their silver wedding journey v3-第7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！
at all a parallel case。 We were not real democrats； and she was a real
aristocrat。〃
〃To be sure。 There is that way of looking at it。 That's rather novel； I
wish I had thought of that myself。 She was certainly more to blame than
we were。〃
LII。
The square in front of the station was planted with flag…poles wreathed
in evergreens； a triumphal arch was nearly finished； and a colossal
allegory in imitation bronze was well on the way to completion； in honor
of the majesties who were coming for the manoeuvres。 The streets which
the omnibus passed through to the Swan Inn were draped with the imperial
German and the royal Bavarian colors； and the standards of the visiting
nationalities decked the fronts of the houses where their military
attaches were lodged； but the Marches failed to see our own banner； and
were spared for the moment the ignominy of finding it over an apothecary
shop in a retired avenue。 The sun had come out； the sky overhead was of
a smiling blue； and they felt the gala…day glow and thrill in the depths
of their inextinguishable youth。
The Swan Inn sits on one of the long quays bordering the Main； and its
windows look down upon the bridges and shipping of the river； but the
traveller reaches it by a door in the rear； through an archway into a
back street； where an odor dating back to the foundation of the city is
waiting to welcome him。
The landlord was there； too； and he greeted the Marches so cordially that
they fully partook his grief in being able to offer them rooms on the
front of the house for two nights only。 They reconciled themselves to
the necessity of then turning out for the staff of the King of Saxony；
the more readily because they knew that there was no hope of better
things at any other hotel。
The rooms which they could have for the time were charming； and they came
down to supper in a glazed gallery looking out on the river picturesque
with craft of all fashions： with row…boats； sail…boats； and little
steamers； but mainly with long black barges built up into houses in the
middle； and defended each by a little nervous German dog。 Long rafts of
logs weltered in the sunset red which painted the swift current； and
mantled the immeasurable vineyards of the hills around like the color of
their ripening grapes。 Directly in face rose a castled steep； which kept
the ranging walls and the bastions and battlements of the time when such
a stronghold could have defended the city from foes without or from
tumult within。 The arches of a stately bridge spanned the river
sunsetward； and lifted a succession of colossal figures against the
crimson sky。
〃I guess we have been wasting our time； my dear；〃 said March； as they；
turned from this beauty to the question of supper。 〃I wish we had always
been here！〃
Their waiter had put them at a table in a division of the gallery beyond
that which they entered； where some groups of officers were noisily
supping。 There was no one in their room but a man whose face was
indistinguishable against the light； and two young girls who glanced at
them with looks at once quelled and defiant； and then after a stare at
the officers in the gallery beyond； whispered together with suppressed
giggling。 The man fed on without noticing them； except now and then to
utter a growl that silenced the whispering and giggling for a moment。
The Marches； from no positive evidence of any sense； decided that they
were Americans。
〃I don't know that I feel responsible for them as their fellow…
countryman； I should； once；〃 he said。
〃It isn't that。 It's the worry of trying to make out why they are just
what they are；〃 his wife returned。
The girls drew the man's attention to them and he looked at them for the
first time； then after a sort of hesitation he went on with his supper。
They had only begun theirs when he rose with the two girls； whom Mrs。
March now saw to be of the same size and dressed alike； and came heavily
toward them。
〃I thought you was in Carlsbad；〃 he said bluntly to March； with a nod at
Mrs。 March。 He added； with a twist of his head toward the two girls；
〃My daughters；〃 and then left them to her； while he talked on with her
husband。 〃Come to see this foolery； I suppose。 I'm on my way to the
woods for my after…cure； but I thought I might as well stop and give the
girls a chance； they got a week's vacation； anyway。〃 Stoller glanced at
them with a sort of troubled tenderness in his strong dull face。
〃Oh； yes。 I understood they were at school here；〃 said March； and he
heard one of them saying； in a sweet； high pipe to his wife：
〃Ain't it just splendid？ I ha'n't seen anything equal to it since the
Worrld's Fairr。〃 She spoke with a strong contortion of the Western r；
and her sister hastened to put in：
〃I don't think it's to be compared with the Worrld's Fairr。 But these
German girls； here； just think it's great。 It just does me good to laff
at 'em； about it。 I like to tell 'em about the electric fountain and the
Courrt of Iionorr when they get to talkin' about the illuminations
they're goun' to have。 You goun' out to the parade？ You better engage
your carriage right away if you arre。 The carrs'll be a perfect jam。
Father's engaged ourrs； he had to pay sixty marrks forr it。〃
They chattered on without shyness and on as easy terms with a woman of
three times their years as if she had been a girl of their own age； they
willingly took the whole talk to themselves； and had left her quite
outside of it before Stoller turned to her。
〃I been telling Mr。 March here that you better both come to the parade
with us。 I guess my twospanner will hold five； or if it won't； we'll
make it。 I don't believe there's a carriage left in Wurzburg； and if you
go in the cars； you'll have to walk three or four miles before you get to
the parade…ground。 You think it over；〃 he said to March。 〃Nobody else
is going to have the places； anyway； and you can say yes at the last
minute just as well as now。〃
He moved off with his girls； who looked over their shoulders at the
officers as they passed on through the adjoining room。
〃My dear！〃 cried Mrs。 March。 〃Didn't you suppose he classed us with
Burnamy in that business？ Why should he be polite to us？〃
〃Perhaps he wants you to chaperon his daughters。 He's probably heard of
your performance at the Kurhaus ball。 But he knows that I thought
Burnamy in the wrong。 This may be Stoller's way of wiping out an
obligation。 Wouldn't you like to go with him？〃
〃The mere thought of his being in the same town is prostrating。 I'd far
rather he hated us； then he would avoid us。〃
〃Well； he doesn't own the town； and if it comes to the worst； perhaps we
can avoid him。 Let us go out； anyway； and see if we can't。〃
〃No； no； I'm too tired； but you go。 And get all the maps and guides you
can； there's so very little in Baedeker； and almost nothing in that great
hulking Bradshaw of yours； and I'm sure there must be the most
interesting history of Wurzburg。 Isn't it strange that we haven't the
slightest association with the name？〃
〃I've been rummaging in my mind； and I've got hold of an association at
last；〃 said March。 〃It's beer； a sign in a Sixth Avenue saloon window
Wurzburger Hof…Brau。〃
〃No matter if it is beer。 Find some sketch of the history； and we'll try
to get away from the Stollers in it。 I pitied those wild girls； too。
What crazy images of the world must fill their empty minds！ How their
ignorant thoughts must go whirling out into the unknown！ I don't envy
their father。 Do hurry back！ I shall be thinking about them every
instant till you come。〃
She said this； but in their own rooms it was so soothing to sit looking
through the long twilight at the lovely landscape that the sort of bruise
given by their encounter with the Stollers had left her consciousness
before March returned。 She made him admire first the convent church on a
hill further up the river which exactly balanced the fortress in front of
them； and then she seized upon the little books he had brought； and set
him to exploring the labyrinths of their German； with a mounting
exultation in his discoveries。 There was a gen
