“Oh，youmaylaugh！Butthereissomethingveryexciting！”Shetoldhimwhathadhappened，andofherbeliefthatBurnamy’shandsomebehaviorhadsomehownotbeenmetinkind。
Marchgavehimselfthepleasureofanimmenselaugh。“ItseemstomethatthisMr。Burnamyofyourswantedalittlemoregratitudethanhewasentitledto。Whyshouldn’thehaveofferedhimthelowerberth？Andwhyshouldn’ttheoldgentlemanhavetakenitjustashedid？Didyouwanthimtomakeacounterofferofhisdaughter’shand？Ifhedoes，IhopeMr。Burnamywon’tcomeforyouradvicetillafterhe’sacceptedher。”
“Hewasn’tverycandid。Ihopedyouwouldspeakaboutthat。Don’tyouthinkitwasrathernatural，though？”
“Forhim，verylikely。ButIthinkyouwouldcallitsinuousinsomeoneyouhadn’ttakenafancyto。”
“No，no。Iwishtobejust。Idon’tseehowhecouldhavecomestraightatit。Andhedidownupatlast。”SheaskedhimwhatBurnamyhaddoneforthemagazine，andhecouldremembernothingbutthatonesmallpoem，yetunprinted；hewasrathervagueaboutitsvalue，butsaidithadtemperament。
“Hehastemperament，too。”shecommented，andshehadmadehimtellhereverythingheknew，orcouldbeforcedtoimagineaboutBurnamy，beforesheletthetalkturntootherthings。
Thelifeofthepromenadehadalreadysettledintoseafaringform；thesteamerchairswerefull，andpeoplewerereadingordozinginthemwithaneffectoflonghabit。Thosewhowouldbewalkingupanddownhadbeguntheirwalks；somehadbegungoinginandoutofthesmoking-room；
ladieswhowereeasilyaffectedbythemotionwerelyingdowninthemusic-room。Groupsofbothsexeswerestandingatintervalsalongtherail，andthepromenaderswereobligedtodoubleonabriefercourseorworkslowlyroundthem。Shuffleboardpartiesatonepointandring-tosspartiesatanotherwereformingamongtheyoungpeople。Itwasaslivelyanditwasasdullasitwouldbetwothousandmilesatsea。Itwasnottheleastcooler，yet；butifyousatstillyoudidnotsuffer。
Inthepromptmonotonythetimewasalreadypassingswiftly。Thedeck-
stewardseemedhardlytohavebeenroundwithteaandbouillon，andhehadnotyetgatheredupalltheemptycups，whenthehornforlunchsounded。Itwastheyoungestofthetable-stewardswhogavethesummonstomeals；andwhenevertheprettyboyappearedwithhisbugle，funnypassengersgatheredroundhimtomakehimlaugh，andstophimfromwindingit。Hispartofthejokewastofulfillhisdutywithgravity，andonlytogivewaytoasmileoftriumphashewalkedoff。
Atlunch，inthefadedexcitementoftheirfirstmeeting，thepeopleattheMarches’tabledidnotrenewtheprematureintimacyoftheirbreakfasttalk。Mrs。Marchwenttoliedowninherberthafterwards，andMarchwentondeckwithouther。Hebegantowalktoandfromthebarrierbetweenthefirstandsecondcabinpromenades；lingeringnearit，andmusingpensively，forsomeofthepeoplebeyonditlookedasintelligentandassociallyacceptable，eventotheirclothes，astheirpecuniarybettersofthesaloon。
Thereweretwowomen，amotheranddaughter，whomhefanciedtobeteachers，bytheirlooks，goingoutforalittlerest，orperhapsforalittlefurtherstudytofitthemmoreperfectlyfortheirwork。Theygazedwistfullyacrossathimwheneverhecameuptothebarrier；andhefeignedaconversationwiththemandtriedtoconvincethemthatthestampofinferioritywhichtheirpovertyputuponthemwasjust，orifnotjust，theninevitable。Hearguedwiththemthatthesortofbarrierwhichherepreventedtheirbeingfriendswithhim，iftheywishedit，raninvisiblythroughsocietyeverywherebuthefeltashamedbeforetheirkind，patient，intelligentfaces，andfoundhimselfwishingtoexcusethefacthewasdefending。Wasitanyworse，heaskedthem，thantheirnotbeinginvitedtotheentertainmentsofpeopleinupperFifthAvenue？Hemadethemownthatiftheywereletacrossthatbarrierthewholesecondcabinwouldhavealogicalrighttofollow；andtheyweresilenced。Buttheycontinuedtogapeathimwiththeirsincere，gentleeyeswheneverhereturnedtothebarrierinhiswalk，tillhecouldbearitnolonger，andstrolledofftowardthesteerage。
Therewasmorereasonwhythepassengersthereshouldbepennedintoalittlespaceoftheirowninthesortofpitmadebythenarrowingdeckatthebow。Theyseemedtobeallforeigners，andifanyhadmadetheirfortunesinourcountrytheywerehidingtheirprosperityinthereturntotheirown。Theycouldhardlyhavecometousmoreshabbyandsqualidthantheyweregoingaway；buthethoughttheiraveragelessapatheticthanthatofthesaloonpassengers，asheleanedovertherailandlookeddownatthem。Someonehadbroughtoutanelectricbattery，andthelumpishboysandslatterngirlswereshoutingandlaughingastheywrithedwiththecurrent。Ayoungmotherseatedflatonthedeck，withherbarefeetstuckout，inattentivelynursedherbabe，whileshelaughedandshoutedwiththerest；amanwithhisheadtiedinashawlwalkedaboutthepenandsmiledgrotesquelywiththewellsideofhistoothache-
swollenface。Theownerofthebatterycarrieditaway，andagroupoflittlechildren，withblueeyesandyellowhair，gatheredinthespacehehadleft，andlookedupatapassengernearMarchwhowaseatingsomeplumsandcherrieswhichhehadbroughtfromtheluncheontable。Hebegantothrowthefruitdowntothem，andthechildrenscrambledforit。
Anelderlyman，withathin，grave，aquilineface，said，“Ishouldn’twantachildofminedownthere。”
“No。”Marchresponded，“itisn’tquitewhatonewouldchooseforone’sown。It’sastonishing，though，howwereconcileourselvestoitinthecaseofothers。”
“Isupposeit’ssomethingwe’llhavetogetusedtoontheotherside。”
suggestedthestranger。
“Well。”answeredMarch，“youhavesomeopportunitiestogetusedtoitonthisside，ifyouhappentoliveinNewYork。”andhewentontospeakoftheraggednesswhichoftenpenetratedthefrontierofcomfortwherehelivedinStuyvesantSquare，andwhichseemedasgladofalmsinfoodormoneyasthispovertyofthesteerage。
Theotherlistenedrestivelylikeamanwhoseidealsaredisturbed。
“Idon’tbelieveIshouldliketoliveinNewYork，much。”hesaid，andMarchfanciedthathewishedtobeaskedwherehedidlive。ItappearedthathelivedinOhio，andhenamedhistown；hedidnotbragofit，buthesaiditsuitedhim。HeaddedthathehadneverexpectedtogotoEurope，butthathehadbeguntorundownlately，andhisdoctorthoughthehadbettergooutandtryCarlsbad。
Marchsaid，toinvitehisfurtherconfidence，thatthiswasexactlyhisowncase。TheOhiomanmettheoverturefromacommoninvalidismasifitdetractedfromhisowndistinction；andheturnedtospeakofthedifficulty，hehadinarranginghisaffairsforleavinghome。Hisheartopenedalittlewiththeword，andhesaidhowcomfortableheandhiswifewereintheirhouse，andhowmuchtheybothhatedtoshutitup。
WhenMarchofferedhimhiscard，hesaidhehadnoneofhisownwithhim，butthathisnamewasEltwin。HebetrayedasimplewishtohaveMarchrealizethelocalimportancehehadleftbehindhim；anditwasnothardtocomply；MarchsawaGrandArmybuttoninthelapelofhiscoat，andheknewthathewasinthepresenceofaveteran。
Hetriedtoguesshisrank；intellinghiswifeabouthim，whenhewentdowntofindherjustbeforedinner，butheendedwithacertainsenseofaffliction。“Therearetoomanyelderlyinvalidsonthisship。Iknockagainstpeopleofmyownageeverywhere。Whyaren’tyouryouthfulloversmoreinevidence，mydear？Idon’tbelievetheyarelovers，andIbegintodoubtifthey’reyoungeven。”
“Itwasn’tverysatisfactoryatlunch，certainly。”sheowned。“ButI
knowitwillbedifferentatdinner。”Shewasputtingherselftogetherafteranapthathadmadeupforthelostsleepofthenightbefore。
“Iwantyoutolookverynice，dear。Shallyoudressfordinner？”sheaskedherhusband’simageinthestate-roomglasswhichshewaspreoccupying。
“Ishalldressinmypea-jacketandsea-boots。”itanswered。
“IhaveheardthattheyalwaysdressfordinneronthebigCunardandWhiteStarboats，whenit’sgoodweather。”shewenton，placidly。
“Ishouldn’twantthosepeopletothinkyouwerenotupintheconvenances。”
Theybothknewthatshemeantthereticentfatheranddaughter，andMarchflungout，“Ishouldn’twantthemtothinkyouweren’t。There’ssuchathingasoverdoing。”
Sheattackedhimatanotherpoint。“Whathasannoyedyou？Whatelsehaveyoubeendoing？”
“Nothing。I’vebeenreadingmostoftheafternoon。”
“TheMaidenKnight？”
Thiswasthebookwhichnearlyeverybodyhadbroughtonboard。Itwasjustout，andhadcaughtaninstantfavor，whichswelledlatertoatidalwave。Itdepictedaheroicgirlineverytryingcircumstanceofmediaevallife，andgratifiedtheperennialpassionofbothsexesforhistoricalromance，whileitflatteredwoman’sinstinctofsuperioritybythecelebrationofherunintermittedtriumphs，endinginapreposterousandwhollysuperfluousself-sacrifice。
Marchlaughedforpleasureinherguess，andshepursued，“Isupposeyoudidn’twastetimelookingifanybodyhadbroughtthelastcopyof’EveryOtherWeek’？”
“Yes，Idid；andIfoundtheoneyouhadleftinyoursteamerchair——foradvertisingpurposes，probably。”
“Mr。Burnamyhasanother。”shesaid。“Isawitstickingoutofhispocketthismorning。”
“Oh，yes。HetoldmehehadgotitonthetrainfromChicagotoseeifithadhispoeminit。He’saningenuoussoul——insomeways。”
“Well，thatistheveryreasonwhyyououghttofindoutwhetherthemenaregoingtodress，andlethimknow。Hewouldneverthinkofithimself。”
“NeitherwouldI。”saidherhusband。
“Verywell，ifyouwishtospoilhischanceattheoutset。”shesighed。
Shedidnotquiteknowwhethertobegladornotthatthemenwereallinsacksandcutawaysatdinner；itsavedher，fromshameforherhusbandandMr。Burnamy；butitputherinthewrong。Everyonetalked；eventhefatheranddaughtertalkedwitheachother，andatonemomentMrs。Marchcouldnotbequitesurethatthedaughterhadnotlookedatherwhenshespoke。ShecouldnotbemistakenintheremarkwhichthefatheraddressedtoBurnamy，thoughitledtonothing。
