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〃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 eagerness which might
have been pathetic to any one who liked him。 〃Do you know this is almost
the first time I have spoken alone with you？〃
〃Really； I hadn't noticed；〃 said Mrs。 Adding。
General Triscoe laughed in rather a ghastly way。 〃Well； that's
encouraging； at least； to a man who's had his doubts whether it wasn't
intended。〃
〃Intended？ By whom？ What do you mean； General Triscoe？ Why in the
world shouldn't you have spoken alone with me before？〃
He was not； with all his eagerness； ready to say； and while she smiled
pleasantly she had the look in her eyes of being brought to bay and being
prepared； if it must come to that； to have the worst over； then and
there。 She was not half his age； but he was aware of her having no
respect for his years； compared with her average American past as he
understood it； his social place was much higher； but； she was not in the
least awed by it； in spite of his war record she was making him behave
like a coward。 He was in a false position； and if he had any one but
himself to blame he had not her。 He read her equal knowledge of these
facts in the clear eyes that made him flush and turn his own away。
Then he started with a quick 〃Hello！〃 and stood staring up at the steps
from the terrace above； where Rose Adding was staying himself weakly by a
clutch of Kenby on one side and March on the other。
His mother looked round and caught herself up from where she sat and ran
toward him。 〃Oh； Rose！〃
〃It's nothing； mother；〃 he called to her； and as she dropped on her knees
before him he sank limply against her。 〃It was like what I had in
Carlsbad； that's all。 Don't worry about me； please！〃
〃I'm not worrying； Rose；〃 she said with courage of the same texture as
his own。 〃You've been walking too much。 You must go back in the
carriage with us。 Can't you have it come here？〃 she asked Kenby。
〃There's no road； Mrs。 Adding。 But if Rose would let me carry him〃 。
〃I can walk；〃 the boy protested； trying to lift himself from her neck。
〃No； no！ you mustn't。〃 She drew away and let him fall into the arms that
Kenby put round him。 He raised the frail burden lightly to his shoulder；
and moved strongly away； followed by the eyes of the spectators who had
gathered about the little group； but who dispersed now； and went back to
their devotions。
March hurried after Kenby with Mrs。 Adding； whom he told he had just
missed Rose and was looking about for him； when Kenby came with her
message for them。 They made sure that he was nowhere about the church；
and then started together down the terraces。 At the second or third
station below they found the boy clinging to the barrier that protected
the bass…relief from the zeal of the devotees。 He looked white and sick；
though he insisted that he was well； and when he turned to come away with
them he reeled and would have fallen if Kenby had not caught him。 Kenby
wanted to carry him； but Rose would not let him； and had made his way
down between them。
〃Yea； he has such a spirit；〃 she said； 〃and I've no doubt he's suffering
now more from Mr。 Kenby's kindness than from his own sickness he had one
of these giddy turns in Carlsbad； though； and I shall certainly have a
doctor to see him。〃
〃I think I should； Mrs。 Adding；〃 said March； not too gravely； for it
seemed to him that it was not quite his business to alarm her further；
if she was herself taking the affair with that seriousness。
He questioned whether she was taking it quite seriously enough；
when she turned with a laugh； and called to General Triscoe； who was
limping down the steps of the last terrace behind them：
〃Oh； poor General Triscoe！ I thought you had gone on ahead。〃
General Triscoe could not enter into the joke of being forgotten；
apparently。 He assisted with gravity at the disposition of the party for
the return； when they all reached the carriage。 Rose had the place
beside his mother； and Kenby wished March to take his with the general
and let him sit with the driver； but he insisted that he would rather
walk home； and he did walk till they had driven out of eight。 Then he
called a passing one…spanner； and drove to his hotel in comfort and
silence。
LVII。
Kenby did not come to the Swan before supper； then he reported that the
doctor had said Rose was on the verge of a nervous collapse。 He had
overworked at school； but the immediate trouble was the high； thin air；
which the doctor said he must be got out of at once； into a quiet place
at the sea…shore somewhere。 He had suggested Ostend； or some point on
the French coast； Kenby had thought of Schevleningen； and the doctor had
said that would do admirably。
〃I understood from Mrs。 Adding；〃 he concluded； 〃that you were going。
there for your after…cure； Mr。 March； and I didn't know but you might be
going soon。〃
At the mention of Schevleningen the Marches had looked at each other with
a guilty alarm； which they both tried to give the cast of affectionate
sympathy but she dismissed her fear that he might be going to let his
compassion prevail with him to his hurt when he said： 〃Why； we ought to
have been there before this； but I've been taking my life in my hands in
trying to see a little of Germany； and I'm afraid now that Mrs。 March has
her mind too firmly fixed on Berlin to let me think of going to
Schevleningen till we've been there。〃
〃It's too bad！〃 said Mrs。 March； with real regret。 〃I wish we were
going。〃 But she had not the least notion of gratifying her wish； and
they were all silent till Kenby broke out：
〃Look here！ You know how I feel about Mrs Adding！ I've been pretty
frank with Mr。 March myself； and I've had my suspicions that she's been
frank with you； Mrs。 March。 There isn't any doubt about my wanting to
marry her； and up to this time there hasn't been any doubt about her not
wanting to marry me。 But it isn't a question of her or of me； now。 It's
a question of Rose。 I love the boy；〃 and Kenby's voice shook； and he
faltered a moment。 〃Pshaw！ You understand。〃
〃Indeed I do； Mr。 Kenby；〃 said Mrs。 March。 〃I perfectly understand
you。〃
〃Well； I don't think Mrs。 Adding is fit to make the journey with him
alone； or to place herself in the best way after she gets to
Schevleningen。 She's been badly shaken up； she broke down before the
doctor； she said she didn't know what to do； I suppose she's
frightened〃
Kenby stopped again； and March asked； 〃When is she going？〃
〃To…morrow；〃 said Kenby； and he added； 〃And now the question is； why
shouldn't I go with her？〃
Mrs。 March gave a little start； and looked at her husband； but he said
nothing； and Kenby seemed not to have supposed that he would say
anything。
〃I know it would be very American； and all that； but I happen to be an
American； and it wouldn't be out of character for me。 I suppose；〃 he
appealed to Mrs。 March； 〃that it's something I might offer to do if it
were from New York to Floridaand I happened to be going there？ And I
did happen to be going to Holland。〃
〃Why； of course； Mr。 Kenby；〃 she responded； with such solemnity that
March gave way in an outrageous laugh。
Kenby laughed； and Mrs。 March laughed too； but with an inner note of
protest。
〃Well；〃 Kenby continued； still addressing her； 〃what I want you to do is
to stand by me when I propose it。〃
Mrs。 March gathered strength to say； 〃No； Mr。 Kenby； it's your own
affair； and you must take the responsibility。〃
〃Do you disapprove？〃
〃It isn't the same as it would be at home。 You see that yourself。〃
〃Well；〃 said Kenby； rising； 〃I have to arrange about their getting away
to…morrow。 It won't be easy in this hurly…burly that's coming off。〃
〃Give Rose our love； and tell Mrs。 Adding that I'll come round and see
her to…morrow before she starts。〃
〃Oh！ I'm afraid you can't； Mrs。 March。 They're to start at six in the
morning。〃
〃They are！ Then we must go and see them tonight。 We'll be there almost
as soon as you are。〃
March went up to their rooms with； his wife； and she began on the stairs：
〃Well； my dear； I hope you realize that your laughing so gave us
completely away。 And what was there to keep grinning about； all
through？〃
〃Nothing but the disingenuous； hypocritical passion of love。 It's always
the most amusing thing in the world； but to see it trying to pass itself
off in poor old Kenby as duty and humanity； and disinterested affection
for Rose； was more than I could stand。 I don't apologize for laughing；
I wanted to yell。〃
His effrontery and his philosophy both helped to save him； and she said
from the point where he had side…tracked her mind： 〃I don't call it
disingenuous。 He was brutally frank。 He's made it impossible to treat
the affair with dignity。 I want you to leave the whole thing to me； from
this out。 Now； will you？〃
On their way to the Spanischer Hof she arranged in her own mind for Mrs。
Adding to get a maid； and for the doctor to send an assistant with her on
the journey； but she was in such despair with her scheme that she had not
the courage to right herself when Mrs。 Adding me