their silver wedding journey v3-第14章
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well； and the walk was doing him good。 His mother consented； if he would
promise not to get tired； and then she mounted into the two…spanner which
had driven instinctively up to their party when their parley began； and
General Triscoe took the place beside her； while Kenby； with smiling
patience； seated himself in front。
Rose kept on talking with March about Wurzburg and its history； which it
seemed he had been reading the night before when he could not sleep。 He
explained； 〃We get little histories of the places wherever we go。 That's
what Mr。 Kenby does； you know。〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said March。
〃I don't suppose I shall get a chance to read much here；〃 Rose continued；
〃with General Triscoe in the room。 He doesn't like the light。〃
〃Well； well。 He's rather old； you know。 And you musn't read too much；
Rose。 It isn't good for you。〃
〃I know； but if I don't read； I think； and that keeps me awake worse。 Of
course； I respect General Triscoe for being in the war； and getting
wounded；〃 the boy suggested。
〃A good many did it；〃 March was tempted to say。
The boy did not notice his insinuation。 〃I suppose there were some
things they did in the army； and then they couldn't get over the habit。
But General Grant says in his 'Life' that he never used a profane
expletive。〃
〃Does General Triscoe ？〃
Rose answered reluctantly； 〃If anything wakes him in the night； or if he
can't make these German beds over to suit him〃
〃I see。〃 March turned his face to hide the smile which he would not have
let the boy detect。 He thought best not to let Rose resume his
impressions of the general； and in talk of weightier matters they found
themselves at that point of the climb where the carriage was waiting for
them。 From this point they followed an alley through ivied； garden
walls； till they reached the first of the balustraded terraces which
ascend to the crest of the hill where the church stands。 Each terrace is
planted with sycamores； and the face of the terrace wall supports a bass…
relief commemorating with the drama of its lifesize figures the stations
of the cross。
Monks and priests were coming and going； and dropped on the steps leading
from terrace to terrace were women and children on their knees in prayer。
It was all richly reminiscent of pilgrim scenes in other Catholic lands；
but here there was a touch of earnest in the Northern face of the
worshipers which the South had never imparted。 Even in the beautiful
rococo interior of the church at the top of the hill there was a sense of
something deeper and truer than mere ecclesiasticism； and March came out
of it in a serious muse while the boy at his side did nothing to
interrupt。 A vague regret filled his heart as he gazed silently out over
the prospect of river and city and vineyard； purpling together below the
top where he stood； and mixed with this regret was a vague resentment of
his wife's absence。 She ought to have been there to share his pang and
his pleasure； they had so long enjoyed everything together that without
her he felt unable to get out of either emotion all there was in it。
The forgotten boy stole silently down the terraces after the rest of the
party who had left him behind with March。 At the last terrace they
stopped and waited； and after a delay that began to be long to Mrs。
Adding； she wondered aloud what could have become of them。
Kenby promptly offered to go back and see； and she consented in seeming
to refuse： 〃It isn't worth while。 Rose has probably got Mr。 March into
some deep discussion； and they've forgotten all about us。 But if you
will go； Mr。 Kenby； you might just remind Rose of my existence。〃 She let
him lay her jacket on her shoulders before he left her； and then she sat
down on one of the steps； which General Triscoe kept striking with the
point of her umbrella as he stood before her。
〃I really shall have to take it from you if you do that any more；〃 she
said； laughing up in his face。 〃I'm serious。〃
He stopped。 〃I wish I could believe you were serious； for a moment。〃
〃You may； if you think it will do you any good。 But I don't see why。〃
The general smiled； but with a kind of tremulous eagerness which might
have been pathetic to any one who liked him。 〃Do you know this is almost
the first time I have spoken alone with you？〃
〃Really； I hadn't noticed；〃 said Mrs。 Adding。
General Triscoe laughed in rather a ghastly way。 〃Well； that's
encouraging； at least； to a man who's had his doubts whether it wasn't
intended。〃
〃Intended？ By whom？ What do you mean； General Triscoe？ Why in the
world shouldn't you have spoken alone with me before？〃
He was not； with all his eagerness； ready to say； and while she smiled
pleasantly she had the look in her eyes of being brought to bay and being
prepared； if it must come to that； to have the worst over； then and
there。 She was not half his age； but he was aware of her having no
respect for his years； compared with her average American past as he
understood it； his social place was much higher； but； she was not in the
least awed by it； in spite of his war record she was making him behave
like a coward。 He was in a false position； and if he had any one but
himself to blame he had not her。 He read her equal knowledge of these
facts in the clear eyes that made him flush and turn his own away。
Then he started with a quick 〃Hello！〃 and stood staring up at the steps
from the terrace above； where Rose Adding was staying himself weakly by a
clutch of Kenby on one side and March on the other。
His mother looked round and caught herself up from where she sat and ran
toward him。 〃Oh； Rose！〃
〃It's nothing； mother；〃 he called to her； and as she dropped on her knees
before him he sank limply against her。 〃It was like what I had in
Carlsbad； that's all。 Don't worry about me； please！〃
〃I'm not worrying； Rose；〃 she said with courage of the same texture as
his own。 〃You've been walking too much。 You must go back in the
carriage with us。 Can't you have it come here？〃 she asked Kenby。
〃There's no road； Mrs。 Adding。 But if Rose would let me carry him〃 。
〃I can walk；〃 the boy protested； trying to lift himself from her neck。
〃No； no！ you mustn't。〃 She drew away and let him fall into the arms that
Kenby put round him。 He raised the frail burden lightly to his shoulder；
and moved strongly away； followed by the eyes of the spectators who had
gathered about the little group； but who dispersed now； and went back to
their devotions。
March hurried after Kenby with Mrs。 Adding； whom he told he had just
missed Rose and was looking about for him； when Kenby came with her
message for them。 They made sure that he was nowhere about the church；
and then started together down the terraces。 At the second or third
station below they found the boy clinging to the barrier that protected
the bass…relief from the zeal of the devotees。 He looked white and sick；
though he insisted that he was well； and when he turned to come away with
them he reeled and would have fallen if Kenby had not caught him。 Kenby
wanted to carry him； but Rose would not let him； and had made his way
down between them。
〃Yea； he has such a spirit；〃 she said； 〃and I've no doubt he's suffering
now more from Mr。 Kenby's kindness than from his own sickness he had one
of these giddy turns in Carlsbad； though； and I shall certainly have a
doctor to see him。〃
〃I think I should； Mrs。 Adding；〃 said March； not too gravely； for it
seemed to him that it was not quite his business to alarm her further；
if she was herself taking the affair with that seriousness。
He questioned whether she was taking it quite seriously enough；
when she turned with a laugh； and called to General Triscoe； who was
limping down the steps of the last terrace behind them：
〃Oh； poor General Triscoe！ I thought you had gone on ahead。〃
General Triscoe could not enter into the joke of being forgotten；
apparently。 He assisted with gravity at the disposition of the party for
the return； when they all reached the carriage。 Rose had the place
beside his mother； and Kenby wished March to take his with the general
and let him sit with the driver； bu
