第65章

类别:其他 作者:William Dean Howells字数:4881更新时间:18/12/22 09:09:46
TherainhadliftedalittleandthesunshoneoutonthebloomofthelovelyparterrewheretheMarchesprofitedbyasmilingmomenttowanderamongthestatuesandtherosesheavywiththeshower。ThentheywalkedbacktotheircarriageanddrovetotheNewPalace,whichexpressesindifferingarchitecturaltermsthesamesubjectiontoanalienidealofbeauty。Itisthrongedwithoutbydelightfullypreposterousrococcostatues,andwithinitisrichinallthosecuriositiesandmemorialsofroyaltywithwhichpalacessowellknowhowtofatiguethefleshandspiritoftheirvisitors。 TheMarchesescapedfromitallwithsighsandgroansofrelief,andbeforetheydroveofftoseethegreatfountainoftheOrangeries,theydedicatedamomentofpathostotheTempleofFriendshipwhichFrederickbuiltinmemoryofunhappyWilhelminaofBeyreuth,thesisterhelovedinthecommonsorrowoftheirwretchedhome,andneglectedwhenhecametohiskingdom。Itisbeautifulinitsrococcoway,sweptuptoonitsterracebymostnoblestaircases,andswaggeredoverbybaroqueallegoriesofallsorts:Everywherethestatuesoutnumberedthevisitors,whomayhavebeenkeptawaybytherain;thestatuesnaturallydidnotmindit。 Sometimeinthemidstoftheirsight-seeingtheMarcheshaddinnerinamildewedrestaurant,whereacompatrioticaccentcaughttheirearinavoicesayingtothewaiter,“Weareinahurry。”TheylookedroundandsawthatitproceededfromtheprettynoseofayoungAmericangirl,whosatwithapartyofyoungAmericangirlsataneighboringtable。ThentheyperceivedthatallthepeopleinthatrestaurantwereAmericans,mostlyyounggirls,whoalllookedasiftheywereinahurry。Butneithertheirbeautynortheirimpatiencehadtheleasteffectwiththewaiter,whoprolongedthedinnerathispleasure,andalarmedtheMarcheswiththemisgivingthattheyshouldnothavetimeforthefinalpalaceontheirlist。 ThiswasthepalacewherethefatherofFrederick,themadoldFrederickWilliam,broughtuphischildrenwiththatseveritywhichSolomonurgedbutprobablydidnotpractise。Itisavastplace,buttheyhadtimeforitall,thoughthecustodianmadethemostofthemasthelatestcomersoftheday,andledthemthroughitwithaprolixityasgreatastheirwaiter’s。Hewasamostfriendlycustodian,andwhenhefoundthattheyhadsomelittlenotionofwhattheywantedtosee,hemixedzealwithhispatronage,andinamannermadethemhishonoredguests。Theysaweverythingbutthedoorwaywherethefaithfulroyalfatherusedtolieinwaitforhischildrenandbeatthem,princesandprincessesalike,withhisknobbycaneastheycamethrough。Theymighthaveseenthisdoorwaywithoutknowingit;butfromthewindowoverlookingtheparade-groundwherehisfamilywatchedthemanoeuvresofhisgiganticgrenadiers,theymadesureofjustsuchpuddlesasFrederickWilliamforcedhisfamilytositwiththeirfeetin,whiletheydinedalfrescoonporkandcabbage; andtheyvisitedtheroomoftheSmokingParliamentwhereheruledhisconviveswitharodofiron,andmadethemthevictimsofhisbadjokes。 Themeasuring-boardagainstwhichhetookthestatureofhistallgrenadiersisthere,andoneroomisdevotedtothosemasterpieceswhichheusedtopaintintheagoniesofgout。Hischefd’oeuvrecontainsafigurewithtwoleftfeet,andthereseemednoreasonwhyitmightnot。 havehadthree。InanotherroomisasmallstatueofCarlyle,whodidsomuchtorehabilitatethehousewhichthedaughterofit,Wilhelmina,didsomuchtodemolishintheregardofmen。 Thepalaceisnowmostlykeptforguests,andthereisachamberwhereNapoleonslept,whichisnotlikelytobeoccupiedsoonbyanyotherself-invitedguestofhisnation。ItisperhapstokeeptheprincesofEuropehumblethathardlyapalaceontheContinentiswithoutthechamberofthisadventurer,who,tillhestoopedtobelikethem,waseasilytheirmaster。AnotherdemocracyhadhererecordeditsinvasionintheAmericanstoveswhichthecustodianpointedoutinthecorridorwhenMrs,March,withaslittledelayaspossible,hadproclaimedtheircountry。Thecustodianprofessedanaddedrespectforthemfromthefact,andifhedidnotfeelit,nodoubthemeritedthedrinkmoneywhichtheylavishedonhimatparting。 Theirdriveralsowasacongenialspirit,andwhenheletthemoutofhiscarriageatthestation,heexcusedtherainydaytothem。Hewasamerryfellowbeyondthewontofhisnation,andhe-laughedatthebadweather,asifithadbeenagoodjokeonthem。 Hisgayety,andtheredsunsetlight,whichshoneonthestemsofthepinesonthewaybacktoBerlin,contributedtothecontentinwhichtheyreviewedtheirvisittoPotsdam。Theyagreedthattheplacewasperfectlycharming,andthatitwasincomparablyexpressiveofkinglywillandpride。ThesehaddonethereonthegrandscalewhatalltheGermanprincesandprincelingshadtriedtodoinimitationandemulationofFrenchsplendor。InPotsdamthegrandeur,wasnotahistoricalgrowthasatVersailles,butwastheeffectoffamilygenius,inwhichtherewasoftenthecuriousfascinationofinsanity。 TheyfeltthisstronglyagainamidstthefutilemonumentsoftheHohenzollernMuseum,inBerlin,wherealltheportraits,effigies,personalbelongingsandmemorialsofthatgifted,eccentricracearegatheredandhistoricallydisposed。TheprincesofthemightylinewhostandoutfromtherestareFredericktheGreatandhisinfuriate。 father;andinthewaxenlikenessoftheson,asmallthinfigure,terriblyspry,andafacepitilesslyalert,appearssomethingofthemadnesswhichshowedinthelifeofthesire。 Theywentthroughmanyroomsinwhichthememorialsofthekingsandqueens,theemperorsandempresseswerecarefullyordered,andfeltnokindnessexceptbeforetherelicsrelatingtotheEmperorFrederickandhismother。InthepresenceofthegreatestofthedynastytheyexperiencedakindofterrorwhichMarchexpressed,whentheyweresafelyaway,intheconfessionofhisjoythatthosepeopleweredead。 TheroughweatherwhichmadeBerlinalmostuninhabitabletoMrs。MarchhadsuchaneffectwithGeneralTriscoeatWeimarthatundertheordersofanEnglish-speakingdoctorheretreatedfromitaltogetherandwenttobed。Hereheescapedthebronchitiswhichhadattackedhim,andhisconvalesencelefthimsolittletocomplainofthathecouldnotalwayskeephistemper。Intheabsenceofactualoffence,eitherfromhisdaughterorfromBurnamy,hissenseofinjurytookaretroactiveform;itcentredfirstinStollerandthetwins;thenitdivergedtowardRoseAdding,hismotherandKenby,andfinallyinvolvedtheMarchesinthesamemeasureofinculpation;fortheyhadeachandallhadpart,directlyorindirectly,inthechancesthatbroughtonhiscold。 HeowedtoBurnamythecomfortofthebestroominthehotel,andhewasconstantlydependentuponhiskindness;buthemadeitevidentthathedidnotover-valueBurnamy’ssacrificeanddevotion,andthatitwasnotanunmixedpleasure,howevergreataconvenience,tohavehimabout。Ingivinguphisroom,Burnamyhadproposedgoingoutofthehotelaltogether;butGeneralTriscoeheardofthiswithalmostasgreatvexationashehadacceptedtheroom。Hebesoughthimnottogo,butsoungraciouslythathisdaughterwasashamed,andtriedtoatoneforhismannerbythekindnessofherown。 PerhapsGeneralTriscoewouldnothavebeenwithoutexcuseifhewerenoteagertohavehersharewithdestitutemeritthefortunewhichshehadhithertosharedonlywithhim。Hewasold,andcertainluxurieshadbecomehabitsifnotnecessarieswithhim。Ofcoursehedidnotsaythistohimself;andstilllessdidhesayittoher。ButheletherseethathedidnotenjoythechancewhichhadthrownthemagaininsuchcloserelationswithBurnamy,andhedidpothidehisbeliefthattheMarchesweresomehowtoblameforit。ThismadeitimpossibleforhertowriteatoncetoMrs。Marchasshehadpromised;butshewasdeterminedthatitshouldnotmakeherunjusttoBurnamy。Shewouldnotavoidhim;shewouldnotletanythingthathadhappenedkeepherfromshowingthatshefelthiskindnessandwasgladofhishelp。 OfcoursetheyknewnooneelseinWeimar,andhispresencemerelyasafellow-countrymanwouldhavebeenprecious。Hegotthemadoctor,againstGeneralTriscoe’swill;hewentforhismedicines;helenthimbooksandpapers;hesatwithhimandtriedtoamusehim。ButwiththegirlheattemptednoreturntothesituationatCarlsbad;thereisnothinglikethedelicateprideofayoungmanwhoresolvestoforegounfairadvantageinlove。 Thedayaftertheirarrival,whenherfatherwasmakingupforthesleephehadlostbynight,shefoundherselfaloneinthelittlereading-roomofthehotelwithBurnamyforthefirsttime,andshesaid:“IsupposeyoumusthavebeenalloverWeimarbythistime。” “Well,I’vebeenhere,offandon,almostamonth。It’saninterestingplace。There’sagooddealoftheoldliteraryqualityleft。” “Andyouenjoythat!Isaw“——sheaddedthiswithalittleunnecessaryflush——“yourpoeminthepaperyoulentpapa。” “IsupposeIoughttohavekeptthatback。ButIcouldn’t。”Helaughed,andshesaid: “Youmustfindagreatdealofinspirationinsuchaliteraryplace。” “Itisn’tlyingaboutloose,exactly。”Evenintheseriousandperplexingsituationinwhichhefoundhimselfhecouldnothelpbeingamusedwithherunliterarynotionsofliterature,herconventionalandcommonplaceconceptionsofit。Theyhadtheirvaluewithhimasthoseofamorefashionableworldthanhisown,whichhebelievedwassomehowagreaterworld。Atthesametimehebelievedthatshewasnowinterposingthembetweenthepresentandthepast,andforbiddingwiththemanyreturntothemoodoftheirlastmeetinginCarlsbad。Helookedatherladylikecomposureandunconsciousness,andwonderedifshecouldbethesamepersonandthesamepersonastheywholostthemselvesinthecrowdthatnightandheardandsaidwordspalpitantwithfate。Perhapstherehadbeennosuchwords;perhapsitwasallahallucination。Hemustleavehertorecognizethatitwasreality;tillshedidso,hefeltbitterlythattherewasnothingforhimbutsubmissionandpatience;ifsheneverdidso,therewasnothingforhimbutacquiescence。 Inthistalkandinthetalkstheyhadafterwardssheseemedwillingenoughtospeakofwhathadhappenedsince:ofcomingontoWurzburgwiththeAddingsandoffindingtheMarchesthere;ofRose’scollapse,andofhismother’sflightseawardwithhiminthecareofKenby,whowassofortunatelygoingtoHolland,too。HeonhissidetoldherofgoingtoWurzburgforthemanoeuvres,andtheyagreedthatitwasverystrangetheyhadnotmet。 Shedidnottrytokeeptheirrelationsfromtakingthedomesticcharacterwhichwasinevitable,anditseemedtohimthatthisinitselfwassignificantofadeterminationonherpartthatwasfataltohishopes。Withalover’sindefinitepowerofblindinghimselftowhatisbeforehiseyes,hebelievedthatifshehadbeenmorediffidentofhim,moreuneasyinhispresence,heshouldhavehadmorecourage;butforhertobreakfastunafraidwithhim,tomeethimatlunchanddinnerinthelittledining-roomwheretheywereoftentheonlyguests,andalwaystheonlyEnglish-speakingguests,wasnothinglessthanprohibitive。