their silver wedding journey v3-第31章

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bear　as　a　more　boisterous　happiness　would　have　been。

It　was　agreed　among　them　all　that　they　were　to　return　soon　to　America；
and　Burnamy　was　to　find　some　sort　of　literary　or　journalistic　employment
in　New　York。　　She　was　much　surer　than　he　that　this　could　be　done　with
perfect　ease；　but　they　were　of　an　equal　mind　that　General　Triscoe　was　not
to　be　disturbed　in　any　of　his　habits；　or　vexed　in　the　tenor　of　his
living；　and　until　Burnamy　was　at　least　self…supporting　there　must　be　no
talk　of　their　being　married。

The　talk　of　their　being　engaged　was　quite　enough　for　the　time。　　It
included　complete　and　minute　auto…biographies　on　both　sides；　reciprocal
analyses　of　character；　a　scientifically　exhaustive　comparison　of　tastes；
ideas　and　opinions；　a　profound　study　of　their　respective　chins；　noses；
eyes；　hands；　heights；　complexions；　moles　and　freckles；　with　some　account
of　their　several　friends。

In　this　occupation；　which　was　profitably　varied　by　the　confession　of　what
they　had　each　thought　and　felt　and　dreamt　concerning　the　other　at　every
instant　since　they　met；　they　passed　rapidly　the　days　which　the　persistent
anxiety　of　General　Triscoe　interposed　before　the　date　of　their　leaving
Weimar　for　Paris；　where　it　was　arranged　that　they　should　spend　a　month
before　sailing　for　New　York。　　Burnamy　had　a　notion；　which　Agatha
approved；　of　trying　for　something　there　on　the　New　York…Paris　Chronicle；
and　if　he　got　it　they　might　not　go　home　at　once。　　His　gains　from　that
paper　had　eked　out　his　copyright　from　his　book；　and　had　almost　paid　his
expenses　in　getting　the　material　which　he　had　contributed　to　it。　　They
were　not　so　great；　however；　but　that　his　gold　reserve　was　reduced　to　less
than　a　hundred　dollars；　counting　the　silver　coinages　which　had　remained
to　him　in　crossing　and　recrossing　frontiers。　　He　was　at　times　dimly
conscious　of　his　finances；　but　he　buoyantly　disregarded　the　facts；　as
incompatible　with　his　status　as　Agatha's　betrothed；　if　not　unworthy　of
his　character　as　a　lover　in　the　abstract。

The　afternoon　before　they　were　to　leave　Weimar；　they　spent　mostly　in　the
garden　before　the　Grand…Ducal　Museum；　in　a　conference　so　important　that
when　it　came　on　to　rain；　at　one　moment；　they　put　up　Burnamy's　umbrella；
and　continued　to　sit　under　it　rather　than　interrupt　the　proceedings　even
to　let　Agatha　go　back　to　the　hotel　and　look　after　her　father's　packing。
Her　own　had　been　finished　before　dinner；　so　as　to　leave　her　the　whole
afternoon　for　their　conference；　and　to　allow　her　father　to　remain　in
undisturbed　possession　of　his　room　as　long　as　possible。

What　chiefly　remained　to　be　put　into　the　general's　trunk　were　his　coats
and　trousers；　hanging　in　the　closet；　and　August　took　these　down；　and
carefully　folded　and　packed　them。　　Then；　to　make　sure　that　nothing　had
been　forgotten；　Agatha　put　a　chair　into　the　closet　when　she　came　in；　and
stood　on　it　to　examine　the　shelf　which　stretched　above　the　hooks。

There　seemed　at　first　to　be　nothing　on　it；　and　then　there　seemed　to　be
something　in　the　further　corner；　which　when　it　was　tiptoed　for；　proved　to
be　a　bouquet　of　flowers；　not　so　faded　as　to　seem　very　old；　the　blue　satin
ribbon　which　they　were　tied　up　with；　and　which　hung　down　half　a　yard；　was
of　entire　freshness　except　far　the　dust　of　the　shelf　where　it　had　lain。

Agatha　backed　out　into　the　room　with　her　find　in　her　hand；　and　examined
it　near　to；　and　then　at　arm's　length。　　August　stood　by　with　a　pair　of　the
general's　trousers　lying　across　his　outstretched　hands；　and　as　Agatha
absently　looked　round　at　him；　she　caught　a　light　of　intelligence　in　his
eyes　which　changed　her　whole　psychological　relation　to　the　withered
bouquet。　　Till　then　it　had　been　a　lifeless；　meaningless　bunch　of　flowers；
which　some　one；　for　no　motive；　had　tossed　up　on　that　dusty　shelf　in　the
closet。　　At　August's　smile　it　became　something　else。　　Still　she　asked
lightly　enough；　〃Was　ist　loss；　August？〃

His　smile　deepened　and　broadened。　　〃Fur　die　Andere；〃　he　explained。

Agatha　demanded　in　English；　〃What　do　you　mean　by　feardy　ondery？〃

〃Oddaw　lehdy。〃

〃Other　lady？〃　August　nodded；　rejoicing　in　big　success；　and　Agatha　closed
the　door　into　her　own　room；　where　the　general　had　been　put　for　the　time
so　as　to　be　spared　the　annoyance　of　the　packing；　then　she　sat　down　with
her　hands　in　her　lap；　and　the　bouquet　in　her　hands。　　〃Now；　August；〃　she
said　very　calmly；　〃I　want　you　to　tell　me…ich　wunsche　Sie　zu　mir　sagen
what　other　ladywass　andere　Damethese　flowers　belonged　todiese
Blumen　gehorte　zu。　　Verstehen　Sie？〃

August　nodded　brightly；　and　with　German　carefully　adjusted　to　Agatha's
capacity；　and　with　now　and　then　a　word　or　phrase　of　English；　he　conveyed
that　before　she　and　her　Herr　Father　had　appeared；　there　had　been　in
Weimar　another　American　Fraulein　with　her　Frau　Mother；　they　had　not
indeed　staid　in　that　hotel；　but　had　several　times　supped　there　with　the
young　Herr　Bornahmee；　who　was　occupying　that　room　before　her　Herr　Father。
The　young　Herr　had　been　much　about　with　these　American　Damen；　driving　and
walking　with　them；　and　sometimes　dining　or　supping　with　them　at　their
hotel；　The　Elephant。　　August　had　sometimes　carried　notes　to　them　from　the
young　Herr；　and　he　had　gone　for　the　bouquet　which　the　gracious　Fraulein
was　holding；　on　the　morning　of　the　day　that　the　American　Damen　left　by
the　train　for　Hanover。

August　was　much　helped　and　encouraged　throughout　by　the　friendly
intelligence　of　the　gracious　Fraulein；　who　smiled　radiantly　in　clearing
up　one　dim　point　after　another；　and　who　now　and　then　supplied　the　English
analogues　which　he　sought　in　his　effort　to　render　his　German　more
luminous。

At　the　end　she　returned　to　the　work　of　packing；　in　which　she　directed
him；　and　sometimes　assisted　him　with　her　own　hands；　having　put　the
bouquet　on　the　mantel　to　leave　herself　free。　　She　took　it　up　again　and
carried　it　into　her　own　room；　when　she　went　with　August　to　summon　her
father　back　to　his。　　She　bade　August　say　to　the　young　Herr；　if　he　saw
him；　that　she　was　going　to　sup　with　her　father；　and　August　gave　her
message　to　Burnamy；　whom　he　met　on　the　stairs　coming　down　as　he　was　going
up　with　their　tray。

Agatha　usually　supped　with　her　father；　but　that　evening　Burnamy　was　less
able　than　usual　to　bear　her　absence　in　the　hotel　dining…room；　and　he　went
up　to　a　caf？in　the　town　for　his　supper。　　He　did　not　stay　long；　and　when
he　returned　his　heart　gave　a　joyful　lift　at　sight　of　Agatha　looking　out
from　her　balcony；　as　if　she　were　looking　for　him。　　He　made　her　a　gay
flourishing　bow；　lifting　his　hat　high；　and　she　came　down　to　meet　him　at
the　hotel　door。　　She　had　her　hat　on　and　jacket　over　one　arm　and　she
joined　him　at　once　for　the　farewell　walk　he　proposed　in　what　they　had
agreed　to　call　their　garden。

She　moved　a　little　ahead　of　him；　and　when　they　reached　the　place　where
they　always　sat；　she　shifted　her　jacket　to　the　other　arm　and　uncovered
the　hand　in　which　she　had　been　carrying　the　withered　bouquet。　　〃Here　is
something　I　found　in　your　closet；　when　I　was　getting　papa's　things　out。〃

〃Why；　what　is　it？〃　he　asked　innocently；　as　he　took　it　from　her。

〃A　bouquet；　apparently；〃　she　answered；　as　he　drew　the　long　ribbons
through　his　fingers；　and　looked　at　the　flowers　curiously；　with　his　head
aslant。

〃Where　did　you　get　it？〃

〃On　the　shelf。〃

It　seemed　a　long　time　before　Burnamy　said　with　a　long　sigh；　as　of　final
recollection；　〃Oh；　yes；〃　and　then　he　said　nothing；　and　they　did　not　sit
down；　but　stood　looking　at　each　other。

〃Was　it　something　you　got　for　me；　and　forgot　to　give　me？〃　she　asked　in　a
voice　which　would　not　have　misled　a　woman；　but　which　did　its　work　with
the　young　man。

He　laughed　and　said；　〃Well；　hardly！　　The　general　has　been　in　the　room
ever　since　you　came。〃

〃Oh；　yes。　　Then　perhaps　somebody　left　it　there　before　you　had　the　room？〃

Burnamy　was　silent　again；　but　at　last　he　said；　〃No；　I　flung　it　up　there　I
had　forgotten　all　about　it。〃

〃And　you　wish　me　to　forget　about　it；　too？〃　Agatha　asked　in　a　gayety　of
tone　that　still　deceived　him。

〃It　would　only　be　fair。　　You　made　me；〃　he　rejoined；　and　there　was
something　so　charming　in　his　words　and　way；　that　she　would　have　been　glad
to　do　it。

But　she　govern