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〃Don't！〃 his wife implored with a burst of feeling which surprised him。
〃I want to go home！〃
They had been talking over their day； and planning their journey to
Holland for the morrow； when it came to this outburst from her in the
last half…hour before bed which they sat prolonging beside their stove。
〃What！ And not go to Holland？ What is to become of my after…cure？〃
〃Oh； it's too late for that； now。 We've used up the month running about；
and tiring ourselves to death。 I should like to rest a weekto get into
my berth on the Norumbia and rest！〃
〃I guess the September gales would have something to say about that。〃
〃I would risk the September gales。〃
LXXII。
In the morning March came home from his bankers gay with the day's
provisional sunshine in his heart； and joyously expectant of his wife's
pleasure in the letters he was bringing。 There was one from each of
their children； and there was one from Fulkerson； which March opened and
read on the street； so as to intercept any unpleasant news there might be
in them； there were two letters for Mrs。 March which he knew without
opening were from Miss Triscoe and Mrs。 Adding respectively； Mrs。
Adding's； from the postmarks； seemed to have been following them about
for some time。
〃They're all right at home；〃 he said。 〃Do see what those people have
been doing。〃
〃I believe；〃 she said； taking a knife from the breakfast tray beside her
bed to cut the envelopes； 〃that you've really cared more about them all
along than I have。〃
〃No； I've only been anxious to be done with them。〃
She got the letters open； and holding one of them up in each hand she
read them impartially and simultaneously； then she flung them both down；
and turned her face into her pillow with an impulse of her inalienable
girlishness。 〃Well； it is too silly。〃
March felt authorized to take them up and read them consecutively； when
he had done； so he did not differ from his wife。 In one case； Agatha had
written to her dear Mrs。 March that she and Burnamy had just that evening
become engaged； Mrs。 Adding； on her part owned a farther step； and
announced her marriage to Mr。 Kenby。 Following immemorial usage in such
matters Kenby had added a postscript affirming his happiness in unsparing
terms； and in Agatha's letter there was an avowal of like effect from
Burnamy。 Agatha hinted her belief that her father would soon come to
regard Burnamy as she did； and Mrs。 Adding professed a certain
humiliation in having realized that； after all her misgiving about him；
Rose seemed rather relieved than otherwise； as if he were glad to have
her off his hands。
〃Well；〃 said March； 〃with these troublesome affairs settled； I don't see
what there is to keep us in Europe any longer； unless it's the consensus
of opinion in Tom； Bella； and Fulkerson； that we ought to stay the
winter。〃
〃Stay the winter！〃 Mrs。 March rose from her pillow； and clutched the
home letters to her from the abeyance in which they had fallen on the
coverlet while she was dealing with the others。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃It seems to have been prompted by a hint you let drop； which Tom has
passed to Bella and Fulkerson。〃
〃Oh； but that was before we left Carlsbad！〃 she protested； while she
devoured the letters with her eyes； and continued to denounce the
absurdity of the writers。 Her son and daughter both urged that now their
father and mother were over there； they had better stay as long as they
enjoyed it； and that they certainly ought not to come home without going
to Italy； where they had first met； and revisiting the places which they
had seen together when they were young engaged people： without that their
silver wedding journey would not be complete。 Her son said that
everything was going well with 'Every Other Week'； and both himself and
Mr。 Fulkerson thought his father ought to spend the winter in Italy； and
get a thorough rest。 〃Make a job of it； March；〃 Fulkerson wrote； 〃and
have a Sabbatical year while you're at it。 You may not get another。〃
〃Well； I can tell them；〃 said Mrs。 March indignantly； 〃we shall not do
anything of the kind。〃
〃Then you didn't mean it？〃
〃Mean it！〃 She stopped herself with a look at her husband； and asked
gently； 〃Do you want to stay？〃
〃Well； I don't know；〃 he answered vaguely。 The fact was； he was sick of
travel and of leisure； he was longing to be at home and at work again。
But if there was to be any self…sacrifice which could be had； as it were；
at a bargain； which could be fairly divided between them； and leave him
the self and her the sacrifice； he was too experienced a husband not to
see the advantage of it； or to refuse the merit。 〃I thought you wished
to stay。〃
〃Yes；〃 she sighed； 〃I did。 It has been very； very pleasant； and； if
anything； I have over…enjoyed myself。 We have gone romping through it
like two young people； haven't we？〃
〃You have；〃 he assented。 〃I have always felt the weight of my years in
getting the baggage registered； they have made the baggage weigh more
every time。〃
〃And I've forgotten mine。 Yes； I have。 But the years haven't forgotten
me； Basil； and now I remember them。 I'm tired。 It doesn't seem as if I
could ever get up。 But I dare say it's only a mood； it may be only a
cold； and if you wish to stay； whywe will think it over。〃
〃No； we won't； my dear；〃 he said； with a generous shame for his hypocrisy
if not with a pure generosity。 〃I've got all the good out of it that
there was in it； for me； and I shouldn't go home any better six months
hence than I should now。 Italy will keep for another time； and so； for
the matter of that； will Holland。〃
〃No； no！〃 she interposed。 〃We won't give up Holland； whatever we do。
I couldn't go home feeling that I had kept you out of your after…cure；
and when we get there； no doubt the sea air will bring me up so that I
shall want to go to Italy； too； again。 Though it seems so far off； now！
But go and see when the afternoon train for the Hague leaves； and I shall
be ready。 My mind's quite made up on that point。〃
〃What a bundle of energy！〃 said her husband laughing down at her。
He went and asked about the train to the Hague； but only to satisfy a
superficial conscience； for now he knew that they were both of one mind
about going home。 He also looked up the trains for London； and found
that they could get there by way of Ostend in fourteen hours。 Then he
went back to the banker's； and with the help of the Paris…New York
Chronicle which he found there； he got the sailings of the first steamers
home。 After that he strolled about the streets for a last impression of
Dusseldorf； but it was rather blurred by the constantly recurring pull of
his thoughts toward America； and he ended by turning abruptly at a
certain corner； and going to his hotel。
He found his wife dressed； but fallen again on her bed； beside which her
breakfast stood still untasted； her smile responded wanly to his
brightness。 〃I'm not well； my dear；〃 she said。 〃I don't believe I could
get off to the Hague this afternoon。〃
〃Could you to Liverpool？〃 he returned。
〃To Liverpool？〃 she gasped。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃Merely that the Cupania is sailing on the twentieth； and I've
telegraphed to know if we can get a room。 I'm afraid it won't be a good
one； but she's the first boat out； and〃
〃No； indeed； we won't go to Liverpool； and we will never go home till
you've had your after…cure in Holland。〃 She was very firm in this； but
she added； 〃We will stay another night； here； and go to the Hague
tomorrow。 Sit down； and let us talk it over。 Where were we？〃
She lay down on the sofa； and he put a shawl over her。 〃We were just
starting for Liverpool。〃
〃No； no we weren't！ Don't say such things； dearest！ I want you to help
me sum it all； up。 You think it's been a success； don't you？〃
〃As a cure？〃
〃No； as a silver wedding journey？〃
〃Perfectly howling。〃
〃I do think we've had a good time。 I never expected to enjoy myself so
much again in the world。 I didn't suppose I should ever take so much
interest in anything。 It shows that when we choose to get out of our rut
we shall always find life as fresh and delightful as ever。 There is
nothing to prevent our coming any year； now that Tom's shown himself so
capable； and having another silver wedding journey。 I don't like to
think of it's being confined to Germany quite。〃
〃Oh； I don't know。 We can always talk of it as our German…Silver Wedding
Journey。〃
〃That's true。 But nobody would understand nowadays what you meant by
German…silver； it's perfectly gone out。 How ugly it was！ A sort of
greasy yellowish stuff； always getting worn through； I believe it was
made worn through。 Aunt Mary had a castor of it； that I can remember
when I was a child； it went into the kitchen long before I grew up。
Would a joke like that console you for the loss of Italy？〃
〃It would go far to do it。 And as a German…Silver Wedding Journey； it's
certainly been very complete。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃It's given us a representative variety of German cities。 First we had
Hamburg； you know； a great modern commercial centre。〃
〃Yes！ Go on！〃
〃Then we had Leipsic； the aca