their silver wedding journey v3-第21章

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the　rest；　and　I　am　not　going　to　renounce　him　because　he　takes　refuge　with
one　pretty　girl　from　another。　　It's　what　men　have　been　doing　from　the
beginning　of　time。〃

〃Oh；　I　dare　say！〃

〃Men；〃　he　went　on；　〃are　very　delicately　constituted；　very　peculiarly。
They　have　been　known　to　seek　the　society　of　girls　in　general；　of　any
girl；　because　some　girl　has　made　them　happy；　and　when　some　girl　has　made
them　unhappy；　they　are　still　more　susceptible。　　Burnamy　may　be　merely
amusing　himself；　or　he　may　be　consoling　himself；　but　in　either　case　I
think　the　pivotal　girl　has　as　much　right　to　him　as　Miss　Triscoe。　　She　had
him　first；　and　I'm　all　for　her。〃




LXI。

Burnamy　came　away　from　seeing　the　pivotal　girl　and　her　mother　off　on　the
train　which　they　were　taking　that　evening　for　Frankfort　and　Hombourg；　and
strolled　back　through　the　Weimar　streets　little　at　ease　with　himself。
While　he　was　with　the　girl　and　near　her　he　had　felt　the　attraction　by
which　youth　impersonally　draws　youth；　the　charm　which　mere　maid　has　for
mere　man；　but　once　beyond　the　range　of　this　he　felt　sick　at　heart　and
ashamed。　　He　was　aware　of　having　used　her　folly　as　an　anodyne　for　the
pain　which　was　always　gnawing　at　him；　and　he　had　managed　to　forget　it　in
her　folly；　but　now　it　came　back；　and　the　sense　that　he　had　been　reckless
of　her　rights　came　with　it。　　He　had　done　his　best　to　make　her　think　him
in　love　with　her；　by　everything　but　words；　he　wondered　how　he　could　be
such　an　ass；　such　a　wicked　ass；　as　to　try　making　her　promise　to　write　to
him　from　Frankfort；　he　wished　never　to　see　her　again；　and　he　wished　still
less　to　hear　from　her。　　It　was　some　comfort　to　reflect　that　she　had　not
promised；　but　it　was　not　comfort　enough　to　restore　him　to　such
fragmentary　self…respect　as　he　had　been　enjoying　since　he　parted　with
Agatha　Triscoe　in　Carlsbad；　he　could　not　even　get　back　to　the　resentment
with　which　he　had　been　staying　himself　somewhat　before　the　pivotal　girl
unexpectedly　appeared　with　her　mother　in　Weimar。

It　was　Sedan　Day；　but　there　was　apparently　no　official　observance　of　the
holiday；　perhaps　because　the　Grand…Duke　was　away　at　the　manoeuvres；　with
all　the　other　German　princes。　　Burnamy　had　hoped　for　some　voluntary
excitement　among　the　people；　at　least　enough　to　warrant　him　in　making　a
paper　about　Sedan　Day　in　Weimar；　which　he　could　sell　somewhere；　but　the
night　was　falling；　and　there　was　still　no　sign　of　popular　rejoicing　over
the　French　humiliation　twenty…eight　years　before；　except　in　the　multitude
of　Japanese　lanterns　which　the　children　were　everywhere　carrying　at　the
ends　of　sticks。　　Babies　had　them　in　their　carriages；　and　the　effect　of
the　floating　lights　in　the　winding；　up…and…down…hill　streets　was　charming
even　to　Burnamy's　lack…lustre　eyes。　　He　went　by　his　hotel　and　on　to　a
caf？with　a　garden；　where　there　was　a　patriotic；　concert　promised；　he
supped　there；　and　then　sat　dreamily　behind　his　beer；　while　the　music
banged　and　brayed　round　him　unheeded。

Presently　he　heard　a　voice　of　friendly　banter　saying　in　English；　〃May　I
sit　at　your　table？〃　and　he　saw　an　ironical　face　looking　down　on　him。
〃There　doesn't　seem　any　other　place。〃

〃Why；　Mr。　March！〃　Burnamy　sprang　up　and　wrung　the　hand　held　out　to　him；
but　he　choked　with　his　words　of　recognition；　it　was　so　good　to　see　this
faithful　friend　again；　though　he　saw　him　now　as　he　had　seen　him　last；
just　when　he　had　so　little　reason　to　be　proud　of　himself。

March　settled　his　person　in　the　chair　facing　Burnamy；　and　then　glanced
round　at　the　joyful　jam　of　people　eating　and　drinking；　under　a　firmament
of　lanterns。　　〃This　is　pretty；〃　he　said；　〃mighty　pretty。　　I　shall　make
Mrs。　March　sorry　for　not　coming；　when　I　go　back。〃

〃Is　Mrs。　Marchshe　iswith　youin　Weimar？〃　Burnamy　asked　stupidly。

March　forbore　to　take　advantage　of　him。　　〃Oh；　yes。　　We　saw　you　out　at
Belvedere　this　afternoon。　　Mrs。　March　thought　for　a　moment　that　you　meant
not　to　see　us。　　A　woman　likes　to　exercise　her　imagination　in　those　little
flights。〃

〃I　never　dreamed　of　your　being　thereI　never　saw〃　Burnamy　began。

〃Of　course　not。　　Neither　did　Mrs。　Etkins；　nor　Miss　Etkins；　she　was
looking　very　pretty。　　Have　you　been　here　some　time？〃

〃Not　long。　　A　week　or　so。　　I've　been　at　the　parade　at　Wurzburg。〃

〃At　Wurzburg！　Ah；　how　little　the　world　is；　or　how　large　Wurzburg　is！
We　were　there　nearly　a　week；　and　we　pervaded　the　place。　　But　there　was　a
great　crowd　for　you　to　hide　in　from　us。　　What　had　I　better　take？〃
A　waiter　had　come　up；　and　was　standing　at　March's　elbow。　　〃I　suppose　I
mustn't　sit　here　without　ordering　something？〃

〃White　wine　and　selters；〃　said　Burnamy　vaguely。

〃The　very　thing！　　Why　didn't　I　think　of　it？　　It's　a　divine　drink：　it
satisfies　without　filling。　　I　had　it　a　night　or　two　before　we　left　home；
in　the　Madison　Square　Roof　Garden。　　Have　you　seen　'Every　Other　Week'
lately？〃

〃No；〃　said　Burnamy；　with　more　spirit　than　he　had　yet　shown。

〃We've　just　got　our　mail　from　Nuremberg。　　The　last　number　has　a　poem　in
it　that　I　rather　like。〃　　March　laughed　to　see　the　young　fellow's　face
light　up　with　joyful　consciousness。　　〃Come　round　to　my　hotel；　after
you're　tired　here；　and　I'll　let　you　see　it。　　There's　no　hurry。　　Did　you
notice　the　little　children　with　their　lanterns；　as　you　came　along？　　It's
the　gentlest　effect　that　a　warlike　memory　ever　came　to。　　The　French
themselves　couldn't　have　minded　those　innocents　carrying　those　soft
lights　on　the　day　of　their　disaster。　　You　ought　to　get　something　out　of
that；　and　I've　got　a　subject　in　trust　for　you　from　Rose　Adding。　　He　and
his　mother　were　at　Wurzburg；　I'm　sorry　to　say　the　poor　little　chap　didn't
seem　very　well。　　They've　gone　to　Holland　for　the　sea　air。〃　　March　had
been　talking　for　quantity　in　compassion　of　the　embarrassment　in　which
Burnamy　seemed　bound；　but　he　questioned　how　far　he　ought　to　bring　comfort
to　the　young　fellow　merely　because　he　liked　him。　　So　far　as　he　could　make
out；　Burnamy　had　been　doing　rather　less　than　nothing　to　retrieve　himself
since　they　had　met；　and　it　was　by　an　impulse　that　he　could　not　have
logically　defended　to　Mrs。　March　that　he　resumed。　　〃We　found　another
friend　of　yours　in　Wurzburg：　Mr。　Stoller。〃

〃Mr。　Stoller？〃　Burnamy　faintly　echoed。

〃Yes；　he　was　there　to　give　his　daughters　a　holiday　during　the　manoeuvres；
and　they　made　the　most　of　it。　　He　wanted　us　to　go　to　the　parade　with　his
family　　but　we　declined。　　The　twins　were　pretty　nearly　the　death　of
General　Triscoe。〃

Again　Burnamy　echoed　him。　　〃General　Triscoe？〃

〃Ah；　yes：　I　didn't　tell　you。　　General　Triscoe　and　his　daughter　had　come
on　with　Mrs。　Adding　and　Rose。　　Kenbyyou　remember　Kenby；　On　the
Norumbia？Kenby　happened　to　be　there；　too；　we　were　quite　a　family　party；
and　Stoller　got　the　general　to　drive　out　to　the　manoeuvres　with　him　and
his　girls。〃

Now　that　he　was　launched；　March　rather　enjoyed　letting　himself　go。　　He
did　not　know　what　he　should　say　to　Mrs。　March　when　he　came　to　confess
having　told　Burnamy　everything　before　she　got　a　chance　at　him；　he　pushed
on　recklessly；　upon　the　principle；　which　probably　will　not　hold　in
morals；　that　one　may　as　well　be　hung　for　a　sheep　as　a　lamb。　　〃I　have　a
message　for　you　from　Mr。　Stoller。〃

〃For　me？〃　Burnamy　gasped。

〃I've　been　wondering　how　I　should　put　it；　for　I　hadn't　expected　to　see
you。　　But　it's　simply　this：　he　wants　you　to　knowand　he　seemed　to　want
me　to　knowthat　he　doesn't　hold　you　accountable　in　the　way　he　did。　　He's
thought　it　all　over；　and　he's　decided　that　he　had　no　right　to　expect　you
to　save　him　from　his　own　ignorance　where　he　was　making　a　show　of
knowledge。　　As　he　said；　he　doesn't　choose　to　plead　the　baby　act。　　He　says
that　you're　all　right；　and　your　place　on　the　paper　is　open　to　you。〃

Burnamy　had　not　been　very　prompt　before；　but　now　he　seemed　braced　for
instant　response。　　〃I　think　he's　wrong；〃　he　said；　so　harshly　that　the
people　at　the　next　table　looked　round。　　〃His　feeling　as　he　does　has
nothing　to　do　with　the　fact；　and　it　doesn't　let　me　out。〃

March　would　have　liked　to　take　him　in　his　arms；　he　merely　said；　〃I　think
you're　quite　right；　as　to　that。　　But　there's　such　a　thing　as　forgiveness；
you　know。　　It　doesn't　change　the　nature　of　what　you've　done；　but　as　far