their silver wedding journey v3-第25节

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character　which　was　inevitable；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　this　in　itself
was　significant　of　a　determination　on　her　part　that　was　fatal　to　his
hopes。　　With　a　lover's　indefinite　power　of　blinding　himself　to　what　is
before　his　eyes；　he　believed　that　if　she　had　been　more　diffident　of　him；
more　uneasy　in　his　presence；　he　should　have　had　more　courage；　but　for　her
to　breakfast　unafraid　with　him；　to　meet　him　at　lunch　and　dinner　in　the
little　dining…room　where　they　were　often　the　only　guests；　and　always　the
only　English…speaking　guests；　was　nothing　less　than　prohibitive。

In　the　hotel　service　there　was　one　of　those　men　who　are　porters　in　this
world；　but　will　be　angels　in　the　next；　unless　the　perfect　goodness　of
their　looks；　the　constant　kindness　of　their　acts；　belies　them。　　The
Marches　had　known　and　loved　the　man　in　their　brief　stay；　and　he　had　been
the　fast　friend　of　Burnamy　from　the　moment　they　first　saw　each　other　at
the　station。　　He　had　tenderly　taken　possession　of　General　Triscoe　on　his
arrival；　and　had　constituted　himself　the　nurse　and　keeper　of　the
irascible　invalid；　in　the　intervals　of　going　to　the　trains；　with　a　zeal
that　often　relieved　his　daughter　and　Burnamy。　　The　general　in　fact
preferred　him　to　either；　and　a　tacit　custom　grew　up　by　which　when　August
knocked　at　his　door；　and　offered　himself　in　his　few　words　of　serviceable
English；　that　one　of　them　who　happened　to　be　sitting　with　the　general
gave　way；　and　left　him　in　charge。　　The　retiring　watcher　was　then　apt　to
encounter　the　other　watcher　on　the　stairs；　or　in　the　reading…room；　or　in
the　tiny；　white…pebbled　door…yard　at　a　little　table　in　the　shade　of　the
wooden…tubbed　evergreens。　　From　the　habit　of　doing　this　they　one　day
suddenly　formed　the　habit　of　going　across　the　street　to　that　gardened
hollow　before　and　below　the　Grand…Ducal　Museum。　　There　was　here　a　bench
in　the　shelter　of　some　late…flowering　bush　which　the　few　other
frequenters　of　the　place　soon　recognized　as　belonging　to　the　young
strangers；　so　that　they　would　silently　rise　and　leave　it　to　them　when
they　saw　them　coming。　　Apparently　they　yielded　not　only　to　their　right；
but　to　a　certain　authority　which　resides　in　lovers；　and　which　all　other
men；　and　especially　all　other　women；　like　to　acknowledge　and　respect。

In　the　absence　of　any　civic　documents　bearing　upon　the　affair　it　is
difficult　to　establish　the　fact　that　this　was　the　character　in　which
Agatha　and　Burnamy　were　commonly　regarded　by　the　inhabitants　of　Weimar。
But　whatever　their　own　notion　of　their　relation　was；　if　it　was　not　that
of　a　Brant　and　a　Brautigam；　the　people　of　Weimar　would　have　been　puzzled
to　say　what　it　was。　　It　was　known　that　the　gracious　young　lady's　father；
who　would　naturally　have　accompanied　them；　was　sick；　and　in　the　fact　that
they　were　Americans　much　extenuation　was　found　for　whatever　was
phenomenal　in　their　unencumbered　enjoyment　of　each　other's　society。

If　their　free　American　association　was　indistinguishably　like　the　peasant
informality　which　General　Triscoe　despised　in　the　relations　of　Kenby　and
Mrs。　Adding；　it　is　to　be　said　in　his　excuse　that　he　could　not　be　fully
cognizant　of　it；　in　the　circumstances；　and　so　could　do　nothing　to　prevent
it。　　His　pessimism　extended　to　his　health；　from　the　first　he　believed
himself　worse　than　the　doctor　thought　him；　and　he　would　have　had　some
other　physician　if　he　had　not　found　consolation　in　their　difference　of
opinion　and　the　consequent　contempt　which　he　was　enabled　to　cherish　for
the　doctor　in　view　of　the　man's　complete　ignorance　of　the　case。　　In　proof
of　his　own　better　understanding　of　it；　he　remained　in　bed　some　time　after
the　doctor　said　he　might　get　up。

Nearly　ten　days　had　passed　before　he　left　his　room；　and　it　was　not　till
then　that　he　clearly　saw　how　far　affairs　had　gone　with　his　daughter　and
Burnamy；　though　even　then　his　observance　seemed　to　have　anticipated
theirs。　　He　found　them　in　a　quiet　acceptance　of　the　fortune　which　had
brought　them　together；　so　contented　that　they　appeared　to　ask　nothing
more　of　it。　　The　divine　patience　and　confidence　of　their　youth　might
sometimes　have　had　almost　the　effect　of　indifference　to　a　witness　who　had
seen　its　evolution　from　the　moods　of　the　first　few　days　of　their　reunion
in　Weimar。　　To　General　Triscoe；　however；　it　looked　like　an　understanding
which　had　been　made　without　reference　to　his　wishes；　and　had　not　been
directly　brought　to　his　knowledge。

〃Agatha；〃　he　said；　after　due　note　of　a　gay　contest　between　her　and
Burnamy　over　the　pleasure　and　privilege　of　ordering　his　supper　sent　to
his　room　when　he　had　gone　back　to　it　from　his　first　afternoon　in　the　open
air；　〃how　long　is　that　young　man　going　to　stay　in　Weimar？〃

〃Why；　I　don't　know！〃　she　answered；　startled　from　her　work　of　beating　the
sofa　pillows　into　shape；　and　pausing　with　one　of　them　in　her　hand。
〃I　never　asked　him。〃　　She　looked　down　candidly　into　his　face　where　he　sat
in　an　easy…chair　waiting　for　her　arrangement　of　the　sofa。　　〃What　makes
you　ask？〃

He　answered　with　another　question。　　〃Does　he　know　that　we　had　thought　of
staying　here？〃

〃Why；　we've　always　talked　of　that；　haven't　we？　　Yes；　he　knows　it。　　Didn't
you　want　him　to　know　it；　papa？　　You　ought　to　have　begun　on　the　ship；
then。　　Of　course　I've　asked　him　what　sort　of　place　it　was。　　I'm　sorry　if
you　didn't　want　me　to。〃

〃Have　I　said　that？　　It's　perfectly　easy　to　push　on　to　Paris。　　Unless〃

〃Unless　what？〃　Agatha　dropped　the　pillow；　and　listened　respectfully。　　But
in　spite　of　her　filial　attitude　she　could　not　keep　her　youth　and　strength
and　courage　from　quelling　the　forces　of　the　elderly　man。

He　said　querulously；　〃I　don't　see　why　you　take　that　tone　with　me。　　You
certainly　know　what　I　mean。　　But　if　you　don't　care　to　deal　openly　with
me；　I　won't　ask　you。〃　　He　dropped　his　eyes　from　her　face；　and　at　the　same
time　a　deep　blush　began　to　tinge　it；　growing　up　from　her　neck　to　her
forehead。　　〃You　must　knowyou're　not　a　child；〃　he　continued；　still　with
averted　eyes；　〃that　this　sort　of　thing　can't　go　on。。。　　It　must　be
something　else；　or　it　mustn't　be　anything　at　all。　　I　don't　ask　you　for
your　confidence；　and　you　know　that　I've　never　sought　to　control　you。〃

This　was　not　the　least　true；　but　Agatha　answered；　either　absently　or
provisionally；　〃No。〃

〃And　I　don't　seek　to　do　so　now。　　If　you　have　nothing　that　you　wish　to
tell　me〃

He　waited；　and　after　what　seemed　a　long　time；　she　asked　as　if　she　had　not
heard　him；　〃Will　you　lie　down　a　little　before　your　supper；　papa？〃

〃I　will　lie　down　when　I　feel　like　it；〃　he　answered。　　〃Send　August　with
the　supper；　he　can　look　after　me。〃

His　resentful　tone；　even　more　than　his　words；　dismissed　her；　but　she　left
him　without　apparent　grievance；　saying　quietly；　〃I　will　send　August。〃




LXVII。

Agatha　did　not　come　down　to　supper　with　Burnamy。　　She　asked　August；　when
she　gave　him　her　father's　order；　to　have　a　cup　of　tea　sent　to　her　room；
where；　when　it　came；　she　remained　thinking　so　long　that　it　was　rather
tepid　by　the　time　she　drank　it。

Then　she　went　to　her　window；　and　looked　out；　first　above　and　next　below。
Above；　the　moon　was　hanging　over　the　gardened　hollow　before　the　Museum
with　the　airy　lightness　of　an　American　moon。　　Below　was　Burnamy　behind
the　tubbed　evergreens；　sitting　tilted　in　his　chair　against　the　house
wall；　with　the　spark　of　his　cigar　fainting　and　flashing　like　an　American
firefly。　　Agatha　went　down　to　the　door；　after　a　little　delay；　and　seemed
surprised　to　find　him　there；　at　least　she　said；　〃Oh！〃　in　a　tone　of
surprise。

Burnamy　stood　up；　and　answered；　〃Nice　night。〃

〃Beautiful！〃　she　breathed。　　〃I　didn't　suppose　the　sky　in　Germany　could
ever　be　so　clear。〃

〃It　seems　to　be　doing　its　best。〃

〃The　flowers　over　there　look　like　ghosts　in　the　light；〃　she　said
dreamily。

〃They're　not。　　Don't　you　want　to　get　your　hat　and　wrap；　and　go　over　and
expose　the　fraud？〃

〃Oh；〃　she　answered；　as　if　it　were　merely　a　question　of　the　hat　and　wrap；
〃I　have　them。〃

They　sauntered　through　the　garden　walks　for　a　while；　long　enough　to　have
ascertained　that　there　was　not　a　veridical　phantom　among　the　flowers；　if
they　had　been　looking；　and　then　when　they　came　to　their　accustomed　seat；
they　sat　down；　and　she　said；　〃I　don't　know　that　I've　seen　the　moon　so
clear　since　we　left　Carlsbad。〃　　At　the　last　word　his　heart　gave　a　jump
that　seemed　to　lodge　it　in　his　throat　and　kept　him　from　speaking；　so　that
she　could　resume　without　interruption；　〃I've　got　something　of　yours；　that
you　left　at　the　Posthof。　　The　girl　that　broke　the　dishes　found　it；　and
Lili　gave　it　to　Mrs。　March　for　you。〃　　This　did　not　account　for　Agatha's
having　the　thing；　whatever　it　was；　but　when　she　took　a　handkerchief　from
her　belt；　and　put　out　her　hand　with　it　toward　him；　he　seemed　to　find　that
her　having　it　had　necessarily　followed。　　He　tried　to　take　it　from　her；
but　his　own　hand　trembled　so　that　it　clung　to　hers；　and　he　gasped；　〃Can't
you　say　now；　what　you　wouldn't　say　then？〃

The　logical　sequence　was　no　more　obvious　than　be　fore；　but　she　apparently
felt　it　in　her　turn　as　he　had　felt　it　in　his。　　She　whispered　back；　〃Yes；〃
and　then　she　could　not　get　out　anything　more　till　she　entreated　in　a
half…stifled　voice；　〃Oh；　don't！〃　　　　　　　　‘