第17章

ThelongtrainwhichtheytookatlastwasfortheNorumbia’speoplealone，anditwasofseveraltransitionalandtentativetypesofcars。

Somewerestilltheoldcoach-bodycarriages；butmostwereofastrangecorridorarrangement，withtheaideattheaide，andtheseatscrossingfromit，withcompartmentssometimesrisingtotheroof，andsometimesrisinghalf-way。Notwocarsseemedquitealike，butallwereverycomfortable；andwhenthetrainbegantorunoutthroughthelittlesea-

sidetownintothecountry，theolddelightofforeigntravelbegan。

Mostofthehouseswerelittleandlowandgray，withivyorfloweringvinescoveringtheirwallstotheirbrowntiledroofs；therewashereandthereatouchofNorthernGothicinthearchitecture；butusuallywhereitwaspretentiousitwasinthemansardtaste，whichwassobadwithusagenerationago，andisstillverybadinCuxhaven。

Thefields，flatandwide，weredottedwithfamiliarshapesofHolsteincattle，herdedbylittlegirls，withtheirhairinyellowpigtails。Thegray，stormyskyhunglow，andbrokeinfitfulrains；butperhapsfortheinclementseasonofmid-summeritwasnotverycold。Flowerswerebloomingalongtheembankmentsandintherankgreenfieldswithadoggedenergy；inthevariousdistancesweregroupsoftreesemboweringcottagesandevenvillages，andalwaysalongtheditchesandwatercoursesweredoublelinesoflowwillows。Atthefirststopthetrainmade，thepassengersflockedtotherefreshment-booth，prettilyarrangedbesidethestation，wheretheabundanceofthecherriesandstrawberriesgaveproofthatvegetationwasinotherrespectssuperiortotheelements。Butitwasnotoftheprofusionofthesausages，andthehamwhichopenlyinslicesorcovertlyinsandwichesclaimeditsprimacyintheGermanaffections；everyformofthiswasflankedbytallglassesofbeer。

Anumberofthenativesstoodbyandstaredunsmilingatthetrain，whichhadbrokenoutinarashoflittleAmericanflagsateverywindow。Thisboyishdisplay，whichmusthavemadetheAmericansthemselveslaugh，iftheirsenseofhumorhadnotbeenlostintheirimpassionedpatriotism，wasthelastexpressionofunityamongtheNorumbia’spassengers，andtheymetnomoreintheirsea-solidarity。OftheirtableacquaintancetheMarchessawnooneexceptBurnamy，whocamethroughthetrainlookingforthem。HesaidhewasinoneoftherearcarswiththeEltwins，andwasgoingtoCarlsbadwiththeminthesleeping-cartrainleavingHamburgatseven。HeownedtohavingseentheTriscoessincetheyhadleftCuxhaven；Mrs。MarchwouldnotsufferherselftoaskhimwhethertheywereinthesamecarriagewiththeEltwins。HehadgotaletterfromMr。StolleratCuxhaven，andhebeggedtheMarchestolethimengageroomsforthematthehotelwherehewasgoingtostaywithhim。

AftertheyreachedHamburgtheyhadflyingglimpsesofhimandofothersintheodiousrivalrytogettheirbaggageexaminedfirstwhichseizeduponall，andinwhichtheynolongerknewoneanother，butselfishlystruggledforthegood-willofportersandinspectors。Therewasreallynosuchhaste；butnonecouldgovernthemselvesagainstthegeneralfrenzy。WiththeporterhesecuredMarchconspiredandperspiredtowintheattentionofacoldbutnotunkindlyinspector。Theofficeropenedonetrunk，andafteraglanceatitmarkedallaspassed，andthenthereensuedaheroicstrifewiththeporterastothepieceswhichweretogototheBerlinstationfortheirjourneynextday，andthepieceswhichweretogotothehotelovernight。Atlastthedivisionwasmade；theMarchesgotintoacabofthefirstclass；andtheporter，crimsonandsteamingateveryporefromthephysicalandintellectualstrain，wentbackintothestation。

TheyhadgotthenumberoftheircabfromthepolicemanwhostandsatthedoorofalllargeGermanstationsandsuppliesthetravellerwithametalliccheckforthesortofvehiclehedemands。Theywerenotproud，butitseemedbestnottoriskasecond-classcabinastrangecity，andwhentheirfirst-classcabcamecreakingandlimpingoutoftherank，theysawhowwisetheyhadbeen，ifoneofthesecondclasscouldhavebeenworse。

Astheyrattledawayfromthestationtheysawyetanotherkindofturnout，whichtheyweredestinedtoseemoreandmoreintheGermanlands。Itwasthatteamofawomanharnessedwithadogtoacartwhichthewomenofnoothercountrycanseewithoutasenseofpersonalinsult。

Marchtriedtotakethehumorousview，andcomplainedthattheyhadnotbeenofferedthechoiceofsuchanequipagebythepoliceman，buthiswifewouldnotbeamused。Shesaidthatnocountrywhichsufferedsuchathingcouldbetrulycivilized，thoughhemadeherobservethatnocityintheworld，exceptBostonorBrooklyn，wasprobablysothoroughlytrolleyedasHamburg。Thehumoftheelectriccarwaseverywhere，andeverywheretheshriekofthewiresoverhead；batlikeflightsofconnectingplatestraversedalltheperspectivesthroughwhichtheydrovetothepleasantlittlehoteltheyhadchosen。

XX。

OnonehandtheirwindowslookedtowardabasinoftheElbe，wherestatelywhiteswansweresailing；andontheothertothenewRathhaus，overthetreesthatdeeplyshadedtheperennialmudofacold，dimpublicgarden，wherewater-proofoldwomenandimperviousnursessat，andchildrenplayedinthelongtwilightofthesour，rain-soakedsummerofthefatherland。Itwasallpicturesque，andwithin-doorstherewasthenoveltyofthemeagrecarpetsandstalwartfurnitureoftheGermans，andtheirbeds，whichaftersomanyagesofAnglo-Saxonsatireremainimmutablypreposterous。Theyareapparentlyimaginedforthestatureofsleeperswhohaveshortenedastheybroadened；theirpillowsaretriangularlyshapedtobringthechintightuponthebreastunderthebloatedfeatherbulkwhichismeantforcovering，andwhichrisesoverthesleeperfromathicksubstratumofcottoncoverlet，neatlybuttonedintotheuppersheet，withtheeffectofaportlywaistcoat。

Thehotelwasilluminedbythekindlysplendoroftheuniformedportier，whohadmetthetravellersatthedoor，likeaglowingvisionofthepast，andafriendlyairdiffuseditselfthroughthewholehouse。Atthedinner，which，ifnotsocheapastheyhadsomehowhoped，wasbynomeansbad，theytookcounselwiththeEnglish-speakingwaiterastowhatentertainmentHamburgcouldofferfortheevening，andbythetimetheyhaddrunktheircoffeetheyhadcouragefortheCircusRenz，whichseemedtobealltherewas。

Theconductorofthetrolley-car，whichtheyhailedatthestreetcorner，stoppeditandgotofftheplatform，andstoodinthestreetuntiltheyweresafelyaboard，withouttellingthemtosteplively，orpullingthemupthesteps；orknucklingtheminthebacktomakethemmoveforward。

Heletthemgetfairlyseatedbeforebestartedthecar，andsolostthefunofseeingthemlurchandstaggerviolently，andwildlyclutcheachotherforsupport。TheGermanshavesolittlesenseofhumorthatprobablynooneinthecarwouldhavebeenamusedtoseethestrangersflunguponthefloor。Nooneapparentlyfounditdrollthattheconductorshouldtouchhiscaptothemwhenheaskedfortheirfare；noonesmiledattheireffortstomakehimunderstandwheretheywishedtogo，andhedidnotwinkattheotherpassengersintryingtofindout。

Wheneverthecarstoppedhedescendedfirst，anddidnotremounttillthedismountingpassengerhadtakentimetogetwellawayfromit。WhentheMarchesgotintothewrongcarincominghome，andwerecarriedbeyondtheirstreet，theconductorwouldnottaketheirfare。

Thekindlycivilitywhichenvironedthemwentfartoalleviatetheinclemencyoftheclimate；itbegantorainassoonastheylefttheshelterofthecar，butacitizenofwhomtheyaskedthenearestwaytotheCircusRenzwassoanxioustohavethemgoarightthattheydidnotmindthewet，andthethoughtofhisgoodnessembitteredMarch’sself-

reproachforunder-tippingthesortofgorgeousheyduk，withastafflikeadrum-major’s，wholefthisplaceatthecircusdoortogettheirtickets。Hebroughtthembackwithamagnificentbow，andwasthenasvisiblydisappointedwiththeshareofthechangereturnedtohimasachildwouldhavebeen。

Theywenttotheirplaceswiththestingofhisdisappointmentranklingintheirhearts。“Oneoughtalwaystooverpaythem。”Marchsighed，“andIwilldoitfromthistimeforth；weshallnotbemuchthepoorerforit。Thatheydukisnotgoingtogetoffwithlessthanamarkwhenwecomeout。”Asanearnestofhisgoodfaithhegavetheoldmanwhoshowedthemtotheirboxatipthatmadehimbowdouble，andheboughteveryconceivablelibrettoandplay-billofferedhimatpricesfixedbyhisremorse。

“Oneoughttodoit。”hesaid。“Weareofthequalityofgoodgeniusestothesepoorsouls；weareFortuneindisguise；wearemoneyfoundintheroad。Itisanaccursedsystem，buttheyaremoreitsvictimsthanwe。”Hiswifequiteagreedwithhim，andwiththesamegoodconsciencebetweenthemtheygavethemselvesuptothepurejoywhichthecircus，ofallmodernentertainments，seemsalonetoinspire。ThehousewasfullfromfloortoroofwhentheycameinsandeveryonewasintentuponthetwoSpanishclowns，Lui-LuiandSoltamontes，whosedrolleriesspoketheuniversallanguageofcircushumor，andneedednotranslationintoeitherGermanorEnglish。Theyhadmissedbyaneventortwothemorepatrioticattractionof“MissDarlings，theAmericanStar。”asshewasbilledinEnglish，buttheywereintimeforoneofthoseequestrianperformanceswhichleavethespectatoralmostexanimatefromtheirprolixity，andthepantomimicpiecewhichclosedtheevening。

Thiswasnotgivenuntilnearlythewholehousehadgoneoutandstayeditselfwithbeerandcheeseandhamandsausage，intherestaurantwhichpurveystheselightrefreshmentsinthesummertheatresalloverGermany。

Whenthepeoplecamebackgorgedtothethroat，theysatdownintherightmoodtoenjoytheallegoryof“TheEnchantedMountain’sFantasy“；

theMountainepisodes；theHigh-interestingSledges-CoursesontheSteepAcclivities；theAmazing-Up-rushofthethenceplunging-FourTrains，whicharrivewithLightnings-swiftnessattheTopoftheover-40-feet-

highMountain-theHighestTriumphoftheTo-day’sCircus-Art；theSledge-

journeyintheWizard-mountain，andtheFairyBalletintheRealmoftheGhost-prince，withGoldandSilver，Jewel，Bloomghosts，Gnomes，Gnomesses，andDwarfs，innever-till-now-seenSplendorofCostume。”TheMarcheswerehappyinthisallegory，andhappierintheballet，whichiseverywheredelightfullyinnocent，andwhichhereappealedwiththelargeflatfeetandtheplaingoodfacesofthe’coryphees’toallthatwassimplestandsweetestintheirnatures。Theycouldnothaveresisted，iftheyhadwished，thatenvironment，ofgood-will；andifithadnotbeenforthedisappointedheyduk，theywouldhavegothomefromtheireveningattheCircusRenzwithoutapang。

Theylookedforhimeverywherewhentheycameout，buthehadvanished，andtheywereleftwitharegretwhich，ifunavailing，wasnottoopoignant。Inspiteofittheyhadstillanexhilarationintheirreleasefromthecompanionshipoftheirfellow-voyagerswhichtheyanalyzedasthepsychicalrevulsionfromthestrainoftoogreatinterestinthem。

Mrs。Marchdeclaredthatforthepresent，atleast，shewantedEuropequitetothemselves；andshesaidthatnotevenforthepleasureofseeingBurnamyandMissTriscoecomeintotheirboxtogetherworldshehavesufferedanAmericantrespassupontheirexclusivepossessionoftheCircusRenz。

IntheaudienceshehadseenGermanofficersforthefirsttimeinHamburg，andshemeant，ifunremittingquestioncouldbringoutthetruth，toknowwhyshehadnotmetanyothers。ShehadreadmuchoftheprevalenceandprepotenceoftheGermanofficerswhowouldtrytopushheroffthesidewalk，tilltheyrealizedthatshewasanAmericanwoman，andwouldthensubmittoherinflexiblepurposeofholdingit。ButshehadbeensomesevenoreighthoursinHamburg，andnothingofthekindhadhappenedtoher，perhapsbecauseshehadhardlyyetwalkedablockinthecitystreets，butperhapsalsobecausethereseemedtobeveryfewofficersormilitaryofanykindinHamburg。