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〃Well； I can tell them；〃 said Mrs。 March indignantly； 〃we shall not do
anything of the kind。〃
〃Then you didn't mean it？〃
〃Mean it！〃 She stopped herself with a look at her husband； and asked
gently； 〃Do you want to stay？〃
〃Well； I don't know；〃 he answered vaguely。 The fact was； he was sick of
travel and of leisure； he was longing to be at home and at work again。
But if there was to be any self…sacrifice which could be had； as it were；
at a bargain； which could be fairly divided between them； and leave him
the self and her the sacrifice； he was too experienced a husband not to
see the advantage of it； or to refuse the merit。 〃I thought you wished
to stay。〃
〃Yes；〃 she sighed； 〃I did。 It has been very； very pleasant； and； if
anything； I have over…enjoyed myself。 We have gone romping through it
like two young people； haven't we？〃
〃You have；〃 he assented。 〃I have always felt the weight of my years in
getting the baggage registered； they have made the baggage weigh more
every time。〃
〃And I've forgotten mine。 Yes； I have。 But the years haven't forgotten
me； Basil； and now I remember them。 I'm tired。 It doesn't seem as if I
could ever get up。 But I dare say it's only a mood； it may be only a
cold； and if you wish to stay； whywe will think it over。〃
〃No； we won't； my dear；〃 he said； with a generous shame for his hypocrisy
if not with a pure generosity。 〃I've got all the good out of it that
there was in it； for me； and I shouldn't go home any better six months
hence than I should now。 Italy will keep for another time； and so； for
the matter of that； will Holland。〃
〃No； no！〃 she interposed。 〃We won't give up Holland； whatever we do。
I couldn't go home feeling that I had kept you out of your after…cure；
and when we get there； no doubt the sea air will bring me up so that I
shall want to go to Italy； too； again。 Though it seems so far off； now！
But go and see when the afternoon train for the Hague leaves； and I shall
be ready。 My mind's quite made up on that point。〃
〃What a bundle of energy！〃 said her husband laughing down at her。
He went and asked about the train to the Hague； but only to satisfy a
superficial conscience； for now he knew that they were both of one mind
about going home。 He also looked up the trains for London； and found
that they could get there by way of Ostend in fourteen hours。 Then he
went back to the banker's； and with the help of the Paris…New York
Chronicle which he found there； he got the sailings of the first steamers
home。 After that he strolled about the streets for a last impression of
Dusseldorf； but it was rather blurred by the constantly recurring pull of
his thoughts toward America； and he ended by turning abruptly at a
certain corner； and going to his hotel。
He found his wife dressed； but fallen again on her bed； beside which her
breakfast stood still untasted； her smile responded wanly to his
brightness。 〃I'm not well； my dear；〃 she said。 〃I don't believe I could
get off to the Hague this afternoon。〃
〃Could you to Liverpool？〃 he returned。
〃To Liverpool？〃 she gasped。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃Merely that the Cupania is sailing on the twentieth； and I've
telegraphed to know if we can get a room。 I'm afraid it won't be a good
one； but she's the first boat out； and〃
〃No； indeed； we won't go to Liverpool； and we will never go home till
you've had your after…cure in Holland。〃 She was very firm in this； but
she added； 〃We will stay another night； here； and go to the Hague
tomorrow。 Sit down； and let us talk it over。 Where were we？〃
She lay down on the sofa； and he put a shawl over her。 〃We were just
starting for Liverpool。〃
〃No； no we weren't！ Don't say such things； dearest！ I want you to help
me sum it all； up。 You think it's been a success； don't you？〃
〃As a cure？〃
〃No； as a silver wedding journey？〃
〃Perfectly howling。〃
〃I do think we've had a good time。 I never expected to enjoy myself so
much again in the world。 I didn't suppose I should ever take so much
interest in anything。 It shows that when we choose to get out of our rut
we shall always find life as fresh and delightful as ever。 There is
nothing to prevent our coming any year； now that Tom's shown himself so
capable； and having another silver wedding journey。 I don't like to
think of it's being confined to Germany quite。〃
〃Oh； I don't know。 We can always talk of it as our German…Silver Wedding
Journey。〃
〃That's true。 But nobody would understand nowadays what you meant by
German…silver； it's perfectly gone out。 How ugly it was！ A sort of
greasy yellowish stuff； always getting worn through； I believe it was
made worn through。 Aunt Mary had a castor of it； that I can remember
when I was a child； it went into the kitchen long before I grew up。
Would a joke like that console you for the loss of Italy？〃
〃It would go far to do it。 And as a German…Silver Wedding Journey； it's
certainly been very complete。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃It's given us a representative variety of German cities。 First we had
Hamburg； you know； a great modern commercial centre。〃
〃Yes！ Go on！〃
〃Then we had Leipsic； the academic。〃
〃Yes！〃
〃Then Carlsbad； the supreme type of a German health resort； then
Nuremberg； the mediaeval； then Anspach； the extinct princely capital；
then Wurzburg； the ecclesiastical rococo； then Weimar； for the literature
of a great epoch； then imperial Berlin； then Frankfort； the memory of the
old free city； then Dusseldorf； the centre of the most poignant personal
interest in the worldI don't see how we could have done better； if we'd
planned it all； and not acted from successive impulses。〃
〃It's been grand； it's been perfect！ As German…Silver Wedding Journey
it's perfectit seems as if it had been ordered！ But I will never let
you give up Holland！ No； we will go this afternoon； and when I get to
Schevleningen； I'll go to bed； and stay there； till you've completed your
after…cure。〃
〃Do you think that will be wildly gay for the convalescent？〃
She suddenly began to cry。 〃Oh； dearest； what shall we do？ I feel
perfectly broken down。 I'm afraid I'm going to be sickand away from
home！ How could you ever let me overdo； so？〃 She put her handkerchief to
her eyes； and turned her face into the sofa pillow。
This was rather hard upon him； whom her vivid energy and inextinguishable
interest had not permitted a moment's respite from pleasure since they
left Carlsbad。 But he had been married； too long not to understand that
her blame of him was only a form of self…reproach for her own self…
forgetfulness。 She had not remembered that she was no longer young till
she had come to what he saw was a nervous collapse。 The fact had its
pathos and its poetry which no one could have felt more keenly than he。
If it also had its inconvenience and its danger he realized these too。
〃Isabel；〃 he said； 〃we are going home。〃
〃Very well； then it will be your doing。〃
〃Quite。 Do you think you could stand it as far as Cologne？ We get the
sleeping…car there； and you can lie down the rest of the way to Ostend。〃
〃This afternoon？ Why I'm perfectly strong； it's merely my nerve