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that even an approach to a pleasant thought would have lighted them
up with a momentary gleam。 Miss Burton found her task a difficult
one。
〃She affected me as strangely；〃 she afterwards said to Van Berg；
〃as if a dead maiden were sitting at my side； who had still； by
some horrible mystery； the power of speech。〃
As for Van Berg； he had hitherto supposed that his quiet； well…bred
ease would be equal to every social emergency； but he now found
himself tongue…tied and embarrassed to the last degree。 He could
not speak to the woman whom he felt he had so deeply wronged in
his thoughts and manner； and who was also well aware of the fact。
He felt that he had no right to speak to her until he had first
asked and secured her forgiveness。 This could not be done in
public； and he greatly doubted whether she ever would pardon him。
As a chivalric man of honor； he was overwhelmed with a sense of
the insult he had unwittingly offered to the maiden opposite him；
who now appeared as if mortally wounded。 Beyond a few forced
remarks to Stanton and Miss Burton； he made a show of eating his
supper in silence。 But he longed to escape from his present ordeal；
and resolved to leave the table as soon as appearances permitted。
One thing in Ida's manner perplexed him greatly。 She now looked
at him as if he were an object； scrupling not to meet his eye with
her strange； unwavering gaze。 There was nothing of the haughty
indifference which she had manifested the evening before in her
occasional glances。 She rather looked as one who is trying to fix
an object in his memory that he may carry an accurate picture of
it away with him。
The thought crossed his mind more than once； 〃We have wakened our
Undine's sleeping mind with a vengeance； but have jostled it so
rudely that I fear the frail article is hopelessly shattered。〃
Miss Burton tried once more to make the conversation general； but
her effort ended rather disastrously。
〃Mr。 Van Berg；〃 she said； 〃I've been reading an essay this afternoon
in which the writer tries to prove that science has done more for
humanity than art and religion combined。 Now I suppose you would
be inclined to take the same ground in regard to art that I ought
in respect to religion。〃
Van Berg was about to reply； when his attention was caught by a
vivid gleam in the face of Ida； who looked up as if she wished to
speak。
〃I think Miss Mayhew has an opinion on this subject；〃 he said； with
a bow。
She looked steadily at him as she replied promptly； 〃I have a
decided opinion； though I base it on such poor and narrow grounds
as personal experience。 I think art is by far the most potent。
It has accomplished for me much more than science or religion ever
did； or could。〃
〃What has it done for you； Miss Mayhew？〃 he asked； dreading the
answer。
〃It has filled me with despair；〃 she replied with a glance and
tone which he never afterwards forgot。 Then； with the same cold；
quiet manner in which she had come； she left the table。
Van Berg turned very pale； for he at once understood her reference
to the emblematic rose…bud he had thrown away； and his remark； 〃Art
can tolerate no such imperfection。〃
Her words and manner hopelessly perplexed the others； but Van
Berg believed he had found light on the problem that had hitherto
baffled him； but so far from being reassured； he had never been at
such bitter odds with himself before。
He also soon after left the table； hoping to find an opportunity
to express his regret that he had been so harsh by prejudice； but
Miss Mayhew was not to be found。
〃Can it be；〃 he thought； as he strode off into the shrubbery； 〃that
I have been blind to the very effects that I hoped to cause？ Can
it be that she has been made to feel her imperfection so keenly；
and in such a way as to create only utter discouragement？ She
evidently understands the worm…eaten rose…bud I tossed away to be
the emblem of herself。 Oh； the curse of Phariseeismthe 'holier
than thou' business； whatever form it takes。 It has made an
egregious fool of me。〃
〃But her relations with Sibley； confound it all！ I can't understand
them。 Why did she associate with him so constantly； and then say；
'Congenial society； or none at all'？ Seems to me she ought to
have seen what he was before he showed his cloven feet so plainly。
Well； perhaps the most rational as well as charitable explanation
is that her eyes were opened to see him in his true colors； as
well as herself。 Had Titania's eyes been disenchanted when she was
fondling the immortal Weaver； she might have perished with disgust；
and it is scarcely strange that Miss Mayhew should be ill on finding
that she was infatuated with a man who was both ass and villain。
She evidently sees things now as they are； and since her vision has
become so good； I am very sorry I do not appear to better advantage。
People who stalk along through life with elevated noses； are not
pleasing or edifying spectacles。〃
His disquietude soon caused him to return to the hotel； in hopes
of seeing the object of his thoughts。
He had hardly reached the piazza before Ida appeared； dressed in a
plain walking suit。 She hesitated a moment in the door…way as if
undecided in her course。 A party of gay young people were just
starting on a stroll to a neighboring village。 With apparent
hesitancy； she said to one of the young girls：
〃I have an errand to the village； may I walk with you for company？〃
〃Oh； certainly；〃 replied the girl； but evidently not welcoming this
addition to their party； and Ida went away with them； but not as
one of them； isolated more； however； by her own manner than by the
bearing of her companions。
The explanation of her action was this： on opening her drawer after
returning to her room； she found； with a sense of dismayas if a
misfortune had occurred instead of an incident that gave a chance
for better thoughtthat in taking the opiate the night before；
she had replaced the cork in the phial insecurely； and that nearly
all its contents had oozed away。 Some might have regarded this
incident as an omen or a providential interference； but Ida was
neither superstitious nor speculative in her nature； she was positive
and willful； rather； and the current of her purposes always flowed
strongly； though it might be in narrow channels。
〃There is nothing left for me to do；〃 she muttered； 〃but go to the
village。 I don't know whether Mr。 Burleigh has laudanum； and my
asking for it might excite suspicion。〃
It was terrible to see her fair young face grow hard like marble
in her stern determination to carry out her awful design； and the
impress of this remorseless purpose filled Van Berg with so great
foreboding that he could not resist the impulse to follow the
desperate girl。 If harm should come to her through the harshness
of others； and as he now feared； more especially his own； he would
never forgive himself。
Mrs。 Mayhew and Stanton did not see her departurethey were in
anxious consultation in one of the small private parlors； and the
artist； to disarm suspicion of his design； entered the hotel； and
passed out again by a side door； from which he took a short…cut
across the field intending to watch Ida； without being himself
observed。
Having found some dense copse…wood by the road…side； and near to
the village； he sat down and waited。 The gay； chattering party
soon passed； Ida walking by herself on the opposite side of the
road； with head bowed as if wholly wrapped in her own thoughts。 Her
unhappy face appealed to his sympathy even more than her graceful
carriage to his sense of beauty； and he longed to join her and make
such amends as were possible。
He now followed at too great a distance for recognition in the
deepening twilight； and saw the young people enter a confectionery
shop； but observed； with increased uneasiness； that Miss Mayhew
parted from them and went to an adjacent drug…store。 She soon
joined the party again； however； and they all apparently started
homeward。
Van Berg at once determined to go to this drug…store and learn； if
possible； if there were anything to confirm the horrible suspicion
that crossed his mind。 He remembered that despair and desperate
deeds often went together； and the daily press had taught him how
many people； with warped and ungoverned moral natures； place their
troubles beyond remedy by the supreme folly of self…destruction。
By a considerable detour through a side street； he reached the
store unperceived； and found the druggist rather disquieted himself。
〃Are you staying at Burleigh's？〃 he asked。
〃I am；〃 Van Berg replied。
〃Do you know a young lady boarding there with large dark eyes and
auburn hair？〃
〃I do。〃
〃Is thereis there anything wrong about her？〃
〃Why should there be？ Why do you ask？〃
〃She has just been