their silver wedding journey v2-第12部分

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serried　stems　of　the　tall　firs　showed　brown　and　whitish…blue　and　grew
straight　as　stalks　of　grain；　and　now　on　either　side　the　farms　opened
under　a　sky　of　unwonted　cloudlessness。　　Narrow　strips　of　wheat　and　rye；
which　the　men　were　cutting　with　sickles；　and　the　women　in　red　bodices
were　binding；　alternated　with　ribands　of　yellowing　oats　and　grass；　and
breadths　of　beets　and　turnips；　with　now　and　then　lengths　of　ploughed
land。　　In　the　meadows　the　peasants　were　piling　their　carts　with　heavy
rowen；　the　girls　lifting　the　hay　on　the　forks；　and　the　men　giving
themselves　the　lighter　labor　of　ordering　the　load。　　From　the　upturned
earth；　where　there　ought　to　have　been　troops　of　strutting　crows；　a　few
sombre　ravens　rose。　　But　they　could　not　rob　the　scene　of　its　gayety；　it
smiled　in　the　sunshine　with　colors　which　vividly　followed　the　slope　of
the　land　till　they　were　dimmed　in　the　forests　on　the　far…off　mountains。
Nearer　and　farther；　the　cottages　and　villages　shone　in　the　valleys；　or
glimmered　through　the　veils　of　the　distant　haze。　　Over　all　breathed　the
keen　pure　air　of　the　hills；　with　a　sentiment　of　changeless　eld；　which
charmed　March；　back　to　his　boyhood；　where　he　lost　the　sense　of　his　wife's
presence；　and　answered　her　vaguely。　　She　talked　contentedly　on　in　the
monologue　to　which　the　wives　of　absent…minded　men　learn　to　resign
themselves。　　They　were　both　roused　from　their　vagary　by　the　voice　of
General　Triscoe。　　He　was　handing　back　the　folded　newspaper　to　Stoller；
and　saying；　with　a　queer　look　at　him　over　his　glasses；　〃I　should　like　to
see　what　your　contemporaries　have　to　say　to　all　that。〃

〃Well；　sir；〃　Stoller　returned；　〃maybe　I'll　have　the　chance　to　show　you。
They　got　my　instructions　over　there　to　send　everything　to　me。〃

Burnamy　and　Miss　Triscoe　gave　little　heed　to　the　landscape　as　landscape。
They　agreed　that　the　human　interest　was　the　great　thing　on　a　landscape；
after　all；　but　they　ignored　the　peasants　in　the　fields　and　meadows；　who
were　no　more　to　them　than　the　driver　on　the　box；　or　the　people　in　the
two…spanner　behind。　　They　were　talking　of　the　hero　and　heroine　of　a　novel
they　had　both　read；　and　he　was　saying；　〃I　suppose　you　think　he　was　justly
punished。〃

〃Punished？〃　she　repeated。　　〃Why；　they　got　married；　after　all！〃

〃Yes；　but　you　could　see　that　they　were　not　going　to　be　happy。〃

〃Then　it　seems　to　me　that　she　was　punished；　too。〃

〃Well；　yes；　you　might　say　that。　　The　author　couldn't　help　that。〃

Miss　Triscoe　was　silent　a　moment　before　she　said：

〃I　always　thought　the　author　was　rather　hard　on　the　hero。　　The　girl　was
very　exacting。〃

〃Why；〃　said　Burnamy；　〃I　supposed　that　women　hated　anything　like　deception
in　men　too　much　to　tolerate　it　at　all。　　Of　course；　in　this　case；　he
didn't　deceive　her；　he　let　her　deceive　herself；　but　wasn't　that　worse？〃

〃Yes；　that　was　worse。　　She　could　have　forgiven　him　for　deceiving　her。〃

〃Oh！〃

〃He　might　have　had　to　do　that。　　She　wouldn't　have　minded　his　fibbing
outright；　so　much；　for　then　it　wouldn't　have　seemed　to　come　from　his
nature。　　But　if　he　just　let　her　believe　what　wasn't　true；　and　didn't　say
a　word　to　prevent　her；　of　course　it　was　worse。　　It　showed　something　weak；
something　cowardly　in　him。〃

Burnamy　gave　a　little　cynical　laugh。　　〃I　suppose　it　did。　　But　don't　you
think　it's　rather　rough；　expecting　us　to　have　all　the　kinds　of　courage？〃

〃Yes；　it　is；〃　she　assented。　　〃That　is　why　I　say　she　was　too　exacting。
But　a　man　oughn't　to　defend　him。〃

Burnamy's　laugh　had　more　pleasure　in　it；　now。　　〃Another　woman　might？〃

〃No。　　She　might　excuse　him。〃

He　turned　to　look　back　at　the　two…spanner；　it　was　rather　far　behind；　and
he　spoke　to　their　driver　bidding　him　go　slowly　till　it　caught　up　with
them。　　By　the　time　it　did　so；　they　were　so　close　to　it　that　they　could
distinguish　the　lines　of　its　wandering　and　broken　walls。　　Ever　since　they
had　climbed　from　the　wooded　depths　of　the　hills　above　Carlsbad　to　the
open　plateau；　it　had　shown　itself　in　greater　and　greater　detail。　　The
detached　mound　of　rock　on　which　it　stood　rose　like　an　island　in　the　midst
of　the　plain；　and　commanded　the　highways　in　every　direction。

〃I　believe；〃　Burnamy　broke　out；　with　a　bitterness　apparently　relevant　to
the　ruin　alone；　〃that　if　you　hadn't　required　any　quarterings　of　nobility
from　him；　Stoller　would　have　made　a　good　sort　of　robber　baron。　　He's　a
robber　baron　by　nature；　now；　and　he　wouldn't　have　any　scruple　in　levying
tribute　on　us　here　in　our　one…spanner；　if　his　castle　was　in　good　repair
and　his　crossbowmen　were　not　on　a　strike。　　But　they　would　be　on　a　strike；
probably；　and　then　he　would　lock　them　out；　and　employ　none　but　non…union
crossbowmen。〃

If　Miss　Triscoe　understood　that　he　arraigned　the　morality　as　well　as　the
civility　of　his　employer；　she　did　not　take　him　more　seriously　than　he
meant；　apparently；　for　she　smiled　as　she　said；　〃I　don't　see　how　you　can
have　anything　to　do　with　him；　if　you　feel　so　about　him。〃

〃Oh；〃　Burnamy　replied　in　kind；　〃he　buys　my　poverty　and　not　my　will。　　And
perhaps　if　I　thought　better　of　myself；　I　should　respect　him　more。〃

〃Have　you　been　doing　something　very　wicked？〃

〃What　should　you　have　to　say　to　me；　if　I　had？〃　he　bantered。

〃Oh；　I　should　have　nothing　at　all　to　say　to　you；〃　she　mocked　back。

They　turned　a　corner　of　the　highway；　and　drove　rattling　through　a　village
street　up　a　long　slope　to　the　rounded　hill　which　it　crowned。　　A　church　at
its　base　looked　out　upon　an　irregular　square。

A　gaunt　figure　of　a　man；　with　a　staring　mask；　which　seemed　to　hide　a
darkling　mind　within；　came　out　of　the　church；　and　locked　it　behind　him。
He　proved　to　be　the　sacristan；　and　the　keeper　of　all　the　village's　claims
upon　the　visitors'　interest；　he　mastered；　after　a　moment；　their　wishes　in
respect　to　the　castle；　and　showed　the　path　that　led　to　it；　at　the　top；　he
said；　they　would　find　a　custodian　of　the　ruins　who　would　admit　them。




XXXVI。

The；　path　to　the　castle　slanted　upward　across　the　shoulder　of　the　hill；
to　a　certain　point；　and　there　some　rude　stone　steps　mounted　more
directly。　　Wilding　lilac…bushes；　as　if　from　some　forgotten　garden；
bordered　the　ascent；　the　chickory　opened　its　blue　flower；　the　clean
bitter　odor　of　vermouth　rose　from　the　trodden　turf；　but　Nature　spreads　no
such　lavish　feast　in　wood　or　field　in　the　Old　World　as　she　spoils　us　with
in　the　New；　a　few　kinds；　repeated　again　and　again；　seem　to　be　all　her
store；　and　man　must　make　the　most　of　them。　　Miss　Triscoe　seemed　to　find
flowers　enough　in　the　simple　bouquet　which　Burnamy　put　together　for　her。
She　took　it；　and　then　gave　it　back　to　him；　that　she　might　have　both　hands
for　her　skirt；　and　so　did　him　two　favors。

A　superannuated　forester　of　the　nobleman　who　owns　the　ruin　opened　a　gate
for　the　party　at　the　top；　and　levied　a　tax　of　thirty　kreutzers　each　upon
them；　for　its　maintenance。　　The　castle；　by　his　story；　had　descended　from
robber　sire　to　robber　son；　till　Gustavus　knocked　it　to　pieces　in　the
sixteenth　century；　three　hundred　years　later；　the　present　owner　restored
it；　and　now　its　broken　walls　and　arches；　built　of　rubble　mixed　with
brick；　and　neatly　pointed　up　with　cement；　form　a　ruin　satisfyingly
permanent。　　The　walls　were　not　of　great　extent；　but　such　as　they　were
they　enclosed　several　dungeons　and　a　chapel；　all　underground；　and　a
cistern　which　once　enabled　the　barons　and　their　retainers　to　water　their
wine　in　time　of　siege。

From　that　height　they　could　overlook　the　neighboring　highways　in　every
direction；　and　could　bring　a　merchant　train　to；　with　a　shaft　from　a
crossbow；　or　a　shot　from　an　arquebuse；　at　pleasure。　　With　General
Triscoe's　leave；　March　praised　the　strategic　strength　of　the　unique
position；　which　he　found　expressive　of　the　past；　and　yet　suggestive　of
the　present。　　It　was　more　a　difference　in　method　than　anything　else　that
distinguished　the　levy　of　customs　by　the　authorities　then　and　now。　　What
was　the　essential　difference；　between　taking　tribute　of　travellers
passing　on　horseback；　and　collecting　dues　from　travellers　arriving　by
steamer？　　They　did　not　pay　voluntarily　in　either　case；　but　it　might　be
proof　of　progress　that　they　no　longer　fought　the　customs　officials。

〃Then　you　believe　in　free　trade；〃　said　Stoller；　severely。

〃No。　　I　am　just　inquiring　which　is　the　best　way　of　enforcing　the　tariff
laws。〃

〃I　saw　in　the　Paris　Chronicle；　last　night；〃　said　Miss　Triscoe；　〃that
people　are　kept　on　the　docks　now　for　hours；　and　ladies　cry　at　the　way
their　things　are　tumbled　over　by　the　inspectors。〃

〃It's　shocking；〃　said　Mrs。　March；　magisterially。

〃It　seems　to　be　a　return　to　the　scenes　of　feudal　times；〃　her　husband
resumed。　　〃But　I'm　glad　the　travellers　make　no　resistance。　　I'm　opposed
to　private　war　as　much　as　I　am　to　free　trade。〃

〃It　all　comes　round　to　the　same　thing　at　last；〃　said　General　Triscoe。
〃Your　precious　humanity〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　claim　it　exclusively；〃　March　protested。

〃Well；　then；　our　precious　humanity　is　like　a　man　that　has　lost　his　road。
He　thinks　he　is　finding　his　way　out；　but　he　is　merely　rounding　on　his
course；　and　coming　back　to　where　he　started。〃

Stoller　said；　〃I　think　we　ought　to　make　it　so　rough　for　them；　over　here；
that　they　will　come　to　America　and　set　up；　if　they　can't　stand　the
duties。〃

〃Oh；　we　ought　to　make　it　rough　for　them　anyway；〃　March　consented。

If　Stoller　felt　his　irony；　he　did　not　know　what　to　answer。　　He　followed
with　his　eyes　the　manoeuvre　by　which　Burnamy　and　Miss　Triscoe　eliminated
themselves　from　the　discussion；　and　strayed　off　to　another　corner　of　the
ruin；　where　they　sat　down　on　the　turf　in　the　shadow　of　the　wall；　a　thin；
upland　breeze　drew　across　them；　but　the　sun　was　hot。　　The　land　fell　away
from　the　height；　and　then　rose　again　on　every　side　in　carpetlike　fields
and　in　long　curving　bands；　whose　parallel　colors　passed　unblended　into
the　distance。　　〃I　don't　suppose；〃　Burnamy　said；　〃that　life　ever　does　much
better　than　this；　do　you？　　I　feel　like　knocking　on　a　piece　of　wood　and
saying　'Unberufen。'　　I　might　knock　on　your　bouquet；　that's　wood。〃

〃It　would　spoil　the　flowers；〃　she　said；　looking　down　at　them　in　her　belt。
She　looked　up　and　their　eyes　met。

〃I　wonder；〃　he　said；　presently；　〃what　makes　us　always　have　a　feeling　of
dread　when　we　a