their silver wedding journey v3-第38章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


children　of　that　sad　second　childhood　which　one　would　rather　not　blossom
back　into。

In　America；　life　is　yet　a　joke　with　us；　even　when　it　is　grotesque　and
shameful；　as　it　so　often　is；　for　we　think　we　can　make　it　right　when　we
choose。　　But　there　is　no　joking　in　Germany；　between　the　first　and　second
childhoods；　unless　behind　closed　doors。　　Even　there；　people　do　not　joke
above　their　breath　about　kings　and　emperors。　　If　they　joke　about　them　in
print；　they　take　out　their　laugh　in　jail；　for　the　press　laws　are　severely
enforced；　and　the　prisons　are　full　of　able　editors；　serious　as　well　as
comic。　　Lese…majesty　is　a　crime　that　searches　sinners　out　in　every　walk
of　life；　and　it　is　said　that　in　family　jars　a　husband　sometimes　has　the
last　word　of　his　wife　by　accusing　her　of　blaspheming　the　sovereign；　and
so　having　her　silenced　for　three　months　at　least　behind　penitential　bars。

〃Think；〃　said　March；　〃how　simply　I　could　adjust　any　differences　of
opinion　between　us　in　Dusseldorf。〃

〃Don't！〃　his　wife　implored　with　a　burst　of　feeling　which　surprised　him。
〃I　want　to　go　home！〃

They　had　been　talking　over　their　day；　and　planning　their　journey　to
Holland　for　the　morrow；　when　it　came　to　this　outburst　from　her　in　the
last　half…hour　before　bed　which　they　sat　prolonging　beside　their　stove。

〃What！　　And　not　go　to　Holland？　　What　is　to　become　of　my　after…cure？〃

〃Oh；　it's　too　late　for　that；　now。　　We've　used　up　the　month　running　about；
and　tiring　ourselves　to　death。　　I　should　like　to　rest　a　weekto　get　into
my　berth　on　the　Norumbia　and　rest！〃

〃I　guess　the　September　gales　would　have　something　to　say　about　that。〃

〃I　would　risk　the　September　gales。〃




LXXII。

In　the　morning　March　came　home　from　his　bankers　gay　with　the　day's
provisional　sunshine　in　his　heart；　and　joyously　expectant　of　his　wife's
pleasure　in　the　letters　he　was　bringing。　　There　was　one　from　each　of
their　children；　and　there　was　one　from　Fulkerson；　which　March　opened　and
read　on　the　street；　so　as　to　intercept　any　unpleasant　news　there　might　be
in　them；　there　were　two　letters　for　Mrs。　March　which　he　knew　without
opening　were　from　Miss　Triscoe　and　Mrs。　Adding　respectively；　Mrs。
Adding's；　from　the　postmarks；　seemed　to　have　been　following　them　about
for　some　time。

〃They're　all　right　at　home；〃　he　said。　　〃Do　see　what　those　people　have
been　doing。〃

〃I　believe；〃　she　said；　taking　a　knife　from　the　breakfast　tray　beside　her
bed　to　cut　the　envelopes；　〃that　you've　really　cared　more　about　them　all
along　than　I　have。〃

〃No；　I've　only　been　anxious　to　be　done　with　them。〃

She　got　the　letters　open；　and　holding　one　of　them　up　in　each　hand　she
read　them　impartially　and　simultaneously；　then　she　flung　them　both　down；
and　turned　her　face　into　her　pillow　with　an　impulse　of　her　inalienable
girlishness。　　〃Well；　it　is　too　silly。〃

March　felt　authorized　to　take　them　up　and　read　them　consecutively；　when
he　had　done；　so　he　did　not　differ　from　his　wife。　　In　one　case；　Agatha　had
written　to　her　dear　Mrs。　March　that　she　and　Burnamy　had　just　that　evening
become　engaged；　Mrs。　Adding；　on　her　part　owned　a　farther　step；　and
announced　her　marriage　to　Mr。　Kenby。　　Following　immemorial　usage　in　such
matters　Kenby　had　added　a　postscript　affirming　his　happiness　in　unsparing
terms；　and　in　Agatha's　letter　there　was　an　avowal　of　like　effect　from
Burnamy。　　Agatha　hinted　her　belief　that　her　father　would　soon　come　to
regard　Burnamy　as　she　did；　and　Mrs。　Adding　professed　a　certain
humiliation　in　having　realized　that；　after　all　her　misgiving　about　him；
Rose　seemed　rather　relieved　than　otherwise；　as　if　he　were　glad　to　have
her　off　his　hands。

〃Well；〃　said　March；　〃with　these　troublesome　affairs　settled；　I　don't　see
what　there　is　to　keep　us　in　Europe　any　longer；　unless　it's　the　consensus
of　opinion　in　Tom；　Bella；　and　Fulkerson；　that　we　ought　to　stay　the
winter。〃

〃Stay　the　winter！〃　　Mrs。　March　rose　from　her　pillow；　and　clutched　the
home　letters　to　her　from　the　abeyance　in　which　they　had　fallen　on　the
coverlet　while　she　was　dealing　with　the　others。　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃It　seems　to　have　been　prompted　by　a　hint　you　let　drop；　which　Tom　has
passed　to　Bella　and　Fulkerson。〃

〃Oh；　but　that　was　before　we　left　Carlsbad！〃　she　protested；　while　she
devoured　the　letters　with　her　eyes；　and　continued　to　denounce　the
absurdity　of　the　writers。　　Her　son　and　daughter　both　urged　that　now　their
father　and　mother　were　over　there；　they　had　better　stay　as　long　as　they
enjoyed　it；　and　that　they　certainly　ought　not　to　come　home　without　going
to　Italy；　where　they　had　first　met；　and　revisiting　the　places　which　they
had　seen　together　when　they　were　young　engaged　people：　without　that　their
silver　wedding　journey　would　not　be　complete。　　Her　son　said　that
everything　was　going　well　with　'Every　Other　Week'；　and　both　himself　and
Mr。　Fulkerson　thought　his　father　ought　to　spend　the　winter　in　Italy；　and
get　a　thorough　rest。　　〃Make　a　job　of　it；　March；〃　Fulkerson　wrote；　〃and
have　a　Sabbatical　year　while　you're　at　it。　　You　may　not　get　another。〃

〃Well；　I　can　tell　them；〃　said　Mrs。　March　indignantly；　〃we　shall　not　do
anything　of　the　kind。〃

〃Then　you　didn't　mean　it？〃

〃Mean　it！〃　She　stopped　herself　with　a　look　at　her　husband；　and　asked
gently；　〃Do　you　want　to　stay？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　he　answered　vaguely。　　The　fact　was；　he　was　sick　of
travel　and　of　leisure；　he　was　longing　to　be　at　home　and　at　work　again。
But　if　there　was　to　be　any　self…sacrifice　which　could　be　had；　as　it　were；
at　a　bargain；　which　could　be　fairly　divided　between　them；　and　leave　him
the　self　and　her　the　sacrifice；　he　was　too　experienced　a　husband　not　to
see　the　advantage　of　it；　or　to　refuse　the　merit。　　〃I　thought　you　wished
to　stay。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　sighed；　〃I　did。　　It　has　been　very；　very　pleasant；　and；　if
anything；　I　have　over…enjoyed　myself。　　We　have　gone　romping　through　it
like　two　young　people；　haven't　we？〃

〃You　have；〃　he　assented。　　〃I　have　always　felt　the　weight　of　my　years　in
getting　the　baggage　registered；　they　have　made　the　baggage　weigh　more
every　time。〃

〃And　I've　forgotten　mine。　　Yes；　I　have。　　But　the　years　haven't　forgotten
me；　Basil；　and　now　I　remember　them。　　I'm　tired。　　It　doesn't　seem　as　if　I
could　ever　get　up。　　But　I　dare　say　it's　only　a　mood；　it　may　be　only　a
cold；　and　if　you　wish　to　stay；　whywe　will　think　it　over。〃

〃No；　we　won't；　my　dear；〃　he　said；　with　a　generous　shame　for　his　hypocrisy
if　not　with　a　pure　generosity。　　〃I've　got　all　the　good　out　of　it　that
there　was　in　it；　for　me；　and　I　shouldn't　go　home　any　better　six　months
hence　than　I　should　now。　　Italy　will　keep　for　another　time；　and　so；　for
the　matter　of　that；　will　Holland。〃

〃No；　no！〃　　she　interposed。　　〃We　won't　give　up　Holland；　whatever　we　do。
I　couldn't　go　home　feeling　that　I　had　kept　you　out　of　your　after…cure；
and　when　we　get　there；　no　doubt　the　sea　air　will　bring　me　up　so　that　I
shall　want　to　go　to　Italy；　too；　again。　　Though　it　seems　so　far　off；　now！
But　go　and　see　when　the　afternoon　train　for　the　Hague　leaves；　and　I　shall
be　ready。　　My　mind's　quite　made　up　on　that　point。〃

〃What　a　bundle　of　energy！〃　　said　her　husband　laughing　down　at　her。

He　went　and　asked　about　the　train　to　the　Hague；　but　only　to　satisfy　a
superficial　conscience；　for　now　he　knew　that　they　were　both　of　one　mind
about　going　home。　　He　also　looked　up　the　trains　for　London；　and　found
that　they　could　get　there　by　way　of　Ostend　in　fourteen　hours。　　Then　he
went　back　to　the　banker's；　and　with　the　help　of　the　Paris…New　York
Chronicle　which　he　found　there；　he　got　the　sailings　of　the　first　steamers
home。　　After　that　he　strolled　about　the　streets　for　a　last　impression　of
Dusseldorf；　but　it　was　rather　blurred　by　the　constantly　recurring　pull　of
his　thoughts　toward　America；　and　he　ended　by　turning　abruptly　at　a
certain　corner；　and　going　to　his　hotel。

He　found　his　wife　dressed；　but　fallen　again　on　her　bed；　beside　which　her
breakfast　stood　still　untasted；　her　smile　responded　wanly　to　his
brightness。　　〃I'm　not　well；　my　dear；〃　she　said。　　〃I　don't　believe　I　could
get　off　to　the　Hague　this　afternoon。〃

〃Could　you　to　Liverpool？〃　he　returned。

〃To　Liverpool？〃　she　gasped。　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Merely　that　the　Cupania　is　sailing　on　the　t