Mr. Van berg has begun
calling me names."
"I shall follow his example by calling you my good fairy. Mr. Van
Berg, I have been in paradise all the week."
"I shall not join this mutual admiration society, and I insist that
you two gentlemen talk in a sensible way."
But Van Berg seemed to find it difficult to come down to
a matter-of-fact conversation with Mr. Mayhew, and soon after took
his leave. Before going he tried to induce Ida to come to the
studio again, but she declined, saying:
"Mother has entrusted to me several commissions, and I must attend
to them to-morrow morning. As it is, my conscience troubles me
very much that I have left her alone all the week, and I shall try
to make all the amends I can by getting what she wishes."
"Oh! your terrible conscience!" he said.
"Yes, it has been scolding me all day for wasting so much of your
time. Now don't burden yours with any denials. Good-night."
He turned eagerly to protest against her words, but she was retreating
rapidly; she gave him a smile over her shoulder, however, that was
at once full of mirth and something more--something that he could
not explain or grasp any more than he could the soft, silvery light
of the moon that filled the sky, and was as real as it was intangible.
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