their silver wedding journey v2-第20部分

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place；　where　she　was　safe　with　Rose　when　she　saw　them　eddying　about　in
the　crowd。　　The　general　was　still；　expressing　a　gratitude　which　became
more　pressing　the　more　it　was　disclaimed；　he　said　casually　at　sight　of
his　daughter；　〃Ah；　you've　found　us；　have　you？〃　and　went　on　talking　to
Mrs。　Adding；　who　nodded　to　them　laughingly；　and　asked；　〃Did　you　see　me
beckoning？〃

〃Look　here；　my　dear！〃　March　said　to　his　wife　as　soon　as　they　parted　from
the　rest；　the　general　gallantly　promising　that　his　daughter　and　he　would
see　Mrs。　Adding　safe　to　her　hotel；　and　were　making　their　way　slowly　home
alone。　　〃Did　you　know　that　Burnamy　was　in　Carlsbad？〃

〃He's　going　away　on　the　twelve…o'clock　train　tonight；〃　she　answered；
firmly。

〃What　has　that　got　to　do　with　it？　　Where　did　you　see　him？〃

〃In　the　box；　while　you　were　behind　the　scenes。〃

She　told　him　all　about　it；　and　he　listened　in　silent　endeavor　for　the
ground　of　censure　from　which　a　sense　of　his　own　guilt　forced　him。　　She
asked　suddenly；　〃Where　did　you　see　him？〃　and　he　told　her　in　turn。

He　added　severely；　〃Her　father　ought　to　know。　　Why　didn't　you　tell　him？〃

〃Why　didn't　you？〃　she　retorted　with　great　reason。

〃Because　I　didn't　think　he　was　just　in　the　humor　for　it。〃　　He　began　to
laugh　as　he　sketched　their　encounter　with　the　gendarme；　but　she　did　not
seem　to　think　it　amusing；　and　he　became　serious　again。　　〃Besides；　I　was
afraid　she　was　going　to　blubber；　any　way。〃

〃She　wouldn't　have　blubbered；　as　you　call　it。　　I　don't　know　why　you　need
be　so　disgusting！　　It　would　have　given　her　just　the　moral　support　she
needed。　　Now　she　will　have　to　tell　him　herself；　and　he　will　blame　us。
You　ought　to　have　spoken；　you　could　have　done　it　easily　and　naturally
when　you　came　up　with　her。　　You　will　have　yourself　to　thank　for　all　the
trouble　that　comes　of　it；　now；　my　dear。〃

He　shouted　in　admiration　of　her　skill　in　shifting　the　blame　on　him。
〃All　right！　　I　should　have　had　to　stand　it；　even　if　you　hadn't　behaved
with　angelic　wisdom。〃

〃Why；〃　she　said；　after　reflection；　〃I　don't　see　what　either　of　us　has
done。　　We　didn't　get　Burnamy　to　come　here；　or　connive　at　his　presence　in
any　way。〃

〃Oh！　Make　Triscoe　believe　that！　　He　knows　you've　done　all　you　could　to
help　the　affair　on。〃

〃Well；　what　if　I　have？　　He　began　making　up　to　Mrs。　Adding　himself　as　soon
as　he　saw　her；　to…night。　　She　looked　very　pretty。〃

〃Well；　thank　Heaven！　we're　off　to…morrow　morning；　and　I　hope　we've　seen
the　last　of　them。　　They've　done　what　they　could　to　spoil　my　cure；　but　I'm
not　going　to　have　them　spoil　my　aftercure。〃




XLIV。

Mrs。　March　had　decided　not　to　go　to　the　Posthof　for　breakfast；　where　they
had　already　taken　a　lavish　leave　of　the　'schone'　Lili；　with　a　sense　of
being　promptly　superseded　in　her　affections。　　They　found　a　place　in　the
red…table…cloth　end　of　the　pavilion　at　Pupp's；　and　were　served　by　the
pretty　girl　with　the　rose…bud　mouth　whom　they　had　known　only　as　Ein…und…
Zwanzig；　and　whose　promise　of　〃Komm'　gleich；　bitte　schon！〃　was　like　a
bird's　note。　　Never　had　the　coffee　been　so　good；　the　bread　so　aerially
light；　the　Westphalian　ham　so　tenderly　pink。　　A　young　married　couple　whom
they　knew　came　by；　arm　in　arm；　in　their　morning　walk；　and　sat　down　with
them；　like　their　own　youth；　for　a　moment。

〃If　you　had　told　them　we　were　going；　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　March；　when　the
couple　were　themselves　gone；　〃we　should　have　been　as　old　as　ever。　　Don't
let　us　tell　anybody；　this　morning；　that　we're　going。　　I　couldn't　bear
it。〃

They　had　been　obliged　to　take　the　secretary　of　the　hotel　into　their
confidence；　in　the　process　of　paying　their　bill。　　He　put　on　his　high　hat
and　came　out　to　see　them　off。　　The　portier　was　already　there；　standing　at
the　step　of　the　lordly　two…spanner　which　they　had　ordered　for　the　long
drive　to　the　station。　　The　Swiss　elevator…man　came　to　the　door　to　offer
them　a　fellow…republican's　good　wishes　for　their　journey；　Herr　Pupp
himself　appeared　at　the　last　moment　to　hope　for　their　return　another
summer。　　Mrs。　March　bent　a　last　look　of　interest　upon　the　proprietor　as
their　two…spanner　whirled　away。

〃They　say　that　he　is　going　to　be　made　a　count。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　object；〃　said　March。　　〃A　man　who　can　feed　fourteen
thousand　people；　mostly　Germans；　in　a　day；　ought　to　be　made　an　archduke。〃

At　the　station　something　happened　which　touched　them　even　more　than　these
last　attentions　of　the　hotel。　　They　were　in　their　compartment；　and　were
in　the　act　of　possessing　themselves　of　the　best　places　by　putting　their
bundles　and　bags　on　them；　when　they　heard　Mrs。　March's　name　called。

They　turned　and　saw　Rose　Adding　at　the　door；　his　thin　face　flushed　with
excitement　and　his　eyes　glowing。　　〃I　was　afraid　I　shouldn't　get　here　in
time；〃　he　panted；　and　he　held　up　to　her　a　huge　bunch　of　flowers。

〃Why　Rose！　From　your　mother？〃

〃From　me；〃　he　said；　timidly；　and　he　was　slipping　out　into　the　corridor；
when　she　caught　him　and　his　flowers　to　her　in　one　embrace。　　〃I　want　to
kiss　you；〃　she　said；　and　presently；　when　he　had　waved　his　hand　to　them
from　the　platform　outside；　and　the　train　had　started；　she　fumbled　for　her
handkerchief。　　〃I　suppose　you　call　it　blubbering；　but　he　is　the　sweetest
child！　〃

〃He's　about　the　only　one　of　our　Carlsbad　compatriots　that　I'm　sorry　to
leave　behind；〃　March　assented。　　〃He's　the　only　unmarried　one　that　wasn't
in　danger　of　turning　up　a　lover　on　my　hands；　if　there　had　been　some
rather　old　girl；　or　some　rather　light　matron　in　our　acquaintance；　I'm　not
sure　that　I　should　have　been　safe　even　from　Rose。　　Carlsbad　has　been　an
interruption　to　our　silver　wedding　journey；　my　dear；　but　I　hope　now　that
it　will　begin　again。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　his　wife；　〃now　we　can　have　each　other　all　to　ourselves。〃

〃Yes。　　It's　been　very　different　from　our　first　wedding　journey　in　that。
It　isn't　that　we're　not　so　young　now　as　we　were；　but　that　we　don't　seem
so　much　our　own　property。　　We　used　to　be　the　sole　proprietors；　and　now　we
seem　to　be　mere　tenants　at　will；　and　any　interloping　lover　may　come　in
and　set　our　dearest　interests　on　the　sidewalk。　　The　disadvantage　of
living　along　is　that　we　get　too　much　into　the　hands　of　other　people。〃

〃Yes；　it　is。　　I　shall　be　glad　to　be　rid　of　them　all；　too。〃

〃I　don't　know　that　the　drawback　is　serious　enough　to　make　us　wish　we　had
died　youngor　younger；〃　he　suggested。

〃No；　I　don't　know　that　it　is；〃　she　assented。　　She　added；　from　an　absence
where　he　was　sufficiently　able　to　locate　her　meaning；　〃I　hope　she'll
write　and　tell　me　what　her　father　says　and　does　when　she　tells　him　that
he　was　there。〃

There　were　many　things；　in　the　weather；　the　landscape；　their　sole
occupancy　of　an　unsmoking　compartment；　while　all　the　smoking　compartments
round　overflowed　with　smokers；　which　conspired　to　offer　them　a　pleasing
illusion　of　the　past；　it　was　sometimes　so　perfect　that　they　almost　held
each　other's　hands。　　In　later　life　there　are　such　moments　when　the
youthful　emotions　come　back；　as　certain　birds　do　in　winter；　and　the
elderly　heart　chirps　and　twitters　to　itself　as　if　it　were　young。　　But　it
is　best　to　discourage　this　fondness；　and　Mrs。　March　joined　her　husband　in
mocking　it；　when　he　made　her　observe　how　fit　it　was　that　their　silver
wedding　journey　should　be　resumed　as　part　of　his　after…cure。　　If　he　had
found　the　fountain　of　youth　in　the　warm；　flat；　faintly　nauseous　water　of
the　Felsenquelle；　he　was　not　going　to　call　himself　twenty…eight　again
till　his　second　month　of　the　Carlsbad　regimen　was　out；　and　he　had　got
back　to　salad　and　fruit。

At　Eger　they　had　a　memorable　dinner；　with　so　much　leisure　for　it　that
they　could　form　a　life…long　friendship　for　the　old　English…speaking
waiter　who　served　them；　and　would　not　suffer　them　to　hurry　themselves。
The　hills　had　already　fallen　away；　and　they　ran　along　through　a　cheerful
country；　with　tracts　of　forest　under　white　clouds　blowing　about　in　a　blue
sky；　and　gayly　flinging　their　shadows　down　upon　the　brown　ploughed　land；
and　upon　the　yellow　oat…fields；　where　women　were　cutting　the　leisurely
harvest　with　sickles；　and　where　once　a　great　girl　with　swarthy　bare　arms
unbent　herself　from　her　toil；　and　rose；　a　statue　of　rude　vigor　and
beauty；　to　watch　them　go　by。　　Hedges　of　evergreen　enclosed　the　yellow
oat…fields；　where　slow　wagons　paused　to　gather　the　sheaves　of　the　week
before；　and　then　loitered　away　with　them。　　Flocks　of　geese　waddled　in
sculpturesque　relief　against　the　close…cropt　pastures；　herded　by　little
girls　with　flaxen　pigtails；　whose　eyes；　blue　as　corn…flowers；　followed
the　flying　train。　　There　were　stretches　of　wild　thyme　purpling　long
barren　acreages；　and　growing　up　the　railroad　banks　almost　to　the　rails
themselves。　　From　the　meadows　the　rowen；　tossed　in　long　loose　windrows；
sent　into　their　car　a　sad　autumnal　fragrance　which　mingled　with　the
tobacco　smoke；　when　two　fat　smokers　emerged　into　the　narrow　corridor
outside　their　compartments　and　tried　to　pass　each　other。　　Their　vast
stomachs　beat　together　in　a　vain　encounter。

〃Zu　enge！〃　said　one；　and　〃Ja；　zu　enge！〃　said　the　other；　and　they　laughed
innocently　in　each　other's'　faces；　with　a　joy　in　their　recognition　of　the
corridor's　narrowness　as　great　as　if　it　had　been　a　stroke　of　the　finest
wit。

All　the　way　the　land　was　lovely；　and　as　they　drew　near　Nuremberg　it　grew
enchanting；　with　a　fairy　quaintness。　　The　scenery　was　Alpine；　but　the
scale　was　toy…like；　as　befitted　the　region；　and　the　mimic　peaks　and
valleys　with　green　brooks　gushing　between　them；　and　strange　rock　forms
recurring　in　endless　caprice；　seemed　the　home　of　children's　story。　　All
the　gnomes　and　elves　might　have　dwelt　there　in　peaceful　fellowship　with
the　peasants　who　ploughed　the　little　fields；　and　gathered　the　garlanded
hops；　and　lived　in　the　farmsteads　and　village　houses　with　those　high
timber…laced　gables。

〃We　ought　to　have　come　here　long　ago　with　the　children；　when　they　were
children；〃　said　March。

〃No；〃　his　wife　returned；　〃it　would　have　been　too　much　for　them。　　Nobody
but　grown　people　could　bear　it。〃

The　spell　which　began　here　was　not　really　broken　by　anything　that
afterwards　happened　in　Nuremberg；　though　the　old　toy…capital　was　trolley…
wired　through　all　its　quaintness；　and　they　were　lodged　in　a　hotel　lighted
by　ele