their silver wedding journey v2-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


built　that　big　new　Kaiserbad　building：　mixed　the　mortar；　carried　the
hods；　and　laid　the　stone。〃

〃That　makes　me　prouder　of　the　sex　than　ever。　　But　come；　Mr。　Burnamy！
Isn't　there　anybody　of　polite　interest　that　you　know　of　in　this　crowd？〃

〃Well；　I　can't　say；〃　Burnamy　hesitated。

The　breakfasters　had　been　thronging　into　the　grove　and　the　galleries；　the
tables　were　already　filled；　and　men　were　bringing　other　tables　on　their
heads；　and　making　places　for　them；　with　entreaties　for　pardon　everywhere；
the　proprietor　was　anxiously　directing　them；　the　pretty　serving…girls
were　running　to　and　from　the　kitchen　in　a　building　apart　with　shrill；
sweet　promises　of　haste。　　The　morning　sun　fell　broken　through　the　leaves
on　the　gay　hats　and　dresses　of　the　ladies；　and　dappled　the　figures　of　the
men　with　harlequin　patches　of　light　and　shade。　　A　tall　woman；　with　a　sort
of　sharpened　beauty；　and　an　artificial　permanency　of　tint　in　her　cheeks
and　yellow　hair；　came　trailing　herself　up　the　sun…shot　path；　and　found；
with　hardy　insistence　upon　the　publicity；　places　for　the　surly…looking；
down…faced　young　man　behind　her；　and　for　her　maid　and　her　black　poodle；
the　dog　was　like　the　black　poodle　out　of　Faust。　　Burnamy　had　heard　her
history；　in　fact；　he　had　already　roughed　out　a　poem　on　it；　which　he
called　Europa；　not　after　the　old　fable；　but　because　it　seemed　to　him　that
she　expressed　Europe；　on　one　side　of　its　civilization；　and　had　an
authorized　place　in　its　order；　as　she　would　not　have　had　in　ours。　　She
was　where　she　was　by　a　toleration　of　certain　social　facts　which
corresponds　in　Europe　to　our　reverence　for　the　vested　interests。　　In　her
history　there；　had　been　officers　and　bankers；　even　foreign　dignitaries；
now　there　was　this　sullen　young　fellow　。　　。　　。　　。　　Burnamy　had　wondered
if　it　would　do　to　offer　his　poem　to　March；　but　the　presence　of　the
original　abashed　him；　and　in　his　mind　he　had　torn　the　poem　up；　with　a
heartache　for　its　aptness。

〃I　don't　believe；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　recognize…any　celebrities　here。〃

〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　March。　　〃Mrs。　March　would　have　been　glad　of　some
Hoheits；　some　Grafs　and　Grafins；　or　a　few　Excellenzes；　or　even　some　mere
well…borns。　　But　we　must　try　to　get　along　with　the　picturesqueness。〃

〃I'm　satisfied　with　the　picturesqueness；〃　said　his　wife。　　〃　Don't　worry
about　me；　Mr。　Burnamy。　　〃Why　can't　we　have　this　sort　of　thing　at　home？〃

〃We're　getting　something　like　it　in　the　roof…gardens；〃　said　March。〃
We　couldn't　have　it　naturally　because　the　climate　is　against　it；　with　us。
At　this　time　in　the　morning　over　there；　the　sun　would　be　burning　the　life
out　of　the　air；　and　the　flies　would　be　swarming　on　every　table。　　At　nine
A。　M。　　the　mosquitoes　would　be　eating　us　up　in　such　a　grove　as　this。　　So
we　have　to　use　artifice；　and　lift　our　Posthof　above　the　fly…line　and　the
mosquito…line　into　the　night　air。　　I　haven't　seen　a　fly　since　I　came　to
Europe。　　I　really　miss　them；　it　makes　me　homesick。〃

〃There　are　plenty　in　Italy；〃　his　wife　suggested。

〃We　must　get　down　there　before　we　go　home。〃

〃But　why　did　nobody　ever　tell　us　that　there　were　no　flies　in　Germany？
Why　did　no　traveller　ever　put　it　in　his　book？　　When　your　stewardess　said
so　on　the　steamer；　I　remember　that　you　regarded　it　as　a　bluff。〃　　He
turned　to　Burnamy；　who　was　listening　with　the　deference　of　a　contributor：
〃Isn't　Lili　rather　long？　　I　mean　for　such　a　very　prompt　person。　　Oh；　no！〃

But　Burnamy　got　to　his　feet；　and　shouted　〃Fraulein！〃　to　Lili；　with　her
hireling　at　her　heels　she　was　flying　down　a　distant　aisle　between　the
tables。　　She　called　back；　with　a　face　laughing　over　her　shoulder；　〃In　a
minute！〃　and　vanished　in　the　crowd。

〃Does　that　mean　anything　in　particular？　　There's　really　no　hurry。〃

〃Oh；　I　think　she'll　come　now；〃　said　Burnamy。　　March　protested　that　he　had
only　been　amused　at　Lili's　delay；　but　his　wife　scolded　him　for　his
impatience；　she　begged　Burnamy's　pardon；　and　repeated　civilities　passed
between　them。　　She　asked　if　he　did　not　think　some　of　the　young　ladies
were　pretty　beyond　the　European　average；　a　very　few　had　style；　the
mothers　were　mostly　fat；　and　not　stylish；　it　was　well　not　to　regard　the
fathers　too　closely；　several　old　gentlemen　were　clearing　their　throats
behind　their　newspapers；　with　noises　that　made　her　quail。　　There　was　no
one　so　effective　as　the　Austrian　officers；　who　put　themselves　a　good　deal
on　show；　bowing　from　their　hips　to　favored　groups；　with　the　sun　glinting
from　their　eyeglasses；　and　their　hands　pressing　their　sword…hilts；　they
moved　between　the　tables　with　the　gait　of　tight…laced　women。

〃They　all　wear　corsets；〃　Burnamy　explained。

〃How　much　you　know　already！〃　said　Mrs。　March。　　〃I　can　see　that　Europe
won't　be　lost　on　you　in　anything。　　Oh；　who's　that？〃　　A　lady　whose　costume
expressed　saris　at　every　point　glided　up　the　middle　aisle　of　the　grove
with　a　graceful　tilt。　　Burnamy　was　silent。　　〃She　must　be　an　American。　　Do
you　know　who　she　is？〃

〃Yes。〃　　He　hesitated；　a　little　to　name　a　woman　whose　tragedy　had　once
filled　the　newspapers。

Mrs。　March　gazed　after　her　with　the　fascination　which　such　tragedies
inspire。　　〃What　grace！　　Is　she　beautiful？〃

〃Very。〃　　Burnamy　had　not　obtruded　his　knowledge；　but　somehow　Mrs。　March
did　not　like　his　knowing　who　she　was；　and　how　beautiful。　　She　asked　March
to　look；　but　he　refused。

〃Those　things　are　too　squalid；〃　he　said；　and　she　liked　him　for　saying　it；
she　hoped　it　would　not　be　lost　upon　Burnamy。

One　of　the　waitresses　tripped　on　the　steps　near　them　and　flung　the　burden
off　her　tray　on　the　stone　floor　before　her；　some　of　the　dishes　broke；　and
the　breakfast　was　lost。　　Tears　came　into　the　girl's　eyes　and　rolled　down
her　hot　cheeks。　　〃There！　　That　is　what　I　call　tragedy；〃　said　March。
〃She'll　have　to　pay　for　those　things。〃

〃Oh；　give　her　the　money；　dearest！〃

〃How　can　I？〃

The　girl　had　just　got　away　with　the　ruin　when　Lili　and　her　hireling
behind　her　came　bearing　down　upon　them　with　their　three　substantial
breakfasts　on　two　well…laden　trays。　　She　forestalled　Burnamy's　reproaches
for　her　delay；　laughing　and　bridling；　while　she　set　down　the　dishes　of
ham　and　tongue　and　egg；　and　the　little　pots　of　coffee　and　frothed　milk。

〃I　could　not　so　soon　I　wanted；　because　I　was　to　serve　an　American
princess。〃

Mrs。　March　started　with　proud　conjecture　of　one　of　those　noble
international　marriages　which　fill　our　women　with　vainglory　for　such　of
their　compatriots　as　make　them。

〃Oh；　come　now；　Lili！〃　said　Burnamy。　　〃We　have　queens　in　America；　but
nothing　so　low　as　princesses。　　This　was　a　queen；　wasn't　it？〃

She　referred　the　case　to　her　hireling；　who　confirmed　her。　　〃All　people
say　it　is　princess；〃　she　insisted。

〃Well；　if　she's　a　princess　we　must　look　her　up　after　breakfast；〃　said
Burnamy。　　〃Where　is　she　sitting？〃

She　pointed　at　a　corner　so　far　off　on　the　other　side　that　no　one　could　be
distinguished；　and　then　was　gone；　with　a　smile　flashed　over　her　shoulder；
and　her　hireling　trying　to　keep　up　with　her。

〃We're　all　very　proud　of　Lili's　having　a　hired　man；〃　said　Burnamy。
〃We　think　it　reflects　credit　on　her　customers。〃

March　had　begun　his　breakfast　with…the　voracious　appetite　of　an　early…
rising　invalid。　　〃What　coffee！〃

He　drew　a　long　sigh　after　the　first　draught。

〃It's　said　to　be　made　of　burnt　figs；〃　said　Burnamy；　from　the
inexhaustible　advantage　of　his　few　days'　priority　in　Carlsbad。

〃Then　let's　have　burnt　figs　introduced　at　home　as　soon　as　possible。　　But
why　burnt　figs？　　That　seems　one　of　those　doubts　which　are　much　more
difficult　than　faith。〃

It's　not　only　burnt　figs；〃　said　Burnamy；　with　amiable　superiority；　〃if　it
is　burnt　figs；　but　it's　made　after　a　formula　invented　by　a　consensus　of
physicians；　and　enforced　by　the　municipality。　　Every　caf？in　Carlsbad
makes　the　same　kind　of　coffee　and　charges　the　same　price。〃

〃You　are　leaving　us　very　little　to　find　out　for　ourselves；〃　sighed　March。

〃Oh；　I　know　a　lot　more　things。　　Are　you　fond　of　fishing？〃

〃Not　very。〃

〃You　can　get　a　permit　to　catch　trout　in　the　Tepl；　but　they　send　an
official　with　you　who　keeps　count；　and　when　you　have　had　your　sport；　the
trout　belong　to　the　municipality　just　as　they　did　before　you　caught
them。〃

〃I　don't　see　why　that　isn't　a　good　notion：　the　last　thing　I　should　want
to　do　would　be　to　eat　a　fish　that　I　had　caught；　and　that　I　was　personally
acquainted　with。　　Well；　I'm　never　going　away　from　Carlsbad。　　I　don't
wonder　people　get　their　doctors　to　tell　them　to　come　back。〃

Burnamy　told　them　a　number　of　facts　he　said　Stoller　had　got　together
about　the　place；　and　had　given　him　to　put　in　shape。　　It　was　run　in　the
interest　of　people　who　had　got　out　of　order；　so　that　they　would　keep
coming　to　get　themselves　in　order　again；　you　could　hardly　buy　an
unwholesome　meal　in　the　town；　all　the　cooking　was　'kurgemass'。　　He　won
such　favor　with　his　facts　that　he　could　not　stop　in　time：　he　said　to
March；　〃But　if　you　ever　should　have　a　fancy　for　a　fish　of　your　personal
acquaintance；　there's　a　restaurant　up　the　Tepl；　where　they　let　you　pick
out　your　trout　in　the　water；　then　they　catch　him　and　broil　him　for　you；
and　you　know　what　you　are　eating。〃

〃Is　it　a　municipal　restaurant？〃

〃Semi…municipal；〃　said　Burnamy；　laughing。

We'll　take　Mrs。　March；〃　said　her　husband；　and　in　her　gravity　Burnamy　felt
the　limitations　of　a　woman's　sense　of　humor；　which　always　define
themselves　for　men　so　unexpectedly。

He　did　what　he　could　to　get　back　into　her　good　graces　by　telling　her　what
he　knew　about　distinctions　and　dignities　that　he　now　saw　among　the
breakfasters。　　The　crowd　had　now　grown　denser　till　the　tables　were　set
together　in　such　labyrinths　that　any　one　who　left　the　central　aisle　was
lost　in　them。　　The　serving…girls　ran　more　swiftly　to　and　fro；　responding
with　a　more　nervous　shrillness　to　the　calls　of　〃Fraulein！　Fraulein！〃　that
followed　them。　　The　proprietor；　in　his　bare　head；　stood　like　one
paralyzed　by　his　prosperity；　which　sent　up　all　round　him　the　clash　of
knives　and　crockery；　and　the　confusion　of　tongues。　　It　was　more　than　an
hour　before　Burnamy　caught　Lili's　eye；　and　three　times　she　promised　to
come　and　be　paid　before　she　came。　　Then　she　said；　〃It　is　so　nice；　when
you　stay　a　little；〃　and　when　he　told　her　of　the