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seemed to be confined to a Bostonian of gloomily correct type； whom he
had seen doing it with his Baedeker； and not letting an object of
interest escape； and his account of her fellow…townsman reconciled Mrs。
March more and more to not having gone。
As it was warmer out…doors than in…doors at Frankfort； and as the breadth
of sunshine increased with the approach of noon they gave the rest of the
morning to driving about and ignorantly enjoying the outside of many
Gothic churches； whose names even they did not trouble themselves to
learn。 They liked the river Main whenever they came to it； because it
was so lately from Wurzburg； and because it was so beautiful with its
bridges； old and new； and its boats of many patterns。 They liked the
market…place in front of the Romer not only because it was full of
fascinating bargains in curious crockery and wooden…ware； but because
there was scarcely any shade at all in it。 They read from their Baedeker
that until the end of the last century no Jew was suffered to enter the
marketplace； and they rejoiced to find from all appearances that the Jews
had been making up for their unjust exclusion ever since。 They were
almost as numerous there as the Anglo…Saxons were everywhere else in
Frankfort。 These； both of the English and American branches of the race；
prevailed in the hotel diningroom； where the Marches had a mid…day dinner
so good that it almost made amends for the steam…heating and electric…
lighting。
As soon as possible after dinner they took the train for Mayence； and ran
Rhinewards through a pretty country into what seemed a milder climate。
It grew so much milder； apparently； that a lady in their compartment to
whom March offered his forward…looking seat； ordered the window down when
the guard came； without asking their leave。 Then the climate proved much
colder； and Mrs。 March cowered under her shawls the rest of the way； and
would not be entreated to look at the pleasant level landscape near； or
the hills far off。 He proposed to put up the window as peremptorily as
it had been put down； but she stayed him with a hoarse whisper； 〃She may
be another Baroness！〃 At first he did not know what she meant； then he
remembered the lady whose claims to rank her presence had so poorly
enforced on the way to Wurzburg； and he perceived that his wife was
practising a wise forbearance with their fellow…passengers； and giving
her a chance to turn out any sort of highhote she chose。 She failed to
profit by the opportunity； she remained simply a selfish； disagreeable
woman； of no more perceptible distinction than their other fellow…
passenger； a little commercial traveller from Vienna （they resolved from
his appearance and the lettering on his valise that he was no other）； who
slept with a sort of passionate intensity all the way to Mayence。
LXX。
The Main widened and swam fuller as they approached the Rhine； and
flooded the low…lying fields in…places with a pleasant effect under a wet
sunset。 When they reached the station in Mayence they drove interminably
to the hotel they had chosen on the river…shore； through a city handsomer
and cleaner than any American city they could think of； and great part of
the way by a street of dwellings nobler； Mrs。 March owned； than even
Commonwealth Avenue in Boston。 It was planted； like that； with double
rows of trees； but lacked its green lawns； and at times the sign of
Weinhandlung at a corner； betrayed that there was no such restriction
against shops as keeps the Boston street so sacred。 Otherwise they had
to confess once more that any inferior city of Germany is of a more
proper and dignified presence than the most parse…proud metropolis in
America。 To be sure； they said； the German towns had generally a
thousand years' start； but all the same the fact galled them。
It was very bleak； though very beautiful when they stopped before their
hotel on the Rhine； where all their impalpable memories of their visit to
Mayence thirty years earlier precipitated themselves into something
tangible。 There were the reaches of the storied and fabled stream with
its boats and bridges and wooded shores and islands； there were the
spires and towers and roofs of the town on either bank crowding to the
river's brink； and there within…doors was the stately portier in gold
braid； and the smiling； bowing； hand…rubbing landlord； alluring them to
his most expensive rooms； which so late in the season he would fain have
had them take。 But in a little elevator； that mounted slowly； very
slowly； in the curve of the stairs； they went higher to something lower；
and the landlord retired baked； and left them to the ministrations of the
serving…men who arrived with their large and small baggage。 All these
retired in turn when they asked to have a fire lighted in the stove；
without which Mrs。 March would never have taken the fine stately rooms；
and sent back a pretty young girl to do it。 She came indignant； not
because she had come lugging a heavy hod of coal and a great arm…load of
wood； but because her sense of fitness was outraged by the strange
demand。
〃What！〃 she cried。 〃A fire in September！〃
〃Yes；〃 March returned； inspired to miraculous aptness in his German by
the exigency； 〃yes； if September is cold。〃
The girl looked at him； and then； either because she thought him mad； or
liked him merry； burst into a loud laugh； and kindled the fire without a
word more。
He lighted all the reluctant gas…jets in the vast gilt chandelier； and in
less than half an hour the temperature of the place rose to at least
sixty…five Fahrenheit； with every promise of going higher。 Mrs。 March
made herself comfortable in a deep chair before the stove； and said she
would have her supper there； and she bade him send her just such a supper
of chicken and honey and tea as they had all had in Mayence when they
supped in her aunt's parlor there all those years ago。 He wished to
compute the years； but she drove him out with an imploring cry； and he
went down to a very gusty dining…room on the ground…floor； where he found
himself alone with a young English couple and their little boy。 They
were friendly； intelligent people； and would have been conversable；
apparently； but for the terrible cold of the husband； which he said he
had contracted at the manoeuvres in Hombourg。 March said he was going to
Holland； and the Englishman was doubtful of the warmth which March
expected to find there。 He seemed to be suffering from a suspense of
faith as to the warmth anywhere； from time to time the door of the
dining…room self…opened in a silent； ghostly fashion into the court
without； and let in a chilling draught about the legs of all； till the
little English boy got down from his place and shut it。
He alone continued cheerful； for March's spirits certainly did not rise
when some mumbling Americans came in and muttered over their meat at
another table。 He hated to own it； but he had to own that wherever he
had met the two branches of the Anglo…Saxon race together in Europe； the
elder had shown； by a superior chirpiness； to the disadvantage of the
younger。 The cast clothes of the old…fashioned British offishness seemed
to have fallen to the American travellers who were trying to be correct
and exemplary； and he would almost rather have had back the old…style
bragging Americans whom he no longer saw。 He asked of an agreeable
fellow…countryman whom he found later in the reading…room； what had
become of these； and this compatriot said he had travelled with one only
the day before； who had posed before their whole compartment in his scorn
of the German landscape； the German weather； the German government； the
German railway management； and then turned out an American of German
birth！ March found his wife in great bodily comfort when he went back to
her； but in trouble of mind about a clock which she had discovered
standing on the lacquered iron top of the stove。 It was a French clock；
of architectural pretensions； in the taste of the first Empire； and it
looked as if it had not been going since Napoleon occupied Mayence early
in the century。 But Mrs。 March now had it sorely on her conscience
where； in its danger from the heat of the stove； it rested with the
weight of the Pantheon； whose classic form it recalled。 She wondered
that no one had noticed it before the fire was kindled； and she required
her husband to remove it at once from the top of the stove to the mantel
under the mirror； which was the natural habitat of such a clock。 He said
nothing could be simpler； but when he lifted it； it began to fall all
apart； like a clock in the house of the Hoodoo。 Its marble base
dropped…off； its pillars tottered； its pediment swayed to one side。
While Mrs。 March lamented her hard fate； and implored him to hurry it
together before any one came； he contrived to reconstruct it in its new
place。 Then they both breathed freer； and returned to sit down before
the stove。 But at the same moment they both saw； ineffaceably outlined
on the lacquered top； the basal form of the clock。 The chambermaid would
see it in the morning； she would notice the removal of the clock； and
would make