their silver wedding journey v3-第13节

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〃You　may；　if　you　think　it　will　do　you　any　good。　　But　I　don't　see　why。〃

The　general　smiled；　but　with　a　kind　of　tremulous　eagerness　which　might
have　been　pathetic　to　any　one　who　liked　him。　　〃Do　you　know　this　is　almost
the　first　time　I　have　spoken　alone　with　you？〃

〃Really；　I　hadn't　noticed；〃　said　Mrs。　Adding。

General　Triscoe　laughed　in　rather　a　ghastly　way。　　〃Well；　that's
encouraging；　at　least；　to　a　man　who's　had　his　doubts　whether　it　wasn't
intended。〃

〃Intended？　　By　whom？　　What　do　you　mean；　General　Triscoe？　　Why　in　the
world　shouldn't　you　have　spoken　alone　with　me　before？〃

He　was　not；　with　all　his　eagerness；　ready　to　say；　and　while　she　smiled
pleasantly　she　had　the　look　in　her　eyes　of　being　brought　to　bay　and　being
prepared；　if　it　must　come　to　that；　to　have　the　worst　over；　then　and
there。　　She　was　not　half　his　age；　but　he　was　aware　of　her　having　no
respect　for　his　years；　compared　with　her　average　American　past　as　he
understood　it；　his　social　place　was　much　higher；　but；　she　was　not　in　the
least　awed　by　it；　in　spite　of　his　war　record　she　was　making　him　behave
like　a　coward。　　He　was　in　a　false　position；　and　if　he　had　any　one　but
himself　to　blame　he　had　not　her。　　He　read　her　equal　knowledge　of　these
facts　in　the　clear　eyes　that　made　him　flush　and　turn　his　own　away。

Then　he　started　with　a　quick　〃Hello！〃　　and　stood　staring　up　at　the　steps
from　the　terrace　above；　where　Rose　Adding　was　staying　himself　weakly　by　a
clutch　of　Kenby　on　one　side　and　March　on　the　other。

His　mother　looked　round　and　caught　herself　up　from　where　she　sat　and　ran
toward　him。　　〃Oh；　Rose！〃

〃It's　nothing；　mother；〃　he　called　to　her；　and　as　she　dropped　on　her　knees
before　him　he　sank　limply　against　her。　　〃It　was　like　what　I　had　in
Carlsbad；　that's　all。　　Don't　worry　about　me；　please！〃

〃I'm　not　worrying；　Rose；〃　she　said　with　courage　of　the　same　texture　as
his　own。　　〃You've　been　walking　too　much。　　You　must　go　back　in　the
carriage　with　us。　　Can't　you　have　it　come　here？〃　she　asked　Kenby。

〃There's　no　road；　Mrs。　Adding。　　But　if　Rose　would　let　me　carry　him〃　。

〃I　can　walk；〃　the　boy　protested；　trying　to　lift　himself　from　her　neck。

〃No；　no！　you　mustn't。〃　　She　drew　away　and　let　him　fall　into　the　arms　that
Kenby　put　round　him。　　He　raised　the　frail　burden　lightly　to　his　shoulder；
and　moved　strongly　away；　followed　by　the　eyes　of　the　spectators　who　had
gathered　about　the　little　group；　but　who　dispersed　now；　and　went　back　to
their　devotions。

March　hurried　after　Kenby　with　Mrs。　Adding；　whom　he　told　he　had　just
missed　Rose　and　was　looking　about　for　him；　when　Kenby　came　with　her
message　for　them。　　They　made　sure　that　he　was　nowhere　about　the　church；
and　then　started　together　down　the　terraces。　　At　the　second　or　third
station　below　they　found　the　boy　clinging　to　the　barrier　that　protected
the　bass…relief　from　the　zeal　of　the　devotees。　　He　looked　white　and　sick；
though　he　insisted　that　he　was　well；　and　when　he　turned　to　come　away　with
them　he　reeled　and　would　have　fallen　if　Kenby　had　not　caught　him。　　Kenby
wanted　to　carry　him；　but　Rose　would　not　let　him；　and　had　made　his　way
down　between　them。

〃Yea；　he　has　such　a　spirit；〃　she　said；　〃and　I've　no　doubt　he's　suffering
now　more　from　Mr。　Kenby's　kindness　than　from　his　own　sickness　he　had　one
of　these　giddy　turns　in　Carlsbad；　though；　and　I　shall　certainly　have　a
doctor　to　see　him。〃

〃I　think　I　should；　Mrs。　Adding；〃　said　March；　not　too　gravely；　for　it
seemed　to　him　that　it　was　not　quite　his　business　to　alarm　her　further；
if　she　was　herself　taking　the　affair　with　that　seriousness。
He　questioned　whether　she　was　taking　it　quite　seriously　enough；
when　she　turned　with　a　laugh；　and　called　to　General　Triscoe；　who　was
limping　down　the　steps　of　the　last　terrace　behind　them：

〃Oh；　poor　General　Triscoe！　I　thought　you　had　gone　on　ahead。〃

General　Triscoe　could　not　enter　into　the　joke　of　being　forgotten；
apparently。　　He　assisted　with　gravity　at　the　disposition　of　the　party　for
the　return；　when　they　all　reached　the　carriage。　　Rose　had　the　place
beside　his　mother；　and　Kenby　wished　March　to　take　his　with　the　general
and　let　him　sit　with　the　driver；　but　he　insisted　that　he　would　rather
walk　home；　and　he　did　walk　till　they　had　driven　out　of　eight。　　Then　he
called　a　passing　one…spanner；　and　drove　to　his　hotel　in　comfort　and
silence。




LVII。

Kenby　did　not　come　to　the　Swan　before　supper；　then　he　reported　that　the
doctor　had　said　Rose　was　on　the　verge　of　a　nervous　collapse。　　He　had
overworked　at　school；　but　the　immediate　trouble　was　the　high；　thin　air；
which　the　doctor　said　he　must　be　got　out　of　at　once；　into　a　quiet　place
at　the　sea…shore　somewhere。　　He　had　suggested　Ostend；　or　some　point　on
the　French　coast；　Kenby　had　thought　of　Schevleningen；　and　the　doctor　had
said　that　would　do　admirably。

〃I　understood　from　Mrs。　Adding；〃　he　concluded；　〃that　you　were　going。
there　for　your　after…cure；　Mr。　March；　and　I　didn't　know　but　you　might　be
going　soon。〃

At　the　mention　of　Schevleningen　the　Marches　had　looked　at　each　other　with
a　guilty　alarm；　which　they　both　tried　to　give　the　cast　of　affectionate
sympathy　but　she　dismissed　her　fear　that　he　might　be　going　to　let　his
compassion　prevail　with　him　to　his　hurt　when　he　said：　〃Why；　we　ought　to
have　been　there　before　this；　but　I've　been　taking　my　life　in　my　hands　in
trying　to　see　a　little　of　Germany；　and　I'm　afraid　now　that　Mrs。　March　has
her　mind　too　firmly　fixed　on　Berlin　to　let　me　think　of　going　to
Schevleningen　till　we've　been　there。〃

〃It's　too　bad！〃　said　Mrs。　March；　with　real　regret。　　〃I　wish　we　were
going。〃　　But　she　had　not　the　least　notion　of　gratifying　her　wish；　and
they　were　all　silent　till　Kenby　broke　out：

〃Look　here！　　You　know　how　I　feel　about　Mrs　Adding！　　I've　been　pretty
frank　with　Mr。　March　myself；　and　I've　had　my　suspicions　that　she's　been
frank　with　you；　Mrs。　March。　　There　isn't　any　doubt　about　my　wanting　to
marry　her；　and　up　to　this　time　there　hasn't　been　any　doubt　about　her　not
wanting　to　marry　me。　　But　it　isn't　a　question　of　her　or　of　me；　now。　　It's
a　question　of　Rose。　　I　love　the　boy；〃　and　Kenby's　voice　shook；　and　he
faltered　a　moment。　　〃Pshaw！　You　understand。〃

〃Indeed　I　do；　Mr。　Kenby；〃　said　Mrs。　March。　　〃I　perfectly　understand
you。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　think　Mrs。　Adding　is　fit　to　make　the　journey　with　him
alone；　or　to　place　herself　in　the　best　way　after　she　gets　to
Schevleningen。　　She's　been　badly　shaken　up；　she　broke　down　before　the
doctor；　she　said　she　didn't　know　what　to　do；　I　suppose　she's
frightened〃

Kenby　stopped　again；　and　March　asked；　〃When　is　she　going？〃

〃To…morrow；〃　said　Kenby；　and　he　added；　〃And　now　the　question　is；　why
shouldn't　I　go　with　her？〃

Mrs。　March　gave　a　little　start；　and　looked　at　her　husband；　but　he　said
nothing；　and　Kenby　seemed　not　to　have　supposed　that　he　would　say
anything。

〃I　know　it　would　be　very　American；　and　all　that；　but　I　happen　to　be　an
American；　and　it　wouldn't　be　out　of　character　for　me。　　I　suppose；〃　he
appealed　to　Mrs。　March；　〃that　it's　something　I　might　offer　to　do　if　it
were　from　New　York　to　Floridaand　I　happened　to　be　going　there？　　And　I
did　happen　to　be　going　to　Holland。〃

〃Why；　of　course；　Mr。　Kenby；〃　she　responded；　with　such　solemnity　that
March　gave　way　in　an　outrageous　laugh。

Kenby　laughed；　and　Mrs。　March　laughed　too；　but　with　an　inner　note　of
protest。

〃Well；〃　Kenby　continued；　still　addressing　her；　〃what　I　want　you　to　do　is
to　stand　by　me　when　I　propose　it。〃

Mrs。　March　gathered　strength　to　say；　〃No；　Mr。　Kenby；　it's　your　own
affair；　and　you　must　take　the　responsibility。〃

〃Do　you　disapprove？〃

〃It　isn't　the　same　as　it　would　be　at　home。　　You　see　that　yourself。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Kenby；　rising；　〃I　have　to　arrange　about　their　getting　away
to…morrow。　　It　won't　be　easy　in　this　hurly…burly　that's　coming　off。〃

〃Give　Rose　our　love；　and　tell　Mrs。　Adding　that　I'll　come　round　and　see
her　to…morrow　before　she　starts。〃

〃Oh！　　I'm　afraid　you　can't；　Mrs。　March。　　They're　to　start　at　six　in　the
morning。〃

〃They　are！　　Then　we　must　go　and　see　them　tonight。　　We'll　be　there　almost
as　soon　as　you　are。〃

March　went　up　to　their　rooms　with；　his　wife；　and　she　began　on　the　stairs：

〃Well；　my　dear；　I　hope　you　realize　that　your　laughing　so　gave　us
completely　away。　　And　what　was　there　to　keep　grinning　about；　all
through？〃

〃Nothing　but　the　disingenuous；　hypocritical　passion　of　love。　　It's　always
the　most　amusing　thing　in　the　world；　but　to　see　it　trying　to　pass　itself
off　in　poor　old　Kenby　as　duty　and　humanity；　and　disinterested　affection
for　Rose；　was　more　than　I　could　stand。　　I　don't　apologize　for　laughing；
I　wanted　to　yell。〃

His　effrontery　and　his　philosophy　both　helped　to　save　him；　and　she　said
from　the　point　where　he　had　side…tracked　her　mind：　〃I　don't　call　it
disingenuous。　　He　was　brutally　frank。　　He's　made　it　impossible　to　treat
the　affair　with　dignity。　　I　want　you　to　leave　the　whole　thing　to　me；　from
this　out。　　Now；　will　you？〃

On　their　way　to　the　Spanischer　Hof　she　arranged　in　her　own　mind　for　Mrs。
Adding　to　get　a　maid；　and　for　the　doctor　to　send　an　assistant　with　her　on
the　journey；　but　she　was　in　such　despair　with　her　scheme　that　she　had　not
the　courage　to　right　herself　when　Mrs。　Adding　me