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Burnamy's mind。〃 At the laugh he broke into she hastened to say； 〃Or if
you won't； I hope you'll not object to my doing so； for I shall； anyway！〃
She rose as if she were going to begin at once； in spite of his laughing；
and in fact she had already a plan for coming to Stoller's assistance by
getting at Burnamy through Miss Triscoe； whom she suspected of knowing
where he was。 There had been no chance for them to speak of him either
that morning or the evening before； and after a great deal of controversy
with herself in her husband's presence she decided to wait till they came
naturally together the next morning for the walk to the Capuchin Church
on the hill beyond the river； which they had agreed to take。 She could
not keep from writing a note to Miss Triscoe begging her to be sure to
come； and hinting that she had something very important to speak of。
She was not sure but she had been rather silly to do this； but when they
met the girl confessed that she had thought of giving up the walk； and
might not have come except for Mrs。 March's note。 She had come with
Rose； and had left him below with March； Mrs。 Adding was coming later
with Kenby and General Triscoe。
Mrs。 March lost no time in telling her the great news； and if she had
been in doubt before of the girl's feeling for Burnamy she was now in
none。 She had the pleasure of seeing her flush with hope； and then the
pain which was also a pleasure； of seeing her blanch with dismay。
〃I don't know where he is； Mrs。 March。 I haven't heard a word from him
since that night in Carlsbad。 I expectedI didn't know but you〃
Mrs。 March shook her head。 She treated the fact skillfully as something
to be regretted simply because it would be such a relief to Burnamy to
know how Mr。 Stoller now felt。 Of course they could reach him somehow；
you could always get letters to people in Europe； in the end； and； in
fact； it was altogether probable that he was that very instant in
Wurzburg； for if the New York…Paris Chronicle had wanted him to write up
the Wagner operas； it would certainly want him to write up the
manoeuvres。 She established his presence in Wurzburg by such an
irrefragable chain of reasoning that； at a knock outside； she was just
able to kelp back a scream； while she ran to open the door。 It was not
Burnamy； as in compliance with every nerve it ought to have been； but her
husband； who tried to justify his presence by saying that they were all
waiting for her and Miss Triscoe； and asked when they were coming。
She frowned him silent； and then shut herself outside with him long
enough to whisper； 〃Say she's got a headache； or anything you please；
but don't stop talking here with me； or I shall go wild。〃 She then shut
herself in again； with the effect of holding him accountable for the
whole affair。
LVI。
General Triscoe could not keep his irritation； at hearing that his
daughter was not coming； out of the excuses he made to Mrs。 Adding；
he said again and again that it must seem like a discourtesy to her。
She gayly disclaimed any such notion； she would not hear of putting off
their excursion to another day； it had been raining just long enough to
give them a reasonable hope of a few hours' drought； and they might not
have another dry spell for weeks。 She slipped off her jacket after they
started； and gave it to Kenby； but she let General Triscoe hold her
umbrella over her； while he limped beside her。 She seemed to March； as
he followed with Rose； to be playing the two men off against each other；
with an ease which he wished his wife could be there to see； and to judge
aright。
They crossed by the Old Bridge； which is of the earliest years of the
seventh century； between rows of saints whose statues surmount the piers。
Some are bishops as well as saints； one must have been at Rome in his
day； for he wore his long thick beard in the fashion of Michelangelo's
Moses。 He stretched out toward the passers two fingers of blessing and
was unaware of the sparrow which had lighted on them and was giving him
the effect of offering it to the public admiration。 Squads of soldiers
tramping by turned to look and smile； and the dull faces of citizens
lighted up at the quaint sight。 Some children stopped and remained very
quiet； not to scare away the bird； and a cold…faced； spiritual…looking
priest paused among them as if doubting whether to rescue the absent…
minded bishop from a situation derogatory to his dignity； but he passed
on； and then the sparrow suddenly flew off。
Rose Adding had lingered for the incident with March； but they now pushed
on； and came up with the others at the end of the bridge； where they
found them in question whether they had not better take a carriage and
drive to the foot of the hill before they began their climb。 March
thanked them； but said he was keeping up the terms of his cure； and was
getting in all the walking he could。 Rose begged his mother not to
include him in the driving party； he protested that he was feeling so
well； and the walk was doing him good。 His mother consented； if he would
promise not to get tired； and then she mounted into the two…spanner which
had driven instinctively up to their party when their parley began； and
General Triscoe took the place beside her； while Kenby； with smiling
patience； seated himself in front。
Rose kept on talking with March about Wurzburg and its history； which it
seemed he had been reading the night before when he could not sleep。 He
explained； 〃We get little histories of the places wherever we go。 That's
what Mr。 Kenby does； you know。〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 said March。
〃I don't suppose I shall get a chance to read much here；〃 Rose continued；
〃with General Triscoe in the room。 He doesn't like the light。〃
〃Well； well。 He's rather old； you know。 And you musn't read too much；
Rose。 It isn't good for you。〃
〃I know； but if I don't read； I think； and that keeps me awake worse。 Of
course； I respect General Triscoe for being in the war； and getting
wounded；〃 the boy suggested。
〃A good many did it；〃 March was tempted to say。
The boy did not notice his insinuation。 〃I suppose there were some
things they did in the army； and then they couldn't get over the habit。
But General Grant says in his 'Life' that he never used a profane
expletive。〃
〃Does General Triscoe ？〃
Rose answered reluctantly； 〃If anything wakes him in the night； or if he
can't make these German beds over to suit him〃
〃I see。〃 March turned his face to hide the smile which he would not have
let the boy detect。 He thought best not to let Rose resume his
impressions of the general； and in talk of weightier matters they found
themselves at that point of the climb where the carriage was waiting for
them。 From this point they followed an alley through ivied； garden
walls； till they reached the first of the balustraded terraces which
ascend to the crest of the hill where the church stands。 Each terrace is
planted with sycamores； and the face of the terrace wall supports a bass…
relief commemorating with the drama of its lifesize figures the stations
of the cross。
Monks and priests were coming and going； and dropped on the steps leading
from terrace to terrace were women and children on their knees in prayer。
It was all richly reminiscent of pilgrim scenes in other Catholic lands；
but here there was a touch of earnest in the Northern face of the
worshipers which the South had never imparted。 Even in the beautiful
rococo interior of the church at the top of the hill there was a sense of
something deeper and truer than mere ecclesiasticism； and March came out
of it in a serious muse while the boy at his side did nothing to
interrupt。 A vague regret filled his heart as he gazed silently out over
the prospect of river and city and vineyard； purpling together below the
top where he stood； and mixed with this regret was a vague resentment of
his wife's absence。 She ought to have been there to share his pang and
his pleasure； they had so long enjoyed everything together that without
her he felt unable to get out of either emotion all there was in it。
The forgotten boy stole silently down the terraces after the rest of the
party who had left him behind with March。 At the last terrace they
stopped and waited； and after a delay that began to be long to Mrs。
Adding； she wondered aloud what could have become of them。
Kenby promptly offered to go back and see； and she consented in seeming
to refuse： 〃It isn't worth while。 Rose has probably got Mr。 March into
some deep discussion； and they've forgotten all about us。 But if you
will go； Mr。 Kenby； you might just remind Rose of my existence。〃 She let
him lay her jacket on her shoulders before he left her； and then she sat
down on one of the steps； which General Triscoe kept striking with the
point of her umbrella as he stood before her。
〃I really shall have to take it from you if you do that any more；〃 she
said； laughing up in his face。 〃I'm serious。〃
He stopped。 〃I wish I could believe you were serious； for a moment。〃
〃You may； if you think it will do you any good。 But I don't see why。〃
The general smiled； but with a kind of tremulous