their silver wedding journey v3-第27节

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！


behaved　badly　to　him；　and　I'd　give　anything　to　undo　the　wrong　I　let　him
do　himself；　but　I'll　never　go　back　to　him。〃

〃If　you　went　back；　on　your　old　salary；〃　the　general　persisted　pitilessly；
〃you　would　be　very　fortunate　if　you　brought　your　earnings　up　to　twenty…
five　hundred　a　year。〃

〃Yes〃

〃And　how　far　do　you　think　that　would　go　in　supporting　my　daughter　on　the
scale　she　is　used　to？　　I　don't　speak　of　your　mother；　who　has　the　first
claim　upon　you。〃

Burnamy　sat　dumb；　and　his　head　which　he　had　lifted　indignantly　when　the
question　was　of　Stoller；　began　to　sink。

The　general　went　on。　　〃You　ask　me　to　give　you　my　daughter　when　you
haven't　money　enough　to　keep　her　in　gowns；　you　ask　me　to　give　her　to　a
stranger〃

〃Not　quite　a　stranger；　General　Triscoe；〃　Burnamy　protested。　　〃You　have
known　me　for　three　months　at　least；　and　any　one　who　knows　me　in　Chicago
will　tell　you〃

〃A　stranger；　and　worse　than　a　stranger；〃　the　general　continued；　so
pleased　with　the　logical　perfection　of　his　position　that　he　almost
smiled；　and　certainly　softened　toward　Burnamy。　　〃It　isn't　a　question　of
liking　you；　Mr。　Burnamy；　but　of　knowing　you；　my　daughter　likes　you；　so　do
the　Marches；　so　does　everybody　who　has　met　you。　　I　like　you　myself。
You've　done　me　personally　a　thousand　kindnesses。　　But　I　know　very　little
of　you；　in　spite　of　our　three　months'　acquaintance；　and　that　little　is
But　you　shall　judge　for　yourself！　　You　were　in　the　confidential　employ　of
a　man　who　trusted　you；　and　you　let　him　betray　himself。〃

〃I　did。　　I　don't　excuse　it。　　The　thought　of　it　burns　like　fire。　　But　it
wasn't　done　maliciously；　it　wasn't　done　falsely；　it　was　done
inconsiderately；　and　when　it　was　done；　it　seemed　irrevocable。　　But　it
wasn't；　I　could　have　prevented；　I　could　have　stooped　the　mischief；　and　I
didn't！　　I　can　never　outlive　that。〃

〃I　know；〃　said　the　general　relentlessly；　〃that　you　have　never　attempted
any　defence。　　That　has　been　to　your　credit　with　me。　　It　inclined　me　to
overlook　your　unwarranted　course　in　writing　to　my　daughter；　when　you　told
her　you　would　never　see　her　again。　　What　did　you　expect　me　to　think；
after　that；　of　your　coming　back　to　see　her？　　Or　didn't　you　expect　me　to
know　it？〃

〃I　expected　you　to　know　it；　I　knew　she　would　tell　you。　　But　I　don't
excuse　that；　either。　　It　was　acting　a　lie　to　come　back。　　All　I　can　say　is
that　I　had　to　see　her　again　for　one　last　time。〃

〃And　to　make　sure　that　it　was　to　be　the　last　time；　you　offered　yourself
to　her。〃

〃I　couldn't　help　doing　that。〃

〃I　don't　say　you　could。　　I　don't　judge　the　facts　at　all。　　I　leave　them
altogether　to　you；　and　you　shall　say　what　a　man　in　my　position　ought　to
say　to　such　a　man　as　you　have　shown　yourself。〃

〃No；　I　will　say。〃　　The　door　into　the　adjoining　room　was　flung　open；　and
Agatha　flashed　in　from　it。

Her　father　looked　coldly　at　her　impassioned　face。　　〃Have　you　been
listening？〃　he　asked。

〃I　have　been　hearing〃

〃Oh！〃　　As　nearly　as　a　man　could；　in　bed；　General　Triscoe　shrugged。

〃I　suppose　I　had；　a　right　to　be　in　my　own　room。　　I　couldn't　help　hearing；
and　I　was　perfectly　astonished　at　you；　papa；　the　cruel　way　you　went　on；
after　all　you've　said　about　Mr。　Stoller；　and　his　getting　no　more　than　he
deserved。〃

〃That　doesn't　justify　me；〃　Burnamy　began；　but　she　cut　him　short　almost　as
severely　as　shehad　dealt　with　her　father。

〃Yes；　it　does！　　It　justifies　you　perfectly！　　And　his　wanting　you　to
falsify　the　whole　thing　afterwards；　more　than　justifies　you。〃

Neither　of　the　men　attempted　anything　in　reply　to　her　casuistry；　they
both　looked　equally　posed　by　it；　for　different　reasons；　and　Agatha　went
on　as　vehemently　as　before；　addressing　herself　now　to　one　and　now　to　the
other。

〃And　besides；　if　it　didn't　justify　you；　what　you　have　done　yourself
would；　and　your　never　denying　it；　or　trying　to　excuse　it；　makes　it　the
same　as　if　you　hadn't　done　it；　as　far　as　you　are　concerned；　and　that　is
all　I　care　for。〃　　Burnamy　started；　as　if　with　the　sense　of　having　heard
something　like　this　before；　and　with　surprise　at　hearing　it　now；　and　she
flushed　a　little　as　she　added　tremulously；　〃And　I　should　never；　never
blame　you　for　it；　after　that；　it's　only　trying　to　wriggle　out　of　things
which　I　despise；　and　you've　never　done　that。　　And　he　simply　had　to　come
back；〃　she　turned　to　her　father；　〃and　tell　me　himself　just　how　it　was。
And　you　said　yourself；　papaor　the　same　as　saidthat　he　had　no　right　to
suppose　I　was　interested　in　his　affairs　unless　heunless　And　I　should
never　have　forgiven　him；　if　he　hadn't　told　me　then　that　he　that　he　had
come　back　because　hefelt　the　way　he　did。　　I　consider　that　that
exonerated　him　for　breaking　his　word；　completely。　　If　he　hadn't　broken
his　word　I　should　have　thought　he　had　acted　very　cruelly　andand
strangely。　　And　ever　since　then；　he　has　behaved　so　nobly；　so　honorably；
so　delicately；　that　I　don't　believe　he　would　ever　have　said　anything
againif　I　hadn't　fairly　forced　him。　　Yes！　　Yes；　I　did！　〃　she　cried　at　a
movement　of　remonstrance　from　Burnamy。　　〃And　I　shall　always　be　proud　of
you　for　it。〃　　Her　father　stared　steadfastly　at　her；　and　he　only　lifted
his　eyebrows；　for　change　of　expression；　when　she　went　over　to　where
Burnamy　stood；　and　put　her　hand　in　his　with　a　certain　childlike
impetuosity。　　〃And　as　for　the　rest；〃　she　declared；　〃everything　I　have　is
his；　just　as　everything　of　his　would　be　mine　if　I　had　nothing。　　Or　if　he
wishes　to　take　me　without　anything；　then　he　can　have　me　so；　and　I　sha'n't
be　afraid　but　we　can　get　along　somehow。〃　　She　added；　〃I　have　managed
without　a　maid；　ever　since　I　left　home；　and　poverty　has　no　terrors　for
me！〃




LXVIII。

General　Triscoe　submitted　to　defeat　with　the　patience　which　soldiers
learn。　　He　did　not　submit　amiably；　that　would　have　been　out　of　character；
and　perhaps　out　of　reason；　but　Burnamy　and　Agatha　were　both　so　amiable
that　they　supplied　good…humor　for　all。　　They　flaunted　their　rapture　in
her　father's　face　as　little　as　they　could；　but　he　may　have　found　their
serene　satisfaction；　their　settled　confidence　in　their　fate；　as　hard　to
bear　as　a　more　boisterous　happiness　would　have　been。

It　was　agreed　among　them　all　that　they　were　to　return　soon　to　America；
and　Burnamy　was　to　find　some　sort　of　literary　or　journalistic　employment
in　New　York。　　She　was　much　surer　than　he　that　this　could　be　done　with
perfect　ease；　but　they　were　of　an　equal　mind　that　General　Triscoe　was　not
to　be　disturbed　in　any　of　his　habits；　or　vexed　in　the　tenor　of　his
living；　and　until　Burnamy　was　at　least　self…supporting　there　must　be　no
talk　of　their　being　married。

The　talk　of　their　being　engaged　was　quite　enough　for　the　time。　　It
included　complete　and　minute　auto…biographies　on　both　sides；　reciprocal
analyses　of　character；　a　scientifically　exhaustive　comparison　of　tastes；
ideas　and　opinions；　a　profound　study　of　their　respective　chins；　noses；
eyes；　hands；　heights；　complexions；　moles　and　freckles；　with　some　account
of　their　several　friends。

In　this　occupation；　which　was　profitably　varied　by　the　confession　of　what
they　had　each　thought　and　felt　and　dreamt　concerning　the　other　at　every
instant　since　they　met；　they　passed　rapidly　the　days　which　the　persistent
anxiety　of　General　Triscoe　interposed　before　the　date　of　their　leaving
Weimar　for　Paris；　where　it　was　arranged　that　they　should　spend　a　month
before　sailing　for　New　York。　　Burnamy　had　a　notion；　which　Agatha
approved；　of　trying　for　something　there　on　the　New　York…Paris　Chronicle；
and　if　he　got　it　they　might　not　go　home　at　once。　　His　gains　from　that
paper　had　eked　out　his　copyright　from　his　book；　and　had　almost　paid　his
expenses　in　getting　the　material　which　he　had　contributed　to　it。　　They
were　not　so　great；　however；　but　that　his　gold　reserve　was　reduced　to　less
than　a　hundred　dollars；　counting　the　silver　coinages　which　had　remained
to　him　in　crossing　and　recrossing　frontiers。　　He　was　at　times　dimly
conscious　of　his　finances；　but　he　buoyantly　disregarded　the　facts；　as
incompatible　with　his　status　as　Agatha's　betrothed；　if　not　unworthy　of
his　character　as　a　lover　in　the　abstract。

The　afternoon　before　they　were　to　leave　Weimar；　they　spent　mostly　in　the
garden　before　the　Grand…Ducal　Museum；　in　a　conference　so　important　that
when　it　came　on　to　rain；　at　one　moment；　they　put　up　Burnamy's　umbrella；
and　continued　to　sit　under　it　rather　than　interrupt　the　proceedings　even
to　let　Agatha　go　back　to　the　hotel　and　look　after　her　father's　packing。
Her　own　had　been　finished　before　dinner；　so　as　to　leave　her　the　whole
afternoon　for　their　conference；　and　to　allow　her　father　to　remain　in
undisturbed　possession　of　his　room　as　long　as　possible。

What　chiefly　remained　to　be　put　into　the　general's　trunk　were　his　coats
and　trousers；　hanging　in　the　closet；　and　August　took　these　down；　and
carefully　folded　and　packed　them。　　Then；　to　make　sure　that　nothing　had
been　forgotten；　Agatha　put　a　chair　into　the　closet　when　she　came　in；　and
stood　on　it　to　examine　the　shelf　which　stretched　above　the　hooks。

There　seemed　at　first　to　be　nothing　on　it；　and　then　there　seemed　to　be
something　in　the　further　corner；　which　when　it　was　tiptoed　for；　proved　to
be　a　bouquet　of　flowers；　not　so　faded　as　to　seem　very　old；　the　blue　satin
rib