together and snickered in derision of him。 They were American girls of
the worst type； they conformed to no standard of behavior； their conduct
was personal。 They ought to be taken home。
Mrs。 March said she saw what he meant； and she agreed with him that they
were altogether unformed； and were the effect of their own ignorant
caprices。 Probably； however； it was too late to amend them by taking
them away。
〃It would hide them； at any rate；〃 he answered。 〃They would sink back
into the great mass of our vulgarity； and not be noticed。 We behave like
a parcel of peasants with our women。 We think that if no harm is meant
or thought； we may risk any sort of appearance； and we do things that are
scandalously improper simply because they are innocent。 That may be all
very well at home； but people who prefer that sort of thing had better
stay there； where our peasant manners won't make them conspicuous。〃
As their train ran northward out of Wurzburg that afternoon； Mrs。 March
recurred to the general's closing words。 〃That was a slap at Mrs。 Adding
for letting Kenby go off with her。〃
She took up the history of the past twenty…four hours； from the time
March had left her with Miss Triscoe when he went with her father and the
Addings and Kenby to see that church。 She had had no chance to bring up
these arrears until now； and she atoned to herself for the delay by
making the history very full； and going back and adding touches at any
point where she thought she had scanted it。 After all； it consisted
mainly of fragmentary intimations from Miss Triscoe and of half…uttered
questions which her own art now built into a coherent statement。
March could not find that the general had much resented Burnamy's
clandestine visit to Carlsbad when his daughter told him of it； or that
he had done more than make her promise that she would not keep up the
acquaintance upon any terms unknown to him。
〃Probably；〃 Mrs。 March said； 〃as long as he had any hopes of Mrs。 Adding；
he was a little too self…conscious to be very up and down about Burnamy。〃
〃Then you think he was really serious about her？〃
〃Now my dear！ He was so serious that I suppose he was never so
completely taken aback in his life as when he met Kenby in Wurzburg and
saw how she received him。 Of course； that put an end to the fight。〃
〃The fight？〃
〃Yesthat Mrs。 Adding and Agatha were keeping up to prevent his offering
himself。〃
〃Oh！ And how do you know that they were keeping up the fight together？〃
〃How do I？ Didn't you see yourself what friends they were？ Did you tell
him what Stoller had； said about Burnamy？〃
〃I had no chance。 I don't know that I should have done it； anyway。 It
wasn't my affair。〃
〃Well； then； I think you might。 It would have been everything for that
poor child； it would have completely justified her in her own eyes。〃
〃Perhaps your telling her will serve the same purpose。〃
〃Yes； I did tell her； and I am glad of it。 She had a right to know it。〃
〃Did she think Stoller's willingness to overlook Burnamy's performance
had anything to do with its moral quality？〃
Mrs。 March was daunted for the moment； but she said； 〃I told her you
thought that if a person owned to a fault they disowned it； and put it
away from them just as if it had never been committed； and that if a
person had taken their punishment for a wrong they had done； they had
expiated it so far as anybody else was concerned。 And hasn't poor
Burnamy done both？〃
As a moralist March was flattered to be hoist with his own petard； but as
a husband he was not going to come down at once。 〃I thought probably you
had told her that。 You had it pat from having just been over it with me。
When has she heard from him？〃
〃Why； that's the strangest thing about it。 She hasn't heard at all。 She
doesn't know where he is。 She thought we must know。 She was terribly
broken up。〃
〃How did she show it？〃
〃She didn't show it。 Either you want to tease； or you've forgotten how
such things are with young peopleor at least girls。〃
〃Yes； it's all a long time ago with me； and I never was a girl。 Besides；
the frank and direct behavior of Kenby and Mrs。 Adding has been very
obliterating to my early impressions of love…making。〃
〃It certainly hasn't been ideal；〃 said Mrs。 March with a sigh。
〃Why hasn't it been ideal？〃 he asked。 〃Kenby is tremendously in love
with her； and I believe she's had a fancy for him from the beginning。
If it hadn't been for Rose she would have accepted him at once； and now
he's essential to them both in their helplessness。 As for Papa Triscoe
and his Europeanized scruples； if they have any reality at all they're
the residuum of his personal resentment； and Kenby and Mrs。 Adding have
nothing to do with their unreality。 His being in love with her is no
reason why he shouldn't be helpful to her when she needs him； and every
reason why he should。 I call it a poem； such as very few people have the
luck to live out together。〃
Mrs。 March listened with mounting fervor； and when he stopped； she cried
out； 〃Well； my dear； I do believe you are right！ It is ideal； as you
say； it's a perfect poem。 And I shall always say〃
She stopped at the mocking light which she caught in his look； and
perceived that he had been amusing himself with her perennial enthusiasm
for all sorts of love…affairs。 But she averred that she did not care；
what he had said was true； and she should always hold him to it。
They were again in the wedding…journey sentiment in which they had left
Carlsbad； when they found themselves alone together after their escape
from the pressure of others' interests。 The tide of travel was towards
Frankfort； where the grand parade was to take place some days later。
They were going to Weimar； which was so few hours out of their way that
they simply must not miss it； and all the way to the old literary capital
they were alone in their compartment； with not even a stranger； much less
a friend to molest them。 The flying landscape without was of their own
early autumnal mood； and when the vineyards of Wurzburg ceased to purple
it； the heavy after…math of hay and clover； which men； women； and
children were loading on heavy wains； and driving from the meadows
everywhere； offered a pastoral and pleasing change。 It was always the
German landscape； sometimes flat and fertile； sometimes hilly and poor；
often clothed with dense woods； but always charming； with castled tops in
ruin or repair； and with levels where Gothic villages drowsed within
their walls； and dreamed of the mediaeval past； silent； without apparent
life； except for some little goose…girl driving her flock before her as
she sallied out into the nineteenth century in search of fresh pasturage。
As their train mounted among the Thuringian uplands they were aware of a
finer； cooler air through their open window。 The torrents foamed white
out of the black forests of fir and pine； and brawled along the valleys；
where the hamlets roused themselves in momentary curiosity as the train
roared into them from the many tunnels。 The afternoon sunshine had the
glister of mountain sunshine everywhere； and the travellers had a
pleasant bewilderment in which their memories of Switzerland and the
White Mountains mixed with long…dormant emotions from Adirondack
sojourns。 They chose this place and that in the lovely region where they
lamented that they had not come at once for the after…cure； and they
appointed enough returns to it in future years to consume all the summers
they had left to live。
LIX。
It was falling night when they reached Weimar； where they found at the
station a provision of omnibuses far beyond the hotel accommodations。
They drove first to the Crown…Prince； which was in a promising state of
reparation； but which for the present could only welcome them to an
apartment where a canvas curtain cut them off from a freshly plastered
wall。 The landlord deplored the fact； and sent hospitably out to try and
place them at the Elephant。 But the Elephant was full； and the Russian
Court was full too。 Then the landlord of the Crown…Prince bethought
himself of a new hotel； of the second class； indeed； but very nice； where
they might get rooms； and after the delay of an hour； they got a carriage
and drove away from the Crown…Prince； where the landlord continued to the
last as benevolent as if they had been a profit instead of a loss to him。
The streets of the town at nine o'clock were empty and quiet； and they
instantly felt the academic quality of the place。 Through the pale night
they could see that the architecture was of the classic sentiment which
they were destined to feel more and more； at one point they caught a
fleeting glimpse of two figures with clasped hands and half embraced；
which they knew for the statues of Goethe and Schiller； and when they
mounted to their rooms at the Grand…Duke of Saxe…Weimar； they passed
under a fresco representing Goethe and four other world…famous poets；
Shakspere； Milton； Tasso； and Schiller。 The poets all looked like
Germans； as was just； and Goethe was naturally chief among them； he
marshalled the immortals on their way； and Schiller brought up the rear
and kept them from going astray in an Elysium where they did not speak
the language。 For the rest； the hotel was brand…new； of a quite American
freshness； and was pervaded by a sweet smell as of straw matting； and
provided with steam…radiators。 In the sense of its homelikeness the
Marches boasted that they were never going away from it。
In the morning they discovered that their windows looked out on the
grand…ducal museum； with a gardened space before and below its
classicistic bulk； where； in a whim of the weather； the gay flowers were
full of sun。 In a pleasant illusion of taking it unawares； March
strolled up through the town； but Weimar was as much awake at that hour
as at any of the twenty…four； and the tranquillity of its streets； where
he encountered a few passers several blocks apart； was their habitual
mood。 He came promptly upon two objects which he would willingly have
shunned： a 'denkmal' of the Franco…German war； not so furiously bad as
most German monuments；