第22章

Thegayyoungparty,touchedandsubdued,passedoutquietlywiththeothers.ButIdalingered.

"Whoisthatoldgentleman?"sheaskedofaladynearher.

"ThatisMr.Eltinge——Mr.JamesEltinge,"wasthereply.

Idapassedslowlytowardsthedoor,lookingwistfullybackattheoldman,whostoppedtogreetcheerilyoneandanother.

"Nooneneedbeafraidtospeaktohim,"shethought."Hiseverylookandtoneshowhimtobekindandsincere.I\'llseehimbefore——before"——sheshuddered,andscarcelydaredtoputherdarkpurposeinthoughtinthepresenceofonewhohadlivedpatientlyatGod\'swillfornearlyacentury.

Shesteppedoutintothenightandwatchedforhiscoming.Inamomentortwotheoldgentlemanalsopassedout,andstoodwaitingforhiscarriage.

Timidlyapproachinghim,shesaid,"Mr.Eltinge,mayIspeakwithyou?"

Hesteppedwithheralittleasidefromtheothers.

"Mr.Eltinge,"shecontinued,inavoicethattrembledandwasbrokenbyherfeeling,"Iamoneoftheyoungpeopleyouspoketothisevening.I\'mintrouble——deeptrouble.IwantsuchaFriendasyoudescribedto-night."

Hetookherhandandsaid,inaheartyvoice,"Godblessyou,mychild.Hewantsyoumorethanyouwanthim."

"MayIcomeandseeyouto-morrowmorning?"askedIda,hurriedly,forhistonesofkindness,forwhichherheartwasfamishing,werefastbreakingdownherself-control.

"I\'llcomeandseeyou,"washispromptandcordialresponse.

"No,"shefaltered,"letitbeasIwish.Pleasetellmewheretofindyou."

Ashefinisheddirectingher,shestoopeddownandkissedhishand,andthenvanishedinthedarkness.

"PerhapsI\'mnotyetacumbereroftheground,"murmuredtheoldman,wipingasuddenmoisturefromhiseyes.

ChapterXXXIX.VanBerg\'sEscape.

Idafoundtheparty,onwhosecompanionshipshehadinameasureforcedherself,waitingandcallingforher.Thewordsoftheoldgentlemanhadinspiredthemwithkinderandmoreconsideratefeeling.

"I\'mcoming,"sheanswered;"don\'twaitforme,I\'llkeepnearyou."

Astheyhadalreadyobservedherevidentwishtobelefttoherself,theycompliedwithherrequest.

Theicycalmofherdespairwasnowbroken.

"Godblesshimforhiskindness!"shemurmured,and"Godblesshimforhishearty,hopefulwords;theymaysavemeyet,"andshefollowedtheothers,cryingsoftlytoherselflikealittlechild.

Itwouldseemasifeverywarmtearfellonherheart,thathadbeensohardanddesperatebefore,sorapidlydiditmeltatthethoughtoftheoldman\'skindness.

Butbeforeshereachedthehotelshebegantogrowexcessivelyweary.Shehadnotonlyovertaxedherpowersofendurance,buthadover-estimatedthem.

Atlast,asshewasabouttoaskhercompanionstowalkmoreslowly,lestsheshouldbeleftalonebytheroadsideinherweakness,sheheardthesoundofstrong,rapidsteps.

"WhereisMissMayhew?"wastheanxiousqueryofavoicethatmadeherheartboundandcolorcomeintoherface,evenatthemomentofalmostmortalweaknessandweariness.

"HereisMissMayhew,"saidoneofthehalf-grownyouths."Shepreferstowalkbyherself,itseems."

"Thankyou,"repliedVanBerg,decisively."Iwillseehersafelyhome;"andthepartwenton,leavinghimfacetofacewiththemaidenwhomhenowbelievedhehadverygreatlywronged,andwho,hefearedmightyetprovedherselfcapableofaterriblecrime.

Shestoodbeforehimwithbowedhead.Inherweaknessandagitationshetrembledsoviolentlythateveninthestarlighthecouldnothelpseeingherdistress,anditfilledhimatoncewithpityandalarm.

"Youareill,MissMayhew,"hesaid,anxiously.

"Yes,"sheanswered;then,consciousofhergrowingneed,shesaid,appealingly,"Mr.VanBerg,withallmyfaultsIamatleastawoman.Pleasehelpmehome.I\'msoweakandwearythatI\'malmostreadytofaint."

Heseizedherhandandfalteredhoarsely,"MissMayhew,youhavenot——youhavenottakenthatdrug——"

Shewassovividlyconsciousofherowndarksecret,andsoimpressedbyhispowertodiscoveralltheevilinhernature,thatsherepliedinalowtone,"Hush.Iunderstandyou.Notyet."

"ThankGod!"heejaculated,withsuchadeepsighofreliefthatshelookedathiminsurprise.Thehedrewherhandwithinhisarm,andwearyasshewas,shecouldnothelpnotingthatittrembledasifhehadanague.

Forafewmomentstheywalkedonwithoutspeaking.Thentheartistaddressedher.

"MissMayhew——"

"Mr.VanBerg,"shesaid,hastilyinterruptinghim."Sparemeto-night.I\'mtoowearyeventothink."

Againtheywalkedoninsilence,buthisagitationwasevidentlyincreasing.

"Letmeenterbythatsidedoor,please,"shesaidastheyapproachedthehotel.

"MissMayhew,"hebeganinalow,hurriedtone,"Imustspeak.Yousaidyouwereawoman.AssuchIappealtoyou.Awomanmay,attimes,havenopityonherself,butitrarelyhappensthatsheispitilesstowardsothers,anditissaidthatsheisoftenthemostgenerousandmercifultowardsthosewhohavewrongedher.Ihavewrongedyoucruellyandunpardonably.Iknewitassoonasyouenteredtheparlorlastevening.Thereisnoexcuseforme——I

willneverforgivemyself,butIdomostsincerelyapologizeandaskyourforgiveness.MissMayhew,Iappealtoyourgenerosity——I

appealtoyourwoman\'sheart.IfyoushouldconsummatetheawfulpurposewhichIfearhasbeeninyourmind,Ishouldgomadwithremorse.Youwoulddestroymeassurelyasyourself.Pardonmeforspeakingthus,butIfearsogreatly——OGod!canshehavealreadycommittedthefatalact?"

Ida\'sovertaxedpowershadgivenway,andshewouldhavefallenhadhenotsustainedher.Hiswordshadoverwhelmedher,and,takeninconnectionwiththosespokenbyoldMr.Eltinge,hadgivenaglimpseoftheawfulabyssintowhichshehadwellnighplunged,draggingothers,perhaps,afterher.Sherecoiledfromitallsostronglythatshebecamesickandfaintfromdread;andVanBergwascompelledtosupporthertoarusticseatnearthepath.Hewasbouttoleaveherinordertoobtainassistance,whensheputherhandonhisarmandgasped:

"Wait——givemetime——I\'llsoonbebetter.Donotcallanyone,I

beg."

"Letmequietlybringyoualittlewine,then,frommyownroom?"

Shebowedherassent.

Thestimulantsoonrevivedher.Hestoodathersidewaitingwithintenseanxietytillsheshouldspeak.Atlastsheroseslowlyandweakly,sayinginalowtone:

"Mr.VanBerg,IsupposeIhavenowreachedthelowestdepthinyourestimation,butIcannothelpit.IadmitthatIwasinanawfulanddesperatemood,andwasabouttoactaccordingly.Thereisnouseoftryingtohidanythingfromyou.Butagoodmanspokekindlytometo-night,andtheblackspellisbroken.ThereisthedrugIpurchased,"andshehandedhimthephialoflaudanum.

"Youmanynowdismissallfears.Iwillexplainfurtheranothertimeifyoucaretohear.Pleaseletmegoinbymyself."

"Pardonmeforsaying,no,"heanswered,gently."IthinkIambestableto-nighttojudgeofwhatisright.Youmustgoinatthemainentrance,andonmyarm.HenceforwardIshalltreatyouwithrespect,andIintendthatallothersshallalso."

Withalowsob,shesaid,impulsively:"Oh,Mr.VanBerg,forgiveme!butthatwasmymotive.Imeanttocompelyourrespect;andIthoughttherewasnootherway.IthoughtthatifIwenttomygrave,insteadofgoingtothemanwhoattemptedyourlife,youwouldseethatyouhadmisjudgedme.HereisaletterwhichIwroteyou.Itshouldgowiththepoison.ItisallthatIcanofferinexcuseorextenuation."

"GoodGod!"heexclaimed."Ihaveescapedaworsefatethanyourswouldhavebeen,"andshefelthisarmagaintremblingviolentlybeneathherhand.

"Ididnotthinkyouwouldcaresogreatly,"shemurmured.

"MissMayhew,"hesaid,inadeepvoice,"promiseme,beforeGod,thatyouwillneverharborsuchathoughtagain."

"IhopeInevermay,"shereplied,despondently,"butI\'velostallconfidenceinmyself,Mr.VanBerg."

"Poorchild!WhatabruteI\'vebeen,"hemuttered;butsheheardhim.

Asthemountedthepiazza,theymetStantonandMrs.Mayhew.

"Why,Ida,"exclaimedhermother,"Ithoughtyouwereinyourroom."

"Iwalkedtothevillagewithapartyofyoungpeople,"washerhastyreply,"andMr.VanBergmetmeonourreturn.I\'mverytired.Good-night,"andshewentdirectlytoherroom.

Theartist\'smannerinpartingwaspoliteandrespectful,andbythissimpleact,hedidmuchtoreinstateherinthesocialpositionshehadwellnighlost,throughhersupposedinfatuationwiththemanwhowasnowasynonyminthehouseforeverythingthatwasvile.

Onthefollowingday,throughtheaidofMissBurton,hecausedtheimpressiontobegenerallygiventhatMissMayhewhadbeenexceedinglymortifiedthatshehadeverassociatedwithsuchavillainasSibleyhadshownhimselftobe,andstillmorepainedtothinkthatsheshouldbeimaginedcapableofanyotherfeelingsavecontemptforhim,afterlearningofhisdisgracefulwordsandactions.Theseexplanationsgaveanentirelynewaspecttothematter,andsufficientlyaccountedforherincreasingindispositionandratheroddbehavior.Indeed,peopleplacedittohercreditthatshewassodeeplyaffected,andwereallthemoreinclinedtomakeamendsforhavingmisjudgedher.

Mrs.Mayhewaccompaniedherdaughtertoherroom,butIdatoldherthatshewastoowearytoanswerasinglequestion,andthatshewishedtobealone.

"Van,mayIspeakwithyou?"Stantonhadasked,anxiously.

Whentheyweresufficientlyfarfromthehousetoensureprivacyhebeganagain:"Van,what\'sthematter?Youwereaswhiteasifyouhadseenaghost."

"I\'mnotafraidofghosts,"saidtheartist,almoststernly,"buttherearethingswhichImortallyfear,andchiefamongtheseareblunders——stupid,irrationalacts,butinvolvingresultsthatmaybebeyondremedy.YouandIhavejustmadeonethatmighthavecostusdear.Ofcourseyouwilltreatyourcousinhereafterasyouplease,butImostdecidedlyrequestthatyoudoandsaynothingthatinvolvesanyreferencetome.Iwishhertoformheropinionsofmyattitudetowardsherso

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