登陆注册
15528800000053

第53章 New Forces Developing.(3)

"Confound you,Van,"said Stanton,as the artist escaped from the thanks of the audience into the hall,"What did you put in that last verse for?You made her think of seeing her dead friends again,and so she was in no mood to speak to us poor mortals who are still plodding on in this 'vale of tears.'I'd give my ears for a quiet chat with her to-night.By Jove,I never was so stirred up before,and could turn Christian,Mohammedan,Buddhist,or anything else,if she asked me to.""In either case,Ik,"said Van Berg,"your worship would be the same,I imagine,and would never rise higher than the priestess.""Curse it all,"exclaimed Stanton impetuously,"I feel to-night as if that were higher than I can ever rise.I never was afraid of a woman before;but no 'divinity'ever 'hedged a king'like that which fills me with an indescribable awe when I approach this unassuming little woman who usually seems no more formidable than a flickering sunbeam.I agree with you now.She has evidently had some deep experience in the past that gives to her character a power and depth that we only half understand.I wish I knew her better.""Good-night,"said Van Berg,a little abruptly;"I think that after this evening's experience,neither of us is in the mood for further talk."Stanton looked after him with a lowering brow and muttered:"Is he so sensitive on this subject?By Jove.I'm sorry!I fear we must become rivals,Van.And yet,"he added with a despairing gesture,"what chance would I have with him against me?""I could not hear distinctly,"Sibley had remarked as Ida took his arm and walked away from her post of observation."Were you disgusted with his pious wail on general principles,or did something in his theology offend you?""It's enough that I was not pleased,"she replied briefly.

"Little wonder.I'm surprised you stood it so long.Van Berg and Stanton are nice fellows to lead a conventicle.I think I'll take a hand at it myself next Sunday evening,and certainly would with your support.I'll say nothing of the singer,but if you will go with me to the rustic seat in yonder shady walk,I'll sing you a song that I know will be more to your taste than any you have heard this evening.""Please excuse me,Mr.Sibley;I'm afraid of the night air.""You are unusually prudent,"he said,a little tauntingly.

"Which proves that I possess at least one good quality,"she replied.

"Perhaps if Mr.Van Berg asked you to go you would take the risk.""Perhaps I might,"she admitted,half unconsciously and from the mere force of habit,giving the natural answer of a coquette.

"He had better not cross my path,"said Sibley,with sudden vindictiveness.

"Come,come!"replied Miss Mayhew,with a careless laugh,"let's have no high tragedy.I'm in no mood for it to-night,and you have no occasion for alarm.If he crosses your path he will step daintily over it at right angles."At that moment Van Berg came out on the piazza.Although he could not hear her words,her laugh and tones jarred unpleasantly on his ear.

"Yonder is a genuine affinity,"he muttered,"which I was a fool to think I could break up;"and with a slight contemptuous gesture he turned on his heel and went to his room.

"I cannot altogether understand you this evening,Miss Mayhew,"said Sibley,with some resentment in his tone.

"You are not to blame for that,Mr.Sibley,for I do not understand myself.I have not felt well to-day,and so had better say good-night."But before she could leave him he seized her hand and exclaimed,in his soft,insinuating tones:

"That then is the only trouble between us.Next Saturday evening I shall find you your old charming self?""Perhaps,"was her unsatisfactory answer.

With a step that grew slower and heavier every moment,she went to her room,turned up the light,and looked fixedly at herself in the glass,"I wish that outward beauty Were the mirror of the heart,"she repeated inaudibly,and the her exquisite lip curled in self-contempt.

"Ida,what IS the matter with you?"drawled her mother,looking through the open door-way of her adjacent room."You act as if you were demented.""Why did you make me what I am?"she exclaimed,turning upon her mother in a sudden passion.

"Good gracious!what are you?"ejaculated that matter-of-fact lady.

"I'm as good as you are--as good as our set averages,I suppose,"she answered in a weary,careless tone."Good night;"and she closed and locked her door.

"Oh,pshaw!"said Mrs.Mayhew,petulantly;"those hymns have made her out of sorts with herself and everything.They used to stir me up in the same way.Why can't people learn to perform their religious duties properly and then let the matter rest;"and with a yawn she retired at peace with herself and all the world.

Ida threw herself on a lounge and looked straight before her with that fixed,vacant stare which indicates that nothing is seen save by the eye of the mind.

"Father's drunk to-night,"she moaned;"I know it as surely as if I saw him.I also know that I'm in part to blame for it.Could outward beauty mask a blacker heart than mine?It does not mask it from him who sang those words,"and she buried her face in her hands and sobbed,until,exhausted and disheartened,she sough such poor rest and respite as a few hours of troubled sleep could bring.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 草木山河

    草木山河

    《草木山河》是2008年以来描写大自然的新作。写天空、大地、河流、冰雪、草木、花朵果实和动物昆虫,精微深邃、优美葱茏,令人无限怜爱。一册在手,心生清凉。《草木山河》中文字功力非凡,堪与普列什文、东山魁夷比美,透露“独与天地精神往来”的云水情怀。
  • 牺牲齿轮

    牺牲齿轮

    七主神,七行德,三良,三恶,一轮回卷一·牺牲卷轴
  • 灵牌妙使

    灵牌妙使

    一位看似普通的青年使者,一块福至心灵的奇妙灵牌,一本惊天动地的上古图谱,一段跌宕起伏不可思议的奇妙人生。一个现代青年勇闯异界,因缘际会之下,时而化身赌神,时而变身情圣,最终成就了古武大陆上的一段经典传奇。
  • 相恋99天:煜少的独宠娇妻

    相恋99天:煜少的独宠娇妻

    他们原本是一对相爱的恋人,但却因两家的思怨而分开。"我们俩个不会有结果的。"女人冷漠的说。"就因为两家上辈子人的恩怨吗?"男子不敢相信的说。"对,以后就当我们从不认识吧!"说完,女子头也不回的走了,眼里的泪水也不自觉的流了出来……两人的命运坎坎坷坷,最终能否在一起吗?我们
  • 幻圣术

    幻圣术

    古殿,楼阁,沙漠,残垣,蜃楼...一个从村镇焚灭中幸存下来的蝼蚁,无意间雕粉成一座城池(人品保障,火速入坑!!)
  • 最小说(2011年4月刊)

    最小说(2011年4月刊)

    1、长篇连载:笛安《南音》第三回,揭秘郑氏家族尘封旧事!自由鸟携《小祖宗》系列三部曲中第二部《小祖宗2.0》第二章强势登场!2、落落领衔,王小立、hansey书写专栏,笛安同时登上专栏“另存为”和ZUIGIRL,书写别样青春风采!3、第二届“文学之新”全国15强,迎来“5进1”闪电淘汰赛。完整刊登第三组李田、林壁炫、邢燕、罗浩森、颜东的参赛作品以及导师笛安、落落辛辣点评!4、前所未有的超大容量小说呈现,《最小说》旗下畅销作家及TN新秀悉数登场,痕痕、吴忠全、梁霄、?慧迪、包晓琳等将携手最世一线插画师协力开启2011春季图文饕餮!5、新锐视觉别册《ZUISilence》拉开你的回忆之门,讲述每个人童年里的旧物情结。尊敬的书友,本书选载最精华部分供您阅读。留足悬念,同样精彩!
  • 情迷小三:如果爱

    情迷小三:如果爱

    【原创作者社团『未央』出品】在这个纸醉金迷的世界中,‘小三’似乎已经成了正当职业,你情,我愿;你钱,我赚;我的青春我做主!我是小三,决不要爱情……但,如果爱已经来势汹汹的闯入生活中,那故事又将如何发展?敬请期待……
  • 如果岁月不深情

    如果岁月不深情

    当她看见他第一眼的时候,就知道自己终有一天会万劫不复!五年前,她是集万千宠爱于一身的富家千金,而他是高贵冷傲的落魄公子,他是她的备胎,她是他对于青春的执念。五年后,她是人人践踏,备受欺凌的小小设计师,而他是万众瞩目、权势滔天的黎城首富,她是他的情妇,他掌握她的生死。他给了她地位,给了她身份,给了她金钱,倾我一生,换你一世,薄冰焰爱宴倾心一万年。终有一天,她被他亲手毁掉,遗忘的记忆被他重新唤醒,他搂着今生所爱,笑容依旧温柔。不是谁玩过谁,而是我们都不懂爱,我爱过那么多人,迟迟没有爱过你。他冷心冷清,与她越走越远,终于连两人最后一丝羁绊也失去,她哭了。
  • 道与妖

    道与妖

    当今之世,正道大昌,邪魔逼退,天地妖灵更成为修道之士提升自身力量的牺牲之物。但凡妖灵现世,必受修真之士追杀,故此妖修渐少,几有绝迹之像。然而三大正道门派:灵隐寺深居深山,不问世事。龙洞,缥缈以“非我族类其心必异”为由,非但未曾阻止,更有推波助澜之事。故事就是从龙洞一派开始。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)