TheyfoundBurnamyexpectingthematthestationinCarlsbad，andshescoldedhimlikeamotherfortakingthetroubletomeetthem，whileshekeptbackforthepresentanysignofknowingthathehadstaidoveradaywiththeTriscoesinLeipsic。Hewasasaffectionatelygladtoseeherandherhusbandasshecouldhavewished，butshewouldhavelikeditbetterifhehadownedupatonceaboutLeipsic。Hedidnot，anditseemedtoherthathewasholdingheratarm’s-lengthinhisanswersabouthisemployer。Hewouldnotsayhowhelikedhiswork，orhowhelikedMr。Stoller；hemerelysaidthattheywereatPupp’stogether，andthathehadgotinagoodday’sworkalready；andsincehewouldsaynomore，shecontentedherselfwiththat。
Thelongdrivefromthestationtothehotelwasbystreetsthatwounddownthehill-sidelikethoseofanItalianmountaintown，betweengaystuccoedhouses，ofSouthernratherthanofNorthernarchitecture；andtheimpressionofaLatincountrywasheightenedataturnoftheroadwhichbroughtintoviewacolossalcrucifixplantedagainstacurtainofdarkgreenfoliageonthebrowofoneofthewoodedheightsthatsurroundedCarlsbad。WhentheyreachedtheleveloftheTepl，thehill-
fedtorrentthatbrawlsthroughthelittlecityunderprettybridgeswithinwallsofsolidmasonry，theyfoundthemselvesinalmosttheonlyvehicleonabrilliantpromenadethrongedwithacosmopolitanworld。
Germansineverymannerofmisfit；PolishJewsinlongblackgabardines，withtightcorkscrewcurlsontheirtemplesundertheirblackvelvetderbys；Austrianofficersintightcorsets；Greekpriestsinflowingrobesandbrimlesshighhats；RussiansincaftansandCossacksinAstrakhancaps，accentedthemorehomogeneousmassesofwesternEuropeans，inwhichitwouldhavebeenhardtosaywhichwereEnglish，FrenchorItalians。Amongthevividlydressedladies，somewereimaginablyParisianfromtheirchiccostumes，buttheymighteasilyhavebeenHungariansorLevantinesoftaste；someAmericans，whomighthavepassedunknownintheperfectionoftheirdress，gavetheirnationalityawayintheflatwoodentonesoftheirvoices，whichmadethemselvesheardabovethelowhumoftalkandthewhisperoftheinnumerablefeet。
Theomnibusworkeditswayataslowwalkamongthepromenadersgoingandcomingbetweentherowsofpollardlocustsononesideandthebrightwallsofthehousesontheother。Underthetreesweretables，servedbyprettybareheadedgirlswhorantoandfromtherestaurantsacrosstheway。Onbothsidesflashedandglitteredthelittleshopsfullofsilver，glass，jewelry，terracottafigurines，wood-carvings，andalltheidlefripperyofwatering-placetraffic：theysuggestedParis，andtheysuggestedSaratoga，andthentheywereofCarlsbadandofnoplaceelseintheworld，asthecrowdwhichmighthavebeenthatofothercitiesatcertainmomentscouldonlyhavebeenofCarlsbadinitshabitualeffect。
“Doyoulikeit？”askedBurnamy，asifheownedtheplace，andMrs。Marchsawhowsimple-heartedhewasinhisreticence，afterall。Shewasreadytoblesshimwhentheyreachedthehotelandfoundthathisinteresthadgotthemtheonlyroomsleftinthehouse。ThissatisfiedinherthepassionforsizewhichisatthebottomofeveryAmericanheart，andwhichperhapsaboveallelsemarksustheyoungestofthepeoples。
Weprideourselvesonthebignessofourownthings，butwearenotungenerous，andwhenwegotoEuropeandfindthingsbiggerthanours，wearemagnanimouslyhappyinthem。Pupp’s，initsaltogetherdifferentway，waslargerthananyhotelatSaratogaoratNiagara；andwhenBurnamytoldherthatitsometimesfedfifteenthousandpeopleadayintheheightoftheseason，shewaspersonallyproudofit。
Shewaitedwithhimintherotundaofthehotel，whilethesecretaryledMarchofftolookattheroomsreservedforthem，andBurnamyhospitablyturnedtherevolvingoctagonalcaseinthecentreoftherotundawherethenamesoftheguestswereputup。Theywereofallnations，butthereweresomanyNewYorkerswhosenamesendedinberg，andthal，andstern，andbaumthatsheseemedtobegazinguponacycloramaofthesignsonBroadway。AlargemanofunmistakableAmericanmake，butwithsolittlethatwasofNewEnglandorNewYorkinhispresencethatshemightnotatoncehavethoughthimAmerican，loungedtowardthemwithaquilltoothpickinthecornerofhismouth。Hehadajealousblueeye，intowhichheseemedtryingtoputafriendlylight；hisstraightmouthstretchedintoaninvoluntarysmileabovehistawnychin-beard，andheworehissofthatsofarbackfromhishighforeheaditshowedtothecrownwhenhetookhishatoffthathehadtheeffectofbeinguncovered。
AthisapproachBurnamyturned，andwithaflushsaid：“Oh！LetmeintroduceMr。Stoller，Mrs。March。”
Stollertookhistoothpickoutofhismouthandbowed；thenheseemedtoremember，andtookoffhishat。“YouseeJewsenough，heretomakeyoufeelathome？”heasked；andheadded：“Well，wegotsomeof’eminChicago，too，Iguess。Thisyoungman“——hetwistedhisheadtowardBurnamy“foundyoueasyenough？”
“Itwasverygoodofhimtomeetus。”Mrs。Marchbegan。“Wedidn’texpect——“
“Oh，that’sallright。”saidStoller，puttinghistoothpickback，andhishaton。“We’dgotthroughfortheday；mydoctorwon’tletmeworkallI
wantto，here。Yourhusband’sgoingtotakethecure，theytellme。
Well，hewantstogotoagooddoctor，first。Youcan’tgoanddrinkthesewatershitormiss。IfoundthatoutbeforeIcame。”
“Oh，no！”saidMrs。March，andshewishedtoexplainhowtheyhadbeenadvised；buthesaidtoBurnamy：
“Isha’n’twantyouagaintilltento-morrowmorning。Don’tletmeinterruptyou。”headdedpatronizinglytoMrs。March。Heputhishanduptowardhishat，andsaunteredawayoutofthedoor。
Burnamydidnotspeak；andsheonlyaskedatlast，torelievethesilence，“IsMr。StolleranAmerican？”
“Why，Isupposeso。”heanswered，withanuneasylaugh。“HispeoplewereGermanemigrantswhosettledinSouthernIndiana。ThatmakeshimasmuchAmericanasanyofus，doesn’tit？”
BurnamyspokewithhismindonhisFrench-Canadiangrandfather，whohadcomedownthroughDetroit，whentheirnamewasBonami；butMrs。MarchansweredfromhereightgenerationsofNewEnglandancestry。“Oh，fortheWest，yes，perhaps。”andtheyneitherofthemsaidanythingmoreaboutStoller。
Intheirroom，whereshefoundMarchwaitingforheramidsttheirarrivingbaggage，shewassofullofherpent-upopinionsofBurnamy’spatronthatshe，wouldscarcelyspeakoftheviewfromtheirwindowsofthewoodedhillsupanddowntheTepl。“Yes，yes；verynice，andIknowIshallenjoyiteversomuch。ButIdon’tknowwhatyouwillthinkofthatpooryoungBurnamy！”
“Why，what’shappenedtohim？”
“Happened？Stoller’shappened。”
“Oh，haveyouseenhim，already？Well？”
“Well，ifyouhadbeengoingtopickoutthattypeofman，you’dhaverejectedhim，becauseyou’dhavesaidhewastoopat。He’slikeanactormadeupforaWesternmillionaire。DoyourememberthatAmericanin’L’Etranger’whichBernhardtdidinBostonwhenshefirstcame？He，looksexactlylikethat，andhehastheworstmanners。Hestoodtalkingtomewithhishaton，andatoothpickinhismouth；andhemademefeelasifhehadboughtme，alongwithBurnamy，andhadpaidtoomuch。Ifyoudon’tgivehimasettingdown，Basil，Ishallneverspeaktoyou；
that’sall。I’msureBurnamyisinsometroublewithhim；he’sgotsomesortofholduponhim；whatitcouldbeinsuchashorttime，Ican’timagine；butifeveramanseemedtobe，inaman’spower，hedoes，inhis！
“Now。”saidMarch，“yourpronounshavegotsofarbeyondmethatIthinkwe’dbetterletitallgotillaftersupper；perhapsIshallseeStollermyselfbythattime。”
ShehadbeendeeplystirredbyherencounterwithStoller，butsheenteredwithimpartialintensityintothefactthattheelevatoratPupp’shadthecharacteristicofalwayscomingupandnevergoingdownwithpassengers。Itwaslockedintoitsclosetwithasoliddoor，andtherewasnobelltosummonit，oranyplacetotakeitexceptontheground-floor；butthestairsbywhichshecoulddescendwereabundantandstately；andononelandingtherewasthelithographofoneofthelargestandugliesthotelsinNewYork；howuglyitwas，shesaidsheshouldneverhaveknownifshehadnotseenitthere。
Thedining-roomwasdividedintothegrandsaloon，wheretheysuppedamidrococosculpturesandfrescoes，andtheglazedverandaopeningbyvastwindowsonaspreadoftableswithout，whichwerealreadyfillingupfortheeveningconcert。Aroundthematthedifferenttablesthereweregroupsoffacesandfiguresfascinatingintheirstrangeness，withthatdistinctionwhichabashesourAmericanlevelinthepresenceofEuropeaninequality。
“Howsimpleandunimpressiveweare，Basil。”shesaid，“besideallthesepeople！IusedtofeelitinEuropewhenIwasyoung，andnowI’mcertainthatwemustseemliketwofaded-inoldvillagephotographs。Wedon’tevenlookintellectual！Ihopewelookgood。”
“IknowIdo。”saidMarch。Thewaiterwentfortheirsupper，andtheyjoinedinguessingthedifferentnationalitiesintheroom。AFrenchpartywaseasyenough；aSpanishmotheranddaughterwerenotdifficult，thoughwhethertheywerenotSouth-Americanremaineduncertain；twoelderlymaidenladieswereunmistakablyofcentralMassachusetts，andwereobviouslyofabook-clubculturethathadleftnoleafunturned；
someTriestinesgavethemselvesawaybytheirVenetianaccent；butalargegroupatafarthertablewereunassignableinthestrangelanguagewhichtheyclatteredloudlytogether，withburstsoflaughter。Theywereafamilypartyofoldandyoung，theywerehavingagoodtime，withafreedomwhichshecalledbaronial；theladiesworewhitesatin，orblacklace，butthemenwereinsack-coats；shechosetoattributethem，fornoreasonbuttheiroutlandishness，toTransylvania。MarchpretendedtopreferatablefullofGermans，whowereunmistakablybourgeois，andyetofintellectualeffect。Hechoseashisfavoriteamiddle-agedmanoflearnedaspect，andtheybothdecidedtothinkofhimastheHerrProfessor，buttheydidnotimaginehowperfectlythetitlefittedhimtillhedrewalongcombfromhiswaistcoatpocketandcombedhishairandbeardwithitabovethetable。
ThewinewroughtwiththeTransylvanians，andtheyalljargonedtogetheratonce，andlaughedatthejokespassingamongthem。Oneoldgentlemanhadapeculiarfascinationfromtheinfantileinnocenceofhisgumswhenhethrewhisheadbacktolaugh，andshowedanupperjawtoothlessexceptfortwoincisors，standingguardoverthechasmbetween。Suddenlyhechoked，coughedtorelievehimself，hawked，heldhisnapkinupbeforehim，and——
“Noblesseoblige。”saidMarch，withthetoneofironywhichhereservedforhiswife’spreoccupationswitharistocraciesofallsorts。“IthinkIprefermyHairProfessor，bourgeois，asheis。”