　it。〃



〃Yes；　father；　let　us　keep　that　at　all　events。　　And　yet　I'm　only　a

woman。〃



〃You　are　the　woman　that　has　made　me　happy；　and　I　think　there　is

another　man　who　will　want　to　be　made　happy　also。　　And　now　we　will

defer　all　other　questions　of　the　day；　for　I　must　go　out　for　a　time。

Do　not　think　I　undervalue　your　craving　for　information；　and　you

shall　have　it　as　fast　as　you　can　take　care　of　it。　　You　have　grown

pale　and　thin　this　summer；　but　I　do　not　expect　you　to　become　plump

and　rosy　again　in　a　day。〃



〃Oh；　I'm　rosy　too　often　as　it　is。　　Why　is　it　that　girls　must　blush

so　ridiculously　when　they　don't　want　to？　　That's　the　question　of

the　day　for　me。　　I　could　flirt　desperately　in　old　times；　and　yet

look　as　demure　and　cool　as　if　I　were　an　innocent。　　But　now；　oh！

I'm　fairly　enraged　with　myself　at　times。〃



〃They　say　blushes　are　love's　trail；〃　said　Mr。　Mayhew　with　a　laugh；

〃and　since　he　is　around　I　suppose　he　must　leave　his　tracks。　　If

you　wish　for　a　more　scientific　reason　let　me　add　that　physiology

teaches　us　that　the　blood　comes　from　the　heart。　　I　can　assure　you；

however；　that　there　are　but　few　gentlemen　who　admire　ladies　that

cannot　blush；　and　Mr。　Van　Berg　is　not　one　of　them。〃



Ida　spent　the　evening　at　her　piano　instead　of　over　the　encyclopaedia；

but　she　sighed　again　and　again。



〃Simple　and　true！　　I　fear　Jennie　Burton　and　Mr。　Eltinge　would　say

I　was　neither　if　they　knew　what　was　in　my　heart。　　But　I　can't　help

itI　can't　give　him　up　after　what　has　happened　since　I　came　to

the　city；　unless　I　must。〃



But　the　music　she　selected　was　simple　and　true。　　Tossing　her　brilliant

and　florid　pieces　impatiently　aside；　she　played　or　sang　only　that

which　was　plaintive；　low；　and　in　harmony　with　her　thoughts。　　It

also　seemed　to　have　a　peculiar　attractiveness　to　a　tall　gentleman

who　lingered　some　moments　beneath　the　windows；　and　even　took　one

or　two　steps　up　towards　the　door；　and　then　turned　and　strode　away

as　if　conscious　that　he　must　either　enter　or　depart　at　once。











Chapter　XLIX。　　The　Blind　God。









The　Miss　Mayhew　that　crossed　the　artist's　threshold　the　following

morning　might　have　been　taken　as　a　model　of　graceful　self…possession；

but　she　disguised　a　maiden　with　as　fluttering　a　heart　and　trembling

a　soul　as　ever　faced　one　of　the　supreme　moments　of　destiny。　　Her

father；　however；　proved　a　faithful　and　intelligent　ally；　and　his

manner　towards　Van　Berg　was　a　fine　blending　of　courtesy　and　dignity；

suggesting　a　man　as　capable　of　conferring　as　of　receiving　favors。

His　host　would　indeed　have　been　blind　and　stupid　if　he　had　tried

to　patronize　Mr。　Mayhew　that　morning。



Although　unconscious　of　the　fact；　Van　Berg　was　for　a　time　subjected

to　the　closest　scrutiny。　　Love　had　deep　if　not　dark　designs　against

him；　and　the　glances　he　bent　on