more of it。 The divine patience and confidence of their youth might
sometimes have had almost the effect of indifference to a witness who had
seen its evolution from the moods of the first few days of their reunion
in Weimar。 To General Triscoe； however； it looked like an understanding
which had been made without reference to his wishes； and had not been
directly brought to his knowledge。
〃Agatha；〃 he said； after due note of a gay contest between her and
Burnamy over the pleasure and privilege of ordering his supper sent to
his room when he had gone back to it from his first afternoon in the open
air； 〃how long is that young man going to stay in Weimar？〃
〃Why； I don't know！〃 she answered； startled from her work of beating the
sofa pillows into shape； and pausing with one of them in her hand。
〃I never asked him。〃 She looked down candidly into his face where he sat
in an easy…chair waiting for her arrangement of the sofa。 〃What makes
you ask？〃
He answered with another question。 〃Does he know that we had thought of
staying here？〃
〃Why； we've always talked of that； haven't we？ Yes； he knows it。 Didn't
you want him to know it； papa？ You ought to have begun on the ship；
then。 Of course I've asked him what sort of place it was。 I'm sorry if
you didn't want me to。〃
〃Have I said that？ It's perfectly easy to push on to Paris。 Unless〃
〃Unless what？〃 Agatha dropped the pillow； and listened respectfully。 But
in spite of her filial attitude she could not keep her youth and strength
and courage from quelling the forces of the elderly man。
He said querulously； 〃I don't see why you take that tone with me。 You
certainly know what I mean。 But if you don't care to deal openly with
me； I won't ask you。〃 He dropped his eyes from her face； and at the same
time a deep blush began to tinge it； growing up from her neck to her
forehead。 〃You must knowyou're not a child；〃 he continued； still with
averted eyes； 〃that this sort of thing can't go on。。。 It must be
something else； or it mustn't be anything at all。 I don't ask you for
your confidence； and you know that I've never sought to control you。〃
This was not the least true； but Agatha answered； either absently or
provisionally； 〃No。〃
〃And I don't seek to do so now。 If you have nothing that you wish to
tell me〃
He waited； and after what seemed a long time； she asked as if she had not
heard him； 〃Will you lie down a little before your supper； papa？〃
〃I will lie down when I feel like it；〃 he answered。 〃Send August with
the supper； he can look after me。〃
His resentful tone； even more than his words； dismissed her； but she left
him without apparent grievance； saying quietly； 〃I will send August。〃
LXVII。
Agatha did not come down to supper with Burnamy。 She asked August； when
she gave him her father's order； to have a cup of tea sent to her room；
where； when it came； she remained thinking so long that it was rather
tepid by the time she drank it。
Then she went to her window； and looked out； first above and next below。
Above； the moon was hanging over the gardened hollow before the Museum
with the airy lightness of an American moon。 Below was Burnamy behind
the tubbed evergreens； sitting tilted in his chair against the house
wall； with the spark of his cigar fainting and flashing like an American
firefly。 Agatha went down to the door； after a little delay； and seemed
surprised to find him there； at least she said； 〃Oh！〃 in a tone of
surprise。
Burnamy stood up； and answered； 〃Nice night。〃
〃Beautiful！〃 she breathed。 〃I didn't suppose the sky in Germany could
ever be so clear。〃
〃It seems to be doing its best。〃
〃The flowers over there look like ghosts in the light；〃 she said
dreamily。
〃They're not。 Don't you want to get your hat and wrap； and go over and
expose the fraud？〃
〃Oh；〃 she answered； as if it were merely a question of the hat and wrap；
〃I have them。〃
They sauntered through the garden walks for a while； long enough to have
ascertained that there was not a veridical phantom among the flowers； if
they had been looking； and then when they came to their accustomed seat；
they sat down； and she said； 〃I don't know that I've seen the moon so
clear since we left Carlsbad。〃 At the last word his heart gave a jump
that seemed to lodge it in his throat and kept him from speaking； so that
she could resume without interruption； 〃I've got something of yours； that
you left at the Posthof。 The girl that broke the dishes found it； and
Lili gave it to Mrs。 March for you。〃 This did not account for Agatha's
having the thing； whatever it was； but when she took a handkerchief from
her belt； and put out her hand with it toward him； he seemed to find that
her having it had necessarily followed。 He tried to take it from her；
but his own hand trembled so that it clung to hers； and he gasped； 〃Can't
you say now； what you wouldn't say then？〃
The logical sequence was no more obvious than be fore； but she apparently
felt it in her turn as he had felt it in his。 She whispered back； 〃Yes；〃
and then she could not get out anything more till she entreated in a
half…stifled voice； 〃Oh； don't！〃 ‘
〃No； no！〃 he panted。 〃I won'tI oughtn't to have done itI beg your
pardonI oughtn't to have spoken；evenI〃
She returned in a far less breathless and tremulous fashion； but still
between laughing and crying； 〃I meant to make you。 And now； if you're
ever sorry； or I'm ever too topping about anything； you can be perfectly
free to say that you'd never have spoken if you hadn't seen that I wanted
you to。〃
〃But I didn't see any such thing；〃 he protested。 〃I spoke because I
couldn't help it any longer。〃
She laughed triumphantly。 〃Of course you think so！ And that shows that
you are only a man after all； in spite of your finessing。 But I am going
to have the credit of it。 I knew that you were holding back because you
were too proud； or thought you hadn't the right； or something。 Weren't
you？〃 She startled him with the sudden vehemence of her challenge： 〃If
you pretend； that you weren't I shall never forgive you！〃
〃But I was！ Of course I was。 I was afraid〃
〃Isn't that what I said？〃 She triumphed over him with another laugh； and
cowered a little closer to him； if that could be。
They were standing； without knowing how they had got to their feet； and
now without any purpose of the kind； they began to stroll again among the
garden paths； and to ask and to answer questions； which touched every
point of their common history； and yet left it a mine of inexhaustible
knowledge for all future time。 Out of the sweet and dear delight of this
encyclopedian reserve two or three facts appeared with a present
distinctness。 One of these was that Burnamy had regarded her refusal to
be definite at Carlsbad as definite refusal； and had meant never to see
her again； and certainly never to speak again of love to her。 Another
point was that she had not resented his coming back that last night； but
had been proud and happy in it as proof of his love； and had always meant
somehow to let him know that she was torched by his trusting her enough
to come back while be was still under that cloud with Mr。 Stoller。 With
further logic； purely of the heart； she acquitted him altogether of wrong
in that affair； and alleged in proof； what Mr。 Stoller had said of it to
Mr。 March。 Burnamy owned that he knew what Stoller had said； but even in
his present condition he could not accept fully her reading of that
obscure passage of his life。 He preferred to put the question by； and
perhaps neither of them cared anything about it except as it related to
the fact that they were now each other's forever。
They agreed that they must write to Mr。 and Mrs。 March at once； or at
least； Agatha said； as soon as she had spoken to her father。 At her
mention of her father she was aware of a doubt； a fear； in Burnamy which
expressed itself by scarcely more than a spiritual consciousness from his
arm to the hands which she had clasped within it。 〃He has always
appreciated you；〃 she said courageously； 〃 and I know he will see it in
the right light。〃
She probably meant no more than to affirm her faith in her own ability
finally to bring her father to a just mind concerning it； but Burnamy
accepted her assurance with buoyant hopefulness； and said he would see
General Triscoe the first thing in the morning。
〃No； I will see him；〃 she said； 〃I wish to see him first； he will expect
it of me。 We had better go in； now；〃 she added； but neither made any
motion for the present to do so。 On the contrary； they walked in the
other direction； and it was an hour after Agatha declared their duty in
the matter before they tried to fulfil it。
Then； indeed； after they returned to the hotel； she lost no time in going
to her father beyond that which must be given to a long hand…pressure
under the fresco of the five poets on the stairs landing； where her ways
and Burnamy's parted。 She went into her own room； and softly opened the
door into her father's and listened。
〃Well？〃 he said in a sort of challenging voice。
〃Have you been asleep？〃 she asked。
〃I've just blown out my light。 What has kept you？〃
She did not reply categorically。 Standing there in the sheltering dark；
she said； 〃Papa； I wasn't very candid with you； this afternoon。 I am
engaged to Mr。 Burnamy。〃
〃Light the candle；〃 said her father。 〃Or no；〃 he added before she could
do so。 〃Is it quite settled？〃
〃Quite；〃 she answered in a voice that admitted of no doubt。 〃That is； as
far as it can be； without you。〃
〃Don't be a hypocrite； Agatha；〃 said the general。 〃And let me try to get
to sleep。 You know I don't like it； and you know I can't help it。〃
〃Yes；〃 the girl assented。
〃Then go to bed；〃 said the general concisely。
Agatha did not obey her father。 She thought she ought to kiss him； but
she decided that she had better postpone this； so she merely gave him a
tender goodnight； to which he made no response； and shut herself into her
own room； where she remained sitting and staring out into the moonlight；
with a smile that never left her lips。
When the moon sank below the horizon； the sky