their silver wedding journey v3-第15章

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custodian　showed　them　the　little　tin　dishes　and　saucepans　which　the
German　Empress　Augusta　and　her　sisters　played　with　when　they　were
children。　　The　sight　of　these　was　more　affecting　even　than　the　withered
wreaths　which　they　had　left　on　the　death…bed　of　their　mother；　and　which
are　still　mouldering　there。

This　was　in　the　Belvedere；　the　country　house　on　the　height　overlooking
Weimar；　where　the　grand…ducal　family　spend　the　month　of　May；　and　where
the　stranger　finds　himself　amid　overwhelming　associations　of　Goethe；
although　the　place　is　so　full　of　relics　and　memorials　of　the　owners。
It　seemed　in　fact　to　be　a　storehouse　for　the　wedding…presents　of　the
whole　connection；　which　were　on　show　in　every　room；　Mrs。　March　hardly
knew　whether　they　heightened　the　domestic　effect　or　took　from　it；　but
they　enabled　her　to　verify　with　the　custodian's　help　certain　royal
intermarriages　which　she　had　been　in　doubt　about　before。

Her　zeal　for　these　made　such　favor　with　him　that　he　did　not　spare　them　a
portrait　of　all　those　which　March　hoped　to　escape；　he　passed　them　over；
scarcely　able　to　stand；　to　the　gardener；　who　was　to　show　them　the　open…
air　theatre　where　Goethe　used　to　take　part　in　the　plays。

The　Natur…Theater　was　of　a　classic　ideal；　realized　in　the　trained　vines
and　clipped　trees　which　formed　the　coulisses。　　There　was　a　grassy　space
for　the　chorus　and　the　commoner　audience；　and　then　a　few　semicircular
gradines　cut　in　the　turf；　one　alcove　another；　where　the　more　honored
spectators　sat。　　Behind　the　seats　were　plinths　bearing　the　busts　of
Goethe；　Schiller；　Wieland；　and　Herder。　　It　was　all　very　pretty；　and　if
ever　the　weather　in　Weimar　was　dry　enough　to　permit　a　performance；　it
must　have　been　charming　to　see　a　play　in　that　open　day　to　which　the　drama
is　native；　though　in　the　late　hours　it　now　keeps　in　the　thick　air　of
modern　theatres　it　has　long　forgotten　the　fact。　　It　would　be　difficult　to
be　Greek　under　a　German　sky；　even　when　it　was　not　actually　raining；　but
March　held　that　with　Goethe's　help　it　might　have　been　done　at　Weimar；　and
his　wife　and　he　proved　themselves　such　enthusiasts　for　the　Natur…Theater
that　the　walnut…faced　old　gardener　who　showed　it　put　together　a　sheaf　of
the　flowers　that　grew　nearest　it　and　gave　them　to　Mrs。　March　for　a
souvenir。

They　went　for　a　cup　of　tea　to　the　caf？which　looks；　as　from　another
eyebrow　of　the　hill；　out　over　lovely　little　Weimar　in　the　plain　below。
In　a　moment　of　sunshine　the　prospect　was　very　smiling；　but　their　spirits
sank　over　their　tea　when　it　came；　they　were　at　least　sorry　they　had　not
asked　for　coffee。　　Most　of　the　people　about　them　were　taking　beer；
including　the　pretty　girls　of　a　young　ladies'　school；　who　were　there　with
their　books　and　needle…work；　in　the　care　of　one　of　the　teachers；
apparently　for　the　afternoon。

Mrs。　March　perceived　that　they　were　not　so　much　engaged　with　their　books
or　their　needle…work　but　they　had　eyes　for　other　things；　and　she　followed
the　glances　of　the　girls　till　they　rested　upon　the　people　at　a　table
somewhat　obliquely　to　the　left。　　These　were　apparently　a　mother　and
daughter；　and　they　were　listening　to　a　young　man　who　sat　with　his　back　to
Mrs。　March；　and　leaned　low　over　the　table　talking　to　them。　　They　were
both　smiling　radiantly；　and　as　the　girl　smiled　she　kept　turning　herself
from　the　waist　up；　and　slanting　her　face　from　this　side　to　that；　as　if　to
make　sure　that　every　one　saw　her　smiling。

Mrs。　March　felt　her　husband's　gaze　following　her　own；　and　she　had　just
time　to　press　her　finger　firmly　on　his　arm　and　reduce　his　cry　of
astonishment　to　the　hoarse　whisper　in　which　he　gasped；　〃Good　gracious！
It's　the　pivotal　girl！〃

At　the　same　moment　the　girl　rose　with　her　mother；　and　with　the　young　man；
who　had　risen　too；　came　directly　toward　the　Marches　on　their　way　out　of
the　place　without　noticing　them；　though　Burnamy　passed　so　near　that　Mrs。
March　could　almost　have　touched　him。

She　had　just　strength　to　say；　〃Well；　my　dear！　　That　was　the　cut　direct。〃

She　said　this　in　order　to　have　her　husband　reassure　her。　　〃Nonsense！　He
never　saw　us。　　Why　didn't　you　speak　to　him？〃

〃Speak　to　him？　　I　never　shall　speak　to　him　again。　　No！　　This　is　the　last
of　Mr。　Burnamy　for　me。　　I　shouldn't　have　minded　his　not　recognizing　us；
for；　as　you　say；　I　don't　believe　he　saw　us；　but　if　he　could　go　back　to
such　a　girl　as　that；　and　flirt　with　her；　after　Miss　Triscoe；　that's　all　I
wish　to　know　of　him。　　Don't　you　try　to　look　him　up；　Basil。！　　I'm　glad…
yes；　I'm　glad　he　doesn't　know　how　Stoller　has　come　to　feel　about　him；　he
deserves　to　suffer；　and　I　hope　he'll　keep　on　suffering：　You　were　quite
right；　my　dearand　it　shows　how　true　your　instinct　is　in　such　things　（I
don't　call　it　more　than　instinct）not　to　tell　him　what　Stoller　said；　and
I　don't　want　you　ever　should。〃

She　had　risen　in　her　excitement；　and　was　making　off　in　such　haste　that
she　would　hardly　give　him　time　to　pay　for　their　tea；　as　she　pulled　him
impatiently　to　their　carriage。

At　last　he　got　a　chance　to　say；　〃I　don't　think　I　can　quite　promise　that；
my　mind's　been　veering　round　in　the　other　direction。　　I　think　I　shall
tell　him。〃

〃What！　　After　you've　seen　him　flirting　with　that　girl？　　Very　well；　then；
you　won't；　my　dear；　that's　all！　　He's　behaving　very　basely　to　Agatha。〃

〃What's　his　flirtation　with　all　the　girls　in　the　universe　to　do　with　my
duty　to　him？　　He　has　a　right　to　know　what　Stoller　thinks。　　And　as　to　his
behaving　badly　toward　Miss　Triscoe；　how　has　he　done　it？　　So　far　as　you
know；　there　is　nothing　whatever　between　them。　　She　either　refused　him
outright；　that　last　night　in　Carlsbad；　or　else　she　made　impossible
conditions　with　him。　　Burnamy　is　simply　consoling　himself；　and　I　don't
blame　him。〃

〃Consoling　himself　with　a　pivotal　girl！〃　　cried　Mrs。　March。

〃Yes；　with　a　pivotal　girl。　　Her　pivotality　may　be　a　nervous　idiosyncrasy；
or　it　may　be　the　effect　of　tight　lacing；　perhaps　she　has　to　keep　turning
and　twisting　that　way　to　get　breath。　　But　attribute　the　worst　motive：　say
it　is　to　make　people　look　at　her！　Well；　Burnamy　has　a　right　to　look　with
the　rest；　and　I　am　not　going　to　renounce　him　because　he　takes　refuge　with
one　pretty　girl　from　another。　　It's　what　men　have　been　doing　from　the
beginning　of　time。〃

〃Oh；　I　dare　say！〃

〃Men；〃　he　went　on；　〃are　very　delicately　constituted；　very　peculiarly。
They　have　been　known　to　seek　the　society　of　girls　in　general；　of　any
girl；　because　some　girl　has　made　them　happy；　and　when　some　girl　has　made
them　unhappy；　they　are　still　more　susceptible。　　Burnamy　may　be　merely
amusing　himself；　or　he　may　be　consoling　himself；　but　in　either　case　I
think　the　pivotal　girl　has　as　much　right　to　him　as　Miss　Triscoe。　　She　had
him　first；　and　I'm　all　for　her。〃




LXI。

Burnamy　came　away　from　seeing　the　pivotal　girl　and　her　mother　off　on　the
train　which　they　were　taking　that　evening　for　Frankfort　and　Hombourg；　and
strolled　back　through　the　Weimar　streets　little　at　ease　with　himself。
While　he　was　with　the　girl　and　near　her　he　had　felt　the　attraction　by
which　youth　impersonally　draws　youth；　the　charm　which　mere　maid　has　for
mere　man；　but　once　beyond　the　range　of　this　he　felt　sick　at　heart　and
ashamed。　　He　was　aware　of　having　used　her　folly　as　an　anodyne　for　the
pain　which　was　always　gnawing　at　him；　and　he　had　managed　to　forget　it　in
her　folly；　but　now　it　came　back；　and　the　sense　that　he　had　been　reckless
of　her　rights　came　with　it。　　He　had　done　his　best　to　make　her　think　him
in　love　with　her；　by　everything　but　words；　he　wondered　how　he　could　be
such　an　ass；　such　a　wicked　ass；　as　to　try　making　her　promise　to　write　to
him　from　Frankfort；　he　wished　never　to　see　her　again；　and　he　wished　still
less　to　hear　from　her。　　It　was　some　comfort　to　reflect　that　she　had　not
promised；　but　it　was　not　comfort　enough　to　restore　him　to　such
fragmentary　self…respect　as　he　had　been　enjoying　since　he　parted　with
Agatha　Triscoe　in　Carlsbad；　he　could　not　even　get　back　to　the　resentment
with　which　he　had　been　staying　himself　somewhat　before　the　pivotal　girl
unexpectedly　appeared　with　her　mother　in　Weimar。

It　was　Sedan　Day；　but　there　was　apparently　no　official　observance　of　the
holiday；　perhaps　because　the　Grand…Duke　was　away　at　the　manoeuvres；　with
all　the　other　German　princes。　　Burnamy　had　hoped　for　some　voluntary
excitement　among　the　people；　at　least　enough　to　warrant　him　in　making　a
paper　about　Sedan　Day　in　Weimar；　which　he　could　sell　somewhere；　but　the
night　was　falling；　and　there　was　still　no　sign　of　popular　rejoicing　over
the　French　humiliation　twenty…eight　years　before；　except　in　the　multitude
of　Japanese　lanterns　which　the　children　were　everywhere　carrying　at　the
ends　of　sticks。　　Babies　had　them　in　their　carriages；　and　the　effect　of
the　floating　lights　in　the　winding；　up…and…down…hill　streets　was　charming
even　to　Burnamy's　lack…lustre　eyes。　　He　went　by　his　hotel　and　on　to　a
caf？with　a　garden；　where　there　was　a　patriotic；　concert　promised；　he
supped　there；　and　then　sat　dreamily　behind　his　beer；　while　the　music
banged　and　brayed　round　him　unheeded。

Presently　he　heard　a　voice　of　friendly　banter　saying　in　English；　〃May　I
sit　at　your　table？〃　and　he　saw　an　ironical　face　looking　down　on　him。
〃There　doesn't　seem　any　other　place。〃

〃Why；　Mr。　March！〃　Burnamy　sprang　up　and　wrung　the　hand　held　out　to　him；
but　he　choked　with　his　words　of　recognition；　it　was　so　good　to　see　this
faithful　friend　again；　though　he　saw　him　now　as　he　had　seen　him　last；
just　when　he　had　so　little　reason　to　be　proud　of　himself。

March　settled　his　person　in　the　chair　facing　Burnamy；　and　then　glanced
round　at　the　joyful　jam　of　people　eating　and　drinking；　under　a　firmament
of　lanterns。　　〃This　is　pretty；〃　he　said；　〃mighty　pretty。　　I　shall　make
Mrs。　March　sorry　for　not　coming；　when　I　go　back。〃

〃Is　Mrs。　Marchshe　iswith　youin　Weimar？〃　Burnamy　asked　stupidly。

March　forbore　to　take　advantage　of　him。　　〃Oh；　yes。　　We　saw　you　out　at
Belvedere　this　afternoon。　　Mrs。　March　thought　for　a　moment　that　you　meant
not　to　see　us。　　A　woman　likes　to　exercise　her　imagination　in　those　little
flights。〃

〃I　never　dreamed　of　your　being　thereI　never　saw〃　Burnamy　began。

〃Of　course　not。　　Neither　did　Mrs。　Etkins；　nor　Miss　Etkins；　she　was
looking　very　pretty。　　Have　you　been　here　some　time？〃

〃Not　long。　　A　week　or　so。　　I've　been　at　the　parade　at　Wurzburg。〃

〃At　Wurzburg！　Ah；　how　little　the　world　is；　or　how　large　Wurzburg　is！
We　were　there　nearly　a　week；　and　we　pervaded　the　place。　　But　there　was　a
great　crowd　for　you　to　hide　in　from　us。　　What　had　I　better　take？〃
A　waiter　had　come　up；　and　was　standing　at　March's　elbow。　　〃I　suppose　I
mustn't　sit　here　without　ordering　something？〃

〃White　wine　and　selters；〃　said　Burnamy　vaguely。

〃The　very　thing！　　Why　didn't　I　think　of　it？　　It's　a　divine　drink：　it
satisfies　without　filling。　　I　had　it　a　night　or　two　before　we　left　home；
in　the　Madison　Square　Roof　Garden。　　Have　you　seen　'Every　Other　Week'
lately？〃

〃No；〃　said　Burnamy；　with　more　spirit　than　he　had　yet　shown。

〃We've　just　got　our　mail　from　Nuremberg。　　The　last　number　has　a　poem　in
it　that　I　rather　like。〃　　March　laughed　to　see　the　young　fellow's　face
light　up　with　joyful　consciousness。　　〃Come　round　to　my　hotel；　after
you're　tired　here；　and　I'll