their silver wedding journey v3-第26节

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and　then　she　could　not　get　out　anything　more　till　she　entreated　in　a
half…stifled　voice；　〃Oh；　don't！〃　　　　　　　　‘

〃No；　no！〃　　he　panted。　　〃I　won'tI　oughtn't　to　have　done　itI　beg　your
pardonI　oughtn't　to　have　spoken；evenI〃

She　returned　in　a　far　less　breathless　and　tremulous　fashion；　but　still
between　laughing　and　crying；　〃I　meant　to　make　you。　　And　now；　if　you're
ever　sorry；　or　I'm　ever　too　topping　about　anything；　you　can　be　perfectly
free　to　say　that　you'd　never　have　spoken　if　you　hadn't　seen　that　I　wanted
you　to。〃

〃But　I　didn't　see　any　such　thing；〃　he　protested。　　〃I　spoke　because　I
couldn't　help　it　any　longer。〃

She　laughed　triumphantly。　　〃Of　course　you　think　so！　　And　that　shows　that
you　are　only　a　man　after　all；　in　spite　of　your　finessing。　　But　I　am　going
to　have　the　credit　of　it。　　I　knew　that　you　were　holding　back　because　you
were　too　proud；　or　thought　you　hadn't　the　right；　or　something。　　Weren't
you？〃　　She　startled　him　with　the　sudden　vehemence　of　her　challenge：　〃If
you　pretend；　that　you　weren't　I　shall　never　forgive　you！〃

〃But　I　was！　　Of　course　I　was。　　I　was　afraid〃

〃Isn't　that　what　I　said？〃　She　triumphed　over　him　with　another　laugh；　and
cowered　a　little　closer　to　him；　if　that　could　be。

They　were　standing；　without　knowing　how　they　had　got　to　their　feet；　and
now　without　any　purpose　of　the　kind；　they　began　to　stroll　again　among　the
garden　paths；　and　to　ask　and　to　answer　questions；　which　touched　every
point　of　their　common　history；　and　yet　left　it　a　mine　of　inexhaustible
knowledge　for　all　future　time。　　Out　of　the　sweet　and　dear　delight　of　this
encyclopedian　reserve　two　or　three　facts　appeared　with　a　present
distinctness。　　One　of　these　was　that　Burnamy　had　regarded　her　refusal　to
be　definite　at　Carlsbad　as　definite　refusal；　and　had　meant　never　to　see
her　again；　and　certainly　never　to　speak　again　of　love　to　her。　　Another
point　was　that　she　had　not　resented　his　coming　back　that　last　night；　but
had　been　proud　and　happy　in　it　as　proof　of　his　love；　and　had　always　meant
somehow　to　let　him　know　that　she　was　torched　by　his　trusting　her　enough
to　come　back　while　be　was　still　under　that　cloud　with　Mr。　Stoller。　　With
further　logic；　purely　of　the　heart；　she　acquitted　him　altogether　of　wrong
in　that　affair；　and　alleged　in　proof；　what　Mr。　Stoller　had　said　of　it　to
Mr。　March。　　Burnamy　owned　that　he　knew　what　Stoller　had　said；　but　even　in
his　present　condition　he　could　not　accept　fully　her　reading　of　that
obscure　passage　of　his　life。　　He　preferred　to　put　the　question　by；　and
perhaps　neither　of　them　cared　anything　about　it　except　as　it　related　to
the　fact　that　they　were　now　each　other's　forever。

They　agreed　that　they　must　write　to　Mr。　and　Mrs。　March　at　once；　or　at
least；　Agatha　said；　as　soon　as　she　had　spoken　to　her　father。　　At　her
mention　of　her　father　she　was　aware　of　a　doubt；　a　fear；　in　Burnamy　which
expressed　itself　by　scarcely　more　than　a　spiritual　consciousness　from　his
arm　to　the　hands　which　she　had　clasped　within　it。　　〃He　has　always
appreciated　you；〃　she　said　courageously；　〃　and　I　know　he　will　see　it　in
the　right　light。〃

She　probably　meant　no　more　than　to　affirm　her　faith　in　her　own　ability
finally　to　bring　her　father　to　a　just　mind　concerning　it；　but　Burnamy
accepted　her　assurance　with　buoyant　hopefulness；　and　said　he　would　see
General　Triscoe　the　first　thing　in　the　morning。

〃No；　I　will　see　him；〃　she　said；　〃I　wish　to　see　him　first；　he　will　expect
it　of　me。　　We　had　better　go　in；　now；〃　she　added；　but　neither　made　any
motion　for　the　present　to　do　so。　　On　the　contrary；　they　walked　in　the
other　direction；　and　it　was　an　hour　after　Agatha　declared　their　duty　in
the　matter　before　they　tried　to　fulfil　it。

Then；　indeed；　after　they　returned　to　the　hotel；　she　lost　no　time　in　going
to　her　father　beyond　that　which　must　be　given　to　a　long　hand…pressure
under　the　fresco　of　the　five　poets　on　the　stairs　landing；　where　her　ways
and　Burnamy's　parted。　　She　went　into　her　own　room；　and　softly　opened　the
door　into　her　father's　and　listened。

〃Well？〃　he　said　in　a　sort　of　challenging　voice。

〃Have　you　been　asleep？〃　she　asked。

〃I've　just　blown　out　my　light。　　What　has　kept　you？〃

She　did　not　reply　categorically。　　Standing　there　in　the　sheltering　dark；
she　said；　〃Papa；　I　wasn't　very　candid　with　you；　this　afternoon。　　I　am
engaged　to　Mr。　Burnamy。〃

〃Light　the　candle；〃　said　her　father。　　〃Or　no；〃　he　added　before　she　could
do　so。　　〃Is　it　quite　settled？〃

〃Quite；〃　she　answered　in　a　voice　that　admitted　of　no　doubt。　　〃That　is；　as
far　as　it　can　be；　without　you。〃

〃Don't　be　a　hypocrite；　Agatha；〃　said　the　general。　　〃And　let　me　try　to　get
to　sleep。　　You　know　I　don't　like　it；　and　you　know　I　can't　help　it。〃

〃Yes；〃　the　girl　assented。

〃Then　go　to　bed；〃　said　the　general　concisely。

Agatha　did　not　obey　her　father。　　She　thought　she　ought　to　kiss　him；　but
she　decided　that　she　had　better　postpone　this；　so　she　merely　gave　him　a
tender　goodnight；　to　which　he　made　no　response；　and　shut　herself　into　her
own　room；　where　she　remained　sitting　and　staring　out　into　the　moonlight；
with　a　smile　that　never　left　her　lips。

When　the　moon　sank　below　the　horizon；　the　sky　was　pale　with　the　coming
day；　but　before　it　was　fairly　dawn；　she　saw　something　white；　not　much
greater　than　some　moths；　moving　before　her　window。　　She　pulled　the　valves
open　and　found　it　a　bit　of　paper　attached　to　a　thread　dangling　from
above。　　She　broke　it　loose　and　in　the　morning　twilight　she　read　the　great
central　truth　of　the　universe：

〃I　love　you。　　L。　J。　B。〃

She　wrote　under　the　tremendous　inspiration：

〃So　do　I。　　Don't　be　silly。　　A。　T。〃

She　fastened　the　paper　to　the　thread　again；　and　gave　it　a　little　twitch。
She　waited　for　the　low　note　of　laughter　which　did　not　fail　to　flutter
down　from　above；　then　she　threw　herself　upon　the　bed；　and　fell　asleep。

It　was　not　so　late　as　she　thought　when　she　woke；　and　it　seemed；　at
breakfast；　that　Burnamy　had　been　up　still　earlier。　　Of　the　three　involved
in　the　anxiety　of　the　night　before　General　Triscoe　was　still　respited
from　it　by　sleep；　but　he　woke　much　more　haggard　than　either　of　the　young
people。　　They；　in　fact；　were　not　at　all　haggard；　the　worst　was　over；　if
bringing　their　engagement　to　his　knowledge　was　the　worst；　the　formality
of　asking　his　consent　which　Burnamy　still　had　to　go　through　was
unpleasant；　but　after　all　it　was　a　formality。　　Agatha　told　him　everything
that　had　passed　between　herself　and　her　father；　and　if　it　had　not　that
cordiality　on　his　part　which　they　could　have　wished　it　was　certainly　not
hopelessly　discouraging。

They　agreed　at　breakfast　that　Burnamy　had　better　have　it　over　as　quickly
as　possible；　and　he　waited　only　till　August　came　down　with　the　general's
tray　before　going　up　to　his　room。　　The　young　fellow　did　not　feel　more　at
his　ease　than　the　elder　meant　he　should　in　taking　the　chair　to　which　the
general　waved　him　from　where　he　lay　in　bed；　and　there　was　no　talk　wasted
upon　the　weather　between　them。

〃I　suppose　I　know　what　you　have　come　for；　Mr。　Burnamy；〃　said　General
Triscoe　in　a　tone　which　was　rather　judicial　than　otherwise；　〃and　I
suppose　you　know　why　you　have　come。〃　　The　words　certainly　opened　the　way
for　Burnamy；　but　he　hesitated　so　long　to　take　it　that　the　general　had
abundant　time　to　add；　〃I　don't　pretend　that　this　event　is　unexpected；　but
I　should　like　to　know　what　reason　you　have　for　thinking　I　should　wish　you
to　marry　my　daughter。　　I　take　it　for　granted　that　you　are　attached　to
each　other；　and　we　won't　waste　time　on　that　point。　　Not　to　beat　about　the
bush；　on　the　next　point；　let　me　ask　at　once　what　your　means　of　supporting
her　are。　　How　much　did　you　earn　on　that　newspaper　in　Chicago？〃

〃Fifteen　hundred　dollars；〃　Burnamy　answered；　promptly　enough。

〃Did　you　earn　anything　more；　say　within　the　last　year？〃

〃I　got　three　hundred　dollars　advance　copyright　for　a　book　I　sold　to　a
publisher。〃　　The　glory　had　not　yet　faded　from　the　fact　in　Burnamy's　mind。

〃Eighteen　hundred。　　What　did　you　get　for　your　poem　in　March's　book？〃

〃That's　a　very　trifling　matter：　fifteen　dollars。〃

〃And　your　salary　as　private　secretary　to　that　man　Stoller？〃

〃Thirty　dollars　a　week；　and　my　expenses。　　But　I　wouldn't　take　that；
General　Triscoe；〃　said　Burnamy。

General　Triscoe；　from　his　'lit　de　justice'；　passed　this　point　in　silence。
〃Have　you　any　one　dependent　on　you？〃

〃My　mother；　I　take　care　of　my　mother；〃　answered　Burnamy；　proudly。

〃Since　you　have　broken　with　Stoller；　what　are　your　prospects？〃

〃I　have　none。〃

〃Then　you　don't　expect　to　support　my　daughter；　you　expect　to　live　upon
her　means。〃

〃I　expect　to　do　nothing　of　the　kind！　〃　cried　Burnamy。　　〃I　should　be
ashamedI　should　feel　disgracedI　shouldI　don't　ask　youI　don't　ask
her　till　I　have　the　means　to　support　her〃

〃If　you　were　very　fortunate；〃　continued　the　general；　unmoved　by　the　young
fellow's　pain；　and　unperturbed　by　the　fact　that　he　had　himself　lived　upon
his　wife's　means　as　long　as　she　lived；　and　then　upon　his　daughter's；　〃if
you　went　back　to　Stoller〃

〃I　wouldn't　go　back　to　him。　　I　don't　say　he's　knowingly　a　rascal；　but
he's　ignorantly　a　rascal；　and　he　proposed　a　rascally　thing　to　me。　　I
behaved　badly　to　him；　and　I'd　give　anything　to　undo　the　wrong　I　l