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betrothed that had almost positive quality。 With his longing to try Miss
Triscoe upon Mrs。 March's malady as a remedial agent； he had now the
desire to try Mrs。 March upon Miss Triscoe's mystery as a solvent。 She
stood talking to him； and refusing to sit down and be wrapped up in the
chair next her father。 She said that if he were going to ask Mrs。 March
to let her come to her； it would not be worth while to sit down； and he
hurried below。
〃Did you get it？〃 asked his wife； without looking round； but not so
apathetically as before。
〃Oh； yes。 That's all right。 But now； Isabel； there's something I've got
to tell you。 You'd find it out； and you'd better know it at once。〃
She turned her face； and asked sternly； 〃What is it？〃
Then he said； with； an almost equal severity； 〃Miss Triscoe is on board。
Miss Triscoe…and…her…father。 She wishes to come down and see you。〃
Mrs。 March sat up and began to twist her hair into shape。 〃And Burnamy？〃
〃There is no Burnamy physically； or so far as I can make out；
spiritually。 She didn't mention him； and I talked at least five minutes
with her。〃
〃Hand me my dressing…sack；〃 said Mrs。 March； 〃and poke those things on
the sofa under the berth。 Shut up that wash…stand； and pull the curtain
across that hideous window。 Stop！ Throw those towels into your berth。
Put my shoes； and your slippers into the shoe…bag on the door。 Slip the
brushes into that other bag。 Beat the dent out of the sofa cushion that
your head has made。 Now！〃
〃Thenthen yon will see her？〃
〃See her！〃
Her voice was so terrible that he fled before it； and he returned with
Miss Triscoe in a dreamlike simultaneity。 He remembered； as he led the
way into his corridor； to apologize for bringing her down into a basement
room。
〃Oh； we're in the basement； too； it was all we could get；〃 she said in
words that ended within the state…room he opened to her。 Then he went
back and took her chair and wraps beside her father。
He let the general himself lead the way up to his health； which he was
not slow in reaching； and was not quick in leaving。 He reminded March of
the state he had seen him in at Wurzburg； and he said it had gone from
bad to worse with him。 At Weimar he had taken to his bed and merely
escaped from it with his life。 Then they had tried Schevleningen for a
week； where； he said in a tone of some injury； they had rather thought
they might find them； the Marches。 The air had been poison to him； and
they had come over to England with some notion of Bournemouth； but the
doctor in London had thought not； and urged their going home。 〃All
Europe is damp； you know； and dark as a pocket in winter；〃 he ended。
There had been nothing about Burnamy； and March decided that he must wait
to see his wife if he wished to know anything； when the general； who had
been silent； twisted his head towards him； and said without regard to the
context； 〃It was complicated； at Weimar； by that young man in the most
devilish way。 Did my daughter write to Mrs。 March about Well it came
to nothing； after all； and I don't understand how； to this day。 I doubt
if they do。 It was some sort of quarrel； I suppose。 I wasn't consulted
in the matter either way。 It appears that parents are not consulted in
these trifling affairs； nowadays。〃 He had married his daughter's mother
in open defiance of her father； but in the glare of his daughter's
wilfulness this fact had whitened into pious obedience。 〃I dare say I
shall be told； by…and…by； and shall be expected to approve of the
result。〃
A fancy possessed March that by operation of temperamental laws General
Triscoe was no more satisfied with Burnamy's final rejection than with
his acceptance。 If the engagement was ever to be renewed； it might be
another thing； but as it stood； March divined a certain favor for the
young man in the general's attitude。 But the affair was altogether too
delicate for comment； the general's aristocratic frankness in dealing
with it might have gone farther if his knowledge had been greater； but in
any case March did not see how he could touch it。 He could only say； He
had always liked Burnamy； himself。
He had his good qualities； the general owned。 He did not profess to
understand the young men of our time； but certainly the fellow had the
instincts of a gentleman。 He had nothing to say against him； unless in
that business with that manwhat was his name？
〃Stoller？〃 March prompted。 〃I don't excuse him in that； but I don't
blame him so much； either。 If punishment means atonement； he had the
opportunity of making that right very suddenly； and if pardon means
expunction； then I don't see why that offence hasn't been pretty well
wiped out。
〃Those things are not so simple as they used to seem；〃 said the general；
with a seriousness beyond his wont in things that did not immediately
concern his own comfort or advantage。
LXXVI。
In the mean time Mrs。 March and Miss Triscoe were discussing another
offence of Burnamy's。
〃It wasn't；〃 said the girl； excitedly； after a plunge through all the
minor facts to the heart of the matter； 〃that he hadn't a perfect right
to do it； if he thought I didn't care for him。 I had refused him at
Carlsbad； and I had forbidden him to speak to me abouton the subject。
But that was merely temporary； and he ought to have known it。 He ought to
have known that I couldn't accept him； on the spur of the moment； that
way； and when he had come back； after going away in disgrace； before he
had done anything to justify himself。 I couldn't have kept my self…
respect； and as it was I had the greatest difficulty； and he ought to
have seen it。 Of course he said afterwards that he didn't see it。 But
whenwhen I found out that SHE had been in Weimar； and all that time；
while I had been suffering in Carlsbad and Wurzburg； and longing to see
himlet him know how I was really feelinghe was flirting with that
that girl； then I saw that he was a false nature； and I determined to put
an end to everything。 And that is what I did； and I shall always think
Idid rightand〃
The rest was lost in Agatha's handkerchief； which she put up to her eyes。
Mrs。 March watched her from her pillow keeping the girl's unoccupied hand
in her own； and softly pressing it till the storm was past sufficiently
to allow her to be heard。
Then she said； 〃Men are very strangethe best of them。 And from the
very fact that he was disappointed； he would be all the more apt to rush
into a flirtation with somebody else。〃
Miss Triscoe took down her handkerchief from a face that had certainly
not been beautified by grief。 〃I didn't blame him for the flirting； or
not so much。 It was his keeping it from me afterwards。 He ought to have
told me the very first instant we were engaged。 But he didn't。 He let
it go on； and if I hadn't happened on that bouquet I might never have
known anything about it。 That is what I mean bya false nature。
I wouldn't have minded his deceiving me； but to let me deceive myself
Oh； it was too much！〃
Agatha hid her face in her handkerchief again。 She was perching on the
edge of the berth； and Mrs。 March said； with a glance； which she did not
see； toward the sofa； 〃I'm afraid that's rather a hard seat for you。
〃Oh； no； thank you！ I'm perfectly comfortableI like itif you don't
mind？〃
Mrs。 March pressed her hand for answer； and after another little delay；
sighed and said； 〃They are not like us； and we cannot help it。 They are
more temporizing。〃
〃How do you mean？〃 Agatha unmasked again。
〃They can bear to keep things better than we can； and they trust to time
to bring them right； or to come right of themselves。〃
〃I don't think Mr。 March would trust things to come right of themselves！〃
said Agatha in indignant accusal of Mrs。 March's sincerity。
〃Ah； that's just what he would do； my dear； and has done； all along； and
I don't believe we could have lived through without it： we should have
quarrelled ourselves into the grave！〃
〃Mrs。 March！〃
〃Yes； indeed。 I don't mean that he would ever deceive me。 But he would
let things go on； and hope that somehow they would come right without any
fuss。〃
〃Do you mean that he would let anybody deceive themselves？〃
〃I'm afraid he wouldif he thought it would come right。 It used to be a
terrible trial to me； and it is yet； at times when I don't remember that
he means nothing but good and kindness by it。 Only the other day in
Ansbachhow long ago it seems！he let a poor old woman give him her
son's address in Jersey City； and allowed her to believe he would look
him up when we got back and tell him we had seen her。 I don't believe；
unless I keep right round after him； as we say in New England； that he'll
ever go near the man。〃
Agatha looked daunted； but she said； 〃That is a very different thing。〃
〃It isn't a different kind of thing。 And it shows what men are；the
sweetest and best of them； that is。 They are terribly apt to be
easy…going。〃
〃Then you think I was all wrong？〃 the girl asked in a tremor。
〃No； indeed！ You were right； because you really expected perfection of
him。 You expected the ideal。 And that's what makes all the trouble； in
married