their silver wedding journey v3- 第31部分

〃It　seems　to　have　been　prompted　by　a　hint　you　let　drop；　which　Tom　has
passed　to　Bella　and　Fulkerson。〃

〃Oh；　but　that　was　before　we　left　Carlsbad！〃　she　protested；　while　she
devoured　the　letters　with　her　eyes；　and　continued　to　denounce　the
absurdity　of　the　writers。　　Her　son　and　daughter　both　urged　that　now　their
father　and　mother　were　over　there；　they　had　better　stay　as　long　as　they
enjoyed　it；　and　that　they　certainly　ought　not　to　come　home　without　going
to　Italy；　where　they　had　first　met；　and　revisiting　the　places　which　they
had　seen　together　when　they　were　young　engaged　people：　without　that　their
silver　wedding　journey　would　not　be　complete。　　Her　son　said　that
everything　was　going　well　with　'Every　Other　Week'；　and　both　himself　and
Mr。　Fulkerson　thought　his　father　ought　to　spend　the　winter　in　Italy；　and
get　a　thorough　rest。　　〃Make　a　job　of　it；　March；〃　Fulkerson　wrote；　〃and
have　a　Sabbatical　year　while　you're　at　it。　　You　may　not　get　another。〃

〃Well；　I　can　tell　them；〃　said　Mrs。　March　indignantly；　〃we　shall　not　do
anything　of　the　kind。〃

〃Then　you　didn't　mean　it？〃

〃Mean　it！〃　She　stopped　herself　with　a　look　at　her　husband；　and　asked
gently；　〃Do　you　want　to　stay？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　he　answered　vaguely。　　The　fact　was；　he　was　sick　of
travel　and　of　leisure；　he　was　longing　to　be　at　home　and　at　work　again。
But　if　there　was　to　be　any　self…sacrifice　which　could　be　had；　as　it　were；
at　a　bargain；　which　could　be　fairly　divided　between　them；　and　leave　him
the　self　and　her　the　sacrifice；　he　was　too　experienced　a　husband　not　to
see　the　advantage　of　it；　or　to　refuse　the　merit。　　〃I　thought　you　wished
to　stay。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　sighed；　〃I　did。　　It　has　been　very；　very　pleasant；　and；　if
anything；　I　have　over…enjoyed　myself。　　We　have　gone　romping　through　it
like　two　young　people；　haven't　we？〃

〃You　have；〃　he　assented。　　〃I　have　always　felt　the　weight　of　my　years　in
getting　the　baggage　registered；　they　have　made　the　baggage　weigh　more
every　time。〃

〃And　I've　forgotten　mine。　　Yes；　I　have。　　But　the　years　haven't　forgotten
me；　Basil；　and　now　I　remember　them。　　I'm　tired。　　It　doesn't　seem　as　if　I
could　ever　get　up。　　But　I　dare　say　it's　only　a　mood；　it　may　be　only　a
cold；　and　if　you　wish　to　stay；　whywe　will　think　it　over。〃

〃No；　we　won't；　my　dear；〃　he　said；　with　a　generous　shame　for　his　hypocrisy
if　not　with　a　pure　generosity。　　〃I've　got　all　the　good　out　of　it　that
there　was　in　it；　for　me；　and　I　shouldn't　go　home　any　better　six　months
hence　than　I　should　now。　　Italy　will　keep　for　another　time；　and　so；　for
the　matter　of　that；　will　Holland。〃

〃No；　no！〃　　she　interposed。　　〃We　won't　give　up　Holland；　whatever　we　do。
I　couldn't　go　home　feeling　that　I　had　kept　you　out　of　your　after…cure；
and　when　we　get　there；　no　doubt　the　sea　air　will　bring　me　up　so　that　I
shall　want　to　go　to　Italy；　too；　again。　　Though　it　seems　so　far　off；　now！
But　go　and　see　when　the　afternoon　train　for　the　Hague　leaves；　and　I　shall
be　ready。　　My　mind's　quite　made　up　on　that　point。〃

〃What　a　bundle　of　energy！〃　　said　her　husband　laughing　down　at　her。

He　went　and　asked　about　the　train　to　the　Hague；　but　only　to　satisfy　a
superficial　conscience；　for　now　he　knew　that　they　were　both　of　one　mind
about　going　home。　　He　also　looked　up　the　trains　for　London；　and　found
that　they　could　get　there　by　way　of　Ostend　in　fourteen　hours。　　Then　he
went　back　to　the　banker's；　and　with　the　help　of　the　Paris…New　York
Chronicle　which　he　found　there；　he　got　the　sailings　of　the　first　steamers
home。　　After　that　he　strolled　about　the　streets　for　a　last　impression　of
Dusseldorf；　but　it　was　rather　blurred　by　the　constantly　recurring　pull　of
his　thoughts　toward　America；　and　he　ended　by　turning　abruptly　at　a
certain　corner；　and　going　to　his　hotel。

He　found　his　wife　dressed；　but　fallen　again　on　her　bed；　beside　which　her
breakfast　stood　still　untasted；　her　smile　responded　wanly　to　his
brightness。　　〃I'm　not　well；　my　dear；〃　she　said。　　〃I　don't　believe　I　could
get　off　to　the　Hague　this　afternoon。〃

〃Could　you　to　Liverpool？〃　he　returned。

〃To　Liverpool？〃　she　gasped。　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Merely　that　the　Cupania　is　sailing　on　the　twentieth；　and　I've
telegraphed　to　know　if　we　can　get　a　room。　　I'm　afraid　it　won't　be　a　good
one；　but　she's　the　first　boat　out；　and〃

〃No；　indeed；　we　won't　go　to　Liverpool；　and　we　will　never　go　home　till
you've　had　your　after…cure　in　Holland。〃　　She　was　very　firm　in　this；　but
she　added；　〃We　will　stay　another　night；　here；　and　go　to　the　Hague
tomorrow。　　Sit　down；　and　let　us　talk　it　over。　　Where　were　we？〃

She　lay　down　on　the　sofa；　and　he　put　a　shawl　over　her。　　〃We　were　just
starting　for　Liverpool。〃

〃No；　no　we　weren't！　Don't　say　such　things；　dearest！　　I　want　you　to　help
me　sum　it　all；　up。　　You　think　it's　been　a　success；　don't　you？〃

〃As　a　cure？〃

〃No；　as　a　silver　wedding　journey？〃

〃Perfectly　howling。〃

〃I　do　think　we've　had　a　good　time。　　I　never　expected　to　enjoy　myself　so
much　again　in　the　world。　　I　didn't　suppose　I　should　ever　take　so　much
interest　in　anything。　　It　shows　that　when　we　choose　to　get　out　of　our　rut
we　shall　always　find　life　as　fresh　and　delightful　as　ever。　　There　is
nothing　to　prevent　our　coming　any　year；　now　that　Tom's　shown　himself　so
capable；　and　having　another　silver　wedding　journey。　　I　don't　like　to
think　of　it's　being　confined　to　Germany　quite。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　We　can　always　talk　of　it　as　our　German…Silver　Wedding
Journey。〃

〃That's　true。　　But　nobody　would　understand　nowadays　what　you　meant　by
German…silver；　it's　perfectly　gone　out。　　How　ugly　it　was！　　A　sort　of
greasy　yellowish　stuff；　always　getting　worn　through；　I　believe　it　was
made　worn　through。　　Aunt　Mary　had　a　castor　of　it；　that　I　can　remember
when　I　was　a　child；　it　went　into　the　kitchen　long　before　I　grew　up。
Would　a　joke　like　that　console　you　for　the　loss　of　Italy？〃

〃It　would　go　far　to　do　it。　　And　as　a　German…Silver　Wedding　Journey；　it's
certainly　been　very　complete。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃It's　given　us　a　representative　variety　of　German　cities。　　First　we　had
Hamburg；　you　know；　a　great　modern　commercial　centre。〃

〃Yes！　　Go　on！〃

〃Then　we　had　Leipsic；　the　academic。〃

〃Yes！〃

〃Then　Carlsbad；　the　supreme　type　of　a　German　health　resort；　then
Nuremberg；　the　mediaeval；　then　Anspach；　the　extinct　princely　capital；
then　Wurzburg；　the　ecclesiastical　rococo；　then　Weimar；　for　the　literature
of　a　great　epoch；　then　imperial　Berlin；　then　Frankfort；　the　memory　of　the
old　free　city；　then　Dusseldorf；　the　centre　of　the　most　poignant　personal
interest　in　the　worldI　don't　see　how　we　could　have　done　better；　if　we'd
planned　it　all；　and　not　acted　from　successive　impulses。〃

〃It's　been　grand；　it's　been　perfect！　　As　German…Silver　Wedding　Journey
it's　perfectit　seems　as　if　it　had　been　ordered！　But　I　will　never　let
you　give　up　Holland！　　No；　we　will　go　this　afternoon；　and　when　I　get　to
Schevleningen；　I'll　go　to　bed；　and　stay　there；　till　you've　completed　your
after…cure。〃

〃Do　you　think　that　will　be　wildly　gay　for　the　convalescent？〃

She　suddenly　began　to　cry。　　〃Oh；　dearest；　what　shall　we　do？　　I　feel
perfectly　broken　down。　　I'm　afraid　I'm　going　to　be　sickand　away　from
home！　　How　could　you　ever　let　me　overdo；　so？〃　She　put　her　handkerchief　to
her　eyes；　and　turned　her　face　into　the　sofa　pillow。

This　was　rather　hard　upon　him；　whom　her　vivid　energy　and　inextinguishable
interest　had　not　permitted　a　moment's　respite　from　pleasure　since　they
left　Carlsbad。　　But　he　had　been　married；　too　long　not　to　understand　that
her　blame　of　him　was　only　a　form　of　self…reproach　for　her　own　self…
forgetfulness。　　She　had　not　remembered　that　she　was　no　longer　young　till
she　had　come　to　what　he　saw　was　a　nervous　collapse。　　The　fact　had　its
pathos　and　its　poetry　which　no　one　could　have　felt　more　keenly　than　he。
If　it　also　had　its　inconvenience　and　its　danger　he　realized　these　too。

〃Isabel；〃　he　said；　〃we　are　going　home。〃

〃Very　well；　then　it　will　be　your　doing。〃

〃Quite。　　Do　you　think　you　could　stand　it　as　far　as　Cologne？　　We　get　the
sleeping…car　there；　and　you　can　lie　down　the　rest　of　the　way　to　Ostend。〃

〃This　afternoon？　　Why　I'm　perfectly　strong；　it's　merely　my　nerves　that
are　gone。〃　　She　sat　up；　and　wiped　her　eyes。　　〃But　Basil！　　If　you're　doing
this　for　me〃

〃I'm　doing　it　for　myself；〃　said　March；　as　he　went　out　of　the　room。

She　stood　the　journey　perfectly　well；　and　in　the　passage　to　Dover　she
suffered　so　little　from　the　rough　weather　that　she　was　an　example　to　many
robust　matrons　who　filled　the　ladies'　cabin　with　the　noise　of　their
anguish　during　the　night。　　She　would　have　insisted　upon　taking　the　first
train　up　to　London；　if　March　had　not　represented　that　this　would　not
expedite　the　sailing　of　the　Cupania；　and　that　she　might　as　well　stay　the
forenoon　at　the　convenient　railway　hotel；　and　rest。　　It　was　not　quite　his
ideal　of　repose　that　the　first　people　they　saw　in　the　coffee…room　when
they　went　to　breakfast　should　be　Kenby　and　Rose　Adding；　who　were　having
their　tea　and　toast　and　eggs　together　in　the　greatest　apparent　good…
fellowship。　　He　saw　his　wife　shrink　back　involuntarily　from　the
encounter；　but　this　was　only　to　gather　force　for　it；　and　the　next　moment
she　was　upon　them　in　all　the　joy　of　the　surprise。　　Then　March　allowed
himself　to　be　as　glad　as　the　others　both　seemed；　and　he　shook　hands　with
Kenby　while　his　wife　kissed　Rose；　and　they　all　talked　at　once。　　In　the
confusion　of　tongues　it　was　presently　intelligible　that　Mrs。　Kenby　was
going　to　be　down　in　a　few　minutes；　and　Kenby　took　March　into　his
confidence　with　a　smile　which　was；　almost　a　wink　in　explaining　that　he
knew　how　it　was　with　the　ladies。　　He　said　that　Rose　and　he　usually　got
down　to　breakfast　first；　and　when　he　had　listened　inattentively　to　Mrs。
March's　apology　for　being　on　her　way　home；　he　told　her　that　she　was　lucky
not　to　have　gone　to　Schevleningen；　where　she　and　March　would　have　frozen
to　death。　　He　said　that　they　were　going　to　spend　September　at　a　little
place　on　the　English　coast；　near　by；　where　he　had　been　the　day　before
with　Rose　to　look　at　lodgings；　and　where　you　could　bathe　all　through　the
month。　　He　was　not　surprised　that　the　Marches　were　going　home；　and　said；
Well；　that　was　their　original　plan；　wasn't　it？

Mrs。　Ke