a hazard of new fortunes v1-第3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！


win。　　We're　bound　to　win！〃

They　stood　on　the　outside　steps　of　the　vast　edifice　beetling　like　a
granite　crag　above　them；　with　the　stone　groups　of　an　allegory　of
life…insurance　foreshortened　in　the　bas…relief　overhead。　　March　absently
lifted　his　eyes　to　it。　　It　was　suddenly　strange　after　so　many　years'
familiarity；　and　so　was　the　well…known　street　in　its　Saturday…evening
solitude。　　He　asked　himself；　with　prophetic　homesickness；　if　it　were　an
omen　of　what　was　to　be。　　But　he　only　said；　musingly：　〃A　fortnightly。　　You
know　that　didn't　work　in　England。　　The　fortnightly　is　published　once　a
month　now。〃

〃It　works　in　France；〃　Fulkerson　retorted。　　〃The　'Revue　des　Deux　Mondes'
is　still　published　twice　a　month。　　I　guess　we　can　make　it　work　in
Americawith　illustrations。〃

〃Going　to　have　illustrations？〃

〃My　dear　boy！　What　are　you　giving　me？　　Do　I　look　like　the　sort　of　lunatic
who　would　start　a　thing　in　the　twilight　of　the　nineteenth　century　without
illustrations？　　Come　off！〃

〃Ah；　that　complicates　it！　I　don't　know　anything　about　art。〃　　March's　look
of　discouragement　confessed　the　hold　the　scheme　had　taken　upon　him。

〃I　don't　want　you　to！〃　Fulkerson　retorted。　　〃Don't　you　suppose　I　shall
have　an　art　man？〃

〃And　will　theythe　artistswork　at　a　reduced　rate；　too；　like　the
writers；　with　the　hopes　of　a　share　in　the　success？〃

〃Of　course　they　will！　　And　if　I　want　any　particular　man；　for　a　card；　I'll
pay　him　big　money　besides。　　But　I　can　get　plenty　of　first…rate　sketches
on　my　own　terms。　　You'll　see！　They'll　pour　in！〃

〃Look　here；　Fulkerson；〃　said　March；　〃you'd　better　call　this　fortnightly
of　yours　'The　Madness　o　f　the　Half…Moon'；　or　'Bedlam　Broke　Loose'
wouldn't　be　bad！　　Why　do　you　throw　away　all　your　hard　earnings　on　such　a
crazy　venture？　　Don't　do　it！〃　　The　kindness　which　March　had　always　felt；
in　spite　of　his　wife's　first　misgivings　and　reservations；　for　the　merry；
hopeful；　slangy；　energetic　little　creature　trembled　in　his　voice。　　They
had　both　formed　a　friendship　for　Fulkerson　during　the　week　they　were
together　in　Quebec。　　When　he　was　not　working　the　newspapers　there；　he
went　about　with　them　over　the　familiar　ground　they　were　showing　their
children；　and　was　simply　grateful　for　the　chance；　as　well　as　very
entertaining　about　it　all。　　The　children　liked　him；　too；　when　they　got
the　clew　to　his　intention；　and　found　that　he　was　not　quite　serious　in
many　of　the　things　he　said；　they　thought　he　was　great　fun。　　They　were
always　glad　when　their　father　brought　him　home　on　the　occasion　of
Fulkerson's　visits　to　Boston；　and　Mrs。　March；　though　of　a　charier
hospitality；　welcomed　Fulkerson　with　a　grateful　sense　of　his　admiration
for　her　husband。　　He　had　a　way　of　treating　March　with　deference；　as　an
older　and　abler　man；　and　of　qualifying　the　freedom　he　used　toward　every
one　with　an　implication　that　March　tolerated　it　voluntarily；　which　she
thought　very　sweet　and　even　refined。

〃Ah；　now　you're　talking　like　a　man　and　a　brother；〃　said　Fulkerson。　　〃Why；
March；　old　man；　do　you　suppose　I'd　come　on　here　and　try　to　talk　you　into
this　thing　if　I　wasn't　morally；　if　I　wasn't　perfectly；　sure　of　success？
There　isn't　any　if　or　and　about　it。　　I　know　my　ground；　every　inch；　and　I
don't　stand　alone　on　it；〃　he　added；　with　a　significance　which　did　not
escape　March。　　〃When　you've　made　up　your　mind　I　can　give　you　the　proof；
but　I'm　not　at　liberty　now　to　say　anything　more。　　I　tell　you　it's　going
to　be　a　triumphal　march　from　the　word　go；　with　coffee　and　lemonade　for
the　procession　along　the　whole　line。　　All　you've　got　to　do　is　to　fall
in。〃　　He　stretched　out　his　hand　to　March。　　〃You　let　me　know　as　soon　as
you　can。〃

March　deferred　taking　his　hand　till　he　could　ask；　〃Where　are　you　going？〃

〃Parker　House。　　Take　the　eleven　for　New　York　to…night。〃

〃I　thought　I　might　walk　your　way。〃　　March　looked　at　his　watch。　　〃But　I
shouldn't　have　time。　　Goodbye！〃

He　now　let　Fulkerson　have　his　hand；　and　they　exchanged　a　cordial
pressure。　　Fulkerson　started　away　at　a　quick；　light　pace。　　Half　a　block
off　he　stopped；　turned　round；　and；　seeing　March　still　standing　where　he
had　left　him；　he　called　back；　joyously；　〃I've　got　the　name！〃

〃What？〃

〃Every　Other　Week。〃

〃It　isn't　bad。〃

〃Ta…ta！〃




II。

All　the　way　up　to　the　South　End　March　mentally　prolonged　his　talk　with
Fulkerson；　and　at　his　door　in　Nankeen　Square　he　closed　the　parley　with　a
plump　refusal　to　go　to　New　York　on　any　terms。　　His　daughter　Bella　was
lying　in　wait　for　him　in　the　hall；　and　she　threw　her　arms　round　his　neck
with　the　exuberance　of　her　fourteen　years　and　with　something　of　the
histrionic　intention　of　her　sex。　　He　pressed　on；　with　her　clinging　about
him；　to　the　library；　and；　in　the　glow　of　his　decision　against　Fulkerson；
kissed　his　wife；　where　she　sat　by　the　study　lamp　reading　the　Transcript
through　her　first　pair　of　eye…glasses：　it　was　agreed　in　the　family　that
she　looked　distinguished　in　them；　or；　at　any　rate；　cultivated。　　She　took
them　off　to　give　him　a　glance　of　question；　and　their　son　Tom　looked　up
from　his　book　for　a　moment；　he　was　in　his　last　year　at　the　high　school；
and　was　preparing　for　Harvard。

〃I　didn't　get　away　from　the　office　till　half…past　five；〃　March　explained
to　his　wife's　glance；〃　and　then　I　walked。　　I　suppose　dinner's　waiting。
I'm　sorry；　but　I　won't　do　it　any　more。〃

At　table　he　tried　to　be　gay　with　Bella；　who　babbled　at　him　with　a　voluble
pertness　which　her　brother　had　often　advised　her　parents　to　check　in　her；
unless　they　wanted　her　to　be　universally　despised。

〃Papa！〃　she　shouted　at　last；　〃you're　not　listening！〃　　As　soon　as　possible
his　wife　told　the　children　they　might　be　excused。　　Then　she　asked；　〃What
is　it；　Basil？〃

〃What　is　what？〃　he　retorted；　with　a　specious　brightness　that　did　not
avail。

〃What　is　on　your　mind？〃

〃How　do　you　know　there's　anything？〃

〃Your　kissing　me　so　when　you　came　in；　for　one　thing。〃

〃Don't　I　always　kiss　you　when　I　come　in？〃

〃Not　now。　　I　suppose　it　isn't　necessary　any　more。　'Cela　va　sans　baiser。'〃

〃Yes；　I　guess　it's　so；　we　get　along　without　the　symbolism　now。〃
He　stopped；　but　she　knew　that　he　had　not　finished。

〃Is　it　about　your　business？　　Have　they　done　anything　more？〃

〃No；　I'm　still　in　the　dark。　　I　don't　know　whether　they　mean　to　supplant
me；　or　whether　they　ever　did。　　But　I　wasn't　thinking　about　that。
Fulkerson　has　been　to　see　me　again。〃

〃Fulkerson？〃　　She　brightened　at　the　name；　and　March　smiled；　too。
〃Why　didn't　you　bring　him　to　dinner？〃

〃I　wanted　to　talk　with　you。　　Then　you　do　like　him？〃

〃What　has　that　got　to　do　with　it；　Basil？〃

〃Nothing！　nothing！　That　is；　he　was　boring　away　about　that　scheme　of　his
again。　　He's　got　it　into　definite　shape　at　last。〃

〃What　shape？〃

March　outlined　it　for　her；　and　his　wife　seized　its　main　features　with　the
intuitive　sense　of　affairs　which　makes　women　such　good　business…men　when
they　will　let　it。

〃It　sounds　perfectly　crazy；〃　she　said；　finally。　　〃　But　it　mayn't　be。　　The
only　thing　I　didn't　like　about　Mr。　Fulkerson　was　his　always　wanting　to
chance　things。　　But　what　have　you　got　to　do　with　it？〃

〃What　have　I　got　to　do　with　it？〃　　March　toyed　with　the　delay　the　question
gave　him；　then　he　said；　with　a　sort　of　deprecatory　laugh：　〃It　seems　that
Fulkerson　has　had　his　eye　on　me　ever　since　we　met　that　night　on　the
Quebec　boat。　　I　opened　up　pretty　freely　to　him；　as　you　do　to　a　man　you
never　expect　to　see　again；　and　when　I　found　he　was　in　that　newspaper
syndicate　business　I　told　him　about　my　early　literary　ambitions〃

〃You　can't　say　that　I　ever　discouraged　them；　Basil；〃　his　wife　put　in。
〃I　should　have　been　willing；　any　time；　to　give　up　everything　for　them。〃

〃Well；　he　says　that　I　first　suggested　this　brilliant　idea　to　him。
Perhaps　I　did；　I　don't　remember。　　When　he　told　me　about　his　supplying
literature　to　newspapers　for　simultaneous　publication；　he　says　I　asked：
'Why　not　apply　the　principle　of　co…operation　to　a　magazine；　and　run　it　in
the　interest　of　the　contributors？'　and　that　set　him　to　thinking；　and　he
thought　out　his　plan　of　a　periodical　which　should　pay　authors　and　artists
a　low　price　outright　for　their　work　and　give　them　a　chance　of　the　profits
in　the　way　of　a　percentage。　　After　all；　it　isn't　so　very　different　from
the　chances　an　author　takes　when　he　publishes　a　book。　　And　Fulkerson
thinks　that　the　novelty　of　the　thing　would　pique　public　curiosity；　if　it
didn't　arouse　public　sympathy。　　And　the　long　and　short　of　it　is；　Isabel；
that　he　wants　me　to　help　edit　it。〃

〃To　edit　it？〃　　His　wife　caught　her　breath；　and　she　took　a　little　time　to
realize　the　fact；　while　she　stared　hard　at　her　husband　to　make　sure　he
was　not　joking。

〃Yes。　　He　says　he　owes　it　all　to　me；　that　I　invented　the　ideathe　germ
　the　microbe。〃

His　wife　had　now　realized　the　fact；　at　least　in　a　degree　that　excluded
trifling　with　it。　　〃That　is　very　honorable　of　Mr。　Fulkerson　；　and　if　he
owes　it　to　you；　it　was　the　least　he　could　do。〃　　Having　recognized　her
husband's　claim　to　the　honor　done　him；　she　began　to　kindle　with　a　sense
of　the　honor　itself　and　the　value　of　the　opportunity。　　〃It's　a　very　high
compliment　to　you；　Basila　very　high　compliment。　　And　you　could　give　up
this　wretched　insurance　business　that　you've　always　hated　so；　and　that's
making　you　so　unhappy　now　that　you　think　they're　going　to　take　it　from
you。　　Give　it　up　and　take　Mr。　Fulkerson's　offer！　　It's　a　perfect
interposition；　coming　just　at　this　time！　　Why；　do　it！　　Mercy！〃　she
suddenly　arrested　herself；　〃he　wouldn't　expect　you　to　get　along　on　the
possible　profits？〃　　Her　face　expressed　the　awfulness　of　the　notion。

March　smiled　reassuringly；　and　waited　to　give　himself　the　pleasure　of　the
sensation　he　meant　to　give　her。　　〃If　I'll　make　striking　phrases　for　it
and　edit　it；　too；　he'll　give　me　four　thousand　dollars。〃

He　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　and　stuck　his　hands　deep　into　his　pockets；
and　watched　his　wife's　face；　luminous　with　the　emotions　that　flashed
through　her　mind…doubt；　joy；　anxiety。

〃Basil！　　You　don't　mean　it！　　Why；　take　it！　　Take　it　instantly！　　Oh；　what
a　thing　to　happen！　　Oh；　what　luck！　　But　you　deserve　it；　if　you　first
suggested　it。　　What　an　escape；　what　a　triumph　over　all　those　hateful
insurance　people！　　Oh；　Basil；　I'm　afraid　he'll　ch