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Most of the seamanship seemed to be done after dark； or in those early
hours when March found the stewards cleaning the stairs； and the sailors
scouring the promenades。 He made little acquaintance with his fellow…
passengers。 One morning he almost spoke with an old Quaker lady whom he
joined in looking at the Niagara flood which poured from the churning
screws； but he did not quite get the words out。 On the contrary he
talked freely with an American who； bred horses on a farm near Boulogne；
and was going home to the Horse Show； he had been thirty…five years out
of the country； but he had preserved his Yankee accent in all its purity；
and was the most typical…looking American on board。 Now and then March
walked up and down with a blond Mexican whom he found of the usual well…
ordered Latin intelligence； but rather flavorless； at times he sat beside
a nice Jew； who talked agreeably； but only about business； and he
philosophized the race as so tiresome often because it seemed so often
without philosophy。 He made desperate attempts at times to interest
himself in the pool…selling in the smoking…room where the betting on the
ship's wonderful run was continual。
He thought that people talked less and less as they drew nearer home； but
on the last day out there was a sudden expansion； and some whom he had
not spoken with voluntarily addressed him。 The sweet； soft air was like
midsummer the water rippled gently； without a swell； blue under the clear
sky； and the ship left a wide track that was silver in the sun。 There
were more sail； the first and second class baggage was got up and piled
along the steerage deck。
Some people dressed a little more than usual for the last dinner which
was earlier than usual； so as to be out of the way against the arrival
which had been variously predicted at from five to seven…thirty。 An
indescribable nervousness culminated with the appearance of the customs
officers on board； who spread their papers on cleared spaces of the
dining…tables； and summoned the passengers to declare that they had
nothing to declare； as a preliminary to being searched like thieves at
the dock。
This ceremony proceeded while the Cupania made her way up the Narrows；
and into the North River； where the flare of lights from the crazy steeps
and cliffs of architecture on the New York shore seemed a persistence of
the last Fourth of July pyrotechnics。 March blushed for the grotesque
splendor of the spectacle； and was confounded to find some Englishmen
admiring it； till he remembered that aesthetics were not the strong point
of our race。 His wife sat hand in hand with Miss Triscoe； and from time
to time made him count the pieces of small baggage in the keeping of
their steward； while General Triscoe held aloof in a sarcastic calm。
The steamer groped into her dock； the gangways were lifted to her side；
the passengers fumbled and stumbled down their incline； and at the bottom
the Marches found themselves respectively in the arms of their son and
daughter。 They all began talking at once； and ignoring and trying to
remember the Triscoes to whom the young Marches were presented。 Bella
did her best to be polite to Agatha； and Tom offered to get an inspector
for the general at the same time as for his father。 Then March；
remorsefully remembered the Eltwins； and looked about for them； so that
his son might get them an inspector too。 He found the major already in
the hands of an inspector； who was passing all his pieces after
carelessly looking into one： the official who received the declarations
on board had noted a Grand Army button like his own in the major's lapel；
and had marked his fellow…veteran's paper with the mystic sign which
procures for the bearer the honor of being promptly treated as a
smuggler； while the less favored have to wait longer for this indignity
at the hands of their government。 When March's own inspector came he was
as civil and lenient as our hateful law allows； when he had finished
March tried to put a bank…note in his hand； and was brought to a just
shame by his refusal of it。 The bed…room steward keeping guard over the
baggage helped put…it together after the search； and protested that March
had feed him so handsomely that he would stay there with it as long as
they wished。 This partly restored March's self…respect； and he could
share in General Triscoe's indignation with the Treasury ruling which
obliged him to pay duty on his own purchases in excess of the hundred…
dollar limit； though his daughter had brought nothing； and they jointly
came far within the limit for two。
He found that the Triscoes were going to a quiet old hotel on the way to
Stuyvesant Square； quite in his own neighborhood； and he quickly arranged
for all the ladies and the general to drive together while he was to
follow with his son on foot and by car。 They got away from the scene of
the customs' havoc while the steamer shed； with its vast darkness dimly
lit by its many lamps； still showed like a battle…field where the
inspectors groped among the scattered baggage like details from the
victorious army searching for the wounded。 His son clapped him on the
shoulder when he suggested this notion； and said he was the same old
father； and they got home as gayly together as the dispiriting influences
of the New York ugliness would permit。 It was still in those good and
decent times； now so remote； when the city got something for the money
paid out to keep its streets clean； and those they passed through were
not foul but merely mean。
The ignoble effect culminated when they came into Broadway； and found its
sidewalks； at an hour when those of any European metropolis would have
been brilliant with life； as unpeopled as those of a minor country town；
while long processions of cable…cars carted heaps of men and women up and
down the thoroughfare amidst the deformities of the architecture。
The next morning the March family breakfasted late after an evening
prolonged beyond midnight in spite of half…hourly agreements that now
they must really all go to bed。 The children had both to recognize again
and again how well their parents were looking； Tom had to tell his father
about the condition of 'Every Other Week'； Bella had to explain to her
mother how sorry her husband was that he could not come on to meet them
with her； but was coming a week later to take her home； and then she
would know the reason why they could not all； go back to Chicago with
him： it was just the place for her father to live； for everybody to live。
At breakfast she renewed the reasoning with which she had maintained her
position the night before； the travellers entered into a full expression
of their joy at being home again； March asked what had become of that
stray parrot which they had left in the tree…top the morning they
started； and Mrs。 March declared that this was the last Silver Wedding
Journey she ever wished to take； and tried to convince them all that she
had been on the verge of nervous collapse when she reached the ship。
They sat at table till she discovered that it was very nearly eleven
o'clock； and said it was disgraceful。
Before t