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Burnamy yet； I hadn't a chance to ask her。 And there's something else
that I'm afraid will fairly make you sick。〃
〃Oh； no； go on。 I don't think anything can do that； after an afternoon
of Kenby's confidences。〃
〃It's worse than Kenby；〃 she said with a sigh。 〃You know I told you at
Carlsbad I thought that ric1icnlous old thing was making up to Mrs。
Adding。〃
〃Kenby ？ Why of co〃
〃Don't be stupid； my dear！ No； not Kenby： General Triscoe。 I wish you
could have been here to see him paying her all sort； of silly attentions；
and hear him making her compliments。〃
〃Thank you。 I think I'm just as well without it。 Did she pay him silly
attentions and compliments； too？〃
〃That's the only thing that can make me forgive her for his wanting her。
She was keeping him at arm's…length the whole time； and she was doing it
so as not to make him contemptible before his daughter。〃
〃It must have been hard。 And Rose？〃
〃Rose didn't seem very well。 He looks thin and pale； but he's sweeter
than ever。 She's certainly commoner clay than Rose。 No； I won't say
that！ It's really nothing but General Triscoe's being an old goose about
her that makes her seem so； and it isn't fair。〃
March went down to his coffee in the morning with the delicate duty of
telling Kenby that Mrs。 Adding was in town。 Kenby seemed to think it
quite natural she should wish to see the manoeuvres； and not at all
strange that she should come to them with General Triscoe and his
daughter。 He asked if March would not go with him to call upon her after
breakfast； and as this was in the line of his own instructions from Mrs。
March； he went。
They found Mrs。 Adding with the Triscoes； and March saw nothing that was
not merely friendly； or at the most fatherly； in the general's behavior
toward her。 If Mrs。 Adding or Miss Triscoe saw more； they hid it in a
guise of sisterly affection for each other。 At the most the general
showed a gayety which one would not have expected of him under any
conditions； and which the fact that he and Rose had kept each other awake
a good deal the night before seemed so little adapted to call out。 He
joked with Rose about their room and their beds； and put on a comradery
with him that was not a perfect fit； and that suffered by contrast with
the pleasure of the boy and Kenby in meeting。 There was a certain
question in the attitude of Mrs。 Adding till March helped Kenby to
account for his presence； then she relaxed in an effect of security so
tacit that words overstate it； and began to make fun of Rose。
March could not find that Miss Triscoe looked unhappy； as his wife had
said； he thought simply that she had grown plainer； but when he reported
this； she lost her patience with him。 In a girl； she said； plainness was
unhappiness； and she wished to know when he would ever learn to look an
inch below the surface： She was sure that Agatha Triscoe had not heard
from Burnamy since the Emperor's birthday； that she was at swords'…points
with her father； and so desperate that she did not care what became of
her。
He had left Kenby with the others； and now； after his wife had talked
herself tired of them all； he proposed going out again to look about the
city； where there was nothing for the moment to remind them of the
presence of their friends or even of their existence。 She answered that
she was worrying about all those people； and trying to work out their
problem for them。 He asked why she did not let them work it out
themselves as they would have to do； after all her worry； and she said
that where her sympathy had been excited she could not stop worrying；
whether it did any good or not； and she could not respect any one who
could drop things so completely out of his mind as he could； she had
never been able to respect that in him。
〃I know； my dear；〃 he assented。 〃But I don't think it's a question of
moral responsibility； it's a question of mental structure； isn't it？
Your consciousness isn't built in thought…tight compartments； and one
emotion goes all through it； and sinks you； but I simply close the doors
and shut the emotion in； and keep on。〃
The fancy pleased him so much that he worked it out in all its
implications； and could not； after their long experience of each other；
realize that she was not enjoying the joke too； till she said she saw
that he merely wished to tease。 Then； too late； he tried to share her
worry； but she protested that she was not worrying at all； that she cared
nothing about those people： that she was nervous； she was tired； and she
wished he would leave her； and go out alone。
He found himself in the street again； and he perceived that he must be
walking fast when a voice called him by name； and asked him what his
hurry was。 The voice was Stoller's； who got into step with him and
followed the first with a second question。
〃Made up your mind to go to the manoeuvres with me？〃
His bluntness made it easy for March to answer： 〃I'm afraid my wife
couldn't stand the drive back and forth。〃
〃Come without her。〃
〃Thank you。 It's very kind of yon。 I'm not certain that I shall go at
all。 If I do； I shall run out by train； and take my chances with the
crowd。〃
Stoller insisted no further。 He felt no offence at the refusal of his
offer； or chose to show none。 He said； with the same uncouth abruptness
as before： 〃Heard anything of that fellow since he left Carlsbad？〃
〃Burnamy？〃
〃Mm。〃
〃No。〃
〃Know where he is？〃
〃I don't in the least。〃
Stoller let another silence elapse while they hurried on； before he said；
〃I got to thinking what he done …afterwards。 He wasn't bound to look out
for me； he might suppose I knew what I was about。〃
March turned his face and stared in Stoller's； which he was letting hang
forward as he stamped heavily on。 Had the disaster proved less than he
had feared； and did he still want Burnamy's help in patching up the
broken pieces； or did he really wish to do Burnamy justice to his friend？
In any case March's duty was clear。 〃I think Burnamy was bound to look
out for you； Mr。 Stoller； and I am glad to know that he saw it in the
same light。〃
〃I know he did；〃 said Stoker with a blaze as from a long…smouldering
fury； 〃and damn him； I'm not going to have it。 I'm not going to； plead
the baby act with him； or with any man。 You tell him so； when you get
the chance。 You tell him I don't hold him accountable for anything I
made him do。 That ain't business； I don't want him around me； any more；
but if he wants to go back to the paper he can have his place。 You tell
him I stand by what I done； and it's all right between him and me。
I hain't done anything about it； the way I wanted him to help me to； I've
let it lay； and I'm a…going to。 I guess it ain't going to do me any
harm； after all； our people hain't got very long memories； but if it is；
let it。 You tell him it's all right。〃
〃I don't know where he is； Mr。 Stoller； and I don't know that I care to
be the bearer of your message；〃 said March。
〃Why not？〃
〃Why； for one thing； I don't agree with you that it's all right。 Your
choosing to stand by the consequences of Burnamy's wrong doesn't undo it。
As I understand； you don't pardon it〃
Stoller gulped and did not answer at once。 Then he said； 〃I stand by
what I done。 I'm not going to let him say I turned him down for doing
what I told him to； because I hadn't the sense to know what I was about。〃
〃Ah； I don't think it's a thing he'll like to speak of in any case；〃 said
March。
Stoller left him； at the corner they had reached； as abruptly as he had
joined him； and March hurried back to his wife； and told her what had
just passed between him and Stoller。
She broke out； 〃Well； I am surprised at you； my dear！ You have always
accused me of suspecting people； and attributing bad motives； and here
you've refused even to give the poor man the benefit of the doubt。 He
merely wanted to save his savage pride with you； and that's all he wants
to do with Burnamy。 How could it hurt the poor boy to know that Stoller
doesn't blame him？ Why should you refuse to give his message to Burnamy？
I don't want you to ridicule me for my conscience any more； Basil； you're
twice as bad as I ever was。 Don't you think that a person can ever
expiate an offence？ I've often heard you say that if any one owned his
fault； he put it from him； and it was the same as if it hadn't been； and
hasn't Burnamy owned up over and over again？ I'm astonished at you；
dearest。〃
March was in fact somewhat astonished at himself in the light of her
reasoning； but she went on with some sophistries that restored him to his
self…righteousness。
〃I suppose you think he has interfered with Stoller's political ambition；
and injured him in that way。 Well； what if he has？ Would it be a good
thing to have a man like that succeed in politics？ You're always saying
that the low character of our politicians is the ruin of the country； and
I'm sure；〃 she added； with a prodigious leap over all the sequences；
〃that Mr。 Stoller is acting nobly； and it's your duty to help him relieve
Burnamy's mind。〃 At the laugh he broke into she hastened to say； 〃Or if
you won't； I hope you'