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！
wad）； and had heft it on the hat…rack； where it would certainly be
stolen； she found it on her wrist。 She did not think that very funny；
but after a first impulse to inculpate her husband； she let him laugh；
while they stopped under a lamp and she held the permits half a yard away
to read the numbers on them。
〃Where are your glasses； Isabel？〃
〃On the mantel in our room； of course。〃
〃Then you ought to have brought a pair of tongs。〃
〃I wouldn't get off second…hand jokes； Basil；〃 she said； and 〃Why； here！〃
she cried； whirling round to the door before which they had halted； 〃this
is the very number。 Well； I do believe it's a sign！〃
One of those colored men who soften the trade of janitor in many of the
smaller apartment…houses in New York by the sweetness of their race let
the Marches in； or； rather； welcomed them to the possession of the
premises by the bow with which he acknowledged their permit。 It was a
large； old mansion cut up into five or six dwellings； but it had kept
some traits of its former dignity； which pleased people of their
sympathetic tastes。 The dark…mahogany trim； of sufficiently ugly design；
gave a rich gloom to the hallway； which was wide and paved with marble；
the carpeted stairs curved aloft through a generous space。
〃There is no elevator？〃 Mrs。 March asked of the janitor。
He answered； 〃No； ma'am； only two flights up；〃 so winningly that she
said；
〃Oh！〃 in courteous apology； and whispered to her husband； as she followed
lightly up； 〃We'll take it； Basil； if it's like the rest。〃
〃If it's like him； you mean。〃
〃I don't wonder they wanted to own them；〃 she hurriedly philosophized。
〃If I had such a creature； nothing but death should part us； and I should
no more think of giving him his freedom！〃
〃No； we couldn't afford it；〃 returned her husband。
The apartment which the janitor unlocked for them； and lit up from those
chandeliers and brackets of gilt brass in the form of vine bunches；
leaves； and tendrils in which the early gas…fitter realized most of his
conceptions of beauty； had rather more of the ugliness than the dignity
of the hall。 But the rooms were large； and they grouped themselves in a
reminiscence of the time when they were part of a dwelling that had its
charm； its pathos； its impressiveness。 Where they were cut up into
smaller spaces； it had been done with the frankness with which a proud
old family of fallen fortunes practises its economies。 The rough pine ~
floors showed a black border of tack…heads where carpets had been lifted
and put down for generations； the white paint was yellow with age； the
apartment had light at the front and at the back； and two or three rooms
had glimpses of the day through small windows let into their corners；
another one seemed lifting an appealing eye to heaven through a glass
circle in its ceiling； the rest must darkle in perpetual twilight。 Yet
something pleased in it all； and Mrs。 March had gone far to adapt the
different rooms to the members of her family； when she suddenly thought
（and for her to think was to say）； 〃Why； but there's no steam heat！〃
〃No； ma'am；〃 the janitor admitted； 〃but dere's grates in most o' de
rooms； and dere's furnace heat in de halls。〃
〃That's true；〃 she admitted； and； having placed her family in the
apartments； it was hard to get them out again。 〃Could we manage？〃 she
referred to her husband。
〃Why； I shouldn't care for the steam heat ifWhat is the rent？〃 he
broke off to ask the janitor。
〃Nine hundred； sir。〃
March concluded to his wife； 〃If it were furnished。〃
〃Why； of course！ What could I have been thinking of？ We're looking for
a furnished flat；〃 she explained to the janitor； 〃and this was so
pleasant and homelike that I never thought whether it was furnished or
not。〃
She smiled upon the janitor； and he entered into the joke and chuckled so
amiably at her flattering oversight on the way down…stairs that she said；
as she pinched her husband's arm； 〃Now； if you don't give him a quarter
I'll never speak to you again； Basil！〃
〃I would have given half a dollar willingly to get you beyond his
glamour；〃 said March； when they were safely on the pavement outside。〃
If it hadn't been for my strength of character； you'd have taken an
unfurnished flat without heat and with no elevator； at nine hundred a
year； when you had just sworn me to steam heat； an elevator； furniture；
and eight hundred。〃
〃Yes！ How could I have lost my head so completely？〃 she said； with a
lenient amusement in her aberration which she was not always able to feel
in her husband's。
〃The next time a colored janitor opens the door to us； I'll tell him the
apartment doesn't suit at the threshold。 It's the only way to manage
you； Isabel。〃
〃It's true。 I am in love with the whole race。 I never saw one of them
that didn't have perfectly angelic manners。 I think we shall all be
black in heaventhat is； black…souled。〃
〃That isn't the usual theory；〃 said March。
〃Well； perhaps not；〃 she assented。 〃Where are we going now？ Oh yes； to
the Xenophon！〃
She pulled him gayly along again； and after they had walked a block down
and half a block over they stood before the apartment…house of that name；
which was cut on the gas…lamps on either side of the heavily spiked；
aesthetic…hinged black door。 The titter of an electric…bell brought a
large； fat Buttons； with a stage effect of being dressed to look small；
who said he would call the janitor； and they waited in the dimly
splendid； copper…colored interior； admiring the whorls and waves into
which the wallpaint was combed； till the janitor came in his gold…banded
cap； like a Continental porker。 When they said they would like to see
Mrs。 Grosvenor Green's apartment； he owned his inability to cope with the
affair； and said he must send for the superintendent； he was either in
the Herodotus or the Thucydides； and would be there in a minute。 The
Buttons brought hima Yankee of browbeating presence in plain clothes
almost before they had time to exchange a frightened whisper in
recognition of the fact that there could be no doubt of the steam heat
and elevator in this case。 Half stifled in the one； they mounted in the
other eight stories； while they tried to keep their self…respect under
the gaze of the superintendent； which they felt was classing and
assessing them with unfriendly accuracy。 They could not； and they
faltered abashed at the threshold of Mrs。 Grosvenor Green's apartment；
while the superintendent lit the gas in the gangway that he called a
private hall； and in the drawing…room and the succession of chambers
stretching rearward to the kitchen。 Everything had； been done by the
architect to save space； and everything； to waste it by Mrs。 Grosvenor
Green。 She had conformed to a law for the necessity of turning round in
each room； and had folding…beds in the chambers； but there her
subordination had ended； and wherever you might have turned round she had
put a gimcrack so that you would knock it over if you did turn。 The
place was rather pretty and even imposing at first glance； and it took
several joint ballots for March and his wife to make sure that with the
kitc