a hazard of new fortunes v1-第10部分

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rate；　I'm　done　with　agents。　　Tomorrow　I'm　going　entirely　by
advertisements。〃




VIII。

Mrs。　March　took　the　vertebrate　with　her　to　the　Vienna　Coffee…House；　where
they　went　to　breakfast　next　morning。　　She　made　March　buy　her　the　Herald
and　the　World；　and　she　added　to　its　spiny　convolutions　from　them。　　She
read　the　new　advertisements　aloud　with　ardor　and　with　faith　to　believe
that　the　apartments　described　in　them　were　every　one　truthfully
represented；　and　that　any　one　of　them　was　richly　responsive　to　their
needs。　　〃Elegant；　light；　large；　single　and　outside　flats〃　were　offered
with　〃all　improvementsbath；　ice…box；　etc。〃for　twenty…five　to　thirty
dollars　a　month。　　The　cheapness　was　amazing。　　The　Wagram；　the　Esmeralda；
the　Jacinth；　advertised　them　for　forty　dollars　and　sixty　dollars；　〃with
steam　heat　and　elevator；〃　rent　free　till　November。　　Others；　attractive
from　their　air　of　conscientious　scruple；　announced　〃first…class　flats；
good　order；　reasonable　rents。〃　　The　Helena　asked　the　reader　if　she　had
seen　the　〃cabinet　finish；　hard…wood　floors；　and　frescoed　ceilings〃　of　its
fifty…dollar　flats；　the　Asteroid　affirmed　that　such　apartments；　with　〃six
light　rooms　and　bath；　porcelain　wash…tubs；　electric　bells；　and　hall…boy；〃
as　it　offered　for　seventy…five　dollars　were　unapproached　by　competition。
There　was　a　sameness　in　the　jargon　which　tended　to　confusion。　　Mrs。　March
got　several　flats　on　her　list　which　promised　neither　steam　heat　nor
elevators；　she　forgot　herself　so　far　as　to　include　two　or　three　as　remote
from　the　down…town　region　of　her　choice　as　Harlem。　　But　after　she　had
rejected　these　the　nondescript　vertebrate　was　still　voluminous　enough　to
sustain　her　buoyant　hopes。

The　waiter；　who　remembered　them　from　year　to　year；　had　put　them　at　a
window　giving　a　pretty　good　section　of　Broadway；　and　before　they　set　out
on　their　search　they　had　a　moment　of　reminiscence。　　They　recalled　the
Broadway　of　five；　of　ten；　of　twenty　years　ago；　swelling　and　roaring　with
a　tide　of　gayly　painted　omnibuses　and　of　picturesque　traffic　that　the
horsecars　have　now　banished　from　it。　　The　grind　of　their　wheels　and　the
clash　of　their　harsh　bells　imperfectly　fill　the　silence　that　the
omnibuses　have　left；　and　the　eye　misses　the　tumultuous　perspective　of
former　times。

They　went　out　and　stood　for　a　moment　before　Grace　Church；　and　looked　down
the　stately　thoroughfare；　and　found　it　no　longer　impressive；　no　longer
characteristic。　　It　is　still　Broadway　in　name；　but　now　it　is　like　any
other　street。　　You　do　not　now　take　your　life　in　your　hand　when　you
attempt　to　cross　it；　the　Broadway　policeman　who　supported　the　elbow　of
timorous　beauty　in　the　hollow　of　his　cotton…gloved　palm　and　guided　its
little　fearful　boots　over　the　crossing；　while　he　arrested　the　billowy
omnibuses　on　either　side　with　an　imperious　glance；　is　gone；　and　all　that
certain　processional；　barbaric　gayety　of　the　place　is　gone。

〃Palmyra；　Baalbec；　Timour　of　the　Desert；〃　said　March；　voicing　their
common　feeling　of　the　change。

They　turned　and　went　into　the　beautiful　church；　and　found　themselves　in
time　for　the　matin　service。　　Rapt　far　from　New　York；　if　not　from　earth；
in　the　dim　richness　of　the　painted　light；　the　hallowed　music　took　them
with　solemn　ecstasy；　the　aerial；　aspiring　Gothic　forms　seemed　to　lift
them　heavenward。　　They　came　out；　reluctant；　into　the　dazzle　and　bustle　of
the　street；　with　a　feeling　that　they　were　too　good　for　it；　which　they
confessed　to　each　other　with　whimsical　consciousness。

〃But　no　matter　how　consecrated　we　feel　now；〃　he　said；　〃we　mustn't　forget
that　we　went　into　the　church　for　precisely　the　same　reason　that　we　went
to　the　Vienna　Caf？for　breakfastto　gratify　an　aesthetic　sense；　to　renew
the　faded　pleasure　of　travel　for　a　moment；　to　get　back　into　the　Europe　of
our　youth。　　It　was　a　purely　Pagan　impulse；　Isabel；　and　we'd　better　own
it。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　returned。　　〃I　think　we　reduce　ourselves　to　the　bare
bones　too　much。　　I　wish　we　didn't　always　recognize　the　facts　as　we　do。
Sometimes　I　should　like　to　blink　them。　　I　should　like　to　think　I　was
devouter　than　I　am；　and　younger　and　prettier。〃

〃Better　not；　you　couldn't　keep　it　up。　　Honesty　is　the　best　policy　even　in
such　things。〃

〃No；　I　don't　like　it；　Basil。　　I　should　rather　wait　till　the　last　day　for
some　of　my　motives　to　come　to　the　top。　　I　know　they're　always　mixed；　but
do　let　me　give　them　the　benefit　of　a　doubt　sometimes。〃

〃Well；　well；　have　it　your　own　way；　my　dear。　　But　I　prefer　not　to　lay　up
so　many　disagreeable　surprises　for　myself　at　that　time。〃

She　would　not　consent。　　〃I　know　I　am　a　good　deal　younger　than　I　was。
I　feel　quite　in　the　mood　of　that　morning　when　we　walked　down　Broadway　on
our　wedding　journey。　　Don't　you？〃

〃Oh　yes。　　But　I　know　I'm　not　younger；　I'm　only　prettier。〃

She　laughed　for　pleasure　in　his　joke；　and　also　for　unconscious　joy　in　the
gay　New　York　weather；　in　which　there　was　no　'arriere　pensee'　of　the　east
wind。　　They　had　crossed　Broadway；　and　were　walking　over　to　Washington
Square；　in　the　region　of　which　they　now　hoped　to　place　themselves。　　The
'primo　tenore'　statue　of　Garibaldi　had　already　taken　possession　of　the
place　in　the　name　of　Latin　progress；　and　they　met　Italian　faces；　French
faces；　Spanish　faces；　as　they　strolled　over　the　asphalt　walks；　under　the
thinning　shadows　of　the　autumn…stricken　sycamores。　　They　met　the　familiar
picturesque　raggedness　of　Southern　Europe　with　the　old　kindly　illusion
that　somehow　it　existed　for　their　appreciation；　and　that　it　found
adequate　compensation　for　poverty　in　this。　　March　thought　he　sufficiently
expressed　his　tacit　sympathy　in　sitting　down　on　one　of　the　iron　benches
with　his　wife　and　letting　a　little　Neapolitan　put　a　superfluous　shine　on
his　boots；　while　their　desultory　comment　wandered　with　equal　esteem　to
the　old…fashioned　American　respectability　which　keeps　the　north　side　of
the　square　in　vast　mansions　of　red　brick；　and　the　international
shabbiness　which　has　invaded　the　southern　border；　and　broken　it　up　into
lodging…houses；　shops；　beer…gardens；　and　studios。

They　noticed　the　sign　of　an　apartment　to　let　on　the　north　side；　and　as
soon　as　the　little　bootblack　could　be　bought　off　they　went　over　to　look
at　it。　　The　janitor　met　them　at　the　door　and　examined　them。　　Then　he
said；　as　if　still　in　doubt；　〃It　has　ten　rooms；　and　the　rent　is　twenty…
eight　hundred　dollars。〃

〃It　wouldn't　do；　then；〃　March　replied；　and　left　him　to　divide　the
responsibility　between　the　paucity　of　the　rooms　and　the　enormity　of　the
rent　as　he　best　might。　　But　their　self…love　had　received　a　wound；　and
they　questioned　each　other　what　it　was　in　their　appearance　made　him　doubt
their　ability　to　pay　so　much。

〃Of　course；　we　don't　look　like　New…Yorkers；〃　sighed　Mrs。　March；　〃and
we've　walked　through　the　Square。　　That　might　be　as　if　we　had　walked　along
the　Park　Street　mall　in　the　Common　before　we　came　out　on　Beacon。　　Do　you
suppose　he　could　have　seen　you　getting　your　boots　blacked　in　that　way？〃

〃It's　useless　to　ask；〃　said　March。　　〃But　I　never　can　recover　from　this
blow。〃

〃Oh；　pshaw！　　You　know　you　hate　such　things　as　badly　as　I　do。　　It　was　very
impertinent　of　him。〃

〃Let　us　go　back　and　'ecraser　l'infame'　by　paying　him　a　year's　rent　in
advance　and　taking　immediate　possession。　　Nothing　else　can　soothe　my
wounded　feelings。　　You　were　not　having　your　boots　blacked：　why　shouldn't
he　have　supposed　you　were　a　New…Yorker；　and　I　a　country　cousin？〃

〃They　always　know。　　Don't　you　remember　Mrs。　Williams's　going　to　a　Fifth
Avenue　milliner　in　a　Worth　dress；　and　the　woman's　asking　her　instantly
what　hotel　she　should　send　her　hat　to？〃

〃Yes；　these　things　drive　one　to　despair。　　I　don't　wonder　the　bodies　of　so
many　genteel　strangers　are　found　in　the　waters　around　New　York。　　Shall　we
try　the　south　side；　my　dear？　　or　had　we　better　go　back　to　our　rooms　and
rest　awhile？〃

Mrs。　March　had　out　the　vertebrate；　and　was　consulting　one　of　its
glittering　ribs　and　glancing　up　from　it　at　a　house　before　which　they
stood。　　〃Yes；　it's　the　number；　but　do　they　call　this　being　ready　October
first？〃　　The　little　area　in　front　of　the　basement　was　heaped　with　a
mixture　of　mortar；　bricks；　laths；　and　shavings　from　the　interior；　the
brownstone　steps　to　the　front　door　were　similarly　bestrewn；　the　doorway
showed　the　half…open；　rough　pine　carpenter's　sketch　of　an　unfinished
house；　the　sashless　windows　of　every　story　showed　the　activity　of　workmen
within；　the　clatter　of　hammers　and　the　hiss　of　saws　came　out　to　them　from
every　opening。

〃They　may　call　it　October　first；〃　said　March；　〃because　it's　too　late　to
contradict　them。　　But　they'd　better　not　call　it　December　first　in　my
presence；　I'll　let　them　say　January　first；　at　a　pinch。〃

〃We　will　go　in　and　look　at　it；　anyway；〃　said　his　wife；　and　he　admired
how；　when　she　was　once　within；　she　began　provisionally　to　settle　the
family　in　each　of　the　several　floors　with　the　female　instinct　for
domiciliation　which　never　failed　her。　　She　had　the　help　of　the　landlord；
who　was　present　to　urge　forward　the　workmen　apparently；　he　lent　a　hopeful
fancy　to　the　solution　of　all　her　questions。　　To　get　her　from　under　his
influence　March　had　to　represent　that　the　place　was　damp　from　undried
plastering；　and　that　if　she　stayed　she　would　probably　be　down　with　that
New　York　pneumonia　which　visiting　Bostonians　are　always　dying　of。　　Once
safely　on　the　pavement　outside；　she　realized　that　the　apartment　was　not
only　unfinished；　but　unfurnished；　and　had　neither　steam　heat　nor
elevator。　　〃But　I　thought　we　had　better　look　at　everything；〃　she
explained。

〃Yes；　but　not　take　everything。　　If　I　hadn't　pulled　you　away　from　there　by
main　force　you'd　have　not　only　died　of　New　York　pneumonia　on　the　spot；
but　you'd　have　had　us　all　settled　there　before　we　knew　what　we　were
about。〃

〃Well；　that's　what　I　can't　help；　Basil。　　It's　the　only　way　I　can　realize
whether　it　will　do　for　us。　　I　have　to　dramatize　the　whole　thing。〃

She　got　a　deal　of　pleasure　as　well　as　excitement　out　of　this；　and　he　had
to　own　that　the　process　of　setting　up　housekeeping　in　so　many　different
places　was　not　only　entertaining；　but　tended；　through　association　with
their　first　beginnings　in　housekeeping；　to　restore　the　image　of　their