按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
in the country back of it； and she came with her husband for the shooting
in the autumn。 By a natural transition she spoke of her children； for
whom she had an English governess； she said she had never been in
England； but had learnt the language from a governess in her own
childhood； and through it all Mrs。 March perceived that she was trying to
impress them with her consequence。 To humor her pose； she said they had
been looking up the scene of Kaspar Hauser's death at Ansbach； and at
this the stranger launched into such intimate particulars concerning him；
and was so familiar at first hands with the facts of his life； that Mrs。
March let her run on； too much amused with her pretensions to betray any
doubt of her。 She wondered if March were enjoying it all as much； and
from time to time she tried to catch his eye； while the lady talked
constantly and rather loudly； helping herself out with words from them
both when her English failed her。 In the safety of her perfect
understanding of the case； Mrs。 March now submitted farther； and even
suffered some patronage from her； which in another mood she would have
met with a decided snub。
As they drew in among the broad vine…webbed slopes of the Wurzburg；
hills； the stranger said she was going to change there； and take a train
on to Berlin。 Mrs。 March wondered whether she would be able to keep up
the comedy to the last； and she had to own that she carried it off very
easily when the friends whom she was expecting did not meet her on the
arrival of their train。 She refused March's offers of help； and remained
quietly seated while he got out their wraps and bags。 She returned with
a hardy smile the cold leave Mrs。 March took of her； and when a porter
came to the door； and forced his way by the Marches； to ask with anxious
servility if she； were the Baroness von…； she bade the man get them。
a 'traeger'； and then come back for her。 She waved them a complacent
adieu before they mixed with the crowd and lost sight of her。
〃Well； my dear；〃 said March； addressing the snobbishness in his wife
which he knew to be so wholly impersonal； 〃you've mingled with one
highhote； anyway。 I must say she didn't look it； any more than the Duke
and Duchess of Orleans； and yet she's only a baroness。 Think of our
being three hours in the same compartment； and she doing all she could to
impress us and our getting no good of it！ I hoped you were feeling her
quality； so that we should have it in the family； anyway； and always know
what it was like。 But so far； the highhotes have all been terribly
disappointing。〃
He teased on as they followed the traeger with their baggage out of the
station； and in the omnibus on the way to their hotel； he recurred to the
loss they had suffered in the baroness's failure to dramatize her
nobility effectually。 〃After all； perhaps she was as much disappointed
in us。 I don't suppose we looked any more like democrats than she looked
like an aristocrat。〃
〃But there's a great difference；〃 Mrs。 March returned at last。 〃It isn't
at all a parallel case。 We were not real democrats； and she was a real
aristocrat。〃
〃To be sure。 There is that way of looking at it。 That's rather novel； I
wish I had thought of that myself。 She was certainly more to blame than
we were。〃
LII。
The square in front of the station was planted with flag…poles wreathed
in evergreens； a triumphal arch was nearly finished； and a colossal
allegory in imitation bronze was well on the way to completion； in honor
of the majesties who were coming for the manoeuvres。 The streets which
the omnibus passed through to the Swan Inn were draped with the imperial
German and the royal Bavarian colors； and the standards of the visiting
nationalities decked the fronts of the houses where their military
attaches were lodged； but the Marches failed to see our own banner； and
were spared for the moment the ignominy of finding it over an apothecary
shop in a retired avenue。 The sun had come out； the sky overhead was of
a smiling blue； and they felt the gala…day glow and thrill in the depths
of their inextinguishable youth。
The Swan Inn sits on one of the long quays bordering the Main； and its
windows look down upon the bridges and shipping of the river； but the
traveller reaches it by a door in the rear； through an archway into a
back street； where an odor dating back to the foundation of the city is
waiting to welcome him。
The landlord was there； too； and he greeted the Marches so cordially that
they fully partook his grief in being able to offer them rooms on the
front of the house for two nights only。 They reconciled themselves to
the necessity of then turning out for the staff of the King of Saxony；
the more readily because they knew that there was no hope of better
things at any other hotel。
The rooms which they could have for the time were charming； and they came
down to supper in a glazed gallery looking out on the river picturesque
with craft of all fashions： with row…boats； sail…boats； and little
steamers； but mainly with long black barges built up into houses in the
middle； and defended each by a little nervous German dog。 Long rafts of
logs weltered in the sunset red which painted the swift current； and
mantled the immeasurable vineyards of the hills around like the color of
their ripening grapes。 Directly in face rose a castled steep； which kept
the ranging walls and the bastions and battlements of the time when such
a stronghold could have defended the city from foes without or from
tumult within。 The arches of a stately bridge spanned the river
sunsetward； and lifted a succession of colossal figures against the
crimson sky。
〃I guess we have been wasting our time； my dear；〃 said March； as they；
turned from this beauty to the question of supper。 〃I wish we had always
been here！〃
Their waiter had put them at a table in a division of the gallery beyond
that which they entered； where some groups of officers were noisily
supping。 There was no one in their room but a man whose face was
indistinguishable against the light； and two young girls who glanced at
them with looks at once quelled and defiant； and then after a stare at
the officers in the gallery beyond； whispered together with suppressed
giggling。 The man fed on without noticing them； except now and then to
utter a growl that silenced the whispering and giggling for a moment。
The Marches； from no positive evidence of any sense； decided that they
were Americans。
〃I don't know that I feel responsible for them as their fellow…
countryman； I should； once；〃 he said。
〃It isn't that。 It's the worry of trying to make out why they are just
what they are；〃 his wife returned。
The girls drew the man's attention to them and he looked at them for the
first time； then after a sort of hesitation he went on with his supper。
They had only begun theirs when he rose with the two girls； whom Mrs。
March now saw to be of the same size and dressed alike； and came heavily
toward them。
〃I thought you was in Carlsbad；〃 he said bluntly to March； with a nod at
Mrs。 March。 He added； with a twist of his head toward the two girls；
〃My daughters；〃 and then left them to her； while he talked on with her
husband。 〃Come to see this foolery； I suppose。 I'm on my way to the
woods for my after…cure； but I thought I might as well stop and give the
girls a chance； they got a week's vacation； anyway。〃 Stoller glanced at
them with a sort of troubled tenderness in his strong dull face。
〃Oh； yes。 I understood they were at school here；〃 said March； and he
heard one of them saying； in a sweet； high pipe to his wife：
〃Ain't it just splendid？ I ha'n't seen anything equal to it since the
Worrld's Fairr。〃 She spoke with a strong contortion of the Western r；
and her sister hastened to put in：
〃I don't think it's to be compared with the Worrld's Fairr。 But these
German girls； here； just think it's great。 It just does me good to laff
at 'em； about it。 I like to tell 'em about the electric fountain and the
Courrt of Iionorr when they get to talkin' about the illuminations
they're goun' to have。 You goun' out to the parade？ You better engage
your carriage right away if you arre。 The carrs'll be a perfect jam。
Father's engaged ourrs； he had to pay sixty marrks forr it。〃
They chattered on without shyness and on as easy terms with a woman of
three times their years as if she had been a girl of their own age； they
willingly took the whole talk to themselves； and had left her quite
outside of it before Stoller turned to her。
〃I been telling Mr。 March here that you better both come to the parade
with us。 I guess my twospanner will hold five； or if it won't； we'll
make it。 I don't believe there's a carriage left in Wurzburg； and if you
go in the cars； you'll have to walk three or four miles before you get to
the parade…ground。 You think it over；〃 he said to March。 〃Nobody else
is going to have the places； anyway； and you can say yes at the last
minute just as well as now。〃
He moved off with his girls； who looked over their shoulders at the
officers as they passed on through the adjoining room。
〃My dear！〃 cried Mrs。 M