第21章

"MissBurton,"saidVanBerg,afterdinner,"IwishyouwouldcallonMissMayhew.Ithinksheisgreatlyinneedofalittleofyourinimitabletactandskill.\'Awoundedspiritwhocanbear?\'Andinsuchanemergency,youarethebestsurgeonIknowof.IthinksomeofuswoundedherdeeplyandunpardonablybycontinuingtoassociateherwithSibley,afterherevealedwhatanunmitigatedrascalhewas.Strongasappearanceswereagainsther,IfeelthatIcannotforgivemyselfthatItookanythingforgrantedinacaselikethat."

"Iamglad,"sheanswered,"thatyouhavecometomyownconclusion,thatMissMayhew,withallherfaults,istoogoodagirltobeguiltyofapassionforamanlikeSibley.IfsheregardshiminanysuchwayasIdo,Idonotwonderthatithasmadeherilltobesomisjudged.Imustpleadguiltyalsotohavingwrongedherinmythoughts.WhileItrytoexercisethebroadestcharity,mycalling,asateacher,hasbroughtmeincontactwithmanygirlsthat——throughimmaturityandinnatefoolishness——areguiltyofconductthattaxesone\'sfaithinhumannatureseverely.Goodishsortofgirlsaresometimesinfatuatedwithverybadmen.IsupposeitisevidenttoallthatMissMayhew\'searlyand,indeed,presentinfluencesaresadlyagainsther;butunfortunateashavebeenherassociationsoflate,Iamcomingtothebeliefthat,howeverfaultyshemaybe,sheisnotnaturallyeithersillyorweak.Butmyacquaintancewithherisveryslight,andImustconfessIdonotunderstandherverywell.Forsomereasonsheshunsmeandhasevidentlydislikedmefromthefirst."

"Idon\'tunderstandheratall,"saidVanBerg,inatonethatprovedhimgreatlyannoyedwithhimself."IhavethoughtthatI

hadsoundedtheshallowdepthsofhercharacterseveraltimes,andthensomenewandperplexingphasewouldpresentitself,andputmealltoseaagain.Itmayseemludicroustoyouthatherbeautyshouldirritatemesogreatlybecauseofitsincongruousassociations."

"Notatall,"shereplied,withalittlenod."Iwasnotlongindiscoveringthatyouwereapagan,andthatbeautywasyourdivinity."

"Correctinallrespectssavethedivinity,"heansweredpromptly;

andhewouldhavesaidmore,butshepassedintotheparloramongtheotherguests.

Idafoundherselftooweakandunnervedtowalkfar,butshediscoveredasecludednookintowhichthesunlightstreamedwithagratefulwarmth;foralthoughthedaywaswarm,sheshiveredwithcoldasifthechillinherhearthaddiffuseditselfeventoherhandsandfeet.DenseshrubberyhidherfromthepathalongwhichshesawStantonpassinhisfruitlessquest.

Foralongtimeshesatindrearyapathy,almostasmotionlessasthemossyrockbeneathher,andwasconsciousonlyofherthrobbingforeheadandachingheart.Gradually,however,nature\'svitaltouchbegantoreviveher.Thesunlightwarmedandtranquilizedtheexquisiteformthathadbeenenteringitsshudderingprotestagainstthechillandcorruptionofthegrave.Thesouthwind,ladenwithfreshwoodlandodors,fannedhercheeks,andwhisperedthattherewereflowersbloomingthatshecouldnotsee,andthatthefuturealsomightrevealjoysnowhiddenandunknown,ifshewouldonlybepatient.Everyrustlingleafthatflutteredinthegale,butdidnotfall,calledtoherwithitstinyvoice:"Clingtoyourplace,aswedo,tillthefrostofageortheblightofdiseasebringstheendinGod\'sowntimeandway."Apartridgewithherbroodrustledbyalongtheedgeoftheforest,andthepoorgirlimaginedshesawintheparentbird,assheledforwardherplumplittlebevy,theprideandcomplacencyofahappymotherhood,whichnowwouldneverbehers;andfromthedepthsofherwoman\'sheartcamenature\'sprotest.Thenherheavyeyeswereattractedbythesportoftwograysquirrelsthatwereracingtothetopofonetree,scramblingdownanother,fallingandcatchingagain,andtumblingovereachotherintheirmadexcitement.Shefeltthat,atherage,theirexuberantlifeandenjoymentshouldbeatypeofherown,buttheirwild,innocentfun,incontrastwithherdespair,becamesounendurablethatshesprangupandfrightenedthemaway.

Butaftershewasquiettheysoonreturned,barkingvociferously,andsportingwiththeiroldabandon.Itwasnotlongsincetheyhadleftthenextintheoldhemlocktree,andtheywerestilllikeIda,beforeshehadlearnedthattherewasanythingintheworldthatcouldharmher.Otherwildcreaturesfleworscamperedby,somestoppingtolookatherwiththeirbrightquickeyes,asifwonderingwhyshewassostillandsad.thewoodsseemedfullofjoyousmidsummerlife,andIdasighed:

"Innocent,happylittlethings;butiftheyknewwhatwasinmyheart,theywouldbesofrightenedtheycouldscarcelycreepawaytohide."

Thenwithasuddenrushofpassionategrief,shecried:

"Oh,whycannotIlifeandbehappy,too?"andshesobbedtillshelayexhaustedonthemossyrock.

Whethershehadswooned,orfromweaknesshadbecomeunconscious,shedidnotknow,when,considerablylater,sherousedherselffromwhatseemedlikeaheavyandunrefreshingsleep.Herdresswasdampwithdew,thesunhadsunksolowastofilltheforestwithasombreshade;thehappylifethathadsportedaroundherwashushedandhidden,andthewindnowsighedmournfullythroughthetrees.Gloomanddarkeningshadowshadtakentheplaceofthelightandjoyousnessshefirsthadseen.Inthefaceandvoicesofnature,asinthoseofearthlyfriends,thechangesareoftensogreatthatwearetemptedtoaskindismay,arethey——cantheybethesame?

Shewasstiffandcoldassherosefromherrockycouch,butshewearilyturnedherfacetowardsthehotel,muttering,assheploddedheavilyalong,"Thelittlepeopleofthewoodsarehappywhiletheycanbe,asI

was,butthesportsman\'sgun,orthehawk,orwinter\'scold,willsoonbringtothembitterpain,anddeath.theirbriefdaywillsoonbeover,asmineis."

"Ah,thesunissinkingbehindthatcloud,"shesaid,inalowtone,asshecameoutintotheopenfields."Ishallnotseeitagain;

itwillnotbeabletowarmmeto-morrow;"andwithaslightgestureoffarewell,shecontinuedonherwaywithbowedhead.

ChapterXXXVIII.AGoodManSpeaks.

AsIdaapproachedthehotel,VanBergandStantonsawher,andthelatterhasteneddownthestepstojoinher.

"Why,Ida!"heexclaimed,"wherehaveyoubeen?I\'vesearchedforyouhighandlow."

"Youhadnorighttodoso,sir,"shesaidcoldly,asshepassedon.

"Waitamoment,Ida,please.Iwishtospeakwithyou——toaskyourpardon——toapologizeinthestrongestterms."

Shewouldnotbreakagainherominoussilence,butcontinuedonwithbowedhead,upthesteps,andthroughthehall.Stanton,tosaveappearancesbeforetheguestswhowerenear,walkedatherside,buthermannerchilledandembarrassedhimsogreatly,thatonlyasshewasabouttoenterherroomdidheagainaddressher,andnowentreatingly:

"Ida,won\'tyouspeaktome?"

"No!"washerstern,briefresponse;andshelockedherdooragainsthim.

"Van,"saidStantongloomily,"I\'dgiveayear\'sincomeifIhadnotspokentomycousinasIdidlastnight.She\'llneverforgiveme.Itseemsasifmywordshadturnedherintoice,sheissocoldandcalm;andyethereyeswereredwithweeping.Ihavestrangemisgivingsaboutthegirl."

"Yes,Ik,"saidtheartist,gloomily,"wehavebothmadeanunpardonableblunder.IfMissBurtoncannotthawherout,Ishallnotdaretotry."

"Withherusualperversity,"repliedStanton,"shedislikesMissBurton,andIdoubtifshewilllistentoher."

"Ihavegreatfaithinhertactandgenuinegoodwill.ItwaswonderfulhowquicklyshebroughtMr.Mayhewunderhergenialspells.Shehaspromisedtoseeyourcousinthisevening."

"I\'msorry,"saidStanton,gloomily,"thatitshouldhavebeenatyourrequestratherthanmine.ButIsupposeyourwishesarebecomingomnipotentwithher."

"No,Ik;Iregrettosaythattheyweighwithheronlyasthoseofafriend,"wasVanBerg\'squietresponse.

"Well,well,Van,bearwithme,forI\'minadevilofascrape."

EvenMissBurton\'seffortscouldnotbrightenthecloudedfacesthatgatheredatthesupper-table.Intruth,herattemptswerebriefandfitful,forsheseemedabsorbedinthoughtherself.SheheardMrs.MayhewwhispertoStanton,"IfIwereaperfectstrangershecouldnotkeepmeatagreaterdistance.Icandonothingwithherorforher."

Totheirsurprise,Idaquietlywalkedinandtookherplace.Herfacewasverygraveandverypale;thetracesofhergriefwerestillapparent,andtheycausedinVanBergtheseverestcompunction.

Shewasnowdressedrichly,butplainlyandunobtrusively.Hermannerwasquietandself-possessed,buttherewasanexpressionofdesperatetroubleinhereyesthatsoonfilledVanBergwithastrongandincreasinguneasiness.Shereturnedhisbowpolitely,butdistantly.PoorStantonscarcelydaredtolooktowardsher.Atsupper,onthepreviousevening,hehadtakennopainstoconcealhiscontemptanddispleasure;nowhewasunabletohidhisembarrassmentandfear.Asintheparloronthepreviouseveningsonowagain,therewasanelementinIdaMayhew\'sappearanceorinherselfthatcauseddeepdisquietude.

"I\'mveryglad,Ida,you\'vechangedyourmindandcomedown,"beganMrs.Mayhew,volubly.

"Ihavenotchangedmymind,"shereplied,withsuchsad,sternemphasisthattheyallinvoluntarilylookedatherforamoment.

PoorMrs.Mayhewwassoquenchedanddepressedthatshedidnotventuretospeakagain.

OnlyMissBurtonwasabletomaintainherself-possessionandtact,andshewasintentlybutunobtrusivelystudyingMissMayhew.Hercollege-lifehadmadeheracquaintedwithsomanystrangef

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