their silver wedding journey v3-第17章

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！


Schiller　house；　but　the　Schiller　flat；　of　three　or　four　rooms；　one　flight
up；　whose　windows　look　out　upon　the　street　named　after　the　poet。　　The
whole　place　is　bare　and　clean；　in　one　corner　of　the　large　room　fronting
the　street　stands　Schiller's　writing…table；　with　his　chair　before　it；
with　the　foot　extending　toward　this　there　stands；　in　another　corner；　the
narrow　bed　on　which　he　died；　some　withered　wreaths　on　the　pillow　frame　a
picture　of　his　deathmask；　which　at　first　glance　is　like　his　dead　face
lying　there。　　It　is　all　rather　tasteless；　and　all　rather　touching；　and
the　place　with　its　meagre　appointments；　as　compared　with　the　rich　Goethe
house；　suggests　that　personal　competition　with　Goethe　in　which　Schiller
is　always　falling　into　the　second　place。　　Whether　it　will　be　finally　so
with　him　in　literature　it　is　too　early　to　ask　of　time；　and　upon　other
points　eternity　will　not　be　interrogated。　　〃The　great；　Goethe　and　the
good　Schiller；〃　they　remain；　and　yet；　March　reasoned；　there　was　something
good　in　Goethe　and　something　great；　in　Schiller。

He　was　so　full　of　the　pathos　of　their　inequality　before　the　world　that　he
did　not　heed　the　warning　on　the　door　of　the　pastry…shop　near　the　Schiller
house；　and　on　opening　it　he　bedaubed　his　hand　with　the　fresh　paint　on　it。
He　was　then　in　such　a　state；　that　he　could　not　bring　his　mind　to　bear
upon　the　question　of　which　cakes　his　wife　would　probably　prefer；　and　he
stood　helplessly　holding　up　his　hand　till　the　good　woman　behind　the
counter　discovered　his　plight；　and　uttered　a　loud　cry　of　compassion。
She　ran　and　got　a　wet　napkin；　which　she　rubbed　with　soap；　and　then　she
instructed　him　by　word　and　gesture　to　rub　his　hand　upon　it；　and　she　did
not　leave　him　till　his　rescue　was　complete。　　He　let　her　choose　a　variety
of　the　cakes　for　him；　and　came　away　with　a　gay　paper　bag　full　of　them；
and　with　the　feeling　that　he　had　been　in　more　intimate　relations　with　the
life　of　Weimar　than　travellers　are　often　privileged　to　be。　　He　argued
from　the　instant　and　intelligent　sympathy　of　the　pastry　woman　a　high
grade　of　culture　in　all　classes；　and　he　conceived　the　notion　of
pretending　to　Mrs。　March　that　he　had　got　these　cakes　from；　a　descendant
of　Schiller。

His　deceit　availed　with　her　for　the　brief　moment　in　which　she　always；
after　so　many　years'　experience　of　his　duplicity；　believed　anything　he
told　her。　　They　dined　merrily　together　at　their　hotel；　and　then　Burnamy
came　down　to　the　station　with　them　and　was　very　comfortable　to　March　in
helping　him　to　get　their　tickets　and　their　baggage　registered。　　The　train
which　was　to　take　them　to　Halle；　where　they　were　to　change　for　Berlin；
was　rather　late；　and　they　had　but　ten　minutes　after　it　came　in　before　it
would　start　again。　　Mrs。　March　was　watching　impatiently　at　the　window　of
the　waiting…room　for　the　dismounting　passengers　to　clear　the　platform　and
allow　the　doors　to　be　opened；　suddenly　she　gave　a　cry；　and　turned　and　ran
into　the　passage　by　which　the　new　arrivals　were　pouring　out　toward　the
superabundant　omnibuses。　　March　and　Burnamy；　who　had　been　talking　apart；
mechanically　rushed　after　her　and　found　her　kissing　Miss　Triscoe　and
shaking　hands　with　the　general　amidst　a　tempest　of　questions　and　answers；
from　which　it　appeared　that　the　Triscoes　had　got　tired　of　staying　in
Wurzburg；　and　had　simply　come　on　to　Weimar　a　day　sooner　than　they　had
intended。

The；　general　was　rather　much　bundled　up　for　a　day　which　was　mild　for　a
German　summer　day；　and　he　coughed　out　an　explanation　that　he　had　taken　an
abominable　cold　at　that　ridiculous　parade；　and　had　not　shaken　it　off　yet。
He　had　a　notion　that　change　of　air　would　be　better　for　him；　it　could　not
be　worse。

He　seemed　a　little　vague　as　to　Burnamy；　rather　than　inimical。　　While　the
ladies　were　still　talking　eagerly　together　in　proffer　and　acceptance　of
Mrs。　March's　lamentations　that　she　should　be　going　away　just　as　Miss
Triscoe　was　coming；　he　asked　if　the　omnibus　for　their　hotel　was　there。
He　by　no　means　resented　Burnamy's　assurance　that　it　was；　and　he　did　not
refuse　to　let　him　order　their　baggage；　little　and　large；　loaded　upon　it。
By　the　time　this　was　done；　Mrs。　March　and　Miss　Triscoe　had　so　far
detached　themselves　from　each　other　that　they　could　separate　after　one
more　formal　expression　of　regret　and　forgiveness。　　With　a　lament　into
which　she　poured　a　world　of　inarticulate　emotions；　Mrs。　March　wrenched
herself　from　the　place；　and　suffered　herself；　to　be　pushed　toward　her
train。　　But　with　the　last　long　look　which　she　cast　over　her　shoulder；
before　she　vanished　into　the　waiting…room；　she　saw　Miss　Triscoe　and
Burnamy　transacting　the　elaborate　politenesses　of　amiable　strangers　with
regard　to　the　very　small　bag　which　the　girl　had　in　her　hand。　　He
succeeded　in　relieving　her　of　it；　and　then　he　led　the　way　out　of　the
station　on　the　left　of　the　general；　while　Miss　Triscoe　brought　up　the
rear。




LXIII。

From　the　window　of　the　train　as　it　drew　out　Mrs。　March　tried　for　a
glimpse　of　the　omnibus　in　which　her　proteges　were　now　rolling　away
together。　　As　they　were　quite　out　of　sight　in　the　omnibus；　which　was
itself　out　of　sight；　she　failed；　but　as　she　fell　back　against　her　seat
she　treated　the　recent　incident　with　a　complexity　and　simultaneity　of
which　no　report　can　give　an　idea。　　At　the　end　one　fatal　conviction
remained：　that　in　everything　she　had　said　she　had　failed　to　explain　to
Miss　Triscoe　how　Burnamy　happened　to　be　in　Weimar　and　how　he　happened　to
be　there　with　them　in　the　station。　　She　required　March　to　say　how　she　had
overlooked　the　very　things　which　she　ought　to　have　mentioned　first；　and
which　she　had　on　the　point　of　her　tongue　the　whole　time。　　She　went　over
the　entire　ground　again　to　see　if　she　could　discover　the　reason　why　she
had　made　such　an　unaccountable　break；　and　it　appeared　that　she　was　led　to
it　by　his　rushing　after　her　with　Burnamy　before　she　had　had　a　chance　to
say　a　word　about　him；　of　course　she　could　not　say　anything　in　his
presence。　　This　gave　her　some　comfort；　and　there　was　consolation　in　the
fact　that　she　had　left　them　together　without　the　least　intention　or
connivance；　and　now；　no　matter　what　happened；　she　could　not　accuse
herself；　and　he　could　not　accuse　her　of　match…making。

He　said　that　his　own　sense　of　guilt　was　so　great　that　he　should　not　dream
of　accusing　her　of　anything　except　of　regret　that　now　she　could　never
claim　the　credit　of　bringing　the　lovers　together　under　circumstances　so
favorable。　　As　soon　as　they　were　engaged　they　could　join　in　renouncing
her　with　a　good　conscience；　and　they　would　probably　make　this　the　basis
of　their　efforts　to　propitiate　the　general。

She　said　she　did　not　care；　and　with　the　mere　removal　of　the　lovers　in
space；　her　interest　in　them　began　to　abate。　　They　began　to　be　of　a　minor
importance　in　the　anxieties　of　the　change　of　trains　at　Halle；　and　in　the
excitement　of　settling　into　the　express　from　Frankfort　there　were　moments
when　they　were　altogether　forgotten。　　The　car　was　of　almost　American
length；　and　it　ran　with　almost　American　smoothness；　when　the　conductor
came　and　collected　an　extra　fare　for　their　seats；　the　Marches　felt　that
if　the　charge　had　been　two　dollars　instead　of　two　marks　they　would　have
had　every　advantage　of　American　travel。

On　the　way　to　Berlin　the　country　was　now　fertile　and　flat；　and　now
sterile　and　flat；　near　the　capital　the　level　sandy　waste　spread　almost　to
its　gates。　　The　train　ran　quickly　through　the　narrow　fringe　of　suburbs；
and　then　they　were　in　one　of　those　vast　Continental　stations　which　put
our　outdated　depots　to　shame。　　The　good　'traeger'　who　took　possession　of
them　and　their　hand…bags；　put　their　boxes　on　a　baggage…bearing　drosky；
and　then　got　them　another　drosky　for　their　personal　transportation。　　This
was　a　drosky　of　the　first…class；　but　they　would　not　have　thought　it　so；
either　from　the　vehicle　itself；　or　from　the　appearance　of　the　driver　and
his　horses。　　The　public　carriages　of　Germany　are　the　shabbiest　in　the
world；　at　Berlin　the　horses　look　like　old　hair　trunks　and　the　drivers
like　their　moth…eaten　contents。

The　Marches　got　no　splendor　for　the　two　prices　they　paid；　and　their
approach　to　their　hotel　on　Unter　den　Linden　was　as　unimpressive　as　the
ignoble　avenue　itself。　　It　was　a　moist；　cold　evening；　and　the　mean；
tiresome　street；　slopped　and　splashed　under　its　two　rows　of　small　trees；
to　which　the　thinning　leaves　clung　like　wet　rags；　between　long　lines　of
shops　and　hotels　which　had　neither　the　grace　of　Paris　nor　the　grandiosity
of　New　York。　　March　quoted　in　bitter　derision：

　　　　　　　　　〃Bees；　bees；　was　it　your　hydromel；
　　　　　　　　　　Under　the　Lindens？〃

and　his　wife　said　that　if　Commonwealth　Avenue　in　Boston　could　be　imagined
with　its　trees　and　without　their　beauty；　flanked　by　the　architecture　of
Sixth　Avenue；　with　dashes　of　the　west　side　of　Union　Square；　that　would　be
the　famous　Unter　den　Linden；　where　she　had　so　resolutely　decided　that
they　would　stay　while　in　Berlin。

They　had　agreed　upon　the　hotel；　and　neither　could　blame　the　other　because
it　proved　second…rate　in　everything　but　its　charges。　　They　ate　a　poorish
table　d'hote　dinner　in　such　low　spirits　that　March　had　no　heart　to　get　a
rise　from　his　wife　by　calling　her　notice　to　the　mouse　which　fed　upon　the
crumbs　about　their　feet　while　they　dined。　　Their　English…speaking　waiter
said　that　it　was　a　very　warm　evening；　and　they　never　knew　whether　this
was　because　he　was　a　humorist；　or　because　he　was　lonely　and　wished　to
talk；　or　because　it　really　was　a　warm　evening；　for　Berlin。　　When　they　had
finished；　they　went　out　and　drove　about　the　greater　part　of　the　evening
looking　for　another　hotel；　whose　first　requisite　should　be　that　it　was
not　on　Unter　den　Linden。　　What　mainly　determined　Mrs。　March　in　favor　of
the　large；　handsome；　impersonal　place　they　fixed　upon　was　the　fact　that
it　was　equipped　for　steam…heating；　what　determined　March　was　the　fact
that　it　had　a　passenger…office　where　when　he　wished　to　leave；　he　could
buy　his　railroad　tickets　and　have　his　baggage　checked　without　the
maddening　anxiety；　of　doing　it　at　the　station。　　But　it　was　precisely　in
these　points　that　the　hotel　which　admirably　fulfilled　its　other　functions
fell　short。　　The　weather　made　a　succession　of　efforts　throughout　their
stay　to　clear　up　cold；　it　merely　grew　colder　without　clearing　up；　but
this　seemed　to　offer　no　suggestion　of　steam　for　heating　their　bleak
apartment　and　the　chilly　corridors　to　the　management。　　With　the　help　of　a
large　lamp　which　they　kept　burning　night　and　day　they　got　the　temperature
of　their　rooms　up　to　sixty；　there　was　neither　stove　nor　fireplace；　the
cold　electric　bulbs　diffused　a　frosty　glare；　and　in　the　vast；　stately
dining…room　with　its　vaulted　roof；　there　was　nothing　to　warm　them　but
their　plates；　and　the　handles　of　their　knives　and　forks；　which；　by　a
mysterious　inspiration；　were　always　hot。　　When　they　were　ready　to　go；
March　experienced　from　the　apathy　of　the　baggage　clerk　and　the　reluctance
of　the　porters　a　more　piercing　distress　than　any　he　had　known　at　the
railroad　stations；　and　one　luckless　valise　which　he　ordered　sent　after
him　by　express　reached　his　bankers　in　Paris　a　fortnight　overdue；　with　an
accumulation　of　charges　upon　it　outvaluing　the　books　which