a hazard of new fortunes v1-第4部分

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suggested　it。　　What　an　escape；　what　a　triumph　over　all　those　hateful
insurance　people！　　Oh；　Basil；　I'm　afraid　he'll　change　his　mind！　You　ought
to　have　accepted　on　the　spot。　　You　might　have　known　I　would　approve；　and
you　could　so　easily　have　taken　it　back　if　I　didn't。　　Telegraph　him　now！
Run　right　out　with　the　despatchOr　we　can　send　Tom！〃

In　these　imperatives　of　Mrs。　March's　there　was　always　much　of　the
conditional。　　She　meant　that　he　should　do　what　she　said；　if　it　were
entirely　right；　and　she　never　meant　to　be　considered　as　having　urged　him。

〃And　suppose　his　enterprise　went　wrong？〃　　her　husband　suggested。

〃It　won't　go　wrong。　　Hasn't　he　made　a　success　of　his　syndicate？〃

〃He　says　soyes。〃

〃Very　well；　then；　it　stands　to　reason　that　he'll　succeed　in　this；　too。
He　wouldn't　undertake　it　if　he　didn't　know　it　would　succeed；　he　must　have
capital。〃

〃It　will　take　a　great　deal　to　get　such　a　thing　going；　and　even　if　he's
got　an　Angel　behind　him〃

She　caught　at　the　word〃An　Angel？〃

〃It's　what　the　theatrical　people　call　a　financial　backer。　　He　dropped　a
hint　of　something　of　that　kind。〃

〃Of　course；　he's　got　an　Angel；〃　said　his　wife；　promptly　adopting　the
word。　　〃And　even　if　he　hadn't；　still；　Basil；　I　should　be　willing　to　have
you　risk　it。　　The　risk　isn't　so　great；　is　it？　　We　shouldn't　be　ruined　if
it　failed　altogether。　　With　our　stocks　we　have　two　thousand　a　year；
anyway；　and　we　could　pinch　through　on　that　till　you　got　into　some　other
business　afterward；　especially　if　we'd　saved　something　out　of　your　salary
while　it　lasted。　　Basil；　I　want　you　to　try　it！　　I　know　it　will　give　you　a
new　lease　of　life　to　have　a　congenial　occupation。〃　　March　laughed；　but
his　wife　persisted。　　〃I'm　all　for　your　trying　it；　Basil；　indeed　I　am。
If　it's　an　experiment；　you　can　give　it　up。〃

〃It　can　give　me　up；　too。〃

〃Oh；　nonsense！　I　guess　there's　not　much　fear　of　that。　　Now；　I　want　you　to
telegraph　Mr。　Fulkerson；　so　that　he'll　find　the　despatch　waiting　for　him
when　he　gets　to　New　York。　　I'll　take　the　whole　responsibility；　Basil；　and
I'll　risk　all　the　consequences。〃




III。

March's　face　had　sobered　more　and　more　as　she　followed　one　hopeful　burst
with　another；　and　now　it　expressed　a　positive　pain。　　But　he　forced　a
smile　and　said：　〃There's　a　little　condition　attached。　　Where　did　you
suppose　it　was　to　be　published？〃

〃Why；　in　Boston；　of　course。　　Where　else　should　it　be　published？〃

She　looked　at　him　for　the　intention　of　his　question　so　searchingly　that
he　quite　gave　up　the　attempt　to　be　gay　about　it。　　〃No；〃　he　said；　gravely；
〃it's　to　be　published　in　New　York。〃

She　fell　back　in　her　chair。　　〃In　New　York？〃　　She　leaned　forward　over　the
table　toward　him；　as　if　to　make　sure　that　she　heard　aright；　and　said；
with　all　the　keen　reproach　that　he　could　have　expected：　〃In　New　York；
Basil！　　Oh；　how　could　you　have　let　me　go　on？〃

He　had　a　sufficiently　rueful　face　in　owning：　〃I　oughtn't　to　have　done　it；
but　I　got　started　wrong。　　I　couldn't　help　putting　the　best　foot；　forward
at　firstor　as　long　as　the　whole　thing　was　in　the　air。　　I　didn't　know
that　you　would　take　so　much　to　the　general　enterprise；　or　else　I　should
have　mentioned　the　New　York　condition　at　once；　but；　of　course；　that　puts
an　end　to　it。〃

〃Oh；　of　course；〃　she　assented；　sadly。　　〃We　COULDN'T　go　to　New　York。〃

〃No；　I　know　that；〃　he　said；　and　with　this　a　perverse　desire　to　tempt　her
to　the　impossibility　awoke　in　him；　though　he　was　really　quite　cold　about
the　affair　himself　now。　　〃Fulkerson　thought　we　could　get　a　nice　flat　in
New　York　for　about　what　the　interest　and　taxes　came　to　here；　and
provisions　are　cheaper。　　But　I　should　rather　not　experiment　at　my　time　of
life。　　If　I　could　have　been　caught　younger；　I　might　have　been　inured　to
New　York；　but　I　don't　believe　I　could　stand　it　now。〃

〃How　I　hate　to　have　you　talk　that　way；　Basil！　　You　are　young　enough　to
try　anythinganywhere；　but　you　know　I　don't　like　New　York。　　I　don't
approve　of　it。　　It's　so　big；　and　so　hideous！　　Of　course　I　shouldn't　mind
that；　but　I've　always　lived　in　Boston；　and　the　children　were　born　and
have　all　their　friendships　and　associations　here。〃　　She　added；　with　the
helplessness　that　discredited　her　good　sense　and　did　her　injustice；
〃I　have　just　got　them　both　into　the　Friday　afternoon　class　at　Papanti's；
and　you　know　how　difficult　that　is。〃

March　could　not　fail　to　take　advantage　of　an　occasion　like　this。
〃Well；　that　alone　ought　to　settle　it。　　Under　the　circumstances；　it　would
be　flying　in　the　face　of　Providence　to　leave　Boston。　　The　mere　fact　of　a
brilliant　opening　like　that　offered　me　on　'The　Microbe；'　and　the　halcyon
future　which　Fulkerson　promises　if　we'll　come　to　New　York；　is　as　dust　in
the　balance　against　the　advantages　of　the　Friday　afternoon　class。〃

〃Basil；〃　she　appealed；　solemnly；　〃have　I　ever　interfered　with　your
career？〃

〃I　never　had　any　for　you　to　interfere　with；　my　dear。〃

〃Basil！　　Haven't　I　always　had　faith　in　you？　　And　don't　you　suppose　that
if　I　thought　it　would　really　be　for　your　advancement　I　would　go　to　New
York　or　anywhere　with　you？〃

〃No；　my　dear；　I　don't；〃　he　teased。　　〃If　it　would　be　for　my　salvation；
yes；　perhaps；　but　not　short　of　that；　and　I　should　have　to　prove　by　a
cloud　of　witnesses　that　it　would。　　I　don't　blame　you。　　I　wasn't　born　in
Boston；　but　I　understand　how　you　feel。　　And　really；　my　dear；〃　he　added；
without　irony；　〃I　never　seriously　thought　of　asking　you　to　go　to　New
York。　　I　was　dazzled　by　Fulkerson's　offer；　I'll　own　that；　but　his　choice
of　me　as　editor　sapped　my　confidence　in　him。〃

〃I　don't　like　to　hear　you　say　that；　Basil；〃　she　entreated。

〃Well；　of　course　there　were　mitigating　circumstances。　　I　could　see　that
Fulkerson　meant　to　keep　the　whip…hand　himself；　and　that　was　reassuring。
And；　besides；　if　the　Reciprocity　Life　should　happen　not　to　want　my
services　any　longer；　it　wouldn't　be　quite　like　giving　up　a　certainty；
though；　as　a　matter　of　business；　I　let　Fulkerson　get　that　impression；　I
felt　rather　sneaking　to　do　it。　　But　if　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst；　I
can　look　about　for　something　to　do　in　Boston；　and；　anyhow；　people　don't
starve　on　two　thousand　a　year；　though　it's　convenient　to　have　five。　　The
fact　is；　I'm　too　old　to　change　so　radically。　　If　you　don't　like　my　saying
that；　then　you　are；　Isabel；　and　so　are　the　children。　　I've　no　right　to
take　them　from　the　home　we've　made；　and　to　change　the　whole　course　of
their　lives；　unless　I　can　assure　them　of　something；　and　I　can't　assure
them　of　anything。　　Boston　is　big　enough　for　us；　and　it's　certainly
prettier　than　New　York。　　I　always　feel　a　little　proud　of　hailing　from
Boston；　my　pleasure　in　the　place　mounts　the　farther　I　get　away　from　it。
But　I　do　appreciate　it；　my　dear；　I've　no　more　desire　to　leave　it　than　you
have。　　You　may　be　sure　that　if　you　don't　want　to　take　the　children　out　of
the　Friday　afternoon　class；　I　don't　want　to　leave　my　library　here；　and
all　the　ways　I've　got　set　in。　　We'll　keep　on。　　Very　likely　the　company
won't　supplant　me；　and　if　it　does；　and　Watkins　gets　the　place；　he'll　give
me　a　subordinate　position　of　some　sort。　　Cheer　up；　Isabel！　I　have　put
Satan　and　his　angel；　Fulkerson；　behind　me；　and　it's　all　right。　　Let's　go
in　to　the　children。〃

He　came　round　the　table　to　Isabel；　where　she　sat　in　a　growing
distraction；　and　lifted　her　by　the　waist　from　her　chair。

She　sighed　deeply。　　〃Shall　we　tell　the　children　about　it？〃

〃No。　　What's　the　use；　now？〃

〃There　wouldn't　be　any；〃　she　assented。　　When　they　entered　the　family
room；　where　the　boy　and　girl　sat　on　either　side　of　the　lamp　working　out
the　lessons　for　Monday　which　they　had　left　over　from　the　day　before；　she
asked；　〃Children；　how　would　you　like　to　live　in　New　York？〃

Bella　made　haste　to　get　in　her　word　first。　　〃And　give　up　the　Friday
afternoon　class？〃　　she　wailed。

Tom　growled　from　his　book；　without　lifting　his　eyes：　〃I　shouldn't　want　to
go　to　Columbia。　　They　haven't　got　any　dormitories；　and　you　have　to　board
round　anywhere。　　Are　you　going　to　New　York？〃　　He　now　deigned　to　look　up
at　his　father。

〃No；　Tom。　　You　and　Bella　have　decided　me　against　it。　　Your　perspective
shows　the　affair　in　its　true　proportions。　　I　had　an　offer　to　go　to　New
York；　but　I've　refused　it。〃




IV

March's　irony　fell　harmless　from　the　children's　preoccupation　with　their
own　affairs；　but　he　knew　that　his　wife　felt　it；　and　this　added　to　the
bitterness　which　prompted　it。　　He　blamed　her　for　letting　her　provincial
narrowness　prevent　his　accepting　Fulkerson's　offer　quite　as　much　as　if　he
had　otherwise　entirely　wished　to　accept　it。　　His　world；　like　most　worlds；
had　been　superficially　a　disappointment。　　He　was　no　richer　than　at　the
beginning；　though　in　marrying　he　had　given　up　some　tastes；　some
preferences；　some　aspirations；　in　the　hope　of　indulging　them　later；　with
larger　means　and　larger　leisure。　　His　wife　had　not　urged　him　to　do　it；　in
fact；　her　pride；　as　she　said；　was　in　his　fitness　for　the　life　he　had
renounced；　but　she　had　acquiesced；　and　they　had　been　very　happy　together。
That　is　to　say；　they　made　up　their　quarrels　or　ignored　them。

They　often　accused　each　other　of　being　selfish　and　indifferent；　but　she
knew　that　he　would　always　sacrifice　himself　for　her　and　the　children；
and　he；　on　his　part；　with　many　gibes　and　mockeries；　wholly　trusted　in
her。　　They　had　grown　practically　tolerant　of　each　other's　disagreeable
traits；　and　the　danger　that　really　threatened　them　was　that　they　should
grow　too　well　satisfied　with　themselves；　if　not　with　each　other。　　They
were　not　sentimental；　they　were　rather　matter…of…fact　in　their　motives；
but　they　had　both　a　sort　of　humorous　fondness　for　sentimentality。　　They
liked　to　play　with　the　romantic；　from　the　safe　vantage…ground　of　their
real　practicality；　and　to　divine　the　poetry　of　the　commonplace。　　Their
peculiar　point　of　view　separated　them　from　most　other　people；　with　whom
their　means　of　self…comparison　were　not　so　good　since　their　marriage　as
before。　　Then　they　had　travelled　and　seen　much　of　the　world；　and　they　had
formed　tastes　which　they　had　not　always　been　able　to　indulge；　but　of
which　they　felt　that　the　possession　reflected　distinction　on　them。　　It
enabled　them　to　look　down　upon　those　who　were　without　such　tastes；　but
they　wer