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。”