their silver wedding journey v3-第11章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


great　military　event　at　hand；　which　the　Marches　had　found　largely　set
forth　in　the　programme　of　the　parade；　did　not　fully　keep　the　glowing
promises　made　for　it；　in　fact　it　could　not　easily　have　done　so。　　It　was
in　a　pleasant　neighborhood　of　new　villas　such　as　form　the　modern　quarter
of　every　German　city；　and　the　Volksfest　was　even　more　unfinished　than　its
environment。　　It　was　not　yet　enclosed　by　the　fence　which　was　to　hide　its
wonders　from　the　non…paying　public；　but　March　and　Kenby　went　in　through
an　archway　where　the　gate…money　was　as　effectually　collected　from　them　as
if　they　were　barred　every　other　entrance。

The　wooden　building　was　easily　distinguishable　from　the　other　edifices
because　these　were　tents　and　booths　still　less　substantial。　　They　did　not
make　out　its　function；　but　of　the　others　four　sheltered　merry…go…rounds；
four　were　beer…gardens；　four　were　restaurants；　and　the　rest　were　devoted
to　amusements　of　the　usual　country…fair　type。　　Apparently　they　had　little
attraction　for　country　people。　　The　Americans　met　few　peasants　in　the
grounds；　and　neither　at　the　Edison　kinematograph；　where　they　refreshed
their　patriotism　with　some　scenes　of　their　native　life；　nor　at　the　little
theatre　where　they　saw　the　sports　of　the　arena　revived；　in　the　wrestle　of
a　woman　with　a　bear；　did　any　of　the　people　except　tradesmen　and　artisans
seem　to　be　taking　part　in　the　festival　expression　of　the　popular
pleasure。

The　woman；　who　finally　threw　the　bear；　whether　by　slight；　or　by　main
strength；　or　by　a　previous　understanding　with　him；　was　a　slender
creature；　pathetically　small　and　not　altogether　plain；　and　March　as　they
walked　away　lapsed　into　a　pensive　muse　upon　her　strange　employ。　　He
wondered　how　she　came　to　take　it　up；　and　whether　she　began　with　the　bear
when　they　were　both　very　young；　and　she　could　easily　throw　him。

〃Well；　women　have　a　great　deal　more　strength　than　we　suppose；〃　Kenby
began　with　a　philosophical　air　that　gave　March　the　hope　of　some　rational
conversation。　　Then　his　eye　glazed　with　a　far…off　look；　and　a　doting
smile　came　into　his　face。　　〃When　we　went　through　the　Dresden　gallery
together；　Rose　and　I　were　perfectly　used　up　at　the　end　of　an　hour；　but
his　mother　kept　on　as　long　as　there　was　anything　to　see；　and　came　away　as
fresh　as　a　peach。〃

Then　March　saw　that　it　was　useless　to　expect　anything　different　from　him；
and　he　let　him　talk　on　about　Mrs。　Adding　all　the　rest　of　the　way　back　to
the　hotel。　　Kenby　seemed　only　to　have　begun　when　they　reached　the　door；
and　wanted　to　continue　the　subject　in　the　reading…room。

March　pleaded　his　wish　to　find　how　his　wife　had　got　through　the
afternoon；　and　he　escaped　to　her。　　He　would　have　told　her　now　that　Kenby
was　in　the　house；　but　he　was　really　so　sick　of　the　fact　himself　that　he
could　not　speak　of　it　at　once；　and　he　let　her　go　on　celebrating　all　she
had　seen　from　the　window　since　she　had　waked　from　her　long　nap。　　She　said
she　could　never　be　glad　enough　that　they　had　come　just　at　that　time。
Soldiers　had　been　going　by　the　whole　afternoon；　and　that　made　it　so
feudal。

Yes；〃　he　assented。　　〃But　aren't　you　coming　up　to　the　station　with　me　to
see　the　Prince…Regent　arrive？　　He's　due　at　seven；　you　know。〃

〃I　declare　I　had　forgotten　all　about　it。　　No；　I'm　not　equal　to　it。　　You
must　go；　you　can　tell　me　everything；　be　sure　to　notice　how　the　Princess
Maria　looks；　the　last　of　the　Stuarts；　you　know；　and　some　people　consider
her　the　rightful　Queen　of　England；　and　I'll　have　the　supper　ordered；　and
we　can　go　down　as　soon　as　you've　got　back。〃




LV。

March　felt　rather　shabby　stealing　away　without　Kenby；　but　he　had　really
had　as　much　of　Mrs。　Adding　as　he　could　stand；　for　one　day；　and　he　was
even　beginning　to　get　sick　of　Rose。　　Besides；　he　had　not　sent　back　a　line
for　'Every　Other　Week'　yet；　and　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　write　a　sketch
of　the　manoeuvres。　　To　this　end　he　wished　to　receive　an　impression　of　the
Prince…Regent's　arrival　which　should　not　be　blurred　or　clouded　by　other
interests。　　His　wife　knew　the　kind　of　thing　he　liked　to　see；　and　would
have　helped　him　out　with　his　observations；　but　Kenby　would　have　got　in
the　way；　and　would　have　clogged　the　movement　of　his　fancy　in　assigning
the　facts　to　the　parts　he　would　like　them　to　play　in　the　sketch。

At　least　he　made　some　such　excuses　to　himself　as　he　hurried　along　toward
the　Kaiserstrasse。　　The　draught　of　universal　interest　in　that　direction
had　left　the　other　streets　almost　deserted；　but　as　he　approached　the
thoroughfare　he　found　all　the　ways　blocked；　and　the　horse…cars；
ordinarily　so　furiously　headlong；　arrested　by　the　multiple　ranks　of
spectators　on　the　sidewalks。　　The　avenue　leading　from　the　railway　station
to　the　palace　was　decorated　with　flags　and　garlands；　and　planted　with　the
stems　of　young　firs　and　birches。　　The　doorways　were　crowded；　and　the
windows　dense　with　eager　faces　peering　out　of　the　draped　bunting。　　The
carriageway　was　kept　clear　by　mild　policemen　who　now　and　then　allowed　one
of　the　crowd　to　cross　it。

The　crowd　was　made　up　mostly　of　women　and　boys；　and　when　March　joined
them；　they　had　already　been　waiting　an　hour　for　the　sight　of　the　princes
who　were　to　bless　them　with　a　vision　of　the　faery　race　which　kings　always
are　to　common　men。　　He　thought　the　people　looked　dull；　and　therefore　able
to　bear　the　strain　of　expectation　with　patience　better　than　a　livelier
race。　　They　relieved　it　by　no　attempt　at　joking；　here　and　there　a　dim
smile　dawned　on　a　weary　face；　but　it　seemed　an　effect　of　amiability
rather　than　humor。　　There　was　so　little　of　this；　or　else　it　was　so　well
bridled　by　the　solemnity　of　the　occasion；　that　not　a　man；　woman；　or　child
laughed　when　a　bareheaded　maid…servant　broke　through　the　lines　and　ran
down　between　them　with　a　life…size　plaster　bust　of　the　Emperor　William　in
her　arms：　she　carried　it　like　an　overgrown　infant；　and　in　alarm　at　her
conspicuous　part　she　cast　frightened　looks　from　side　to　side　without
arousing　any　sort　of　notice。　　Undeterred　by　her　failure；　a　young　dog；
parted　from　his　owner；　and　seeking　him　in　the　crowd；　pursued　his　search
in　a　wild　flight　down　the　guarded　roadway　with　an　air　of　anxiety　that　in
America　would　have　won　him　thunders　of　applause；　and　all　sorts　of　kindly
encouragements　to　greater　speed。　　But　this　German　crowd　witnessed　his
progress　apparently　without　interest；　and　without　a　sign　of　pleasure。
They　were　there　to　see　the　Prince…Regent　arrive；　and　they　did　not　suffer
themselves　to　be　distracted　by　any　preliminary　excitement。　　Suddenly　the
indefinable　emotion　which　expresses　the　fulfilment　of　expectation　in　a
waiting　crowd　passed　through　the　multitude；　and　before　he　realized　it
March　was　looking　into　the　friendly　gray…bearded　face　of　the　Prince…
Regent；　for　the　moment　that　his　carriage　allowed　in　passing。　　This　came
first　preceded　by　four　outriders；　and　followed　by　other　simple　equipages
of　Bavarian　blue；　full　of　highnesses　of　all　grades。　　Beside　the　Regent
sat　his　daughter…in…law；　the　Princess　Maria；　her　silvered　hair　framing　a
face　as　plain　and　good　as　the　Regent's；　if　not　so　intelligent。

He；　in　virtue　of　having　been　born　in　Wurzburg；　is　officially　supposed　to
be　specially　beloved　by　his　fellow　townsmen；　and　they　now　testified　their
affection　as　he　whirled　through　their　ranks；　bowing　right　and　left；　by
what　passes　in　Germany　for　a　cheer。　　It　is　the　word　Hoch；　groaned　forth
from　abdominal　depths；　and　dismally　prolonged　in　a　hollow　roar　like　that
which　the　mob　makes　behind　the　scenes　at　the　theatre　before　bursting　in
visible　tumult　on　the　stage。　　Then　the　crowd　dispersed；　and　March　came
away　wondering　why　such　a　kindly…looking　Prince…Regent　should　not　have
given　them　a　little　longer　sight　of　himself；　after　they　had　waited　so
patiently　for　hours　to　see　him。　　But　doubtless　in　those　countries；　he
concluded；　the　art　of　keeping　the　sovereign　precious　by　suffering　him　to
be　rarely　and　briefly　seen　is　wisely　studied。

On　his　way　home　he　resolved　to　confess　Kenby's　presence；　and　he　did　so　as
soon　as　he　sat　down　to　supper　with　his　wife。　　〃I　ought　to　have　told　you
the　first　thing　after　breakfast。　　But　when　I　found　you　in　that　mood　of
having　the　place　all　to　ourselves；　I　put　it　off。〃