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It was Sedan Day； but there was apparently no official observance of the
holiday； perhaps because the Grand…Duke was away at the manoeuvres； with
all the other German princes。 Burnamy had hoped for some voluntary
excitement among the people； at least enough to warrant him in making a
paper about Sedan Day in Weimar； which he could sell somewhere； but the
night was falling； and there was still no sign of popular rejoicing over
the French humiliation twenty…eight years before； except in the multitude
of Japanese lanterns which the children were everywhere carrying at the
ends of sticks。 Babies had them in their carriages； and the effect of
the floating lights in the winding； up…and…down…hill streets was charming
even to Burnamy's lack…lustre eyes。 He went by his hotel and on to a
caf？with a garden； where there was a patriotic； concert promised； he
supped there； and then sat dreamily behind his beer； while the music
banged and brayed round him unheeded。
Presently he heard a voice of friendly banter saying in English； 〃May I
sit at your table？〃 and he saw an ironical face looking down on him。
〃There doesn't seem any other place。〃
〃Why； Mr。 March！〃 Burnamy sprang up and wrung the hand held out to him；
but he choked with his words of recognition； it was so good to see this
faithful friend again； though he saw him now as he had seen him last；
just when he had so little reason to be proud of himself。
March settled his person in the chair facing Burnamy； and then glanced
round at the joyful jam of people eating and drinking； under a firmament
of lanterns。 〃This is pretty；〃 he said； 〃mighty pretty。 I shall make
Mrs。 March sorry for not coming； when I go back。〃
〃Is Mrs。 Marchshe iswith youin Weimar？〃 Burnamy asked stupidly。
March forbore to take advantage of him。 〃Oh； yes。 We saw you out at
Belvedere this afternoon。 Mrs。 March thought for a moment that you meant
not to see us。 A woman likes to exercise her imagination in those little
flights。〃
〃I never dreamed of your being thereI never saw〃 Burnamy began。
〃Of course not。 Neither did Mrs。 Etkins； nor Miss Etkins； she was
looking very pretty。 Have you been here some time？〃
〃Not long。 A week or so。 I've been at the parade at Wurzburg。〃
〃At Wurzburg！ Ah； how little the world is； or how large Wurzburg is！
We were there nearly a week； and we pervaded the place。 But there was a
great crowd for you to hide in from us。 What had I better take？〃
A waiter had come up； and was standing at March's elbow。 〃I suppose I
mustn't sit here without ordering something？〃
〃White wine and selters；〃 said Burnamy vaguely。
〃The very thing！ Why didn't I think of it？ It's a divine drink： it
satisfies without filling。 I had it a night or two before we left home；
in the Madison Square Roof Garden。 Have you seen 'Every Other Week'
lately？〃
〃No；〃 said Burnamy； with more spirit than he had yet shown。
〃We've just got our mail from Nuremberg。 The last number has a poem in
it that I rather like。〃 March laughed to see the young fellow's face
light up with joyful consciousness。 〃Come round to my hotel； after
you're tired here； and I'll let you see it。 There's no hurry。 Did you
notice the little children with their lanterns； as you came along？ It's
the gentlest effect that a warlike memory ever came to。 The French
themselves couldn't have minded those innocents carrying those soft
lights on the day of their disaster。 You ought to get something out of
that； and I've got a subject in trust for you from Rose Adding。 He and
his mother were at Wurzburg； I'm sorry to say the poor little chap didn't
seem very well。 They've gone to Holland for the sea air。〃 March had
been talking for quantity in compassion of the embarrassment in which
Burnamy seemed bound； but he questioned how far he ought to bring comfort
to the young fellow merely because he liked him。 So far as he could make
out； Burnamy had been doing rather less than nothing to retrieve himself
since they had met； and it was by an impulse that he could not have
logically defended to Mrs。 March that he resumed。 〃We found another
friend of yours in Wurzburg： Mr。 Stoller。〃
〃Mr。 Stoller？〃 Burnamy faintly echoed。
〃Yes； he was there to give his daughters a holiday during the manoeuvres；
and they made the most of it。 He wanted us to go to the parade with his
family but we declined。 The twins were pretty nearly the death of
General Triscoe。〃
Again Burnamy echoed him。 〃General Triscoe？〃
〃Ah； yes： I didn't tell you。 General Triscoe and his daughter had come
on with Mrs。 Adding and Rose。 Kenbyyou remember Kenby； On the
Norumbia？Kenby happened to be there； too； we were quite a family party；
and Stoller got the general to drive out to the manoeuvres with him and
his girls。〃
Now that he was launched； March rather enjoyed letting himself go。 He
did not know what he should say to Mrs。 March when he came to confess
having told Burnamy everything before she got a chance at him； he pushed
on recklessly； upon the principle； which probably will not hold in
morals； that one may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb。 〃I have a
message for you from Mr。 Stoller。〃
〃For me？〃 Burnamy gasped。
〃I've been wondering how I should put it； for I hadn't expected to see
you。 But it's simply this： he wants you to knowand he seemed to want
me to knowthat he doesn't hold you accountable in the way he did。 He's
thought it all over； and he's decided that he had no right to expect you
to save him from his own ignorance where he was making a show of
knowledge。 As he said； he doesn't choose to plead the baby act。 He says
that you're all right； and your place on the paper is open to you。〃
Burnamy had not been very prompt before； but now he seemed braced for
instant response。 〃I think he's wrong；〃 he said； so harshly that the
people at the next table looked round。 〃His feeling as he does has
nothing to do with the fact； and it doesn't let me out。〃
March would have liked to take him in his arms； he merely said； 〃I think
you're quite right； as to that。 But there's such a thing as forgiveness；
you know。 It doesn't change the nature of what you've done； but as far
as the sufferer from it is concerned； it annuls it。〃
〃Yes； I understand that。 But I can't accept his forgiveness if I hate
him。〃
〃But perhaps you won't always hate him。 Some day you may have a chance
to do him a good turn。 It's rather banale； but there doesn't seem any
other way。 Well； I have given you his message。 Are you going with me to
get that poem？〃
When March had given Burnamy the paper at his hotel； and Burnamy had put
it in his pocket； the young man said he thought he would take some
coffee； and he asked March to join him in the dining…room where they had
stood talking。
〃No； thank you；〃 said the elder； 〃I don't propose sitting up all night；
and you'll excuse me if I go to bed now。 It's a little informal to leave
a guest〃
〃You're not leaving a guest！ I'm at home here。 I'm staying in this
hotel too。〃
March said； 〃Oh！〃 and then he added abruptly； 〃Good…night；〃 and went up
stairs under the fresco of the five poets。
〃Whom were you talking with below？〃 asked Mrs。 March through the door
opening into his room from hers。
〃Burnamy；〃 he answered from within。 〃He's staying in this house。 He let
me know just as I was going to turn him out for the night。 It's one of
those little uncandors of his that throw suspicion on his honesty in
great things。〃
〃Oh！ Then you've been telling him；〃 she said； with a mental bound high
above and far beyond the point。
〃Everything。〃
〃About Stoller； too？〃
〃About Stoller and his daughters； and Mrs。 Adding and Rose and Kenby and
General Triscoeand Agatha。〃
〃Very well。 That's what I call shabby。 Don't ever talk to me again
about the inconsistencies of women。 But now there's something perfectly
fearful。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃A letter from Miss Triscoe came after you were gone； asking us to find
rooms in some hotel for her and her father to…morrow。 He isn't well； and
they're coming。 And I've telegraphed them to come here。 Now what do you
say？〃
LXII。
They could see no way out of the trouble； and Mrs。 March could not resign
herself to it till her husband suggested that she should consider it
providential。 This touched the lingering superstition in which she had
been ancestrally taught to regard herself as a means； when in a very
tight place； and to leave the responsibility with the moral government of
the universe。 As she now perceived； it had been the same as ordered that
they should see Burnamy under such conditions in the afternoon that they
could not speak to him； and hear where he was staying； and in an inferior
degree it had been the same as ordered that March should see him in the
evening and tell him everything； so that she should know just how to act
when she saw him in the morning。 If he could plausibly account for the
renewal of his flirtation with Miss Elkins； or if he seemed generally
worthy apart from that； she could forgive him。
It was so pleasant when he came in at breakfast with his well…remembered
smile； that she did not require from him any explicit