their silver wedding journey v3-第15章
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beside his mother； and Kenby wished March to take his with the general
and let him sit with the driver； but he insisted that he would rather
walk home； and he did walk till they had driven out of eight。 Then he
called a passing one…spanner； and drove to his hotel in comfort and
silence。
LVII。
Kenby did not come to the Swan before supper； then he reported that the
doctor had said Rose was on the verge of a nervous collapse。 He had
overworked at school； but the immediate trouble was the high； thin air；
which the doctor said he must be got out of at once； into a quiet place
at the sea…shore somewhere。 He had suggested Ostend； or some point on
the French coast； Kenby had thought of Schevleningen； and the doctor had
said that would do admirably。
〃I understood from Mrs。 Adding；〃 he concluded； 〃that you were going。
there for your after…cure； Mr。 March； and I didn't know but you might be
going soon。〃
At the mention of Schevleningen the Marches had looked at each other with
a guilty alarm； which they both tried to give the cast of affectionate
sympathy but she dismissed her fear that he might be going to let his
compassion prevail with him to his hurt when he said： 〃Why； we ought to
have been there before this； but I've been taking my life in my hands in
trying to see a little of Germany； and I'm afraid now that Mrs。 March has
her mind too firmly fixed on Berlin to let me think of going to
Schevleningen till we've been there。〃
〃It's too bad！〃 said Mrs。 March； with real regret。 〃I wish we were
going。〃 But she had not the least notion of gratifying her wish； and
they were all silent till Kenby broke out：
〃Look here！ You know how I feel about Mrs Adding！ I've been pretty
frank with Mr。 March myself； and I've had my suspicions that she's been
frank with you； Mrs。 March。 There isn't any doubt about my wanting to
marry her； and up to this time there hasn't been any doubt about her not
wanting to marry me。 But it isn't a question of her or of me； now。 It's
a question of Rose。 I love the boy；〃 and Kenby's voice shook； and he
faltered a moment。 〃Pshaw！ You understand。〃
〃Indeed I do； Mr。 Kenby；〃 said Mrs。 March。 〃I perfectly understand
you。〃
〃Well； I don't think Mrs。 Adding is fit to make the journey with him
alone； or to place herself in the best way after she gets to
Schevleningen。 She's been badly shaken up； she broke down before the
doctor； she said she didn't know what to do； I suppose she's
frightened〃
Kenby stopped again； and March asked； 〃When is she going？〃
〃To…morrow；〃 said Kenby； and he added； 〃And now the question is； why
shouldn't I go with her？〃
Mrs。 March gave a little start； and looked at her husband； but he said
nothing； and Kenby seemed not to have supposed that he would say
anything。
〃I know it would be very American； and all that； but I happen to be an
American； and it wouldn't be out of character for me。 I suppose；〃 he
appealed to Mrs。 March； 〃that it's something I might offer to do if it
were from New York to Floridaand I happened to be going there？ And I
did happen to be going to Holland。〃
〃Why； of course； Mr。 Kenby；〃 she responded； with such solemnity that
March gave way in an outrageous laugh。
Kenby laughed； and Mrs。 March laughed too； but with an inner note of
protest。
〃Well；〃 Kenby continued； still addressing her； 〃what I want you to do is
to stand by me when I propose it。〃
Mrs。 March gathered strength to say； 〃No； Mr。 Kenby； it's your own
affair； and you must take the responsibility。〃
〃Do you disapprove？〃
〃It isn't the same as it would be at home。 You see that yourself。〃
〃Well；〃 said Kenby； rising； 〃I have to arrange about their getting away
to…morrow。 It won't be easy in this hurly…burly that's coming off。〃
〃Give Rose our love； and tell Mrs。 Adding that I'll come round and see
her to…morrow before she starts。〃
〃Oh！ I'm afraid you can't； Mrs。 March。 They're to start at six in the
morning。〃
〃They are！ Then we must go and see them tonight。 We'll be there almost
as soon as you are。〃
March went up to their rooms with； his wife； and she began on the stairs：
〃Well； my dear； I hope you realize that your laughing so gave us
completely away。 And what was there to keep grinning about； all
through？〃
〃Nothing but the disingenuous； hypocritical passion of love。 It's always
the most amusing thing in the world； but to see it trying to pass itself
off in poor old Kenby as duty and humanity； and disinterested affection
for Rose； was more than I could stand。 I don't apologize for laughing；
I wanted to yell。〃
His effrontery and his philosophy both helped to save him； and she said
from the point where he had side…tracked her mind： 〃I don't call it
disingenuous。 He was brutally frank。 He's made it impossible to treat
the affair with dignity。 I want you to leave the whole thing to me； from
this out。 Now； will you？〃
On their way to the Spanischer Hof she arranged in her own mind for Mrs。
Adding to get a maid； and for the doctor to send an assistant with her on
the journey； but she was in such despair with her scheme that she had not
the courage to right herself when Mrs。 Adding met her with the appeal：
〃Oh； Mrs。 March； I'm so glad you approve of Mr。 Kenby's plan。 It does
seem the only thing to do。 I can't trust myself alone with Rose； and Mr。
Kenby's intending to go to Schevleningen a few days later anyway。 Though
it's too bad to let him give up the manoeuvres。〃
〃I'm sure he won't mind that；〃 Mrs。 March's voice said mechanically；
while her thought was busy with the question whether this scandalous
duplicity was altogether Kenby's； and whether Mrs。 Adding was as
guiltless of any share in it as she looked。 She looked pitifully
distracted； she might not have understood his report； or Kenby might
really have mistaken Mrs。 March's sympathy for favor。
〃No； he only lives to do good；〃 Mrs。 Adding returned。 〃He's with Rose；
won't you come in and see them？〃
Rose was lying back on the pillows of a sofa； from which they would not
let him get up。 He was full of the trip to Holland； and had already
pushed Kenby； as Kenby owned； beyond the bounds of his very general
knowledge of the Dutch language； which Rose had plans for taking up after
they were settled in Schevleningen。 The boy scoffed at the notion that
he was not perfectly well； and he wished to talk with March on the points
where he had found Kenby wanting。
〃Kenby is an encyclopaedia compared with me； Rose；〃 the editor protested；
and he amplified his ignorance for the boy's good to an extent which Rose
saw was a joke。 He left Holland to talk about other things which his
mother thought quite as bad for him。 He wished to know if March did not
think that the statue of the bishop with the sparrow on its finger was a
subject for a poem； and March said gayly that if Rose would write it he
would print it in 'Every Other Week'。
The boy flushed with pleasure at his banter。 〃No； I couldn't do it。
But I wish Mr。 Burnamy had seen it。 He could。 Will you tell him about
it？〃 He wanted to know if March had heard from Burnamy lately； and in
the midst of his vivid interest he gave a weary sigh。
His mother said that now he had talked enough； and bade him say good…by
to the Marches； who were coming so soon to Holland； anyway。 Mrs。 March
put her arms round him to kiss him； and when she let him sink back her
eyes were dim。
〃You see how frail he is？〃 said Mrs。 Adding。 〃I shall not let him out of
my sight； after this； till he's well again。〃
She had a kind of authority in sending Kenby away with them which was not
lost upon the witnesses。 He asked them to come into the reading…room a
moment with him； and Mrs。 March wondered if he were going to make some
excuse to her for himself； but he said： 〃I don't know how we're to manage
about the Triscoes。 The general will have a room to himself； but if Mrs。
Adding takes Rose in with her； it leaves Miss Triscoe out； and there
isn't a room to be had in this house for love or money。 Do you think；〃
he appealed directly to Mrs。 March； 〃that it would do to offer her my
room at the Swan？〃
〃Why； yes；〃 she assented； with a reluctance rather for
