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as the Grand…Duke's minister with an office…seeking petition from her
brother； Goethe's brother author； long famed and long forgotten for his
romantic tale of 〃Rinaldo Rinaldini。〃
They had indeed no great mind； in their American respectability； for that
rather matter…of…fact and deliberate liaison； and little as their
sympathy was for the passionless intellectual intrigue with the Frau von
Stein； it cast no halo of sentiment about the Goethe cottage to suppose
that there his love…life with Christiane began。 Mrs。 March even resented
the fact； and when she learned later that it was not the fact at all； she
removed it from her associations with the pretty place almost
indignantly。
In spite of our facile and multiple divorces we Americans are worshipers
of marriage； and if a great poet； the minister of a prince； is going to
marry a poor girl； we think he had better not wait till their son is
almost of age。 Mrs。 March would not accept as extenuating circumstances
the Grand…Duke's godfatherhood； or Goethe's open constancy to Christiane；
or the tardy consecration of their union after the French sack of；
Weimar； when the girl's devotion had saved him from the rudeness of the
marauding soldiers。 For her New England soul there were no degrees in
such guilt； and； perhaps there are really not so many as people have
tried to think； in their deference to Goethe's greatness。 But certainly
the affair was not so simple for a grand…ducal minister of world…wide
renown； and he might well have felt its difficulties； for he could not
have been proof against the censorious public opinion of Weimar； or the
yet more censorious private opinion of Fran von Stein。
On that lovely Italo…American morning no ghost of these old dead
embarrassments lingered within or without the Goethe garden…house。
The trees which the poet himself planted flung a sun…shot shadow upon it；
and about its feet basked a garden of simple flowers； from which the
sweet lame girl who limped through the rooms and showed them； gathered a
parting nosegay for her visitors。 The few small livingrooms were above
the ground…floor； with kitchen and offices below in the Italian fashion；
in one of the little chambers was the camp…bed which Goethe carried with
him on his journeys through Italy； and in the larger room at the front
stood the desk where he wrote； with the chair before it from which he
might just have risen。
All was much more livingly conscious of the great man gone than the proud
little palace in the town； which so abounds with relics and memorials of
him。 His library； his study； his study table； with everything on it just
as he left it when
〃Cadde la stanca mana。〃
are there； and there is the death…chair facing the window； from which he
gasped for 〃more light〃 at last。 The handsome； well…arranged rooms are
full of souvenirs of his travel； and of that passion for Italy which he
did so much to impart to all German hearts； and whose modern waning
leaves its records here of an interest pathetically； almost amusingly；
faded。 They intimate the classic temper to which his mind tended more
and more； and amidst the multitude of sculptures； pictures； prints；
drawings； gems； medals； autographs； there is the sense of the many…
mindedness； the universal taste； for which he found room in little
Weimar； but not in his contemporaneous Germany。 But it is all less
keenly personal； less intimate than the simple garden…house； or else；
with the great troop of people going through it； and the custodians
lecturing in various voices and languages to the attendant groups； the
Marches had it less to themselves； and so imagined him less in it。
LX。
All palaces have a character of tiresome unlivableness which is common to
them everywhere； and very probably if one could meet their proprietors in
them one would as little remember them apart afterwards as the palaces
themselves。 It will not do to lift either houses or men far out of the
average； they become spectacles； ceremonies； they cease to have charm； to
have character； which belong to the levels of life； where alone there are
ease and comfort； and human nature may be itself； with all the little
delightful differences repressed in those who represent and typify。
As they followed the custodian through the grand…ducal Residenz at
Weimar； March felt everywhere the strong wish of the prince who was
Goethe's friend to ally himself with literature； and to be human at least
in the humanities。 He came honestly by his passion for poets； his mother
had known it in her time； and Weimar was the home of Wieland and of
Herder before the young Grand…Duke came back from his travels bringing
Goethe with him； and afterwards attracting Schiller。 The story of that
great epoch is all there in the Residenz； told as articulately as a
palace can。
There are certain Poets' Rooms； frescoed with illustrations of Goethe；
Schiller； and Wieland； there is the room where Goethe and the Grand…Duke
used to play chess together； there is the conservatory opening from it
where they liked to sit and chat； everywhere in the pictures and
sculptures； the engraving and intaglios； are the witnesses of the tastes
they shared； the love they both had for Italy； and for beautiful Italian
things。 The prince was not so great a prince but that he could very
nearly be a man； the court was perhaps the most human court that ever
was； the Grand…Duke and the grand poet were first boon companions； and
then monarch and minister working together for the good of the country；
they were always friends； and yet； as the American saw in the light of
the New World； which he carried with him； how far from friends！ At best
it was make…believe； the make…believe of superiority and inferiority； the
make…believe of master and man； which could only be the more painful and
ghastly for the endeavor of two generous spirits to reach and rescue each
other through the asphyxiating unreality； but they kept up the show of
equality faithfully to the end。 Goethe was born citizen of a free
republic； and his youth was nurtured in the traditions of liberty； he was
one of the greatest souls of any time； and he must have known the
impossibility of the thing they pretended； but he died and made no sign；
and the poet's friendship with the prince has passed smoothly into
history as one of the things that might really be。 They worked and
played together； they dined and danced； they picnicked and poetized； each
on his own side of the impassable gulf； with an air of its not being
there which probably did not deceive their contemporaries so much as
posterity。
A part of the palace was of course undergoing repair； and in the gallery
beyond the conservatory a company of workmen were sitting at a table
where they had spread their luncheon。 They were somewhat subdued by the
consciousness of their august environment； but the sight of them was
charming； they gave a kindly interest to the place which it had wanted
before； and which the Marches felt again in another palace where the
custodian showed them the little tin dishes and saucepans which the
German Empress Augusta and her sisters played with wh