their silver wedding journey v3-第7章

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〃I　see　what　you　mean；〃　said　March；　with　a　dubious　glance　at　the　statue；
〃but　I'm　not　sure；　now；　that　I　wouldn't　like　something　quieter　in　my
Madonnas。〃

The　thoroughfare　which　they　emerged　upon；　with　the　cathedral　ending　the
prospective；　was　full　of　the　holiday　so　near　at　hand。　　The　narrow
sidewalks　were　thronged　with　people；　both　soldiers　and　civilians；　and　up
the　middle　of　the　street　detachments　of　military　came　and　went；　halting
the　little　horse…cars　and　the　huge　beer…wagons　which　otherwise　seemed　to
have　the　sole　right　to　the　streets　of　Wurzburg；　they　came　jingling　or
thundering　out　of　the　aide　streets　and　hurled　themselves　round　the
corners　reckless　of　the　passers；　who　escaped　alive　by　flattening
themselves　like　posters　against　the　house　walls。　　There　were　peasants；
men　and　women；　in　the　costume　which　the　unbroken　course　of　their　country
life　had　kept　as　quaint　as　it　was　a　hundred　years　before；　there　were
citizens　in　the　misfits　of　the　latest　German　fashions；　there　were
soldiers　of　all　arms　in　their　vivid　uniforms；　and　from　time　to　time　there
were　pretty　young　girls　in　white　dresses　with　low　necks；　and　bare　arms
gloved　to　the　elbows；　who　were　following　a　holiday　custom　of　the　place　in
going　about　the　streets　in　ball　costume。　　The　shop　windows　were　filled
with　portraits　of　the　Emperor　and　the　Empress；　and　the　Prince…Regent　and
the　ladies　of　his　family；　the　German　and　Bavarian　colors　draped　the
facades　of　the　houses　and　festooned　the　fantastic　Madonnas　posing　above
so　many　portals。　　The　modern　patriotism　included　the　ancient　piety
without　disturbing　it；　the　rococo　city　remained　ecclesiastical　through
its　new　imperialism；　and　kept　the　stamp　given　it　by　the　long　rule　of　the
prince…bishops　under　the　sovereignty　of　its　King　and　the　suzerainty　of
its　Kaiser。

The　Marches　escaped　from　the　present；　when　they　entered　the　cathedral；　as
wholly　as　if　they　had　taken　hold　of　the　horns　of　the　altar；　though　they
were　far　from　literally　doing　this　in　an　interior　so　grandiose。　　There
area　few　rococo　churches　in　Italy；　and　perhaps　more　in　Spain；　which
approach　the　perfection　achieved　by　the　Wurzburg　cathedral　in　the　baroque
style。　　For　once　one　sees　what　that　style　can　do　in　architecture　and
sculpture；　and　whatever　one　may　say　of　the　details；　one　cannot　deny　that
there　is　a　prodigiously　effective　keeping　in　it　all。　　This　interior　came
together；　as　the　decorators　say；　with　a　harmony　that　the　travellers　had
felt　nowhere　in　their　earlier　experience　of　the　rococo。　　It　was；
unimpeachably　perfect　in　its　way；　〃Just；〃　March　murmured　to　his　wife；
〃as　the　social　and　political　and　scientific　scheme　of　the　eighteenth
century　was　perfected　in　certain　times　and　places。　　But　the　odd　thing　is
to　find　the　apotheosis　of　the　rococo　away　up　here　in　Germany。　　I　wonder
how　much　the　prince…bishops　really　liked　it。　　But　they　had　become　rococo；
too！　　Look　at　that　row　of　their　statues　on　both　sides　of　the　nave！　　What
magnificent　swell！　　How　they　abash　this　poor　plain　Christ；　here；　he　would
like　to　get　behind　the　pillar；　he　knows　that　he　could　never　lend　himself
to　the　baroque　style。　　It　expresses　the　eighteenth　century；　though。　　But
how　you　long　for　some　little　hint　of　the　thirteenth；　or　even　the
nineteenth。〃

〃I　don't；〃　she　whispered　back。　　〃I'm　perfectly　wild　with　Wurzburg。
I　like　to　have　a　thing　go　as　far　as　it　can。　　At　Nuremberg　I　wanted　all
the　Gothic　I　could　get；　and　in　Wurzburg　I　want　all　the　baroque　I　can　get。
I　am　consistent。〃

She　kept　on　praising　herself　to　his　disadvantage；　as　women　do；　all　the
way　to　the　Neumunster　Church；　where　they　were　going　to　revere　the　tomb　of
Walther　yon　der　Vogelweide；　not　so　much　for　his　own　sake　as　for
Longfellow's。　　The　older　poet　lies　buried　within；　but　his　monument　is
outside　the　church；　perhaps　for　the　greater　convenience　of　the　sparrows；
which　now　represent　the　birds　he　loved。　　The　cenotaph　is　surmounted　by　a
broad　vase；　and　around　this　are　thickly　perched　the　effigies　of　the
Meistersinger's　feathered　friends；　from　whom　the　canons　of　the　church；　as
Mrs。　March　read　aloud　from　her　Baedeker；　long　ago　directed　his　bequest　to
themselves。　　In　revenge　for　their　lawless　greed　the　defrauded
beneficiaries　choose　to　burlesque　the　affair　by　looking　like　the　four…
and…twenty　blackbirds　when　the　pie　was　opened。

She　consented　to　go　for　a　moment　to　the　Gothic　Marienkapelle　with　her
husband　in　the　revival　of　his　mediaeval　taste；　and　she　was　rewarded
amidst　its　thirteenth…century　sincerity　by　his　recantation。　　〃You　are
right！　　Baroque　is　the　thing　for　Wurzburg；　one　can't　enjoy　Gothic　here
any　more　than　one　could　enjoy　baroque　in　Nuremberg。〃

Reconciled　in　the　rococo；　they　now　called　a　carriage；　and　went　to　visit
the　palace　of　the　prince…bishops　who　had　so　well　known　how　to　make　the
heavenly　take　the　image　and　superscription　of　the　worldly；　and　they　were
jointly　indignant　to　find　it　shut　against　the　public　in　preparation　for
the　imperialities　and　royalties　coining　to　occupy　it。　　They　were　in　time
for　the　noon　guard…mounting；　however；　and　Mrs。　March　said　that　the　way
the　retiring　squad　kicked　their　legs　out　in　the　high　martial　step　of　the
German　soldiers　was　a　perfect　expression　of　the　insolent　militarism　of
their　empire；　and　was　of　itself　enough　to　make　one　thank　Heaven　that　one
was　an　American　and　a　republican。　　She　softened　a　little　toward　their
system　when　it　proved　that　the　garden　of　the　palace　was　still　open；　and
yet　more　when　she　sank　down　upon　a　bench　between　two　marble　groups
representing　the　Rape　of　Proserpine　and　the　Rape　of　Europa。　　They　stood
each　in　a　gravelled　plot；　thickly　overrun　by　a　growth　of　ivy；　and　the
vine　climbed　the　white　naked　limbs　of　the　nymphs；　who　were　present　on　a
pretence　of　gathering　flowers；　but　really　to　pose　at　the　spectators；　and
clad　them　to　the　waist　and　shoulders　with　an　effect　of　modesty　never
meant　by　the　sculptor；　but　not　displeasing。　　There　was　an　old　fountain
near；　its　stone　rim　and　centre　of　rock…work　green　with　immemorial　mould；
and　its　basin　quivering　between　its　water…plants　under　the　soft　fall　of
spray。　　At　a　waft　of　fitful　breeze　some　leaves　of　early　autumn　fell　from
the　trees　overhead　upon　the　elderly　pair　where　they　sat；　and　a　little
company　of　sparrows　came　and　hopped　about　their　feet。　　Though　the　square
without　was　so　all　astir　with　festive　expectation；　there　were　few　people
in　the　garden；　three　or　four　peasant　women　in　densely　fluted　white　skirts
and　red　aprons　and　shawls　wandered　by　and　stared　at　the　Europa　and　at　the
Proserpine。

It　was　a　precious　moment　in　which　the　charm　of　the　city's　past　seemed　to
culminate；　and　they　were　loath　to　break　it　by　speech。

〃Why　didn't　we　have　something　like　all　this　on　our　first　wedding
journey？〃　she　sighed　at　last。　　〃To　think　of　our　battening　from　Boston　to
Niagara　and　back！　　And　how　hard　we　tried　to　make　something　of　Rochester
and　Buffalo；　of　Montreal　and　Quebec！〃

〃Niagara　wasn't　so　bad；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　will　never　go　back　on　Quebec。〃

〃Ah；　but　if　we　could　have　had　Hamburg　and　Leipsic；　and　Carlsbad　and
Nuremberg；　and　Ansbach　and　Wurzburg！　　Perhaps　this　is　meant　as　a
compensation　for　our　lost　youth。　　But　I　can't　enjoy　it　as　I　could　when　I
was　young。　　It's　wasted　on　my　sere　and　yellow　leaf。　　I　wish　Burnamy　and
Miss　Triscoe　were　here；　I　should　like　to　try　this　garden　on　them。〃

〃They　wouldn't　care　for　it；〃　he　replied；　and　upon　a　daring　impulse　he
added；　〃Kenby　and　Mrs。　Adding　might。〃　　If　she　took　this　suggestion　in
good　part；　he　could　tell　her　that　Kenby　was　in　Wurzburg。

〃Don't　speak　of　them！　　They're　in　just　that　besotted　early　middle…age
when　life　has　settled　into　a　self…satisfied　present；　with　no　past　and　no
future；　the　most　philistine；　the　most　bourgeois；　moment　of　existence。
Better　be　elderly　at　once；　as　far　as　appreciation　of　all　this　goes。〃
She　rose　and　put　her　hand　on　his　arm；　and　pushed　him　away　in　the
impulsive　fashion　of　her　youth；　across　alleys　of　old　trees　toward　a
balustraded　terrace　in　the　background　which　had　tempted　her。

〃It　isn't　so　bad；　being　elderly；〃　he　said。　　〃By　that　time　we　have
accumulated　enough　past　to　sit　down　and　really　enjoy　its　associations。
We　have　got　all　sorts　of　perspectives　and　points　of　view。　　We　know　？
where　we　are　at。〃

〃I　don't　mind　being　elderly。　　The　world's　just　as　amusing　as　ever；　and
lots　of　disagreeable　things　have　dropped　out。　　It's　the　getting　more　than
elderly；　it's　the　getting　old；　and　then〃

They　shrank　a　little　closer　together；　and　walked　on　in　silence　till　he
said；　〃Perhaps　there's　something　else；　something　bettersomewhere。〃

They　had　reached　the　balustraded　terrace；　and　were　pausing　for　pleasure
in　the　garden　tops　below；　with　the　flowery　spaces；　and　the　statued
fountains　all　coming　together。　　She　put　her　hand　on　one　of　the　fat　little
urchin…groups　on　the　stone　coping。　　〃I　don't　want　cherubs；　when　I　can
have　these　putti。　　And　those　old　prince…bishops　didn't；　either！〃

I　don't　suppose　they　kept　a　New　England　conscience；〃　he　said；　with　a
vague　smile。　　〃It　would　be　difficult　in　the　presence　of　the　rococo。〃

They　left　the　garden　through　the　beautiful　gate　which　the　old　court
ironsmith　Oegg　hammered　out　in　lovely　forms　of　leaves　and　flowers；　and
shaped　laterally　upward；　as　lightly　as　if　with　a　waft　of　his　hand；　in
gracious　Louis　Quinze　curves；　and　they　looked　back　at　it　in　the　kind　of
despair　which　any　perfection　inspires。　　They　said　how　feminine　it　was；
how　exotic；　how　expressive　of　a　luxurious　ideal　of　life　which　art　had
purified　and　left　eternally　charming。　　They　remembered　their　Ruskinian
youth；　and　the　confidence　with　which　they　would　once　have　condemned　it；
and　they　had　a　sense　of　recreance　in　now　admiring　it；　but　they　certainly
admired　it；　and　it　remained　for　them　the　supreme　expression　of　that　time…
soul；　mundane；　courtly；　aristocratic；　flattering；　which　once　influenced
the　art　of　the　whole　world；　and　which　had　here　so　curiously　found　its
apotheosis　in　a　city　remote　from　its　native　place　and　under　a　rule
sacerdotally　vowed　to　austerity。　　The　vast　superb　palace　of　the　prince
bishops；　which　was　now　to　house　a　whole　troop　of　sovereigns；　imperial；
royal；　grand　ducal　and　ducal；　swelled　aloft　in　superb　amplitude；　but　it
did　not　realize　their　historic　pride　so　effectively　as　this　exquisite
work　of　the　court　ironsmith。　　It　related　itself　in　its　aerial　beauty　to
that　of　the　Tiepolo　frescoes　which　the　travellers　knew　were　swimming　and
soaring　on　the　ceilings　within；　and　from　which　it　seemed　to　accent　their
exclusion　with　a　delicate　irony；　March　said。　　〃Or　iron…mongery；〃　he
corrected　himself　upon　reflection。




LIV。

He　had　forgotten　Kenby　in　these　aesthetic　interests；　but　he　remembered
him　again　when　he　called　a　carriage；　and　ordered　it　driven　to　their
hotel。　　It　was　the　hour　of　the　German　mid…day　table　d'hote；　and　they
would　be　sure　to　meet　him　there。　　The　question　now　was　how　March　should
own　his　presence　in　time　to　prevent　his　wife　from　showing　her　ignorance
of　it　to　Kenby　himself；　and　he　was　still　turning　the　question　hopelessly
over　in　his　mind　when　the　sight　of　the　hotel　seemed　to　remind　her　of　a
fact　which　she　announced。

〃Now；　my　dear；　I　am　tired　to　death；　and　I　am　not　going　to　sit　through　a
long　table　d'hote。　　I　want　you　to　se