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！
a step towards him。
Van Berg made a gesture of contempt toward the speaker as he turned
and said：
〃You understand me； Stanton； it is not from any lack of loyalty
toward you as my friend； but I would not be worthy of your friendship
were I false to my sense of duty and honor。〃
〃You are both white…livered cowards；〃 roared Sibley。 〃One sneaks
off under cover of the dayI never saw a fellow taken with a
pious fit so suddenly before。 The other； in order to keep his skin
whole； prates of his dread lest his principles be punctured。 the
devil take you both for a brace of champion sneaks；〃 and he
turned on his heel and was about to stalk away with a grand air of
superiority； when Van Berg said； emphatically：
〃Wait a moment； I'm not through with you yet。 I give you but a brief
half…hour to complete your arrangements for leaving the hotel。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 said Sibley； turning fiercely upon him。
〃I mean； sir； that your presence in that house is an insult to
every lady in it； which I； as a gentleman； shall no longer permit。
Curse you； had you no mother that you could thus insult all good
women by the remark you made a few moments since？〃
Half beside himself with rage； Sibley drew a pistol； but before he
could aim correctly one of his companions struck up his hand and
the bullet whizzed harmlessly over Van Berg's head。
There was a faint scream from the house； which indicated that the
scene had been witnessed by some lady there。
The intense passion of the artist； which manifested itself
characteristically； held him unflinching to his purpose。
〃So you can be a murderer also？〃 he said； scornfully。 〃It would
almost compensate a man for being SHOT； if； as a result； you could
be HUNG。〃
Sibley's companions speedily disarmed him； strongly remonstrating
in the meantime。 He； in sudden revulsion； began to realize what
he had attempted； and his flushed face became very pale。
〃Let them leave me alone；〃 he growled sullenly； 〃and I'll leave
them alone。〃
〃For Heaven's sake； Mr。 Van Berg；〃 cried Sibley's companions； 〃let
the matter end here； lest worse come of it。〃
In the same steely； relentless tones； which made very word seem
like a bullet； Van Berg took out his watch； and said：
〃It is now four o'clock； sir。 After half…past four； you must not
show your libertine's face in that house again； while there's a
lady in it that I respect。〃
〃Burleigh is proprietor of that house；〃 replied Sibley； doggedly；
〃and I'll stay up the entire week； just to spite you。〃
〃Let us go to Burleigh； then；〃 said the artist； promptly。 〃We will
settle this question at once。〃
Sibley readily agreed to this appeal to his host； fully believing
that he would try to smooth over matters and assure Van Berg that
he could not turn away a wealthy and profitable guest； and so；
without further parley； they all repaired to Mr。 Burleigh's private
office； arousing that gentleman from an afternoon nap to a state
of mind that effectually banished drowsiness for the remainder of
the day。
〃Mr。 Burleigh；〃 began Sibley； indignantly； 〃this fellow； Van Berg；
has the impudence to say that I must leave this house within half
an hour。 I wish you to inform him that YOU are the proprietor of
this establishment。〃
〃Humph；〃 remarked Mr。 Burleigh； phlegmatically； 〃that is your side
of the story。 Now； Mr。 Van Berg； let us have yours。〃
〃Mr。 Burleigh；〃 said Van Berg； in tones that straightened up
the languid host in his easy chair； 〃would you permit a known and
recognized disreputable woman to be flaunting about this hotel？〃
〃You know me better than to ask such a question；〃 said the landlord；
the color of his ruddy cheeks suddenly deepening。
〃Well； sir； I claim that a man who bears precisely the same character
is no more to be tolerated； and I have learned to respect you as
one whom no consideration could induce to permit the presence of
a human beast； whose every thought of woman is an insult。〃
〃It's all an infernal lie；〃 began Sibley。 〃I only made a slight；
half…jesting allusion to that prudish little school…ma'am that
these fellows are so cracked over； and they have gone on like mad
bulls ever since。〃
Mr。 Burleigh started to his feet with a tremendous oath。
〃You made an 'allusion；' as you term it； to Miss Burton； eh！the
young lady who was put under my charge； and who comes from one of
the best families in New England。 I know what kind of allusions
fellows of your kidney make；〃 and the incensed host struck his bell
sharply。
〃Send the porter here instantly；〃 he said to the boy who answered。
〃What do you mean to do？〃 asked Sibley； turning pale。
〃I mean to put you out of my house within the next ten minutes；〃
said Mr。 Burleigh； emphatically。 〃You might as well have made an
allusion to my wife as to Miss Burton； and let me tell you that
if you wag your wanton tongue again； I'll have my colored waiters
whip you off the premises。〃
〃But where shall I go？〃 whined Sibley； now thoroughly cowed。
〃Go to the nearest kennel or sty you can find。 Either place would
be more appropriate for you than my house。 Mr。 Van Berg and Mr。
Stanton； I think you for your conduct in this affair。 You are
correct in supposing that I wish to entertain only gentlemen and
ladies。〃
Sibley now began to bluster about law and vengeance。
〃Be still； sir；〃 thundered Mr。 Burleigh。 〃One of the carriages
will take you to the depot or landing as you choose。 After that；
trouble me or mine again at your peril。 Now； be off。 No； I'll not
take any of your dirty money； and if these friends of yours wish
to go with you； they are welcome to do so。〃
〃We are only acquaintances of Mr。 Sibley's；〃 chorused his late
companions； 〃and came in merely to see fair play。〃
〃Well； you haven't seen 'fair play；'〃 growled Mr。 Burleigh。 〃I've
treated the fellow much better than he deserves。〃
Before Sibley could realize it； a carriage whirled him and his
baggage away。 His reckless anger having evaporated； the base and
cowardly instincts of his nature resumed their sway； and he was glad
to slink off to New York； thus escaping further danger and trouble。
Chapter XXIX。 Evil Lives Cast Dark Shadows。
Changes in the world without often make sad havoc in our content
and happiness。 Loss of fortune and friends； removal to new scenes；
death and disaster； sometimes so alter the outlook that we have
to ask ourselves： Is this the same earth in which we have dwelt
hitherto？ But the changes that can most blast and blacken； or； on
the other hand； glorify the world about us； are those which take
place within our souls。
Such a radical change had apparently taken place in Ida Mayhew's
world。 She was bewildered with her trouble； and could not understand
the dreary outlook。 She had come to the Lake House but a few weeks
before； a vain； light…hearted maiden； looking upon life with laughing
and thoughtless glances； and having no more definite purposes than
the butterfly that flits from flower to flower； caring not which
are harmless and which poisonous； so that they yield a momentary
sweetness。
But now； for causes utterly unforeseen and half…inexplicable； all
flowers had withered； and the old pleasures once so exhilarating
were a weariness even in thought。 Her world； once a pleasure
garden； had been transformed into a path so thorny and flinty that
every step brought new bruises and lacerations； and it led away
among shadows so cold and dark； that she shivered at the thought
of her prospective life。
Her heart had so suddenly and thoroughly betrayed her； that she
was overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness and perplexity。 The
spoiled and flattered girl had always been accustomed to have her
own way。 Self…gratification had been the rule and habit of her
life。 If Van Berg had only admired and complimented her； if he
had joined the honeyed chorus of flattery that had waited on her
sensuous beauty； his voice would probably have been unheeded and
lost among many others。 But his sharp demand for something more
than a face and form had awakened her； and to her dismay she learned
that her real and lasting self was as dwarfed and deformed as her
transient and outward self was perfect。
The artist seemed to her princely； regal even； in his strong
cultivated manhood； his lofty calling and ambition； and his high
social rank。 As for herself； it now appeared that her beauty；
whose spell she had thought no man could resist； had lured him to
her side only long enough to discover what she was and who she was；
and then he had turned away in disgust。
From their first moment of meeting； she felt that she had been
peculiarly unfortunate in the impressions she had made upon him。
Her attendant at the concert…garden had been a fool； and now he
was associating her with a man w