a hazard of new fortunes v1-第9部分

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（and　for　her　to　think　was　to　say）；　〃Why；　but　there's　no　steam　heat！〃

〃No；　ma'am；〃　the　janitor　admitted；　〃but　dere's　grates　in　most　o'　de
rooms；　and　dere's　furnace　heat　in　de　halls。〃

〃That's　true；〃　she　admitted；　and；　having　placed　her　family　in　the
apartments；　it　was　hard　to　get　them　out　again。　　〃Could　we　manage？〃　　she
referred　to　her　husband。

〃Why；　I　shouldn't　care　for　the　steam　heat　ifWhat　is　the　rent？〃　　he
broke　off　to　ask　the　janitor。

〃Nine　hundred；　sir。〃

March　concluded　to　his　wife；　〃If　it　were　furnished。〃

〃Why；　of　course！　　What　could　I　have　been　thinking　of？　　We're　looking　for
a　furnished　flat；〃　she　explained　to　the　janitor；　〃and　this　was　so
pleasant　and　homelike　that　I　never　thought　whether　it　was　furnished　or
not。〃

She　smiled　upon　the　janitor；　and　he　entered　into　the　joke　and　chuckled　so
amiably　at　her　flattering　oversight　on　the　way　down…stairs　that　she　said；
as　she　pinched　her　husband's　arm；　〃Now；　if　you　don't　give　him　a　quarter
I'll　never　speak　to　you　again；　Basil！〃

〃I　would　have　given　half　a　dollar　willingly　to　get　you　beyond　his
glamour；〃　said　March；　when　they　were　safely　on　the　pavement　outside。〃
If　it　hadn't　been　for　my　strength　of　character；　you'd　have　taken　an
unfurnished　flat　without　heat　and　with　no　elevator；　at　nine　hundred　a
year；　when　you　had　just　sworn　me　to　steam　heat；　an　elevator；　furniture；
and　eight　hundred。〃

〃Yes！　How　could　I　have　lost　my　head　so　completely？〃　　she　said；　with　a
lenient　amusement　in　her　aberration　which　she　was　not　always　able　to　feel
in　her　husband's。

〃The　next　time　a　colored　janitor　opens　the　door　to　us；　I'll　tell　him　the
apartment　doesn't　suit　at　the　threshold。　　It's　the　only　way　to　manage
you；　Isabel。〃

〃It's　true。　　I　am　in　love　with　the　whole　race。　　I　never　saw　one　of　them
that　didn't　have　perfectly　angelic　manners。　　I　think　we　shall　all　be
black　in　heaventhat　is；　black…souled。〃

〃That　isn't　the　usual　theory；〃　said　March。

〃Well；　perhaps　not；〃　she　assented。　　〃Where　are　we　going　now？　　Oh　yes；　to
the　Xenophon！〃

She　pulled　him　gayly　along　again；　and　after　they　had　walked　a　block　down
and　half　a　block　over　they　stood　before　the　apartment…house　of　that　name；
which　was　cut　on　the　gas…lamps　on　either　side　of　the　heavily　spiked；
aesthetic…hinged　black　door。　　The　titter　of　an　electric…bell　brought　a
large；　fat　Buttons；　with　a　stage　effect　of　being　dressed　to　look　small；
who　said　he　would　call　the　janitor；　and　they　waited　in　the　dimly
splendid；　copper…colored　interior；　admiring　the　whorls　and　waves　into
which　the　wallpaint　was　combed；　till　the　janitor　came　in　his　gold…banded
cap；　like　a　Continental　porker。　　When　they　said　they　would　like　to　see
Mrs。　Grosvenor　Green's　apartment；　he　owned　his　inability　to　cope　with　the
affair；　and　said　he　must　send　for　the　superintendent；　he　was　either　in
the　Herodotus　or　the　Thucydides；　and　would　be　there　in　a　minute。　　The
Buttons　brought　hima　Yankee　of　browbeating　presence　in　plain　clothes
almost　before　they　had　time　to　exchange　a　frightened　whisper　in
recognition　of　the　fact　that　there　could　be　no　doubt　of　the　steam　heat
and　elevator　in　this　case。　　Half　stifled　in　the　one；　they　mounted　in　the
other　eight　stories；　while　they　tried　to　keep　their　self…respect　under
the　gaze　of　the　superintendent；　which　they　felt　was　classing　and
assessing　them　with　unfriendly　accuracy。　　They　could　not；　and　they
faltered　abashed　at　the　threshold　of　Mrs。　Grosvenor　Green's　apartment；
while　the　superintendent　lit　the　gas　in　the　gangway　that　he　called　a
private　hall；　and　in　the　drawing…room　and　the　succession　of　chambers
stretching　rearward　to　the　kitchen。　　Everything　had；　been　done　by　the
architect　to　save　space；　and　everything；　to　waste　it　by　Mrs。　Grosvenor
Green。　　She　had　conformed　to　a　law　for　the　necessity　of　turning　round　in
each　room；　and　had　folding…beds　in　the　chambers；　but　there　her
subordination　had　ended；　and　wherever　you　might　have　turned　round　she　had
put　a　gimcrack　so　that　you　would　knock　it　over　if　you　did　turn。　　The
place　was　rather　pretty　and　even　imposing　at　first　glance；　and　it　took
several　joint　ballots　for　March　and　his　wife　to　make　sure　that　with　the
kitchen　there　were　only　six　rooms。　　At　every　door　hung　a　portiere　from
large　rings　on　a　brass　rod；　every　shelf　and　dressing…case　and　mantel　was
littered　with　gimcracks；　and　the　corners　of　the　tiny　rooms　were　curtained
off；　and　behind　these　portieres　swarmed　more　gimcracks。　　The　front　of　the
upright　piano　had　what　March　called　a　short…skirted　portiere　on　it；　and
the　top　was　covered　with　vases；　with　dragon　candlesticks　and　with　Jap
fans；　which　also　expanded　themselves　bat　wise　on　the　walls　between　the
etchings　and　the　water　colors。　　The　floors　were　covered　with　filling；　and
then　rugs　and　then　skins；　the　easy　…chairs　all　had　tidies；　Armenian　and
Turkish　and　Persian；　the　lounges　and　sofas　had　embroidered　cushions
hidden　under　tidies。

The　radiator　was　concealed　by　a　Jap　screen；　and　over　the　top　of　this　some
Arab　scarfs　were　flung。　　There　was　a　superabundance　of　clocks。　　China
pugs　guarded　the　hearth；　a　brass　sunflower　smiled　from　the　top　of　either
andiron；　and　a　brass　peacock　spread　its　tail　before　them　inside　a　high
filigree　fender；　on　one　side　was　a　coalhod　in　'repousse'　brass；　and　on
the　other　a　wrought　iron　wood…basket。　　Some　red　Japanese　bird…kites　were
stuck　about　in　the　necks　of　spelter　vases；　a　crimson　Jap　umbrella　hung
opened　beneath　the　chandelier；　and　each　globe　had　a　shade　of　yellow　silk。

March；　when　he　had　recovered　his　self…command　a　little　in　the　presence　of
the　agglomeration；　comforted　himself　by　calling　the　bric…a…brac
Jamescracks；　as　if　this　was　their　full　name。

The　disrespect　he　was　able　to　show　the　whole　apartment　by　means　of　this
joke　strengthened　him　to　say　boldly　to　the　superintendent　that　it　was
altogether　too　small；　then　he　asked　carelessly　what　the　rent　was。

〃Two　hundred　and　fifty。〃

The　Marches　gave　a　start；　and　looked　at　each　other。

〃Don't　you　think　we　could　make　it　do？〃　　she　asked　him；　and　he　could　see
that　she　had　mentally　saved　five　hundred　dollars　as　the　difference
between　the　rent　of　their　house　and　that　of　this　flat。　　〃It　has　some　very
pretty　features；　and　we　could　manage　to　squeeze　in；　couldn't　we？〃

〃You　won't　find　another　furnished　flat　like　it　for　no　two…fifty　a　month
in　the　whole　city；〃　the　superintendent　put　in。

They　exchanged　glances　again；　and　March　said；　carelessly；　〃It's　too
small。〃

〃There's　a　vacant　flat　in　the　Herodotus　for　eighteen　hundred　a　year；　and
one　in　the　Thucydides　for　fifteen；〃　the　superintendent　suggested；
clicking　his　keys　together　as　they　sank　down　in　the　elevator；　〃seven
rooms　and　bath。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　March；　〃we're　looking　for　a　furnished　flat。〃

They　felt　that　the　superintendent　parted　from　them　with　repressed
sarcasm。

〃Oh；　Basil；　do　you　think　we　really　made　him　think　it　was　the　smallness
and　not　the　dearness？〃

〃　No；　but　we　saved　our　self…respect　in　the　attempt；　and　that's　a　great
deal。〃

〃Of　course；　I　wouldn't　have　taken　it；　anyway；　with　only　six　rooms；　and　so
high　up。　　But　what　prices！　　Now；　we　must　be　very　circumspect　about　the
next　place。〃

It　was　a　janitress；　large；　fat；　with　her　arms　wound　up　in　her　apron；　who
received　them　there。　　Mrs。　March　gave　her　a　succinct　but　perfect
statement　of　their　needs。　　She　failed　to　grasp　the　nature　of　them；　or
feigned　to　do　so。　　She　shook　her　head；　and　said　that　her　son　would　show
them　the　flat。　　There　was　a　radiator　visible　in　the　narrow　hall；　and
Isabel　tacitly　compromised　on　steam　heat　without　an　elevator；　as　the　flat
was　only　one　flight　up。　　When　the　son　appeared　from　below　with　a　small
kerosene　hand…lamp；　it　appeared　that　the　flat　was　unfurnished；　but　there
was　no　stopping　him　till　he　had　shown　it　in　all　its　impossibility。　　When
they　got　safely　away　from　it　and　into　the　street　March　said：　〃Well；　have
you　had　enough　for　to…night；　Isabel？　　Shall　we　go　to　the　theatre　now？〃

〃Not　on　any　account。　　I　want　to　see　the　whole　list　of　flats　that　Mr。
Fulkerson　thought　would　be　the　very　thing　for　us。〃　　She　laughed；　but　with
a　certain　bitterness。

〃You'll　be　calling　him　my　Mr。　Fulkerson　next；　Isabel。〃

〃Oh　no！〃

The　fourth　address　was　a　furnished　flat　without　a　kitchen；　in　a　house
with　a　general　restaurant。　　The　fifth　was　a　furnished　house。　　At　the
sixth　a　pathetic　widow　and　her　pretty　daughter　wanted　to　take　a　family　to
board；　and　would　give　them　a　private　table　at　a　rate　which　the　Marches
would　have　thought　low　in　Boston。

Mrs。　March　came　away　tingling　with　compassion　for　their　evident　anxiety；
and　this　pity　naturally　soured　into　a　sense　of　injury。　　〃Well；　I　must　say
I　have　completely　lost　confidence　in　Mr。　Fulkerson's　judgment。　　Anything
more　utterly　different　from　what　I　told　him　we　wanted　I　couldn't　imagine。
If　he　doesn't　manage　any　better　about　his　business　than　he　has　done　about
this；　it　will　be　a　perfect　failure。〃

〃Well；　well；　let's　hope　he'll　be　more　circumspect　about　that；〃　her
husband　returned；　with　ironical　propitiation。　　〃But　I　don't　think　it's
Fulkerson's　fault　altogether。　　Perhaps　it's　the　house…agents'。　　They're　a
very　illusory　generation。　　There　seems　to　be　something　in　the　human
habitation　that　corrupts　the　natures　of　those　who　deal　in　it；　to　buy　or
sell　it；　to　hire　or　let　it。　　You　go　to　an　agent　and　tell　him　what　kind　of
a　house　you　want。　　He　has　no　such　house；　and　he　sends　you　to　look　at
something　altogether　different；　upon　the　well…ascertained　principle　that
if　you　can't　get　what　you　want　you　will　take　what　you　can　get。　　You　don't
suppose　the　'party'　that　took　our　house　in　Boston　was　looking　for　any
such　house？　　He　was　looking　for　a　totally　different　kind　of　house　in
another　part　of　the　town。〃

〃I　don't　believe　that！〃　his　wife　broke　in。

〃Well；　no　matter。　　But　see　what　a　scandalous　rent　you　asked　for　it。〃

〃We　didn't　get　much　more　than　half；　and；　besides；　the　agent　told　me　to
ask　fourteen　hundred。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　not　blaming　you；　Isabel。　　I'm　only　analyzing　the　house…agent　and
exonerating　Fulkerson。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　believe　he　told　them　just　what　we　wanted；　and；　at　any
rate；　I'm　done　with　agents。　　Tomorrow　I'm　going　entirely　by
advertisements。〃




VIII。

Mrs。　March　took　the　vertebrate　with　her　to