their silver wedding journey v2-第10部分

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day　the　Duchess　of　Orleans　drove　over　from　Marienbad；　attended　by　the
Duke　on　his　bicycle。　　After　luncheon；　they　reappeared　for　a　moment　before
mounting　to　her　carriage　with　their　Secretaries：　two　young　French
gentlemen　whose　dress　and　bearing　better　satisfied　Mrs。　March's　exacting
passion　for　an　aristocratic　air　in　their　order。　　The　Duke　was　fat　and
fair；　as　a　Bourbon　should　be；　and　the　Duchess　fatter；　though　not　so　fair；
as　became　a　Hapsburg；　but　they　were　both　more　plebeian…looking　than　their
retainers；　who　were　slender　as　well　as　young；　and　as　perfectly　appointed
as　English　tailors　could　imagine　them。

〃It　wouldn't　do　for　the　very　highest　sort　of　Highhotes；〃　March　declared；
〃to　look　their　own　consequence　personally；　they　have　to　leave　that；　like
everything　else；　to　their　inferiors。〃

By　a　happy　heterophemy　of　Mrs。　March's　the　German　Hoheit　had　now　become
Highhote；　which　was　so　much　more　descriptive　that　they　had　permanently
adopted　it；　and　found　comfort　to　their　republican　pride　in　the　mockery
which　it　poured　upon　the　feudal　structure　of　society。　　They　applied　it
with　a　certain　compunction；　however；　to　the　King　of　Servia；　who　came　a
few　days　after　the　Duke　and　Duchess：　he　was　such　a　young　King；　and　of
such　a　little　country。　　They　watched　for　him　from　the　windows　of　the
reading…room；　while　the　crowd　outside　stood　six　deep　on　the　three　sides
of　the　square　before　the　hotel；　and　the　two　plain　public　carriages　which
brought　the　King　and　his　suite　drew　tamely　up　at　the　portal；　where　the
proprietor　and　some　civic　dignitaries　received　him。　　His　moderated
approach；　so　little　like　that　of　royalty　on　the　stage；　to　which　Americans
are　used；　allowed　Mrs。　March　to　make　sure　of　the　pale；　slight；
insignificant；　amiable…looking　youth　in　spectacles　as　the　sovereign　she
was　ambuscading。　　Then　no　appeal　to　her　principles　could　keep　her　from
peeping　through　the　reading…room　door　into　the　rotunda；　where　the　King
graciously　but　speedily　dismissed　the　civic　gentlemen　and　the　proprietor；
and　vanished　into　the　elevator。　　She　was　destined　to　see　him　so　often
afterwards　that　she　scarcely　took　the　trouble　to　time　her　dining　and
supping　by　that　of　the　simple　potentate；　who　had　his　meals　in　one　of　the
public　rooms；　with　three　gentlemen　of　his　suite；　in　sack…coats　like
himself；　after　the　informal　manner　of　the　place。

Still　another　potentate；　who　happened　that　summer　to　be　sojourning
abroad；　in　the　interval　of　a　successful　rebellion；　was　at　the　opera　one
night　with　some　of　his　faithful　followers。　　Burnamy　had　offered　Mrs。
March；　who　supposed　that　he　merely　wanted　her　and　her　husband　with　him；
places　in　a　box；　but　after　she　eagerly　accepted；　it　seemed　that　he　wished
her　to　advise　him　whether　it　would　do　to　ask　Miss　Triscoe　and　her　father
to　join　them。

〃Why　not？〃　she　returned；　with　an　arching　of　the　eyebrows。

〃Why；〃　he　said；　〃perhaps　I　had　better　make　a　clean　breast　of　it。〃

〃Perhaps　you　had；〃　she　said；　and　they　both　laughed；　though　he　laughed
with　a　knot　between　his　eyes。

〃The　fact　is；　you　know；　this　isn't　my　treat；　exactly。　　It's　Mr。
Stoller's。〃　　At　the　surprise　in　her　face　he　hurried　on。　　〃He's　got　back
his　first　letter　in　the　paper；　and　he's　so　much　pleased　with　the　way　he
reads　in　print；　that　he　wants　to　celebrate。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　March；　non…committally。

Burnamy　laughed　again。　　〃But　he's　bashful；　and　he　isn't　sure　that　you
would　all　take　it　in　the　right　way。　　He　wants　you　as　friends　of　mine；　and
he　hasn't　quite　the　courage　to　ask　you　himself。〃

This　seemed　to　Mrs。　March　so　far　from　bad　that　she　said：　〃That's　very
nice　of　him。　　Then　he's　satisfied　withwith　your　help？　　I'm　glad　of
that。〃

〃Thank　you。　　He's　met　the　Triscoes；　and　he　thought　it　would　be　pleasant
to　you　if　they　went；　too。〃

〃Oh；　certainly。〃

〃He　thought；〃　Burnamy　went　on；　with　the　air　of　feeling　his　way；　〃that　we
might　all　go　to　the　opera；　and　thenthen　go　for　a　little　supper
afterwards　at　Schwarzkopf's。〃

He　named　the　only　place　in　Carlsbad　where　yon　can　sup　so　late　as　ten
o'clock；　as　the　opera　begins　at　six；　and　is　over　at　half　past　eight；　none
but　the　wildest　roisterers　frequent　the　place。

〃Oh！〃　said　Mrs。　March。　　〃I　don't　know　how　a　late　supper　would　agree　with
my　husband's　cure。　　I　should　have　to　ask　him。〃

〃We　could　make　it　very　hygienic；〃　Burnamy　explained。

In　repeating　his　invitation　she　blamed　Burnamy's　uncandor　so　much　that
March　took　his　part；　as　perhaps　she　intended；　and　said；　〃Oh；　nonsense；〃
and　that　he　should　like　to　go　in　for　the　whole　thing；　and　General　Triscoe
accepted　as　promptly　for　himself　and　his　daughter。　　That　made　six　people；
Burnamy　counted　up；　and　he　feigned　a　decent　regret　that　there　was　not
room　for　Mrs。　Adding　and　her　son；　he　would　have　liked　to　ask　them。

Mrs。　March　did　not　enjoy　it　so　much　as　coming　with　her　husband　alone　when
they　took　two　florin　seats　in　the　orchestra　for　the　comedy。　　The　comedy
always　began　half　an　hour　earlier　than　the　opera；　and　they　had　a　five…
o'clock　supper　at　the　Theatre…Caf？before　they　went；　and　they　got　to
sleep　by　nine　o'clock；　now　they　would　be　up　till　half　past　ten　at　least；
and　that　orgy　at　Schwarzkopf's　might　not　be　at　all　good　for　him。　　But
still　she　liked　being　there；　and　Miss　Triscoe　made　her　take　the　best
seat；　Burnamy　and　Stoller　made　the　older　men　take　the　other　seats　beside
the　ladies；　while　they　sat　behind；　or　stood　up；　when　they；　wished　to　see；
as　people　do　in　the　back　of　a　box。　　Stoller　was　not　much　at　ease　in
evening　dress；　but　he　bore　himself　with　a　dignity　which　was　not　perhaps
so　gloomy　as　it　looked；　Mrs。　March　thought　him　handsome　in　his　way；　and
required　Miss　Triscoe　to　admire　him。　　As　for　Burnamy's　beauty　it　was　not
necessary　to　insist　upon　that；　he　had　the　distinction　of　slender　youth；
and　she　liked　to　think　that　no　Highhote　there　was　of　a　more　patrician
presence　than　this　yet　unprinted　contributor　to　'Every　Other　Week'。
He　and　Stoller　seemed　on　perfect　terms；　or　else　in　his　joy　he　was　able　to
hide　the　uneasiness　which　she　had　fancied　in　him　from　the　first　time　she
saw　them　together；　and　which　had　never　been　quite　absent　from　his　manner
in　Stoller's　presence。　　Her　husband　always　denied　that　it　existed；　or　if
it　did　that　it　was　anything　but　Burnamy's　effort　to　get　on　common　ground
with　an　inferior　whom　fortune　had　put　over　him。

The　young　fellow　talked　with　Stoller；　and　tried　to　bring　him　into　the
range　of　the　general　conversation。　　He　leaned　over　the　ladies；　from　time
to　time；　and　pointed　out　the　notables　whom　he　saw　in　the　house；　she　was
glad；　for　his　sake；　that　he　did　not　lean　less　over　her　than　over　Miss
Triscoe。　　He　explained　certain　military　figures　in　the　boxes　opposite；
and　certain　ladies　of　rank　who　did　not　look　their　rank；　Miss　Triscoe；　to
Mrs。　March's　thinking；　looked　their　united　ranks；　and　more；　her　dress　was
very　simple；　but　of　a　touch　which　saved　it　from　being　insipidly　girlish；
her　beauty　was　dazzling。

〃Do　you　see　that　old　fellow　in　the　corner　chair　just　behind　the
orchestra？〃　　asked　Burnamy。　　〃He's　ninety…six　years　old；　and　he　comes　to
the　theatre　every　night；　and　falls　asleep　as　soon　as　the　curtain　rises；
and　sleeps　through　till　the　end　of　the　act。〃

〃How　dear！〃　said　the　girl；　leaning　forward　to　fix　the　nonagenarian　with
her　glasses；　while　many　other　glasses　converged　upon　her。　　〃Oh；　wouldn't
you　like　to　know　him；　Mr。　March？〃

〃I　should　consider　it　a　liberal　education。　　They　have　brought　these
things　to　a　perfect　system　in　Europe。　　There　is　nothing　to　make　life　pass
smoothly　like　inflexible　constancy　to　an　entirely　simple　custom。　　My
dear；〃　he　added　to　his　wife；　〃I　wish　we'd　seen　this　sage　before。　　He'd
have　helped　us　through　a　good　many　hours　of　unintelligible　comedy。　　I'm
always　coming　as　Burnamy's　guest；　after　this。〃

The　young　fellow　swelled　with　pleasure　in　his　triumph；　and　casting　an　eye
about　the　theatre　to　cap　it；　he　caught　sight　of　that　other　potentate。
He　whispered　joyfully；　〃Ah！　　We've　got　two　kings　here　to…night；〃　and　he
indicated　in　a　box　of　their　tier　just　across　from　that　where　the　King　of
Servia　sat；　the　well…known　face　of　the　King　of　New　York。

〃He　isn't　bad…looking；〃　said　March；　handing　his　glass　to　General　Triscoe。
〃I've　not　seen　many　kings　in　exile；　a　matter　of　a　few　Carlist　princes　and
ex…sovereign　dukes；　and　the　good　Henry　V。　of　France；　once；　when　I　was
staying　a　month　in　Venice；　but　I　don't　think　they　any　of　them　looked　the
part　better。　　I　suppose　he　has　his　dream　of　recurring　power　like　the
rest。〃

〃Dream！　〃　said　General　Triscoe　with　the　glass　at　his　eyes。　　〃He's　dead
sure　of　it。〃

〃Oh；　you　don't　really　mean　that！〃

〃I　don't　know　why　I　should　have　changed　my　mind。〃

〃Then　it's　as　if　we　were　in　the　presence　of　Charles　II。　just　before　he
was　called　back　to　England；　or　Napoleon　in　the　last　moments　of　Elba。
It's　better　than　that。　　The　thing　is　almost　unique；　it's　a　new　situation
in　history。　　Here's　a　sovereign　who　has　no　recognized　function；　no　legal
status；　no　objective　existence。　　He　has　no　sort　of　public　being；　except
in　the　affection　of　his　subjects。　　It　took　an　upheaval　little　short　of　an
earthquake　to　unseat　him。　　His　rule；　as　we　understand　it；　was　bad　for　all
classes；　the　poor　suffered　more　than　the　rich；　the　people　have　now　had
three　years　of　self…government；　and　yet　this　wonderful　man　has　such　a
hold　upon　the　masses　that　he　is　going　home　to　win　the　cause　of　oppression
at　the　head　of　the　oppressed。　　When　he's　in　power　again；　he　will　be　as
subjective　as　ever；　with　the　power　of　civic　life　and　death；　and　an
idolatrous　following　perfectly　ruthless　in　the　execution　of　his　will。〃

〃We've　only　begun；〃　said　the　general。　　〃This　kind　of　king　is　municipal；
now；　but　he's　going　to　be　national。　　And　then；　good…by；　Republic！〃

〃The　only　thing　like　it；〃　March　resumed；　too　incredulous　of　the　evil
future　to　deny　himself　the　aesthetic　pleasure　of　the　parallel；　〃is　the
rise　of　the　Medici　in　Florence；　but　even　the　Medici　were　not　mere
manipulators　of　pulls；　they　had　some　sort　of　public　office；　with　some
sort　of　legislated　tenure　of　it。　　The　King　of　New　York　is　sovereign　by
force　of　will　alone；　and　he　will　reign　in　the　voluntary　submission　of　the
majority。　　Is　our　national　dictator　to　be　of　the　same　nature　and
qua