第27章

Mr.Mayhewattendedchurchwithhisfamilythatmorning——athingthathehadnotdoneforyears——andintheafternoonIdatookhimtoseeherspiritualbirthplace,andtocallonherspiritualfather.ThewelcomethatoldMr.Eltingegave,andthewordshespoke,didmuchtowardsestablishinginthemanwhohadbeensodisheartened,hopethatanewandbetterfuturewasopeningbeforehim.

Whenabouttopartheputhisleftarmaroundhisdaughter,andgivinghishandtoMr.Eltinge,said,withavoicebrokenbyhisfeelings:

"Iambewilderedyet.Ican\'tunderstandmyhappiness.YesterdayIwasperishinginaboundlessdesert.To-daythedeserthasvanished,andI\'minthissweetoldgarden.Therearenoflowersorfruitsinit,however,thatcancomparewiththeloveandtruthInowseeinthischild\'sface.Iwon\'tspeakoftheserviceyouhaverenderedusboth.It\'sbeyondallwords."

Itwasindeedgreaterthanheknew,forIdhadconcludednevertospeakagainofherterriblesecret.Godhadforgivenher,andnothingwastobegainedbyanyreferencetoasubjectthathadbecomeinexpressiblypainful."Remember,"saidthestaunchandfaithfuloldmanastheywereabouttodriveaway,"nothinggoodlastsunlessbuiltupfromtheAuthorofallgood.Unlessyouactonthistruthyou\'llfindyourselfinthedesertagain,andallyouarenowenjoyingwillseemlikeamirage."

PoorMr.Mayhewcouldnotenduretoloseamomentofhisdaughter\'ssociety,forthelongthirstofyearswastobeslaked.Theytookaround-aboutwayhome,andthesummereveningdeepenedintotwilightandduskbeforetheyapproachedthehotel.

"See,father,thereisthenewmoon,andithangsoveryourrightshoulder,"criedIda,gleefully.

"It\'soveryourrightshoulder,too,andthatthoughtpleasesmebetterstill.IwishIcouldmakeyouveryhappy.TellmewhatIcandoforyou."

"TakemetoNewYorkwithyouto-morrow,"saidIda,promptly.

"Nowyouaretryingtomakeamartyrofyourselfforme.YouforgethowhotanddustythecityisinAugust."

"I\'mgoingwithyou,"shesaiddecisively,"unlessyousayno."

"I\'mgoingtospendpartofthetimewithyouuntilyourvacationbeginsnextmonth,andthenwe\'llexploreeverynookandcornerofthisregion."

"ThereIda,saynomoreto-day.Mycupisoverflowingnow,andthefearisalreadygrowingthatsuchhappinesswon\'tlast——can\'tlastinaworldlikeours."

"Father,"saidIda,gently,"I\'vefoundaFriendthathaspromisedmemorethanpresenthappiness.Hehaspromisedmeeternallife.

Heispledgedtomakeallseeminglyevilresultinmyfinalgood.

HowitcanbeIdon\'tseeatall,butI\'mtryingtotakehimathisword.YoumustnotworryifI\'mnotalwaysingoodspirits.I

supposeeveryoneintheworldhasaburdentocarry,butIdon\'tthinkitcancrushusifourSaviourhelpsuscarryit.Myfaithisverysimple,yousee;IfeelI\'mlikeoneofthoselittlechildrenhetookinhisarmsandblessed,andI\'msurehisblessingisnotanemptyform.Ithasmademeloveandtrusthim,andthat\'sallthereligionIhaveorknowanythingabout.Youmustnotexpectgreatthingsofme;youmustnotwatchmetooclosely.Justletmetakemyownquietwayinlife,forIwantmylifehenceforthtobeasquietandunobtrusiveasthelittlebrookthatrunsthroughMr.Eltinge\'sgarden,thatisoftenintheshade,youknow,aswellasinthelight,butMr.Eltingeletsitflowafteritsownfashion;soyoumustletme.I\'llalwaystrytomakealittlelow,sweetmusicforyou,ifnotfortheworld.Sopleasedonotcommencepuzzlingyourpoortiredbrainhowtomakemehappyorgay,orwanttotakemehereandthere.Justleavemetomyself;

letmehavemyownwayforawhileatleast;andifyoucandoanythingformeIpromisetotellyou."

EversinceherdrivewithVanBergthepreviousday,therehadbeenadeepundercurrentofthoughtinIda\'smind,andshehadatlastconcludedthatshecouldscarcelykeephersecretwithanycertaintywhileunderhiseyes,andespeciallythoseofMissBurton.Shewastoodirectandpositiveinhernature,andherlovewastoostrongandabsorbingforthecoolandindifferentbearingshewastryingtomaintain.Hereyes,hercheeks,hertones,andevenwords,mightprovetraitorsatanytimeandbetrayher.Shelongedtobealone,andtehlargeemptycityhouseseemedthequietrefugethatsheneeded.Atthesametimeitwouldgiveherdeepsatisfactiontobewithherfatherafterhsreturnfrombusiness,andmakeamendsforyearsofneglect.

Helookedatherwistfully,feeling,inavagueway,thathedidnotunderstandheryet.Therewasaminorchordinhervoice,andtherehadbeenasadnessinhereyesattimeswhichbegantosuggesttohimthathehadnotlearnedallthecausesthatweresomarvellouslytransformingherformheroldself.Hermotherwouldquestionandquestion.He,onthecontrary,wouldwaitpatientlytilltheconfidencewasgiven,andsohemerelysaidgently,"Allright,littlegirl;I\'lltrytomakeyouhappyinyourownway."

VanBerg,goingoutforawalkaftertea,againheardthegirlishvoicesingingthequainthymntunethathadawakenedthememoriesofhischildhoodthepreviousday.Heinstantlyconcealedhimselfbytheroadside,andinamomentortwoIdaandherfatherdroveby.Hewasableinthedusktonoteonlythatherheadrestedonherfather\'sshoulder,andhervoicewassweetandplaintiveasshesangwordsthathecouldnotheardistinctly,butwhichwereasfollows,asfarashecouldcatchthem:

IknownotthewayheisleadingmeButIknowheisleadingmehome;

Thoughlonelythepathanddarktome,Itissafeanditwendstomyhome.

Homeoftheblest,HomethatisrestTothewearypilgrim\'sfeet,tothewearypilgrim\'sheart.

andthenherwordswerelostinthedistance.

Withanimpulsehedidnotthinkofresistinghefollowedthembacktothehotelandwaitedpatientlytillsheandherfathercameoutfromsupper.

"MissMayhew,"hesaid,alittlediscontentedly,"Ihavescarcelyhadachancetosayawordtoyouto-day,anditseemstomethatIhaveagreatdealtosay."

Shelookedathimwithsomesurpriseasshereplied,"Well,IthinkImightatleastbecomeagoodlistener."

"Doyoumeanapatientone?"

"Ineverhadanypatience,"sheanswered,withsomethinglikeasmile.

"AndIwasneversopossessedbythedemonofimpatienceasIhavebeenthisafternoon.Therehasn\'tbeenasoularoundthatIcaredtotalkwith,andifyouknewhowoutofconceitIamwithmyowncompany,youwouldfeelsomecommiseration.HowIenviedyouyourvisittothegardenthisafternoon,forIfeltsureyoutookyourfatherthither.MayInotgowithyouagainto-morrow,orsoon?I

wishtomakemysketchmoreaccuratebeforebeginningyourpicture."

Shehesitatedamoment,andhelittleknowhowhewastemptingher.

Thenshereplied,soquietlyanddecisivelyastoseemalmostcold,"Mr.Eltinge,I\'msure,willbeverygladtoseeyou,butIshallgotothecitywithmyfatherinthemorningandremainintownalltheweek."Shewaspuzzledathisunmistakableexpressionofregretanddisappointment,andadded,hastily,"Mr.VanBerg,youaretakingfartoomuchtrouble.Iwouldbemoresatisfied——I

wouldbedelightedwithsuchasketchasyoumadeto-day,withtheomissionofmyself."

"Butif,insteadofbeingtrouble,itgavemegreatpleasuretomakethepicturewiththeutmostcare?"

"Isuppose,"shereplied,"thatyouhaveahighartisticsensethatmustbesatisfied,andthatyouseeimperfectionsthatIcannot."

"Youaretoosevereuponme,MissMayhew,butsinceyouhavesuchgoodreason,Icannotcomplain.Still,injusticetomyself,I

mustsaythatsatisfyingmyartisticsensewasnotmymotive."

"Ididnotmeantobesevere——Idonotmeanwhatyouthink,"Idabegan,veryeagerly.Thenshecheckedherselfandadded,afteramoment,withaslighttingeofsadnessinhertone,"Ifearwearefatedtomisunderstandeachother.Good-night,Mr.VanBerg,"andsheturneddecisivelyawayandjoinedherfatherwhowastalkingwithStanton.

Theartistwasbothhurtandperplexed,andheabruptlyleftthehallandstartedagainonthewalkwhichhadbeensounexpectedlyinterrupted.Hestrodeawaythroughthestarlightwithaswiftnessthatwasscarcelyinharmonywiththewarm,stillsummernight.

Beforehewasawareofithewasamileaway.Stoppingsuddenlyhemuttered:

"Iwon\'tbesobaffledandpuzzled.IwilllearntounderstandthisIdaMayhewbeforethissummerisover.It\'sridiculousthatIshouldbesodullandstupid.Shesaysshefearsweare\'fatedtomisunderstandeachother.\'Idefysuchablindstupidfa

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