a hazard of new fortunes v1-第13部分

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wiser！〃　she　said　when　they　were　comfortably　outdoors　again。

〃Yes；　or　made　way　with　ourselves　in　an　access　of　emotional　insanity；
supposed　to　have　been　induced　by　unavailing　flat…hunting；〃　he　suggested。
She　fell　in　with　the　notion。　　〃I'm　beginning　to　feel　crazy。　　But　I　don't
want　you　to　lose　your　head；　Basil。　　And　I　don't　want　you　to
sentimentalize　any　of　the　things　you　see　in　New　York。　　I　think　you　were
disposed　to　do　it　in　that　street　we　drove　through。　　I　don't　believe
there's　any　real　sufferingnot　real　sufferingamong　those　people；　that
is；　it　would　be　suffering　from　our　point　of　view；　but　they've　been　used
to　it　all　their　lives；　and　they　don't　feel　their'　discomfort　so　much。〃

〃Of　course；　I　understand　that；　and　I　don't　propose　to　sentimentalize
them。　　I　think　when　people　get　used　to　a　bad　state　of　things　they　had
better　stick　to　it；　in　fact；　they　don't　usually　like　a　better　state　so
well；　and　I　shall　keep　that　firmly　in　mind。〃

She　laughed　with　him；　and　they　walked　along　the　L　bestridden　avenue；
exhilarated　by　their　escape　from　murder　and　suicide　in　that　cellar；
toward　the　nearest　cross　town　track；　which　they　meant　to　take　home　to
their　hotel。　　〃Now　to…night　we　will　go　to　the　theatre；〃　she　said；　〃and
get　this　whole　house　business　out　of　our　minds；　and　be　perfectly　fresh
for　a　new　start　in　the　morning。〃　　Suddenly　she　clutched　his　arm。　　〃Why；
did　you　see　that　man？〃　　and　she　signed　with　her　head　toward　a　decently
dressed　person　who　walked　beside　them；　next　the　gutter；　stooping　over　as
if　to　examine　it；　and　half　halting　at　times。

〃No。　　What？〃

〃Why；　I　saw　him　pick　up　a　dirty　bit　of　cracker　from　the　pavement　and　cram
it　into　his　mouth　and　eat　it　down　as　if　he　were　famished。　　And　look！　he's
actually　hunting　for　more　in　those　garbage　heaps！〃

This　was　what　the　decent…looking　man　with　the　hard　hands　and　broken　nails
of　a　workman　was　doing…like　a　hungry　dog。　　They　kept　up　with　him；　in　the
fascination　of　the　sight；　to　the　next　corner；　where　he　turned　down　the
side　street　still　searching　the　gutter。

They　walked　on　a　few　paces。　　Then　March　said；　〃I　must　go　after　him；〃　and
left　his　wife　standing。

〃Are　you　in　wanthungry？〃　　he　asked　the　man。

The　man　said　he　could　not　speak　English；　Monsieur。

March　asked　his　question　in　French。

The　man　shrugged　a　pitiful；　desperate　shrug；　〃Mais；　Monsieur〃

March　put　a　coin　in　his　hand；　and　then　suddenly　the　man's　face　twisted
up；　he　caught　the　hand　of　this　alms…giver　in　both　of　his　and　clung　to　it。
〃Monsieur！　Monsieur！〃　he　gasped；　and　the　tears　rained　down　his　face。

His　benefactor　pulled　himself　away；　shocked　and　ashamed；　as　one　is　by
such　a　chance；　and　got　back　to　his　wife；　and　the　man　lapsed　back　into　the
mystery　of　misery　out　of　which　he　had　emerged。

March　felt　it　laid　upon　him　to　console　his　wife　for　what　had　happened。
〃Of　course；　we　might　live　here　for　years　and　not　see　another　case　like
that；　and；　of　course；　there　are　twenty　places　where　he　could　have　gone
for　help　if　he　had　known　where　to　find　them。〃

〃Ah；　but　it's　the　possibility　of　his　needing　the　help　so　badly　as　that；〃
she　answered。　　〃That's　what　I　can't　bear；　and　I　shall　not　come　to　a　place
where　such　things　are　possible；　and　we　may　as　well　stop　our　house…hunting
here　at　once。〃

〃Yes？　　And　what　part　of　Christendom　will　you　live　in？　　Such　things　are
possible　everywhere　in　our　conditions。〃

〃Then　we　must　change　the　conditions〃

〃Oh　no；　we　must　go　to　the　theatre　and　forget　them。　　We　can　stop　at
Brentano's　for　our　tickets　as　we　pass　through　Union　Square。〃

〃I　am　not　going　to　the　theatre；　Basil。　　I　am　going　home　to　Boston　to…
night。　　You　can　stay　and　find　a　flat。〃

He　convinced　her　of　the　absurdity　of　her　position；　and　even　of　its
selfishness；　but　she　said　that　her　mind　was　quite　made　up　irrespective　of
what　had　happened；　that　she　had　been　away　from　the　children　long　enough；
that　she　ought　to　be　at　home　to　finish　up　the　work　of　leaving　it。　　The
word　brought　a　sigh。　　〃Ah；　I　don't　know　why　we　should　see　nothing　but　sad
and　ugly　things　now。　　When　we　were　young〃

〃Younger；〃　he　put　in。　　〃We're　still　young。〃

〃That's　what　we　pretend；　but　we　know　better。　　But　I　was　thinking　how
pretty　and　pleasant　things　used　to　be　turning　up　all　the　time　on　our
travels　in　the　old　days。　　Why；　when　we　were　in　New　York　here　on　our
wedding　journey　the　place　didn't　seem　half　so　dirty　as　it　does　now；　and
none　of　these　dismal　things　happened。〃

〃It　was　a　good　deal　dirtier；〃　he　answered；　〃and　I　fancy　worse　in　every
way…hungrier；　raggeder；　more　wretchedly　housed。　　But　that　wasn't　the
period　of　life　for　us　to　notice　it。　　Don't　you　remember；　when　we　started
to　Niagara　the　last　time；　how　everybody　seemed　middle…aged　and
commonplace；　and　when　we　got　there　there　were　no　evident　brides；　nothing
but　elderly　married　people？〃

〃At　least　they　weren't　starving；〃　she　rebelled。

〃No；　you　don't　starve　in　parlor…cars　and　first…class　hotels；　but　if　you
step　out　of　them　you　run　your　chance　of　seeing　those　who　do；　if　you're
getting　on　pretty　well　in　the　forties。　　If　it's　the　unhappy　who　see
unhappiness；　think　what　misery　must　be　revealed　to　people　who　pass　their
lives　in　the　really　squalid　tenement…house　streetsI　don't　mean
picturesque　avenues　like　that　we　passed　through。〃

〃But　we　are　not　unhappy；〃　she　protested；　bringing　the　talk　back　to　the
personal　base　again；　as　women　must　to　get　any　good　out　of　talk。　　〃We're
really　no　unhappier　than　we　were　when　we　were　young。〃

〃We're　more　serious。〃

〃Well；　I　hate　it；　and　I　wish　you　wouldn't　be　so　serious；　if　that's　what
it　brings　us　to。〃

〃I　will　be　trivial　from　this　on；〃　said　March。　　〃Shall　we　go　to　the　Hole
in　the　Ground　to…night？〃

〃I　am　going　to　Boston。〃

〃It's　much　the　same　thing。　　How　do　you　like　that　for　triviality？　　It's　a
little　blasphemous；　I'll　allow。〃

〃It's　very　silly；〃　she　said。

At　the　hotel　they　found　a　letter　from　the　agent　who　had　sent　them　the
permit　to　see　Mrs。　Grosvenor　Green's　apartment。　　He　wrote　that　she　had
heard　they　were　pleased　with　her　apartment；　and　that　she　thought　she
could　make　the　terms　to　suit。　　She　had　taken　her　passage　for　Europe；　and
was　very　anxious　to　let　the　flat　before　she　sailed。　　She　would　call　that
evening　at　seven。

〃Mrs。　Grosvenor　Green！〃　said　Mrs。　March。　　〃Which　of　the　ten　thousand
flats　is　it；　Basil？〃

〃The　gimcrackery；〃　he　answered。　　〃In　the　Xenophon；　you　know。〃

〃Well；　she　may　save　herself　the　trouble。　　I　shall　not　see　her。　　Or　yes
I　must。　　I　couldn't　go　away　without　seeing　what　sort　of　creature　could
have　planned　that　fly…away　flat。　　She　must　be　a　perfect〃

〃Parachute；〃　March　suggested。

〃No！　　anybody　so　light　as　that　couldn't　come　down。〃

〃Well；　toy　balloon。〃

〃Toy　balloon　will　do　for　the　present；〃　Mrs。　March　admitted。　　〃But　I　feel
that　naught　but　herself　can　be　her　parallel　for　volatility。〃

When　Mrs。　Grosvenor…Green's　card　came　up　they　both　descended　to　the　hotel
parlor；　which　March　said　looked　like　the　saloon　of　a　Moorish　day…boat；
not　that　he　knew　of　any　such　craft；　but　the　decorations　were　so　Saracenic
and　the　architecture　so　Hudson　Riverish。　　They　found　there　on　the　grand
central　divan　a　large　lady　whose　vast　smoothness；　placidity；　and
plumpness　set　at　defiance　all　their　preconceptions　of　Mrs。　Grosvenor
Green；　so　that　Mrs。　March　distinctly　paused　with　her　card　in　her　hand
before　venturing　even　tentatively　to　address　her。　　Then　she　was
astonished　at　the　low；　calm　voice　in　which　Mrs。　Green　acknowledged
herself；　and　slowly　proceeded　to　apologize　for　calling。　　It　was　not　quite
true　that　she　had　taken　her　passage　for　Europe；　but　she　hoped　soon　to　do
so；　and　she　confessed　that　in　the　mean　time　she　was　anxious　to　let　her
flat。　　She　was　a　little　worn　out　with　the　care　of　housekeeping
Mrs。　March　breathed；　〃Oh　yes！〃　in　the　sigh　with　which　ladies　recognize
one　another's　martyrdomand　Mrs。　Green　had　business　abroad；　and　she　was
going　to　pursue　her　art　studies　in　Paris；　she　drew　in　Mr。　Ilcomb's　class
now；　but　the　instruction　was　so　much　better　in　Paris；　and　as　the
superintendent　seemed　to　think　the　price　was　the　only　objection；　she　had
ventured　to　call。

〃Then　we　didn't　deceive　him　in　the　least；〃　thought　Mrs。　March；　while　she
answered；　sweetly：　〃No；　we　were　only　afraid　that　it　would　be　too　small
for　our　family。　　We　require　a　good　many　rooms。〃　　She　could　not　forego　the
opportunity　of　saying；　〃My　husband　is　coming　to　New　York　to　take　charge
of　a　literary　periodical；　and　he　will　have　to　have　a　room　to　write　in；〃
which　made　Mrs。　Green　bow　to　March；　and　made　March　look　sheepish。　　〃But
we　did　think　the　apartment　very　charming〃；　（It　was　architecturally
charming；　she　protested　to　her　conscience）；〃　and　we　should　have　been　so
glad　if　we　could　have　got　into　it。〃　　She　followed　this　with　some　account
of　their　house…hunting；　amid　soft　murmurs　of　sympathy　from　Mrs。　Green；
who　said　that　she　had　been　through　all　that；　and　that　if　she　could　have
shown　her　apartment　to　them　she　felt　sure　that　she　could　have　explained
it　so　that　they　would　have　seen　its　capabilities　better；　Mrs。　March
assented　to　this；　and　Mrs。　Green　added　that　if　they　found　nothing　exactly
suitable　she　would　be　glad　to　have　them　look　at　it　again；　and　then　Mrs。
March　said　that　she　was　going　back　to　Boston　herself；　but　she　was　leaving
Mr。　March　to　continue　the　search；　and　she　had　no　doubt　he　would　be　only
too　glad　to　see　the　apartment　by　daylight。　　〃But　if　you　take　it；　Basil；〃
she　warned　him；　when　they　were　alone；　〃I　shall　simply　renounce　you。　　I
wouldn't　live　in　that　junk…shop　if　you　gave　it　to　me。　　But　who　would　have
thought　she　was　that　kind　of　looking　person？　　Though　of　course　I　might
have　known　if　I　had　stopped　to　think　once。　　It's　because　the　place
doesn't　express　her　at　all　that　it's　so　unlike　her。　　It　couldn't　be　like
anybody；　or　anything　that　flies　in　the　air；　or　creeps　upon　the　earth；　or
swims　in　the　waters　under　the　earth。　　I　wonder　where　in　the　world　she's
from；　she's　no　New…Yorker；　even　we　can　see　that；　and　she's　not　quite　a
country　person；　either；　she　seems　like　a　person　from　some　large　town；
where　she's　been　an　aesthetic　authority。　　And　she　can't　find　good　enough
art　instruction　in　New　York；　and　has　to　go　to　Paris　for　it！　　Well；　it's
pathetic；　after　all；　Basil。