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！
sort of impassioned patience while he read it。
He read it； and gave it back to her。 〃There doesn't seem to be very much
in it。〃
〃That's it！ Don't you think I had a right to there being something in
it； after all I did for her？〃
〃I always hoped you hadn't done anything for her； but if you have； why
should she give herself away on paper？ It's a very proper letter。〃
〃It's a little too proper； and it's the last I shall have to do with her。
She knew that I should be on pins and needles till I heard how her father
had taken Burnamy's being there； that night； and she doesn't say a word
about it。〃
〃The general may have had a tantrum that she couldn't describe。 Perhaps
she hasn't told him； yet。〃
〃She would tell him instantly！〃 cried Mrs。 March who began to find
reason in the supposition； as well as comfort for the hurt which the
girl's reticence had given her。 〃Or if she wouldn't； it would be because
she was waiting for the best chance。〃
〃That would be like the wise daughter of a difficult father。 She may be
waiting for the best chance to say how he took it。 No； I'm all for Miss
Triscoe； and I hope that now； if she's taken herself off our hands；
she'll keep off。〃
〃It's altogether likely that he's made her promise not to tell me
anything about it；〃 Mrs。 March mused aloud。
〃That would be unjust to a person who had behaved so discreetly as you
have；〃 said her husband。
They were on their way to Wurzburg； and at the first station； which was a
junction； a lady mounted to their compartment just before the train began
to move。 She was stout and middle…aged； and had never been pretty； but
she bore herself with a kind of authority in spite of her thread gloves；
her dowdy gray travelling…dress； and a hat of lower middle…class English
tastelessness。 She took the only seat vacant； a backward…riding place
beside a sleeping passenger who looked like a commercial traveller； but
she seemed ill at ease in it； and March offered her his seat。 She
accepted it very promptly； and thanked him for it in the English of a
German； and Mrs。 March now classed her as a governess who had been
teaching in England and had acquired the national feeling for dress。
But in this character she found her interesting； and even a little
pathetic； and she made her some overtures of talk which the other met
eagerly enough。 They were now running among low hills； not so
picturesque as those between Eger and Nuremberg； but of much the same
toylike quaintness in the villages dropped here and there in their
valleys。 One small town； completely walled； with its gray houses and red
roofs； showed through the green of its trees and gardens so like a
colored print in a child's story…book that Mrs。 March cried out for joy
in it； and then accounted for her rapture by explaining to the stranger
that they were Americans and had never been in Germany before。 The lady
was not visibly affected by the fact； she said casually that she had
often been in that little town； which she named； her uncle had a castle
in the country back of it； and she came with her husband for the shooting
in the autumn。 By a natural transition she spoke of her children； for
whom she had an English governess； she said she had never been in
England； but had learnt the language from a governess in her own
childhood； and through it all Mrs。 March perceived that she was trying to
impress them with her consequence。 To humor her pose； she said they had
been looking up the scene of Kaspar Hauser's death at Ansbach； and at
this the stranger launched into such intimate particulars concerning him；
and was so familiar at first hands with the facts of his life； that Mrs。
March let her run on； too much amused with her pretensions to betray any
doubt of her。 She wondered if March were enjoying it all as much； and
from time to time she tried to catch his eye； while the lady talked
constantly and rather loudly； helping herself out with words from them
both when her English failed her。 In the safety of her perfect
understanding of the case； Mrs。 March now submitted farther； and even
suffered some patronage from her； which in another mood she would have
met with a decided snub。
As they drew in among the broad vine…webbed slopes of the Wurzburg；
hills； the stranger said she was going to change there； and take a train
on to Berlin。 Mrs。 March wondered whether she would be able to keep up
the comedy to the last； and she had to own that she carried it off very
easily when the friends whom she was expecting did not meet her on the
arrival of their train。 She refused March's offers of help； and remained
quietly seated while he got out their wraps and bags。 She returned with
a hardy smile the cold leave Mrs。 March took of her； and when a porter
came to the door； and forced his way by the Marches； to ask with anxious
servility if she； were the Baroness von…； she bade the man get them。
a 'traeger'； and then come back for her。 She waved them a complacent
adieu before they mixed with the crowd and lost sight of her。
〃Well； my dear；〃 said March； addressing the snobbishness in his wife
which he knew to be so wholly impersonal； 〃you've mingled with one
highhote； anyway。 I must say she didn't look it； any more than the Duke
and Duchess of Orleans； and yet she's only a baroness。 Think of our
being three hours in the same compartment； and she doing all she could to
impress us and our getting no good of it！ I hoped you were feeling her
quality； so that we should have it in the family； anyway； and always know
what it was like。 But so far； the highhotes have all been terribly
disappointing。〃
He teased on as they followed the traeger with their baggage out of the
station； and in the omnibus on the way to their hotel； he recurred to the
loss they had suffered in the baroness's failure to dramatize her
nobility effectually。 〃After all； perhaps she was as much disappointed
in us。 I don't suppose we looked any more like democrats than she looked
like an aristocrat。〃
〃But there's a great difference；〃 Mrs。 March returned at last。 〃It isn't
at all a parallel case。 We were not real democrats； and she was a real
aristocrat。〃
〃To be sure。 There is that way of looking at it。 That's rather novel； I
wish I had thought of that myself。 She was certainly more to blame than
we were。〃
LII。
The square in front of the station was planted with flag…poles wreathed
in evergreens； a triumphal arch was nearly finished； and a colossal
allegory in imitation bronze was well on the way to completion； in honor
of the majesties who were coming for the manoeuvres。 The streets which
the omnibus passed through to the Swan Inn were draped with the imperial
German and the royal Bavarian colors； and the standards of the visiting
nationalities decked the fronts of the houses where their military
attaches were lodged； but the Marches failed to see our own banner； and
were spared for the moment the ignominy of finding it over an apothecary
shop in a retired avenue。 The sun had come out； the sky overhead was of
a smiling blue； and they felt the gala…day glow and thrill in the depths
of their inextinguishable youth。
The Sw