their silver wedding journey v2-第17部分

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what　we're　always　forgetting　when　we　come　to　Europe　and　see　these
barbarians　enjoying　all　our　up…to…date　improvements。〃

There；　doesn't　that　console　you？〃　asked　his　mother；　and　she　took　him　away
with　her；　laughing　back　from　the　door。　　〃I　don't　believe　it　does；
a　bit！〃

〃I　don't　believe　she　understands　the　child；〃　said　Mrs。　March。　　〃She　is
very　light；　don't　you　think？〃　　I　don't　know；　after　all；　whether　it
wouldn't　be　a　good　thing　for　her　to　marry　Kenby。　　She　is　very　easygoing；
and　she　will　be　sure　to　marry　somebody。〃

She　had　fallen　into　a　tone　of　musing　censure；　and　he　said；　〃You　might　put
these　ideas　to　her。〃




XL。

With　the　passage　of　the　days　and　weeks；　the　strange　faces　which　had
familiarized　themselves　at　the　springs　disappeared；　even　some　of　those
which　had　become　the　faces　of　acquaintance　began　to　go。　　In　the
diminishing　crowd　the　smile　of　Otterson　was　no　longer　to　be　seen；　the
sad；　severe　visage　of　Major　Eltwin；　who　seemed　never　to　have　quite　got
his　bearings　after　his　error　with　General　Triscoe；　seldom　showed　itself。
The　Triscoes　themselves　kept　out　of　the　Marches'　way；　or　they　fancied　so；
Mrs。　Adding　and　Rose　alone　remained　of　their　daily　encounter。

It　was　full　summer；　as　it　is　everywhere　in　mid…August；　but　at　Carlsbad
the　sun　was　so　late　getting　up　over　the　hills　that　as　people　went　to
their　breakfasts　at　the　cafes　up　the　valley　of　the　Tepl　they　found　him
looking　very　obliquely　into　it　at　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　The
yellow　leaves　were　thicker　about　the　feet　of　the　trees；　and　the　grass　was
silvery　gray　with　the　belated　dews。　　The　breakfasters　were　fewer　than
they　had　been；　and　there　were　more　little　barefooted　boys　and　girls　with
cups　of　red　raspberries　which　they　offered　to　the　passers　with　cries　of
〃Himbeeren！　Himbeeren！〃　plaintive　as　the　notes　of　birds　left　songless　by
the　receding　summer。

March　was　forbidden　the　fruit；　but　his　wife　and　Mrs。　Adding　bought
recklessly　of　it；　and　ate　it　under　his　eyes　with　their　coffee　and　bread；
pouring　over　it　pots　of　clotted　cream　that　the　'schone'　Lili　brought
them。　　Rose　pretended　an　indifference　to　it；　which　his　mother　betrayed
was　a　sacrifice　in　behalf　of　March's　inability。

Lili's　delays　in　coming　to　be　paid　had　been　such　that　the　Marches　now
tried　to　pay　her　when　she　brought　their　breakfast；　but　they　sometimes
forgot；　and　then　they　caught　her　whenever　she　came　near　them。　　In　this
event　she　liked　to　coquet　with　their　impatience；　she　would　lean　against
their　table；　and　say：　〃Oh；　no。　　You　stay　a　little。　　It　is　so　nice。〃　　One
day　after　such　an　entreaty；　she　said；　〃The　queen　is　here；　this　morning。〃

Mrs。　March　started；　in　the　hope　of　highhotes。　　〃The　queen！〃

〃Yes；　the　young　lady。　　Mr。　Burnamy　was　saying　she　was　a　queen。　　She　is
there　with　her　father。〃　　She　nodded　in　the　direction　of　a　distant　corner；
and　the　Marches　knew　that　she　meant　Miss　Triscoe　and　the　general。　　〃She
is　not　seeming　so　gayly　as　she　was　being。〃

March　smiled。　　〃We　are　none　of　us　so　gayly　as　we　were　being；　Lili。　　The
summer　is　going。〃

〃But　Mr。　Burnamy　will　be　returning；　not　true？〃　the　girl　asked；　resting
her　tray　on　the　corner　of　the　table。

〃No；　I'm　afraid　he　won't；〃　March　returned　sadly。

〃He　was　very　good。　　He　was　paying　the　proprietor　for　the　dishes　that
Augusta　did　break　when　she　was　falling　down。　　He　was　paying　before　he
went　away；　when　he　was　knowing　that　the　proprietor　would　make　Augusta　to
pay。〃

〃Ah！〃　　said　March；　and　his　wife　said；　〃That　was　like　him！〃　and　she
eagerly　explained　to　Mrs。　Adding　how　good　and　great　Burnamy　had　been　in
this　characteristic　instance；　while　Lili　waited　with　the　tray　to　add　some
pathetic　facts　about　Augusta's　poverty　and　gratitude。　　〃I　think　Miss
Triscoe　ought　to　know　it。　　There　goes　the　wretch；　now！〃　she　broke　off。
〃Don't　look　at　him！〃　　She　set　her　husband　the　example　of　averting　his
face　from　the　sight　of　Stoller　sullenly　pacing　up　the　middle　aisle　of　the
grove；　and　looking　to　the　right　and　left　for　a　vacant　table。　　〃Ugh！　I
hope　he　won't　be　able　to　find　a　single　place。〃

Mrs。　Adding　gave　one　of　her　pealing　laughs；　while　Rose　watched　March's
face　with　grave　sympathy。　　〃He　certainly　doesn't　deserve　one。　　Don't　let
us　keep　you　from　offering　Miss　Triscoe　any　consolation　you　can。〃　　They
got　up；　and　the　boy　gathered　up　the　gloves；　umbrella；　and　handkerchief
which　the　ladies　let　drop　from　their　laps。

〃Have　you　been　telling？〃　March　asked　his　wife。

〃Have　I　told　you　anything？〃　she　demanded　of　Mrs。　Adding　in　turn。
〃Anything　that　you　didn't　as　good　as　know；　already？〃

〃Not　a　syllable！〃　　Mrs。　Adding　replied　in　high　delight。　　〃Come；　Rose！〃

〃Well；　I　suppose　there's　no　use　saying　anything；〃　said　March；　after　she
left　them。

〃She　had　guessed　everything；　without　my　telling　her；〃　said　his　wife。

〃About　Stoller？〃

〃Well…no。　　I　did　tell　her　that　part；　but　that　was　nothing。　　It　was　about
Burnamy　and　Agatha　that　she　knew。　　She　saw　it　from　the　first。〃

〃I　should　have　thought　she　would　have　enough　to　do　to　look　after　poor　old
Kenby。〃

〃I'm　not　sure；　after　all；　that　she　cares　for　him。　　If　she　doesn't；　she
oughtn't　to　let　him　write　to　her。　　Aren't　you　going　over　to　speak　to　the
Triscoes？〃

〃No；　certainly　not。　　I'm　going　back　to　the　hotel。　　There　ought　to　be　some
steamer　letters　this　morning。　　Here　we　are；　worrying　about　these
strangers　all　the　time；　and　we　never　give　a　thought　to　our　own　children
on　the　other　side　of　the　ocean。〃

〃I　worry　about　them；　too；〃　said　the　mother；　fondly。　　〃Though　there　is
nothing　to　worry　about；〃　she　added。

〃It's　our　duty　to　worry；〃　he　insisted。

At　the　hotel　the　portier　gave　them　four　letters。　　There　was　one　from　each
of　their　children：　one　very　buoyant；　not　to　say　boisterous；　from　the
daughter；　celebrating　her　happiness　in　her　husband；　and　the　loveliness　of
Chicago　as　a　summer　city　（〃You　would　think　she　was　born　out　there！〃
sighed　her　mother）；　and　one　from　the　son；　boasting　his　well…being　in
spite　of　the　heat　they　were　having　（〃And　just　think　how　cool　it　is　here！〃
his　mother　upbraided　herself）；　and　the　prosperity　of　'Every　Other　Week'。
There　was　a　line　from　Fulkerson；　praising　the　boy's　editorial　instinct；
and　ironically　proposing　March's　resignation　in　his　favor。

〃I　do　believe　we　could　stay　all　winter；　just　as　well　as　not；〃　said　Mrs。
March；　proudly。　　〃What　does　'Burnamy　say？〃

〃How　do　you　know　it's　from　him？〃

〃Because　you've　been　keeping　your　hand　on　it！　　Give　it　here。〃

〃When　I've　read　it。〃

The　letter　was　dated　at　Ansbach；　in　Germany；　and　dealt；　except　for　some
messages　of　affection　to　Mrs。　March；　with　a　scheme　for　a　paper　which
Burnamy　wished　to　write　on　Kaspar　Hauser；　if　March　thought　he　could　use
it　in　'Every　Other　Week'。　　He　had　come　upon　a　book　about　that　hapless
foundling　in　Nuremberg；　and　after　looking　up　all　his　traces　there　he　had
gone　on　to　Ansbach；　where　Kaspar　Hauser　met　his　death　so　pathetically。
Burnamy　said　he　could　not　give　any　notion　of　the　enchantment　of
Nuremberg；　but　he　besought　March；　if　he　was　going　to　the　Tyrol　for　his
after…cure；　not　to　fail　staying　a　day　or　so　in　the　wonderful　place。　　He
thought　March　would　enjoy　Ansbach　too；　in　its　way。

〃And；　not　a　wordnot　a　syllableabout　Miss　Triscoe！〃　cried　Mrs。　March。
〃Shall　you　take　his　paper？〃

〃It　would　be　serving　him　right；　if　I　refused　it；　wouldn't　it？〃

They　never　knew　what　it　cost　Burnamy　to　keep　her　name　out　of　his　letter；
or　by　what　an　effort　of　the　will　he　forbade　himself　even　to　tell　of　his
parting　interview　with　Stoller。　　He　had　recovered　from　his　remorse　for
letting　Stoller　give　himself　away；　he　was　still　sorry　for　that；　but　he　no
longer　suffered；　yet　he　had　not　reached　the　psychological　moment　when　he
could　celebrate　his　final　virtue　in　the　matter。　　He　was　glad　he　had　been
able　to　hold　out　against　the　temptation　to　retrieve　himself　by　another
wrong；　but　he　was　humbly　glad；　and　he　felt　that　until　happier　chance
brought　him　and　his　friends　together　he　must　leave　them　to　their　merciful
conjectures。　　He　was　young；　and　he　took　the　chance；　with　an　aching　heart。
If　he　had　been　older；　he　might　not　have　taken　it。




XLI。

The　birthday　of　the　Emperor　comes　conveniently；　in　late　August；　in　the
good　weather　which　is　pretty　sure　to　fall　then；　if　ever　in　the　Austrian
summer。　　For　a　week　past；　at　Carlsbad；　the　workmen　had　been　building　a
scaffolding　for　the　illumination　in　the　woods　on　a　height　overlooking　the
town；　and　making　unobtrusive　preparations　at　points　within　it。

The　day　was　important　as　the　last　of　March's　cure；　and　its　pleasures
began　for　him　by　a　renewal　of　his　acquaintance　in　its　first　kindliness
with　the　Eltwins。　　He　had　met　them　so　seldom　that　at　one　time　he　thought
they　must　have　gone　away；　but　now　after　his　first　cup　he　saw　the　quiet；
sad　old　pair；　sitting；together　on　a　bench　in　the　Stadt　Park；　and　he　asked
leave　to　sit　down　with　them　till　it　was　time　for　the　next。　　Eltwin　said
that　this　was　their　last　day；　too；　and　explained　that　his　wife　always
came　with　him　to　the　springs；　while　he　took　the　waters。

〃Well；〃　he　apologized；　〃we're　all　that's　left；　and　I　suppose　we　like　to
keep　together。〃　　He　paused；　and　at　the　look　in　March's　face　he　suddenly
went　on。　　〃I　haven't　been　well　for　three　or　four　years；　but　I　always
fought　against　coming　out　here；　when　the　doctors　wanted　me　to。　　I　said　I
couldn't　leave　home；　and；　I　don't　suppose　I　ever　should。　　But　my　home
left　me。〃

As　he　spoke　his　wife　shrank　tenderly　near　him；　and　March　saw　her　steal
her　withered　hand　into　his。

〃We'd　had　a　large　family；　but　they'd　all　died　off；　with　one　thing　or
another；　and　here　in　the　spring　we　lost　our　last　daughter。　　Seemed
perfectly　well；　and　all　at　once　she　died；　heart…failure；　they　called　it。
It　broke　me　up；　and　mother；　here；　got　at　me　to　go。　　And　so　we're　here。〃
His　voice　trembled；　and　his　eyes　softened；　then　they　flashed　up；　and
March　heard　him　add；　in　a　tone　that　astonished　him　less　when　he　looked
round　and　saw　General　Triscoe　advancing　toward　them；　〃I　don't　know　what
it　is　always　makes　me　want　to　kick　that　man。〃

The　general　lifted　his　hat　to　their　group；　and　hoped　that　Mrs。　Eltwin　was
well；　and　Major　Eltwin　better。　　He　did　not　notice　their　replies；　but　said
to　March；　〃The　ladies　are　waiting　for　you　in