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bitterly； it was so wet and so cold； that they might have come away
thinking it's the worst climate in the world； if it had not been for a
man whom they saw in one of the public gardens pouring a heavy stream
from his garden hose upon the shrubbery already soaked and shuddering in
the cold。 But this convinced them that they were suffering from weather
and not from the climate； which must really be hot and dry； and they went
home to their hotel and sat contentedly down in a temperature of sixty
degrees。 The weather； was not always so bad； one day it was dry cold
instead of wet cold； with rough； rusty clouds breaking a blue sky；
another day； up to eleven in the forenoon； it was like Indian summer；
then it changed to a harsh November air； and then it relented and ended
so mildly； that they hired chairs in the place before the imperial palace
for five pfennigs each； and sat watching the life before them。 Motherly
women…folk were there knitting； two American girls in chairs near them
chatted together； some fine equipages； the only ones they saw in Berlin；
went by； a dog and a man （the wife who ought to have been in harness was
probably sick； and the poor fellow was forced to take her place）passed
dragging a cart； some schoolboys who had hung their satchels upon the low
railing were playing about the base of the statue of King William III。
in the joyous freedom of German childhood。
They seemed the gayer for the brief moments of sunshine； but to the
Americans； who were Southern by virtue of their sky； the brightness had a
sense of lurking winter in it； such as they remembered feeling on a sunny
day in Quebec。 The blue heaven looked sad； but they agreed that it fitly
roofed the bit of old feudal Berlin which forms the most ancient wing of
the Schloss。 This was time…blackened and rude； but at least it did not
try to be French； and it overhung the Spree which winds through the city
and gives it the greatest charm it has。 In fact Berlin； which is
otherwise so grandiose without grandeur and so severe without
impressiveness； is sympathetic wherever the Spree opens it to the sky。
The stream is spanned by many bridges； and bridges cannot well be
unpicturesque； especially if they have statues to help them out。 The
Spree abounds in bridges； and it has a charming habit of slow hay…laden
barges； at the landings of the little passenger…steamers which ply upon
it there are cafes and summer…gardens； and these even in the inclement
air of September suggested a friendly 〃gayety。
The Marches saw it best in the tour of the elevated road in Berlin which
they made in an impassioned memory of the elevated road in New York。 The
brick viaducts which carry this arch the Spree again and again in their
course through and around the city； but with never quite such spectacular
effects as our spidery tressels； achieve。 The stations are pleasant；
sometimes with lunch…counters and news…stands； but have not the comic…
opera…chalet prettiness of ours； and are not so frequent。 The road is
not so smooth； the cars not so smooth…running or so swift。 On the other
hand they are comfortably cushioned； and they are never overcrowded。 The
line is at times above； at times below the houses； and at times on a
level with them； alike in city and in suburbs。 The train whirled out of
thickly built districts； past the backs of the old houses； into outskirts
thinly populated； with new houses springing up without order or
continuity among the meadows and vegetable…gardens； and along the ready…
made； elm…planted avenues； where wooden fences divided the vacant lots。
Everywhere the city was growing out over the country； in blocks and
detached edifices of limestone； sandstone； red and yellow brick； larger
or smaller； of no more uniformity than our suburban dwellings； but never
of their ugliness or lawless offensiveness。
In an effort for the intimate life of the country March went two
successive mornings for his breakfast to the Caf？Bauer； which has some
admirable wall…printings； and is the chief caf？on Unter den Linden； but
on both days there were more people in the paintings than out of them。
The second morning the waiter who took his order recognized him and
asked； 〃Wie gestern？〃 and from this he argued an affectionate constancy
in the Berliners； and a hospitable observance of the tastes of strangers。
At his bankers； on the other hand； the cashier scrutinized his signature
and remarked that it did not look like the signature in his letter of
credit； and then he inferred a suspicious mind in the moneyed classes of
Prussia； as he had not been treated with such unkind doubt by Hebrew
bankers anywhere； he made a mental note that the Jews were politer than
the Christians in Germany。 In starting for Potsdam he asked a traeger
where the Potsdam train was and the man said； 〃Dat train dare；〃 and in
coming back he helped a fat old lady out of the car； and she thanked him
in English。 From these incidents； both occurring the same day in the
same place； the inference of a widespread knowledge of our language in
all classes of the population was inevitable。
In this obvious and easy manner he studied contemporary civilization in
the capital。 He even carried his researches farther； and went one rainy
afternoon to an exhibition of modern pictures in a pavilion of the
Thiergarten； where from the small attendance he inferred an indifference
to the arts which he would not ascribe to the weather。 One evening at a
summer theatre where they gave the pantomime of the 'Puppenfee' and the
operetta of 'Hansel and Gretel'； he observed that the greater part of the
audience was composed of nice plain young girls and children； and he
noted that there was no sort of evening dress； from the large number of
Americans present he imagined a numerous colony in Berlin； where they
mast have an instinctive sense of their co…nationality； since one of them
in the stress of getting his hat and overcoat when they all came out；
confidently addressed him in English。 But he took stock of his
impressions with his wife； and they seemed to him so few； after all； that
he could not resist a painful sense of isolation in the midst of the
environment。
They made a Sunday excursion to the Zoological Gardens in the
Thiergarten； with a large crowd of the lower classes； but though they had
a great deal of trouble in getting there by the various kinds of
horsecars and electric cars； they did not feel that they had got near to
the popular life。 They endeavored for some sense of Berlin society by
driving home in a drosky； and on the way they passed rows of beautiful
houses； in French and Italian taste； fronting the deep； damp green park
from the Thiergartenstrasse； in which they were confident cultivated and
delightful people lived； but they remained to the last with nothing but
their unsupported conjecture。
LXV。
Their excursion to Potsdam was the cream of their sojourn in Berlin。
They chose for it the first fair morning； and they ran out over the flat
sandy plains surrounding the capital； and among the low hills surrounding
Potsdam before it actually began to rain。
They wished immediately to see Sans Souci fo