a hazard of new fortunes v1-第8部分

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upon　that。　　If　they　are；　don't　you　see　that　we　couldn't　wish　them　not　to
be？〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　see　your　point；　it's　simply　incontrovertible。〃

She　laughed　and　said：　〃Well；　at　any　rate；　if　we　can't　find　a　flat　to　suit
us　we　can　all　crowd　into　these　three　rooms　somehow；　for　the　winter；　and
then　browse　about　for　meals。　　By　the　week　we　could　get　them　much　cheaper；
and　we　could　save　on　the　eating；　as　they　do　in　Europe。　　Or　on　something
else。〃

〃Something　else；　probably；〃　said　March。　　〃But　we　won't　take　this
apartment　till　the　ideal　furnished　flat　winks　out　altogether。　　We　shall
not　have　any　trouble。　　We　can　easily　find　some　one　who　is　going　South　for
the　winter　and　will　be　glad　to　give　up　their　flat　'to　the　right　party'　at
a　nominal　rent。　　That's　my　notion。　　That's　what　the　Evanses　did　one
winter　when　they　came　on　here　in　February。　　All　but　the　nominality　of　the
rent。〃

〃Yes；　and　we　could　pay　a　very　good　rent　and　still　save　something　on
letting　our　house。　　You　can　settle　yourselves　in　a　hundred　different　ways
in　New　York；　that　is　one　merit　of　the　place。　　But　if　everything　else
fails；　we　can　come　back　to　this。　　I　want　you　to　take　the　refusal　of　it；
Basil。　　And　we'll　commence　looking　this　very　evening　as　soon　as　we've　had
dinner。　　I　cut　a　lot　of　things　out　of　the　Herald　as　we　came　on。
See　here！〃

She　took　a　long　strip　of　paper　out　of　her　hand…bag　with　minute
advertisements　pinned　transversely　upon　it；　and　forming　the　effect　of
some　glittering　nondescript　vertebrate。

〃Looks　something　like　the　sea…serpent；〃　said　March；　drying　his　hands　on
the　towel；　while　he　glanced　up　and　down　the　list。　　〃But　we　sha'n't　have
any　trouble。　　I've　no　doubt　there　are　half　a　dozen　things　there　that　will
do。　　You　haven't　gone　up…town？　　Because　we　must　be　near　the　'Every　Other
Week'　office。〃

〃No；　but　I　wish　Mr。　Fulkerson　hadn't　called　it　that！　　It　always　makes　one
think　of　'jam　yesterday　and　jam　tomorrow；　but　never　jam　to…day；'　in
'Through　the　Looking…Glass。'　　They're　all　in　this　region。〃

They　were　still　at　their　table；　beside　a　low　window；　where　some　sort　of
never…blooming　shrub　symmetrically　balanced　itself　in　a　large　pot；　with　a
leaf　to　the　right　and　a　leaf　to　the　left　and　a　spear　up　the　middle；　when
Fulkerson　came　stepping　square…footedly　over　the　thick　dining…room
carpet。　　He　wagged　in　the　air　a　gay　hand　of　salutation　at　sight　of　them；
and　of　repression　when　they　offered　to　rise　to　meet　him；　then；　with　an
apparent　simultaneity　of　action　he　gave　a　hand　to　each；　pulled　up　a　chair
from　the　next　table；　put　his　hat　and　stick　on　the　floor　beside　it；　and
seated　himself。

〃Well；　you've　burned　your　ships　behind　you；　sure　enough；〃　he　said；
beaming　his　satisfaction　upon　them　from　eyes　and　teeth。

〃The　ships　are　burned；〃　said　March；　〃　though　I'm　not　sure　we　alone　did
it。　　But　here　we　are；　looking　for　shelter；　and　a　little　anxious　about　the
disposition　of　the　natives。〃

〃Oh；　they're　an　awful　peaceable　lot；〃　said　Fulkerson。　　〃I've　been　round
among　the　caciques　a　little；　and　I　think　I've　got　two　or　three　places
that　will　just　suit　you；　Mrs。　March。　　How　did　you　leave　the　children？〃

〃Oh；　how　kind　of　you！　　Very　well；　and　very　proud　to　be　left　in　charge　of
the　smoking　wrecks。〃

Fulkerson　naturally　paid　no　attention　to　what　she　said；　being　but
secondarily　interested　in　the　children　at　the　best。　　〃Here　are　some
things　right　in　this　neighborhood；　within　gunshot　of　the　office；　and　if
you　want　you　can　go　and　look　at　them　to…night；　the　agents　gave　me　houses
where　the　people　would　be　in。〃

〃We　will　go　and　look　at　them　instantly；〃　said　Mrs。　March。　　〃Or；　as　soon
as　you've　had　coffee　with　us。〃

〃Never　do；〃　Fulkerson　replied。　　He　gathered　up　his　hat　and　stick。　　〃Just
rushed　in　to　say　Hello；　and　got　to　run　right　away　again。　　I　tell　you；
March；　things　are　humming。　　I'm　after　those　fellows　with　a　sharp　stick
all　the　while　to　keep　them　from　loafing　on　my　house；　and　at　the　same　time
I'm　just　bubbling　over　with　ideas　about　'The　Lone　Handwish　we　could
call　it　that！that　I　want　to　talk　up　with　you。〃

〃Well；　come　to　breakfast；〃　said　Mrs。　March；　cordially。

〃No；　the　ideas　will　keep　till　you've　secured　your　lodge　in　this　vast
wilderness。　　Good…bye。〃

〃You're　as　nice　as　you　can　be；　Mr。　Fulkerson；〃　she　said；　〃to　keep　us　in
mind　when　you　have　so　much　to　occupy　you。〃

〃I　wouldn't　have　anything　to　occupy　me　if　I　hadn't　kept　you　in　mind；　Mrs。
March；〃　said　Fulkerson；　going　off　upon　as　good　a　speech　as　he　could
apparently　hope　to　make。

〃Why；　Basil；〃　said　Mrs。　March；　when　he　was　gone；　〃he's　charming！。
But　now　we　mustn't　lose　an　instant。　　Let's　see　where　the　places　are。〃
She　ran　over　the　half…dozen　agents'　permits。　　〃Capital…first…rate…the
very　thing…every　one。　　Well；　I　consider　ourselves　settled！　　We　can　go
back　to　the　children　to…morrow　if　we　like；　though　I　rather　think　I　should
like　to　stay　over　another　day　and　get　a　little　rested　for　the　final
pulling　up　that's　got　to　come。　　But　this　simplifies　everything
enormously；　and　Mr。　Fulkerson　is　as　thoughtful　and　as　sweet　as　he　can　be。
I　know　you　will　get　on　well　with　him。　　He　has　such　a　good　heart。　　And　his
attitude　toward　you；　Basil；　is　beautiful　alwaysso　respectful；　or　not
that　so　much　as　appreciative。　　Yes；　appreciativethat's　the　word；　I　must
always　keep　that　in　mind。〃

〃It's　quite　important　to　do　so；〃　said　March。

〃Yes；〃　she　assented；　seriously；　〃and　we　must　not　forget　just　what　kind　of
flat　we　are　going　to　look　for。　　The　'sine　qua　nons'　are　an　elevator　and
steam　heat；　not　above　the　third　floor；　to　begin　with。　　Then　we　must　each
have　a　room；　and　you　must　have　your　study　and　I　must　have　my　parlor；　and
the　two　girls　must　each　have　a　room。　　With　the　kitchen　and　dining　room；
how　many　does　that　make？〃

〃Ten。〃

〃I　thought　eight。　　Well；　no　matter。　　You　can　work　in　the　parlor；　and　run
into　your　bedroom　when　anybody　comes；　and　I　can　sit　in　mine；　and　the
girls　must　put　up　with　one；　if　it's　large　and　sunny；　though　I've　always
given　them　two　at　home。　　And　the　kitchen　must　be　sunny；　so　they　can　sit
in　it。　　And　the　rooms　must　all　have　outside　light。　　Aud　the　rent　must　not
be　over　eight　hundred　for　the　winter。　　We　only　get　a　thousand　for　our
whole　house；　and　we　must　save　something　out　of　that；　so　as　to　cover　the
expenses　of　moving。　　Now；　do　you　think　you　can　remember　all　that？〃

〃Not　the　half　of　it；〃　said　March。　　〃But　you　can；　or　if　you　forget　a　third
of　it；　I　can　come　in　with　my　partial　half　and　more　than　make　it　up。〃

She　had　brought　her　bonnet　and　sacque　down…stairs　with　her；　and　was
transferring　them　from　the　hatrack　to　her　person　while　she　talked。　　The
friendly　door…boy　let　them　into　the　street；　and　the　clear　October　evening
air　brightened　her　so　that　as　she　tucked　her　hand　under　her　husband's　arm
and　began　to　pull　him　along　she　said；　〃If　we　find　something　right　away
and　we're　just　as　likely　to　get　the　right　flat　soon　as　late；　it's　all　a
lotterywell　go　to　the　theatre　somewhere。〃

She　had　a　moment's　panic　about　having　left　the　agents'　permits　on　the
table；　and　after　remembering　that　she　had　put　them　into　her　little
shopping…bag；　where　she　kept　her　money　（each　note　crushed　into　a　round
wad）；　and　had　heft　it　on　the　hat…rack；　where　it　would　certainly　be
stolen；　she　found　it　on　her　wrist。　　She　did　not　think　that　very　funny；
but　after　a　first　impulse　to　inculpate　her　husband；　she　let　him　laugh；
while　they　stopped　under　a　lamp　and　she　held　the　permits　half　a　yard　away
to　read　the　numbers　on　them。

〃Where　are　your　glasses；　Isabel？〃

〃On　the　mantel　in　our　room；　of　course。〃

〃Then　you　ought　to　have　brought　a　pair　of　tongs。〃

〃I　wouldn't　get　off　second…hand　jokes；　Basil；〃　she　said；　and　〃Why；　here！〃
she　cried；　whirling　round　to　the　door　before　which　they　had　halted；　〃this
is　the　very　number。　　Well；　I　do　believe　it's　a　sign！〃

One　of　those　colored　men　who　soften　the　trade　of　janitor　in　many　of　the
smaller　apartment…houses　in　New　York　by　the　sweetness　of　their　race　let
the　Marches　in；　or；　rather；　welcomed　them　to　the　possession　of　the
premises　by　the　bow　with　which　he　acknowledged　their　permit。　　It　was　a
large；　old　mansion　cut　up　into　five　or　six　dwellings；　but　it　had　kept
some　traits　of　its　former　dignity；　which　pleased　people　of　their
sympathetic　tastes。　　The　dark…mahogany　trim；　of　sufficiently　ugly　design；
gave　a　rich　gloom　to　the　hallway；　which　was　wide　and　paved　with　marble；
the　carpeted　stairs　curved　aloft　through　a　generous　space。

〃There　is　no　elevator？〃　　Mrs。　March　asked　of　the　janitor。

He　answered；　〃No；　ma'am；　only　two　flights　up；〃　so　winningly　that　she
said；

〃Oh！〃　in　courteous　apology；　and　whispered　to　her　husband；　as　she　followed
lightly　up；　〃We'll　take　it；　Basil；　if　it's　like　the　rest。〃

〃If　it's　like　him；　you　mean。〃

〃I　don't　wonder　they　wanted　to　own　them；〃　she　hurriedly　philosophized。
〃If　I　had　such　a　creature；　nothing　but　death　should　part　us；　and　I　should
no　more　think　of　giving　him　his　freedom！〃

〃No；　we　couldn't　afford　it；〃　returned　her　husband。

The　apartment　which　the　janitor　unlocked　for　them；　and　lit　up　from　those
chandeliers　and　brackets　of　gilt　brass　in　the　form　of　vine　bunches；
leaves；　and　tendrils　in　which　the　early　gas…fitter　realized　most　of　his
conceptions　of　beauty；　had　rather　more　of　the　ugliness　than　the　dignity
of　the　hall。　　But　the　rooms　were　large；　and　they　grouped　themselves　in　a
reminiscence　of　the　time　when　they　were　part　of　a　dwelling　that　had　its
charm；　its　pathos；　its　impressiveness。　　Where　they　were　cut　up　into
smaller　spaces；　it　had　been　done　with　the　frankness　with　which　a　proud
old　family　of　fallen　fortunes　practises　its　economies。　　The　rough　pine　~
floors　showed　a　black　border　of　tack…heads　where　carpets　had　been　lifted
and　put　down　for　generations；　the　white　paint　was　yellow　with　age；　the
apartment　had　light　at　the　front　and　at　the　back；　and　two　or　three　rooms
had　glimpses　of　the　day　through　small　windows　let　into　their　corners；
another　one　seemed　lifting　an　appealing　eye　to　heaven　through　a　glass
circle　in　its　ceiling；　the　rest　must　darkle　in　perpetual　twilight。　　Yet
something　pleased　in　it　all；　and　Mrs。　March　had　gone　far　to　adapt　the
different　rooms　to　the　members　of　her　family；　when　she　suddenly　thought
（and　for　her　to　think　was　to　say）；　〃Why；