their silver wedding journey v3-第22章
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you know。 It doesn't change the nature of what you've done； but as far
as the sufferer from it is concerned； it annuls it。〃
〃Yes； I understand that。 But I can't accept his forgiveness if I hate
him。〃
〃But perhaps you won't always hate him。 Some day you may have a chance
to do him a good turn。 It's rather banale； but there doesn't seem any
other way。 Well； I have given you his message。 Are you going with me to
get that poem？〃
When March had given Burnamy the paper at his hotel； and Burnamy had put
it in his pocket； the young man said he thought he would take some
coffee； and he asked March to join him in the dining…room where they had
stood talking。
〃No； thank you；〃 said the elder； 〃I don't propose sitting up all night；
and you'll excuse me if I go to bed now。 It's a little informal to leave
a guest〃
〃You're not leaving a guest！ I'm at home here。 I'm staying in this
hotel too。〃
March said； 〃Oh！〃 and then he added abruptly； 〃Good…night；〃 and went up
stairs under the fresco of the five poets。
〃Whom were you talking with below？〃 asked Mrs。 March through the door
opening into his room from hers。
〃Burnamy；〃 he answered from within。 〃He's staying in this house。 He let
me know just as I was going to turn him out for the night。 It's one of
those little uncandors of his that throw suspicion on his honesty in
great things。〃
〃Oh！ Then you've been telling him；〃 she said； with a mental bound high
above and far beyond the point。
〃Everything。〃
〃About Stoller； too？〃
〃About Stoller and his daughters； and Mrs。 Adding and Rose and Kenby and
General Triscoeand Agatha。〃
〃Very well。 That's what I call shabby。 Don't ever talk to me again
about the inconsistencies of women。 But now there's something perfectly
fearful。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃A letter from Miss Triscoe came after you were gone； asking us to find
rooms in some hotel for her and her father to…morrow。 He isn't well； and
they're coming。 And I've telegraphed them to come here。 Now what do you
say？〃
LXII。
They could see no way out of the trouble； and Mrs。 March could not resign
herself to it till her husband suggested that she should consider it
providential。 This touched the lingering superstition in which she had
been ancestrally taught to regard herself as a means； when in a very
tight place； and to leave the responsibility with the moral government of
the universe。 As she now perceived； it had been the same as ordered that
they should see Burnamy under such conditions in the afternoon that they
could not speak to him； and hear where he was staying； and in an inferior
degree it had been the same as ordered that March should see him in the
evening and tell him everything； so that she should know just how to act
when she saw him in the morning。 If he could plausibly account for the
renewal of his flirtation with Miss Elkins； or if he seemed generally
worthy apart from that； she could forgive him。
It was so pleasant when he came in at breakfast with his well…remembered
smile； that she did not require from him any explicit defence。 While
they talked she was righting herself in an undercurrent of drama with
Miss Triscoe； and explaining to her that they could not possibly wait
over for her and her father in Weimar； but must be off that day for
Berlin； as they had made all their plans。 It was not easy； even in drama
where one has everything one's own way； to prove that she could not
without impiety so far interfere with the course of Providence as to
prevent Miss Triscoe's coming with her father to the same hotel where
Burnamy was staying。 She contrived； indeed； to persuade her that she had
not known he was staying there when she telegraphed them where to come；
and that in the absence of any open confidence from Miss Triscoe she was
not obliged to suppose that his presence would be embarrassing。
March proposed leaving her with Burnamy while he went up into the town
and interviewed the house of Schiller； which he had not done yet； and as
soon as he got himself away she came to business； breaking altogether
from the inner drama with Miss Triscoe and devoting herself to Burnamy。
They had already got so far as to have mentioned the meeting with the
Triscoes in Wurzburg； and she said： 〃Did Mr。 March tell you they were
coming here？ Or； no！ We hadn't heard then。 Yes； they are coming to…
morrow。 They may be going to stay some time。 She talked of Weimar when
we first spoke of Germany on the ship。〃 Burnamy said nothing； and she
suddenly added； with a sharp glance； 〃They wanted us to get them rooms；
and we advised their coming to this house。〃 He started very
satisfactorily； and 〃Do you think they would be comfortable； here？〃 she
pursued。
〃Oh； yes； very。 They can have my room； it's southeast； I shall be going
into other quarters。〃 She did not say anything； and 〃Mrs。 March；〃 he
began again； 〃what is the use of my beating about the bush？ You must
know what I went back to Carlsbad for； that night〃
〃No one ever told〃
〃Well； you must have made a pretty good guess。 But it was a failure。 I
ought to have failed； and I did。 She said that unless her father liked
it And apparently he hasn't liked it。〃 Burnamy smiled ruefully。
〃How do you know？ She didn't know where you were！〃
〃She could have got word to me if she had had good news for me。 They've
forwarded other letters from Pupp's。 But it's all right； I had no
business to go back to Carlsbad。 Of course you didn't know I was in this
house when you told them to come； and I must clear out。 I had better
clear out of Weimar； too。〃
〃No； I don't think so； I have no right to pry into your affairs； but〃
〃Oh； they're wide enough open！〃
〃And you may have changed your mind。 I thought you might； when I saw you
yesterday at Belvedere〃
〃I was only trying to make bad worse。〃
〃Then I think the situation has changed entirely through what Mr。 Stoller
said to Mr。 March。〃
〃I can't see how it has。 I committed an act of shabby treachery； and I'm
as much to blame as if he still wanted to punish me for it。〃
〃Did Mr。 March say that to you？〃
〃No； I said that to Mr。 March； and he couldn't answer it； and you can't。
You're very good； and very kind； but you can't answer it。〃
〃I can answer it very well；〃 she boasted； but she could find nothing
better to say than； 〃It's your duty to her to see her and let her know。〃
〃Doesn't she know already？〃
〃She has a right to know it from you。 I think you are morbid； Mr。
Burnamy。 You know very well I didn't like your doing that to Mr。
Stoller。 I didn't say so at the time； because you seemed to feel it
enough yourself。 But I did like your owning up to it；〃 and here Mrs。
March thought it time to trot out her borrowed battle…horse again。 〃My
husband always says that if a person owns up to an error； fully and
faithfully； as you've always done； they make it the same in its
consequences to them as if it had never been done。〃
〃Does Mr。 March say that？〃 asked Burnamy with a relenting smile。
〃Indeed he does！〃
Burnamy hesitated； then he asked； gloomily again：
〃And what about the consequences to the； other fellow？〃
〃A woman；〃 said Mrs。 March； 〃has no concern with them。 And besides； I
think you've done all you could to save Mr。 Stoller from the
consequences。〃
〃I haven't done anything。〃
〃No matter。 You would if you could。 I wonder；〃 she broke off； to
prevent his persistence at a point where her nerves were beginning to
give way； 〃what can be keeping Mr。 March？〃
Nothing much more important； it appeared later； than the pleasure of
sauntering through the streets on the way to the house of Schiller； and
looking at the pretty children going to school； with books under their
arms。 It was the day for the schools to open after the long summer
vacation； and there was a freshness of expectation in the shining faces
which； if it could not light up his own graybeard visage； could at least
touch his heart：
When he reached the Schiller house he found that it was really not the
Schiller house； but the Schiller flat； of three or four rooms； one flight
up； whose windows look out upon the street named after the poet。 The
whole
