their silver wedding journey v3-第4部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

with　their　cottages；　and　not　held　in　vast　homeless　tracts　by　the　nobles
as　in　North　Germany。

The　Bavarian　who　had　imparted　this　fact　to　March　at　breakfast；　not
without　a　certain　tacit　pride　in　it　to　the　disadvantage　of　the　Prussians；
was　at　the　supper　table；　and　was　disposed　to　more　talk；　which　he　managed
in　a　stout；　slow　English　of　his　own。　　He　said　he　had　never　really　spoken
English　with　an　English…speaking　person　before；　or　at　all　since　he
studied　it　in　school　at　Munich。

〃I　should　be　afraid　to　put　my　school…boy　German　against　your　English；〃
March　said；　and；　when　he　had　understood；　the　other　laughed　for　pleasure；
and　reported　the　compliment　to　his　wife　in　their　own　parlance。　　〃You
Germans　certainly　beat　us　in　languages。〃

〃Oh；　well；〃　he　retaliated；　〃the　Americans　beat　us　in　some　other　things；〃
and　Mrs。　March　felt　that　this　was　but　just；　she　would　have　liked　to
mention　a　few；　but　not　ungraciously；　she　and　the　German　lady　kept　smiling
across　the　table；　and　trying　detached　vocables　of　their　respective
tongues　upon　each　other。

The　Bavarian　said　he　lived　in　Munich　still；　but　was　in　Ansbach　on　an
affair　of　business；　he　asked　March　if　he　were　not　going　to　see　the
manoeuvres　somewhere。　　Till　now　the　manoeuvres　had　merely　been　the
interesting　background　of　their　travel；　but　now；　hearing　that　the　Emperor
of　Germany；　the　King　of　Saxony；　the　Regent　of　Bavaria；　and　the　King　of
Wurtemberg；　the　Grand…Dukes　of　Weimar　and　Baden；　with　visiting　potentates
of　all　sorts；　and　innumerable　lesser　highhotes；　foreign　and　domestic；
were　to　be　present；　Mrs。　March　resolved　that　they　must　go　to　at　least　one
of　the　reviews。

〃If　you　go　to　Frankfort；　you　can　see　the　King　of　Italy　too；〃　said　the
Bavarian；　but　he　owned　that　they　probably　could　not　get　into　a　hotel
there；　and　he　asked　why　they　should　not　go　to　Wurzburg；　where　they　could
see　all　the　sovereigns　except　the　King　of　Italy。

〃Wurzburg？　　Wurzburg？〃　March　queried　of　his　wife。　　〃Where　did　we　hear　of
that　place？〃

〃Isn't　it　where　Burnamy　said　Mr。　Stoller　had　left　his　daughters　at
school？〃

〃So　it　is！　And　is　that　on　the　way　to　the　Rhine？〃　he　asked　the　Bavarian。

〃No；　no！　　Wurzburg　is　on　the　Main；　about　five　hours　from　Ansbach。　　And　it
is　a　very　interesting　place。　　It　is　where　the　good　wine　comes　from。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　March；　and　in　their　rooms　his　wife　got　out　all　their
guides　and　maps　and　began　to　inform　herself　and　to　inform　him　about
Wurzburg。　　But　first　she　said　it　was　very　cold　and　he　must　order　some
fire　made　in　the　tall　German　stove　in　their　parlor。　　The　maid　who　came
said　〃Gleich；〃　but　she　did　not　come　back；　and　about　the　time　they　were
getting　furious　at　her　neglect；　they　began　getting　warm。　　He　put　his　hand
on　the　stove　and　found　it　hot；　then　he　looked　down　for　a　door　in　the
stove　where　he　might　shut　a　damper；　there　was　no　door。

〃Good　heavens！〃　he　shouted。　　〃It's　like　something　in　a　dream；〃　and　he　ran
to　pull　the　bell　for　help。

〃No；　no！　Don't　ring！　　It　will　make　us　ridiculous。　　They'll　think
Americans　don't　know　anything。　　There　must　be　some　way　of　dampening　the
stove；　and　if　there　isn't；　I'd　rather　suffocate　than　give　myself　away。〃
Mrs。　March　ran　and　opened　the　window；　while　her　husband　carefully
examined　the　stove　at　every　point；　and　explored　the　pipe　for　the　damper
in　vain。　　〃Can't　you　find　it？〃　　The　night　wind　came　in　raw　and　damp；　and
threatened　to　blow　their　lamp　out；　and　she　was　obliged　to　shut　the
window。

〃Not　a　sign　of　it。　　I　will　go　down　and　ask　the　landlord　in　strict
confidence　how　they　dampen　their　stoves　in　Ansbach。〃

〃Well；　if　you　must。　　It's　getting　hotter　every　moment。〃　　She　followed　him
timorously　into　the　corridor；　lit　by　a　hanging　lamp；　turned　low　for　the
night。

He　looked　at　his　watch；　it　was　eleven　o'clock。　　〃I'm　afraid　they're　all
in　bed。〃

〃Yes；　you　mustn't　go！　　We　must　try　to　find　out　for　ourselves。　　What　can
that　door　be　for？〃

It　was　a　low　iron　door；　half　the　height　of　a　man；　in　the　wall　near　their
room；　and　it　yielded　to　his　pull。　　〃Get　a　candle；〃　he　whispered；　and　when
she　brought　it；　he　stooped　to　enter　the　doorway。

〃Oh；　do　you　think　you'd　better？〃　she　hesitated。

〃You　can　come；　too；　if　you're　afraid。　　You've　always　said　you　wanted　to
die　with　me。〃

〃Well。　　But　you　go　first。〃

He　disappeared　within；　and　then　came　back　to　the　doorway。　　〃Just　come　in
here；　a　moment。〃　　She　found　herself　in　a　sort　of　antechamber；　half　the
height　of　her　own　room；　and　following　his　gesture　she　looked　down　where
in　one　corner　some　crouching　monster　seemed　showing　its　fiery　teeth　in　a
grin　of　derision。　　This　grin　was　the　damper　of　their　stove；　and　this　was
where　the　maid　had　kindled　the　fire　which　had　been　roasting　them　alive；
and　was　still　joyously　chuckling　to　itself。　　〃I　think　that　Munich　man　was
wrong。　　I　don't　believe　we　beat　the　Germans　in　anything。　　There　isn't　a
hotel　in　the　United　States　where　the　stoves　have　no　front　doors；　and
every　one　of　them　has　the　space　of　a　good…sized　flat　given　up　to　the
convenience　of　kindling　a　fire　in　it。〃




L。

After　a　red　sunset　of　shameless　duplicity　March　was　awakened　to　a　rainy
morning　by　the　clinking　of　cavalry　hoofs　on　the　pavement　of　the　long…
irregular　square　before　the　hotel；　and　he　hurried　out　to　see　the　passing
of　the　soldiers　on　their　way　to　the　manoeuvres。　　They　were　troops　of　all
arms；　but　mainly　infantry；　and　as　they　stumped　heavily　through　the　groups
of　apathetic　citizens　in　their　mud…splashed　boots；　they　took　the　steady
downpour　on　their　dripping　helmets。　　Some　of　them　were　smoking；　but　none
smiling；　except　one　gay　fellow　who　made　a　joke　to　a　serving…maid　on　the
sidewalk。　　An　old　officer　halted　his　staff　to　scold　a　citizen　who　had
given　him　a　mistaken　direction。　　The　shame　of　the　erring　man　was　great；
and　the　pride　of　a　fellow…citizen　who　corrected　him　was　not　less；　though
the　arrogant　brute　before　whom　they　both　cringed　used　them　with　equal
scorn；　the　younger　officers　listened　indifferently　round　on　horseback
behind　the　glitter　of　their　eyeglasses；　and　one　of　them　amused　himself　by
turning　the　silver　bangles　on　his　wrist。

Then　the　files　of　soldier　slaves　passed　on；　and　March　crossed　the　bridge
spanning　the　gardens　in　what　had　been　the　city　moat；　and　found　his　way　to
the　market…place；　under　the　walls　of　the　old　Gothic　church　of　St。
Gumpertus。　　The　market；　which　spread　pretty　well　over　the　square；　seemed
to　be　also　a　fair；　with　peasants'　clothes　and　local　pottery　for　sale；
as　well　as　fruits　and　vegetables；　and　large　baskets　of　flowers；　with　old
women　squatting　before　them。　　It　was　all　as　picturesque　as　the　markets
used　to　be　in　Montreal　and　Quebec；　and　in　a　cloudy　memory　of　his　wedding
journey　long　before；　he　bought　so　lavishly　of　the　flowers　to　carry　back
to　his　wife　that　a　little　girl；　who　saw　his　arm…load　from　her　window　as
he　returned；　laughed　at　him；　and　then　drew　shyly　back。　　Her　laugh
reminded　him　how　many　happy　children　he　had　seen　in　Germany；　and　how
freely　they　seemed　to　play　everywhere；　with　no　one　to　make　them　afraid。
When　they　grow　up　the　women　laugh　as　little　as　the　men；　whose　rude　toil
the　soldiering　leaves　them　to。

He　got　home　with　his　flowers；　and　his　wife　took　them　absently；　and　made
him　join　her　in　watching　the　sight　which　had　fascinated　her　in　the　street
under　their　windows。　　A　slender　girl；　with　a　waist　as　slim　as　a　corseted
officer's；　from　time　to　time　came　out　of　the　house　across　the　way　to　the
firewood　which　had　been　thrown　from　a　wagon　upon　the　sidewalk　there。
Each　time　she　embraced　several　of　the　heavy　four…foot　logs　and
disappeared　with　them　in…doors。　　Once　she　paused　from　her　work　to　joke
with　a　well…dressed　man　who　came　by；　and　seemed　to　find　nothing　odd　in
her　work；　some　gentlemen　lounging　at　the　window　over　head　watched　her
with　no　apparent　sense　of　anomaly。

〃What　do　you　think　of　that？〃　asked　Mrs。　March。　　〃I　think　it's　good
exercise　for　the　girl；　and　I　should　like　to　recommend　it　to　those　fat
fellows　at　the　window。　　I　suppose　she'll　saw　the　wood　in　the　cellar；　and
then　lug　it　up　stairs；　and　pile　it　up　in　the　stoves'　dressing…rooms。〃

〃Don't　laugh！　　It's　too　disgraceful。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know！　　If　you　like；　I'll　offer　these　gentlemen　across　the
way　your　opinion　of　it　in　the　language　of　Goethe　and　Schiller。〃

〃I　wish　you'd　offer　my　opinion　of　them。　　They've　been　staring　in　here
with　an　opera…glass。〃

〃Ah；　that's　a　different　affair。　　There　isn't　much　going　on　in　Ansbach；
and　they　have　to　make　the　most　of　it。〃

The　lower　casements　of　the　houses　were　furnished　with　mirrors　set　at
right　angles　with　them；　and　nothing　which　went　on　in　the　streets　was
lost。　　Some　of　the　streets　were　long　and　straight；　and　at　rare　moments
they　lay　full　of　sun。　　At　such　times　the　Marches　were　puzzled　by　the
sight　of　citizens　carrying　open　umbrellas；　and　they　wondered　if　they　had
forgotten　to　put　them　down；　or　thought　it　not　worth　while　in　the　brief
respites　from　the　rain；　or　were　profiting　by　such　rare　occasions　to　dry
them；　and　some　other　sights　remained　baffling　to　the　last。　　Once　a　man
with　his　hands　pinioned　before　him；　and　a　gendarme　marching　stolidly
after　him　with　his　musket　on　his　shoulder；　passed　under　their　windows；
but　who　he　was；　or　what　he；　had