a face illumined- 第20部分

〃Possibly；〃　she　admitted　with　a　shrug。



〃You　have　more　reason　to　congratulate　yourself　than　you　imagine；

Miss　Mayhew。　　Even　that　disagreeable　souvenir　of　our　morning　peril；

your　lameness；　has　disappeared；　and　you　might　have　been　maimed　for

life。〃



〃My　lameness；　like　my　courage；　was　chiefly　a　fraud　to　begin　with；

and　soon　disappeared；　but　I　have　other　souvenirs　of　that　occasion

that　I　cannot　get　rid　of　so　easily。〃



〃If　I　am　one　of　them；　you　are　right；　Miss　Mayhew；　I　shall　hold　you

to　our　agreement　this　morning。　　You　put　me　on　my　good　behaviorhave

I　not　behaved　well？〃



〃Yes；　better　than　I　have。　　I　was　not　referring　to　you　personally；

but　to　certain　memories。〃



〃We　agreed　to　let　by…gones　be　by…gones。〃



〃But　others　are　not　parties　to　this　agreement；　and　every　reference

to　the　affair　is　odious　to　me。〃



〃I　shall　make　no　further　reference　to　it；　and　you　must　be　fair

enough　not　to　punish　me　for　the　acts　of　others。〃



〃You　also　despise　me　in　your　heart　of　my　course　towards　Miss　Burton

this　evening。〃



〃If　I　despised　you　would　I　have　sought　your　society　this　evening？〃



〃I　do　not　know。　　I　don't　understand　you；　if　you　will　permit　my

bluntness。〃



〃Possibly　you　don't　understand　yourself；　Miss　Mayhew。〃



〃I　understand　that　I　have　had　a　miserable　day；　and　I　hope　I　may

never　see　another　like　it。　　Good…night；　sir。〃











Chapter　XIII。　　Nature's　Broken　Promise。









Van　Berg　had　been　left　to　himself　but　a　little　time　before　Stanton

and　Mr。　Burleigh　came　out　upon　the　piazza；　and　the　three　gentlemen

sat　down　for　a　quiet　chat。



〃Well；〃　remarked　mine　host；　with　a　sigh　of　relief　such　as　a　pilot

might　heave　after　taking　his　ship　round　a　perilous　point；　〃well；

thanks　to　Miss　Burton's　good　sense；　the　affair　has　ended　without　any

trouble。　　In　a　house　like　this；　'Satan　is　finding　mischief　still'

whenever　my　back　is　turned；　and　sometimes　he　threatens　to　get　up

a　row　right　under　my　nose；　as　in　this　instance。　　I　was　a　'blarsted

fool；'　as　our　English　friends　have　it；　not　to　know　that　Mrs。

Chint's　drama；　although　beginning　in　comedy；　might　end　in　tragedy

of　my　losing　some　good　paying　boarders。　　Still　further　did

I　demonstrate　the　length　of　my　ears　by　even　imagining　it　possible

that　Miss　Burton　would　take　five　hundred；　or　five　hundred　thousand

dollars　in　any　such　circumstances。　　But　the　whole　thing　was　done

in　a　jiffy；　and　Mrs。　Chints　was　possessed　to　have　her　'tableau

vivant。'　　Lively　picture　wasn't　it？　　Still；　if　Miss　Mayhew；　when

appealed　to　by　Mrs。　Chints；　had　confirmed　my　doubts；　I　would　have

tried　to　stop　the　nonsense　at　any　cost。〃



〃Did　Miss　Mayhew　advise　the　step？〃　asked　Stanton。



〃Oh；　no！　　She　was　non…committal。　　She　acted　as　if　it　were　none　of

her　affair；　save　as　it　might　afford　her　a　little　amusement。　　But

these　rows　are　no　light　matters　to　us　poor　publicans；　who　must

please　every　one　and　keep　the　whole　menagerie　in　order。　　Mr。　Chints

was　swearing　up　and　down　his　room　that　he　had　been　made　a　fool　of。

Mrs。　Chints　was　for　leaving　to…morrow　morning；　declaring　that　she

would　not　endure　such　airs　from　a　school…teacher。　　They　are　rich

and　have　a　number　of　friends　who　are　coming　soon；　and　so　my　mind

was　full　of　'strange　oaths'　also；　at　my　prospective　loss；　when　this

blessed　little　woman　appears；　taps　at　their　door；　enters　like　the

angel　into　the　lion's　den；　and　shuts　their　mouths　by　some　magic

all　her　own。　　And　now　they're　going　to　stay；　Mr。　Chints　will　give

the　five　hundred　to　the　Children's　Aid　Society；　all　is　serene　and

I'm　happy；　so　much　so　that　I'll　smoke　another　of　your　good　cigars；

Mr。　Stanton。〃



〃Certainly；　half…a…dozen　if　you　wish。　　How　do　you　imagine　she

quieted　the　unruly　beasts？〃



〃Oh；　I　suppose　she　got　around　them　through　the　childsomewhat　as

she　won　over　my　wife　this　afternoon　by　means　of　our　cross　baby。

It's　teething；　you　knowand　yet　how　should　you　young　chaps　know

anything　about　babies！　　No　matter；　your　time　will　come。　　This

promenading　the　piazza　with　lovely　creatures　who　have　been　half　the

afternoon　at　their　toilets　is　all　very　nice；　but　wait　till　you　have

weathered　innumerable　squalls　in　the　dead　of　nightthen　you'll

learn　that　teething…time　in　a　household　is　like　going　around　Cape

Horn。　　Well；　to　return　from　your　future　to　my　present。　　When　so

good…natured　a　man　as　I　am　gets　into　a　sympathetic　mood　with　old

King　Herod；　you　can　imagine　what　a　state　the　mother's　nerves　must　be

in　who　has　to　stand　it　night　and　day。　　But　as　Miss　Burton　had　been

commended　to　my　care；　I　felt　that　I　was　in　duty　bound　to　introduce

her　to　my　wife　and　show　her　some　attention。　　So　I　said　to　my　wife；

this　afternoon；　'I'm　going　to　bring　a　young　lady　in　to　see　you。'

'Do　you　think　I'm　in　a　condition　to　entertain　company？'　she　asked；

with　a　faint　suggestion　of　hard　cider　in　her　tone。　　'Well；　my

dear；'　I　expostulated；　'it　was　just　the　same　yesterday；　and　will

be　a　little　more　so　to…morrow；　and　I　feel　that　I　shall　be　remiss

if　I　delay　any　longer。'　　'Oh；　very　well；'　she　said；　as　if　it　were

a　tooth　that　must　come　out　sooner　or　later；　'since　the　matter　must

be　attended　to；　let　us　have　it　over　at　once。'　　But　bless　you；　it

wasn't　over　till　supper…time。　　As　I　brought　the　young　lady　in；　the

baby　waked　out　of　a　five…minutes'　nap　that　had　cost　about　an　hour's

rocking；　and　I　thought　the　roof　would　come　off。　　My　wife　looked

cross　and　worriedwell；　it　was　prose；　gentlemen；　prosenot　the

poetry　of　life；　and　I　said　to　myself；　'I　suppose　I　have　about　made

it　certain　that　this　young　woman　will　live　and　die　an　old　maid　by

giving　her　this　glimpse　behind　the　scenes。　　I　thought　the　ladies

could　get　on　better　without　me　than　with　me；　so　I　bowed　myself　out；

glad　to　escape　the　din；　and　I　supposed　Miss　Burton　would　say　a　few

pleasant　things　in　the　direction　of　Mrs。　Burleigh；　which　she；　poor

woman；　might　not　be　able　to　hear；　and　then　she　would　bow　herself

out；　also　glad　to　escape。　　An　hour　and　a　half　later　I　went　back　to

see　if　I　could　not　coax　my　wife　away　for　a　drive；　and　what　do　you

suppose　I　saw？〃



〃The　baby　in　convulsions；〃　said　Stanton。



〃Give　it　up；〃　added　Van　Berg。



〃Sweet　transformation　scene；　deep　hush；　my　wife　asleep　in　her

rocking…chair；　the　baby　asleep　in　the　arms　of　Miss　Burton；　who

held　up　a　warning　finger　at　me　to　be　quiet。　　But　the　mischief　was

done；　my　wife　started　up　and　was　mortified　beyond　measure　that　she

had　treated　her　guest　so　rudely。　　The　good　fairy；　however；　was　so

genuinely　delighted　that　she　had　quieted　the　baby　and　given　the

tired　mother　a　little　rest；　that　we　had　to　come　to　the　conclusion

that　she　found　pleasure　in　ways　that　are　a　trifle　uncommon。　　By

some　miracle　or　other　she　kept　the　baby　asleep；　and　then　my　wife

and　I　tried　to　entertain　her　a　little；　but　we　were　the　ones　that

were　entertained。　　Before　we　knew　it；　the　supper…bell　rang；　and

then　I'm　blessed　if　the　little　chap　didn't　wake　up　and　grin　at　us

all。　　To　think　then　that　I　should　reward　her　by　letting　Mr。　Chints

slap　her　face　with　a　five…hundred…dollar　check！　　I　guess　we'll　all

know　better　next　time。〃



〃Did　she　tell　you　anything　further　about　her　history　or　her

connections？〃　asked　Stanton。



Mr。　Burleigh　stroked　his　beard　and　looked　rather　blank　for　a　moment。



〃Now　I　think　of　it；〃　he　ejaculated；　〃I　be　hanged　if　she　said　a　word

about　herself。　　And　now　I　think　further　of　it；　she　somehow　or　other

got　Mrs。　Burleigh　and　myself　a…talking；　and　seemed　so　interested

in　us　and　what　we　said；　that　I　be　hanged　again　if　we　didn't　tell

her　all　we　know　about　ourselves。〃



〃She　impresses　every　one　as　being　remarkably　frank；　and　yet　I

think　it　will　be　found　that　she　is　peculiarly　reticent　in　regard

to　herself；〃　remarked　Van　Berg　musingly。　　〃Well；　it's　not　often　I

take　people　on　trust；　but　I　have　given　this　lady　my　entire　respect

and　confidence。〃



〃I　assure　you　that　there　is　no　trust　in　this　business；〃　said　Mr。

Burleigh；　emphatically。　　〃I　can't　afford　to　indulge　in　sentiment；

gentlemen；　besides；　it　couldn't　be　any　more　becoming　in　me　than　in

Tom　Chints。　　I　wouldn't　take　an　unprotected；　unknown　female　into

my　house　if　she　came　with　a　pair　of　wings。　　But　Miss　Burton　brings

letters　that　establish　her　character　as　a　lady　as　truly　as　that

of　any　other　woman　in　the　house。　　I　ought　to　have　prevented　this

Chints　business；　but　then　five　hundred　is　a　nice　little　plum；　and

before　I　pulled　my　slow　wits　together　the　thing　was　done。〃



〃By　the　way；　Mr。　Burleigh；〃　remarked　Stanton；　〃I　hear　that　the

parties　who　are　now　at　my　friend　Van　Berg's　table　are　soon　to　leave

for　the　sea…shore。　　Can　you　give　me　three　seats　there　after　their

departure？〃



〃Certainly；　put　you　down　right　alongside　of　Miss　Burton。〃



〃Perhaps　Van　Berg　feels　that　he　has　the　first　claim　to　so　good　a

position？〃



〃No；　Stanton；　I　shall　not　place　a　straw　in　your　way。〃



〃You　never　were　a　man　of　straw；　Van。　　If　I　were　seeking　more　than

to　enjoy　the　society　of　this　young　lady；　who　seems　to　be　embodied

sunshine；　I　would　be　sorry　to　have　you　place　yourself　in　the　way。〃



〃Sunshine　brought　to　a　focus　kindles　even　green　wood；〃　remarked

Van　Berg；　with　a　significant　nod　at　his　friend。



〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Burleigh；　rising；　〃if　I　had　not　found　my　mate；　I'd

be　a　burr　that　that　little　woman　wouldn't　get　rid　of　very　easily。

Good…night；　gentlemen。　　I'll　give　either　one　of　you　my　blessing。〃



〃Good…night；　Van；〃　said　Stanton；　also。　　〃I'm　not　going　to　stay　and

listen　to　your　absurd　predictions。　　Neither　shall　I　permit　you　to

enjoy　all　by　yourself　the　delicate　wine　of　that　woman's　wit。　　When

good　things　are　passing　round；　I　propose　to　have　my　share。　　My

presence　can't　hurt　your　prospects。〃



〃And　if　it　did；　Ik；　do　you　think　me　such　a　churl　as　to　try　to　crowd

you　away？〃



〃That's　magnanimous。　　I　suppose　you　and　my　cousin　can　manage　to

keep　the　peace　between　you。〃



〃I　think　the　change　will　be　far　more　disagreea