their silver wedding journey v3-第28节

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！


something　in　the　further　corner；　which　when　it　was　tiptoed　for；　proved　to
be　a　bouquet　of　flowers；　not　so　faded　as　to　seem　very　old；　the　blue　satin
ribbon　which　they　were　tied　up　with；　and　which　hung　down　half　a　yard；　was
of　entire　freshness　except　far　the　dust　of　the　shelf　where　it　had　lain。

Agatha　backed　out　into　the　room　with　her　find　in　her　hand；　and　examined
it　near　to；　and　then　at　arm's　length。　　August　stood　by　with　a　pair　of　the
general's　trousers　lying　across　his　outstretched　hands；　and　as　Agatha
absently　looked　round　at　him；　she　caught　a　light　of　intelligence　in　his
eyes　which　changed　her　whole　psychological　relation　to　the　withered
bouquet。　　Till　then　it　had　been　a　lifeless；　meaningless　bunch　of　flowers；
which　some　one；　for　no　motive；　had　tossed　up　on　that　dusty　shelf　in　the
closet。　　At　August's　smile　it　became　something　else。　　Still　she　asked
lightly　enough；　〃Was　ist　loss；　August？〃

His　smile　deepened　and　broadened。　　〃Fur　die　Andere；〃　he　explained。

Agatha　demanded　in　English；　〃What　do　you　mean　by　feardy　ondery？〃

〃Oddaw　lehdy。〃

〃Other　lady？〃　August　nodded；　rejoicing　in　big　success；　and　Agatha　closed
the　door　into　her　own　room；　where　the　general　had　been　put　for　the　time
so　as　to　be　spared　the　annoyance　of　the　packing；　then　she　sat　down　with
her　hands　in　her　lap；　and　the　bouquet　in　her　hands。　　〃Now；　August；〃　she
said　very　calmly；　〃I　want　you　to　tell　me…ich　wunsche　Sie　zu　mir　sagen
what　other　ladywass　andere　Damethese　flowers　belonged　todiese
Blumen　gehorte　zu。　　Verstehen　Sie？〃

August　nodded　brightly；　and　with　German　carefully　adjusted　to　Agatha's
capacity；　and　with　now　and　then　a　word　or　phrase　of　English；　he　conveyed
that　before　she　and　her　Herr　Father　had　appeared；　there　had　been　in
Weimar　another　American　Fraulein　with　her　Frau　Mother；　they　had　not
indeed　staid　in　that　hotel；　but　had　several　times　supped　there　with　the
young　Herr　Bornahmee；　who　was　occupying　that　room　before　her　Herr　Father。
The　young　Herr　had　been　much　about　with　these　American　Damen；　driving　and
walking　with　them；　and　sometimes　dining　or　supping　with　them　at　their
hotel；　The　Elephant。　　August　had　sometimes　carried　notes　to　them　from　the
young　Herr；　and　he　had　gone　for　the　bouquet　which　the　gracious　Fraulein
was　holding；　on　the　morning　of　the　day　that　the　American　Damen　left　by
the　train　for　Hanover。

August　was　much　helped　and　encouraged　throughout　by　the　friendly
intelligence　of　the　gracious　Fraulein；　who　smiled　radiantly　in　clearing
up　one　dim　point　after　another；　and　who　now　and　then　supplied　the　English
analogues　which　he　sought　in　his　effort　to　render　his　German　more
luminous。

At　the　end　she　returned　to　the　work　of　packing；　in　which　she　directed
him；　and　sometimes　assisted　him　with　her　own　hands；　having　put　the
bouquet　on　the　mantel　to　leave　herself　free。　　She　took　it　up　again　and
carried　it　into　her　own　room；　when　she　went　with　August　to　summon　her
father　back　to　his。　　She　bade　August　say　to　the　young　Herr；　if　he　saw
him；　that　she　was　going　to　sup　with　her　father；　and　August　gave　her
message　to　Burnamy；　whom　he　met　on　the　stairs　coming　down　as　he　was　going
up　with　their　tray。

Agatha　usually　supped　with　her　father；　but　that　evening　Burnamy　was　less
able　than　usual　to　bear　her　absence　in　the　hotel　dining…room；　and　he　went
up　to　a　caf？in　the　town　for　his　supper。　　He　did　not　stay　long；　and　when
he　returned　his　heart　gave　a　joyful　lift　at　sight　of　Agatha　looking　out
from　her　balcony；　as　if　she　were　looking　for　him。　　He　made　her　a　gay
flourishing　bow；　lifting　his　hat　high；　and　she　came　down　to　meet　him　at
the　hotel　door。　　She　had　her　hat　on　and　jacket　over　one　arm　and　she
joined　him　at　once　for　the　farewell　walk　he　proposed　in　what　they　had
agreed　to　call　their　garden。

She　moved　a　little　ahead　of　him；　and　when　they　reached　the　place　where
they　always　sat；　she　shifted　her　jacket　to　the　other　arm　and　uncovered
the　hand　in　which　she　had　been　carrying　the　withered　bouquet。　　〃Here　is
something　I　found　in　your　closet；　when　I　was　getting　papa's　things　out。〃

〃Why；　what　is　it？〃　he　asked　innocently；　as　he　took　it　from　her。

〃A　bouquet；　apparently；〃　she　answered；　as　he　drew　the　long　ribbons
through　his　fingers；　and　looked　at　the　flowers　curiously；　with　his　head
aslant。

〃Where　did　you　get　it？〃

〃On　the　shelf。〃

It　seemed　a　long　time　before　Burnamy　said　with　a　long　sigh；　as　of　final
recollection；　〃Oh；　yes；〃　and　then　he　said　nothing；　and　they　did　not　sit
down；　but　stood　looking　at　each　other。

〃Was　it　something　you　got　for　me；　and　forgot　to　give　me？〃　she　asked　in　a
voice　which　would　not　have　misled　a　woman；　but　which　did　its　work　with
the　young　man。

He　laughed　and　said；　〃Well；　hardly！　　The　general　has　been　in　the　room
ever　since　you　came。〃

〃Oh；　yes。　　Then　perhaps　somebody　left　it　there　before　you　had　the　room？〃

Burnamy　was　silent　again；　but　at　last　he　said；　〃No；　I　flung　it　up　there　I
had　forgotten　all　about　it。〃

〃And　you　wish　me　to　forget　about　it；　too？〃　Agatha　asked　in　a　gayety　of
tone　that　still　deceived　him。

〃It　would　only　be　fair。　　You　made　me；〃　he　rejoined；　and　there　was
something　so　charming　in　his　words　and　way；　that　she　would　have　been　glad
to　do　it。

But　she　governed　herself　against　the　temptation　and　said；　〃Women　are　not
good　at　forgetting；　at　least　till　they　know　what。〃

〃Oh；　I'll　tell　you；　if　you　want　to　know；〃　he　said　with　a　laugh；　and　at
the　words　shesank　provisionally　in　their　accustomed　seat。　　He　sat　down
beside　her；　but　not　so　near　as　usual；　and　he　waited　so　long　before　he
began　that　it　seemed　as　if　he　had　forgotten　again。　　〃Why；　it's　nothing。
Miss　Etkins　and　her　mother　were　here　before　you　came；　and　this　is　a
bouquet　that　I　meant　to　give　her　at　the　train　when　she　left。　　But　I
decided　I　wouldn't；　and　I　threw　it　onto　the　shelf　in　the　closet。〃

〃May　I　ask　why　you　thought　of　taking　a　bouquet　to　her　at　the　train？〃

〃Well；　she　and　her　motherI　had　been　with　them　a　good　deal；　and　I
thought　it　would　be　civil。〃

〃And　why　did　you　decide　not　to　be　civil？〃

〃I　didn't　want　it　to　look　like　more　than　civility。〃

〃Were　they　here　long？〃

〃About　a　week。　　They　left　just　after　the　Marches　came。〃

Agatha　seemed　not　to　heed　the　answer　she　had　exacted。　　She　sat　reclined
in　the　corner　of　the　seat；　with　her　head　drooping。　　After　an　interval
which　was　long　to　Burnamy　she　began　to　pull　at　a　ring　on　the　third　finger
of　her　left　hand；　absently；　as　if　she　did　not　know　what　she　was　doing；
but　when　she　had　got　it　off　she　held　it　towards　Burnamy　and　said　quietly；
〃I　think　you　had　better　have　this　again；〃　and　then　she　rose　and　moved
slowly　and　weakly　away。

He　had　taken　the　ring　mechanically　from　her；　and　he　stood　a　moment
bewildered；　then　he　pressed　after　her。

〃Agatha；　do　youyou　don't　mean〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　without　looking　round　at　his　face；　which　she　knew　was
close　to　her　shoulder。　　〃It's　over。　　It　isn't　what　you've　done。　　It's
what　you　are。　　I　believed　in　you；　in　spite　of　what　you　did　to　that　man
and　your　coming　back　when　you　said　you　wouldn'tand　But　I　see　now　that
what　you　did　was　you；　it　was　your　nature；　and　I　can't　believe　in　you　any
more。〃

〃Agatha！〃　he　implored。　　〃You're　not　going　to　be　so　unjust！　　There　was
nothing　between　you　and　me　when　that　girl　was　here！　　I　had　a　right　to〃

〃Not　if　you　really　cared　for　me！　　Do　you　think　I　would　have　flirted　with
any　one　so　soon；　if　I　had　cared　for　you　as　you　pretended　you　did　for　me
that　night　in　Carlsbad？　　Oh；　I　don't　say　you're　false。　　But　you're
fickle〃

〃But　I'm　not　fickle！　　From　the　first　moment　I　saw　you；　I　never　cared　for
any　one　but　you！〃

〃You　have　strange　ways　of　showing　your　devotion。　　Well；　say　you　are　not
fickle。　　Say；　that　I'm　fickle。　　I　am。　　I　have　changed　my　mind。　　I　see
that　it　would　never　do。　　I　leave　you　free　to　follow　all　the　turning　and
twisting　of　your　fancy。〃　　She　spoke　rapidly；　almost　breathlessly；　and　she
gave　him　no　chance　to　get　out　the　words　that　seemed　to　choke　him。　　She
began　to　run；　but　at　the　door　of　the　hotel　she　stopped　and　waited　till　he
came　stupidly　up。　　〃I　have　a　favor　to　ask；　Mr。　Burnamy。　　I　beg　you　will
not　see　me　again；　if　you　can　help　it　before　we　go　to…morrow。　　My　father
and　I　are　indebted　to　you　for　too　many　kindnesses；　and　you　mustn't　take
any　more　trouble　on　our　account。　　August　can　see　us　off　in　the　morning。〃

She　nodded　quickly；　and　was　gone　in…doors　while　he　was　yet　struggling
with　his　doubt　of　the　reality　of　what　had　all　so　swiftly　happened。

General　Triscoe　was　still　ignorant　of　any　change　in　the　status　to　which
he　had　reconciled　himself　with　so　much　difficulty；　when　he　came　down　to
get　into　the　omnibus　for　the　train。　　Till　then　he　had　been　too　proud　to
ask　what　had　become　of　Burnamy；　though　he　had　wondered；　but　now　he　looked
about　and　said　impatiently；　〃I　hope　that　young　man　isn't　going　to　keep　us
waiting。〃

Agatha　was　pale　and　worn　with　sleeplessness；　but　she　said　firmly；　〃He
isn't　going；　papa。　　I　will　tell　you　in　the　train。　　August　will　see　to　the
tickets　and　the　baggage。〃

August　conspired　with　the　traeger　to　get　them　a　first…class　compartment
to　themselves。　　But　even　with　the　advantages　of　this　seclusion　Agatha's
confidences　to　her　father　were　not　full。　　She　told　her　father　that　her
eng