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be made； and then better and more wholesome feelings resumed their
sway。 Perverted； misguided； and uncounselled as she was； she was
too young； too near the mother heart of nature； not to react from
the false and the evil towards the simple and the true。
She threw herself upon her couch。 〃Oh； that I might live and be
happy！〃 she sobbed。 〃If in the place of the bitter frost of his
words and manner he would give me but one ray of kindness； I would
try to bloom； even though but a poor worm…eaten bud。〃
Frowns blight far more flowers than October nights。
Chapter XXXIII。 〃Hope dies Hard。〃
When alone with his friend after supper； Stanton broke out； 〃Since
Ida can't exist without the sight of that wretch； Sibley； I wish
she would follow him to New York。 If she dotes on such scum； they
had better be married； as far as such people can be； and so relieve
her relatives of an incubus that is well…nigh intolerable。〃
〃Are you absolutely sure that she does dote on Sibley； and that
he is the cause of her evident trouble？〃 asked Van Berg； with a
perplexed frown lowering on his brow。
〃I'm not sure of anything concerning her save that she was born to
make trouble。 I know she was with him all the time he was here；
and since he was metaphorically kicked off the premises she has
sulked in her room。 I suppose； of course； that she is mortified；
and hates to meet people。 Indeed； from a remark she made； some
one must have snubbed her vigorously to…day； but her course makes
everything a hundredfold worse。 I am besmirched because of my
relationship。 I can see this in the bearing of more than one； and
even Miss Burton； who could not be consciously unkind to any one；
keeps me at a distance by barriers； which； although seemingly
viewless； are so real I cannot pass them。〃
Van Berg surmised that the evasive tact which Miss Burton exercised
towards his friend was not caused by his relationship to Ida； and
yet was compelled to admit that her frank and friendly bearing
towards himself was scarcely less dispiriting。 Her manner； as a
rule； was so plainly that of a friend only； that were it not for
occasional and furtive glances which he intercepted； he would deem
his prospects little better than Stanton's； in spite of all that
had passed between them。 Even in these stolen； questioning； longing
glances； there was an element that trouble and perplexed him； and
the strange thought crossed his mind that when she looked most
intently she did not see Harold Van Berg； but an intervening vision。
Her mystery； however； rendered her only the more attractive； and
she seemed like a good angel that had come from an unknown world
concerning which she could not speak； and perhaps he could not
understand。
Her society was like a delicate wine； delightfully exhilarating
while enjoyed； but whose effect is transient。 He was provoked at
himself to find how well he endured her absence； and how content
he was with the genuine friendship she was evidently forming for
him。 Sometimes he even longed for more of the absorbing passion
which he saw had wholly mastered Stanton； but tried to satisfy
himself by reasoning that his love was in accordance with his nature；
which was calm and constant； rather than impulsive and passionate。
〃All the higher faculties of my soul are her allies；〃 he thought；
complacently。 〃I admire honor； and even reverence her。 She could
walk through life as my companion； my equal； and in many respects；
my superior；〃 and so with all the delicate and unobtrusive tact of
which he was the master he proposed to press his suit。
Since Jennie Burton had plainly intimated that； like King Lear；
she had lost her woman's kingdomher heartand so was not able
to reward such suit and service； how came it she kept poor Stanton
at a distance； but welcomed the society of Van Berg？ Possibly her
intuition recognized the fact that in the case of Stanton she had
touched the heart； but had won the mind of the artist。 The first
seemed disposed to give all and to demand all。 Stanton's all
did not count for very much thus far in her estimation。 She had
recognized the character he had brought to the Lake Housethat of
a pleasure…loving man of the worldand she was far too modest to
suppose that she could work any material change in this character。
Self…indulgent by nature； she believed that he had proposed to
enjoy a summer flirtation with one whom he would easily forget in
the autumn； and； while this impression lasted； she punished him by
requiring that he should be the chivalric attendant of every forlorn
female in the house。 When she believed； however； that such heart
as he possessed was truly interested； she became as unapproachable
as the afternoon horizon； whose rich glow is seemingly near； but
can never be reached。 While she recognized the genuineness of
his passion； she did not； as before intimated； regard it as a very
serious affair。
〃Good dinners and fairer faces than mine will comfort him before
Christmas；〃 she thought。
Few know themselvestheir own capabilities of joy； suffering； or
achievement。 As with Ida； Stanton was at a loss to understand the
changes in his own character。 It was quite possible； therefore；
that Miss Burton should misunderstand him。 Indeed he had； as yet；
but little place in her sad and preoccupied thoughts。
For some reason； however； Van Berg's society had for her a peculiar
fascination that she could not resist。 She scarcely knew whether
she derived from it more of pleasure than of pain。 She often asked
herself this question：
〃Which were better for a traveller in the desertto see a mirage；
or the sands only in all their barren reality？〃
Her judgment said； the latter； but when the elusive mirage appeared；
she looked often with a longing wistfulness that might well suggest
a pilgrim that was athirst and famishing。
In spite of her quickness； Van Berg occasionally caught something
of this expression； and while he drew encouragement from it； he
was too free from vanity and too acute an observer to conclude that
all would result as he hoped。 The unwelcome thought would come
that he was only the occasion and not the cause； of these furtive
glances。 Was her heart already wedded to a memory； and was she
interested in him chiefly because for some reason he gave vividness
and reality to that memory？ If this were true； what more had he to
hope for than Stanton？ If this were true； was he not in a certain
sense pursuing a shadow？ Woud success be success？ Would he wish
to clasp； as his wife； a woman whose heart had been buried in a
sepulchre from which the stone might never be rolled away？
His first impression； that Miss Burton had passed through
some experience； some ordeal of suffering that separated her from
ordinary humanity； often reasserted itself more strongly than ever。
At times her flame…like spirit would flash up with a glow and
brilliancy that lighted and warmed his very soul； but the feeling
began to grow upon him that this genial fire consumed the costliest
of all offeringsself。 Did not her own broken heart and shattered
hopes supply the fuel？ Instead of brooding apart over some misfortune
that would have crushed most natures； was she not seeking to make
her life an altar on which she laid as a gift to others the best
treasures of her woman's soul？
The more closely he studied her character； and the controlling
impulses of her life； the more sincere became his admiration；
and the deeper his reverence。 He felt with truth that she WAS of
different and finer clay from himself。
So strong was this impression； that the thought occurred to him that
in this and kindred reasons might be found the explanation of the
peculiar regard he felt for her。 He had virtually offered himself；
and would again if he could find the opportunity。 If he were sure
the he would win her； he would exult as one might who had secured
the revenue of a kingdom； the purest and largest gem in the world； or
some other possession that was unique and priceless。 The whole of
his strong intellectual nature would be jubilant over the great
success of his life。 He was also conscious that some of the
deepest feelings of his soul were interested。 She was becoming
like a religion to him； and he imagined that his regard for her
was somewhat akin to that of a devout Catholic for a patron saint。
And yet he was compelled to admit to himself that he did not
lover her as he supposed he would love the woman he hoped to make
his wife。 Why was his heart so tranquil and his pulse so steady？
Certainly not because of assured success。 Why did his regard differ
so radically from Stanton's consuming passion？ Should Stanton
win her he felt that he could still seek her society and enjoy her
friendship。 The prospect of never winning her himself did not rob
life of its zest and color。