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and his dull little country； and after a while； considering the uncertain
tenure sovereigns had of their heads since the French King had lost his；
and the fact that he had no heirs to follow him in his principality； he
resolved to cede it for a certain sum to Prussia。 To this end his new
wife's urgence was perhaps not wanting。 They went to England； where she
outlived him ten years； and wrote her memoirs。
The custodian of the Schloss came at last； and the Marches saw instantly
that he was worth waiting for。 He was as vainglorious of the palace as
any grand…monarching margrave of them all。 He could not have been more
personally superb in showing their different effigies if they had been
his own family portraits； and he would not spare the strangers a single
splendor of the twenty vast； handsome； tiresome； Versailles…like rooms he
led them through。 The rooms were fatiguing physically； but so poignantly
interesting that Mrs。 March would not have missed； though she perished of
her pleasure； one of the things she saw。 She had for once a surfeit of
highhoting in the pictures； the porcelains； the thrones and canopies； the
tapestries； the historical associations with the margraves and their
marriages； with the Great Frederick and the Great Napoleon。 The Great
Napoleon's man Bernadotte made the Schloss his headquarters when he
occupied Ansbach after Austerlitz； and here he completed his arrangements
for taking her bargain from Prussia and handing it over to Bavaria； with
whom it still remains。 Twice the Great Frederick had sojourned in the
palace； visiting his sister Louise； the wife of the Wild Margrave； and
more than once it had welcomed her next neighbor and sister Wilhelmina；
the Margravine of Baireuth； whose autobiographic voice； piercingly
plaintive and reproachful； seemed to quiver in the air。 Here； oddly
enough； the spell of the Wild Margrave weakened in the presence of his
portrait； which signally failed to justify his fame of furious tyrant。
That seems； indeed； to have been rather the popular and historical
conception of him than the impression he made upon his exalted
contemporaries。 The Margravine of Baireuth at any rate could so far
excuse her poor blood…stained brother…in…law as to say： 〃The Margrave of
Ansbach 。 。 。 was a young prince who had been very badly educated。
He continually ill…treated my sister； they led the life of cat and dog。
My sister； it is true； was sometimes in fault 。 。 。 。 Her education
had been very bad。 。 。 She was married at fourteen。〃
At parting； the custodian told the Marches that he would easily have
known them for Americans by the handsome fee they gave him； they came
away flown with his praise； and their national vanity was again flattered
when they got out into the principal square of Ansbach。 There； in a
bookseller's window； they found among the pamphlets teaching different
languages without a master； one devoted to the Amerikanische Sprache as
distinguished from the Englische Sprache。 That there could be no
mistake； the cover was printed with colors in a German ideal of the star…
spangled banner； and March said he always knew that we had a language of
our own； and that now he was going in to buy that pamphlet and find out
what it was like。 He asked the young shop…woman how it differed from
English； which she spoke fairly well from having lived eight years in
Chicago。 She said that it differed from the English mainly in emphasis
and pronunciation。 〃For instance； the English say 'HALF past'； and the
Americans 'Half PAST'； the English say 'laht' and the Americans say
'late'。〃
The weather had now been clear quite long enough； and it was raining
again； a fine； bitter； piercing drizzle。 They asked the girl if it
always rained in Ansbach； and she owned that it nearly always did。 She
said that sometimes she longed for a little American summer； that it was
never quite warm in Ansbach； and when they had got out into the rain；
March said： 〃It was very nice to stumble on Chicago in an Ansbach book…
store。 You ought to have told her you had a married daughter in Chicago。
Don't miss another such chance。〃
〃We shall need another bag if we keep on buying books at this rate；〃 said
his wife with tranquil irrelevance； and not to give him time for protest；
she pushed him into a shop where the valises in the window perhaps
suggested her thought。 March made haste to forestall her there by saying
they were Americans； but the mistress of the shop seemed to have her
misgivings； and 〃Born Americans； perhaps？〃 she ventured。 She had
probably never met any but the naturalized sort； and supposed these were
the only sort。 March re…assured her； and then she said she had a son
living in Jersey City； and she made March take his address that he might
tell him he had seen his mother； she had apparently no conception what a
great way Jersey City is from New York。
Mrs。 March would not take his arm when they came out。 〃Now； that is what
I never can get used to in you； Basil； and I've tried to palliate it for
twenty…seven years。 You know you won't look up that poor woman's son！
Why did you let her think you would？〃
〃How could I tell her I wouldn't？ Perhaps I shall。〃
〃No； no！ You never will。 I know you're good and kind； and that's why I
can't understand your being so cruel。 When we get back； how will you
ever find time to go over to Jersey City？〃
He could not tell； but at last he said ： 〃I'll tell yon what！ You must
keep me up to it。 You know how much you enjoy making me do my duty； and
this will be such a pleasure！〃
She laughed forlornly； but after a moment she took his arm； and he began；
from the example of this good mother； to philosophize the continuous
simplicity and sanity of the people of Ansbach under all their civic
changes。 Saints and soldiers； knights and barons； margraves； princes；
kings； emperors； had come and gone； and left their single…hearted；
friendly subjectfolk pretty much what they found them。 The people had
suffered and survived through a thousand wars； and apparently prospered
on under all governments and misgovernments。 When the court was most
French； most artificial； most vicious； the citizen life must have
remained immutably German； dull； and kind。 After all； he said； humanity
seemed everywhere to be pretty safe； and pretty much the same。
〃Yes； that is all very well；〃 she returned； 〃and you can theorize
interestingly enough； but I'm afraid that poor mother； there； had no more
reality for you than those people in the past。 You appreciate her as a
type； and you don't care for her as a human being。 You're nothing but a
dreamer； after all。 I don't blame you；〃 she went on。 〃It's your
temperament； and you can't change； now。〃
〃I may change for the worse；〃 he threatened。 〃I think I have； already。
I don't believe I could stand up to Dryfoos； now； as I did for poor old
Lindau； when I risked your bread and butter for his。 I look back in
wonder and admiration at myself。 I've steadily lost touch with life
since then。 I'm a trifler； a dilettante； and an amateur of the right and
the good as I used to be when I was young。 Oh； I have the grace to be
trou