happy； summer； won't you？ Oh； it's been such a happy summer！ It has
been one long joy； one continued triumph！ But it was too late； we were
too old； and it's broken me。〃
The time had been when he would have attempted comfort； when he would
have tried mocking； but that time was long past； he could only pray
inwardly for some sort of diversion； but what it was to be in their
barren circumstance he was obliged to leave altogether to Providence。
He ventured； pending an answer to his prayers upon the question； 〃Don't
you think I'd better see the doctor； and get you some sort of tonic？〃
She suddenly turned and faced him。 〃The doctor！ Why； I'm not sick；
Basil！ If you can see the purser and get our rooms changed； or do
something to stop those waves from slapping against that horrible
blinking one…eyed window； you can save my life； but no tonic is going to
help me。〃
She turned her face from him again； and buried it in the bedclothes；
while he looked desperately at the racing waves； and the port that seemed
to open and shut like a weary eye。
〃Oh； go away！〃 she implored。 〃I shall be better presently； but if you
stand there like that Go and see if you can't get some other room；
where I needn't feel as if I were drowning； all the way over。〃
He obeyed； so far as to go away at once； and having once started； he did
not stop short of the purser's office。 He made an excuse of getting
greenbacks for some English bank…notes； and then he said casually that he
supposed there would be no chance of having his room on the lower deck
changed for something a little less intimate with the sea。 The purser
was not there to take the humorous view； but he conceived that March
wanted something higher up； and he was able to offer him a room of those
on the promenade where he had seen swells going in and out； for six
hundred dollars。 March did not blench； but said he would get his wife to
look at it with him； and then he went out somewhat dizzily to take
counsel with himself how he should put the matter to her。 She would be
sure to ask what the price of the new room would be； and he debated
whether to take it and tell her some kindly lie about it； or trust to the
bracing effect of the sum named in helping restore the lost balance of
her nerves。 He was not so rich that he could throw six hundred dollars
away； but there might be worse things； and he walked up and down
thinking。 All at once it flashed upon him that he had better see the
doctor； anyway； and find out whether there were not some last hope in
medicine before he took the desperate step before him。 He turned in half
his course； and ran into a lady who had just emerged from the door of the
promenade laden with wraps； and who dropped them all and clutched him to
save herself from falling。
〃Why； Mr。 March！〃 she shrieked。
〃Miss Triscoe！〃 he returned； in the astonishment which he shared with her
to the extent of letting the shawls he had knocked from her hold lie
between them till she began to pick them up herself。 Then he joined her
and in the relief of their common occupation they contrived to possess
each other of the reason of their presence on； the same boat。 She had
sorrowed over Mrs。 March's sad state； and he had grieved to hear that her
father was going home because he was not at all well； before they found
the general stretched out in his steamer…chair； and waiting with a grim
impatience for his daughter。
〃But how is it you're not in the passenger…list？〃 he inquired of them
both； and Miss Triscoe explained that they had taken their passage at the
last moment； too late； she supposed； to get into the list。 They were in
London； and had run down to Liverpool on the chance of getting berths。
Beyond this she was not definite； and there was an absence of Burnamy not
only from her company but from her conversation which mystified March
through all his selfish preoccupations with his wife。 She was a girl who
had her reserves； but for a girl who had so lately and rapturously
written them of her engagement； there was a silence concerning her
betrothed that had almost positive quality。 With his longing to try Miss
Triscoe upon Mrs。 March's malady as a remedial agent； he had now the
desire to try Mrs。 March upon Miss Triscoe's mystery as a solvent。 She
stood talking to him； and refusing to sit down and be wrapped up in the
chair next her father。 She said that if he were going to ask Mrs。 March
to let her come to her； it would not be worth while to sit down； and he
hurried below。
〃Did you get it？〃 asked his wife； without looking round； but not so
apathetically as before。
〃Oh； yes。 That's all right。 But now； Isabel； there's something I've got
to tell you。 You'd find it out； and you'd better know it at once。〃
She turned her face； and asked sternly； 〃What is it？〃
Then he said； with； an almost equal severity； 〃Miss Triscoe is on board。
Miss Triscoe…and…her…father。 She wishes to come down and see you。〃
Mrs。 March sat up and began to twist her hair into shape。 〃And Burnamy？〃
〃There is no Burnamy physically； or so far as I can make out；
spiritually。 She didn't mention him； and I talked at least five minutes
with her。〃
〃Hand me my dressing…sack；〃 said Mrs。 March； 〃and poke those things on
the sofa under the berth。 Shut up that wash…stand； and pull the curtain
across that hideous window。 Stop！ Throw those towels into your berth。
Put my shoes； and your slippers into the shoe…bag on the door。 Slip the
brushes into that other bag。 Beat the dent out of the sofa cushion that
your head has made。 Now！〃
〃Thenthen yon will see her？〃
〃See her！〃
Her voice was so terrible that he fled before it； and he returned with
Miss Triscoe in a dreamlike simultaneity。 He remembered； as he led the
way into his corridor； to apologize for bringing her down into a basement
room。
〃Oh； we're in the basement； too； it was all we could get；〃 she said in
words that ended within the state…room he opened to her。 Then he went
back and took her chair and wraps beside her father。
He let the general himself lead the way up to his health； which he was
not slow in reaching； and was not quick in leaving。 He reminded March of
the state he had seen him in at Wurzburg； and he said it had gone from
bad to worse with him。 At Weimar he had taken to his bed and merely
escaped from it with his life。 Then they had tried Schevleningen for a
week； where； he said in a tone of some injury； they had rather thought
they might find them； the Marches。 The air had been poison to him； and
they had come over to England with some notion of Bournemouth； but the
doctor in London had thought not； and urged their going home。 〃All
Europe is damp； you know； and dark as a pocket in winter；〃 he ended。
There had been nothing about Burnamy； and March decided that he must wait
to see his wife if he wished to know anything； when the general； who had
been silent； twisted his head towards him； and said without regard to the
context； 〃It was complicated； at Weimar； by that young man in the most
devilish way。 Did my daughter write to Mrs。 March about Well it came
to nothing； after all； and I don't understand how； to this day。 I doubt
if they do。 It was some sort of quarrel； I suppose。 I wasn't consulted
in the matter either way。 It appears that parents are not consulted in
these trifling affairs； nowadays。〃 He had married his daughter's mother
in open defiance of her father； but in the glare of his daughter's
wilfulness this fact had whitened into pious obedience。 〃I dare say I
shall be told； by…and…by； and shall be expected to approve of the
result。〃
A fancy possessed March that by operation of temperamental laws General
Triscoe was no more satisfied with Burnamy's final rejection than with
his acceptance。 If the engagement was ever to be renewed； it might be
another thing； but as it stood； March divined a certain favor for the
young man in the general's attitude。 But the affair was altogether too
delicate for comment； the general's aristocratic frankness in dealing
with it might have gone farther if his knowledge had been greater； but in
any case March did not see how he could touch it。 He could only say； He
had always liked Burnamy； himself。
He had his good qualities； the general owned。 He did not profess to
understand the young men of our time； but certainly the fellow had the
instincts of a gentleman。 He had nothing to say against him； unless in
that business with that manwhat was his name？
〃Stoller？〃 March prompted。 〃I don't excuse him in that； but I don't
blame him so much； either。 If punishment means atonement； he had the
opportunity of making that right very suddenly； and if pardon means
expunction； then I don't see why that offence hasn't been pretty well
wiped out。
〃Those things are not so simple as they used to seem；〃 said the general；
with a seriousness beyond his wont in things that did not immediately
concern his own comfort or advantage。
LXXVI。
In the mean time Mrs。 March and Miss Triscoe were discussing another
offence of Burnamy's。
〃It wasn't；〃 said the girl； excitedly； after a plunge through all the
minor facts to the heart of the matter； 〃that he hadn't a perfect right
to do it； if he thought I didn't care for him。 I had refused him at
Carlsbad； and I had forbidden him to speak to me abouton the subject。
But that was merely temporary； and he ought to have known it。 He ought to
have known that I couldn't accept him； on the spur of the moment； that
way； and when he had come back； after going away in disgrace； before he
had done anything to justify himself。 I couldn't have kept my self…
respect； and as it was I had the greatest difficulty； and he ought to
have seen it。 Of course he said afterwards that he didn't see it。 But
whenwhen I found out that SHE had been in Weimar； and all that time；
while I had been suffering in Carlsbad and Wurzburg； and longing to see
himlet him know how I was really feelinghe was flirting with that
that girl； then I saw that he was a false nature； and I determined to put
an end to everything。 And that is what I did； and I shall always think
Idid rightand〃
The rest was lost in Agatha's handkerchief