ShehadwhatMrs。Marchthoughtinterestinghair，ofadullblack，roughlyrolledawayfromherforeheadandtemplesinafashionnotparticularlybecomingtoher，andshehadtheairofnotlookingsowellasshemightifshehadchosen。Theelderlymanonherright，itwaseasytosee，washerfather；theyhadafamilylikeness，thoughhisfairhair，nowashenwithage，wassodifferentfromhers。HeworehisbeardcutinthefashionoftheSecondEmpire，withaLouisNapoleonicmustache，imperial，andchintuft；hisneatheadwascroptclose；andtherewassomethingGallicinitseffectandsomethingremotelymilitary：
hehadblueeyes，reallylessseverethanhemeant，thoughbefrownedagooddeal，andmanagedthemwithglancesofastaccatoquickness，asifchallengingapotentialdisagreementwithhisopinions。
Thegentlemanonhisright，whosatattheheadofthetable，wasofthehumorous，subironicalAmericanexpression，andasmileatthecornerofhiskindlymouth，underaniron-grayfullbeardcutshort，atoncequestionedandtoleratedthenew-comersasheglancedatthem。HerespondedtoMarch’sbowalmostasdecidedlyastheniceboy，whosemotherheconfrontedattheotherendofthetable，andwithhiscomelybulkformedaninterestingcontrasttohervividslightness。Shewasbrilliantlydark，behindthegleamofthegold-rimmedglassesperchedonherprettynose。
IfthetalkhadbeengeneralbeforetheMarchescame，itdidnotatoncerenewitselfinthatform。Nothingwassaidwhiletheywerehavingtheirfirststrugglewiththetable-stewards，whorepeatedtheorderasiftoshowhowfullytheyhadmisunderstoodit。Thegentlemanattheheadofthetableintervenedatlast，andthen，“I’mobligedtoyou。”Marchsaid，foryourGerman。Ileftmineinaphrase-bookinmyothercoatpocket。”
“Oh，Iwasn’tspeakingGerman。”saidtheother。ItwasmerelytheirkindofEnglish。”
Thecompanywereintheexcitementofanovelsituationwhichdisposespeopletoacquaintance，andthisexchangeofsmallpleasantriesmadeeveryonelaugh，exceptthefatheranddaughter；buttheyhadtheeffectofbeingtacitlyamused。
ThemotheroftheniceboysaidtoMrs。March，“Youmaynotgetwhatyouordered，butitwillbegood。”
“Evenifyoudon’tknowwhatitis！”saidtheyoungbride，andthenblushed，asifshehadbeentoobold。
Mrs。Marchlikedtheblushandtheyoungbrideforit，andsheasked，“HaveyoueverbeenononeoftheseGermanboatsbefore？Theyseemverycomfortable。”
“Oh，dear，no！we’veneverbeenonanyboatbefore。”Shemadealittlepettedmouthofdeprecation，andadded，simple-heartedly，“Myhusbandwasgoingoutonbusiness，andhethoughthemightaswelltakemealong。”
Thehusbandseemedtofeelhimselfbroughtinbythis，andsaidhedidnotseewhytheyshouldnotmakeitapleasure-trip，too。Theyputthemselvesinapositiontobepatronizedbytheirdeference，andinthepausesofhistalkwiththegentlemanattheheadofthetable，MarchheardhiswifeabusingtheirinexperiencetobeunsparinglyinstructiveaboutEuropeantravel。Hewonderedwhethershewouldbeafraidtoownthatitwasnearlythirtyyearssinceshehadcrossedtheocean；thoughthatmightseemrecenttopeoplewhohadnevercrossedatall。
TheylistenedwithrespectassheboastedinwhatananguishofwisdomshehaddecidedbetweentheColmanniaandtheNorumbia。Thewifesaidshedidnotknowtherewassuchadifferenceinsteamers，butwhenMrs。
Marchperfervidlyassuredherthattherewasallthedifferenceintheworld，shesubmittedandsaidshesupposedsheoughttobethankfulthatthey，hadhitupontherightone。Theyhadtelegraphedforberthsandtakenwhatwasgiventhem；theirroomseemedtobeverynice。
“Oh。”saidMrs。March，andherhusbandknewthatshewassayingittoreconcilethemtotheinevitable，“alltheroomsontheNorumbiaarenice。Theonlydifferenceisthatiftheyareonthesouthsideyouhavethesun。”
“I’mnotsurewhichisthesouthside。”saidthebride。“Weseemtohavebeengoingwesteversincewestarted，andIfeelasifweshouldreachhomeinthemorningifwehadagoodnight。Istheoceanalwayssosmoothasthis？”
“Oh，dear，no！”saidMrs。March。“It’sneversosmoothasthis。”andshebegantobeoutrageouslyauthoritativeabouttheoceanweather。SheendedbydeclaringthattheJunepassageswerealwaysgood，andthatiftheshipkeptasoutherlycoursetheywouldhavenofogsandnoicebergs。
Shelookedround，andcaughtherhusband’seye。“Whatisit？HaveI
beenbragging？Well，youunderstand。”sheaddedtothebride，“I’veonlybeenoveronce，agreatwhileago，andIdon’treallyknowanythingaboutit。”andtheylaughedtogether。“ButItalkedsomuchwithpeopleafterwedecidedtogo，thatIfeelasifIhadbeenahundredtimes。”
“Iknow。”saidtheotherlady，withcaressingintelligence。“Thatisjustthewaywith——“Shestopped，andlookedattheyoungmanwhomtheheadstewardwasbringinguptotakethevacantplacenexttoMarch。Hecameforward，stuffinghiscapintothepocketofhisbluesergesack，andsmileddownonthecompanywithsuchhappinessinhisgayeyesthatMarchwonderedwhatchanceatthislatedaycouldhavegivenanyhumancreaturehiscontentsoabsolute，andwhatcalamitycouldbelurkingroundthecornertotakeitoutofhim。Thenew-comerlookedatMarchasifheknewhim，andMarchsawatasecondglancethathewastheyoungfellowwhohadtoldhimaboutthemotherputoffafterthestart。Heaskedhimwhethertherewasanychangeintheweatheryetoutside，andheansweredeagerly，asifthechancetoputhishappinessintothemeresoundofwordswereafavordonehim，thattheirshiphadjustspokenoneofthebigHanseaticmailboats，andshehadsignalledbackthatshehadmetice；sothattheywouldprobablykeepasoutherlycourse，andnothaveitcoolertilltheywereofftheBanks。
Themotheroftheboysaid，“IthoughtwemustbeofftheBankswhenI
cameoutofmyroom，butitwasonlytheelectricfanatthefootofthestairs。”
“ThatwaswhatIthought。”saidMrs。March。“Ialmostsentmyhusbandbackformyshawl！”Boththeladieslaughedandlikedeachotherfortheircommonexperience。
Thegentlemanattheheadofthetablesaid，“Theyoughttohavefansgoingtherebythatpillar，orelseclosetheports。Theyonlyletinheat。”
TheyeasilyconformedtotheAmericanconventionofjocosityintheirtalk；itperhapsnomorerepresentstheindividualmoodthantheconventionofdulnessamongotherpeople；butitseemedtomaketheyoungmanfeelathome。
“Why，doyouthinkit’suncomfortablywarm？。”heasked，fromwhatMarchperceivedtobeameteorologyofhisown。Helaughedandadded，“Itisprettysummerlike。”asifhehadnotthoughtofitbefore。Hetalkedofthebigmail-boat，andsaidhewouldliketocrossonsuchaboatasthat，andthenheglancedatthepossibleadvantageofhavingyourownsteam-yachtliketheonewhichhesaidtheyhadjustpassed，sonearthatyoucouldseewhatagoodtimethepeoplewerehavingonboard。HebegantospeaktotheMarches；histalkspreadtotheyoungcoupleacrossthetable；itvisitedthemotheronthesofainaremarkwhichshemightignorewithoutapparentrejection，andwithoutreallyavoidingtheboy，itglancedofftowardthefatheranddaughter，fromwhomitfell，torestwiththegentlemanattheheadofthetable。
Itwasnotthatthefatheranddaughterhadslightedhisoverture，ifitwassomuchasthat，butthattheyweretacitlypreoccupied，orwereofsomephilosophyconcerningtheirfellow-breakfasterswhichdidnotsufferthem，forthepresent，atleast，toshareinthecommonfriendliness。
Thisisanattitudesometimesproducedinpeoplebyasenseofjust，orevenunjust，superiority；sometimesbyserioustrouble；sometimesbytransientannoyance。Thecausewasnotsodeep-seatedbutMrs。March，beforesherosefromherplace，believedthatshehaddetectedaslantoftheyounglady’seyes，fromunderherlashes，towardtheyoungman；andsheleapedtoaconclusionconcerningtheminamatterwherealllogicalstepsareimpertinent。Shedidnotannounceherarrivalatthispointtilltheyoungmanhadovertakenherbeforeshegotoutofthesaloon，andpresentedthehandkerchiefshehaddroppedunderthetable。
Hewentawaywithherthanks，andthenshesaidtoherhusband，“Well，he’sperfectlycharming，andIdon’twondershe’stakenwithhim；thatkindofcoldgirlwouldbe，thoughI’mnotsurethatsheiscold。She’sinteresting，andyoucouldseethathethoughtso，themorehelookedather；Icouldseehimlookingatherfromtheveryfirstinstant；hecouldn’tkeephiseyesoffher；shepiquedhiscuriosity，andmadehimwonderabouther。”
“Now，lookhere，Isabel！Thiswon’tdo。Icanstandagooddeal，butI
satbetweenyouandthatyoungfellow，andyoucouldn’ttellwhetherhewaslookingatthatgirlornot。”
“Icould！Icouldtellbytheexpressionofherface。”
“Oh，well！Ifit’sgoneasfarasthatwithyou，Igiveitup。Whenareyougoingtohavethemmarried？”
“Nonsense！Iwantyoutofindoutwhoallthosepeopleare。Howareyougoingtodoit？”
“Perhapsthepassengerlistwillsay。”hesuggested。