their silver wedding journey v3-第40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！

without　philosophy。　　He　made　desperate　attempts　at　times　to　interest
himself　in　the　pool…selling　in　the　smoking…room　where　the　betting　on　the
ship's　wonderful　run　was　continual。

He　thought　that　people　talked　less　and　less　as　they　drew　nearer　home；　but
on　the　last　day　out　there　was　a　sudden　expansion；　and　some　whom　he　had
not　spoken　with　voluntarily　addressed　him。　　The　sweet；　soft　air　was　like
midsummer　the　water　rippled　gently；　without　a　swell；　blue　under　the　clear
sky；　and　the　ship　left　a　wide　track　that　was　silver　in　the　sun。　　There
were　more　sail；　the　first　and　second　class　baggage　was　got　up　and　piled
along　the　steerage　deck。

Some　people　dressed　a　little　more　than　usual　for　the　last　dinner　which
was　earlier　than　usual；　so　as　to　be　out　of　the　way　against　the　arrival
which　had　been　variously　predicted　at　from　five　to　seven…thirty。　　An
indescribable　nervousness　culminated　with　the　appearance　of　the　customs
officers　on　board；　who　spread　their　papers　on　cleared　spaces　of　the
dining…tables；　and　summoned　the　passengers　to　declare　that　they　had
nothing　to　declare；　as　a　preliminary　to　being　searched　like　thieves　at
the　dock。

This　ceremony　proceeded　while　the　Cupania　made　her　way　up　the　Narrows；
and　into　the　North　River；　where　the　flare　of　lights　from　the　crazy　steeps
and　cliffs　of　architecture　on　the　New　York　shore　seemed　a　persistence　of
the　last　Fourth　of　July　pyrotechnics。　　March　blushed　for　the　grotesque
splendor　of　the　spectacle；　and　was　confounded　to　find　some　Englishmen
admiring　it；　till　he　remembered　that　aesthetics　were　not　the　strong　point
of　our　race。　　His　wife　sat　hand　in　hand　with　Miss　Triscoe；　and　from　time
to　time　made　him　count　the　pieces　of　small　baggage　in　the　keeping　of
their　steward；　while　General　Triscoe　held　aloof　in　a　sarcastic　calm。

The　steamer　groped　into　her　dock；　the　gangways　were　lifted　to　her　side；
the　passengers　fumbled　and　stumbled　down　their　incline；　and　at　the　bottom
the　Marches　found　themselves　respectively　in　the　arms　of　their　son　and
daughter。　　They　all　began　talking　at　once；　and　ignoring　and　trying　to
remember　the　Triscoes　to　whom　the　young　Marches　were　presented。　　Bella
did　her　best　to　be　polite　to　Agatha；　and　Tom　offered　to　get　an　inspector
for　the　general　at　the　same　time　as　for　his　father。　　Then　March；
remorsefully　remembered　the　Eltwins；　and　looked　about　for　them；　so　that
his　son　might　get　them　an　inspector　too。　　He　found　the　major　already　in
the　hands　of　an　inspector；　who　was　passing　all　his　pieces　after
carelessly　looking　into　one：　the　official　who　received　the　declarations
on　board　had　noted　a　Grand　Army　button　like　his　own　in　the　major's　lapel；
and　had　marked　his　fellow…veteran's　paper　with　the　mystic　sign　which
procures　for　the　bearer　the　honor　of　being　promptly　treated　as　a
smuggler；　while　the　less　favored　have　to　wait　longer　for　this　indignity
at　the　hands　of　their　government。　　When　March's　own　inspector　came　he　was
as　civil　and　lenient　as　our　hateful　law　allows；　when　he　had　finished
March　tried　to　put　a　bank…note　in　his　hand；　and　was　brought　to　a　just
shame　by　his　refusal　of　it。　　The　bed…room　steward　keeping　guard　over　the
baggage　helped　put…it　together　after　the　search；　and　protested　that　March
had　feed　him　so　handsomely　that　he　would　stay　there　with　it　as　long　as
they　wished。　　This　partly　restored　March's　self…respect；　and　he　could
share　in　General　Triscoe's　indignation　with　the　Treasury　ruling　which
obliged　him　to　pay　duty　on　his　own　purchases　in　excess　of　the　hundred…
dollar　limit；　though　his　daughter　had　brought　nothing；　and　they　jointly
came　far　within　the　limit　for　two。

He　found　that　the　Triscoes　were　going　to　a　quiet　old　hotel　on　the　way　to
Stuyvesant　Square；　quite　in　his　own　neighborhood；　and　he　quickly　arranged
for　all　the　ladies　and　the　general　to　drive　together　while　he　was　to
follow　with　his　son　on　foot　and　by　car。　　They　got　away　from　the　scene　of
the　customs'　havoc　while　the　steamer　shed；　with　its　vast　darkness　dimly
lit　by　its　many　lamps；　still　showed　like　a　battle…field　where　the
inspectors　groped　among　the　scattered　baggage　like　details　from　the
victorious　army　searching　for　the　wounded。　　His　son　clapped　him　on　the
shoulder　when　he　suggested　this　notion；　and　said　he　was　the　same　old
father；　and　they　got　home　as　gayly　together　as　the　dispiriting　influences
of　the　New　York　ugliness　would　permit。　　It　was　still　in　those　good　and
decent　times；　now　so　remote；　when　the　city　got　something　for　the　money
paid　out　to　keep　its　streets　clean；　and　those　they　passed　through　were
not　foul　but　merely　mean。

The　ignoble　effect　culminated　when　they　came　into　Broadway；　and　found　its
sidewalks；　at　an　hour　when　those　of　any　European　metropolis　would　have
been　brilliant　with　life；　as　unpeopled　as　those　of　a　minor　country　town；
while　long　processions　of　cable…cars　carted　heaps　of　men　and　women　up　and
down　the　thoroughfare　amidst　the　deformities　of　the　architecture。

The　next　morning　the　March　family　breakfasted　late　after　an　evening
prolonged　beyond　midnight　in　spite　of　half…hourly　agreements　that　now
they　must　really　all　go　to　bed。　　The　children　had　both　to　recognize　again
and　again　how　well　their　parents　were　looking；　Tom　had　to　tell　his　father
about　the　condition　of　'Every　Other　Week'；　Bella　had　to　explain　to　her
mother　how　sorry　her　husband　was　that　he　could　not　come　on　to　meet　them
with　her；　but　was　coming　a　week　later　to　take　her　home；　and　then　she
would　know　the　reason　why　they　could　not　all；　go　back　to　Chicago　with
him：　it　was　just　the　place　for　her　father　to　live；　for　everybody　to　live。
At　breakfast　she　renewed　the　reasoning　with　which　she　had　maintained　her
position　the　night　before；　the　travellers　entered　into　a　full　expression
of　their　joy　at　being　home　again；　March　asked　what　had　become　of　that
stray　parrot　which　they　had　left　in　the　tree…top　the　morning　they
started；　and　Mrs。　March　declared　that　this　was　the　last　Silver　Wedding
Journey　she　ever　wished　to　take；　and　tried　to　convince　them　all　that　she
had　been　on　the　verge　of　nervous　collapse　when　she　reached　the　ship。
They　sat　at　table　till　she　discovered　that　it　was　very　nearly　eleven
o'clock；　and　said　it　was　disgraceful。

Before　they　rose；　there　was　a　ring　at　the　door；　and　a　card　was　brought　in
to　Tom。　　He　glanced　at　it；　and　said　to　his　father；　〃Oh；　yes！　　This　man
has　been　haunting　the　office　for　the　last　three　days。　　He's　got　to　leave
to…day；　and　as　it　seemed　to　be　rather　a　case　of　life　and　death　with　him；
I　said　he'd　probably　find　you　here　this　morning。　　But　if　you　don't　want
to　see　him；　I　can　put　him　off　till　afternoon；　I　suppose。〃

He　tossed　the　card　to　his　father；　who　looked　at　it　quietly；　and　then　gave
it　to　his　wife。　　〃Perhaps　I'd　as　well　see　him？〃

〃See　him！〃　she　returned　in　accents　in　which　all　the　intensity　of　her　soul
was　centred。　　By　an　effort　of　self…control　which　no　words　can　convey　a
just　sense　of　she　remained　with　her　children；　while　her　husband　with　a
laugh　more　teasing　than　can　be　imagined　went　into　the　drawing…room　to
meet　Burnamy。

The　poor　fellow　was　in　an　effect　of　belated　summer　as　to　clothes；　and　he
looked　not　merely　haggard　but　shabby。　　He　made　an　effort　for　dignity　as
well　as　gayety；　however；　in　stating　himself　to　March；　with　many　apologies
for　his　persistency。　　But；　he　said；　he　was　on　his　way　West；　and　he　was
anxious　to　know　whether　there　was　any　chance　of　his　'Kasper　Hauler'　paper
being　taken　if　he　finished　it　up。　　March　would　have　been　a　far　harder…
hearted　editor　than　he　was；　if　he　could　have　discouraged　the　suppliant
before　him。　　He　said　he　would　take　the　Kasper　Hauler　paper　and　add　a　band
of　music　to　the　usual　rate　of　ten　dollars　a　thousand　words。　　Then
Burnamy's　dignity　gave　way；　if　not　his　gayety；　he　began　to　laugh；　and
suddenly　he　broke　down　and　confessed　that　he　had　come　home　in　the
steerage；　and　was　at　his　last　cent；　beyond　his　fare　to　Chicago。　　His
straw　hat　looked　like　a　withered　leaf　in　the　light　of　his　sad　facts；　his
thin　overcoat　affected　March's　imagination　as　something　like　the
diaphanous　cast　shell　of　a　locust；　hopelessly　resumed　for　comfort　at　the
approach　of　autumn。　　He　made　Burnamy　sit　down；　after　he　had　once　risen；
and　he　told　him　of　Major　Eltwin's　wish　to　see　him；　and　he　promised　to　go
round　with　him　to　the　major's　hotel　before　the　Eltwins　left　town　that
afternoon。

While　he　prolonged　the　interview　in　this　way；　Mrs。　March　was　kept　from
breaking　in　upon　them　only　by　the　psychical　experiment　which　she　was
making　with　the　help　and　sympathy　of　her　daughter　at　the　window　of　the
dining…room　which　looked　up　Sixteenth　Street。　　At　the　first　hint　she　gave
of　the　emotional　situation　which　Burnamy　was　a　main　part　of；　her　son；
with　the　brutal　contempt　of　young　men　for　other　young　men's　love　affairs；
said　he　must　go　to　the　office；　he　bade　his　mother　tell　his　father　there
was　no　need　of　his　coming　down　that　day；　and　he　left　the　two　women
together。　　This　gave　the　mother　a　chance　to　develop　the　whole　fact　to　the
daughter　with　telegrammic　rapidity　and　brevity；　and　then　to　enrich　the
first…outline　with　innumerable　details；　while　they　both　remained　at　the
window；　and　Mrs。　March　said　at　two…minutely　intervals；　with　no　sense　of
iteration　for　either　of　them；　〃I