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Goethe in the place where he was born； and as such things go； it is not a
little。 The house is that of a prosperous and well…placed citizen； and
speaks of the senatorial quality in his family which Heine says he was
fond of recalling； rather than the sartorial quality of the ancestor who；
again as Heine says； mended the Republic's breeches。
From the Goethe house； one drives by the Goethe monument to the Romer；
the famous town…hall of the old free imperial city which Frankfort once
was； and by this route the Marches drove to it； agreeing with their
coachman that he was to keep as much in the sun as possible。 It was
still so cold that when they reached the Romer； and he stopped in a broad
blaze of the only means of heating that they have in Frankfort in the
summer； the travellers were loath to leave it for the chill interior；
where the German emperors were elected for so many centuries。 As soon as
an emperor was chosen； in the great hall effigied round with the
portraits of his predecessors； he hurried out in the balcony； ostensibly
to show himself to the people； but really； March contended； to warm up a
little in the sun。 The balcony was undergoing repairs that day； and the
travellers could not go out on it； but under the spell of the historic
interest of the beautiful old Gothic place； they lingered in the interior
till they were half…torpid with the cold。 Then she abandoned to him the
joint duty of viewing the cathedral； and hurried to their carriage where
she basked in the sun till he came to her。 He returned shivering； after
a half…hour's absence； and pretended that she had missed the greatest
thing in the world； but as he could never be got to say just what she had
lost； and under the closest cross…examination could not prove that this
cathedral was memorably different from hundreds of other fourteenth…
century cathedrals； she remained in a lasting content with the easier
part she had chosen。 His only definite impression at the cathedral
seemed to be confined to a Bostonian of gloomily correct type； whom he
had seen doing it with his Baedeker； and not letting an object of
interest escape； and his account of her fellow…townsman reconciled Mrs。
March more and more to not having gone。
As it was warmer out…doors than in…doors at Frankfort； and as the breadth
of sunshine increased with the approach of noon they gave the rest of the
morning to driving about and ignorantly enjoying the outside of many
Gothic churches； whose names even they did not trouble themselves to
learn。 They liked the river Main whenever they came to it； because it
was so lately from Wurzburg； and because it was so beautiful with its
bridges； old and new； and its boats of many patterns。 They liked the
market…place in front of the Romer not only because it was full of
fascinating bargains in curious crockery and wooden…ware； but because
there was scarcely any shade at all in it。 They read from their Baedeker
that until the end of the last century no Jew was suffered to enter the
marketplace； and they rejoiced to find from all appearances that the Jews
had been making up for their unjust exclusion ever since。 They were
almost as numerous there as the Anglo…Saxons were everywhere else in
Frankfort。 These； both of the English and American branches of the race；
prevailed in the hotel diningroom； where the Marches had a mid…day dinner
so good that it almost made amends for the steam…heating and electric…
lighting。
As soon as possible after dinner they took the train for Mayence； and ran
Rhinewards through a pretty country into what seemed a milder climate。
It grew so much milder； apparently； that a lady in their compartment to
whom March offered his forward…looking seat； ordered the window down when
the guard came； without asking their leave。 Then the climate proved much
colder； and Mrs。 March cowered under her shawls the rest of the way； and
would not be entreated to look at the pleasant level landscape near； or
the hills far off。 He proposed to put up the window as peremptorily as
it had been put down； but she stayed him with a hoarse whisper； 〃She may
be another Baroness！〃 At first he did not know what she meant； then he
remembered the lady whose claims to rank her presence had so poorly
enforced on the way to Wurzburg； and he perceived that his wife was
practising a wise forbearance with their fellow…passengers； and giving
her a chance to turn out any sort of highhote she chose。 She failed to
profit by the opportunity； she remained simply a selfish； disagreeable
woman； of no more perceptible distinction than their other fellow…
passenger； a little commercial traveller from Vienna （they resolved from
his appearance and the lettering on his valise that he was no other）； who
slept with a sort of passionate intensity all the way to Mayence。
LXX。
The Main widened and swam fuller as they approached the Rhine； and
flooded the low…lying fields in…places with a pleasant effect under a wet
sunset。 When they reached the station in Mayence they drove interminably
to the hotel they had chosen on the river…shore； through a city handsomer
and cleaner than any American city they could think of； and great part of
the way by a street of dwellings nobler； Mrs。 March owned； than even
Commonwealth Avenue in Boston。 It was planted； like that； with double
rows of trees； but lacked its green lawns； and at times the sign of
Weinhandlung at a corner； betrayed that there was no such restriction
against shops as keeps the Boston street so sacred。 Otherwise they had
to confess once more that any inferior city of Germany is of a more
proper and dignified presence than the most parse…proud metropolis in
America。 To be sure； they said； the German towns had generally a
thousand years' start； but all the same the fact galled them。
It was very bleak； though very beautiful when they stopped before their
hotel on the Rhine； where all their impalpable memories of their visit to
Mayence thirty years earlier precipitated themselves into something
tangible。 There were the reaches of the storied and fabled stream with
its boats and bridges and wooded shores and islands； there were the
spires and towers and roofs of the town on either bank crowding to the
river's brink； and there within…doors was the stately portier in gold
braid； and the smiling； bowing； hand…rubbing landlord； alluring them to
his most expensive rooms； which so late in the season he would fain have
had them take。 But in a little elevator； that mounted slowly； very
slowly； in the curve of the stairs； they went higher to something lower；
and the landlord retired baked； and left them to the ministrations of the
serving…men who arrived with their large and small baggage。 All these
retired in turn when they asked to have a fire lighted in the stove；
without which Mrs。 March would never have taken the fine stately rooms；
and sent back a pretty young girl to do it。 She came indignant； not
because she had come lugging a heavy hod of coal and a great arm…load of
wood； but because her sense of fitness was outraged by the strange
demand。
〃What！〃 she cried。 〃A fire in September！〃
〃Yes；〃 March returned