their silver wedding journey v3-第23部分

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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！〃　　　　　　　　‘

〃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