InsteadofBurnamy，Mrs。AddingandhersonnowbreakfastedwiththeMarchesatthePosthof，andtheboywaswithMarchthroughoutthedayagooddeal。HerectifiedhisimpressionsoflifeinCarlsbadbyMarch’sgreaterwisdomandexperience，anddidhisbesttoanticipatehisopinionsandconformtohisconclusions。Thiswasnoteasy，forsometimeshecouldnotconcealfromhimself，thatMarch’sopinionswerewhimsical，andhisconclusionsfantastic；andhecouldnotalwaysconcealfromMarchthathewasmatchingthemwithKenby’sonsomepoints，andsufferingfromtheirdivergence。Hecametojointhesageinhisearlyvisittothesprings，andtheywalkedupanddowntalking；andtheywentofftogetheronlongstrollsinwhichRosewasproudtobearhimcompany。
Hewaspatientoftheabsencesfromwhichhewasoftenanswered，andhelearnedtodistinguishbetweentheearnestandtheironyofwhichMarch’srepliesseemedtobemixed。HeexaminedhimuponmanyfeaturesofGermancivilization，butchieflyuponthetreatmentofwomeninit；anduponthishisphilosopherwaslesssatisfactorythanhecouldhavewishedhimtobe。Hetriedtoexcusehistriflingasanescapefromthepainfulstressofquestionswhichhefoundsoafflictinghimself；butinthematterofthewoman-and-dogteams，thiswasnoteasy。Marchownedthatthenotionoftheirbeingyokemateswasshocking；butheurgedthatitwasastageofevolution，andadistinctadvanceuponthetimewhenwomendraggedthecartswithoutthehelpofthedogs；andthatthetimemightnotbefardistantwhenthedogswoulddragthecartswithoutthehelpofthewomen。
Rosesurmisedajoke，andhetriedtoenjoyit，butinwardlyhewastroubledbyhisfriend’sapparentacceptanceofunjustthingsontheirpicturesqueside。OnceastheyweresaunteringhomewardbythebrinkoftheturbidEger，theycametoamanlyingonthegrasswithapipeinhismouth，andlazilywatchingfromunderhisfallenlidsthecowsgrazingbytheriver-side，whileinafieldofscraggywheatafileofwomenwerereapingabelatedharvestwithsickles，bendingwearilyovertoclutchthestemstogetherandcutthemwiththeirhookedblades。“Ah，delightful！“Marchtookoffhishatasiftosalutethepleasantsight。
“Butdon’tyouthink，Mr。March。”theboyventured，“thatthemanhadbetterbecuttingthewheat，andlettingthewomenwatchthecows？”
“Well，Idon’tknow。Therearemoreofthem；andhewouldn’tbehalfsogracefulastheyare，withthatflowoftheirgarments，andtheswayoftheirachingbacks。”Theboysmiledsadly，andMarchputhishandonhisshoulderastheywalkedon。“YoufindalotofthingsinEuropethatneedputtingright，don’tyou，Rose？”
“Yes；Iknowit’ssilly。”
“Well，I’mnotsure。ButI’mafraidit’suseless。Yousee，theseoldcustomsgosuchawayback，andaresogroundedinconditions。Wethinktheymightbechanged，ifthosewhorulecouldbegottoseehowcruelanduglytheyare；butprobablytheycouldn’t。I’mafraidthattheEmperorofAustriahimselfcouldn’tchangethem，inhissovereignplenitudeofpower。TheEmperorisonlyanoldcustomtoo，andhe’sasmuchgroundedintheconditionsasany。”ThiswastheseriouswayRosefeltthatMarchoughtalwaystotalk；andhewastoomuchgrievedtolaughwhenhewenton。“Thewomenhavesomuchofthehardworktodo，overhere，becausetheemperorsneedthemenfortheirarmies。Theycouldn’tlettheirmencutwheatunlessitwasfortheirofficers’
horses，inthefieldofsomepeasantwhomitwouldruin。”
IfMrs。Marchwasbyshewouldnotallowhimtoworktheseparadoxesfortheboy’sconfusion。Shesaidthechildadoredhim，anditwasasacrilegetoplaywithhisveneration。Shealwaysinterferedtosavehim，butwithsolittlelogicthoughsomuchjusticethatRosesufferedahumiliationfromherchampionship，andwasobligedfromasenseofself-
respecttosidewiththemocker。Sheunderstoodthis，andmagnanimouslyurgeditasanotherreasonwhyherhusbandshouldnottriflewithRose’sidealofhim；tomakehismotherlaughathimwaswicked。
“Oh，I’mnothisonlyideal。”Marchprotested。“HeadoresKenbytoo，andeverynowandthenhebringsmetobookwithatextfromKenby’sgospel。”
Mrs。Marchcaughtherbreath。“Kenby！Doyoureallythink，then，thatshe——“
“Oh，holdon，now！Itisn’taquestionofMrs。Adding；andIdon’tsayRosehadaneyeonpooroldKenbyasastep-father。ImerelywantyoutounderstandthatI’mtheobjectofadividedworship，andthatwhenI’moffdutyasanidealIdon’tseewhyIshouldn’thavethefunofmakingMrs。Addinglaugh。Youcan’tpretendsheisn’twrappedupintheboy。
You’vesaidthatyourself。”
“Yes，she’swrappedupinhim；she’dgiveherlifeforhim；butsheissolight。Ididn’tsupposeshewassolight；butit’sborneinuponmemoreandmore。”
TheywereconstantlyseeingRoseandhismother，inthesortofabeyancetheTriscoeshadfalleninto。OneafternoontheAddingscametoMrs。
March’sroomtolookfromherwindowsataparadeofbicyclers’clubsfromtheneighboringtowns。Thespectacleprosperedthroughitsfirsthalf-hour，withthecharmwhichGermansentimentandingenuity，areabletolendevenabicycleparade。Thewheelmenandwheelwomenfiledbyonmachineswreathedwithflowersandribbons，anddeckedwithstreamingbanners。Hereandthereonesatunderamovingarchofblossoms，orinabowerofleavesandpetals，andtheywereallgaywiththeirclubcostumesandinsignia。Intheheightofthedisplayasuddenmountainshowergatheredandbrokeuponthem。Theybravedittillitbecameadrenchingdown-pour；thentheyleapedfromtheirmachinesandfledtoanysheltertheycouldfind，undertreesandindoorways。Themenusedtheirgreateragilitytogetthebestplaces，andkeptthem；thewomenmadenoappealforthembywordorlook，buttooktherainintheopenasiftheyexpectednothingelse。
RosewatchedthescenewithasilentintensitywhichMarchinterpreted。
“There’syourchance，Rose。Whydon’tyougodownandrebukethosefellows？”
Roseblushedandshrankawaywithoutanswer，andMrs。Marchpromptlyattackedherhusbandinhisbehalf。“Whydon’tyougoandrebukethemyourself？”
Well，foronething，thereisn’tanyconversationinmyphrase-bookBetweenanindignantAmericanHerrandaPartyofGermanWheelmenwhohavetakenShelterfromtheRainandarekeepingtheWheelwomenoutintheWet。”Mrs。Addingshriekedherdelight，andhewasflatteredintogoingon。“Foranotherthing，Ithinkit’sverywellforyouladiestorealizefromanobject-lessonofthissortwhatspoiledchildrenofourcivilizationyouare。Itoughttomakeyougratefulforyourprivileges。”
“Thereissomethinginthat。”Mrs。Addingjoyfullyconsented。
“Oh，thereisnocivilizationbutours。”saidMrs。March，inaburstofvindictivepatriotism。“IammoreandmoreconvincedofitthelongerI
stayinEurope。”
“Perhapsthat’swhyweliketostaysolonginEurope；itstrengthensusintheconvictionthatAmericaistheonlycivilizedcountryintheworld。”saidMarch。
Theshowerpassedasquicklyasithadgathered，andthebandwhichithadsilencedforamomentburstforthagaininthemusicwhichfillstheCarlsbaddayfromdawntilldusk。Justnow，itbegantoplayapotpourriofAmericanairs；attheendsomeunseenAmericansunderthetreesbelowclappedandcheered。
“Thatwasopportuneoftheband。”saidMarch。“Itmusthavebeenatelepathicimpulsefromourpatriotisminthedirector。ButapotpourriofAmericanairsislikethattabletdedicatingtheAmericanParkuphereontheSchlossberg，whichissignedbysixJewsandoneIrishman。Theonlythinginthismedleythat’stheleastcharacteristicororiginalisDixie；andI’mgladtheSouthhasbroughtusbackintotheUnion。”
“Youdon’tknowonenotefromanother，mydear。”saidhiswife。
“Iknowthe’WashingtonPost。’“
“Anddon’tyoucallthatAmerican？”
“Yes，ifSousaisanAmericanname；IshouldhavethoughtitwasPortuguese。”
“NowthatsoundsalittletoomuchlikeGeneralTriscoe’spessimism。”
saidMrs。March；andsheadded：“Butwhetherwehaveanynationalmelodiesornot，wedon’tpokewomenoutintherainandkeepthemsoaking！”
“No，wecertainlydon’t。”heassented，withsuchawell-studiedeffectofyieldingtosuperiorlogicthatMrs。Addingscreamedforjoy。
Theboyhadstolenoutoftheroom，andhesaid，“IhopeRoseisn’tactingonmysuggestion？”
“Ihatetohaveyouteasehim，dearest。”hiswifeinterposed。
“Oh，no。”themothersaid，laughingstill，butwithanoteoftendernessinherlaugh，whichdroppedatlasttoasigh。“He’stoomuchafraidoflese-majesty，forthat。ButIdaresayhecouldn’tstandthesight。
He’squeer。”
“He’sbeautiful！”saidMrs。March。
“He’sgood。”themotheradmitted。“Asgoodastheday’slong。He’snevergivenmeamoment’strouble——buthetroublesme。Ifyoucanunderstand！”
“Oh，Idounderstand！”Mrs。Marchreturned。“Byhisinnocence，youmean。
Thatistheworstofchildren。Theirinnocencebreaksourheartsandmakesusfeelourselvessuchdreadfuloldthings。”
“Hisinnocence，yes。”pursuedMrs。Adding，“andhisideals。”Shebegantolaughagain。“Hemayhavegoneoffforaseasonofmeditationandprayeroverthemisbehaviorofthesebicyclers。Hismindisturningthatwayagooddeallately。It’sonlyfairtotellyou，Mr。March，thatheseemstobegivinguphisnotionofbeinganeditor。Youmustn’tbedisappointed。”
“Ishallbesorry。”saidtheeditor。“Butnowthatyoumentionit，I
thinkIhavenoticedthatRoseseemsrathermoreindifferenttoperiodicalliterature。Isupposedhemightsimplyhaveexhaustedhisquestions——ormyanswers。”
