their silver wedding journey v2-第18部分

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！


to　March；　〃The　ladies　are　waiting　for　you　in　Pupp's　readingroom；　to　go
with　them　to　the　Posthof　for　breakfast。〃

〃Aren't　you　going；　too？〃　asked　March。

〃No；　thank　you；〃　said　the　general；　as　if　it　were　much　finer　not；
〃I　shall　breakfast　at　our　pension。〃　　He　strolled　off　with　the　air　of　a
man　who　has　done　more　than　his　duty。

〃I　don't　suppose　I　ought　to　feel　that　way；〃　said　Eltwin；　with　a　remorse
which　March　suspected　a　reproachful　pressure　of　his　wife's　hand　had
prompted　in　him。　　〃I　reckon　he　means　well。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　March　said；　with　a　candor　he　could　not　wholly
excuse。

On　his　way　to　the　hotel　he　fancied　mocking　his　wife　for　her　interest　in
the　romantic　woes　of　her　lovers；　in　a　world　where　there　was　such　real
pathos　as　these　poor　old　people's；　but　in　the　company　of　Miss　Triscoe　he
could　not　give　himself　this　pleasure。　　He　tried　to　amuse　her　on　the　way
from　Pupp's；　with　the　doubt　he　always　felt　in　passing　the　Cafe　Sans…
Souci；　whether　he　should　live　to　reach　the　Posthof　where　he　meant　to
breakfast。　　She　said；　〃Poor　Mr。　March！〃　　and　laughed　inattentively；　when
he　went　on　to　philosophize　the　commonness　of　the　sparse　company　always
observable　at　the　Sans…Souci　as　a　just　effect　of　its　Laodicean　situation
between　Pupp's　and　the　Posthof；　the　girl　sighed　absently；　and　his　wife
frowned　at　him。

The　flower…woman　at　the　gate　of　her　garden　had　now　only　autumnal　blooms
for　sale　in　the　vases　which　flanked　the　entrance；　the　windrows　of　the
rowen；　left　steeping　in　the　dews　overnight；　exhaled　a　faint　fragrance；　a
poor　remnant　of　the　midsummer　multitudes　trailed　itself　along　to　the
various　cafes　of　the　valley；　its　pink　paper　bags　of　bread　rustling　like
sere　foliage　as　it　moved。

At　the　Posthof　the　'schone'　Lili　alone　was　as　gay；　as　in　the　prime　of
July。　　She　played　archly　about　the　guests　she　welcomed　to　a　table　in　a
sunny　spot　in　the　gallery。　　〃You　are　tired　of　Carlsbad？〃　she　said
caressingly　to　Miss　Triscoe；　as　she　put　her　breakfast　before　her。

〃Not　of　the　Posthof；〃　said　the　girl；　listlessly。

〃Posthof；　and　very　little　Lili？〃　She　showed；　with　one　forefinger　on
another；　how　very　little　she　was。

Miss　Triscoe　laughed；　not　cheerily；　and　Lili　said　to　Mrs。　March；　with
abrupt　seriousness；　〃Augusta　was　finding　a　handkerchief　under　the　table；
and　she　was　washing　it　and　ironing　it　before　she　did　bring　it。　　I　have
scolded　her；　and　I　have　made　her　give　it　to　me。〃

She　took　from　under　her　apron　a　man's　handkerchief；　which　she　offered　to
Mrs。　March。　　It　bore；　as　she　saw　Miss　Triscoe　saw；　the　initials　L。　J。　B。
But；　〃Whose　can　it　be？〃　they　asked　each　other。

〃Why；　Burnamy's；〃　said　March；　and　Lili's　eyes　danced。　　〃Give　it　here！〃

His　wife　caught　it　farther　away。　　〃No；　I'm　going　to　see　whose　it　is；
first；　if　it's　his；　I'll　send　it　to　him　myself。〃

She　tried　to　put　it　into　the　pocket　which　was　not　in　her　dress　by　sliding
it　down　her　lap；　then　she　handed　it　to　the　girl；　who　took　it　with　a
careless　air；　but　kept　it　after　a　like　failure　to　pocket　it。

Mrs。　March　had　come　out　in　her　India…rubber　sandals；　but　for　once　in
Carlsbad　the　weather　was　too　dry　for　them；　and　she　had　taken　them　off　and
was　holding　them　in　her　lap。　　They　fell　to　the　ground　when　she　now　rose
from　breakfast；　and　she　stooped　to　pick　them　up。　　Miss　Triscoe　was　too
quick　for　her。

〃Oh；　let　me　carry　them　for　you！〃　she　entreated；　and　after　a　tender
struggle　she　succeed　in　enslaving　herself　to　them；　and　went　away　wearing
them　through　the　heel…bands　like　manacles　on　her　wrist。　　She　was　not　the
kind　of　girl　to　offer　such　pretty　devotions；　and　Mrs。　March　was　not　the
kind　of　woman　to　suffer　them；　but　they　played　the　comedy　through；　and　let
March　go　off　for　his　last　hill…climb　with　the　promise　to　meet　him　in　the
Stadt　Park　when　he　came　to　the　Kurhaus　for　his　last　mineral　bath。

Mrs。　March　in　the　mean　time　went　about　some　final　shopping；　and　invited
the　girl's　advice　with　a　fondness　which　did　not　prevent　her　rejecting　it
in　every　case；　with　Miss　Triscoe's　eager　approval。　　In　the　Stadt　Park
they　sat　down　and　talked；　from　time　to　time　Mrs。　March　made　polite　feints
of　recovering　her　sandals；　but　the　girl　kept　them　with　increased
effusion。

When　they　rose；　and　strolled　away　from　the　bench　where　they　had　been
sitting；　they　seemed　to　be　followed。　　They　looked　round　and　saw　no　one
more　alarming　than　a　very　severe…looking　old　gentleman；　whose　hat　brim　in
spite　of　his　severity　was　limp　with　much　lifting；　as　all　Austrian　hat
brims　are。　　He　touched　it；　and　saying　haughtily　in　German；　〃Something
left　lying；〃　passed　on。

They　stared　at　each　other；　then；　as　women　do；　they　glanced　down　at　their
skirts　to　see　if　there　was　anything　amiss　with　them；　and　Miss　Triscoe
perceived　her　hands　empty　of　Mrs。　March's　sandals　and　of　Burnamy's
handkerchief。

〃Oh；　I　put　it　in　one　of　the　toes！〃　she　lamented；　and　she　fled　back　to
their　bench；　alarming　in　her　course　the　fears　of　a　gendarme　for　the
public　security；　and　putting　a　baby　in　its　nurse's　arms　into　such　doubts
of　its　personal　safety　that　it　burst　into　a　desolate　cry。　　She　laughed
breathlessly　as　she　rejoined　Mrs。　March。　　〃That　comes　of　having　no
pocket；　I　didn't　suppose　I　could　forget　your　sandals；　Mrs。　March！　　Wasn't
it　absurd？〃

〃It's　one　of　those　things；〃　Mrs。　March　said　to　her　husband　afterwards；
〃that　they　can　always　laugh　over　together。〃

〃They？　　And　what　about　Burnamy's　behavior　to　Stoller？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　call　that　anything　but　what　will　come　right。　　Of　course　he
can　make　it　up　to　him　somehow。　　And　I　regard　his　refusal　to　do　wrong　when
Stoller　wanted　him　to　as　quite　wiping　out　the　first　offence。〃

〃Well；　my　dear；　you　have　burnt　your　ships　behind　you。　　My　only　hope　is
that　when　we　leave　here　tomorrow；　her　pessimistic　papa's　poison　will
neutralize　yours　somehow。〃




XLII。

One　of　the　pleasantest　incidents　of　March's　sojourn　in　Carlsbad　was　his
introduction　to　the　manager　of　the　municipal　theatre　by　a　common　friend
who　explained　the　editor　in　such　terms　to　the　manager　that　he　conceived
of　him　as　a　brother　artist。　　This　led　to　much　bowing　and　smiling　from　the
manager　when　the　Marches　met　him　in　the　street；　or　in　their　frequent
visits　to　the　theatre；　with　which　March　felt　that　it　might　well　have
ended；　and　still　been　far　beyond　his　desert。　　He　had　not　thought　of　going
to　the　opera　on　the　Emperor's　birthnight；　but　after　dinner　a　box　came
from　the　manager；　and　Mrs。　March　agreed　with　him　that　they　could　not　in
decency　accept　so　great　a　favor。　　At　the　same　time　she　argued　that　they
could　not　in　decency　refuse　it；　and　that　to　show　their　sense　of　the
pleasure　done　them；　they　must　adorn　their　box　with　all　the　beauty　and
distinction　possible；　in　other　words；　she　said　they　must　ask　Miss　Triscoe
and　her　father。

〃And　why　not　Major　Eltwin　and　his　wife？　　Or　Mrs。　Adding　and　Rose？〃

She　begged　him；　simply　in　his　own　interest；　not　to　be　foolish；　and　they
went　early；　so　as　to　be　in　their　box　when　their　guests　came。　　The　foyer
of　the　theatre　was　banked　with　flowers；　and　against　a　curtain　of
evergreens　stood　a　high…pedestalled　bust　of　the　paternal　Caesar；　with
whose　side…whiskers　a　laurel　crown　comported　itself　as　well　as　it　could。
At　the　foot　of　the　grand　staircase　leading　to　the　boxes　the　manager　stood
in　evening　dress；　receiving　his　friends　and　their　felicitations　upon　the
honor　which　the　theatre　was　sure　to　do　itself　on　an　occasion　so　august。
The　Marches　were　so　cordial　in　their　prophecies　that　the　manager　yielded
to　an　artist's　impulse　and　begged　his　fellow…artist　to　do　him　the
pleasure　of　coming　behind　the　scenes　between　the　acts　of　the　opera；　he
bowed　a　heart…felt　regret　to　Mrs。　March　that　he　could　not　make　the
invitation　include　her；　and　hoped　that　she　would　not　be　too　lonely　while
her　husband　was　gone。

She　explained　that　they　had　asked　friends；　and　she　should　not　be　alone；
and　then　he　entreated　March　to　bring　any　gentleman　who　was　his　guest　with
him。　　On　the　way　up　to　their　box；　she　pressed　his　arm　as　she　used　in
their　young　married　days；　and　asked　him　if　it　was　not　perfect。　　〃I　wish
we　were　going　to　have　it　all　to　ourselves；　no　one　else　can　appreciate　the
whole　situation。　　Do　you　think　we　have　made　a　mistake　in　having　the
Triscoes？〃

〃We！〃　　be　retorted。　　〃Oh；　that's　good！　I'm　going　to　shirk　him；　when　it
comes　to　going　behind　the　scenes。〃

〃No；　no；　dearest；〃　she　entreated。　　〃Snubbing　will　only　make　it　worse。　　We
must　stand　it　to　the　bitter　end；　now。〃

The　curtain　rose　upon　another　laurelled　bust　of　the　Emperor；　with　a
chorus　of　men　formed　on　either　side；　who　broke　into　the　grave　and　noble
strains　of　the　Austrian　Hymn；　while　every　one　stood。　　Then　the　curtain
fell　again；　and　in　the　interval　before　the　opera　could　begin；　General
Triscoe　and　his　daughter　came　in。

Mrs。　March　took　the　splendor　in　which　the　girl　appeared　as　a　tribute　to
her　hospitality。　　She　had　hitherto　been　a　little　disappointed　of　the　open
homage　to　American　girlhood　which　her　readings　of　international　romance
had　taught　her　to　expect　in　Europe；　but　now　her　patriotic　vanity　feasted
full。　　Fat　highhotes　of　her　own　sex　levelled　their　lorgnettes　at　Miss
Triscoe　　all　around　the　horseshoe；　with　critical　glances　which　fell
blunted　from　her　complexion　and　costume；　the　house　was　brilliant　with　the
military　uniforms；　which　we　have　not　yet　to　mingle　with　our　unrivalled
millinery；　and　the　ardent　gaze　of　the　young　officers　dwelt　on　the　perfect
mould　of　her　girlish　arms　and　neck；　and　the　winning　lines　of　her　face。
The　girl's　eyes　shone　with　a　joyful　excitement；　and　her　little　head；
defined　by　its　dark　hair；　trembled　as　she　slowly　turned　it　from　side　to
side；　after　she　removed　the　airy　scarf　which　had　covered　it。　　Her　father；
in　evening　dress；　looked　the　Third　Emperor　complaisant　to　a　civil
occasion；　and　took　a　chair　in　the　front　of　the　box　without　resistance；
and　the　ladies　disputed　which　should　yield　the　best　place　to　the　other；
till　Miss　Triscoe　forced　Mrs。　March　fondly　into　it　for　the　first　act　at
least。

The　piece　had　to　be　cut　a　good　deal　to　give　people　time　for　the
illuminations　afterwards；　but　as　it　was　it　gave　scope　to　the　actress　who；
'als　Gast'　from　a　Viennese　theatre；　was　the　chief　figure　in　it。　　She
merited　the　distinction　by　the　ar