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！
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
kitchen there were only six rooms。 At every door hung a portiere from
large rings on a brass rod； every shelf and dressing…case and mantel was
littered with gimcracks； and the corners of the tiny rooms were curtained
off； and behind these portieres swarmed more gimcracks。 The front of the
upright piano had what March called a short…skirted portiere on it； and
the top was covered with vases； with dragon candlesticks and with Jap
fans； which also expanded themselves bat wise on the walls between the
etchings and the water colors。 The floors were covered with filling； and
then rugs and then skins； the easy …chairs all had tidies； Armenian and
Turkish and Persian； the lounges and sofas had embroidered cushions
hidden under tidies。
The radiator was concealed by a Jap screen； and over the top of this some
Arab scarfs were flung。 There was a superabundance of clocks。 China
pugs guarded the hearth； a brass sunflower smiled from the top of either
andiron； and a brass peacock spread its tail before them inside a high
filigree fender； on one side was a coalhod in 'repousse' brass； and on
the other a wrought iron wood…basket。 Some red Japanese bird…kites were
stuck about in the necks of spelter vases； a crimson Jap umbrella hung
opened beneath the chandelier； and each globe had a shade of yellow silk。
March； when he had recovered his self…command a little in the presence of
the agglomeration； comforted himself by calling the bric…a…brac
Jamescracks； as if this was their full name。
The disrespect he was able to show the whole apartment by means of this
joke strengthened him to say boldly to the superintendent that it was
altogether too small； then he asked carelessly what the rent was。
〃Two hundred and fifty。〃
The Marches gave a start； and looked at each other。
〃Don't you think we could make it do？〃 she asked him； and he could see
that she had mentally saved five hundred dollars as the difference
between the rent of their house and that of this flat。 〃It has some very
pretty features； and we could manage to squeeze in； couldn't we？〃
〃You won't find another furnished flat like it for no two…fifty a month
in the whole city；〃 the superintendent put in。
They exchanged glances again； and March said； carelessly； 〃It's too
small。〃
〃There's a vacant flat in the Herodotus for eighteen hundred a year； and
one in the Thucydides for fifteen；〃 the superintendent suggested；
clicking his keys together as they sank down in the elevator； 〃seven
rooms and bath。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said March； 〃we're looking for a furnished flat。〃
They felt that the superintendent parted from them with repressed
sarcasm。
〃Oh； Basil； do you think we really made him think it was the smallness
and not the dearness？〃
〃 No； but we saved our self…respect in the attempt； and that's a great
deal。〃
〃Of course； I wouldn't have taken it； anyway； with only six rooms； and so
high up。 But what prices！ Now； we must be very circumspect about the
next place。〃
It was a janitress； large； fat； with her arms wound up in her apron； who
received them there。 Mrs。 March gave her a succinct but perfect
statement of their needs。 She failed to grasp the nature of them； or
feigned to do so。 She shook her head； and said that her son would show
them the flat。 There was a radiator visible in the narrow hall； and
Isabel tacitly compromised on steam heat without an elevator； as the flat
was only one flight up。 When the son appeared from below with a small
kerosene hand…lamp； it appeared that the flat was unfurnished； but there
was no stopping him till he had shown it in all its impossibility。 When
they got safely away from it and into the street March said： 〃Well； have
you had enough for to…night； Isabel？ Shall we go to the theatre now？〃
〃Not on any account。 I want to see the whole list of flats that Mr。
Fulkerson thought would be the very thing for us。〃 She laughed； but with
a certain bitterness。
〃You'll be calling him my Mr。 Fulkerson next； Isabel。〃
〃Oh no！〃
The fourth address was a furnished flat without a kitchen； in a house
with a general restaurant。 The fifth was a furnished house。 At the
sixth a pathetic widow and her pretty daughter wanted to take a family to
board； and would give them a private table at a rate which the Marches
would have thought low in Boston。
Mrs。 March came away tingling with compassion for their evident anxiety；
and this pity naturally soured into a sense of injury。 〃Well； I must say
I have completely lost confidence in Mr。 Fulkerson's judgment。 Anything
more utterly different from what I told him we wanted I couldn't imagine。
If he doesn't manage any better about his business than he has done about
this； it will be a perfect failure。〃
〃Well； well； let's hope he'll be more circumspect about that；〃 her
husband returned； with ironical propitiation。 〃But I don't think it's
Fulkerson's fault altogether。 Perhaps it's the house…agents'。 They're a
very illusory generation。 There seems to be something in the human
habitation that corrupts the natures of those who deal in it； to buy or
sell it； to hire or let it。 You go to an agent and tell him what kind of
a house you want。 He has no such house； and he sends you to look at
something altogether different； upon the well…ascertained principle that
if you can't get what you want you will take what you can get。 You don't
suppose the 'party' that took our house in Boston was looking for any
such house？ He was looking for a totally different kind of house in
another part of the town。〃
〃I don't believe that！〃 his wife broke in。
〃Well； no matter。 But see what a scandalous rent you asked for it。〃
〃We didn't get much more than half； and； besides； the agent told me to
ask fourteen hundred。〃
〃Oh； I'm not blaming you； Isabel。 I'm only analyzing the house…agent and
exonerating Fulkerson。〃
〃Well； I don't believe he told them just what we wanted； and； at any
rate； I'm done with agents。 Tomorrow I'm going entirely by
advertisements。〃
VIII。
Mrs。 March took the vertebrate with her to the Vienna Coffee…House； where
they went to breakfast next morning。 She made March buy her the Herald
and the World； and she added to its spiny convolutions from them。 She
read the new advertisements aloud with ardor and with faith to believe
that the apartments described in them were every one truthfully
represented； and that any one of them was richly responsive to their
needs。 〃Elegant； light； large； single and outside flats〃 were offered
with 〃all improvementsbath； ice…box； etc。〃for twenty…five to thirty
dollars a month。 The cheapness was amazing。 The Wagram； the Esmeralda；
the Jacinth； advertised them for forty dollars and sixty dollars； 〃with
steam heat and elevator；〃 rent free till November。 Others； attractive
from their air of conscientious scruple； announced 〃first…class flats；
good order； reasonable rents。〃 The Helena asked the reader if she had
seen the 〃cabinet finish； hard…wood floors； and frescoed ceilings〃 of its
fifty