their silver wedding journey v2-第7部分

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he　laughed；　nervously；　〃and　you　must　let　me　lend　you　the　money。〃

〃Why；　of　course！〃　she　answered；　joyfully　humoring　his　feint。　　〃Shall　I
put　my　card　in　for　the　man　to　send　home　to　her　with　them？〃

〃Wellno。　　No。　　Not　your　cardexactly。　　Or；　yes！　　Yes；　you　must；　I
suppose。〃

They　made　the　hushing　street　gay　with　their　laughter；　the　next　evening
Miss　Triscoe　came　upon　the　Marches　and　Burnamy　where　they　sat　after
supper　listening　to　the　concert　at　Pupp's；　and　thanked　Mrs。　March　for　the
scissors。　　Then　she　and　Burnamy　had　their　laugh　again；　and　Miss　Triscoe
joined　them；　to　her　father's　frowning　mystification。　　He　stared　round　for
a　table；　they　were　all　taken；　and　he　could　not　refuse　the　interest
Burnamy　made　with　the　waiters　to　bring　them　one　and　crowd　it　in。　　He　had
to　ask　him　to　sup　with　them；　and　Burnamy　sat　down　and　heard　the　concert
through　beside　Miss　Triscoe。

〃What　is　so　tremendously　amusing　in　a　pair　of　stork…scissors？〃　March
demanded；　when　his　wife　and　he　were　alone。

〃Why；　I　was　wanting　to　tell　you；　dearest；〃　she　began；　in　a　tone　which　he
felt　to　be　wheedling；　and　she　told　the　story　of　the　scissors。

〃Look　here；　my　dear！　　Didn't　you　promise　to　let　this　love…affair　alone？〃

〃That　was　on　the　ship。　　And　besides；　what　would　you　have　done；　I　should
like　to　know？　　Would　you　have　refused　to　let　him　buy　them　for　her？〃
She　added；　carelessly；　〃He　wants　us　to　go　to　the　Kurhaus　ball　with　him。〃

〃Oh；　does　he！〃

〃Yes。　　He　says　he　knows　that　she　can　get　her　father　to　let　her　go　if　we
will　chaperon　them。　　And　I　promised　that　you　would。〃

〃That　I　would？〃

〃It　will　do　just　as　well　if　you　go。　　And　it　will　be　very　amusing；　you　can
see　something　of　Carlsbad　society。〃

〃But　I'm　not　going！〃　he　declared。　　〃It　would　interfere　with　my　cure。　　The
sitting　up　late　would　be　bad　enough；　but　I　should　get　very　hungry；　and　I
should　eat　potato　salad　and　sausages；　and　drink　beer；　and　do　all　sorts　of
unwholesome　things。〃

〃Nonsense！　　The　refreshments　will　be　'kurgemass'；　of　course。〃

〃You　can　go　yourself；〃　he　said。

A　ball　is　not　the　same　thing　for　a　woman　after　fifty　as　it　is　before
twenty；　but　still　it　has　claims　upon　the　imagination；　and　the　novel
circumstance　of　a　ball　in　the　Kurhaus　in　Carlsbad　enhanced　these　for　Mrs。
March。　　It　was　the　annual　reunion　which　is　given　by　municipal　authority
in　the　large　hall　above　the　bathrooms；　it　is　frequented　with　safety　and
pleasure　by　curious　strangers；　and　now；　upon　reflection；　it　began　to　have
for　Mrs。　March　the　charm　of　duty；　she　believed　that　she　could　finally
have　made　March　go　in　her　place；　but　she　felt　that　she　ought　really　to　go
in　his；　and　save　him　from　the　late　hours　and　the　late　supper。

〃Very　well；　then；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃I　will　go。〃

It　appeared　that　any　civil　person　might　go　to　the　reunion　who　chose　to
pay　two　florins　and　a　half。　　There　must　have　been　some　sort　of
restriction；　and　the　ladies　of　Burnamy's　party　went　with　a　good　deal　of
amused　curiosity　to　see　what　the　distinctions　were；　but　they　saw　none
unless　it　was　the　advantages　which　the　military　had。　　The　long　hall　over
the　bathrooms　shaped　itself　into　a　space　for　the　dancing　at　one　end；　and
all　the　rest　of　it　was　filled　with　tables；　which　at　half　past　eight　were
crowded　with　people；　eating；　drinking；　and　smoking。　　The　military　enjoyed
the　monopoly　of　a　table　next　the　rail　dividing　the　dancing　from　the
dining　space。　　There　the　tight…laced　Herr　Hauptmanns　and　Herr　Lieutenants
sat　at　their　sausage　and　beer　and　cigars　in　the　intervals　of　the　waltzes；
and　strengthened　themselves　for　a　foray　among　the　gracious　Fraus　and
Frauleins　on　the　benches　lining　three　sides　of　the　dancing…space。　　From
the　gallery　above　many　civilian　spectators　looked　down　upon　the　gayety；
and　the　dress…coats　of　a　few　citizens　figured　among　the　uniforms。

As　the　evening　wore　on　some　ladies　of　greater　fashion　found　their　way　to
the　dancing…floor；　and　toward　ten　o'clock　it　became　rather　crowded。　　A
party　of　American　girls　showed　their　Paris　dresses　in　the　transatlantic
versions　of　the　waltz。　　At　first　they　danced　with　the　young　men　who　came
with　them；　but　after　a　while　they　yielded　to　the　custom　of　the　place；　and
danced　with　any　of　the　officers　who　asked　them。

〃I　know　it's　the　custom；〃　said　Mrs。　March　to　Miss　Triscoe；　who　was　at　her
side　in　one　of　the　waltzes　she　had　decided　to　sit　out；　so　as　not　to　be
dancing　all　the　time　with　Burnamy；　〃but　I　never　can　like　it　without　an
introduction。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　girl；　with　the　air　of　putting　temptation　decidedly　away；
〃I　don't　believe　papa　would；　either。〃

A　young　officer　came　up；　and　drooped　in　mute　supplication　before　her。
She　glanced　at　Mrs。　March；　who　turned　her　face　away；　and　she　excused
herself　with　the　pretence　that　she　had　promised　the　dance；　and　by　good
fortune；　Burnamy；　who　had　been　unscrupulously　waltzing　with　a　lady　he　did
not　know；　came　up　at　the　moment。　　She　rose　and　put　her　hand　on　his　arm；
and　they　both　bowed　to　the　officer　before　they　whirled　away。　　The　officer
looked　after　them　with　amiable　admiration；　then　he　turned　to　Mrs。　March
with　a　light　of　banter　in　his　friendly　eyes；　and　was　unmistakably　asking
her　to　dance。　　She　liked　his　ironical　daring；　she　liked　it　so　much　that
she　forgot　her　objection　to　partners　without　introductions；　she　forgot
her　fifty…odd　years；　she　forgot　that　she　was　a　mother　of　grown　children
and　even　a　mother…in…law；　she　remembered　only　the　step　of　her　out…dated
waltz。

It　seemed　to　be　modern　enough　for　the　cheerful　young　officer；　and　they
were　suddenly　revolving　with　the　rest。　。　。　　A　tide　of　long…forgotten
girlhood　welled　up　in　her　heart；　and　she　laughed　as　she　floated　off　on　it
past　the　astonished　eyes　of　Miss　Triscoe　and　Burnamy。　　She　saw　them
falter；　as　if　they　had　lost　their　step　in　their　astonishment；　then　they
seemed　both　to　vanish；　and　her　partner　had　released　her；　and　was　helping
Miss　Triscoe　up　from　the　floor；　Burnamy　was　brushing　the　dust　from　his
knees；　and　the　citizen　who　had　bowled　them　over　was　boisterously
apologizing　and　incessantly　bowing。

〃Oh；　are　you　hurt？〃　Mrs。　March　implored。　　〃I'm　sure　you　must　be　killed；
and　I　did　it！　　I　don't　know；　what　I　was　thinking　of！〃

The　girl　laughed。　　〃I'm　not　hurt　a　bit！〃

They　had　one　impulse　to　escape　from　the　place；　and　from　the　sympathy　and
congratulation。　　In　the　dressing…room　she　declared　again　that　she　was　all
right。　　〃How　beautifully　you　waltz；　Mrs。　March！〃　she　said；　and　she
laughed　again；　and　would　not　agree　with　her　that　she　had　been　ridiculous。
〃But　I'm　glad　those　American　girls　didn't　see　me。　　And　I　can't　be　too
thankful　papa　didn't　come！〃

Mrs。　March's　heart　sank　at　the　thought　of　what　General　Triscoe　would
think　of　her。　　〃You　must　tell　him　I　did　it。　　I　can　never　lift　up　my
head！〃

〃No；　I　shall　not。　　No　one　did　it；〃　said　the　girl；　magnanimously。　　She
looked　down　sidelong　at　her　draperies。　　〃I　was　so　afraid　I　had　torn　my
dress！　I　certainly　heard　something　rip。〃

It　was　one　of　the　skirts　of　Burnamy's　coat；　which　he　had　caught　into　his
hand　and　held　in　place　till　he　could　escape　to　the　men's　dressing…room；
where　he　had　it　pinned　up　so　skillfully　that　the　damage　was　not　suspected
by　the　ladies。　　He　had　banged　his　knee　abominably　too；　but　they　did　not
suspect　that　either；　as　he　limped　home　on　the　air　beside　them；　first　to
Miss　Triscoe's　pension；　and　then　to　Mrs。　March's　hotel。

It　was　quite　eleven　o'clock；　which　at　Carlsbad　is　as　late　as　three　in　the
morning　anywhere　else；　when　she　let　herself　into　her　room。　　She　decided
not　to　tell　her　husband；　then；　and　even　at　breakfast；　which　they　had　at
the　Posthof；　she　had　not　got　to　her　confession；　though　she　had　told　him
everything　else　about　the　ball；　when　the　young　officer　with　whom　she　had
danced　passed　between　the　tables　near　her。　　He　caught　her　eye　and　bowed
with　a　smile　of　so　much　meaning　that　March　asked；　〃Who's　your　pretty
young　friend？〃

〃Oh；　that！〃　　she　answered　carelessly。　　〃That　was　one　of　the　officers　at
the　ball；〃　and　she　laughed。

〃You　seem　to　be　in　the　joke；　too；〃　he　said。　　〃What　is　it？〃

〃Oh；　something。　　I'll　tell　you　some　time。　　Or　perhaps　you'll　find　out。〃

〃I'm　afraid　you　won't　let　me　wait。〃

〃No；　I　won't；〃　and　now　she　told　him。　　She　had　expected　teasing；　ridicule；
sarcasm；　anything　but　the　psychological　interest　mixed　with　a　sort　of
retrospective　tenderness　which　he　showed。　　〃I　wish　I　could　have　seen　you；
I　always　thought　you　danced　well。〃　　He　added：　〃It　seems　that　you　need　a
chaperon　too。〃

The　next　morning；　after　March　and　General　Triscoe　had　started　off　upon
one　of　the　hill　climbs；　the　young　people　made　her　go　with　them　for　a　walk
up　the　Tepl；　as　far　as　the　caf？of　the　Freundschaftsaal。　　In　the　grounds
an　artist　in　silhouettes　was　cutting　out　the　likenesses　of　people　who
supposed　themselves　to　have　profiles；　and　they　begged　Mrs。　March　to　sit
for　hers。　　It　was　so　good　that　she　insisted　on　Miss　Triscoe's　sitting　in
turn；　and　then　Burnamy。　　Then　he　had　the　inspiration　to　propose　that　they
should　all　three　sit　together；　and　it　appeared　that　such　a　group　was
within　the　scope　of　the　silhouettist's　art；　he　posed　them　in　his　little
bower；　and　while　he　was　mounting　the　picture　they　took　turns；　at　five
kreutzers　each；　in　listening　to　American　tunes　played　by　his　Edison
phonograph。

Mrs。　March　felt　that　all　this　was　weakening　her　moral　fibre；　but　she
tried　to　draw　the　line　at　letting　Burnamy　keep　the　group。　　〃Why　not？〃　he
pleaded。

〃You　oughtn't　to　ask；〃　she　returned。　　〃You've　no　business　to　have　Miss
Triscoe's　picture；　if　you　must　know。〃

〃But　you're　there　to　chaperon　us！〃　he　persisted。

He　began　to　laugh；　and　they　all　laughed　when　she　said；　〃You　need　a
chaperon　who　doesn't　lose　her　head；　in　a　silhouette。〃　　But　it　seemed
useless　to　hold　out　after　that；　and　she　heard　herself　asking；　〃Shall　we
let　him　keep　it；　Miss　Triscoe？〃

Burnamy　went　off　to　his　work　with　Stoller；　carrying　the　silhouette　with
him；　and　she　kept　on　with　Miss　Triscoe　to　her　hotel。　　In　turning　from　the
gate　after　she　parted　with　the　girl　she　found　herself　confronted　with
Mrs。　Adding　and　Rose。　　The　ladies　exclaimed　at　each　other　in　an
astonishment　from　which　they　had　to　recover　before　they　could　begin　to
talk；　but　from　the　first　moment　Mrs。　Marc