第14章

ThatwasnotthefirsttimeGeneralTriscoehadsilencedquestionofhisopinionswiththeargumenthehaduseduponEltwin，thoughhewasseldomabletouseitsoaptly。Healwaysfoundthatpeoplesuffered，hisbeliefinournationaldegenerationmuchmorereadilywhentheyknewthathehadleftadiplomaticpositioninEurope(hehadgoneabroadassecretaryofaminorlegation)tocomehomeandfightfortheUnion。

Somemillionsofothermenhadgoneintothewarfromthevariedmotiveswhichimpelledmenatthattime；buthewasawarethathehaddistinction，asamanofpropertyandamanoffamily，indoingso。Hisfamilyhadimprovedastimepassed，anditwasnowsooldthatbackofhisgrandfatheritwaslostinantiquity。ThisancestorhadretiredfromtheseaandbecomeamerchantinhisnativeRhodeIslandport，wherehissonestablishedhimselfasaphysician，andmarriedthedaughterofaformerslave-traderwhosesocialpositionwasthehighestintheplace；

Triscoelikedtomentionhismaternalgrandfatherwhenhewishedalistenertorealizejusthowanomaloushispartinawaragainstslaverywas；itheightenedtheeffectofhispose。

Hefoughtgallantlythroughthewar，andhewasbrevettedBrigadier-

Generalattheclose。Withthishonor，andwiththewoundwhichcausedanalmostimperceptiblelimpinhisgait，hewontheheartofarichNewYorkgirl，andherfathersethimupinabusiness，whichwasnotlongingoingtopiecesinhishands。ThentheyoungcouplewenttoliveinParis，wheretheirdaughterwasborn，andwherethemotherdiedwhenthechildwastenyearsold。Alittlelaterhisfather-in-lawdied，andTriscoereturnedtoNewYork，wherehefoundthefortunewhichhisdaughterhadinheritedwasmuchlessthanhesomehowthoughthehadarighttoexpect。

Theincomefromherfortunewasenoughtoliveon，andhedidnotgobacktoParis，where，infact，thingswerenotsomuchtohismindundertheRepublicastheyhadbeenundertheSecondEmpire。Hewasstillwillingtodosomethingforhiscountry，however，andheallowedhisnametobeusedonacitizen’sticketinhisdistrict；buthisprovision-manwassenttoCongressinstead。ThenheretiredtoRhodeIslandandattemptedtoconverthisshorepropertyintoawatering-place；butafterbeingattractivelyplottedandlaidoutwithstreetsandsidewalks，itallurednoonetobuildonitexceptthebirdsandthechipmonks，andhecamebacktoNewYork，wherehisdaughterhadremainedinschool。

Oneofhermaternalauntsmadeheracoming-outtea，aftersheleftschool；andsheentereduponaseriesofdinners，dances，theatreparties，andreceptionsofallkinds；butthetideoffairygoldpouringthroughherfingersleftnoengagement-ringonthem。Shehadnoduties，butsheseldomgotoutofhumorwithherpleasures；shehadsomeoddtastesofherown，andinasocietywherenonebutthemostseriousbookswereeverseriouslymentionedshewasratherfondofgoodones，andhadromanticideasofalifethatshevaguelycalledbohemian。Hercharacterwasnevertestedbyanythingmoretryingthanthefearthatherfathermighttakeherabroadtolive；hehadtakenherabroadseveraltimesforthesummer。

Thedreadedtrialdidnotapproachforseveralyearsaftershehadceasedtobeabud；andthenitcamewhenherfatherwasagainwillingtoservehiscountryindiplomacy，eitherattheHague，oratBrussels，orevenatBerne。Reasonsofpoliticalgeographypreventedhisappointmentanywhere，butGeneralTriscoehavingarrangedhisaffairsforgoingabroadonthemissionhehadexpected，decidedtogowithoutit。Hewasreallyveryfitforbothoftheofficeshehadsought，andsofarasamancandeservepublicplacebypublicservice，hehaddeservedit。

Hispessimismwasuncommonlywellgrounded，andifitdidnotgoverydeep，itmightwellhavereachedthebottomofhisnature。

Hisdaughterhadbeguntodivinehimattheearlyagewhenparentssupposethemselvesstilltobemysteriestotheirchildren。Shedidnotthinkitnecessaryevertoexplainhimtoothers；perhapsshewouldnothavefounditpossible；andnowaftershepartedfromMrs。EltwinandwenttositdownbesideMrs。Marchshedidnotrefertoherfather。ShesaidhowsweetshehadfoundtheoldladyfromOhio；andwhatsortofplacedidMrs。MarchsupposeitwaswhereMrs。Eltwinlived？Theyseemedtohaveeverythingthere，likeanyplace。ShehadwantedtoaskMrs。

Eltwiniftheysatontheirsteps；butshehadnotquitedared。

Burnamycameby，slowly，andatMrs。March’ssuggestionhetookoneofthechairsonherotherside，tohelpherandMissTriscoelookattheChannelIslandsandwatchtheapproachofthesteamertoCherbourg，wheretheNorumbiawastolandagain。TheyoungpeopletalkedacrossMrs。

Marchtoeachother，andsaidhowcharmingtheislandswere，intheirgray-greeninsubstantiality，withvalleysfurrowingthemfarinward，likeairycleftsinlowbanksofclouds。Itseemedallthenicernottoknowjustwhichwaswhich；butwhentheshipdrewnearertoCherbourg，hesuggestedthattheycouldseebetterbygoingroundtotheothersideoftheship。MissTriscoe，asattheothertimeswhenshehadgoneoffwithBurnamy，markedherallegiance，toMrs。Marchbyleavingawrapwithher。

Everyonewasrestlessinbreakingwiththeoldlifeatsea。Therehadbeenanequalunrestwhentheshipfirstsailed；peoplehadfirstcomeaboardinthedemoralizationofseveringtheirtieswithhome，andtheyshrankfromformingothers。Thenthecharmoftheidle，eventlesslifegrewuponthem，andunitedtheminafondreluctancefromtheinevitableend。

Nowthatthebeginningoftheendhadcome，thepangsofdisintegrationwerefeltinalltheonce-more-repellantparticles。BurnamyandMissTriscoe，astheyhungupontherail，ownedtoeachotherthattheyhatedtohavethevoyageover。TheyhadlikedleavingPlymouthandbeingatseaagain；theywishedthattheyneednotberemindedofanotherdebarkationbytheenergyofthecraneinhoistingtheCherbourgbaggagefromthehold。

TheyapprovedofthepicturesquenessofthreeFrenchvesselsofwarthatpassed，draggingtheirkrakenshapeslowthroughthelevelwater。AtCherbourganemotionalFrenchtendercameouttotheship，verydifferentinherclamorousvoicesandexcitedfiguresfromthesteadyself-controloftheEnglishtenderatPlymouth；andtheythoughttheFrenchfortificationsmuchmoreonshowthantheEnglishhadbeen。NothingmarkedtheiryouthfuldatesomuchtotheMarches，whopresentlyjoinedthem，astheirfailuretorealizethatinthispeacefulseathegreatbattlebetweentheKearsargeandtheAlabamawasfought。Theeldercoupletriedtoaffecttheirimaginationswiththefactwhichreanimatedthespectreofadreadfulwarforthemselves；buttheyhadtopassonand，leavetheyoungpeopleunmoved。

Mrs。Marchwonderediftheynoticedthedebarkationofthepivotalgirl，whomshesawstandingonthedeckofthetender，withherhandsatherwaist，andgivingnowthissideandnowthatsideofherfacetotheyoungmenwavingtheirhatstoherfromtherailoftheship。Burnamywasnotoftheirnumber，andheseemednottoknowthatthegirlwasleavinghimfinallytoMissTriscoe。IfMissTriscoeknewitshedidnothingthewholeofthatlong，lastafternoontoprofitbythefact。

BurnamyspentagreatpartofitinthechairbesideMrs。March，andheshowedanintolerableresignationtothegirl’sabsence。

“Yes。”saidMarch，takingtheplaceBurnamyleftatlast，“thatterriblepatienceofyouth！”

“Patience？Folly！Stupidity！Theyoughttobetogethereveryinstant！

Dotheysupposethatlifeisfullofsuchchances？Dotheythinkthatfatehasnothingtodobut——“

Shestoppedforafitclimax，andhesuggested，“Hangroundandwaitonthem？”

“Yes！It’stheironechanceinalife-time，probably。”

“Thenyou’vequitedecidedthatthey’reinlove？”Hesankcomfortablyback，andputuphiswearylegsonthechair’sextensionwiththeconvictionthatlovehadnosuchjoyasthattooffer。

“I’vedecidedthatthey’reintenselyinterestedineachother。”

“Thenwhatmorecanweaskofthem？Andwhydoyoucarewhattheydoordon’tdowiththeirchance？Whydoyouwishtheirlovewell，ifit’sthat？Ismarriagesuchaverycertaingood？”

“Itisn’tallthatitmightbe，butit’sallthatthereis。Whatwouldourliveshavebeenwithoutit？”sheretorted。

“Oh，weshouldhavegoton。It’ssuchatremendousriskthatwe，oughttogoroundbeggingpeopletothinktwice，tocountahundred，oranonillion，beforetheyfallinlovetothemarrying-point。Idon’tmindtheirflirting；thatamusesthem；butmarryingisadifferentthing。

IdoubtifPapaTriscoewouldtakekindlytothenotionofason-in-lawhehadn’tselectedhimself，andhisdaughterdoesn’tstrikemeasayoungladywhohasanywisdomtothrowawayonachoice。Shehasherlittlecharm；herlittlegiftofbeauty，ofgrace，ofspirit，andtheotherthingsthatgowithherageandsex；butwhatcouldshedoforafellowlikeBurnamy，whohashiswaytomake，whohastheladderoffametoclimb，withanoldmotheratthebottomofittolookafter？Youwouldn’twanthimtohaveaneyeonMissTriscoe’smoney，evenifshehadmoney，andIdoubtifshehasmuch。It’sallveryprettytohaveagirllikeherfascinatedwithayouthofhissimpletraditions；thoughBurnamyisn’taltogetherpastoralinhisideals，andhelooksforwardtoaplaceintheveryworldshebelongsto。Idon’tthinkit’sforustopromotetheaffair。”

“Well，perhapsyou’reright。”shesighed。“Iwillletthemalonefromthisout。Thankgoodness，Ishallnothavethemundermyeyesverylong。”

“Oh，Idon’tthinkthere’sanyharmdoneyet。”saidherhusband，withalaugh。

Atdinnerthereseemedsolittleharmofthekindhemeantthatshesufferedfromanillogicaldisappointment。Theyoungpeoplegotthroughthemealwithnotalkthatseemedinductive；Burnamyleftthetablefirst，andMissTriscoeborehisgoingwithoutapparentdiscouragement；

shekeptonchattingwithMarchtillhiswifetookhimawaytotheirchairsondeck。

Therewereafewmoreshipsinsightthantherewereinmid-ocean；butthelatetwilightthickenedovertheNorthSeaquitelikethenightaftertheyleftNewYork，exceptthatitwascolder；andtheirheartsturnedtotheirchildren，whohadbeeninabeyancefortheweekpast，witharemorsefulpang。“Well，shesaid，“IwishweweregoingtobeinNewYorkto-morrow，insteadofHamburg。”

“Oh，no！Oh，no！”heprotested。“Notsobadasthat，mydear。Thisisthelastnight，andit’shardtomanage，asthelastnightalwaysis。I

supposethelastnightonearth——“

“Basil！”sheimplored。

“Well，Iwon’t，then。ButwhatIwantistoseeaDutchlugger。I’veneverseenaDutchlugger，and——“

Shesuddenlypressedhisarm，andinobediencetothesignalhewassilent；thoughitseemedafterwardsthatheoughttohavegoneontalkingasifhedidnotseeBurnamyandMissTriscoeswingingslowlyby。Theywerewalkingclosetogether，andshewasleaningforwardandlookingupintohisfacewhilehetalked。

“Now。”Mrs。Marchwhispered，longaftertheywereoutofhearing，“letusgoinstantly。Iwouldn’tforworldshavethemseeusherewhentheygetfoundagain。Theywouldfeelthattheyhadtostopandspeak，andthatwouldspoileverything。Come！