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〃No； my dear； I don't；〃 he teased。 〃If it would be for my salvation；
yes； perhaps； but not short of that； and I should have to prove by a
cloud of witnesses that it would。 I don't blame you。 I wasn't born in
Boston； but I understand how you feel。 And really； my dear；〃 he added；
without irony； 〃I never seriously thought of asking you to go to New
York。 I was dazzled by Fulkerson's offer； I'll own that； but his choice
of me as editor sapped my confidence in him。〃
〃I don't like to hear you say that； Basil；〃 she entreated。
〃Well； of course there were mitigating circumstances。 I could see that
Fulkerson meant to keep the whip…hand himself； and that was reassuring。
And； besides； if the Reciprocity Life should happen not to want my
services any longer； it wouldn't be quite like giving up a certainty；
though； as a matter of business； I let Fulkerson get that impression； I
felt rather sneaking to do it。 But if the worst comes to the worst； I
can look about for something to do in Boston； and； anyhow； people don't
starve on two thousand a year； though it's convenient to have five。 The
fact is； I'm too old to change so radically。 If you don't like my saying
that； then you are； Isabel； and so are the children。 I've no right to
take them from the home we've made； and to change the whole course of
their lives； unless I can assure them of something； and I can't assure
them of anything。 Boston is big enough for us； and it's certainly
prettier than New York。 I always feel a little proud of hailing from
Boston； my pleasure in the place mounts the farther I get away from it。
But I do appreciate it； my dear； I've no more desire to leave it than you
have。 You may be sure that if you don't want to take the children out of
the Friday afternoon class； I don't want to leave my library here； and
all the ways I've got set in。 We'll keep on。 Very likely the company
won't supplant me； and if it does； and Watkins gets the place； he'll give
me a subordinate position of some sort。 Cheer up； Isabel！ I have put
Satan and his angel； Fulkerson； behind me； and it's all right。 Let's go
in to the children。〃
He came round the table to Isabel； where she sat in a growing
distraction； and lifted her by the waist from her chair。
She sighed deeply。 〃Shall we tell the children about it？〃
〃No。 What's the use； now？〃
〃There wouldn't be any；〃 she assented。 When they entered the family
room； where the boy and girl sat on either side of the lamp working out
the lessons for Monday which they had left over from the day before； she
asked； 〃Children； how would you like to live in New York？〃
Bella made haste to get in her word first。 〃And give up the Friday
afternoon class？〃 she wailed。
Tom growled from his book； without lifting his eyes： 〃I shouldn't want to
go to Columbia。 They haven't got any dormitories； and you have to board
round anywhere。 Are you going to New York？〃 He now deigned to look up
at his father。
〃No； Tom。 You and Bella have decided me against it。 Your perspective
shows the affair in its true proportions。 I had an offer to go to New
York； but I've refused it。〃
IV
March's irony fell harmless from the children's preoccupation with their
own affairs； but he knew that his wife felt it； and this added to the
bitterness which prompted it。 He blamed her for letting her provincial
narrowness prevent his accepting Fulkerson's offer quite as much as if he
had otherwise entirely wished to accept it。 His world； like most worlds；
had been superficially a disappointment。 He was no richer than at the
beginning； though in marrying he had given up some tastes； some
preferences； some aspirations； in the hope of indulging them later； with
larger means and larger leisure。 His wife had not urged him to do it； in
fact； her pride； as she said； was in his fitness for the life he had
renounced； but she had acquiesced； and they had been very happy together。
That is to say； they made up their quarrels or ignored them。
They often accused each other of being selfish and indifferent； but she
knew that he would always sacrifice himself for her and the children；
and he； on his part； with many gibes and mockeries； wholly trusted in
her。 They had grown practically tolerant of each other's disagreeable
traits； and the danger that really threatened them was that they should
grow too well satisfied with themselves； if not with each other。 They
were not sentimental； they were rather matter…of…fact in their motives；
but they had both a sort of humorous fondness for sentimentality。 They
liked to play with the romantic； from the safe vantage…ground of their
real practicality； and to divine the poetry of the commonplace。 Their
peculiar point of view separated them from most other people； with whom
their means of self…comparison were not so good since their marriage as
before。 Then they had travelled and seen much of the world； and they had
formed tastes which they had not always been able to indulge； but of
which they felt that the possession reflected distinction on them。 It
enabled them to look down upon those who were without such tastes； but
they were not ill…natured； and so they did not look down so much with
contempt as with amusement。 In their unfashionable neighborhood they had
the fame of being not exclusive precisely； but very much wrapped up in
themselves and their children。
Mrs。 March was reputed to be very cultivated； and Mr。 March even more so；
among the simpler folk around them。 Their house had some good pictures；
which her aunt had brought home from Europe in more affluent days； and it
abounded in books on which he spent more than he ought。 They had
beautified it in every way； and had unconsciously taken credit to them
selves for it。 They felt； with a glow almost of virtue； how perfectly it
fitted their lives and their children's； and they believed that somehow
it expressed their charactersthat it was like them。 They went out very
little； she remained shut up in its refinement； working the good of her
own； and he went to his business； and hurried back to forget it； and
dream his dream of intellectual achievement in the flattering atmosphere
of her sympathy。 He could not conceal from himself that his divided life
was somewhat like Charles Lamb's； and there were times when； as he had
expressed to Fulkerson； he believed that its division was favorable to
the freshness of his interest in literature。 It certainly kept it a high
privilege；a sacred refuge。 Now and then he wrote something；and got it
printed after long delays； and when they met on the St。 Lawrence
Fulkerson had some of March's verses in his pocket…book； which he had cut
out of astray newspaper and carried about for years； because they pleased
his fancy so much； they formed an immediate bond of union between the men
when their authorship was traced and owned； and this gave a pretty color
of romance to their acquaintance。 But； for the most part； March was
satisfied to read。 He was proud of reading critically； and he kept in
the current of literary interests and controversies。 It all seemed to
him； and to his wife at second…hand； very meritorious； he could