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their silver wedding journey v3-第25部分

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character which was inevitable; and it seemed to him that this in itself
was significant of a determination on her part that was fatal to his
hopes。  With a lover's indefinite power of blinding himself to what is
before his eyes; he believed that if she had been more diffident of him;
more uneasy in his presence; he should have had more courage; but for her
to breakfast unafraid with him; to meet him at lunch and dinner in the
little dining…room where they were often the only guests; and always the
only English…speaking guests; was nothing less than prohibitive。

In the hotel service there was one of those men who are porters in this
world; but will be angels in the next; unless the perfect goodness of
their looks; the constant kindness of their acts; belies them。  The
Marches had known and loved the man in their brief stay; and he had been
the fast friend of Burnamy from the moment they first saw each other at
the station。  He had tenderly taken possession of General Triscoe on his
arrival; and had constituted himself the nurse and keeper of the
irascible invalid; in the intervals of going to the trains; with a zeal
that often relieved his daughter and Burnamy。  The general in fact
preferred him to either; and a tacit custom grew up by which when August
knocked at his door; and offered himself in his few words of serviceable
English; that one of them who happened to be sitting with the general
gave way; and left him in charge。  The retiring watcher was then apt to
encounter the other watcher on the stairs; or in the reading…room; or in
the tiny; white…pebbled door…yard at a little table in the shade of the
wooden…tubbed evergreens。  From the habit of doing this they one day
suddenly formed the habit of going across the street to that gardened
hollow before and below the Grand…Ducal Museum。  There was here a bench
in the shelter of some late…flowering bush which the few other
frequenters of the place soon recognized as belonging to the young
strangers; so that they would silently rise and leave it to them when
they saw them coming。  Apparently they yielded not only to their right;
but to a certain authority which resides in lovers; and which all other
men; and especially all other women; like to acknowledge and respect。

In the absence of any civic documents bearing upon the affair it is
difficult to establish the fact that this was the character in which
Agatha and Burnamy were commonly regarded by the inhabitants of Weimar。
But whatever their own notion of their relation was; if it was not that
of a Brant and a Brautigam; the people of Weimar would have been puzzled
to say what it was。  It was known that the gracious young lady's father;
who would naturally have accompanied them; was sick; and in the fact that
they were Americans much extenuation was found for whatever was
phenomenal in their unencumbered enjoyment of each other's society。

If their free American association was indistinguishably like the peasant
informality which General Triscoe despised in the relations of Kenby and
Mrs。 Adding; it is to be said in his excuse that he could not be fully
cognizant of it; in the circumstances; and so could do nothing to prevent
it。  His pessimism extended to his health; from the first he believed
himself worse than the doctor thought him; and he would have had some
other physician if he had not found consolation in their difference of
opinion and the consequent contempt which he was enabled to cherish for
the doctor in view of the man's complete ignorance of the case。  In proof
of his own better understanding of it; he remained in bed some time after
the doctor said he might get up。

Nearly ten days had passed before he left his room; and it was not till
then that he clearly saw how far affairs had gone with his daughter and
Burnamy; though even then his observance seemed to have anticipated
theirs。  He found them in a quiet acceptance of the fortune which had
brought them together; so contented that they appeared to ask nothing
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!〃        ‘

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