按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and blaze of villainy； and so my high…toned family explain to the
faultless and aristocratic Mr。 Van Berg that they will submit to
an odious marriage lest I clandestinely follow the scoundrel who
was very properly driven away； like the base cur he is。 This is
why you received me to…night as if I were a pestilence。 This is
why I was treated at the table as if I were a death's head。 This
is why your perfect friend looked towards me as if my chair
were vacant。 He refused even to recognize the existence of such
a loathsome thing as my family explain to him that I am。 Great
heaven！ may I never live to receive a deeper humiliation than this！〃
〃But； Ida；〃 cried Stanton； deeply alarmed and agitated by her manner；
〃how else could we explain your action and your reckless words to
your mother？〃
〃Oh； I admit that circumstances are against me； but there is no
excuse for this outrage！ I don't know what I did say to mother。
I've been too wretched and discouraged to remember。 She IS my
mother； and I'll say nothing against her； though； heaven knows；
she has been a strange mother to me。 Would to God I had a father
that I could go to； or a brother！ But it seems I have not a friend
in the great； scornful world。 Don't interrupt me。 Words count
for nothing now； and mine least of all。 If you were all ready to
believe me capable of what you have plainly intimated； you need
something stronger than words to convince you to the contrary。 Of
one thing I shall make sureyou and your faithless friend shall
never have the chance to insult me again。 I wish you to leave my
room。〃
〃Oh come； Ida； listen to reason；〃 Stanton began coaxingly。
〃I admitted you；〃 she interrupted with a repellant gesture； 〃in
the hope of receiving a little kindness； for which I was famishing；
but I would rather you had stabbed me than have said what you have。
Hush； not a word more。 The brutal wrong has been done。 Will you
not go？ This is my private apartment。 I command you to leave
it； and if you will not obey I will summon Mr。 Burleigh；〃 and she
placed her hand on the bell。
Her manner was at once so commanding and threatening that Stanton；
with a gesture of deprecation and protest； silently obeyed。
He was so surprised and unnerved by the interview in which the
maiden had turned upon him with a fiery indignation that was almost
volcanic； that he wished to think the affair all over and regain
his composure before meeting any one。 Clearly they had failed to
understand Ida of late； and had misjudged her utterly。 And yet；
guided by appearances； he felt that they could scarcely have come
to any other conclusion。
Now that he had been jostled out of his preoccupation； he began to
realize that Ida had not appeared of late like the frivolous girl
that had accompanied him to the country。 Changes were taking
place in her as well as in himself； 〃but not from the same cause；〃
he thought。 〃After her words and manner to…night； I cannot doubt
that Sibley has disgusted her as well as the rest of us； although
she had a strange way of showing it。 It cannot be that a woman
would speak of a man for whom she had any regard； as Ida did of
the wretch with whom we were associating her； and as for Van Berg；
she has taken no pains to conceal her strong dislike for him from
the first day of their meeting。 I can't think of anyone else at
present （although there might be a score） who is disturbing the
shallow waters of her mind。
〃I'm inclined to think that she is deeply mortified at the false
position in which Sibley has placed her； and is too proud to make
explanations。 It may be also that she is realizing more fully the
disgrace of her father's course； and it is also possible that she
is waking up to a sense of her own deficiencies。 Although she
could not fail to dislike such people as Jennie Burton and Van Berg；
she would be apt to contrast herself with them and the impression
which she and they made on society。 Confound it all！ I wish I had
not taken it for granted that she was pining for Sibley and ready
to throw herself away for his sake。 It has placed me in a deucedly
awkward position。 I doubt if she ever fully forgives me； and I
can't blame her if she doesn't。〃
〃Well？〃 said Mrs。 Mayhew； as Stanton moodily approached her。
〃Come with me；〃 he said。 When they were alone he prefaced his
story with the irritable remark：
〃It's a pity you can't understand your daughter better。 She detests
Sibley。〃
〃Thank heaven for that；〃 exclaimed the mother。
〃I should be more inclined to thank both heaven and yourself if
you had discovered the fact before sending me on such an intensely
disagreeable mission。 You must manage your daughter yourself
hereafter； for she'll never take anything more from me；〃 and he told
her substantially the nature of his interview； and his surmises as
to the real causes of her trouble。
〃I think you are right；〃 said Mrs。 Mayhew； whose impressions were
as changeable as superficial； 〃and I'm excessively glad to think so。
With her beauty； Ida can； in spite of her father； make a brilliant
match； in every sense of the word；〃 and with the prospect of this
supreme consummation of life regained； the wife and mother gave a
sigh of great relief。
〃But she's in an awful mood； I can tell you；〃 said Stanton； dubiously。
〃I never knew a woman to look and speak as she did to…night。 If
you don't manage better she'll make us trouble yet。〃
〃Oh； I'm used to Ida's tantrums。 They don't last。 Nothing does
with her。 Time and another admirer will bring her around。〃
〃Well； you ought to know；〃 said Stanton with a shrug； 〃but I retire
from the management。 I can't help saying； however； that something
in her looks and words makes me uneasy。 I regret exceedingly I
spoke as I did； and shall apologize at the first opportunity。〃
〃You'll have that in the morning。 Things are so much better than
I feared that I am greatly relieved。 She'll come around now if
nothing more is said。 Roiled water always settles when kept quiet；〃
and Mrs。 Mayhew returned to the parlor in much better spirits。
Stanton followed his aunt and joined a small group that had gathered
around Miss Burton。 Van Berg gave him a quick； questioning look；
but gathered the impression only that he had been subjected to a
very painful interview。
〃She has evidently realized his worst fears；〃 he thought； 〃curses
on her！〃 and his face grew fairly black for a moment with anger
and disgust。
But Jennie Burton's silver tongue soon charmed away the evil spirits
from both the young men。
She had fine conversation powers； and her keen intuition and her
controlling passion to give pleasure enabled her to detect and draw
out the best thoughts of others。 Her evident sympathy put every
one at ease； and gave people the power of such happy expression
that they were surprised at themselves； and led to believe that
they not only received b