a hazard of new fortunes v1-第11部分

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their　first　beginnings　in　housekeeping；　to　restore　the　image　of　their
early　married　days　and　to　make　them　young　again。

It　went　on　all　day；　and　continued　far　into　the　night；　until　it　was　too
late　to　go　to　the　theatre；　too　late　to　do　anything　but　tumble　into　bed
and　simultaneously　fall　asleep。　　They　groaned　over　their　reiterated
disappointments；　but　they　could　not　deny　that　the　interest　was　unfailing；
and　that　they　got　a　great　deal　of　fun　out　of　it　all。　　Nothing　could　abate
Mrs。　March's　faith　in　her　advertisements。　　One　of　them　sent　her　to　a　flat
of　ten　rooms　which　promised　to　be　the　solution　of　all　their　difficulties；
it　proved　to　be　over　a　livery…stable；　a　liquor　store；　and　a　milliner's
shop；　none　of　the　first　fashion。　　Another　led　them　far　into　old　Greenwich
Village　to　an　apartment…house；　which　she　refused　to　enter　behind　a　small
girl　with　a　loaf　of　bread　under　one　arm　and　a　quart　can　of　milk　under　the
other。

In　their　search　they　were　obliged；　as　March　complained；　to　the
acquisition　of　useless　information　in　a　degree　unequalled　in　their
experience。　　They　came　to　excel　in　the　sad　knowledge　of　the　line　at　which
respectability　distinguishes　itself　from　shabbiness。　　Flattering
advertisements　took　them　to　numbers　of　huge　apartment…houses　chiefly
distinguishable　from　tenement…houses　by　the　absence　of　fire…escapes　on
their　facades；　till　Mrs。　March　refused　to　stop　at　any　door　where　there
were　more　than　six　bell…ratchets　and　speaking…tubes　on　either　hand。
Before　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　she　decided　against　ratchets
altogether；　and　confined　herself　to　knobs；　neatly　set　in　the　door…trim。
Her　husband　was　still　sunk　in　the　superstition　that　you　can　live　anywhere
you　like　in　New　York；　and　he　would　have　paused　at　some　places　where　her
quicker　eye　caught　the　fatal　sign　of　〃Modes〃　in　the　ground…floor　windows。
She　found　that　there　was　an　east　and　west　line　beyond　which　they　could
not　go　if　they　wished　to　keep　their　self…respect；　and　that　within　the
region　to　which　they　had　restricted　themselves　there　was　a　choice　of
streets。　　At　first　all　the　New　York　streets　looked　to　them　ill…paved；
dirty；　and　repulsive；　the　general　infamy　imparted　itself　in　their　casual
impression　to　streets　in　no　wise　guilty。　　But　they　began　to　notice　that
some　streets　were　quiet　and　clean；　and；　though　never　so　quiet　and　clean
as　Boston　streets；　that　they　wore　an　air　of　encouraging　reform；　and
suggested　a　future　of　greater　and　greater　domesticity。　　Whole　blocks　of
these　downtown　cross…streets　seemed　to　have　been　redeemed　from　decay；　and
even　in　the　midst　of　squalor　a　dwelling　here　and　there　had　been　seized；
painted　a　dull　red　as　to　its　brick…work；　and　a　glossy　black　as　to　its
wood…work；　and　with　a　bright　brass　bell…pull　and　door…knob　and　a　large
brass　plate　for　its　key…hole　escutcheon；　had　been　endowed　with　an　effect
of　purity　and　pride　which　removed　its　shabby　neighborhood　far　from　it。
Some　of　these　houses　were　quite　small；　and　imaginably　within　their　means；
but；　as　March　said；　some　body　seemed　always　to　be　living　there　himself；
and　the　fact　that　none　of　them　was　to　rent　kept　Mrs。　March　true　to　her
ideal　of　a　fiat。　　Nothing　prevented　its　realization　so　much　as　its
difference　from　the　New　York　ideal　of　a　flat；　which　was　inflexibly　seven
rooms　and　a　bath。　　One　or　two　rooms　might　be　at　the　front；　the　rest
crooked　and　cornered　backward　through　in　creasing　and　then　decreasing
darkness　till　they　reached　a　light　bedroom　or　kitchen　at　the　rear。
It　might　be　the　one　or　the　other；　but　it　was　always　the　seventh　room　with
the　bath；　or　if；　as　sometimes　happened；　it　was　the　eighth；　it　was　so
after　having　counted　the　bath　as　one；　in　this　case　the　janitor　said　you
always　counted　the　bath　as　one。　　If　the　flats　were　advertised　as　having
〃all　light　rooms；〃　he　explained　that　any　room　with　a　window　giving　into
the　open　air　of　a　court　or　shaft　was　counted　a　light　room。

The　Marches　tried　to　make　out　why　it　was　that　these　flats　were　go　much
more　repulsive　than　the　apartments　which　everyone　lived　in　abroad；　but
they　could　only　do　so　upon　the　supposition　that　in　their　European　days
they　were　too　young；　too　happy；　too　full　of　the　future；　to　notice　whether
rooms　were　inside　or　outside；　light　or　dark；　big　or　little；　high　or　low。
〃Now　we're　imprisoned　in　the　present；〃　he　said；　〃and　we　have　to　make　the
worst　of　it。〃

In　their　despair　he　had　an　inspiration；　which　she　declared　worthy　of　him：
it　was　to　take　two　small　flats；　of　four　or　five　rooms　and　a　bath；　and
live　in　both。　　They　tried　this　in　a　great　many　places；　but　they　never
could　get　two　flats　of　the　kind　on　the　same　floor　where　there　was　steam
heat　and　an　elevator。　　At　one　place　they　almost　did　it。　　They　had
resigned　themselves　to　the　humility　of　the　neighborhood；　to　the
prevalence　of　modistes　and　livery…stablemen　（they　seem　to　consort　much　in
New　York）；　to　the　garbage　in　the　gutters　and　the　litter　of　paper　in　the
streets；　to　the　faltering　slats　in　the　surrounding　window…shutters　and
the　crumbled　brownstone　steps　and　sills；　when　it　turned　out　that　one　of
the　apartments　had　been　taken　between　two　visits　they　made。　　Then　the
only　combination　left　open　to　them　was　of　a　ground…floor　flat　to　the
right　and　a　third…floor　flat　to　the　left。

Still　they　kept　this　inspiration　in　reserve　for　use　at　the　first
opportunity。　　In　the　mean　time　there　were　several　flats　which　they
thought　they　could　almost　make　do：　notably　one　where　they　could　get　an
extra　servant's　room　in　the　basement　four　flights　down；　and　another　where
they　could　get　it　in　the　roof　five　flights　up。　　At　the　first　the　janitor
was　respectful　and　enthusiastic；　at　the　second　he　had　an　effect　of
ironical　pessimism。　　When　they　trembled　on　the　verge　of　taking　his
apartment；　he　pointed　out　a　spot　in　the　kalsomining　of　the　parlor
ceiling；　and　gratuitously　said；　Now　such　a　thing　as　that　he　should　not
agree　to　put　in　shape　unless　they　took　the　apartment　for　a　term　of　years。
The　apartment　was　unfurnished；　and　they　recurred　to　the　fact　that　they
wanted　a　furnished　apartment；　and　made　their　escape。　　This　saved　them　in
several　other　extremities；　but　short　of　extremity　they　could　not　keep
their　different　requirements　in　mind；　and　were　always　about　to　decide
without　regard　to　some　one　of　them。

They　went　to　several　places　twice　without　intending：　once　to　that　old…
fashioned　house　with　the　pleasant　colored　janitor；　and　wandered　all　over
the　apartment　again　with　a　haunting　sense　of　familiarity；　and　then
recognized　the　janitor　and　laughed；　and　to　that　house　with　the　pathetic
widow　and　the　pretty　daughter　who　wished　to　take　them　to　board。　　They
stayed　to　excuse　their　blunder；　and　easily　came　by　the　fact　that　the
mother　had　taken　the　house　that　the　girl　might　have　a　home　while　she　was
in　New　York　studying　art；　and　they　hoped　to　pay　their　way　by　taking
boarders。　　Her　daughter　was　at　her　class　now；　the　mother　concluded；　and
they　encouraged　her　to　believe　that　it　could　only　be　a　few　days　till　the
rest　of　her　scheme　was　realized。

〃I　dare　say　we　could　be　perfectly　comfortable　there；〃　March　suggested
when　they　had　got　away。　　〃Now　if　we　were　truly　humane　we　would　modify　our
desires　to　meet　their　needs　and　end　this　sickening　search；　wouldn't　we？〃

〃Yes；　but　we're　not　truly　humane；〃　his　wife　answered；　〃or　at　least　not　in
that　sense。　　You　know　you　hate　boarding；　and　if　we　went　there　I　should
have　them　on　my　sympathies　the　whole　time。〃

〃I　see。　　And　then　you　would　take　it　out　of　me。〃

〃Then　I　should　take　it　out　of　you。　　And　if　you　are　going　to　be　so　weak；
Basil；　and　let　every　little　thing　work　upon　you　in　that　way；　you'd　better
not　come　to　New　York。　　You'll　see　enough　misery　here。〃

〃Well；　don't　take　that　superior　tone　with　me；　as　if　I　were　a　child　that
had　its　mind　set　on　an　undesirable　toy；　Isabel。〃

〃Ah；　don't　you　suppose　it's　because　you　are　such　a　child　in　some　respects
that　I　like　you；　dear？〃　　she　demanded；　without　relenting。

〃But　I　don't　find　so　much　misery　in　New　York。　　I　don't　suppose　there's
any　more　suffering　here　to　the　population　than　there　is　in　the　country。
And　they're　so　gay　about　it　all。　　I　think　the　outward　aspect　of　the　place
and　the　hilarity　of　the　sky　and　air　must　get　into　the　people's　blood。
The　weather　is　simply　unapproachable；　and　I　don't　care　if　it　is　the
ugliest　place　in　the　world；　as　you　say。　　I　suppose　it　is。　　It　shrieks　and
yells　with　ugliness　here　and　there　but　it　never　loses　its　spirits。　　That
widow　is　from　the　country。　　When　she's　been　a　year　in　New　York　she'll　be
as　gayas　gay　as　an　L　road。〃　　He　celebrated　a　satisfaction　they　both　had
in　the　L　roads。　　〃They　kill　the　streets　and　avenues；　but　at　least　they
partially　hide　them；　and　that　is　some　comfort；　and　they　do　triumph　over
their　prostrate　forms　with　a　savage　exultation　that　is　intoxicating。
Those　bends　in　the　L　that　you　get　in　the　corner　of　Washington　Square；　or
just　below　the　Cooper　Institutethey're　the　gayest　things　in　the　world。
Perfectly　atrocious；　of　course；　but　incomparably　picturesque！　　And　the
whole　city　is　so；〃　said　March；　〃or　else　the　L　would　never　have　got　built
here。　　New　York　may　be　splendidly　gay　or　squalidly　gay；　but；　prince　or
pauper；　it's　gay　always。〃

〃Yes；　gay　is　the　word；〃　she　admitted；　with　a　sigh。　　〃But　frantic。
I　can't　get　used　to　it。　　They　forget　death；　Basil；　they　forget　death　in
New　York。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　that　I've　ever　found　much　advantage　in　remembering
it。〃

〃Don't　say　such　a　thing；　dearest。〃

He　could　see　that　she　had　got　to　the　end　of　her　nervous　strength　for　the
present；　and　he　proposed　that　they　should　take　the　Elevated　road　as　far
as　it　would　carry　them　into　the　country；　and　shake　off　their　nightmare　of
flat…hunting　for　an　hour　or　two；　but　her　conscience　would　not　let　her。
She　convicted　him　of　levity　equal　to　that　of　the　New…Yorkers　in　proposing
such　a　thing；　and　they　dragged　through　the　day。　　She　was　too　tired　to
care　for　dinner；　and　in　the　night　she　had　a　dream　from　which　she　woke
herself　with　a　cry　that　roused　him；　too。　　It　was　something　about　the
children　at　first；　whom　they　had　talked　of　wistfully　before　falling
asleep；　and　then　it　was　of　a　hideous　thing　with　two　square　eyes　and　a
series　of　sections　growing　darker　and　then　lighter；　till　the　tail　of