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〃He can never hope for anything from me。〃
〃Poor； hopeless wretch！〃 groaned Stanton。 〃How can he sip his tea
yonder so complacently oblivious of his doom？〃
〃Mother； I'm in earnest；〃 resumed the daughter。 〃I have reasons
for disliking that man； and I do not wish the annoyance of his
acquaintance。〃
〃Well； well；〃 said Mrs。 Mayhew； 〃as long as the wind blows from
that cool quarter； we can keep cool till it changes。 If I mistake
not； he is the same gentleman who met us in the corridor。 I'm sure
he has fine manners。〃
〃If it is fine manners in a man to nearly run over two ladies； he
is perfect。 But I am sick of hearing about him； and especially
of seeing him。 I insist； Ik； that you have our table changed to
yonder corner； and then arrange it so that I can sit with my back
towards him。〃
〃I am your Caliban； but would hint； my amiable Coz； that you should
not bite off your own pretty nose in spite。 Must all your kin join
in this bitter feud？ May I not smoke with my ancient familiar？〃
〃Oh； be off； and if you and your friend disappear like your cigars；
the world will survive。〃
〃I fear it is because my friend will never dissolve in sighs that
you are so willing he should end in smoke。〃
Having winged this Parthian arrow over his shoulder； Stanton strolled
out on the piazza whither Van Berg had preceded him。
Chapter V。 Spite。
Miss Mayhew apparently had not given a single glance to the artist；
as he sat opposite to her and but a little out of earshot。 Indeed；
so well did she simulate unconsciousness of his presence； that
were if not for an occasional glance from Mrs。 Mayhew he might have
thought himself unnoticed； but something in that lady's manner； as
caught by occasional glances； led him to suspect that he was the
subject of their conversation。
But Ida's indifference was； in truth； only seeming； for although
she never looked directly at him； she subjected his image； which
was constantly flitting across the retina of her eye； to the closest
scrutiny； and no act or expression of his escaped her。 She was
piqued by the fact that he showed no disturbed consciousness of her
presence； and that his glance was occasionally as free and natural
towards her as towards any other guest of the house。 His bearing
annoyed her excessively； for it seemed an easy and quiet assertion
of indifference and superioritytwo manifestations that were to
her as objectionable as unusual。 Neither in looks nor manner did
she appear very agreeable during the brief time she spent in the
public parlors。 The guests of the house； even to the ladies who
foresaw an eclipse of their own charms； were compelled to admit
that she was very pretty； but it was a general remark that her face
did not make or leave a pleasant impression。
Van Berg surmised that Stanton's disposition to teaze and banter
would lead him to repeat and； perhaps； distort； anything he might
say concerning the young lady； so he made no reference whatever
to the Mayhews； but took pains to give the impression that he was
deeply interested in the scenery。
〃I shall probably be off with my sketch…book before you are up；〃 he
said； 〃for if I remember correctly； you are up with the lark only
when you have been up over…night。〃
〃You are the greater sinner of the two；〃 yawned Stanton； 〃for if I
occasionally keep unseasonable hours at night； you do so habitually
in the morning。 Either you are not as brilliant as usual this
evening； or else the country air makes me drowsy。 Good…night。 We
will take a ride to…morrow； and you can sketch five miles of fence
if you find that you cannot resist your mania for work。〃
Perhaps Stanton HAD found his friend slightly preoccupied； for； in
spite of the constraint he had put upon himself to appear as usual；
this second and closer view of the face which had taken so strong
a hold upon his fancy did not dissipate his first impressions。
Indeed； they were deepened rather； for he saw again and more clearly
the same marvellous capabilities in the features； and also their
exasperating failure to make a beautiful face。
He dreamed over his project some little time after his friend had
retired； and the conclusion of his revery was：
〃I must soon make some progress in my experiment or else decamp； for
that girl's contradictory face is a constant incentive to profanity。〃
After seeing Mrs。 Mayhew； however； he felt that justice required
him to admit that the daughter was a natural and logical sequence；
and in the mother he saw an element more hopelessly inartistic and
disheartening than anything in the girl herself； for even if the
latter could be changed； would not the shadow of the stout and
dressy mother ever fall athwart the picture？
Van Berg retired with the feeling that his project of illuminating
a face by awakening a mind that； as yet； had slept； did not promise
very brilliantly。
Miss Mayhew tried to persuade herself that it was a relief not to
see the critical artist at breakfast； nor to meet him as she strolled
from the parlors to the piazza and thence to the croquet…ground；
where she listlessly declined to take part in a game。
There was； in truth； great need that her mind should be awakened
and her whole nature radically changed； if it were a possible
thing；a need shown by the fact the fair June morning； with its
fragrance and beauty； could not light up her face with its own
freshness and gladness。 The various notes of the birds were only
sounds； the landscape； seen for the first time； was like the map
of Switzerland； that； in the days of her geography lessons； gave
her as vivid an idea of the country as a dry sermon does of heaven。
Although her ears and eyes were so pretty； she was； in the deepest
and truest sense of the word； deaf and blind。 The lack of some
petty and congenial excitement made time hang heavily on her hands
and clouded her face with 'ennui。'〃
Even her cousin had failed her； for he was down at the stables；
making arrangements for the care of his bays and his carriage。 Thus
from very idleness she fell to nursing her small spite against the
man whose voice had made such harsh discord with the honeyed chorus
of flattery to which she was accustomed。 She wished that he would
appear； and that in some way she might show how little she cared
for him or his opinion； but as he did not； she at last lounged to
her room and sought to kill a few hours with a novel。
Her wounded pride； however； induced her to dress quite elaborately
for dinner； for she had faith in no better way of asserting her
personality than that afforded by the toilet。 She would teach him；
by the admiration she excited in others； how mistaken he had been
in his estimate； and her vanity whispered that even he could not
look upon her beauty for any length of time without being won by
it as so many others had been。
The change of seats having been effected； she scarcely thought it
necessary to turn her back upon him while sitting at such a dim
distance。 Indeed she was inclined to regret the change； for now
her toilet and little airs； which she imagined to be so pretty；
would be lost upon him。
It would seem that they were； for Van Berg ate his dinner as quietly；
and chatted as unconcernedly to those about him as if she had no
existence。 Never had a man ignored her so completely before； and
she felt that she could never forgive him。
After the event of the day was over； and the guests were circling
and eddying through the halls and parlors and out on the piazza；
Ida still had the annoyance of observing that Van Berg was utterly
oblivious of her as far as she could perceive。 He spoke here and
there with the ease and freedom of one familiar with society； and
she saw more eyes following his tall form approvingly than were
turned towards herself。 Few gentlemen remained at the house during
the week； and Miss Mayhew was not a favorite with her own sex。
Those who most closely resembled her in character envied rather
than admired her； and those who were better endowed and developed
found fault even with her beauty from a moral point of view； as
Van Berg had on artistic grounds。 She consoled herself； however；
with the thought that it was Saturday； and that the evening boat
and trains would bring a number of gentlemen； among whom she told
Stanton； exultantly； that she had 〃some friends〃moths rather
whose wings were in danger of being singed。
As the afternoon was not sultry； Stanton had said to his friend
that they could enjoy their cigars and a ride at the same time； and
that he would drive around for him in a few minutes。 Ida overheard
the remark； and； quietly slipping off to her room； returned with
her hat and shawl。 As her cousin approached she hastened down the
steps； past Van Berg； exclaiming：
〃Oh； thank you； Ik！ How good of you！ I was dying for a ride。