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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； but antipathetic and uninteresting； as all
patriotic monuments are； and a woman…and…dog team。 In the shock from
this he was sensible that he had not seen any woman…and…dog teams for
some time； and he wondered by what civic or ethnic influences their
distribution was so controlled that they should have abounded in Hamburg；
Leipsic； and Carlsbad； and wholly ceased in Nuremberg； Ansbach； and
Wurzburg； to reappear again in Weimar； though they seemed as
characteristic of all Germany as the ugly denkmals to her victories over
France。
The Goethe and Schiller monument which he had glimpsed the night before
was characteristic too； but less offensively so。 German statues at the
best are conscious； and the poet…pair； as the inscription calls them；
have the air of showily confronting posterity with their clasped hands；
and of being only partially rapt from the spectators。 But they were more
unconscious than any other German statues that March had seen； and he
quelled a desire to ask Goethe； as he stood with his hand on Schiller's
shoulder； and looked serenely into space far above one of the typical
equipages of his country； what he thought of that sort of thing。 But
upon reflection he did not know why Goethe should be held personally
responsible for the existence of the woman…and…dog team。 He felt that he
might more reasonably attribute to his taste the prevalence of classic
profiles which he began to note in the Weimar populace。 This could be a
sympathetic effect of that passion for the antique which the poet brought
back with him from his sojourn in Italy； though many of the people；
especially the children； were bow…legged。 Perhaps the antique had： begun
in their faces； and had not yet got down to their legs； in any case they
were charming children； and as a test of their culture； he had a mind to
ask a little girl if she could tell him where the statue of Herder was；
which he thought he might as well take in on his ramble； and so be done
with as many statues as he could。 She answered with a pretty regret in
her tender voice； 〃That I truly cannot；〃 and he was more satisfied than
if she could； for he thought it better to be a child and honest； than to
know where any German statue was。
He easily found it for himself in the place which is called the Herder
Platz after it。 He went into the Peter and Paul Church there； where
Herder used to preach sermons； sometimes not at all liked by the nobility
and gentry for their revolutionary tendency； the sovereign was shielded
from the worst effects of his doctrine by worshipping apart from other
sinners in a glazed gallery。 Herder is buried in the church； and when
you ask where； the sacristan lifts a wooden trap…door in the pavement；
and you think you are going down into the crypt； but you are only to see
Herder's monumental stone； which is kept covered so to save it from
passing feet。 Here also is the greatest picture of that great soul Luke
Kranach； who had sincerity enough in his paining to atone for all the
swelling German sculptures in the world。 It is a crucifixion； and the
cross is of a white birch log； such as might have been cut out of the
Weimar woods； shaved smooth on the sides； with the bark showing at the
edges。 Kranach has put himself among the spectators； and a stream of
blood from the side of the Savior falls in baptism upon the painter's
head。 He is in the company of John the Baptist and Martin Luther； Luther
stands with his Bible open； and his finger on the line； 〃The blood of
Jesus cleanseth us。〃
Partly because he felt guilty at doing all these things without his wife；
and partly because he was now very hungry； March turned from them and got
back to his hotel； where she was looking out for him from their open
window。 She had the air of being long domesticated there； as she laughed
down at seeing him come； and the continued brilliancy of the weather
added to the illusion of home。
It was like a day of late spring in Italy or America； the sun in that
gardened hollow before the museum was already hot enough t