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a face illumined-第111章

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sympathy at home as far as I can give them。  Indeed; if you will

let me; I'll become a very unobtrusive; but perhaps; useful ally。

At any rate; I'll try not to make any stupid; ignorant blunders。

I have like Mr。 Van Berg from the first hour of our meeting; and

I would thank God from the depths of my heart if this could be。〃



〃Dear; good father; how little I understood you。  I've been living

in poverty over a gold mine。  But father; I'm so ignorant and Mr。

Van Berg knows everything。〃



〃Not quite; you'll find。  He's only a man; Ida。  But you can never

win him through politics or by discussing with him the questions

of the day。  These are not in your line nor his。〃



〃What can I do; father。  Indeed; it does not seem to me maidenly

to do anything。〃



〃It would not be maidenly; Ida; to step one hair's breadth beyond

the line of scrupulous; womanly delicacy; and by any such course

you would only defeat and thwart yourself。  A woman must always

be sought; and as a rule; she loses as she seeks。  But I strust to

your instincts to guide you here。  You have only to be simple and

true; as you have been since the happy miracle that transformed

you。  Unless a man is infatuated as Ibut no matter。  A man that

keeps his sense welcomes truthfulnessa high delicate sense of

honorabove all things in a woman; for it gives him a sense of

security and rest。  By truthfulness I do not mean the indiscreet

blurting out of things that good taste would leave unsaid; but

clear…eyed integrity that hides no guile。  Then; again; unless

a man is blinded by passion or some kind of infatuation he knows

that the chief need of his life is a home lighted and warmed by an

unwavering love。  With these his happiness and success are secured;

as far as they can be in this world; unless he is a brute and a

fool; and has no right to exist at all。  But I am growing preachy。

Let me suggest some things that I have observed in this artist。  He

is a high…toned pagan and worships beauty; but with this outward

perfection he also demands spiritual loveliness; for with him mind

and honor are in the ascendant。  He admired you immensely from the

first; and since your character has been growing in harmony with

your face he has sought your society。  So; be simple; true; and

modest; and you will win him if the thing is possible。  You will

never win him by being anything else; and you might lose your own

respect and his too。〃



〃I'll suffer anything rather than that; father。  I think you had

better not invite him to…morrow evening。〃



〃I'll be governed by what I see to…morrow;〃 he replied; musingly。

〃Both my business and my habit of mind have taught me to observe

and study men's motives and impulses very closely。  You could order

a suitable dinner after leaving the studio; could you not?〃



〃Yes; father。〃



〃Well; then; my Princess Ida; I'll be your grand vizier; and I'll

treat with this foreign power with such a fine diplomacy that he

shall appreciate all the privileges he obtains。  But we will keep

our self…respect hereafter; Ida; and then we can look the world in

the face and ask no odds of it。〃



〃Yes; father; let us keep that at all events。  And yet I'm only a

woman。〃



〃You are the woman that has made me happy; and I think there is

another man who will want to be made happy also。  And now we will

defer all other questions of the day; for I must go out for a time。

Do not think I undervalue your craving for information; and you

shall have it as fast as you can take care of it。  You have grown

pale and thin this summer; but I do not expect you to become plump

and rosy again in a day。〃



〃Oh; I'm rosy too often as it is。  Why is it that girls must blush

so ridiculously when they don't want to?  That's the question of

the day for me。  I could flirt desperately in old times; and yet

look as demure and cool as if I were an innocent。  But now; oh!

I'm fairly enraged with myself at times。〃



〃They say blushes are love's trail;〃 said Mr。 Mayhew with a laugh;

〃and since he is around I suppose he must leave his tracks。  If

you wish for a more scientific reason let me add that physiology

teaches us that the blood comes from the heart。  I can assure you;

however; that there are but few gentlemen who admire ladies that

cannot blush; and Mr。 Van Berg is not one of them。〃



Ida spent the evening at her piano instead of over the encyclopaedia;

but she sighed again and again。



〃Simple and true!  I fear Jennie Burton and Mr。 Eltinge would say

I was neither if they knew what was in my heart。  But I can't help

itI can't give him up after what has happened since I came to

the city; unless I must。〃



But the music she selected was simple and true。  Tossing her brilliant

and florid pieces impatiently aside; she played or sang only that

which was plaintive; low; and in harmony with her thoughts。  It

also seemed to have a peculiar attractiveness to a tall gentleman

who lingered some moments beneath the windows; and even took one

or two steps up towards the door; and then turned and strode away

as if conscious that he must either enter or depart at once。











Chapter XLIX。  The Blind God。









The Miss Mayhew that crossed the artist's threshold the following

morning might have been taken as a model of graceful self…possession;

but she disguised a maiden with as fluttering a heart and trembling

a soul as ever faced one of the supreme moments of destiny。  Her

father; however; proved a faithful and intelligent ally; and his

manner towards Van Berg was a fine blending of courtesy and dignity;

suggesting a man as capable of conferring as of receiving favors。

His host would indeed have been blind and stupid if he had tried

to patronize Mr。 Mayhew that morning。



Although unconscious of the fact; Van Berg was for a time subjected

to the closest scrutiny。  Love had deep if not dark designs against

him; and the glances he bent on Ida might suggest that he was only

too ready to become a victim。  He had welcomed to his study two

conspirators who were committed to their plot by the strongest of

motives; and yet they were such novel conspirators that a word; a

glance; an expression even of 〃ennui〃 or indifference would have

so touched their pride that they would have abandoned their wiles

at every cost to themselves。  Were they trying to ensnare him?

Never were such films and gossamer threads used in like entanglement

before。  He could have brushed them all away by one cold sweep

of his eyes; and the maiden who had not scrupled at death to gain

merely his respect; would have left the studio with a colder glance

than his; nor would her womanly strength have failed her until she

reached a refuge which his eye could not penetrate; but thenGod

pity her。  The tragedies over which the angels weep are the bloodless

wounds of the spirit。



But it would seem that the atmosphere of Van Berg's studio that

summer morning was not at all conduciv
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