their silver wedding journey v2-第16部分

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learned　to　distinguish　between　the　earnest　and　the　irony　of　which　March's
replies　seemed　to　be　mixed。　　He　examined　him　upon　many　features　of　German
civilization；　but　chiefly　upon　the　treatment　of　women　in　it；　and　upon
this　his　philosopher　was　less　satisfactory　than　he　could　have　wished　him
to　be。　　He　tried　to　excuse　his　trifling　as　an　escape　from　the　painful
stress　of　questions　which　he　found　so　afflicting　himself；　but　in　the
matter　of　the　woman…and…dog　teams；　this　was　not　easy。　　March　owned　that
the　notion　of　their　being　yokemates　was　shocking；　but　he　urged　that　it
was　a　stage　of　evolution；　and　a　distinct　advance　upon　the　time　when　women
dragged　the　carts　without　the　help　of　the　dogs；　and　that　the　time　might
not　be　far　distant　when　the　dogs　would　drag　the　carts　without　the　help　of
the　women。

Rose　surmised　a　joke；　and　he　tried　to　enjoy　it；　but　inwardly　he　was
troubled　by　his　friend's　apparent　acceptance　of　unjust　things　on　their
picturesque　side。　　Once　as　they　were　sauntering　homeward　by　the　brink　of
the　turbid　Eger；　they　came　to　a　man　lying　on　the　grass　with　a　pipe　in　his
mouth；　and　lazily　watching　from　under　his　fallen　lids　the　cows　grazing　by
the　river…side；　while　in　a　field　of　scraggy　wheat　a　file　of　women　were
reaping　a　belated　harvest　with　sickles；　bending　wearily　over　to　clutch
the　stems　together　and　cut　them　with　their　hooked　blades。　　〃Ah；
delightful！　〃　March　took　off　his　hat　as　if　to　salute　the　pleasant　sight。

〃But　don't　you　think；　Mr。　March；〃　the　boy　ventured；　〃that　the　man　had
better　be　cutting　the　wheat；　and　letting　the　women　watch　the　cows？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know。　　There　are　more　of　them；　and　he　wouldn't　be　half　so
graceful　as　they　are；　with　that　flow　of　their　garments；　and　the　sway　of
their　aching　backs。〃　　The　boy　smiled　sadly；　and　March　put　his　hand　on　his
shoulder　as　they　walked　on。　　〃You　find　a　lot　of　things　in　Europe　that
need　putting　right；　don't　you；　Rose？〃

〃Yes；　I　know　it's　silly。〃

〃Well；　I'm　not　sure。　　But　I'm　afraid　it's　useless。　　You　see；　these　old
customs　go　such　a　way　back；　and　are　so　grounded　in　conditions。　　We　think
they　might　be　changed；　if　those　who　rule　could　be　got　to　see　how　cruel
and　ugly　they　are；　but　probably　they　couldn't。　　I'm　afraid　that　the
Emperor　of　Austria　himself　couldn't　change　them；　in　his　sovereign
plenitude　of　power。　　The　Emperor　is　only　an　old　custom　too；　and　he's　as
much　grounded　in　the　conditions　as　any。〃　　This　was　the　serious　way　Rose
felt　that　March　ought　always　to　talk；　and　he　was　too　much　grieved　to
laugh　when　he　went　on。　　〃The　women　have　so　much　of　the　hard　work　to　do；
over　here；　because　the　emperors　need　the　men　for　their　armies。　　They
couldn't　let　their　men　cut　wheat　unless　it　was　for　their　officers'
horses；　in　the　field　of　some　peasant　whom　it　would　ruin。〃

If　Mrs。　March　was　by　she　would　not　allow　him　to　work　these　paradoxes　for
the　boy's　confusion。　　She　said　the　child　adored　him；　and　it　was　a
sacrilege　to　play　with　his　veneration。　　She　always　interfered　to　save
him；　but　with　so　little　logic　though　so　much　justice　that　Rose　suffered　a
humiliation　from　her　championship；　and　was　obliged　from　a　sense　of　self…
respect　to　side　with　the　mocker。　　She　understood　this；　and　magnanimously
urged　it　as　another　reason　why　her　husband　should　not　trifle　with　Rose's
ideal　of　him；　to　make　his　mother　laugh　at　him　was　wicked。

〃Oh；　I'm　not　his　only　ideal；〃　March　protested。　　〃He　adores　Kenby　too；　and
every　now　and　then　he　brings　me　to　book　with　a　text　from　Kenby's　gospel。〃

Mrs。　March　caught　her　breath。　　〃Kenby！　Do　you　really　think；　then；　that
she〃

〃Oh；　hold　on；　now！　It　isn't　a　question　of　Mrs。　Adding；　and　I　don't　say
Rose　had　an　eye　on　poor　old　Kenby　as　a　step…father。　　I　merely　want　you　to
understand　that　I'm　the　object　of　a　divided　worship；　and　that　when　I'm
off　duty　as　an　ideal　I　don't　see　why　I　shouldn't　have　the　fun　of　making
Mrs。　Adding　laugh。　　You　can't　pretend　she　isn't　wrapped　up　in　the　boy。
You've　said　that　yourself。〃

〃Yes；　she's　wrapped　up　in　him；　she'd　give　her　life　for　him；　but　she　is　so
light。　　I　didn't　suppose　she　was　so　light；　but　it's　borne　in　upon　me　more
and　more。〃

They　were　constantly　seeing　Rose　and　his　mother；　in　the　sort　of　abeyance
the　Triscoes　had　fallen　into。　　One　afternoon　the　Addings　came　to　Mrs。
March's　room　to　look　from　her　windows　at　a　parade　of　bicyclers'　clubs
from　the　neighboring　towns。　　The　spectacle　prospered　through　its　first
half…hour；　with　the　charm　which　German　sentiment　and　ingenuity；　are　able
to　lend　even　a　bicycle　parade。　　The　wheelmen　and　wheelwomen　filed　by　on
machines　wreathed　with　flowers　and　ribbons；　and　decked　with　streaming
banners。　　Here　and　there　one　sat　under　a　moving　arch　of　blossoms；　or　in　a
bower　of　leaves　and　petals；　and　they　were　all　gay　with　their　club
costumes　and　insignia。　　In　the　height　of　the　display　a　sudden　mountain
shower　gathered　and　broke　upon　them。　　They　braved　it　till　it　became　a
drenching　down…pour；　then　they　leaped　from　their　machines　and　fled　to　any
shelter　they　could　find；　under　trees　and　in　doorways。　　The　men　used　their
greater　agility　to　get　the　best　places；　and　kept　them；　the　women　made　no
appeal　for　them　by　word　or　look；　but　took　the　rain　in　the　open　as　if　they
expected　nothing　else。

Rose　watched　the　scene　with　a　silent　intensity　which　March　interpreted。
〃There's　your　chance；　Rose。　　Why　don't　you　go　down　and　rebuke　those
fellows？〃

Rose　blushed　and　shrank　away　without　answer；　and　Mrs。　March　promptly
attacked　her　husband　in　his　behalf。　　〃Why　don't　you　go　and　rebuke　them
yourself？〃

Well；　for　one　thing；　there　isn't　any　conversation　in　my　phrase…book
Between　an　indignant　American　Herr　and　a　Party　of　German　Wheelmen　who
have　taken　Shelter　from　the　Rain　and　are　keeping　the　Wheelwomen　out　in
the　Wet。〃　　Mrs。　Adding　shrieked　her　delight；　and　he　was　flattered　into
going　on。　　〃For　another　thing；　I　think　it's　very　well　for　you　ladies　to
realize　from　an　object…lesson　of　this　sort　what　spoiled　children　of　our
civilization　you　are。　　It　ought　to　make　you　grateful　for　your
privileges。〃

〃There　is　something　in　that；〃　Mrs。　Adding　joyfully　consented。

〃Oh；　there　is　no　civilization　but　ours；〃　said　Mrs。　March；　in　a　burst　of
vindictive　patriotism。　　〃I　am　more　and　more　convinced　of　it　the　longer　I
stay　in　Europe。〃

〃Perhaps　that's　why　we　like　to　stay　so　long　in　Europe；　it　strengthens　us
in　the　conviction　that　America　is　the　only　civilized　country　in　the
world；〃　said　March。

The　shower　passed　as　quickly　as　it　had　gathered；　and　the　band　which　it
had　silenced　for　a　moment　burst　forth　again　in　the　music　which　fills　the
Carlsbad　day　from　dawn　till　dusk。　　Just　now；　it　began　to　play　a　pot
pourri　of　American　airs；　at　the　end　some　unseen　Americans　under　the　trees
below　clapped　and　cheered。

〃That　was　opportune　of　the　band；〃　said　March。　　〃It　must　have　been　a
telepathic　impulse　from　our　patriotism　in　the　director。　　But　a　pot　pourri
of　American　airs　is　like　that　tablet　dedicating　the　American　Park　up　here
on　the　Schlossberg；　which　is　signed　by　six　Jews　and　one　Irishman。　　The
only　thing　in　this　medley　that's　the　least　characteristic　or　original　is
Dixie；　and　I'm　glad　the　South　has　brought　us　back　into　the　Union。〃

〃You　don't　know　one　note　from　another；　my　dear；〃　said　his　wife。

〃I　know　the　'Washington　Post。'〃

〃And　don't　you　call　that　American？〃

〃Yes；　if　Sousa　is　an　American　name；　I　should　have　thought　it　was
Portuguese。〃

〃Now　that　sounds　a　little　too　much　like　General　Triscoe's　pessimism；〃
said　Mrs。　March；　and　she　added：　〃But　whether　we　have　any　national
melodies　or　not；　we　don't　poke　women　out　in　the　rain　and　keep　them
soaking！〃

〃No；　we　certainly　don't；〃　he　assented；　with　such　a　well…studied　effect　of
yielding　to　superior　logic　that　Mrs。　Adding　screamed　for　joy。

The　boy　had　stolen　out　of　the　room；　and　he　said；　〃I　hope　Rose　isn't
acting　on　my　suggestion？〃

〃I　hate　to　have　you　tease　him；　dearest；〃　his　wife　interposed。

〃Oh；　no；〃　the　mother　said；　laughing　still；　but　with　a　note　of　tenderness
in　her　laugh；　which　dropped　at　last　to　a　sigh。　　〃He's　too　much　afraid　of
lese…majesty；　for　that。　　But　I　dare　say　he　couldn't　stand　the　sight。
He's　queer。〃

〃He's　beautiful！〃　said　Mrs。　March。

〃He's　good；〃　the　mother　admitted。　　〃As　good　as　the　day's　long。　　He's
never　given　me　a　moment's　troublebut　he　troubles　me。　　If　you　can
understand！〃

〃Oh；　I　do　understand！〃　Mrs。　March　returned。　　〃By　his　innocence；　you　mean。
That　is　the　worst　of　children。　　Their　innocence　breaks　our　hearts　and
makes　us　feel　ourselves　such　dreadful　old　things。〃

〃His　innocence；　yes；〃　pursued　Mrs。　Adding；　〃and　his　ideals。〃　　She　began
to　laugh　again。　　〃He　may　have　gone　off　for　a　season　of　meditation　and
prayer　over　the　misbehavior　of　these　bicyclers。　　His　mind　is　turning　that
way　a　good　deal　lately。　　It's　only　fair　to　tell　you；　Mr。　March；　that　he
seems　to　be　giving　up　his　notion　of　being　an　editor。　　You　mustn't　be
disappointed。〃

〃I　shall　be　sorry；〃　said　the　editor。　　〃But　now　that　you　mention　it；　I
think　I　have　noticed　that　Rose　seems　rather　more　indifferent　to
periodical　literature。　　I　supposed　he　might　simply　have　exhausted　his
questionsor　my　answers。〃

〃No；　it　goes　deeper　than　that。　　I　think　it's　Europe　that's　turned　his
mind　in　the　direction　of　reform。　　At　any　rate　he　thinks　now　he　will　be　a
reformer。〃

〃Really！　　What　kind　of　one？　　Not　religious；　I　hope？〃

〃No。　　His　reform　has　a　religious　basis；　but　its　objects　are　social。
I　don't　make　it　out；　exactly；　but　I　shall；　as　soon　as　Rose　does。　　He
tells　me　everything；　and　sometimes　I　don't　feel　equal　to　it；　spiritually
or　even　intellectually。〃

〃Don't　laugh　at　him；　Mrs。　Adding！〃　Mrs。　March　entreated。

〃Oh；　he　doesn't　mind　my　laughing；〃　said　the　mother；　gayly。　　Rose　came
shyly　back　into　the　room；　and　she　said；　〃Well；　did　you　rebuke　those　bad
bicyclers？〃　and　she　laughed　again。

〃They're　only　a　custom；　too；　Rose；〃；　said　March；　tenderly。　　〃Like　the　man
resting　while　the　women　worked；　and　the　Emperor；　and　all　the　rest　of　it。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　know；〃　the　boy　returned。

〃They　ride　modern　machines；　but　they　live　in　the　tenth　century。　　That's
what　we're　always　forgetting　when　we　come　to　Europe　and　see　these
barbarians　enjoying　all　our　up…to…date　improvements。〃

Ther