their silver wedding journey v2-第1部分

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Their　Silver　Wedding　Journey　V2

by　William　Dean　Howells






PART　II。




XXVI。

They　found　Burnamy　expecting　them　at　the　station　in　Carlsbad；　and　she
scolded　him　like　a　mother　for　taking　the　trouble　to　meet　them；　while　she
kept　back　for　the　present　any　sign　of　knowing　that　he　had　staid　over　a
day　with　the　Triscoes　in　Leipsic。　　He　was　as　affectionately　glad　to　see
her　and　her　husband　as　she　could　have　wished；　but　she　would　have　liked　it
better　if　he　had　owned　up　at　once　about　Leipsic。　　He　did　not；　and　it
seemed　to　her　that　he　was　holding　her　at　arm's…length　in　his　answers
about　his　employer。　　He　would　not　say　how　he　liked　his　work；　or　how　he
liked　Mr。　Stoller；　he　merely　said　that　they　were　at　Pupp's　together；　and
that　he　had　got　in　a　good　day's　work　already；　and　since　he　would　say　no
more；　she　contented　herself　with　that。

The　long　drive　from　the　station　to　the　hotel　was　by　streets　that　wound
down　the　hill…side　like　those　of　an　Italian　mountain　town；　between　gay
stuccoed　houses；　of　Southern　rather　than　of　Northern　architecture；　and
the　impression　of　a　Latin　country　was　heightened　at　a　turn　of　the　road
which　brought　into　view　a　colossal　crucifix　planted　against　a　curtain　of
dark　green　foliage　on　the　brow　of　one　of　the　wooded　heights　that
surrounded　Carlsbad。　　When　they　reached　the　level　of　the　Tepl；　the　hill…
fed　torrent　that　brawls　through　the　little　city　under　pretty　bridges
within　walls　of　solid　masonry；　they　found　themselves　in　almost　the　only
vehicle　on　a　brilliant　promenade　thronged　with　a　cosmopolitan　world。
Germans　in　every　manner　of　misfit；　Polish　Jews　in　long　black　gabardines；
with　tight　corkscrew　curls　on　their　temples　under　their　black　velvet
derbys；　Austrian　officers　in　tight　corsets；　Greek　priests　in　flowing
robes　and　brimless　high　hats；　Russians　in　caftans　and　Cossacks　in
Astrakhan　caps；　accented　the　more　homogeneous　masses　of　western
Europeans；　in　which　it　would　have　been　hard　to　say　which　were　English；
French　or　Italians。　　Among　the　vividly　dressed　ladies；　some　were
imaginably　Parisian　from　their　chic　costumes；　but　they　might　easily　have
been　Hungarians　or　Levantines　of　taste；　some　Americans；　who　might　have
passed　unknown　in　the　perfection　of　their　dress；　gave　their　nationality
away　in　the　flat　wooden　tones　of　their　voices；　which　made　themselves
heard　above　the　low　hum　of　talk　and　the　whisper　of　the　innumerable　feet。

The　omnibus　worked　its　way　at　a　slow　walk　among　the　promenaders　going　and
coming　between　the　rows　of　pollard　locusts　on　one　side　and　the　bright
walls　of　the　houses　on　the　other。　　Under　the　trees　were　tables；　served　by
pretty　bareheaded　girls　who　ran　to　and　from　the　restaurants　across　the
way。　　On　both　sides　flashed　and　glittered　the　little　shops　full　of
silver；　glass；　jewelry；　terracotta　figurines；　wood…carvings；　and　all　the
idle　frippery　of　watering…place　traffic：　they　suggested　Paris；　and　they
suggested　Saratoga；　and　then　they　were　of　Carlsbad　and　of　no　place　else
in　the　world；　as　the　crowd　which　might　have　been　that　of　other　cities　at
certain　moments　could　only　have　been　of　Carlsbad　in　its　habitual　effect。

〃Do　you　like　it？〃　asked　Burnamy；　as　if　he　owned　the　place；　and　Mrs。　March
saw　how　simple…hearted　he　was　in　his　reticence；　after　all。　　She　was　ready
to　bless　him　when　they　reached　the　hotel　and　found　that　his　interest　had
got　them　the　only　rooms　left　in　the　house。　　This　satisfied　in　her　the
passion　for　size　which　is　at　the　bottom　of　every　American　heart；　and
which　perhaps　above　all　else　marks　us　the　youngest　of　the　peoples。
We　pride　ourselves　on　the　bigness　of　our　own　things；　but　we　are　not
ungenerous；　and　when　we　go　to　Europe　and　find　things　bigger　than　ours；　we
are　magnanimously　happy　in　them。　　Pupp's；　in　its　altogether　different
way；　was　larger　than　any　hotel　at　Saratoga　or　at　Niagara；　and　when
Burnamy　told　her　that　it　sometimes　fed　fifteen　thousand　people　a　day　in
the　height　of　the　season；　she　was　personally　proud　of　it。

She　waited　with　him　in　the　rotunda　of　the　hotel；　while　the　secretary　led
March　off　to　look　at　the　rooms　reserved　for　them；　and　Burnamy　hospitably
turned　the　revolving　octagonal　case　in　the　centre　of　the　rotunda　where
the　names　of　the　guests　were　put　up。　　They　were　of　all　nations；　but　there
were　so　many　New　Yorkers　whose　names　ended　in　berg；　and　thal；　and　stern；
and　baum　that　she　seemed　to　be　gazing　upon　a　cyclorama　of　the　signs　on
Broadway。　　A　large　man　of　unmistakable　American　make；　but　with　so　little
that　was　of　New　England　or　New　York　in　his　presence　that　she　might　not　at
once　have　thought　him　American；　lounged　toward　them　with　a　quill
toothpick　in　the　corner　of　his　mouth。　　He　had　a　jealous　blue　eye；　into
which　he　seemed　trying　to　put　a　friendly　light；　his　straight　mouth
stretched　into　an　involuntary　smile　above　his　tawny　chin…beard；　and　he
wore　his　soft　hat　so　far　back　from　his　high　forehead　（it　showed　to　the
crown　when　he　took　his　hat　off）　that　he　had　the　effect　of　being
uncovered。

At　his　approach　Burnamy　turned；　and　with　a　flush　said：　〃Oh！　Let　me
introduce　Mr。　Stoller；　Mrs。　March。〃

Stoller　took　his　toothpick　out　of　his　mouth　and　bowed；　then　he　seemed　to
remember；　and　took　off　his　hat。　　〃You　see　Jews　enough；　here　to　make　you
feel　at　home？〃　he　asked；　and　he　added：　〃Well；　we　got　some　of　'em　in
Chicago；　too；　I　guess。　　This　young　man〃he　twisted　his　head　toward
Burnamy〃　found　you　easy　enough？〃

〃It　was　very　good　of　him　to　meet　us；〃　Mrs。　March　began。　　〃We　didn't
expect〃

〃Oh；　that's　all　right；〃　said　Stoller；　putting　his　toothpick　back；　and　his
hat　on。　　〃We'd　got　through　for　the　day；　my　doctor　won't　let　me　work　all　I
want　to；　here。　　Your　husband's　going　to　take　the　cure；　they　tell　me。
Well；　he　wants　to　go　to　a　good　doctor；　first。　　You　can't　go　and　drink
these　waters　hit　or　miss。　　I　found　that　out　before　I　came。〃

〃Oh；　no！〃　　said　Mrs。　March；　and　she　wished　to　explain　how　they　had　been
advised；　but　he　said　to　Burnamy：

〃I　sha'n't　want　you　again　till　ten　to…morrow　morning。　　Don't　let　me
interrupt　you；〃　he　added　patronizingly　to　Mrs。　March。　　He　put　his　hand　up
toward　his　hat；　and　sauntered　away　out　of　the　door。

Burnamy　did　not　speak；　and　she　only　asked　at　last；　to　relieve　the
silence；　〃Is　Mr。　Stoller　an　American？〃

〃Why；　I　suppose　so；〃　he　answered；　with　an　uneasy　laugh。　　〃His　people　were
German　emigrants　who　settled　in　Southern　Indiana。　　That　makes　him　as　much
American　as　any　of　us；　doesn't　it？〃

Burnamy　spoke　with　his　mind　on　his　French…Canadian　grandfather；　who　had
come　down　through　Detroit；　when　their　name　was　Bonami；　but　Mrs。　March
answered　from　her　eight　generations　of　New　England　ancestry。　　〃Oh；　for
the　West；　yes；　perhaps；〃　and　they　neither　of　them　said　anything　more
about　Stoller。

In　their　room；　where　she　found　March　waiting　for　her　amidst　their
arriving　baggage；　she　was　so　full　of　her　pent…up　opinions　of　Burnamy's
patron　that　she；　would　scarcely　speak　of　the　view　from　their　windows　of
the　wooded　hills　up　and　down　the　Tepl。　　〃Yes；　yes；　very　nice；　and　I　know
I　shall　enjoy　it　ever　so　much。　　But　I　don't　know　what　you　will　think　of
that　poor　young　Burnamy！〃

〃Why；　what's　happened　to　him？〃

〃Happened？　　Stoller's　happened。〃

〃Oh；　have　you　seen　him；　already？　　Well？〃

〃Well；　if　you　had　been　going　to　pick　out　that　type　of　man；　you'd　have
rejected　him；　because　you'd　have　said　he　was　too　pat。　　He's　like　an　actor
made　up　for　a　Western　millionaire。　　Do　you　remember　that　American　in
'L'Etranger'　which　Bernhardt　did　in　Boston　when　she　first　came？　　He；
looks　exactly　like　that；　and　he　has　the　worst　manners。　　He　stood　talking
to　me　with　his　hat　on；　and　a　toothpick　in　his　mouth；　and　he　made　me　feel
as　if　he　had　bought　me；　along　with　Burnamy；　and　had　paid　too　much。　　If
you　don't　give　him　a　setting　down；　Basil；　I　shall　never　speak　to　you；
that's　all。　　I'm　sure　Burnamy　is　in　some　trouble　with　him；　he's　got　some
sort　of　hold　upon　him；　what　it　could　be　in　such　a　short　time；　I　can't
imagine；　but　if　ever　a　man　seemed　to　be；　in　a　man's　power；　he　does；　in
his！

〃Now；〃　said　March；　〃your　pronouns　have　got　so　far　beyond　me　that　I　think
we'd　better　let　it　all　go　till　after　supper；　perhaps　I　shall　see　Stoller
myself　by　that　time。〃

She　had　been　deeply　stirred　by　her　encounter　with　Stoller；　but　she
entered　with　impartial　intensity　into　the　fact　that　the　elevator　at
Pupp's　had　the　characteristic　of　always　coming　up　and　never　going　down
with　passengers。　　It　was　locked　into　its　closet　with　a　solid　door；　and
there　was　no　bell　to　summon　it；　or　any　place　to　take　it　except　on　the
ground…floor；　but　the　stairs　by　which　she　could　descend　were　abundant　and
stately；　and　on　one　landing　there　was　the　lithograph　of　one　of　the
largest　and　ugliest　hotels　in　New　York；　how　ugly　it　was；　she　said　she
should　never　have　known　if　she　had　not　seen　it　there。

The　dining…room　was　divided　into　the　grand　saloon；　where　they　supped　amid
rococo　sculptures　and　frescoes；　and　the　glazed　veranda　opening　by　vast
windows　on　a　spread　of　tables　without；　which　were　already　filling　up　for
the　evening　concert。　　Around　them　at　the　different　tables　there　were
groups　of　faces　and　figures　fascinating　in　their　strangeness；　with　that
distinction　which　abashes　our　American　level　in　the　presence　of　European
inequality。

〃How　simple　and　unimpressive　we　are；　Basil；〃　she　said；　〃beside　all　these
people！　　I　used　to　feel　it　in　Europe　when　I　was　young；　and　now　I'm
certain　that　we　must　seem　like　two　faded…in　old　village　photographs。　　We
don't　even　look　intellectual！　　I　hope　we　look　good。〃

〃I　know　I　do；〃　said　March。　　The　waiter　went　for　their　supper；　and　they
joined　in　guessing　the　different　nationalities　in　the　room。　　A　French
party　was　easy　enough；　a　Spanish　mother　and　daughter　were　not　difficult；
though　whether　they　were　not　South…American　remained　uncertain；　two
elderly　maiden　ladies　were　unmistakably　of　central　Massachusetts；　and
were　obviously　of　a　book…club　culture　that　had　left　no　leaf　unturned；
some　Triestines　gave　themselves　away　by　their　Venetian　accent；　but　a
large　group　at　a　farther　table　were　unassignable　in　the　strange　language
which　they　clattered　loudly　together；　with　bursts　of　laughter。　　They　were
a　family　party　of　old　and　young；　they　were　having　a　good　time