their silver wedding journey v2-第11部分

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majority。　　Is　our　national　dictator　to　be　of　the　same　nature　and
quality？〃

〃It　would　be　the　scientific　evolution；　wouldn't　it？〃

The　ladies　listened　with　the　perfunctory　attention　which　women　pay　to　any
sort　of　inquiry　which　is　not　personal。　　Stoller　had　scarcely　spoken　yet；
he　now　startled　them　all　by　demanding；　with　a　sort　of　vindictive　force；
〃Why　shouldn't　he　have　the　power；　if　they're　willing　to　let　him？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　General　Triscoe；　with　a　tilt　of　his　head　towards　March。
〃That's　what　we　must　ask　ourselves　more　and　more。〃

March　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　and　looked　up　over　his　shoulder　at
Stoller。　　〃Well；　I　don't　know。　　Do　you　think　it's　quite　right　for　a　man
to　use　an　unjust　power；　even　if　others　are　willing　that　he　should？〃

Stoller　stopped　with　an　air　of　bewilderment　as　if　surprised　on　the　point
of　saying　that　he　thought　just　this。　　He　asked　instead；　〃What's　wrong
about　it？〃

〃Well；　that's　one　of　those　things　that　have　to　be　felt；　I　suppose。　　But
if　a　man　came　to　you；　and　offered　to　be　your　slave　for　a　certain
considerationsay　a　comfortable　house；　and　a　steady　job；　that　wasn't　too
hardshould　you　feel　it　morally　right　to　accept　the　offer？　　I　don't　say
think　it　right；　for　there　might　be　a　kind　of　logic　for　it。〃

Stoller　seemed　about　to　answer；　he　hesitated；　and　before　he　had　made　any
response；　the　curtain　rose。




XXXIV。

There　are　few　prettier　things　than　Carlsbad　by　night　from　one　of　the　many
bridges　which　span　the　Tepl　in　its　course　through　the　town。　　If　it　is　a
starry　night；　the　torrent　glides　swiftly　away　with　an　inverted　firmament
in　its　bosom；　to　which　the　lamps　along　its　shores　and　in　the　houses　on
either　side　contribute　a　planetary　splendor　of　their　own。　　By　nine
o'clock　everything　is　hushed；　not　a　wheel　is　heard　at　that　dead　hour；
the　few　feet　shuffling　stealthily　through　the　Alte　Wiese　whisper　a
caution　of　silence　to　those　issuing　with　a　less　guarded　tread　from　the
opera；　the　little　bowers　that　overhang　the　stream　are　as　dark　and　mute　as
the　restaurants　across　the　way　which　serve　meals　in　them　by　day；　the
whole　place　is　as　forsaken　as　other　cities　at　midnight。　　People　get
quickly　home　to　bed；　or　if　they　have　a　mind　to　snatch　a　belated　joy；　they
slip　into　the　Theater…Caf？　where　the　sleepy　Frauleins　serve　them；　in　an
exemplary　drowse；　with　plates　of　cold　ham　and　bottles　of　the　gently
gaseous　waters　of　Giesshubl。　　Few　are　of　the　bold　badness　which　delights
in　a　supper　at　Schwarzkopf's；　and　even　these　are　glad　of　the　drawn
curtains　which　hide　their　orgy　from　the　chance　passer。

The　invalids　of　Burnamy's　party　kept　together；　strengthening　themselves
in　a　mutual　purpose　not　to　be　tempted　to　eat　anything　which　was　not
strictly　'kurgemass'。　　Mrs。　March　played　upon　the　interest　which　each　of
them　felt　in　his　own　case　so　artfully　that　she　kept　them　talking　of　their
cure；　and　left　Burnamy　and　Miss　Triscoe　to　a　moment　on　the　bridge；　by
which　they　profited；　while　the　others　strolled　on；　to　lean　against　the
parapet　and　watch　the　lights　in　the　skies　and　the　water；　and　be　alone
together。　　The　stream　shone　above　and　below；　and　found　its　way　out　of　and
into　the　darkness　under　the　successive　bridges；　the　town　climbed　into　the
night　with　lamp…lit　windows　here　and　there；　till　the　woods　of　the　hill…
sides　darkened　down　to　meet　it；　and　fold　it　in　an　embrace　from　which　some
white　edifice　showed　palely　in　the　farthest　gloom。

He　tried　to　make　her　think　they　could　see　that　great　iron　crucifix　which
watches　over　it　day　and　night　from　its　piny　cliff。　　He　had　a　fancy　for　a
poem；　very　impressionistic；　which　should　convey　the　notion　of　the
crucifix's　vigil。　　He　submitted　it　to　her；　and　they　remained　talking　till
the　others　had　got　out　of　sight　and　hearing；　and　she　was　letting　him　keep
the　hand　on　her　arm　which　he　had　put　there　to　hold　her　from　falling　over
the　parapet；　when　they　were　both　startled　by　approaching　steps；　and　a
voice　calling；　〃Look　here！　　Who's　running　this　supper　party；　anyway？〃

His　wife　had　detached　March　from　her　group　for　the　mission；　as　soon　as
she　felt　that　the　young　people　were　abusing　her　kindness。　　They　answered
him　with　hysterical　laughter；　and　Burnamy　said；　〃Why；　it's　Mr。　Stoller's
treat；　you　know。〃

At　the　restaurant；　where　the　proprietor　obsequiously　met　the　party　on　the
threshold　and　bowed　them　into　a　pretty　inner　room；　with　a　table　set　for
their　supper；　Stoller　had　gained　courage　to　play　the　host　openly。　　He
appointed　General　Triscoe　to　the　chief　seat；　he　would　have　put　his
daughter　next　to　him；　if　the　girl　had　not　insisted　upon　Mrs。　March's
having　the　place；　and　going　herself　to　sit　next　to　March；　whom　she　said
she　had　not　been　able　to　speak　a　word　to　the　whole　evening。　　But　she　did
not　talk　a　great　deal　to　him；　he　smiled　to　find　how　soon　he　dropped　out
of　the　conversation；　and　Burnamy；　from　his　greater　remoteness　across　the
table；　dropped　into　it。　　He　really　preferred　the　study　of　Stoller；　whose
instinct　of　a　greater　worldly　quality　in　the　Triscoes　interested　him；
he　could　see　him　listening　now　to　what　General　Triscoe　was　saying　to　Mrs。
March；　and　now　to　what　Burnamy　was　saying　to　Miss　Triscoe；　his　strong；
selfish　face；　as　he　turned　it　on　the　young　people；　expressed　a　mingled
grudge　and　greed　that　was　very　curious。

Stoller's　courage；　which　had　come　and　gone　at　moments　throughout；　rose　at
the　end；　and　while　they　lingered　at　the　table　well　on　to　the　hour　of　ten；
he　said；　in　the　sort　of　helpless　offence　he　had　with　Burnamy；　〃What's　the
reason　we　can't　all　go　out　tomorrow　to　that　old　castle　you　was　talking
about？〃

〃To　Engelhaus？　　I　don't　know　any　reason；　as　far　as　I'm　concerned；〃
answered　Burnamy；　but　he　refused　the　initiative　offered　him；　and　Stoller
was　obliged　to　ask　March：

〃You　heard　about　it？〃

〃Yes。〃　　General　Triscoe　was　listening；　and　March　added　for　him；　〃It　was
the　hold　of　an　old　robber　baron；　Gustavus　Adolphus　knocked　it　down；　and
it's　very　picturesque；　I　believe。〃

〃It　sounds　promising；〃　said　the　general。　　〃Where　is　it？〃

〃Isn't　to…morrow　our　mineral　bath？〃　　Mrs。　March　interposed　between　her
husband　and　temptation。

〃No；　the　day　after。　　Why；　it's　about　ten　or　twelve　miles　out　on　the　old
postroad　that　Napoleon　took　for　Prague。〃

〃Napoleon　knew　a　good　road　when　he　saw　it；〃　said　the　general；　and　he
alone　of　the　company　lighted　a　cigar。　　He　was　decidedly　in　favor　of　the
excursion；　and　he　arranged　for　it　with　Stoller；　whom　he　had　the　effect　of
using　for　his　pleasure　as　if　he　were　doing　him　a　favor。　　They　were　six；
and　two　carriages　would　take　them：　a　two…spanner　for　four；　and　a　one…
spanner　for　two；　they　could　start　directly　after　dinners　and　get　home　in
time　for　supper。

Stoller　asserted　himself　to　say：　〃That's　all　right；　then。　　I　want　you　to
be　my　guests；　and　I'll　see　about　the　carriages。〃　　He　turned　to　Burnamy：
〃Will　you　order　them？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　the　young　fellow；　with　a　sort　of　dryness；　〃the　portier　will
get　them。〃

〃I　don't　understand　why　General　Triscoe　was　so　willing　to　accept。
Surely；　he　can't　like　that　man！〃　said　Mrs。　March　to　her　husband　in　their
own　room。

〃Oh；　I　fancy　that　wouldn't　be　essential。　　The　general　seems　to　me；
capable　of　letting　even　an　enemy　serve　his　turn。　　Why　didn't　you　speak；
if　you　didn't　want　to　go？〃

〃Why　didn't　you？〃

〃I　wanted　to　go。〃

〃And　I　knew　it　wouldn't　do　to　let　Miss　Triscoe　go　alone；　I　could　see　that
she　wished　to　go。〃

〃Do　you　think　Burnamy　did？〃

〃He　seemed　rather　indifferent。　　And　yet　he　must　have　realized　that　he
would　be　with　Miss　Triscoe　the　whole　afternoon。〃




XXXV。

If　Burnamy　and　Miss　Triscoe　took　the　lead　in　the　one…spanner；　and　the
others　followed　in　the　two…spanner；　it　was　not　from　want　of　politeness　on
the　part　of　the　young　people　in　offering　to　give　up　their　places　to　each
of　their　elders　in　turn。　　It　would　have　been　grotesque　for　either　March
or　Stoller　to　drive　with　the　girl；　for　her　father　it　was　apparently　no
question；　after　a　glance　at　the　more　rigid　uprightness　of　the　seat　in　the
one…spanner；　and　he　accepted　the　place　beside　Mrs。　March　on　the　back　seat
of　the　two…spanner　without　demur。　　He　asked　her　leave　to　smoke；　and　then
he　scarcely　spoke　to　her。　　But　he　talked　to　the　two　men　in　front　of　him
almost　incessantly；　haranguing　them　upon　the　inferiority　of　our
conditions　and　the　futility　of　our　hopes　as　a　people；　with　the　effect　of
bewildering　the　cruder　arrogance　of　Stoller；　who　could　have　got　on　with
Triscoe's　contempt　for　the　worthlessness　of　our　working…classes；　but　did
not　know　what　to　do　with　his　scorn　of　the　vulgarity　and　venality　of　their
employers。　　He　accused　some　of　Stoller's　most　honored　and　envied
capitalists　of　being　the　source　of　our　worst　corruptions；　and　guiltier
than　the　voting…cattle　whom　they　bought　and　sold。

〃I　think　we　can　get　rid　of　the　whole　trouble　if　we　go　at　it　the　right
way；〃　Stoller　said；　diverging　for　the　sake　of　the　point　he　wished　to
bring　in。　　〃I　believe　in　having　the　government　run　on　business
principles。　　They've　got　it　here　in　Carlsbad；　already；　just　the　right
sort　of　thing；　and　it　works。　　I　been　lookin'　into　it；　and　I　got　this
young　man；　yonder〃he　twisted　his　hand　in　the　direction　of　the　one…
spanner！　〃to　help　me　put　it　in　shape。　　I　believe　it's　going　to　make　our
folks　think；　the　best　ones　among　them。　　Here！〃　　He　drew　a　newspaper　out
of　his　pocket；　folded　to　show　two　columns　in　their　full　length；　and
handed　it　to　Triscoe；　who　took　it　with　no　great　eagerness；　and　began　to
run　his　eye　over　it。　　〃You　tell　me　what　you　think　of　that。　　I've　put　it
out　for　a　kind　of　a　feeler。　　I　got　some　money　in　that　paper；　and　I　just
thought　I'd　let　our　people　see　how　a　city　can　be　managed　on　business
principles。〃

He　kept　his　eye　eagerly　upon　Triscoe；　as　if　to　follow　his　thought　while
he　read；　and　keep　him　up　to　the　work；　and　he　ignored　the　Marches　so
entirely　that　they　began　in　self…defence　to　talk　with　each　other。

Their　carriage　had　climbed　from　Carlsbad　in　long　irregular　curves　to　the
breezy　upland　where　the　great　highroad　to　Prague　ran　through　fields　of
harvest。　　They　had　come　by　heights　and　slopes　of　forest；　where　the
serried　stems　of　the　tall　firs　showed　brown　and　whitish…blue　and　grew
straight　as　stalks　of　grain；　and　now　on　either　side　t