their silver wedding journey v2-第15部分

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a'n't　honest！　Get　out　of　my　room；　and　get　out　quick　before　I〃

He　hurled　himself　toward　Burnamy；　who　straightened　himself；　with　〃If　you
dare！　　〃He　knew　that　he　was　right　in　refusing；　but　he　knew　that　Stoller
was　right；　too；　and　that　he　had　not　meant　the　logic　of　what　he　had　said
in　his　letter；　and　of　what　Burnamy　had　let　him　imply。　　He　braved
Stoller's　onset；　and　he　left　his　presence　untouched；　but　feeling　as
little　a　moral　hero　as　he　well　could。




XXXVIII。

General　Triscoe　woke　in　the　bad　humor　of　an　elderly　man　after　a　day's
pleasure；　and　in　the　self…reproach　of　a　pessimist　who　has　lost　his　point
of　view　for　a　time；　and　has　to　work　back　to　it。　　He　began　at　the　belated
breakfast　with　his　daughter　when　she　said；　after　kissing　him　gayly；　in
the　small　two…seated　bower　where　they　breakfasted　at　their　hotel　when
they　did　not　go　to　the　Posthof；　〃Didn't　you　have　a　nice　time；　yesterday；
papa？〃

She　sank　into　the　chair　opposite；　and　beamed　at　him　across　the　little
iron　table；　as　she　lifted　the　pot　to　pour　out　his　coffee。

〃What　do　you　call　a　nice　time？〃　he　temporized；　not　quite　able　to　resist
her　gayety。

〃Well；　the　kind　of　time　I　had。〃

〃Did　you　get　rheumatism　from　sitting　on　the　grass？　　I　took　cold　in　that
old　church；　and　the　tea　at　that　restaurant　must　have　been　brewed　in　a
brass　kettle。　　I　suffered　all　night　from　it。　　And　that　ass　from
Illinois〃

〃Oh；　poor　papa！　　I　couldn't　go　with　Mr。　Stoller　alone；　but　I　might　have
gone　in　the　two…spanner　with　him　and　let　you　have　Mr。　or　Mrs。　March　in
the　one…spanner。〃

〃I　don't　know。　　Their　interest　in　each　other　isn't　so　interesting　to
other　people　as　they　seem　to　think。〃

〃Do　you　feel　that　way　really；　papa？　　Don't　you　like　their　being　so　much
in　love　still？〃

〃At　their　time　of　life？　　Thank　you　it's　bad　enough　in　young　people。〃

The　girl　did　not　answer；　she　appeared　altogether　occupied　in　pouring　out
her　father's　coffee。

He　tasted　it；　and　then　he　drank　pretty　well　all　of　it；　but　he　said；　as　he
put　his　cup　down；　〃I　don't　know　what　they　make　this　stuff　of。　　I　wish　I
had　a　cup　of　good；　honest　American　coffee。〃

〃Oh；　there's　nothing　like　American　food！〃　said　his　daughter；　with　so　much
conciliation　that　he　looked　up　sharply。

But　whatever　he　might　have　been　going　to　say　was　at　least　postponed　by
the　approach　of　a　serving…maid；　who　brought　a　note　to　his　daughter。　　She
blushed　a　little　at　sight　of　it；　and　then　tore　it　open　and　read：

〃I　am　going　away　from　Carlsbad；　for　a　fault　of　my　own　which　forbids　me　to
look　you　in　the　face。　　If　you　wish　to　know　the　worst　of　me；　ask　Mrs。
March。　　I　have　no　heart　to　tell　you。〃

Agatha　read　these　mystifying　words　of　Burnamy's　several　times　over　in　a
silent　absorption　with　them　which　left　her　father　to　look　after　himself；
and　he　had　poured　out　a　second　cup　of　coffee　with　his　own　hand；　and　was
reaching　for　the　bread　beside　her　before　she　came　slowly　back　to　a　sense
of　his　presence。

〃Oh；　excuse　me；　papa；〃　she　said；　and　she　gave　him　the　butter。　　〃Here's　a
very　strange　letter　from　Mr。　Burnamy；　which　I　think　you'd　better　see。〃
She　held　the　note　across　the　table　to　him；　and　watched　his　face　as　he
read　it。

After　he　had　read　it　twice；　he　turned　the　sheet　over；　as　people　do　with
letters　that　puzzle　them；　in　the　vain　hope　of　something　explanatory　on
the　back。　　Then　he　looked　up　and　asked：　〃What　do　you　suppose　he's　been
doing？〃

〃I　don't　believe　he's　been　doing　anything。　　It's　something　that　Mr。
Stoller's　been　doing　to　him。〃

〃I　shouldn't　infer　that　from　his　own　words。　　What　makes　you　think　the
trouble　is　with　Stoller？〃

〃He　saidhe　said　yesterdaysomething　about　being　glad　to　be　through
with　him；　because　he　disliked　him　so　much　he　was　always　afraid　of
wronging　him。　　And　that　proves　that　now　Mr。　Stoller　has　made　him　believe
that　he's　done　wrong；　and　has　worked　upon　him　till　he　does　believe　it。〃

〃It　proves　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　said　the　general；　recurring　to　the　note。
After　reading　it　again；　he　looked　keenly　at　her：　〃Am　I　to　understand　that
you　have　given　him　the　right　to　suppose　you　would　want　to　know　the　worst
or　the　best　of　him？〃

The　girl's　eyes　fell；　and　she　pushed　her　knife　against　her　plate。　　She
began：　〃No〃

〃Then　confound　his　impudence！〃　　the　general　broke　out。　　〃What　business
has　he　to　write　to　you　at　all　about　this？〃

〃Because　he　couldn't　go　away　without　it！〃　she　returned；　and　she　met　her
father's　eye　courageously。　　〃He　had　a　right　to　think　we　were　his　friends；
and　if　he　has　done　wrong；　or　is　in　disgrace　any　way；　isn't　it　manly　of
him　to　wish　to　tell　us　first　himself？〃

Her　father　could　not　say　that　it　was　not。　　But　he　could　and　did　say；　very
sceptically：　〃Stuff！　　Now；　see　here；　Agatha：　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃

〃I'm　going　to　see　Mrs。　March；　and　then〃

〃You　mustn't　do　anything　of　the　kind；　my　dear；〃　said　her　father；　gently。
〃You've　no　right　to　give　yourself　away　to　that　romantic　old　goose。〃　　He
put　up　his　hand　to　interrupt　her　protest。　　〃This　thing　has　got　to　be　gone
to　the　bottom　of。　　But　you're　not　to　do　it。　　I　will　see　March　myself。　　We
must　consider　your　dignity　in　this　matterand　mine。　　And　you　may　as　well
understand　that　I'm　not　going　to　have　any　nonsense。　　It's　got　to　be
managed　so　that　it　can't　be　supposed　we're　anxious　about　it；　one　way　or
the　other；　or　that　he　was　authorized　to　write　to　you　in　this　way〃

〃No；　no！　　He　oughtn't　to　have　done　so。　　He　was　to　blame。　　He　couldn't
have　written　to　you；　though；　papa〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　why。　　But　that's　no　reason　why　we　should　let　it　be
understood　that　he　has　written　to　you。　　I　will　see　March；　and　I　will
manage　to　see　his　wife；　too。　　I　shall　probably　find　them　in　the　reading…
room　at　Pupp's；　and〃

〃The　Marches　were　in　fact　just　coming　in　from　their　breakfast　at　the
Posthof；　and　he　met　them　at　the　door　of　Pupp's；　where　they　all　sat　down
on　one　of　the　iron　settees　of　the　piazza；　and　began　to　ask　one　another
questions　of　their　minds　about　the　pleasure　of　the　day　before；　and　to
beat　about　the　bush　where　Burnamy　lurked　in　their　common　consciousness。

Mrs。　March　was　not　able　to　keep　long　from　starting　him。　　〃You　knew；〃　she
said；　〃that　Mr。　Burnamy　had　left　us？〃

〃Left！　Why？〃　asked　the　general。

She　was　a　woman　of　resource；　but　in　a　case　like　this　she　found　it　best　to
trust　her　husband's　poverty　of　invention。　　She　looked　at　him；　and　he
answered　for　her　with　a　promptness　that　made　her　quake　at　first；　but
finally　seemed　the　only　thing；　if　not　the　best　thing：　〃He's　had　some
trouble　with　Stoller。〃　　He　went　on　to　tell　the　general　just　what　the
trouble　was。

At　the　end　the　general　grunted　as　from　an　uncertain　mind。　　〃You　think
he's　behaved　badly。〃

〃I　think　he's　behaved　foolishlyyouthfully。　　But　I　can　understand　how
strongly　he　was　tempted。　　He　could　say　that　he　was　not　authorized　to　stop
Stoller　in　his　mad　career。〃

At　this　Mrs。　March　put　her　hand　through　her　husband's　arm。

〃I'm　not　so　sure　about　that；〃　said　the　general。

March　added：　〃Since　I　saw　him　this　morning；　I've　heard　something　that
disposes　me　to　look　at　his　performance　in　a　friendlier　light。　　It's
something　that　Stoller　told　me　himself；　to　heighten　my　sense　of　Burnamy's
wickedness。　　He　seems　to　have　felt　that　I　ought　to　know　what　a　serpent　I
was　cherishing　in　my　bosom；〃　and　he　gave　Triscoe　the　facts　of　Burnamy's
injurious　refusal　to　help　Stoller　put　a　false　complexion　on　the　opinions
he　had　allowed　him　ignorantly　to　express。

The　general　grunted　again。　　〃Of　course　he　had　to　refuse；　and　he　has
behaved　like　a　gentleman　so　far。　　But　that　doesn't　justify　him　in　having
let　Stoller　get　himself　into　the　scrape。〃

〃No；〃　said　March。　　〃It's　a　tough　nut　for　the　casuist　to　try　his　tooth　on。
And　I　must　say　I　feel　sorry　for　Stoller。〃

Mrs。　March　plucked　her　hand　from　his　arm。　　〃I　don't；　one　bit。　　He　was
thoroughly　selfish　from　first　to　last。　　He　has　got　just　what　he
deserved。〃

〃Ah；　very　likely；〃　said　her　husband。　　〃The　question　is　about　Burnamy's
part　in　giving　him　his　deserts；　he　had　to　leave　him　to　them；　of　course。〃

The　general　fixed　her　with　the　impenetrable　glitter　of　his　eye…glasses；
and　left　the　subject　as　of　no　concern　to　him。　　〃I　believe；〃　he　said；
rising；　〃I'll　have　a　look　at　some　of　your　papers；〃　and　he　went　into　the
reading…room。

〃Now；〃　said　Mrs。　March；　〃he　will　go　home　and　poison　that　poor　girl's
mind。　　And；　you　will　have　yourself　to　thank　for　prejudicing　him　against
Burnamy。〃

〃Then　why　didn't　you　do　it　yourself；　my　dear？〃　he　teased；　but　he　was
really　too　sorry　for　the　whole　affair；　which　he　nevertheless　enjoyed　as
an　ethical　problem。

The　general　looked　so　little　at　the　papers　that　before　March　went　off　for
his　morning　walk　he　saw　him　come　out　of　the　reading…room　and　take　his　way
down　the　Alte　Wiese。　　He　went　directly　back　to　his　daughter；　and　reported
Burnamy's　behavior　with　entire　exactness。　　He　dwelt　upon　his　making　the
best　of　a　bad　business　in　refusing　to　help　Stoller　out　of　it；
dishonorably　and　mendaciously；　but　he　did　not　conceal　that　it　was　a　bad
business。

〃Now；　you　know　all　about　it；〃　he　said　at　the　end；　〃and　I　leave　the　whole
thing　to　you。　　If　you　prefer；　you　can　see　Mrs。　March。　　I　don't　know　but
I'd　rather　you'd　satisfy　yourself〃

〃I　will　not　see　Mrs。　March。　　Do　you　think　I　would　go　back　of　you　in　that
way？　　I　am　satisfied　now。〃




XXXIX。

Instead　of　Burnamy；　Mrs。　Adding　and　her　son　now　breakfasted　with　the
Marches　at　the　Posthof；　and　the　boy　was　with　March　throughout　the　day　a
good　deal。　　He　rectified　his　impressions　of　life　in　Carlsbad　by　March's
greater　wisdom　and　experience；　and　did　his　best　to　anticipate　his
opinions　and　conform　to　his　conclusions。　　This　was　not　easy；　for
sometimes　he　could　not　conceal　from　himself；　that　March's　opinions　were
whimsical；　and　his　conclusions　fantastic；　and　he　could　not　always　conceal
from　March　that　he　was　matching　them　with　Kenby's　on　some　points；　and
suffering　from　their　divergence。　　He　came　to　join　the　sage　in　his　early
visit　to　the　springs；　and　they　walked　up　and　down　talking；　and　they　went
off　together　on　long　strolls　in　which　Rose　was　proud　to　bear　him　company。
He　was　patient　of　the　absences　from　which　he　was　often　answered；　and　he
learned　to　distinguish　between　the　earnest　and　the　irony　of　which　Marc