ThelongtrainwhichtheytookatlastwasfortheNorumbia’speoplealone，anditwasofseveraltransitionalandtentativetypesofcars。
　　Somewerestilltheoldcoach-bodycarriages；butmostwereofastrangecorridorarrangement，withtheaideattheaide，andtheseatscrossingfromit，withcompartmentssometimesrisingtotheroof，andsometimesrisinghalf-way。Notwocarsseemedquitealike，butallwereverycomfortable；andwhenthetrainbegantorunoutthroughthelittlesea-
　　sidetownintothecountry，theolddelightofforeigntravelbegan。
　　Mostofthehouseswerelittleandlowandgray，withivyorfloweringvinescoveringtheirwallstotheirbrowntiledroofs；therewashereandthereatouchofNorthernGothicinthearchitecture；butusuallywhereitwaspretentiousitwasinthemansardtaste，whichwassobadwithusagenerationago，andisstillverybadinCuxhaven。
　　Thefields，flatandwide，weredottedwithfamiliarshapesofHolsteincattle，herdedbylittlegirls，withtheirhairinyellowpigtails。Thegray，stormyskyhunglow，andbrokeinfitfulrains；butperhapsfortheinclementseasonofmid-summeritwasnotverycold。Flowerswerebloomingalongtheembankmentsandintherankgreenfieldswithadoggedenergy；inthevariousdistancesweregroupsoftreesemboweringcottagesandevenvillages，andalwaysalongtheditchesandwatercoursesweredoublelinesoflowwillows。Atthefirststopthetrainmade，thepassengersflockedtotherefreshment-booth，prettilyarrangedbesidethestation，wheretheabundanceofthecherriesandstrawberriesgaveproofthatvegetationwasinotherrespectssuperiortotheelements。Butitwasnotoftheprofusionofthesausages，andthehamwhichopenlyinslicesorcovertlyinsandwichesclaimeditsprimacyintheGermanaffections；everyformofthiswasflankedbytallglassesofbeer。
　　Anumberofthenativesstoodbyandstaredunsmilingatthetrain，whichhadbrokenoutinarashoflittleAmericanflagsateverywindow。Thisboyishdisplay，whichmusthavemadetheAmericansthemselveslaugh，iftheirsenseofhumorhadnotbeenlostintheirimpassionedpatriotism，wasthelastexpressionofunityamongtheNorumbia’spassengers，andtheymetnomoreintheirsea-solidarity。OftheirtableacquaintancetheMarchessawnooneexceptBurnamy，whocamethroughthetrainlookingforthem。HesaidhewasinoneoftherearcarswiththeEltwins，andwasgoingtoCarlsbadwiththeminthesleeping-cartrainleavingHamburgatseven。HeownedtohavingseentheTriscoessincetheyhadleftCuxhaven；Mrs。MarchwouldnotsufferherselftoaskhimwhethertheywereinthesamecarriagewiththeEltwins。HehadgotaletterfromMr。StolleratCuxhaven，andhebeggedtheMarchestolethimengageroomsforthematthehotelwherehewasgoingtostaywithhim。
　　AftertheyreachedHamburgtheyhadflyingglimpsesofhimandofothersintheodiousrivalrytogettheirbaggageexaminedfirstwhichseizeduponall，andinwhichtheynolongerknewoneanother，butselfishlystruggledforthegood-willofportersandinspectors。Therewasreallynosuchhaste；butnonecouldgovernthemselvesagainstthegeneralfrenzy。WiththeporterhesecuredMarchconspiredandperspiredtowintheattentionofacoldbutnotunkindlyinspector。Theofficeropenedonetrunk，andafteraglanceatitmarkedallaspassed，andthenthereensuedaheroicstrifewiththeporterastothepieceswhichweretogototheBerlinstationfortheirjourneynextday，andthepieceswhichweretogotothehotelovernight。Atlastthedivisionwasmade；theMarchesgotintoacabofthefirstclass；andtheporter，crimsonandsteamingateveryporefromthephysicalandintellectualstrain，wentbackintothestation。
　　TheyhadgotthenumberoftheircabfromthepolicemanwhostandsatthedoorofalllargeGermanstationsandsuppliesthetravellerwithametalliccheckforthesortofvehiclehedemands。Theywerenotproud，butitseemedbestnottoriskasecond-classcabinastrangecity，andwhentheirfirst-classcabcamecreakingandlimpingoutoftherank，theysawhowwisetheyhadbeen，ifoneofthesecondclasscouldhavebeenworse。
　　Astheyrattledawayfromthestationtheysawyetanotherkindofturnout，whichtheyweredestinedtoseemoreandmoreintheGermanlands。Itwasthatteamofawomanharnessedwithadogtoacartwhichthewomenofnoothercountrycanseewithoutasenseofpersonalinsult。
　　Marchtriedtotakethehumorousview，andcomplainedthattheyhadnotbeenofferedthechoiceofsuchanequipagebythepoliceman，buthiswifewouldnotbeamused。Shesaidthatnocountrywhichsufferedsuchathingcouldbetrulycivilized，thoughhemadeherobservethatnocityintheworld，exceptBostonorBrooklyn，wasprobablysothoroughlytrolleyedasHamburg。Thehumoftheelectriccarwaseverywhere，andeverywheretheshriekofthewiresoverhead；batlikeflightsofconnectingplatestraversedalltheperspectivesthroughwhichtheydrovetothepleasantlittlehoteltheyhadchosen。
　　XX。
　　OnonehandtheirwindowslookedtowardabasinoftheElbe，wherestatelywhiteswansweresailing；andontheothertothenewRathhaus，overthetreesthatdeeplyshadedtheperennialmudofacold，dimpublicgarden，wherewater-proofoldwomenandimperviousnursessat，andchildrenplayedinthelongtwilightofthesour，rain-soakedsummerofthefatherland。Itwasallpicturesque，andwithin-doorstherewasthenoveltyofthemeagrecarpetsandstalwartfurnitureoftheGermans，andtheirbeds，whichaftersomanyagesofAnglo-Saxonsatireremainimmutablypreposterous。Theyareapparentlyimaginedforthestatureofsleeperswhohaveshortenedastheybroadened；theirpillowsaretriangularlyshapedtobringthechintightuponthebreastunderthebloatedfeatherbulkwhichismeantforcovering，andwhichrisesoverthesleeperfromathicksubstratumofcottoncoverlet，neatlybuttonedintotheuppersheet，withtheeffectofaportlywaistcoat。
　　Thehotelwasilluminedbythekindlysplendoroftheuniformedportier，whohadmetthetravellersatthedoor，likeaglowingvisionofthepast，andafriendlyairdiffuseditselfthroughthewholehouse。Atthedinner，which，ifnotsocheapastheyhadsomehowhoped，wasbynomeansbad，theytookcounselwiththeEnglish-speakingwaiterastowhatentertainmentHamburgcouldofferfortheevening，andbythetimetheyhaddrunktheircoffeetheyhadcouragefortheCircusRenz，whichseemedtobealltherewas。
　　Theconductorofthetrolley-car，whichtheyhailedatthestreetcorner，stoppeditandgotofftheplatform，andstoodinthestreetuntiltheyweresafelyaboard，withouttellingthemtosteplively，orpullingthemupthesteps；orknucklingtheminthebacktomakethemmoveforward。
　　Heletthemgetfairlyseatedbeforebestartedthecar，andsolostthefunofseeingthemlurchandstaggerviolently，andwildlyclutcheachotherforsupport。TheGermanshavesolittlesenseofhumorthatprobablynooneinthecarwouldhavebeenamusedtoseethestrangersflunguponthefloor。Nooneapparentlyfounditdrollthattheconductorshouldtouchhiscaptothemwhenheaskedfortheirfare；noonesmiledattheireffortstomakehimunderstandwheretheywishedtogo，andhedidnotwinkattheotherpassengersintryingtofindout。
　　Wheneverthecarstoppedhedescendedfirst，anddidnotremounttillthedismountingpassengerhadtakentimetogetwellawayfromit。WhentheMarchesgotintothewrongcarincominghome，andwerecarriedbeyondtheirstreet，theconductorwouldnottaketheirfare。
　　Thekindlycivilitywhichenvironedthemwentfartoalleviatetheinclemencyoftheclimate；itbegantorainassoonastheylefttheshelterofthecar，butacitizenofwhomtheyaskedthenearestwaytotheCircusRenzwassoanxioustohavethemgoarightthattheydidnotmindthewet，andthethoughtofhisgoodnessembitteredMarch’sself-
　　reproachforunder-tippingthesortofgorgeousheyduk，withastafflikeadrum-major’s，wholefthisplaceatthecircusdoortogettheirtickets。Hebroughtthembackwithamagnificentbow，andwasthenasvisiblydisappointedwiththeshareofthechangereturnedtohimasachildwouldhavebeen。
　　Theywenttotheirplaceswiththestingofhisdisappointmentranklingintheirhearts。“Oneoughtalwaystooverpaythem。”Marchsighed，“andIwilldoitfromthistimeforth；weshallnotbemuchthepoorerforit。Thatheydukisnotgoingtogetoffwithlessthanamarkwhenwecomeout。”Asanearnestofhisgoodfaithhegavetheoldmanwhoshowedthemtotheirboxatipthatmadehimbowdouble，andheboughteveryconceivablelibrettoandplay-billofferedhimatpricesfixedbyhisremorse。
　　“Oneoughttodoit。”hesaid。“Weareofthequalityofgoodgeniusestothesepoorsouls；weareFortuneindisguise；wearemoneyfoundintheroad。Itisanaccursedsystem，buttheyaremoreitsvictimsthanwe。”Hiswifequiteagreedwithhim，andwiththesamegoodconsciencebetweenthemtheygavethemselvesuptothepurejoywhichthecircus，ofallmodernentertainments，seemsalonetoinspire。ThehousewasfullfromfloortoroofwhentheycameinsandeveryonewasintentuponthetwoSpanishclowns，Lui-LuiandSoltamontes，whosedrolleriesspoketheuniversallanguageofcircushumor，andneedednotranslationintoeitherGermanorEnglish。Theyhadmissedbyaneventortwothemorepatrioticattractionof“MissDarlings，theAmericanStar。”asshewasbilledinEnglish，buttheywereintimeforoneofthoseequestrianperformanceswhichleavethespectatoralmostexanimatefromtheirprolixity，andthepantomimicpiecewhichclosedtheevening。
　　Thiswasnotgivenuntilnearlythewholehousehadgoneoutandstayeditselfwithbeerandcheeseandhamandsausage，intherestaurantwhichpurveystheselightrefreshmentsinthesummertheatresalloverGermany。
　　Whenthepeoplecamebackgorgedtothethroat，theysatdownintherightmoodtoenjoytheallegoryof“TheEnchantedMountain’sFantasy“；
　　theMountainepisodes；theHigh-interestingSledges-CoursesontheSteepAcclivities；theAmazing-Up-rushofthethenceplunging-FourTrains，whicharrivewithLightnings-swiftnessattheTopoftheover-40-feet-
　　highMountain-theHighestTriumphoftheTo-day’sCircus-Art；theSledge-
　　journeyintheWizard-mountain，andtheFairyBalletintheRealmoftheGhost-prince，withGoldandSilver，Jewel，Bloomghosts，Gnomes，Gnomesses，andDwarfs，innever-till-now-seenSplendorofCostume。”TheMarcheswerehappyinthisallegory，andhappierintheballet，whichiseverywheredelightfullyinnocent，andwhichhereappealedwiththelargeflatfeetandtheplaingoodfacesofthe’coryphees’toallthatwassimplestandsweetestintheirnatures。Theycouldnothaveresisted，iftheyhadwished，thatenvironment，ofgood-will；andifithadnotbeenforthedisappointedheyduk，theywouldhavegothomefromtheireveningattheCircusRenzwithoutapang。
　　Theylookedforhimeverywherewhentheycameout，buthehadvanished，andtheywereleftwitharegretwhich，ifunavailing，wasnottoopoignant。Inspiteofittheyhadstillanexhilarationintheirreleasefromthecompanionshipoftheirfellow-voyagerswhichtheyanalyzedasthepsychicalrevulsionfromthestrainoftoogreatinterestinthem。
　　Mrs。Marchdeclaredthatforthepresent，atleast，shewantedEuropequitetothemselves；andshesaidthatnotevenforthepleasureofseeingBurnamyandMissTriscoecomeintotheirboxtogetherworldshehavesufferedanAmericantrespassupontheirexclusivepossessionoftheCircusRenz。
　　IntheaudienceshehadseenGermanofficersforthefirsttimeinHamburg，andshemeant，ifunremittingquestioncouldbringoutthetruth，toknowwhyshehadnotmetanyothers。ShehadreadmuchoftheprevalenceandprepotenceoftheGermanofficerswhowouldtrytopushheroffthesidewalk，tilltheyrealizedthatshewasanAmericanwoman，andwouldthensubmittoherinflexiblepurposeofholdingit。ButshehadbeensomesevenoreighthoursinHamburg，andnothingofthekindhadhappenedtoher，perhapsbecauseshehadhardlyyetwalkedablockinthecitystreets，butperhapsalsobecausethereseemedtobeveryfewofficersormilitaryofanykindinHamburg。