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great capital； however； in spite of its perpetual monumental insistence。
There is no streaming movement in broad vistas； the dull looking
population moves sluggishly； there is no show of fine equipages。 The
prevailing tone of the city and the sky is gray； but under the cloudy
heaven there is no responsive Gothic solemnity in the architecture。
There are hints of the older German cities in some of the remote and
observe streets； but otherwise all is as new as Boston； which in fact the
actual Berlin hardly antedates。
There are easily more statues in Berlin than in any other city in the
world； but they only unite in failing to give Berlin an artistic air。
They stand in long rows on the cornices； they crowd the pediments； they
poise on one leg above domes and arches； they shelter themselves in
niches； they ride about on horseback； they sit or lounge on street
corners or in garden walks； all with a mediocrity in the older sort which
fails of any impression。 If they were only furiously baroque they would
be something； and it may be from a sense of this that there is a self…
assertion in the recent sculptures； which are always patriotic； more
noisy and bragging than anything else in perennial brass。 This offensive
art is the modern Prussian avatar of the old German romantic spirit； and
bears the same relation to it that modern romanticism in literature bears
to romance。 It finds its apotheosis in the monument to Kaiser Wilhelm
I。； a vast incoherent group of swelling and swaggering bronze；
commemorating the victory of the first Prussian Emperor in the war with
the last French Emperor； and avenging the vanquished upon the victors by
its ugliness。 The ungainly and irrelevant assemblage of men and animals
backs away from the imperial palace； and saves itself too soon from
plunging over the border of a canal behind it； not far from Rauch's great
statue of the great Frederic。 To come to it from the simplicity and
quiet of that noble work is like passing from some exquisite masterpiece
of naturalistic acting to the rant and uproar of melodrama； and the
Marches stood stunned and bewildered by its wild explosions。
When they could escape they found themselves so convenient to the
imperial palace that they judged best to discharge at once the obligation
to visit it which must otherwise weigh upon them。 They entered the court
without opposition from the sentinel； and joined other strangers
straggling instinctively toward a waiting…room in one corner of the
building； where after they had increased to some thirty； a custodian took
charge of them； and led them up a series of inclined plains of brick to
the state apartments。 In the antechamber they found a provision of
immense felt over…shoes which they were expected to put on for their
passage over the waxed marquetry of the halls。 These roomy slippers were
designed for the accommodation of the native boots； and upon the mixed
company of foreigners the effect was in the last degree humiliating。 The
women's skirts some what hid their disgrace； but the men were openly put
to shame； and they shuffled forward with their bodies at a convenient
incline like a company of snow…shoers。 In the depths of his own
abasement March heard a female voice behind him sighing in American
accents； 〃To think I should be polishing up these imperial floors with my
republican feet！〃
The protest expressed the rebellion which he felt mounting in his own
heart as they advanced through the heavily splendid rooms； in the
historical order of the family portraits recording the rise of the
Prussian sovereigns from Margraves to Emperors。 He began to realize here
the fact which grew open him more and more that imperial Germany is not
the effect of a popular impulse but of a dynastic propensity。 There is
nothing original in the imperial palace； nothing national； it embodies
and proclaims a powerful personal will； and in its adaptations of French
art it appeals to no emotion in the German witness nobler than his pride
in the German triumph over the French in war。 March found it tiresome
beyond the tiresome wont of palaces； and he gladly shook off the sense of
it with his felt shoes。 〃Well；〃 he confided to his wife when they were
fairly out…of…doors； 〃if Prussia rose in the strength of silence； as
Carlyle wants us to believe； she is taking it out in talk now； and tall
talk。〃
〃Yes； isn't she！〃 Mrs。 March assented； and with a passionate desire for
excess in a bad thing； which we all know at times； she looked eagerly
about her for proofs of that odious militarism of the empire； which ought
to have been conspicuous in the imperial capital； but possibly because
the troops were nearly all away at the manoeuvres； there were hardly more
in the streets than she had sometimes seen in Washington。 Again the
German officers signally failed to offer her any rudeness when she met
them on the side…walks。 There were scarcely any of them； and perhaps
that might have been the reason why they were not more aggressive； but a
whole company of soldiers marching carelessly up to the palace from the
Brandenburg gate； without music； or so much style as our own militia
often puts on； regarded her with inoffensive eyes so far as they looked
at her。 She declared that personally there was nothing against the
Prussians； even when in uniform they were kindly and modest…looking men；
it was when they got up on pedestals； in bronze or marble； that they；
began to bully and to brag。
LXIV。
The dinner which the Marches got at a restaurant on Unter den Linden
almost redeemed the avenue from the disgrace it had fallen into with
them。 It was； the best meal they had yet eaten in Europe； and as to fact
and form was a sort of compromise between a French dinner and an English
dinner which they did not hesitate to pronounce Prussian。 The waiter who
served it was a friendly spirit； very sensible of their intelligent
appreciation of the dinner； and from him they formed a more respectful
opinion of Berlin civilization than they had yet held。 After the manner
of strangers everywhere they judged the country they were visiting from
such of its inhabitants as chance brought them in contact with； and it
would really be a good thing for nations that wish to stand well with the
world at large to look carefully to the behavior of its cabmen and car
conductors； its hotel clerks and waiters； its theatre…ticket sellers and
ushers； its policemen and sacristans； its landlords and salesmen； for by
these rather than by its society women and its statesmen and divines； is
it really judged in the books of travellers； some attention also should
be paid to the weather； if the climate is to be praised。 In the railroad
caf？at Potsdam there was a waiter so rude to the Marches that if they
had not been people of great strength of character he would have undone
the favorable impression the soldiers and civilians of Berlin generally
had been at such pains to produce in them； and throughout the week of
early September which they passed there； it rained so much and so
bitterly； it was so wet and so cold； that they might have come away
thinking it's the worst climate in the world； if it had not been for a
man whom they saw in one of the public gardens pouring a heavy stream
from his garden hose upon the shrubbery already soaked and shuddering in
the cold。 But this convinced them that they were suffering from weather
and not from the climate； which must really be hot and dry； and they went
home to their hotel and sat contentedly down in a temperature of sixty
degrees。 The weather； was not always so bad； one day it was dry cold
instead of wet cold； with rough； rusty clouds breaking a blue sky；
another day； up to eleven in the forenoon； it was like Indian summer；
then it changed to a harsh November air； and then it relented and ended
so mildly； that they hired chairs in the place before the imperial palace
for five pfennigs each； and sat watching the life before them。 Motherly
women…folk were there knitting； two American girls in chairs near them
chatted together； some fine equipages； the only ones they saw in Berlin；
went by； a dog and a man （the wife who ought to have been in harness was
probably sick； and the poor fellow was forced to take her place）passed
dragging a cart； some schoolboys who had hung their satchels upon the low
railing were playing about the base of the statue of King William III。
in the joyous freedom of German childhood。
They seemed the gayer for the brief moments of sunshine； but to the
Americans； who were Southern by virtue of their sky； the brightness had a
sense of lurking winter in it； such as they remembered feeling on a sunny
day in Quebec。 The blue heaven looked sad； but they agreed that it fitly
roofed the bit of old feudal Berlin which forms the most ancient wing of
the Schloss。 This was time…blackened and rude； but at least it did not
try to be French； and it overhung the Spree which winds through the city
and gives it the greatest charm it has。 In fact Berlin； which is
otherwise so grandiose without grandeur and so severe without
impressiveness； is sympathetic wherever the Spree opens it to the sky。
The stream is spa