Marchsatwithacompanyofotherpatientsintheanteroomofthedoctor，andwhenitcamehisturntobeproddedandkneaded，hewasashamedatbeingtoldhewasnotsobadacaseashehaddreaded。Thedoctorwroteoutacarefuldietaryforhim，withaprescriptionofacertainnumberofglassesofwateratacertainspringandacertainnumberofbaths，andaruleforthewalkshewastotakebeforeandaftereating；thenthedoctorpattedhimontheshoulderandpushedhimcaressinglyoutofhisinneroffice。Itwastoolatetobeginhistreatmentthatday，buthewentwithhiswifetobuyacup，withastrapforhangingitoverhisshoulder，andheputitonsoastobeaninvalidwiththeothersatonce；hecamenearforgettingthesmallnapkinofTurkishtowellingwhichtheystuffedintotheircups，buthappilytheshopmancalledhimbackintimetosellittohim。
Atfivethenextmorningherose，andonhiswaytothestreetexchangedwiththeservantscleaningthehotelstairsthefirstofthegloomy’GutenMorgens’whichusherinthedayatCarlsbad。Theycannotbesofinallyhopelessastheysound；theyareprobablyexpressiveonlyofthepopulardespairofgettingthroughwiththembeforenight；butMarchheardthesalutationssorrowfullygroanedoutoneveryhandashejoinedthestragglingcurrentofinvalidswhichswelledonthewaypastthesilentshopsandcafesintheAlteWiese，tillitfilledthestreet，andpoureditsthousandsuponthepromenadebeforetheclassiccolonnadeoftheMuhlbrunn。OntheotherbankoftheTepltheSprudelflingsitssteamingwatersbyirregularimpulsesintotheairunderapavilionofironandglass；buttheMuhlbrunnisthesourceofmostresort。ThereisaninstrumentalconcertsomewhereinCarlsbadfromearlyrisingtillbedtime；andnowattheMuhlbrunntherewasanorchestraalreadyplaying；
andunderthepillaredporch，aswellasbeforeit，themultitudeshuffledupanddown，drainingtheircupsbyslowsips，andthentakingeachhisplaceintheinterminablelinemovingontoreplenishthematthespring。
ApicturesquemajorityofPolishJews，whomsomeviceoftheirclimateissaidpeculiarlytofitforthehealingeffectsofCarlsbad，mosttookhiseyeintheirlonggabardinesofrustyblackandtheirderbyhatsofplushorvelvet，withtheircorkscrewcurlscomingdownbeforetheirears。
Theywereoldandyoung，theyweregrizzledandredandblack，buttheyseemedallwell-to-do；andwhatimpressesonefirstandlastatCarlsbadisthatitswatersaremainlyforthehealingoftherich。AfterthePolishJews，theGreekpriestsofRussianracewerethemoststrikingfigures。ThereweretypesofLatinecclesiastics，whowerestrikingintheirwaytoo；andtheuniformsofcertainAustrianofficersandsoldiersbrightenedthepicture。Hereandthereasouthernface，ItalianorSpanishorLevantine，lookedpassionatelyoutofthemassofdullGermanvisages；foratCarlsbadtheGermans，morethananyothergentilenation，aretothefore。Theirmisfits，theirabsenceofstyle，impartedtheprevalenteffect；thoughnowandthenamongthewomenaHungarian，orPole，orParisian，orAmerican，relievedtheeyewhichseeksbeautyandgraceratherthanthedomesticvirtues。Therewerecertainfaces，typesofdiscomfortanddisease，whichappealedfromthebeginningtotheend。
AyoungAustrian，yellowasgold，andalividSouth-American，wereofalastingfascinationtoMarch。
Whatmosttroubledhim，inhisscrutinyofthecrowd，wasthedifficultyofassigningpeopletotheirrespectivenations，andheaccusedhisyearsofhavingdulledhisperceptions；butperhapsitwasfromtheirlongdisuseinhishomogeneousAmericanworld。TheAmericansthemselvesfusedwiththeEuropeanraceswhowereoftensohardtomakeout；hisfellow-
citizenswouldnotbeidentifiedtilltheirbadvoicesgavethemaway；
hethoughtthewomen’svoicestheworst。
Atthesprings，alineofyounggirlswithasteadymechanicalactiondippedthecupsintothesteamingsource，andpassedthemimpersonallyuptotheirowners。WiththepatientsattheMuhlbrunnitwasoftenahalf-
hourbeforeone’sturncarne，andatallastrictetiquetteforbadeanyattempttoanticipateit。Thewaterwasmerelywarmandflat，andafterthefirstrepulsiononecouldforgetit。Marchformedachildishhabitofcountingtenbetweenthesips，andoffinishingthecupwithagulpwhichendeditquickly；hevariedhiswalksbetweencupsbygoingsometimestoabridgeattheendofthecolonnadewhereagroupofTriestinesweretalkingVenetian，andsometimestothelittleParkbeyondtheKurhaus，wheresomeoldwomenweresweepingupfromthecloseswardtheyellowleaveswhichthetreeshaduntidilydroppedovernight。HelikedtositthereandlookatthecitybeyondtheTepl，whereitclimbedthewoodedheightsinterracestillitlostitshousesintheskirtsandfoldsoftheforest。Mostmorningsitrained，quietly，absent-mindedly，andthis，withthechiliintheair，deepenedapleasantillusionofQuebecofferedbytheuppertownacrossthestream；butthereweresunnymorningswhenthemountainsshonesoftlythroughalustrousmist，andtheairwasalmostwarm。
OnceinhiswalkhefoundhimselfthecompanionofBurnamy’semployer，whomhehadsometimesnotedinthelineattheMuhlbrunn，waitinghisturn，cupinhand，withafaceofsullenimpatience。Stollerexplainedthatthoughyoucouldhavethewaterbroughttoyouatyourhotel，hechosetogotothespringforthesakeoftheair；itwassomethingyouhadgottolivethrough；beforehehadthatyoungBurnamytohelphimhedidnotknowwhattodowithhistime，butnow，everyminutehewasnoteatingorsleepinghewasworking；hiscuredidnotobligehimtowalkmuch。HeexaminedMarch，withacertainmixtureofrespectandcontempt，uponthenatureoftheliterarylife，andhowitdifferedfromthelifeofajournalist。HeaskedifhethoughtBurnamywouldamounttoanythingasaliteraryman；hesofarassentedtoMarch’sfaithinhimastosay，“He’ssmart。”HetoldofleavinghisdaughtersinschoolatWurzburg；
anduponthewholehemovedMarchwithasenseofhispatheticlonelinesswithoutmovinghisliking，ashepassedlumberinglyon，danglinghiscup。
Marchgavehisowncuptothelittlemaidathisspring，andwhileshegaveittoasecond，whodippeditandhandedittoathirdforitsreturntohim，heheardanunmistakablefellow-countrymansayinggood-，morningtothemallinEnglish。“AreyougoingtoteachthemUnitedStates？”heaskedofafacewithwhichheknewsuchanappealwouldnotfail。
“Well。”themanadmitted，“Itrytoteachthemthatmuch。Theylikeit。
YouareanAmerican？Iamgladofit。Ihave’mostlosttheuseofmylungs，here。I’magreattalker，andItalktomywifetillshe’saboutdead；thenI’moutofitfortherestoftheday；Ican’tspeakGerman。”
Hismannerwasthefree，friendlymanneroftheWest。HemustbethatsortofuntravelledAmericanwhomMarchhadsoseldommet，buthewasafraidtoaskhimifthiswashisfirsttimeatCarlsbad，lestitshouldprovethethirdorfourth。“Areyoutakingthecure？”heaskedinstead。
“Oh，no。Mywifeis。She’llbealongdirectly；Icomedownhereanddrinkthewaterstoencourageher；doctorsaidto。Thatgetsmeinforthediet，too。I’vee’tmorecookedfruitsinceIbeenherethanIeverdidinmylifebefore。Prunes？MyLord，I’mfullo’prunes！Well，itdoesmegoodtoseeanAmerican，toknowhim。Icouldn’t’a’toldyou，ityouhadn’thavespoken。”
“Well。”saidMarch，“Ishouldn’thavebeensosureofyou，either，byyourlooks。”
“Yes，wecan’talwaystellourselvesfromtheseDutch。Buttheyknowus，andtheydon’twantus，exceptjustforonething，andthat’sourmoney。
Itellyou，theAmericansarethechumpsoverhere。Soon’stheygotallourmoney，orthinktheyhave，theysay，“Here，youAmericans，thisismycountry；yougetoff；andwegottoget。Everbeenoverbefore？”
“Agreatwhileago；solongthatIcanhardlybelieveit。”
It’smyfirsttime。Myname’sOtterson：I’mfromoutinIowa。”
Marchgavehimhisname，andaddedthathewasfromNewYork。
“Yes。IthoughtyouwasEastern。Butthatwasn’tanEasternmanyouwasjustwith？”
“No；he’sfromChicago。He’saMr。Stoller。”
“Notthebuggyman？”
“Ibelievehemakesbuggies。”
“Well，youdomeeteverybodyhere。”TheIowanwassilentforamoment，asif，hushedbytheweightythought。“Iwishmywifecouldhaveseenhim。Ijustwanthertoseethemanthatmadeourbuggy。Idon’tknowwhat’skeepingher，thismorning。”headded，apologetically。“Lookatthatfellow，willyou，tryin’togetawayfromthosewomen！”Ayoungofficerwasdoinghisbesttotakeleaveoftwoladies，whoseemedtobemotheranddaughter；theydetainedhimbytheirunitedarts，andclungtohimwithcaressingwordsandlooks。Hewasredinthefacewithhispolitestruggleswhenhebrokefromthematlast。“Howtheydohangontoaman，overhere！”theIowamancontinued。“AndtheAmericansareasbadasany。Why，there’sonerattylittleEnglishmanupatourplace，andourgirlsjustswarmafterhim；theirmothersareworse。Well，it’sso，Jenny。”hesaidtotheladywhohadjoinedthemandwhomMarchturnedroundtoseewhenhespoketoher。“IfIwantedaforeignerIshouldgoinforaman。Andtheseofficers！Puttheirmustachesupatnightincurl-papers，theytellme。IntroduceyoutoMrs。Otterson，Mr。March。
Well，hadyourfirstglass，yet，Jenny？I’mjustgoingformysecondtumbler。”
Hetookhiswifebacktothespring，andbegantotellheraboutStoller；
shemadenosignofcaringforhim；andMarchfeltinculpated。Sherelentedalittletowardhimastheydranktogether；whenhesaidhemustbegoingtobreakfastwithhiswife，sheaskedwherehebreakfasted，andsaid，“Why，wegotothePosthof，too。”Heansweredthatthentheyshouldbesuresometimetomeetthere；hedidnotventurefurther；hereflectedthatMrs。Marchhadherreluctancestoo；shedistrustedpeoplewhohadamusedorinterestedhimbeforeshemetthem。