their silver wedding journey v3- 第12部分

〃There's　no　road；　Mrs。　Adding。　　But　if　Rose　would　let　me　carry　him〃　。

〃I　can　walk；〃　the　boy　protested；　trying　to　lift　himself　from　her　neck。

〃No；　no！　you　mustn't。〃　　She　drew　away　and　let　him　fall　into　the　arms　that
Kenby　put　round　him。　　He　raised　the　frail　burden　lightly　to　his　shoulder；
and　moved　strongly　away；　followed　by　the　eyes　of　the　spectators　who　had
gathered　about　the　little　group；　but　who　dispersed　now；　and　went　back　to
their　devotions。

March　hurried　after　Kenby　with　Mrs。　Adding；　whom　he　told　he　had　just
missed　Rose　and　was　looking　about　for　him；　when　Kenby　came　with　her
message　for　them。　　They　made　sure　that　he　was　nowhere　about　the　church；
and　then　started　together　down　the　terraces。　　At　the　second　or　third
station　below　they　found　the　boy　clinging　to　the　barrier　that　protected
the　bass…relief　from　the　zeal　of　the　devotees。　　He　looked　white　and　sick；
though　he　insisted　that　he　was　well；　and　when　he　turned　to　come　away　with
them　he　reeled　and　would　have　fallen　if　Kenby　had　not　caught　him。　　Kenby
wanted　to　carry　him；　but　Rose　would　not　let　him；　and　had　made　his　way
down　between　them。

〃Yea；　he　has　such　a　spirit；〃　she　said；　〃and　I've　no　doubt　he's　suffering
now　more　from　Mr。　Kenby's　kindness　than　from　his　own　sickness　he　had　one
of　these　giddy　turns　in　Carlsbad；　though；　and　I　shall　certainly　have　a
doctor　to　see　him。〃

〃I　think　I　should；　Mrs。　Adding；〃　said　March；　not　too　gravely；　for　it
seemed　to　him　that　it　was　not　quite　his　business　to　alarm　her　further；
if　she　was　herself　taking　the　affair　with　that　seriousness。
He　questioned　whether　she　was　taking　it　quite　seriously　enough；
when　she　turned　with　a　laugh；　and　called　to　General　Triscoe；　who　was
limping　down　the　steps　of　the　last　terrace　behind　them：

〃Oh；　poor　General　Triscoe！　I　thought　you　had　gone　on　ahead。〃

General　Triscoe　could　not　enter　into　the　joke　of　being　forgotten；
apparently。　　He　assisted　with　gravity　at　the　disposition　of　the　party　for
the　return；　when　they　all　reached　the　carriage。　　Rose　had　the　place
beside　his　mother；　and　Kenby　wished　March　to　take　his　with　the　general
and　let　him　sit　with　the　driver；　but　he　insisted　that　he　would　rather
walk　home；　and　he　did　walk　till　they　had　driven　out　of　eight。　　Then　he
called　a　passing　one…spanner；　and　drove　to　his　hotel　in　comfort　and
silence。




LVII。

Kenby　did　not　come　to　the　Swan　before　supper；　then　he　reported　that　the
doctor　had　said　Rose　was　on　the　verge　of　a　nervous　collapse。　　He　had
overworked　at　school；　but　the　immediate　trouble　was　the　high；　thin　air；
which　the　doctor　said　he　must　be　got　out　of　at　once；　into　a　quiet　place
at　the　sea…shore　somewhere。　　He　had　suggested　Ostend；　or　some　point　on
the　French　coast；　Kenby　had　thought　of　Schevleningen；　and　the　doctor　had
said　that　would　do　admirably。

〃I　understood　from　Mrs。　Adding；〃　he　concluded；　〃that　you　were　going。
there　for　your　after…cure；　Mr。　March；　and　I　didn't　know　but　you　might　be
going　soon。〃

At　the　mention　of　Schevleningen　the　Marches　had　looked　at　each　other　with
a　guilty　alarm；　which　they　both　tried　to　give　the　cast　of　affectionate
sympathy　but　she　dismissed　her　fear　that　he　might　be　going　to　let　his
compassion　prevail　with　him　to　his　hurt　when　he　said：　〃Why；　we　ought　to
have　been　there　before　this；　but　I've　been　taking　my　life　in　my　hands　in
trying　to　see　a　little　of　Germany；　and　I'm　afraid　now　that　Mrs。　March　has
her　mind　too　firmly　fixed　on　Berlin　to　let　me　think　of　going　to
Schevleningen　till　we've　been　there。〃

〃It's　too　bad！〃　said　Mrs。　March；　with　real　regret。　　〃I　wish　we　were
going。〃　　But　she　had　not　the　least　notion　of　gratifying　her　wish；　and
they　were　all　silent　till　Kenby　broke　out：

〃Look　here！　　You　know　how　I　feel　about　Mrs　Adding！　　I've　been　pretty
frank　with　Mr。　March　myself；　and　I've　had　my　suspicions　that　she's　been
frank　with　you；　Mrs。　March。　　There　isn't　any　doubt　about　my　wanting　to
marry　her；　and　up　to　this　time　there　hasn't　been　any　doubt　about　her　not
wanting　to　marry　me。　　But　it　isn't　a　question　of　her　or　of　me；　now。　　It's
a　question　of　Rose。　　I　love　the　boy；〃　and　Kenby's　voice　shook；　and　he
faltered　a　moment。　　〃Pshaw！　You　understand。〃

〃Indeed　I　do；　Mr。　Kenby；〃　said　Mrs。　March。　　〃I　perfectly　understand
you。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　think　Mrs。　Adding　is　fit　to　make　the　journey　with　him
alone；　or　to　place　herself　in　the　best　way　after　she　gets　to
Schevleningen。　　She's　been　badly　shaken　up；　she　broke　down　before　the
doctor；　she　said　she　didn't　know　what　to　do；　I　suppose　she's
frightened〃

Kenby　stopped　again；　and　March　asked；　〃When　is　she　going？〃

〃To…morrow；〃　said　Kenby；　and　he　added；　〃And　now　the　question　is；　why
shouldn't　I　go　with　her？〃

Mrs。　March　gave　a　little　start；　and　looked　at　her　husband；　but　he　said
nothing；　and　Kenby　seemed　not　to　have　supposed　that　he　would　say
anything。

〃I　know　it　would　be　very　American；　and　all　that；　but　I　happen　to　be　an
American；　and　it　wouldn't　be　out　of　character　for　me。　　I　suppose；〃　he
appealed　to　Mrs。　March；　〃that　it's　something　I　might　offer　to　do　if　it
were　from　New　York　to　Floridaand　I　happened　to　be　going　there？　　And　I
did　happen　to　be　going　to　Holland。〃

〃Why；　of　course；　Mr。　Kenby；〃　she　responded；　with　such　solemnity　that
March　gave　way　in　an　outrageous　laugh。

Kenby　laughed；　and　Mrs。　March　laughed　too；　but　with　an　inner　note　of
protest。

〃Well；〃　Kenby　continued；　still　addressing　her；　〃what　I　want　you　to　do　is
to　stand　by　me　when　I　propose　it。〃

Mrs。　March　gathered　strength　to　say；　〃No；　Mr。　Kenby；　it's　your　own
affair；　and　you　must　take　the　responsibility。〃

〃Do　you　disapprove？〃

〃It　isn't　the　same　as　it　would　be　at　home。　　You　see　that　yourself。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Kenby；　rising；　〃I　have　to　arrange　about　their　getting　away
to…morrow。　　It　won't　be　easy　in　this　hurly…burly　that's　coming　off。〃

〃Give　Rose　our　love；　and　tell　Mrs。　Adding　that　I'll　come　round　and　see
her　to…morrow　before　she　starts。〃

〃Oh！　　I'm　afraid　you　can't；　Mrs。　March。　　They're　to　start　at　six　in　the
morning。〃

〃They　are！　　Then　we　must　go　and　see　them　tonight。　　We'll　be　there　almost
as　soon　as　you　are。〃

March　went　up　to　their　rooms　with；　his　wife；　and　she　began　on　the　stairs：

〃Well；　my　dear；　I　hope　you　realize　that　your　laughing　so　gave　us
completely　away。　　And　what　was　there　to　keep　grinning　about；　all
through？〃

〃Nothing　but　the　disingenuous；　hypocritical　passion　of　love。　　It's　always
the　most　amusing　thing　in　the　world；　but　to　see　it　trying　to　pass　itself
off　in　poor　old　Kenby　as　duty　and　humanity；　and　disinterested　affection
for　Rose；　was　more　than　I　could　stand。　　I　don't　apologize　for　laughing；
I　wanted　to　yell。〃

His　effrontery　and　his　philosophy　both　helped　to　save　him；　and　she　said
from　the　point　where　he　had　side…tracked　her　mind：　〃I　don't　call　it
disingenuous。　　He　was　brutally　frank。　　He's　made　it　impossible　to　treat
the　affair　with　dignity。　　I　want　you　to　leave　the　whole　thing　to　me；　from
this　out。　　Now；　will　you？〃

On　their　way　to　the　Spanischer　Hof　she　arranged　in　her　own　mind　for　Mrs。
Adding　to　get　a　maid；　and　for　the　doctor　to　send　an　assistant　with　her　on
the　journey；　but　she　was　in　such　despair　with　her　scheme　that　she　had　not
the　courage　to　right　herself　when　Mrs。　Adding　met　her　with　the　appeal：

〃Oh；　Mrs。　March；　I'm　so　glad　you　approve　of　Mr。　Kenby's　plan。　　It　does
seem　the　only　thing　to　do。　　I　can't　trust　myself　alone　with　Rose；　and　Mr。
Kenby's　intending　to　go　to　Schevleningen　a　few　days　later　anyway。　　Though
it's　too　bad　to　let　him　give　up　the　manoeuvres。〃

〃I'm　sure　he　won't　mind　that；〃　Mrs。　March's　voice　said　mechanically；
while　her　thought　was　busy　with　the　question　whether　this　scandalous
duplicity　was　altogether　Kenby's；　and　whether　Mrs。　Adding　was　as
guiltless　of　any　share　in　it　as　she　looked。　　She　looked　pitifully
distracted；　she　might　not　have　understood　his　report；　or　Kenby　might
really　have　mistaken　Mrs。　March's　sympathy　for　favor。

〃No；　he　only　lives　to　do　good；〃　Mrs。　Adding　returned。　　〃He's　with　Rose；
won't　you　come　in　and　see　them？〃

Rose　was　lying　back　on　the　pillows　of　a　sofa；　from　which　they　would　not
let　him　get　up。　　He　was　full　of　the　trip　to　Holland；　and　had　already
pushed　Kenby；　as　Kenby　owned；　beyond　the　bounds　of　his　very　general
knowledge　of　the　Dutch　language；　which　Rose　had　plans　for　taking　up　after
they　were　settled　in　Schevleningen。　　The　boy　scoffed　at　the　notion　that
he　was　not　perfectly　well；　and　he　wished　to　talk　with　March　on　the　points
where　he　had　found　Kenby　wanting。

〃Kenby　is　an　encyclopaedia　compared　with　me；　Rose；〃　the　editor　protested；
and　he　amplified　his　ignorance　for　the　boy's　good　to　an　extent　which　Rose
saw　was　a　joke。　　He　left　Holland　to　talk　about　other　things　which　his
mother　thought　quite　as　bad　for　him。　　He　wished　to　know　if　March　did　not
think　that　the　statue　of　the　bishop　with　the　sparrow　on　its　finger　was　a
subject　for　a　poem；　and　March　said　gayly　that　if　Rose　would　write　it　he
would　print　it　in　'Every　Other　Week'。

The　boy　flushed　with　pleasure　at　his　banter。　　〃No；　I　couldn't　do　it。
But　I　wish　Mr。　Burnamy　had　seen　it。　　He　could。　　Will　you　tell　him　about
it？〃　　He　wanted　to　know　if　March　had　heard　from　Burnamy　lately；　and　in
the　midst　of　his　vivid　interest　he　gave　a　weary　sigh。

His　mother　said　that　now　he　had　talked　enough；　and　bade　him　say　good…by
to　the　Marches；　who　were　coming　so　soon　to　Holland；　anyway。　　Mrs。　March
put　her　arms　round　him　to　kiss　him；　and　when　she　let　him　sink　back　her
eyes　were　dim。

〃You　see　how　frail　he　is？〃　said　Mrs。　Adding。　　〃I　shall　not　let　him　out　of
my　sight；　after　this；　till　he's　well　again。〃

She　had　a　kind　of　authority　in　sending　Kenby　away　with　them　which　was　not
lost　upon　the　witnesses。　　He　asked　them　to　come　into　the　reading…room　a
moment　with　him；　and　Mrs。　March　wondered　if　he　were　going　to　make　some
excuse　to　her　for　himself；　but　he　said：　〃I　don't　know　how　we're　to　manage
about　the　Triscoes。　　The　general　will　have　a　room　to　himself；　but　if　Mrs。
Adding　takes　Rose　in　with　her；　it　leaves　Miss　Triscoe　out；　and　there
isn't　a　room　to　be　had　in　this　house　for　love　or　money。　　Do　you　think；〃
he　appealed　directly　to　Mrs。　March；　〃that　it　would　do　to　offer　her　my
room　at　the　Swan？〃

〃Why；　yes；〃　she　assented；　with　a　reluctance　rathe