第7章 Ida Mayhew.(3)

"'N'importe'--there are plenty who can use not only civil words but complimentary ones.""Yes,and the mischief of it is that you will listen to them and to no others.What sort of muscle can one make who lives only on sugar-plums?""They agree with me better than the vinegar drops you and your unmannerly friend delight in.I don't believe he ever painted anything better than a wooden squaw for one of your beloved cigar-shops--welcome back Mr.Minty.You have been away an unconscionably long time.""Thanks for the compliment of being missed.I have tried to make amends by ordering a 'petit souper'for three,for I was sure your cousin would join us.It will be brought to one of yonder stalls,where,while we enjoy it,we can both see and hear."Surmising that the viands would consist of the choicest delicacies of the season,Stanton readily accepted the invitation,and it so happened that the cloth was laid for the party in the stall next to that in which Van Berg was quietly enjoying a cigar and a frugal glass of lager.They took their places quite unaware of his proximity,and he listened with considerable interest to the tones and words of the fair stranger who had so unexpectedly taken possession of his thoughts.Were it not for a slight shrillness and loudness at times,and the fashionable affectation of the day,her voice would have been sweet and girlish enough.As it was,it suggested an instrument tuned to a false key and consequently discordant with all true and womanly harmonies.Her conversation with young Minty was as insipid as himself,but occasionally Stanton's cynical banter evoked something like repartee and wit.

In the course of her talk she said:"By the way,Ik,mother and I start for the country next week.We are to spend the summer at the Lake House,which is up the Hudson somewhere--you know where better than I.If you will bring your bays and a light wagon I shall be very glad to see you there;otherwise I shall welcome you--well--as my cousin.""If I come I will surely bring my bays,and possibly may invite you to drive with me.""Oh,I will save you all trouble in that respect by inviting myself,when so inclined."The orchestra was now about to give a selection that Van Berg wished to hear to better advantage than he could in his present position;therefore,unobserved by the party on the other side of the thin partition,he returned to his old seat in the main hallway.Not very long after,Stanton,with his cousin and Mr.Minty,entered from the promenade,and again Van Berg received the same vivid impression of beauty,and,with many others,could not withdraw his eyes from the exquisite features that were slightly flushed with champagne and excitement.But,as before,this impression passed quickly,and the face again became as exasperating to the artist as the visage of the Venus of Milo would be should some vandal hand pencil upon it a leer or a smirk.A heavy frown was gathering upon his brow when the young lady,happening to turn suddenly,caught and fully recognized his lowering expression.It accorded only too well with her cousin's words in regard to Van Berg's estimate of herself,and greatly increased her resentment towards the one who had already wounded her vanity--the most vulnerable and sensitive trait in her character.The flush that deepened so suddenly upon her face was unmistakably that of anger.She promptly turned her back upon her critic,nor did she look towards him again until the close of the evening.That his words and manner rankled in her memory,however,was proved by a slightly preoccupied manner,followed by fits of gayety not altogether natural,and chiefly by the fact that she could not leave the place without a swift glance at the disturbing cause of her wonted self-approval.But Van Berg took pains to manifest his indifference by standing with his back towards her when she knew that he must be aware of her departure,from her slightly ostentatious leave-taking of her cousin,in which,of course,the spoiled beauty had no other object than to attract attention to herself.