their silver wedding journey v2-第13部分

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She　looked　up　and　their　eyes　met。

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

〃Do　you　have　that；　too？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes。　　Perhaps　it's　because　we　know　that　change　must　come；　and　it　must　be
for　the　worse。〃

〃That　must　be　it。　　I　never　thought　of　it　before；　though。〃

〃If　we　had　got　so　far　in　science　that　we　could　predict　psychological
weather；　and　could　know　twenty…four　hours　ahead　when　a　warm　wave　of　bliss
or　a　cold　wave　of　misery　was　coming；　and　prepare　for　smiles　and　tears
beforehandit　may　come　to　that。〃

〃I　hope　it　won't。　　I'd　rather　not　know　when　I　was　to　be　happy；　it　would
spoil　the　pleasure；　and　wouldn't　be　any　compensation　when　it　was　the
other　way。〃

A　shadow　fell　across　them；　and　Burnamy　glanced　round　to　see　Stoller
looking　down　at　them；　with　a　slant　of　the　face　that　brought　his　aquiline
profile　into　relief。　　〃Oh！　　Have　a　turf；　Mr。　Stoller？〃　he　called　gayly　up
to　him。

〃I　guess　we've　seen　about　all　there　is；〃　he　answered。　　〃Hadn't　we　better
be　going？〃　He　probably　did　not　mean　to　be　mandatory。

〃All　right；〃　said　Burnamy；　and　he　turned　to　speak　to　Miss　Triscoe　again
without　further　notice　of　him。

They　all　descended　to　the　church　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　where　the　weird
sacristan　was　waiting　to　show　them　the　cold；　bare　interior；　and　to
account　for　its　newness　with　the　fact　that　the　old　church　had　been　burnt；
and　this　one　built　only　a　few　years　before。　　Then　he　locked　the　doors
after　them；　and　ran　forward　to　open　against　their　coming　the　chapel　of
the　village　cemetery；　which　they　were　to　visit　after　they　had　fortified
themselves　for　it　at　the　village　cafe。

They　were　served　by　a　little　hunch…back　maid；　and　she　told　them　who　lived
in　the　chief　house　of　the　village。　　It　was　uncommonly　pretty；　where　all
the　houses　were　picturesque；　and　she　spoke　of　it　with　respect　as　the
dwelling　of　a　rich　magistrate　who　was　clearly　the　great　man　of　the　place。
March　admired　the　cat　which　rubbed　against　her　skirt　while　she　stood　and
talked；　and　she　took　his　praises　modestly　for　the　cat；　but　they　wrought
upon　the　envy；　of　her　brother　so　that　he　ran　off　to　the　garden；　and　came
back　with　two　fat；　sleepy…eyed　puppies　which　he　held　up；　with　an　arm
across　each　of　their　stomachs；　for　the　acclaim　of　the　spectators。

〃Oh；　give　him　something！　　〃Mrs。　March　entreated。　　〃He's　such　a　dear。〃

〃No；　no！　I　am　not　going　to　have　my　little　hunchback　and　her　cat　outdone；〃
he　refused；　and　then　he　was　about　to　yield。

〃Hold　on！〃　　said　Stoller；　assuming　the　host。　　〃I　got　the　change。〃

He　gave　the　boy　a　few　kreutzers；　when　Mrs。　March　had　meant　her　husband　to
reward　his　naivete　with　half　a　florin　at　least；　but　he　seemed　to　feel
that　he　had　now　ingratiated　himself　with　the　ladies；　and　he　put　himself
in　charge　of　them　for　the　walk　to　the　cemetery　chapel；　he　made　Miss
Triscoe　let　him　carry　her　jacket　when　she　found　it　warm。

The　chapel　is　dedicated　to　the　Holy　Trinity；　and　the　Jesuit　brother　who
designed　it；　two　or　three　centuries　ago；　indulged　a　devotional　fancy　in
the　triangular　form　of　the　structure　and　the　decorative　details。
Everything　is　three…cornered；　the　whole　chapel；　to　begin　with；　and　then
the　ark　of　the　high　altar　in　the　middle　of　it；　and　each　of　the　three
side…altars。　　The　clumsy　baroque　taste　of　the　architecture　is　a　German
version　of　the　impulse　that　was　making　Italy　fantastic　at　the　time；　the
carving　is　coarse；　and　the　color　harsh　and　unsoftened　by　years；　though　it
is　broken　and　obliterated　in　places。

The　sacristan　said　that　the　chapel　was　never　used　for　anything　but
funeral　services；　and　he　led　the　way　out　into　the　cemetery；　where　he
wished　to　display　the　sepultural　devices。　　The　graves　here　were　planted
with　flowers；　and　some　were　in　a　mourning　of　black　pansies；　but　a　space
fenced　apart　from　the　rest　held　a　few　neglected　mounds；　overgrown　with
weeds　and　brambles：　This　space；　he　said；　was　for　suicides；　but　to　March
it　was　not　so　ghastly　as　the　dapper　grief　of　certain　tombs　in　consecrated
ground　where　the　stones　had　photographs　of　the　dead　on　porcelain　let　into
them。　　One　was　the　picture　of　a　beautiful　young　woman；　who　had　been　the
wife　of　the　local　magnate；　an　eternal　love　was　vowed　to　her　in　the
inscription；　but　now；　the　sacristan　said；　with　nothing　of　irony；　the
magnate　was　married　again；　and　lived　in　that　prettiest　house　of　the
village。　　He　seemed　proud　of　the　monument；　as　the　thing　worthiest　the
attention　of　the　strangers；　and　be　led　them　with　less　apparent
hopefulness　to　the　unfinished　chapel　representing　a　Gethsemane；　with　the
figure　of　Christ　praying　and　his　apostles　sleeping。　　It　is　a　subject　much
celebrated　in　terra…cotta　about　Carlsbad；　and　it　was　not　a　novelty　to　his
party；　still；　from　its　surroundings；　it　had　a　fresh　pathos；　and　March
tried　to　make　him　understand　that　they　appreciated　it。　　He　knew　that　his
wife　wished　the　poor　man　to　think　he　had　done　them　a　great　favor　in
showing　it；　he　had　been　touched　with　all　the　vain　shows　of　grief　in　the
poor；　ugly　little　place；　most　of　all　he　had　felt　the　exile　of　those　who
had　taken　their　own　lives　and　were　parted　in　death　from　the　more　patient
sufferers　who　had　waited　for　God　to　take　them。　　With　a　curious；　unpainful
self…analysis　he　noted　that　the　older　members　of　the　party；　who　in　the
course　of　nature　were　so　much　nearer　death；　did　not　shrink　from　its
shows；　but　the　young　girl　and　the　young　man　had　not　borne　to　look　on
them；　and　had　quickly　escaped　from　the　place；　somewhere　outside　the　gate。
Was　it　the　beginning；　the　promise　of　that　reconciliation　with　death　which
nature　brings　to　life　at　last；　or　was　it　merely　the　effect；　or　defect；　of
ossified　sensibilities；　of　toughened　nerves？

〃That　is　all？〃　he　asked　of　the　spectral　sacristan。

〃That　is　all；〃　the　man　said；　and　March　felt　in　his　pocket　for　a　coin
commensurate　to　the　service　he　had　done　them；　it　ought　to　be　something
handsome。

〃No；　no；〃　said　Stoller；　detecting　his　gesture。　　〃Your　money　a'n't　good。〃

He　put　twenty　or　thirty　kreutzers　into　the　hand　of　the　man；　who　regarded
them　with　a　disappointment　none　the　less　cruel　because　it　was　so　patient。
In　France；　he　would　have　been　insolent；　in　Italy；　he　would　have　frankly
said　it　was　too　little；　here；　he　merely　looked　at　the　money　and　whispered
a　sad　〃Danke。〃

Burnamy　and　Miss　Triscoe　rose　from　the　grassy　bank　outside　where　they
were　sitting；　and　waited　for　the　elders　to　get　into　their　two…spanner。

〃Oh；　have　I　lost　my　glove　in　there？〃　said　Mrs。　March；　looking　at　her
hands　and　such　parts　of　her　dress　as　a　glove　might　cling　to。

〃Let　me　go　and　find　it　for　you；〃　Burnamy　entreated。

〃Well；〃　she　consented；　and　she　added；　〃If　the　sacristan　has　found　it；
give　him　something　for　me　something　really　handsome；　poor　fellow。〃

As　Burnamy　passed　her；　she　let　him　see　that　she　had　both　her　gloves；　and
her　heart　yearned　upon　him　for　his　instant　smile　of　intelligence：　some
men　would　have　blundered　out　that　she　had　the　lost　glove　in　her　hand。　　He
came　back　directly；　saying；　〃No；　he　didn't　find　it。〃

She　laughed；　and　held　both　gloves　up。　　〃No　wonder！　　I　had　it　all　the
time。　　Thank　you　ever　so　much。〃

〃How　are　we　going　to　ride　back？〃　asked　Stoller。

Burnamy　almost　turned　pale；　Miss　Triscoe　smiled　impenetrably。　　No　one
else　spoke；　and　Mrs。　March　said；　with　placid　authority；　〃Oh；　I　think　the
way　we　came；　is　best。〃

〃Did　that　absurd　creature；〃　she　apostrophized　her　husband　as　soon　as　she
got　him　alone　after　their　arrival　at　Pupp's；　〃think　I　was　going　to　let
him　drive　back　with　Agatha？〃

〃I　wonder；〃　said　March；　〃if　that's　what　Burnamy　calls　her　now？〃

〃I　shall　despise　him　if　it　isn't。〃




XXXVII。

Burnamy　took　up　his　mail　to　Stoller　after　the　supper　which　they　had　eaten
in　a　silence　natural　with　two　men　who　have　been　off　on　a　picnic　together。
He　did　not　rise　from　his　writing…desk　when　Burnamy　came　in；　and　the　young
man　did　not　sit　down　after　putting　his　letters　before　him。　　He　said；　with
an　effort　of　forcing　himself　to　speak　at　once；　〃I　have　looked　through　the
papers；　and　there　is　something　that　I　think　you　ought　to　see。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Stoller。

Burnamy　laid　down　three　or　four　papers　opened　to　pages　where　certain
articles　were　strongly　circumscribed　in　ink。　　The　papers　varied；　but
their　editorials　did　not；　in　purport　at　least。　　Some　were　grave　and　some
were　gay；　one　indignantly　denounced；　another　affected　an　ironical
bewilderment；　the　third　simply　had　fun　with　the　Hon。　Jacob　Stoller。
They　all；　however；　treated　his　letter　on　the　city　government　of　Carlsbad
as　the　praise　of　municipal　socialism；　and　the　paper　which　had　fun　with
him　gleefully　congratulated　the　dangerous　classes　on　the　accession　of　the
Honorable　Jacob　to　their　ranks。

Stoller　read　the　articles；　one　after　another；　with　parted　lips　and
gathering　drops　of　perspiration　on　his　upper　lip；　while　Burnamy　waited　on
foot。　　He　flung　the　papers　all　down　at　last。　　〃Why；　they're　a　pack　of
fools！　　They　don't　know　what　they're　talking　about！　　I　want　city
government　carried　on　on　business　principles；　by　the　people；　for　the
people。　　I　don't　care　what　they　say！　　I　know　I'm　right；　and　I'm　going
ahead　on　this　line　if　it　takes　all〃　The　note　of　defiance　died　out　of
his　voice　at　the　sight　of　Burnamy's　pale　face。　　〃What's　the　matter　with
you？〃

〃There's　nothing　the　matter　with　me。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　tell　me　it　is〃he　could　not　bring　himself　to　use　the
word〃what　they　say？〃

〃I　suppose；〃　said　Burnamy；　with　a　dry　mouth；　〃it's　what　you　may　call
municipal　socialism。〃

Stoller　jumped　from　his　seat。　　〃And　you　knew　it　when　you　let　me　do　it？〃

〃I　supposed　you　knew　what　you　were　about。〃

〃It's　a　lie！〃　　Stoller　advanced　upon　him；　wildly；　and　Burnamy　took　a　step
backward。

〃Look　out！〃　shouted　Burnamy。　　〃You　never　asked　me　anything　about　it。
You　told　me　what　you　wanted　done；　and　I　did　it。　　How　could　I　believe　you
were　such　an　ignoramus　as　not　to　know　the　a　b　c　of　the　thing　you　were
talking　about？〃　　He　added；　in　cynical　contempt；　〃But　you　needn't　worry。
You　can　make　it　right　with　the　managers　by　spending　a　little　more　money
than　you　expected　to　spend。〃

Stoller　started　as　if　the　word　money　reminded　him　of　something。　　〃I　can
take　care　of　myself；　young