their silver wedding journey v2-第24部分

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〃I　wonder；〃　he　said；　recurring　to　the　Lefferses；　〃how　we　really　struck
them。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　believe　they　thought　we　ought　to　be　travelling　about
alone；　quite；　at　our　age。〃

〃Oh；　not　so　bad　as　that！　　〃After　a　moment　he　said；　〃I　dare　say　they　don't
go　round　quarrelling　on　their　wedding　journey；　as　we　did。〃

〃Indeed　they　do！　　They　had　an　awful　quarrel　just　before　they　got　to
Nuremberg：　about　his　wanting　to　send　some　of　the　baggage　to　Liverpool　by
express　that　she　wanted　to　keep　with　them。　　But　she　said　it　had　been　a
lesson；　and　they　were　never　going　to　quarrel　again。〃　　The　elders　looked
at　each　other　in　the　light　of　experience；　and　laughed。　　〃Well；〃　she
ended；　〃that's　one　thing　we're　through　with。　　I　suppose　we've　come　to
feel　more　alike　than　we　used　to。〃

〃Or　not　to　feel　at　all。　　How　did　they　settle　it　about　the　baggage？〃

〃Oh！　　He　insisted　on　her　keeping　it　with　her。〃　　March　laughed　again；　but
this　time　he　laughed　alone；　and　after　a　while　she　said：　〃Well；　they　gave
just　the　right　relief　to　Nuremberg；　with　their　good；　clean　American
philistinism。　　I　don't　mind　their　thinking　us　queer；　they　must　have
thought　Nuremberg　was　queer。〃

〃Yes。　　We　oldsters　are　always　queer　to　the　young。　　We're　either
ridiculously　lively　and　chirpy；　or　we're　ridiculously　stiff　and　grim；
they　never　expect　to　be　like　us；　and　wouldn't；　for　the　world。　　The　worst
of　it　is；　we　elderly　people　are　absurd　to　one　another；　we　don't；　at　the
bottom　of　our　hearts；　believe　we're　like　that；　when　we　meet。　　I　suppose
that　arrogant　old　ass　of　a　Triscoe　looks　upon　me　as　a　grinning　dotard。〃

〃I　wonder；〃　said　Mrs。　March；　〃if　she's　told　him　yet；〃　and　March　perceived
that　she　was　now　suddenly　far　from　the　mood　of　philosophic　introspection；
but　he　had　no　difficulty　in　following　her。

〃She's　had　time　enough。　　But　it　was　an　awkward　task　Burnamy　left　to　her。〃

〃Yes；　when　I　think　of　that；　I　can　hardly　forgive　him　for　coming　back　in
that　way。　　I　know　she　is　dead　in　love　with　him；　but　she　could　only　have
accepted　him　conditionally。〃

〃Conditionally　to　his　making　it　all　right　with　Stoller？〃

〃Stoller？　　No！　　To　her　father's　liking　it。〃

〃Ah；　that's　quite　as　hard。　　What　makes　you　think　she　accepted　him　at
all？〃

〃What　do　you　think　she　was　crying　about？〃

〃Well；　I　have　supposed　that　ladies　occasionally　shed　tears　of　pity。　　If
she　accepted　him　conditionally　she　would　have　to　tell　her　father　about
it。〃　　Mrs。　March　gave　him　a　glance　of　silent　contempt；　and　he　hastened　to
atone　for　his　stupidity。　　〃Perhaps　she's　told　him　on　the　instalment　plan。
She　may　have　begun　by　confessing　that　Burnamy　had　been　in　Carlsbad。　　Poor
old　fellow；　I　wish　we　were　going　to　find　him　in　Ansbach！　He　could　make
things　very　smooth　for　us。〃

〃Well；　you　needn't　flatter　yourself　that　you'll　find　him　in　Ansbach。　　I'm
sure　I　don't　know　where　he　is。〃

〃You　might　write　to　Miss　Triscoe　and　ask。〃

〃I　think　I　shall　wait　for　Miss　Triscoe　to　write　to　me；〃　she　said；　with
dignity。

〃Yes；　she　certainly　owes　you　that　much；　after　all　your　suffering　for　her。
I've　asked　the　banker　in　Nuremberg　to　forward　our　letters　to　the　poste
restante　in　Ansbach。　　Isn't　it　good　to　see　the　crows　again；　after　those
ravens　around　Carlsbad？〃

She　joined　him　in　looking　at　the　mild　autumnal　landscape　through　the　open
window。　　The　afternoon　was　fair　and　warm；　and　in　the　level　fields　bodies
of　soldiers　were　at　work　with　picks　and　spades；　getting　the　ground　ready
for　the　military　manoeuvres；　they　disturbed　among　the　stubble　foraging
parties　of　crows；　which　rose　from　time　to　time　with　cries　of　indignant
protest。　　She　said；　with　a　smile　for　the　crows；　〃Yes。　　And　I'm　thankful
that　I've　got　nothing　on　my　conscience；　whatever　happens；〃　she　added　in
dismissal　of　the　subject　of　Burnamy。

〃I'm　thankful　too；　my　dear。　　I'd　much　rather　have　things　on　my　own。　　I'm
more　used　to　that；　and　I　believe　I　feel　less　remorse　than　when　you're　to
blame。〃

They　might　have　been　carried　near　this　point　by　those　telepathic
influences　which　have　as　yet　been　so　imperfectly　studied。　　It　was　only
that　morning；　after　the　lapse　of　a　week　since　Burnamy's　furtive
reappearance　in　Carlsbad；　that　Miss　Triscoe　spoke　to　her　father　about　it；
and　she　had　at　that　moment　a　longing　for　support　and　counsel　that　might
well　have　made　its　mystical　appeal　to　Mrs。　March。

She　spoke　at　last　because　she　could　put　it　off　no　longer；　rather　than
because　the　right　time　had　come。　　She　began　as　they　sat　at　breakfast。
〃Papa；　there　is　something　that　I　have　got　to　tell　yon。　　It　is　something
that　you　ought　to　know；　but　I　have　put　off　telling　you　because〃

She　hesitated　for　the　reason；　and　〃Well！〃　said　her　father；　looking　up　at
her　from　his　second　cup　of　coffee。　　〃What　is　it？〃

Then　she　answered；　〃　Mr。　Burnamy　has　been　here。〃

〃In　Carlsbad？　　When　was　he　here？〃

〃The　night　of　the　Emperor's　birthday。　　He　came　into　the　box　when　you　were
behind　the　scenes　with　Mr。　March；　afterwards　I　met　him　in　the　crowd。〃

〃Well？〃

〃I　thought　you　ought　to　know。　　Mrs。　March　said　I　ought　to　tell　you。〃

〃Did　she　say　you　ought　to　wait　a　week？〃　　He　gave　way　to　an　irascibility
which　he　tried　to　check；　and　to　ask　with　indifference；　〃Why　did　he　come
back？〃

〃He　was　going　to　write　about　it　for　that　paper　in　Paris。〃　　The　girl　had
the　effect　of　gathering　her　courage　up　for　a　bold　plunge。　　She　looked
steadily　at　her　father；　and　added：　〃He　said　he　came　back　because　he
couldn't　help　it。　　Hewished　to　speak　with　me；　He　said　he　knew　he　had　no
right　to　suppose　I　cared　anything　about　what　had　happened　with　him　and
Mr。　Stoller。　　He　wanted　to　come　back　and　tell　methat。〃

Her　father　waited　for　her　to　go　on；　but　apparently　she　was　going　to　leave
the　word　to　him；　now。　　He　hesitated　to　take　it；　but　he　asked　at　last　with
a　mildness　that　seemed　to　surprise　her；　〃Have　you　heard　anything　from　him
since？〃

〃No。〃

〃Where　is　he？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　I　told　him　I　could　not　say　what　he　wished；　that　I　must
tell　you　about　it。〃

The　case　was　less　simple　than　it　would　once　have　been　for　General
Triscoe。　　There　was　still　his　affection　for　his　daughter；　his　wish　for
her　happiness；　but　this　had　always　been　subordinate　to　his　sense　of　his
own　interest　and　comfort；　and　a　question　had　recently　arisen　which　put
his　paternal　love　and　duty　in　a　new　light。　　He　was　no　more　explicit　with
himself　than　other　men　are；　and　the　most　which　could　ever　be　said　of　him
without　injustice　was　that　in　his　dependence　upon　her　he　would　rather
have　kept　his　daughter　to　himself　if　she　could　not　have　been　very
prosperously　married。　　On　the　other　hand；　if　he　disliked　the　man　for　whom
she　now　hardly　hid　her　liking；　he　was　not　just　then　ready　to　go　to
extremes　concerning　him。

〃He　was　very　anxious；〃　she　went　on；　〃that　you　should　know　just　how　it
was。　　He　thinks　everything　of　your　judgment　andandopinion。〃　　The
general　made　a　consenting　noise　in　his　throat。　　〃He　said　that　he　did　not
wish　me　to　'whitewash'　him　to　you。　　He　didn't　think　he　had　done　right；　he
didn't　excuse　himself；　or　ask　you　to　excuse　him　unless　you　could　from　the
stand…point　of　a　gentleman。〃

The　general　made　a　less　consenting　noise　in　his　throat；　and　asked；　〃How
do　you　look　at　it；　yourself；　Agatha？〃

〃I　don't　believe　I　quite　understand　it；　but　Mrs。　March〃

〃Oh；　Mrs。　March！〃　the　general　snorted。

〃says　that　Mr。　March　does　not　think　so　badly　of　it　as　Mr。　Burnamy
does。〃

〃I　doubt　it。　　At　any　rate；　I　understood　March　quite　differently。〃

〃She　says　that　he　thinks　he　behaved　very　nobly　afterwards　when　Mr。
Stoller　wanted　him　to　help　him　put　a　false　complexion　on　it；　that　it　was
all　the　more　difficult　for　him　to　do　right　then；　because　of　his　remorse
for　what　he　had　done　before。〃　　As　she　spoke　on　she　had　become　more　eager。

〃There's　something　in　that；〃　the　general　admitted；　with　a　candor　that　he
made　the　most　of　both　to　himself　and　to　her。　　〃But　I　should　like　to　know
what　Stoller　had　to　say　of　it　all。　　Is　there　anything；〃　he　inquired；　〃any
reason　why　I　need　be　more　explicit　about　it；　just　now？〃

〃Nno。　　Only；　I　thought　He　thinks　so　much　of　your　opinion　thatif〃

〃Oh；　he　can　very　well　afford　to　wait。　　If　he　values　my　opinion　so　highly
he　can　give　me　time　to　make　up　my　mind。〃

〃Of　course〃

〃And　I'm　not　responsible；〃　the　general　continued；　significantly；　〃for　the
delay　altogether。　　If　you　had　told　me　this　before　Now；　I　don't　know
whether　Stoller　is　still　in　town。〃

He　was　not　behaving　openly　with　her；　but　she　had　not　behaved　openly　with
him。　　She　owned　that　to　herself；　and　she　got　what　comfort　she　could　from
his　making　the　affair　a　question　of　what　Burnamy　had　done　to　Stoller
rather　than　of　what　Burnamy　had　said　to　her；　and　what　she　had　answered
him。　　If　she　was　not　perfectly　clear　as　to　what　she　wanted　to　do；　or
wished　to　have　happen；　there　was　now　time　and　place　in　which　she　could
delay　and　make　sure。　　The　accepted　theory　of　such　matters　is　that　people
know　their　minds　from　the　beginning；　and　that　they　do　not　change　them。
But　experience　seems　to　contradict　this　theory；　or　else　people　often　act
contrary　to　their　convictions　and　impulses。　　If　the　statistics　were
accessible；　it　might　be　found　that　many　potential　engagements　hovered　in
a　doubtful　air；　and　before　they　touched　the　earth　in　actual　promise　were
dissipated　by　the　play　of　meteorological　chances。

When　General　Triscoe　put　down　his　napkin　in　rising　he　said　that　he　would
step　round　to　Pupp's　and　see　if　Stoller　were　still　there。　　But　on　the　way
he　stepped　up　to　Mrs。　Adding's　hotel　on　the　hill；　and　he　came　back；　after
an　interval　which　he　seemed　not　to　have　found　long；　to　report　rather
casually　that　Stoller　had　left　Carlsbad　the　day　before。　　By　this　time　the
fact　seemed　not　to　concern　Agatha　herself　very　vitally。

He　asked　if　the　Marches　had　left　any　address　with　her；　and　she　answered
that　they　had　not。　　They　were　going　to　spend　a　few　days　in　Nuremberg；　and
then　push　on　to　Holland　for　Mr。　March's　after…cure。　　There　was　no
relevance　in　his　question　unless　it　intimated　his　belief　that　she　was　in
confidential　correspondence　with　Mrs。　March；　and　she　met　this　by　saying
that　she　was　going　to　write　her　in　care　of　their　bankers；　she　asked
whether　he　wished　to　send　any　word。

〃No。　　I　understand；〃　he　intimated；　〃that　the