第28章

"Yourrathersentimentalfigureofspeech,Mr.VanBerg,showswhereyourerrorlies.MissMayhewandmyselfarenotpelluciddropsofdewthatyoulookthroughataglance.Wearewomen:andtheonethinginthisworldwhichmenneverwilllearntounderstandisawoman.I\'mgoingtopuzzleyoustillfurther.IamlearningtohaveaverythoroughrespectforMissMayhew.Iambeginningtoadmireherexceedingly,andtothinkthatsheisgrowingexquisitelybeautiful;andyetweresheherethisweekyouwouldfindthatI

wouldnotseekhersociety.Giveyourmindtoyourart,andneverhopetountanglethesnarlofawoman\'smind.Men,inattemptingsuchfolly,havebecomehopelesslyentangled.Takeawoman\'swordforit——whatyouseeyoucan\'treasonout.I\'venodoubtbutthatMissMayhewhasexcellentreasonsfordislikingme,andthefactthatyoucan\'tunderstandthemisnothingagainstthem."

"MissJennie,"saidVanBergresolutely,"foronceIcannottakeyourwordforit.Youtwoladieshavepuzzledmeallsummer,andI\'llneverbecontenttillIsolvethemysterieswhichsobaffleme.Myinterestisnotcuriosity,butfriendship,tosaytheleast,thatIhopewilllastthroughlife.Youwilltellmesomedayallyourtrouble,andyouwillfeelthebetterfortellingme."

Shebecameverypaleatthesewords,andsaidgravely:"Icannotpromisethat——Idoubtit.Youmayhavetotrustmeblindlytillyouforgetme."

"Idonottrustyoublindly;Ineverwillforgetyou,"hebegan,impetuously.

"Good-night,Mr.VanBerg,"shesaid,andinamomenthewasaloneonthepiazza.

"Sheisanangeloflight,hemuttered,"andnotawoman.Icouldworshipher,butI\'mtooearthyinmynaturetoloverherasI

ought."

HetooktheearliesttraintoNewYork,andsohadalongafternooninhisstudio.Hewassurprisedtofindhowabsorbedhesoonbecameinhiswork."MissJennieisright,"hethought;"I\'manartist,andnotareformerorametaphysician,andIhadbetterspendmytimeherethanintryingtosolvefeminineenigmas;"andheworkedlikeabeaveruntilthefadinglightcompelledhimtodesist.

"There,"hesaid,"thatisafairbeginning.Twoorthreemoredaysofworklikethiswillsecureme,Ithink,afriendlierglancethanMissIdagavemelast."Fromwhichwordsitmightbegatheredthathewasthinkingofotherrewardsthanmeresuccessinhisart.

IntheeveningthewandofTheodoreThomashadaspellwhichheneverthoughtofresisting,anditmustbeadmittedthattherelurkedinhismindthehopethatIdaandherfathermightbedrawntotheconcertgardenalso.Ifso,hewassurehewouldpursuehisinvestigations.

Hewasrewarded,forMr.Mayhewandhisdaughtersoonenteredandtookseatsinthemainlobby,whereheandStantonhadsatnearlythreemonthsbefore.VanBergcongratulatedhimselfthathewasoutsideinthepromenade,andsohadnotbeenobserved;andhesoughtaduskyseatfromwhichhemightseeksomefurtherknowledgeofacharacterthathadwonandretainedadeepeninginterestfromthetimeoftheirfirstmeeting,whichnowseemedanageago.Eventsmarktimemoretruthfullythanthecourseofthesun.

Atfirstsheseemedonlysolicitousaboutherfather,wholightedacigarandsaidsomethingtoherthatmusthavebeenveryreassuringandpleasant,foragladsmilebrokeoverherpaleface.Butitvanishedquickly,andtheartistsawthatherhabitualexpressionwassad,andevendejected.Shedidnotlookaroundwiththebreezyalertnessnaturaltoayounggirlinsuchaplace.Thecuriouslydiversepeoplearoundherexcitednointerest,andsheappearedinclinedtolapseintodeepreveries,evenwhenthemusicwaslightandgay,aswasthecharacteroftheearlierpartoftheentertainment.Attimesshewouldstartperceptiblywhenherfatherspoketoher,andhesitateinheranswer,asifshehadtorecallherthoughtsfromfar-offwanderings.ItwouldseemthatMr.

Mayhewwastroubledbyhersadfaceandabsentmanner.Hejustlyfeltthatthebrilliantmusicoughttoenlivenherlikesunlight;

andthatitdidnotprovedthepresenceofsomeinterveningcloud.

VanBerg\'ssympathiesandinterestatlastbecamesostrongthathedeterminedtospeaktoheratonce,butbeforehecouldtakeasteptowardshertheorchestrabeganplayingBeethoven\'sFifthSymphony,theverymusicsheignoredforthesakeofMr.Minty\'scomplimentswhenfirstshehadsoexasperatedhimbyhermarvellouslyperfectfeatures,butdisagreeableface.Hehadnotlookedattheprogramme,andthatthissymphonyshouldnowberepeatedseemedsuchafortunatecoincidencethathecouldnotresistthetemptationofcontrastingthewomanbeforehimwiththesillyandundevelopedgirlhefirsthadseen.Moreover,heknewthatthemusicmustremindherofhim,andhemightgainahintofherpresentfeelingstowardhim.Eitherthebeautyorsomethingfamiliarintheexquisitestrainssooncaughtherattention,andshetookupherprogramme,whichhithertohadlainneglectedonherlap.Shecrimsonedinstantly,andherbrowcontractedintoafrown;amomentlateranexpressionofintensedisgustpassedoverherface.

"NowIknowwhatshethinksofme,"hethoughtwithasinkingheart."IdoubtwhetherIhadbetterspeaktoherthisevening,andatthisplace."

"What\'sthematter,Ida?"askedherfather."Don\'tyoulikethemusic?"

"Ihavedisagreeableassociationsconnectedwithit.Thefaultiswhollyinme,andnotthemusic."

"Ida,darling,youaremakingmesohappythatIwishIcoulddoasmuchforyou."

"Don\'tworry,father,"shesaid,tryingtosmile."I\'mhappierthanIdeserve.Listen!"

Asthelastexquisitecadencesdiedaway,VanBergsawthatthereweretearsinhereyes.Whatdidtheymean?"Stantonrepeatedmyharshwordsandsherecallsthem,"wasthebestexplanationhecouldthinkof."Bythefates!"heexclaimed,"ifthereisn\'tSibleywithatoiletasspotlessasheishimselfsmirchedandblackened.

Cursehim!heactuallyhastheimpudencetospeaktoMissMayhew,"

andtheartiststartedupthreateningly,butbeforediscoveringhimself,herememberedthatIda\'snaturalprotectorwasatherside.Andyethefairlytrembledwithrageandprotest,thatthisfellowshouldbesonearheragain.HealsosawthatMr.Mayhewroseandlookedverymenacing.ButIdawasequaltotheemergency,andextricatedherselfwithwomanlydignity,forwhilesheblushedscarletwithshame,shewasquietandself-possessed,andpaidnoheedtohiseagerlyprofferedhand.

"Iwasnotmyselfthathatefulday,MissIda,"hesaidhastily.

"Ifearyouwere,sir,"shecoldlyreplied."Atanyrate,Iamnotmyoldself,anduntilyouwinandmaintainthecharacterofagentleman,wemustbestrangers.Goodevening,sir;"andsheturnedherbackuponhim.

Hisfacebecamefairlylividwithrage,butonencounteringthesternandthreateningeyesofMr.Mayhewheslunkawayandleftthebuilding.

"That\'smypeerless,nobleIda,"whisperedherfather."OhthankGod!thankGod!IcouldnothavesurvivedifyouhadrealizedthefearsIoncehadaboutthatlowscoundrel."

Ida\'slipquiveredasshesaid,"Father,pleasetakemehome.I

don\'tenjoymyselfhere."Theyhadtakenbutafewstepstowardthedoorwhentheartistconfrontedthemwitheyesaglowwithadmirationandsympathy.

PoorIdahadnotimetomaskherfeelingsorcheckherimpulses,andshetookhisextendedhandasifsheweresinking,whilethecolorandlightofwelcomeflashedbrightlyintoherface.Thenherbeautifulconfusionsuggestedthatshefelthergreetinghadbeentoocordial,andshesoughtwithindifferentsuccesstoregainherdignity.

"Pleasedon\'tgojustyet,"saidVanBergeagerly."Theconcertisbuthalfover,andtherearesomeprettythingsstilltocome."

Idahesitatedandlookeddoubtfullyatherfather.

"Ishallbeverygladtostay,"hesaidwithasmile,"ifyoufeelableto.Mydaughterisnotverywell,Ifear,"headdedinexplanationtotheartist.

"Perhapsithasbeenalittleclosehereinthelobby,"suggestedVanBerg,"andawalkintheopenairwillbeagreeable.Ifyouwilltrustyourdaughtertome,sir,Ipromisetobringherbackbeforesheistired.Ihavemuchtotellheraboutheroldfriend,Mr.Eltinge,whomIvisitedyesterday,andthepictures.Perhapsyouwillgowithus,forIknowwhatIhavetosaywillinterestyoualso."

"IthinkI\'lllightanothercigarandwaitforyouhere,"Mr.Mayhewansweredquietly."Oldpeopleliketositstillaftertheirday\'swork,andifIdafeelsstrongenoughIwouldenjoyhearingtherestoftheconcert."

"ItwouldbehardtoresistthetemptationtohearanythingaboutdearoldMr.Eltinge,"saidIda,takingtheartist\'sarm,andfeelingasifshewerebeingsweptawayonashiningtide.

"YouWEREgladtoseeme,MissMayhew,andyoucan\'tdenyit,"VanBergbeganexultantly.

"Youalmostcru

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