Part 13 (1/2)
At this suggestion Ida laughed outright. ”The idea,” she said, ”of my cousin making a speech of any kind, or in any circ.u.mstances!”
”Now I think of it,” persisted the lady, ”Miss Burton and Mr. Van Berg sit at the same table, and he seems better acquainted with her than any of the gentlemen. He's the one to make the speech, only I do not feel that I know him well enough to ask him. Do you, Miss Mayhew?”
”Indeed I do not,” said the young lady, decisively; ”I am the last one in the house to ask any favors of Mr. Van Berg.”
”Well, then, Mr. Burleigh can explain everything and ask him.”
”Really now, Mrs. Chints”--for such was the lady's name--”I don't quite believe that Mr. Van Berg would approve of giving Miss Burton money in public, and before anything further is done I would like to ask his judgement. It all may be eminently proper, as you say, and I would not like to stand in the way of the young lady's receiving so handsome a present, and would not for the world if I thought it would be agreeable to her; but there is something about her that---”
”I have it,” interrupted the positive-minded lady, unheeding and scarcely hearing Mr. Burleigh's dubious circ.u.mlocution, and she put her finger to her forehead for a moment in an affected stage-like manner, as if her ideas of the ”eternal fitness of things” had been obtained from the sensational drama. ”I have it: the child himself shall hand her the gift from his own little hand, and you, Mr. Chints, can say all that need be said. It will be a pretty scene, a 'tableau vivant.' Mr. Chints, come with me before the young woman leaves her present favorable position near the parlor door. Mr. Burleigh, your scruples are sentimental and groundless.
Of course the young woman will be delighted to receive in one evening as much, and perhaps more, than her whole year's salary amounts to. Come, Mr. Chints, Mr. Burleigh, if you wish, you may group some of your friends near;” and away she rustled, sweeping the floor with her silken train.
Mr. Chints lumbered after her with a perplexed and martyr-like expression. He was a mighty man in Was.h.i.+ngton Market, but in a matter like this he was as helpless as a stranded whale. The gift of five hundred dollars did not trouble him in the least; he could soon make that up; but taking part in a ”tableau vivant” under the auspices of his dramatic wife was like being impaled.
”Well,” said Mr. Burleigh, shaking his head, ”I wash my hands of the whole matter. Five hundred dollars is a snug sum, but I doubt if that little woman takes it. I'm more afraid she'll be offended and hurt. What do you think, Miss Mayhew?”
”I've no opinion to offer, Mr. Burleigh. These people are all comparative strangers to me. Mrs. Chints is determined to have her own way, and nothing that you or I can say would make any difference. My rule is to let people alone, and if they get into sc.r.a.pes it sometimes does them good;” and she left him that she might witness the Chints' tableau.
”That's just the difference between you and Miss Burton,” muttered Mr. Burleigh, nodding his head significantly after her. ”She'd help a fellow out of a sc.r.a.pe and you'd help him into one. Well, if the old saying's true, 'Handsome is that handsome does,' the little school-teacher would be the girl for me were I looking for my mate.”
On her way to the entrance of the main parlor, Ida stopped a moment at an open window near the corner where Stanton and Van Berg were smoking.
”Cousin Ik,” she said, 'sotto voce.'
He rose and joined her.
”If you wish to see a rich scene, hover near the entrance of the main parlor.”
”What do you mean?”
”I've learned that Mr. and Mrs. Chints, and possibly your favorite new performer, Miss Burton, are going to act a little comedy together: come and see;” and she vanished.
”Van,” said Stanton in a vexed tone, ”there's some mischief on foot;”
and he mentioned what his cousin had said, adding: ”Can Ida have been putting that bra.s.sy Mrs. Chints up to some absurd performance that will hurt Miss Burton's feelings?”
They rose and sauntered down the piazza, Van Berg trying to imagine what was about to take place and how he could s.h.i.+eld the young lady from any annoyance.
She sat inside the entrance of the main parlor facing the open windows, and a little group had gathered around her, including the ladies who sat at her table, with whom she had already become a favorite. Ida had demurely entered by one of the open windows and was apparently reading a novel under one of the gas jets not far away. Groups of people were chatting near or were seated around card-tables; others were quietly promenading in the hall-ways and on the piazza. There was not an indication of any expected or unexpected ”scene.” Only Ida's conscious, observant expression and the absence of Mrs. Chints foreboded mischief.
”What enormity can that odious family be about to perpetrate?”
whispered Stanton.
”I cannot surmise,” answered Van Berg; ”something in reference to the rescue of her child, I suppose. I wish I could thwart them, for Miss Burton's position will place her full in the public eye, and I do not wish her to be the victim of their vulgarity.”
After a little further hesitation and thought he stepped in, and approaching Miss Burton, said:
”Pardon me for interrupting you, but I wish to show you something on the piazza that will interest you.”