第30章

"Youwereratherdistantthen,"Idaremarkedwithapiquantsmile.

"ButamInow?Answermethat,"hesaidsoeagerlythatshewasagainmentallyenragedathertell-talecolor,andshesaidhastily:

"ButwhereamItofindtheambrosiaandnectarthatyouwillexpectthisevening?"

"Anymarketcanfurnishthecrudematerials.Itisthetouchofthehostessthattransmutesthem."

"Alas,"saidIda,"Ineverlearnedhowtocook.IfIshouldprepareyourdinner,youwouldhaveanawfulmoodto-morrow,andprobablysendforthedoctor."

"Iwouldneedanursemorethanadoctor."

"Iknowofanancientwoman——aperfectMrs.Harris,"saidIda,gleefully.

"Wouldn\'tyoucomeandseemeifIwereveryill?"

"Imightcallatthedoorandaskhowyouwere,"shereplied,hesitatingly.

"Now,MissIda,theundertakerwoulddoasmuchasthat."

"Ourmotivesmightdifferjustalittle,"shesaid,droppinghereyes.

"Well,"saidtheartist,laughing,"ifyouwillpreparethedinner,I\'llriskundertaker,ancientwoman,andall,ratherthanspendsuchanotherlongstupideveningasIdidlastnight.Iexpectedtomeetyouattheconcertgardenagain."

"That\'sstrange,"shesaid.

"IshouldsayratherthatIhopedtomeetyouandyourfatherthere.

WouldyouhavegoneifIhadaskedyou?"

"Imight."

"I\'llsetthatdownasoneofthelostopportunitiesoflife."

"Whydidn\'tyoulistentothemusic?"

"Well,Ididn\'t.IthoughtI\'dinflictmystupidityonyouforawhile,andcameasfarasyourdoorstepsbeforeIrememberedthatIhadnotbeeninvited;soyouseewhatanarrowescapeyouhad."

InspiteofherselfIdacouldnothelpappearingdisappointedasshesaid,alittlereproachfully,"Wouldafriendhavewaitedforaformalinvitation?"

"Afrienddid,"repliedVanBergregretfully;"buthewon\'tagain."

"I\'mnotsosureaboutthat;mymusicmusthavefrightenedyouaway."

"IlisteneduntilIfearedthepolicemightthinkIhaddesignsagainstthehouse.Ididn\'tknowyouwereamusician.MissMayhew,I\'malwaysfindingoutsomethingnewaboutyou,andI\'mgoingtoaskyouthiseveningtosingagainformeaballadthemelodyofwhichremindedmeofarunningbrook.Ittookholdonmyfancyandhasbeenrunninginmyheadeversince."

"Oh,youwon\'tlikethat;it\'sasilly,sentimentallittlething.

Idon\'twonderyoupausedandretreated."

"Spareme,MissIda;Ialreadyfeelthatitwasafaint-heartedretreat,inwhichIsufferedseriousloss.Ihaveaccountedformyselfsinceweparted;howdidYOUspendthetime?Ofcourseyouyawnedoveryourmorning\'sfatigue,andtookalongnap."

"IndeedIdidnotsleepawink.WhyshouldIbeanymoreindolentthanyourself?Ireadmostoftheafternoon,anddrummedonthepianointheevening."

"IknowthatIlikeyourdrumming,butamnotyetsureaboutyourauthor;buthemustbeanexceedinglyinterestingone,toholdyourattentionalonghotafternoon."

Idacoloredinsuddenembarrassment,butsaid,afteramoment:"I

shallnotgratifyyourcuriosityanyfurther,foryouwouldlaughatmeagainifItoldyou."

"Now,indeed,youhavepiquedmycuriosity."

"Sinceyou,aman,admithavingsomuchofthisfeminineweakness,Iwhoamonlyawomanmaybepardonedforshowingjustalittle.

Whatworkwasitthatsoabsorbedyouyesterdayafternoonthatyouceasedtobehumaninyourneeds?"

"MissMayhew,youhavebeenlaughingatmeinyoursleeveeversinceyoucamethismorning.Ishalltakemyrevengeonyouatoncebyheapingcoalsoffireonyourhead,"andheturnedtowardsheralargepicture,allofwhichwasyetinoutline,saveMr.Eltinge\'sbustandface.

Idasprangdownonherkneesbeforeit,exclaiming:"O!mydear,kindoldfriend!He\'sjustspeakingtome.Mr.VanBerg,I\'llnowmaintainyouareageniusagainstalltheworld.Youhaveputkindness,love,fatherhoodintohisface.Youhavemadeitastrongandnoble,andyettenderandgentleasthemanhimself.I

neverknewitwaspossibleforaportraittoexpresssomuch,"andtearsofstrong,gratefulfeelingfilledhereyes.

Wasitsuccessinhisartorpraisefromherlipsthatgaveherlistenersuchanexquisitethrillofpleasure?Hedidnotstoptoconsider,forhewasnotinananalyticalmoodatthattime.

Hewasonthecrestofthespiritualwavethatwassweepinghimheavenward,ortowardssomebeatificstateofwhichhehadnotdreamtbefore.Hisfaceglowedwithpleasureashesaid:

"Sinceitpleasesyou,it\'snomorethanjusticethatyoushouldknowthatyourvisitwasthecauseofmysuccess.Eitheryourlaughoryourkindpartingwordsbrushedthecobwebsfrommymind,andIwasabletodobetterworkinafewhoursthanImighthaveaccomplishedinweeks."

Shetriedtolookatthepicturemoreclosely,butfast-comingtearsblindedher.Thensherose,andavertingherfacehastily,wipedhereyes,asshesaidinalowtone:"Ican\'tunderstanditatall,andthememoryofMr.Eltinge\'skindnessalwaysovercomesme.Pleasepardonmyweakness.There,Iwon\'twasteanymoreofyourtime,"andshereturnedtoherchair.ButherfacestillworetheuncertaintyofanAprilday.

"YouraffectionforMr.Eltinge,"hesaidgently,"isasbeautifulasitisnatural.Nomanifestationofitneedsanyapology,andleastofalltome,forIowetohimfarmorethanlife.ButIampainingyoubyrecallingthepast,"hesaidregretfully,asIda\'stearsbegantogatheragain."Letmetrytomakeamendsbyreturningatoncetothepresentandtomywork.BeforeIgoonanyfartherwithyourportraitIwantyoutoputthisrose-budinyourhair,"

andfromahiddennookhebroughtalittlevasecontainingonlyoneexquisitebud.Idahadbarelytimetoseethatitwasincolorandsizepreciselyliketheemblemofherselfthathehadthrownaway,andforafewminutessheutterlylostherself-control.Sheburiedherfaceinherhands,andherlow,stifledsobsfilledVanBergwiththekeenestdistressandperplexity.

"MissIda,"hesaidearnestly,"Iwouldrathereverytearyouaresheddingwereadropofmyblood,"buthiswordsonlymadethemflowfasterstill.

Suddenlyshesprangup,andturningherbackuponhim,dashedawayhertearsalmostfiercely."Oh!thisisshameful!"sheexclaimed,inlow,indignanttones."Mr.VanBerg,whatmustyouthinkofme?PleaseturnMr.Eltinge\'sfaceaway,forheislookingatmejustashedidwhenmyheartwasbreaking,and——and——I\'velostmyself-control,andIhadbetternotcomeheretillIcanceasebeingsoweakandfoolish."

"Isitweaktobegrateful?"heasked,gently."Isitfoolishtoloveonesothoroughlyentitledtoyourlove?IhonoryouforyourdeepandtenderaffectionforMr.Eltinge,andeverytearyouhaveshedprovestomethatinthisperfectflowerIamnowfindingthetrueemblemofyourself."

"No,"shesaid,almostpassionately,"Ihavenorighttoit.Theotheronethatyouthrewawayistrueofme,andalwayswillbe.

Thisbutmocksmewithitsperfection.IwouldbeahypocriteifIshouldputitinmyhair,andsmilecomplacentlywhileyoupaintedit.Myheartclingstotheotheremblem,andIknowImustdevelopasbestIcan,asthatwouldhavedoneafteritsdestroyerwastakenaway.No,Mr.VanBerg.Ihaveseenmyselfinthestrong,sharplightoftruth.Ifyouarewillingtobemyfriend,pleasebeanhonestone.Myfaithfuloldfriendinthecountrywouldscarcelytakemyportraitifthisperfectflowerwereintroducedwithanysuchmeaningasyouattachtoit,andIcertainlywouldbeashamedtogiveittohim.Mr.Vanberg,weMUSTletbygonesbybygones,orwenevercangeton.SeehowabsurdlyIhaveactedbothyesterdayandto-day,andallthroughrecallingthepast.

Indeed,indeed,itwillneverdoformetocomehereagain,andifyoucanmakesuchamarvellouslikenessofMr.Eltingeasyouhave,Iscarcelythinktherewillbeanyneed."

"MysuccesswithMr.Eltinge\'sportraitistheresultofafewhappystrokesthatImightnotbeabletogiveagainifItriedayear.

Believeme,MissMayhew,Inotonlywishtobeanhonestfriend,butaveryconsiderateone.Ipromisenevertourgeyoutodoanythingthatwillcauseyoupain.Icanunderstandhowthefeaturesofyourkindfriendhavetouchedthetenderestchordsofyourheart,andIrespectyourstudyfidelitytoyourconscienceinrefusingtoletmepaintthisbudinyourhair;butyoumustalsodomethejusticetobelievethatImeantnohollowcomplimentwhenIsearchedforitamongtheflorists.MustIthrowthisoneaway,too?"heasked,withaglancethatwasveryardentforafriend;"forsinceIobtaineditforyou,itmustreceiveitsfateatyourhandsonly."

"I\'llwearit,simplyasyourgift,withpleasure,"andshefasteneditinherbreastpin,sothatitscrimsonblushrestedagainstthesnowywhitenessofherneck.

Helookedherfullintheeyesandsaid,withlow,sademphasis:

"Idonotdeservesuchrespect."Thentheknowledgethatshewasharboringapurposewhichtroubledherconscience,butwhichshecouldnotabandon,becamethecauseofatraceofheroldrecklessnessofmanner.Sheassumedasuddengayety,asifshehadsteppedoutofshadowsintotoostrongalight,asshesaid:

"Mr.VanBerg,youmaywellhesitatetobringtheappetiteyousayhadlast

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