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republic； and his youth was nurtured in the traditions of liberty； he was
one of the greatest souls of any time； and he must have known the
impossibility of the thing they pretended； but he died and made no sign；
and the poet's friendship with the prince has passed smoothly into
history as one of the things that might really be。 They worked and
played together； they dined and danced； they picnicked and poetized； each
on his own side of the impassable gulf； with an air of its not being
there which probably did not deceive their contemporaries so much as
posterity。
A part of the palace was of course undergoing repair； and in the gallery
beyond the conservatory a company of workmen were sitting at a table
where they had spread their luncheon。 They were somewhat subdued by the
consciousness of their august environment； but the sight of them was
charming； they gave a kindly interest to the place which it had wanted
before； and which the Marches felt again in another palace where the
custodian showed them the little tin dishes and saucepans which the
German Empress Augusta and her sisters played with when they were
children。 The sight of these was more affecting even than the withered
wreaths which they had left on the death…bed of their mother； and which
are still mouldering there。
This was in the Belvedere； the country house on the height overlooking
Weimar； where the grand…ducal family spend the month of May； and where
the stranger finds himself amid overwhelming associations of Goethe；
although the place is so full of relics and memorials of the owners。
It seemed in fact to be a storehouse for the wedding…presents of the
whole connection； which were on show in every room； Mrs。 March hardly
knew whether they heightened the domestic effect or took from it； but
they enabled her to verify with the custodian's help certain royal
intermarriages which she had been in doubt about before。
Her zeal for these made such favor with him that he did not spare them a
portrait of all those which March hoped to escape； he passed them over；
scarcely able to stand； to the gardener； who was to show them the open…
air theatre where Goethe used to take part in the plays。
The Natur…Theater was of a classic ideal； realized in the trained vines
and clipped trees which formed the coulisses。 There was a grassy space
for the chorus and the commoner audience； and then a few semicircular
gradines cut in the turf； one alcove another； where the more honored
spectators sat。 Behind the seats were plinths bearing the busts of
Goethe； Schiller； Wieland； and Herder。 It was all very pretty； and if
ever the weather in Weimar was dry enough to permit a performance； it
must have been charming to see a play in that open day to which the drama
is native； though in the late hours it now keeps in the thick air of
modern theatres it has long forgotten the fact。 It would be difficult to
be Greek under a German sky； even when it was not actually raining； but
March held that with Goethe's help it might have been done at Weimar； and
his wife and he proved themselves such enthusiasts for the Natur…Theater
that the walnut…faced old gardener who showed it put together a sheaf of
the flowers that grew nearest it and gave them to Mrs。 March for a
souvenir。
They went for a cup of tea to the caf？which looks； as from another
eyebrow of the hill； out over lovely little Weimar in the plain below。
In a moment of sunshine the prospect was very smiling； but their spirits
sank over their tea when it came； they were at least sorry they had not
asked for coffee。 Most of the people about them were taking beer；
including the pretty girls of a young ladies' school； who were there with
their books and needle…work； in the care of one of the teachers；
apparently for the afternoon。
Mrs。 March perceived that they were not so much engaged with their books
or their needle…work but they had eyes for other things； and she followed
the glances of the girls till they rested upon the people at a table
somewhat obliquely to the left。 These were apparently a mother and
daughter； and they were listening to a young man who sat with his back to
Mrs。 March； and leaned low over the table talking to them。 They were
both smiling radiantly； and as the girl smiled she kept turning herself
from the waist up； and slanting her face from this side to that； as if to
make sure that every one saw her smiling。
Mrs。 March felt her husband's gaze following her own； and she had just
time to press her finger firmly on his arm and reduce his cry of
astonishment to the hoarse whisper in which he gasped； 〃Good gracious！
It's the pivotal girl！〃
At the same moment the girl rose with her mother； and with the young man；
who had risen too； came directly toward the Marches on their way out of
the place without noticing them； though Burnamy passed so near that Mrs。
March could almost have touched him。
She had just strength to say； 〃Well； my dear！ That was the cut direct。〃
She said this in order to have her husband reassure her。 〃Nonsense！ He
never saw us。 Why didn't you speak to him？〃
〃Speak to him？ I never shall speak to him again。 No！ This is the last
of Mr。 Burnamy for me。 I shouldn't have minded his not recognizing us；
for； as you say； I don't believe he saw us； but if he could go back to
such a girl as that； and flirt with her； after Miss Triscoe； that's all I
wish to know of him。 Don't you try to look him up； Basil。！ I'm glad…
yes； I'm glad he doesn't know how Stoller has come to feel about him； he
deserves to suffer； and I hope he'll keep on suffering： You were quite
right； my dearand it shows how true your instinct is in such things （I
don't call it more than instinct）not to tell him what Stoller said； and
I don't want you ever should。〃
She had risen in her excitement； and was making off in such haste that
she would hardly give him time to pay for their tea； as she pulled him
impatiently to their carriage。
At last he got a chance to say； 〃I don't think I can quite promise that；
my mind's been veering round in the other direction。 I think I shall
tell him。〃
〃What！ After you've seen him flirting with that girl？ Very well； then；
you won't； my dear； that's all！ He's behaving very basely to Agatha。〃
〃What's his flirtation with all the girls in the universe to do with my
duty to him？ He has a right to know what Stoller thinks。 And as to his
behaving badly toward Miss Triscoe； how has he done it？ So far as you
know； there is nothing whatever between them。 She either refused him
outright； that last night in Carlsbad； or else she made impossible
conditions with him。 Burnamy is simply consoling himself； and I don't
blame him。〃
〃Consoling himself with a pivotal girl！〃 cried Mrs。 March。
〃Yes； with a pivotal girl。 Her pivotality may be a nervous idiosyncrasy；
or it may be the effect of tight lacing； perhaps she has to keep turning
and twisting that way to get breath。 But attribute the worst motive： say
it is to make people look at her！ Well； Burnamy has a right to look with
the rest； and I am not going to renounce him because he takes refuge with
one pretty girl from another。 It's what men have been doing from the
beginning of time。〃
〃Oh； I dare say！〃
〃Men；〃 he went on； 〃are very delicately constituted； very peculiarly。
They have been known to seek the society of girls in general； of any
girl； because some girl has made them happy； and when some girl has made
them unhappy； they are still more susceptible。 Burnamy may be merely
amusing himself； or he may be consoling himself； but in either case I
think the pivotal girl has as much right to him as Miss Triscoe。 She had
him first； and I'm all for her。〃
LXI。
Burnamy came away from seeing the pivotal girl and her mother off on the
train which they were taking that evening for Frankfort and Hombourg； and
strolled back through the Weimar streets little at ease with himself。
While he was with the girl and near her he had felt the attraction by
which youth impersonally draws youth； the charm which mere maid has for
mere man； but once beyond the range of this he felt sick at heart and
ashamed。 He was aware of having used her folly as an anodyne for the
pain which was always gnawing at him； and he had managed to forget it in
her folly； but now it came back； and the sense that he had been reckless
of her rights came with it。 He had done his best to make her think him
in love with her； by everything but words； he wondered how he could be
such an ass； such a wicked ass； as to try making her promise to write to
him from Frankfort； he wished never to see her again； and he wished still
less to hear from her。 It was some comfort to reflect that she had not
promised； but it was not comfort enough to restore him to such
fragmentary self…respect as he had been enjoying since he parted with
Agatha Triscoe in Carlsbad； he could not even get back to the resentment
with which he had been staying himself somewhat before the pivotal girl
unexpectedly appeared with her mother in Weimar。
It was Sedan Day； but there was apparently no official observance of the
holiday； perhaps because the Grand…Duke was away at the