a face illumined- 第16部分

each　very　doubtful　of　the　other。　　At　last　the　artist　began：



〃I　am　well　aware；　Miss　Mayhew；　that　this　unexpected　episode　and

this　enforced　companionship　give　me　no　rights　whatever。　　I　do　not

propose　to　annoy　you；　after　seeing　you　safely　to　the　hotel；　by

assuming　that　we　are　acquainted；　nor　do　I　intend　to　subject　myself

to　the　mortification　of　being　informed　publicly；　by　your　manner；

that　we　are　not　on　speaking　terms。　　I　would　be　glad　to　have　this

question　settled　now。　　I　ask　your　pardon　for　anything　that　I　may

have　said　or　done　to　hurt　your　feelings；　and　having　thus　gone　more

than　half…way　it　would　be　ungenerous　on　your　part　not　to　respond

in　like　spirit。〃



〃You　apologize；　then？〃



〃No；　I　ask　your　pardon　for　anything　that　may　have　hurt　your　feelings。〃



〃You　have　said　very　disagreeable　things　about　me；　Mr。　Van　Berg。〃



〃I　did　not　know　you　then。〃



〃I　do　not　think　you　have　changed　your　opinion　of　me　in　the　least。〃



〃I　evidently　have　a　much　higher　opinion　of　you　than　you　of　me；　and

I　am　seeking　your　acquaintance　with　a　persistence　such　as　I　never

manifested　in　the　case　of　any　other　lady。　　Thus　the　odds　are　all

in　your　favor。　　Having　been　so　unexpectedly　thrown　together…〃



〃'Thrown　together；'　indeedMr。　Van　Berg；　you　ARE　mocking　me；〃　and

her　eyes　again　filled　with　tears　of　vexation。



〃I　assure　you　I　am　not；〃　said　Van　Berg　earnestly。　　〃I　could　not　be

so　mean　as　to　twit　you　with　an　accident　which　you　could　not　help；

and　with　an　act　which　was　wholly　involuntary　on　your　part。　　Can　we

not　both　let　by…gones　by　by…gones　and　commence　anew？〃



Miss　Mayhew　bit　her　lip　and　hesitated　a　few　moments。



〃I　think　that　will　be　the　better　way；〃　she　said。　　〃We　will　both　let

by…gones；　especially　this　ridiculous　episode　in　the　stage。　　I'll

put　you　on　your　good　behavior。〃



〃Thank　you；　Miss　Mayhew。　　I　would　take　our　late　risk　twenty　times

for　such　a　result。〃



〃I　would　not　take　it　again　on　any　account　whatever。　　Please　refer

to　it　no　more。　　I　declare；　there　comes　Cousin　Ik　and　Mr。　Burleigh

to　meet　us。　　Was　one's　fortune　ever　so　exasperating！　　Ik　will　teaze

me　out　of　all　comfort　for　weeks　to　come。〃



〃Say　little　and　leave　all　to　my　discretion；〃　said　Van　Berg；　reassuringly；

〃and；　by　the　way；　you　might　limp　a　little　more　decidedly；〃　which

she　immediately　did。



〃My　dear　Miss　Mayhew；　I　trust　you　are　not　seriously　hurt；〃　began

Mr。　　Burleigh　while　still　several　yards　off。



Stanton's　face　was　a　study　as　he　approached。　　Indeed　he　seemed　half

ready　to　explode　with　suppressed　merriment；　but　before　he　could

speak　a　warning　glance　from　Van　Berg　checked　him。



〃Miss　Mayhew　might　have　been　seriously　and　possibly　fatally　injured；〃

said　the　artist　gravely；　〃had　it　not　been　for　her　self…control。

Although　it　seemed　that　the　stage　would　be　dashed　to　pieces　every

moment；　I　told　her　that　in　my　judgement　it　would　be　safer　to　remain

within　it　than　to　spring　out　upon　the　hard　and　stony　road；　and　I

am　very　glad　that　the　final　event　confirmed　my　opinion。〃



As　they　were　by　this　time　near　to　the　hotel；　others　who　had　been

alarmed　by　seeing　the　horses　tearing　up　to　the　stable　door；　now

hastily　joined　them；　and　last；　but　not　least；　Mrs。　Mayhew　came

panting　upon　the　scene。　　Van　Berg　felt　the　hand　of　the　young　lady

trembling　in　nervous　apprehension　upon　his　arm；　from　which；　in　her

embarrassment；　she　forgot　to　remove　it。　　But　the　artist　did　not

fail　her；　and　in　answer　to　Mr。　Burleigh's　eager　questions　as　to

the　cause　of　the　accident；　explained　all　so　plausibly；　and　in　such

a　matter…of…fact　manner　as　left　little　more　even　to　be　surmised。

His　brief　and　prosaic　history　of　the　affair　concluded　with　the

following　implied　tribute　to　his　companion；　which　still　further

relieved　her　from　fear　of　ridicule：



〃Miss　Mayhew；〃　he　said；　〃instead　of　jumping　out；　after　the　frantic

terror…blinded　manner　of　most　people；　remained　in　the　stage　and

so　has　escaped；　I　trust；　with　nothing　worse　than　a　slight　lameness

caused　by　the　violent　motion　of　the　vehicle。　　I　will　now　resign　her

to　your　care；　Mr。　Stanton；　and　I　am　glad　to　believe　that　the　occasion

will　require　the　services　of　the　wheelwright　and　harness…maker　only；

and　not　those　of　a　surgeon；〃　and　lifting　his　hat　to　Mrs。　Mayhew

and　her　daughter　he　bowed　himself　off　the　scene。



Ida；　leaning　on　the　arm　of　her　cousin；　limped　appropriately　to　her

room；　whither　she　had　her　dinner　sent　to　her；　more　for　the　purpose

of　gaining　time　to　compose　her　nerves　than　for　any　other　reason。



The　impression　that　she　had　behaved　courageously　in　peril　was

rapidly　increased　as　the　story　was　repeated　by　one　and　another；　and

she　received　several　congratulatory　visits　in　the　afternoon　from

her　lady　acquaintances；　and　when　she　came　down　to　supper　she　found

that　she　was　even　a　greater　heroine　than　Miss　Burton　had　been。　　In

answer　to　many　sympathetic　inquiries；　she　said　that　she　〃felt　as

well　as　ever；〃　and　she　tried　to　prove　it　by　her　gayety　and　careful

toilet。



But　she　was　decidedly　ill　at　ease。　　Her　old　self…complacency　was

ebbing　away　faster　than　ever。　　From　the　time　that　it　had　first　been

disturbed　by　the　artist's　frown　in　the　concert　garden；　she　had　been

conscious　of　a　secret　and　growing　self…dissatisfaction。



It　seemed　to　be　this　stranger's　mission　to　break　the　spell　vanity

and　flattery　had　woven　about　her。　　The　congratulations　she　was　now

receiving　were　secured　by　a　fraudulent　impression；　if　not　by　actual

falsehood；　and　she　permitted　this　impression　to　remain　and　grow。

The　one；　who　above　all　others　she　most　feared　and　disliked；　knew

this。　　In　smilingly　accepting　the　compliments　showered　upon　her

from　all　sides　she　felt　that　she　must　appear　to　him　as　if　receiving

stolen　goods；　and　she　believed　that　in　his　heart　he　despised　her

more　thoroughly　than　ever。



To　the　degree　that　he　caused　her　disquietude　and　secret　humiliation；

her　desire　to　retaliate　increased；　and　she　resolved；　before　the

day　closed；　to　use　her　beauty　as　a　weapon　to　inflict　upon　him　the

severest　wound　possible。　　If　it　were　within　the　power　of　her　art

she　would　bring　him　to　her　feet　and　keep　him　there　until　she　could；

in　the　most　decided　and　public　manner；　spurn　his　abject　homage。

She　would　have　no　scruple　in　doing　this　in　any　case；　but；　in　this

instance；　success　would　give　her　the　keenest　satisfaction。



His　very　desire　for　her　acquaintance；　as　she　understood　it；　was

humiliating；　and；　in　a　certain　sense；　demoralizing。　　Her　other

suitors　had　imagined　that　she　had　good　traits　back　of　her　beauty；

and　hitherto　she　had　been　carelessly　content　to　believe　that　she

could　display　such　traits　in　abundance　should　the　occasion　require

them。　　Here　was　one；　however；　who；　while　despising　the　woman；　was

apparently　seeking　her　for　the　sake　of　her　beauty　merely；　and　her

woman's　soul；　warped　and　dwarfed　as　it　was；　resented　an　homage　that

was　seemingly　sensuous　and　superficial；　and　would；　of　necessity；

be　transient。　　In　her　ignorance　of　Van　Berg's　motives；　and　in　the

utter　impossibility　of　surmising　them；　she　could　scarcely　come　to

any　other　conclusion；　and　she　determined　to　punish　him　to　the　utmost

extent　of　her　ability。



Thus　it　came　to　pass　that　Miss　Mayhew　had　designs　against　Van　Berg

that　were　not　quite　as　amiable　as　those　of　the　artist　in　regard　to

herself。



Stanton；　in　a　low　tone；　remarked　to　her　at　the　supper　table；　〃Now

that　fate　has　throw　you　and　Van　Berg　together　in　such　a　remarkable

manner〃　（the　young　lady　colored　deeply　at　this　unfortunate　expression

and　looked　at　him　keenly）；　〃I　trust　that　you　will　yield　gracefully

to　destiny　and　treat　him　with　ordinary　courtesy　when　you　meet。

Otherwise　you　may　occasion　surmises　that　will　not　be　agreeable　to

you。〃



〃Has　he　been　telling　you　anything　about　this　morning？〃　she　asked

quickly。



〃Nothing　more　than　he　said　in　your　presence。　　Why；　was　there　anything

more　to　tell？〃



〃Certainly　not；　but　he　made　ill…natured　remarks　about　me　oncethat

is；　you　said　he　didand　why　should　he　not　again？〃



〃Well；　he　has　not。　　I　think　he　spoke　very　handsomely　of　you　this

morning。　　I　hope　he　didn't　exaggerate　your　good　behavior。〃



〃If　you　prefer　to　believe　ill　of　me　you　are　welcome　to　do　so。　　For

my　part；　I　believe　you　exaggerate　what　Mr。　Van　Berg　said　at　the

concert；　and　that　he　never　meant　to　be　so　rude。　　As　far　as　I　can

judge；　he　has　shown　no　such　unmannerly　disposition　since　coming

here。〃



〃Indeed；　you　are　right。　　I　think　his　disposition　has　compared

favorably　with　your　own。〃



〃Well；〃　she　replied；　with　a　peculiar　smile；　〃we　are　on　speaking

terms　for　the　present。〃



〃That　smile　bodes　no　good…will　towards　my　friend；　but　for　once　you

will　find　a　man　who　will　not　fall　helplessly　in　love　with　your　mere

beauty。〃



〃If　you　will　glance　at　yonder　table　you　can　see　that　Miss　Burton

has　already　so　absorbed　him　that　he　has　eyes　for　no　one　else。〃



〃They　have　jolly　good　times　at　that　table。　　I　wish　we　were　there。〃



〃Indeed！　are　you　bewitched　also？　　I　can't　see　what　it　is　that　people

find　so　attractive　in　that　plain…looking　girl。〃



〃Well；　for　one　thing；　she　has　a　mind。　　Beauty　without　mind　is　like

salad　without　dressing。〃



〃And　do　you　mean　to　say　that　I　have　no　mind？〃　Ida　asked；　with　a

sudden　flush。



〃My　dear　Coz；　we　were　speaking　solely　of　Miss　Burton。　　Indeed；　I

think　you　have　a　very　decided　will　of　your　own。〃



〃I　understand　you。　　Well；　in　what　other　respects　is　Miss　Burton　my

superior？〃



〃I　doubt　if　Miss　Burton　ever　thinks　of　herself　as　superior　to　any

one；　and　that's　another　very　amiable　trait　in　her。〃



〃Can　you　not　sum　up　her　perfections　a　little　more　rapidly？　　Life

is　short；〃　remarked　Ida；　acidly。



〃Come；　Coz；　let　me　get　you　some　sweet…oil　before　you　finish　your

supper。　　You　know　you　are　the　handsomest　girl　in　the　State；　and

that's　distinction　enough　for　one　woman。　　To　you；　Miss　Burton　is

only　a　plain　school…teacher。　　Why　s