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！
that they were surprised at themselves； and led to believe that
they not only received but gave something better than average。
Therefore； under the magic of her good…will； both eyes and minds
kindled； and even common…place persons became almost brilliant and
eloquent。
Stanton's was the only clouded face in her circle that evening； and
true to her instinct； she set about banishing his trouble； whatever
it might bean easy task with her power over him。
Since it daily became more evident to her that she must wound his
vanity； and perhaps his heart a little； she tried to make amends by
showing him such public consideration as might rob his disappointment
of humiliation and bitterness。
Stanton； therefore； soon forgot Ida's desperate face； and was
enjoying himself at his best。
Yet Ida's face but faintly revealed her heart。 It seemed that the
end had now come in very truth； and she was conscious chiefly of
a wild impulse to escape from her shame and suffering。 There was
also a bitter sense of wrong and a wish to retaliate。
〃I'll teach them all a lesson；〃 she muttered； as she paced her room
swiftly to and fro。 〃This proud artist thinks he can look at me as
if I were empty air； that he can forget me as he has the rose…bud
he tossed away。 I will insure that he looks at me once with
a face as white as mine will then be； and that he remembers me to
his dying day。〃
After becoming more calm； and as if acting under a sudden impulse；
she hastily made a simple but singular toilet。
When completed； her mirror reflected a plain； close…fitting； black
gown； which left her neck and arms bare。 Around her white throat
she placed a black velvet band； and joined it by a small jet poniard
studded with diamonds。 Her sunny hair was wound into a severely
simple coil； and also fastened with a larger poniard； from the haft
and guard of which glistened diamonds of peculiar brilliancy。 She
took off all her rings； and wore no other ornaments。 Then taking
from her table a book； bearing conspicuously as its title the word
〃Misjudged；〃 she went down to the parlor。
She paused a moment on the threshold before she was noticed。 Her
mother was eagerly gossiping with two or three fashionable
women about a scandal that she hoped might cause her own family's
short…comings to be forgotten in part。 Miss Burton was telling a
story in her own inimitable style； and ripples of smiles and laughter
eddied from her constantly。 Stanton's and Van Berg's faces were
aglow with pleasure； and it was plain the speaker absorbed all
their thoughts。
〃In the same way he will forget me； after I am dead；〃 said the
unhappy girl to herself； and the thought sent a colder chill to
her heart； and a deeper pallor to her face。
Her gaze seemed to draw his； for he looked up suddenly。 On
recognizing her his first impulse was to coldly avert his eyes；
but in a second her unusual appearance riveted his attention。 She
saw the impulse； however； and would not look towards him again。 She
entered as quietly and as unexpectedly as a ghost； and the people
seemed as much surprised and perplexed as if she were a ghost。
She took a seat somewhat apart from all others； and apparently
commenced reading。 She was not so far away but that Van Berg could
decipher the title； 〃Misjudged；〃 and having made out the significant
word； its letters grew luminous like the diamonds in her hair。
Never before had he been so impressed by her beauty； and yet there
was an element in it which made him shiver with a dread he could
not explain to himself。 He was surprised and shocked to find how
pale and wan her face had become； but in every severe marble curve
of her features he saw the word； 〃Misjudged。〃 He could scarcely
recognize her as the blooming girl that he had first seen in the
concert garden。 Suffering； trouble of mind； was evidently the dark
magician that was thus transforming her； but why did she suffer so
deeply？ As she sat there before him； not only his deeper instincts；
but his reason refused almost indignantly to associate her any
longer with Sibley。 There was a time when she seemed akin to him；
but now she suggested deep trouble； despair； death even； rather
than a gross 〃bon vivant。〃 Was she ill！ Yes； evidently； but he
doubted if her malady had physical causes。
〃What a very strange toilet she has made！〃 he thought； 〃simple and
plain to the last degree； and yet singularly effective and striking。
Her fingers were once loaded with rings； but she has taken them all
off； and now her hands are as perfect as her features。 She does
not wear a single ornament； save those ominous poniards。 Does she
mean to signify by these that she is wounded； or that she proposes
to inflict wounds？ Ye gods！ how strangely； terribly； exasperatingly
beautiful she is！ I have certainly both misjudged and misunderstood
her。〃
These thoughts passed through his mind as he stole an occasional
glance at their object； who sat with her profile towards him almost
in the line of his vision。 At the same time he was apparently
listening to a prosy and interminable story from one of the group
of which he was a member。 They had been telling anecdotes of travel；
and the last speaker's experience was； like his journey； long and
uninteresting。
Van Berg soon observed that many others besides himself were observing
Miss Mayhew。 She seemed to fascinate； perplex； and trouble all
who looked towards her。 The singular beauty and striking toilet
might account； in part； for the lingering glances； but not for the
perplexity and uneasiness they caused。 If Ida had been dead her
features could not have been more colorless； and they had a stern；
hard； desperate expression that was sadly out of harmony with what
should be the appearance of a happy young girl。
Her presence seemed to cause an increasing chill and restraint。
The healthful and normal minds of those about her grew vaguely
conscious of another mind that had been deeply moved； shaken to
its foundations； and so had become almost abnormal and dangerous
in its impulses。
There is a very general tendency both to observe and to shrink
from that which is unnatural； and if the departure from what is
customary is shown in unexpected and unusual mental action； the
stronger become the uneasiness and dread in those who witness it。
All who saw Ida recognized that she was not only unlike herself；
but unlike any one in an ordinary state of mind； and people who were
intimate looked at each other significantly； as if to ask〃What
is the matter with Miss Mayhew？ What is the matter with us all？〃
Were it not that the maiden occasionally turned a leaf； in order
to keep up the illusion that she was reading； she might have been
a statue； so motionless was her form； and so pallid her face。
But she felt that she was perplexing and troubling those who had
wounded her； and the consciousness gave secret satisfaction。 Her
pas