Thegirl’seyesshonewithajoyfulexcitement，andherlittlehead，definedbyitsdarkhair，trembledassheslowlyturneditfromsidetoside，aftersheremovedtheairyscarfwhichhadcoveredit。Herfather，ineveningdress，lookedtheThirdEmperorcomplaisanttoaciviloccasion，andtookachairinthefrontoftheboxwithoutresistance；
andtheladiesdisputedwhichshouldyieldthebestplacetotheother，tillMissTriscoeforcedMrs。Marchfondlyintoitforthefirstactatleast。
Thepiecehadtobecutagooddealtogivepeopletimefortheilluminationsafterwards；butasitwasitgavescopetotheactresswho，’alsGast’fromaViennesetheatre，wasthechieffigureinit。Shemeritedthedistinctionbytheartwhichstilllingered，deeplyembeddedinhermassivebalk，butneverwhollyobscured。
“Thatisgrand，isn’tit？”saidMarch，followingoneofthetremendousstrokesbywhichsheovercameherphysicaldisadvantages。“It’sfinetoseehowherartcanundo，foronesplendidinstant，theworkofallthosesteinsofbeer，thoseillimitablelicksofsausage，thoseboundlessfieldsofcabbage。Butit’sratherpathetic。”
“It’sdisgusting。”saidhiswife；andatthisGeneralTriscoe，whohadbeenwatchingtheactressthroughhislorgnette，said，asifhiscontrary-mindednesswereirresistiblyinvoked：
“Well，Idon’tknow。It’samusing。Doyousupposeweshallseeherwhenwegobehind，March？”
Hestillprofessedadesiretodosowhenthecurtainfell，andtheyhurriedtothereardoorofthetheatre。Itwasslightlyajar，andtheypulleditwideopen，withtheeagernessoftheirageandnation，andbegantomountthestairsleadingupfromitbetweenrowsofpainteddancing-girls，whohadcomeoutforabreathofair，andwhopressedthemselvesagainstthewallstomakeroomfortheintruders。Withtheirrougedfaces，andthestareoftheirglassyeyesintensifiedbythecoloringoftheirbrowsandlashes，theywerelikepaintedstatues，astheystoodtherewiththeircrimsonedlipspartedinastonishedsmiles。
“Thisisratherweird。”saidMarch，falteringatthesight。“Iwonderifwemightasktheseyoungladieswheretogo？”GeneralTriscoemadenoanswer，andwasapparentlynomorepreparedthanhimselftoaccostthefilesofdanseuses，whentheywerethemselvesaccostedbyanangryvoicefromtheheadofthestairswithademandfortheirbusiness。Thevoicebelongedtoagendarme，whodescendedtowardthemandseemedasdeeplyscandalizedattheirappearanceastheycouldhavebeenatthatoftheyoungladies。
Marchexplained，inhisineffectiveGerman，witheveryeffectofimprobability，thattheyweretherebyappointmentofthemanager，andwishedtofindhisroom。
Thegendarmewouldnotorcouldnotmakeanythingoutofit。Hepresseddownuponthem，andlayingarudehandonashoulderofeither，begantoforcethembacktothedoor。Themildnatureoftheeditormighthaveyieldedtohisviolence，butthemartialspiritofGeneralTriscoewasroused。Heshruggedthegendarme’shandfromhisshoulder，andwithavoiceasfuriousashisownrequiredhim，inEnglish，tosaywhatthedevilhemeant。ThegendarmerejoinedwithequalheatinGerman；thegeneral’stoneroseinanger；thedancing-girlsemittedsomelittleshrieksofalarm，andflednoisilyupthestairs。FromtimetotimeMarchinterposedwithawordoftheGermanwhichhadmostlydesertedhiminhishourofneed；butifithadbeenaflowofintelligibleexpostulation，itwouldhavehadnoeffectuponthedisputants。Theygrewmoreoutrageous，tillthemanagerhimself，appearedattheheadofthestairs，andextendedanarrestinghandoverthehubbub。Assoonasthesituationclarifieditselfhehurrieddowntohisvisitorswithapoliteroarofapologyandrescuedthemfromthegendarme，andledthemuptohisroomandforcedthemintoarm-chairswitharapidityofreparationwhichdidnotexhaustitselftillhehadentreatedthemwitheverycircumstanceofcivilitytoexcuseanincidentsomortifyingtohim。Butwithallhishastehelostsomuchtimeinthisthathehadlittlelefttoshowthemthroughthetheatre，andtheirpresentationtotheprimadonnawasreducedtotheobeisanceswithwhichtheymetandpartedasshewentuponthestageattheliftingofthecurtain。Inthelackofacommonlanguagethiswasperhapsaswellasalongerinterview；
andnothingcouldhavebeenmorehonorablethantheirdismissalatthehandsofthegendarmewhohadreceivedthemsostormily。Heopenedthedoorforthem，andstoodwithhisfingerstohiscapsaluting，intheeffectofbeingawholefileofgrenadiers。
AtthesamemomentBurnamybowedhimselfoutoftheboxwherehehadbeensittingwiththeladiesduringtheabsenceofthegentlemen。Hehadknockedatthedooralmostassoonastheydisappeared，andifhedidnotfullysharetheconsternationwhichhispresencecaused，helookedsofrightenedthatMrs。Marchreservedthecensurewhichthesightofhiminspired，andindefaultofotherinspirationtreatedhiscomingsimplyasasurprise。Sheshookhandswithhim，andthensheaskedhimtositdown，andlistenedtohisexplanationthathehadcomebacktoCarlsbadtowriteupthebirthnightfestivities，onanorderfromtheParis-NewYorkChronicle；thathehadseenthemintheboxandhadventuredtotookin。Hewaspale，andsodiscomposedthattheheartofjusticewassoftenedmoreandmoreinMrs。March’sbreast，andshelefthimtothetalkthatsprangup，byanadmirableeffectoftactintheyounglady，betweenhimandMissTriscoe。
Afterall，shedecided，therewasnothingcriminalinhisbeinginCarlsbad，andpossiblyinthelastanalysistherewasnothingsoverywickedinhisbeinginherbox。Onemightsaythatitwasnotveryniceofhimafterhehadgoneawayundersuchacloud；butontheotherhanditwasnice，thoughinadifferentway，ifhelongedsomuchtoseeMissTriscoethathecouldnothelpcoming。Itwasaltogetherinhisfavorthathewassoagitated，thoughhewasmomentlybecominglessagitated；
theyoungpeoplewerebeginningtolaughatthenotionofMr。MarchandGeneralTriscoegoingbehindthescenes。Burnamysaidheenviedthemthechance；andadded，notveryrelevantly，thathehadcomefromBaireuth，wherehehadseenthelastoftheWagnerperformances。HesaidhewasgoingbacktoBaireuth，butnottoAnsbachagain，wherehehadfinishedlookingupthatKasparHauserbusiness。HeseemedtothinkMrs。Marchwouldknowaboutit，andshecouldnothelpsaying；Oh，yes，Mr。Marchwassomuchinterested。Shewonderedifsheoughttotellhimabouthishandkerchief；butsherememberedintimethatshehadleftitinMissTriscoe’skeeping。Shewonderedifthegirlrealizedhowhandsomehewas。Hewasextremelyhandsome，inhisblackeveningdress，withhisTuxedo，andthepallorofhisfacerepeatedinhisexpanseofshirtfront。
Atthebellfortherisingofthecurtainherosetoo，andtooktheirofferedhands。InofferinghersMrs。MarchaskedifhewouldnotstayandspeakwithMr。Marchandthegeneral；andnowforthefirsttimeherecognizedanythingclandestineinhisvisit。Helaughednervously，andsaid，“No，thankyou！”andshuthimselfout。
“Wemusttellthem。”saidMrs。March，ratherinterrogatively，andshewasgladthatthegirlansweredwithanoteofindignation。
“Why，certainly，Mrs。March。”
Theycouldnottellthematonce，forthesecondacthadbegunwhenMarchandthegeneralcameback；andaftertheoperawasoverandtheygotoutintothecrowdedstreettherewasnochance，forthegeneralwasobligedtoofferhisarmtoMrs。March，whileherhusbandfollowedwithhisdaughter。
Thefacadesofthetheatreandofthehotelswereoutlinedwiththicklysetlittlelamps，whichbeadedthearchesofthebridgesspanningtheTepl，andlightedthecasementsandportalsoftheshops。Highaboveall，againstthecurtainofblackwoodlandonthemountainwhereitsskeletonhadbeengrowingfordays，glitteredthecolossaleffigyofthedoubleheadedeagleofAustria，crownedwiththetiaraoftheHolyRomanEmpire；inthereflectedsplendorofitsmyriadlampsthepaleChristlookeddownfromthemountainoppositeuponthesurgingmultitudesinthestreetsandonthebridges。
Theyweremostamiablemultitudes，Marchthought，andtheyrespondeddocilelytotheentreatiesofthepolicemenwhostoodonthestepsofthebridges，anddividedtheirencounteringcurrentswithpatientappealsof“Bitteschon！Bitteschon！”HelaughedtothinkofaNewYorkcopsaying“Pleaseprettily！Pleaseprettily！”toaNewYorkcrowdwhichhewishedtohavegothiswayorthat，andthenheburnedwithshametothinkhowfarourmannerswerefromcivilization，whereverourheadsandheartsmightbe，whenheheardavoiceathiselbow：
“Apunchwithaclubwouldstartsomeofthesefellowsalongquicker。”
ItwasStoller，andMarchturnedfromhimtolosehisdisgustinthesuddenterrorofperceivingthatMissTriscoewasnolongerathisside。
NeithercouldheseehiswifeandGeneralTriscoe，andhebegantopushfranticallyaboutinthecrowdlookingforthegirl。Hehadaninterminablefiveortenminutesinhisvainsearch，andhewasgoingtocallouttoherbyname，whenBurnamysavedhimfromthehopelessabsurditybyelbowinghiswaytohimwithMiss。Triscoeonhisarm。
“Heresheis，Mr。March。”hesaid，asiftherewerenothingstrangeinhishavingbeentheretofindher；infacthehadfollowedthemallfromthetheatre，andatthemomenthesawthepartyseparated，andMissTriscoecarriedoffhelplessinthehumanstream，hadplungedinandrescuedher。BeforeMarchcouldformulateanyquestioninhisbewilderment，Burnamywasgoneagain；thegirlofferednoexplanationforhim，andMarchhadnotyetdecidedtoaskanywhenhecaughtsightofhiswifeandGeneralTriscoestandingtiptoeinadoorwayandcraningtheirnecksupwardandforwardtoscanthecrowdinsearchofhimandhischarge。Thenhelookedroundatherandopenedhislipstoexpresstheastonishmentthatfilledhim，whenbewasawareofanominousshiningofhereyesandtremblingofherhandonhisarm。
Shepressedhisarmnervously，andheunderstoodhertobeghimtoforbearatonceallquestionofherandallcommentonBurnamy’spresencetoherfather。
Itwouldnothavebeenjustthetimeforeither。NotonlyMrs。Marchwaswiththegeneral，butMrs。Addingalso；shehadcalledtothemfromthatplace，whereshewassafewithRosewhenshesawthemeddyingaboutinthecrowd。Thegeneralwasstill，expressingagratitudewhichbecamemorepressingthemoreitwasdisclaimed；hesaidcasuallyatsightofhisdaughter，“Ah；you’vefoundus，haveyou？”andwentontalkingtoMrs。Adding，whonoddedtothemlaughingly，andasked，“Didyouseemebeckoning？”
“Lookhere，mydear！”Marchsaidtohiswifeassoonastheypartedfromtherest，thegeneralgallantlypromisingthathisdaughterandhewouldseeMrs。Addingsafetoherhotel，andweremakingtheirwayslowlyhomealone。“DidyouknowthatBurnamywasinCarlsbad？”
“He’sgoingawayonthetwelve-o’clocktraintonight。”sheanswered，firmly。
“Whathasthatgottodowithit？Wheredidyouseehim？”
“Inthebox，whileyouwerebehindthescenes。”
Shetoldhimallaboutit，andhelistenedinsilentendeavorforthegroundofcensurefromwhichasenseofhisownguiltforcedhim。Sheaskedsuddenly，“Wheredidyouseehim？”andhetoldherinturn。
Headdedseverely，“Herfatheroughttoknow。Whydidn’tyoutellhim？”
“Whydidn’tyou？”sheretortedwithgreatreason。
“BecauseIdidn’tthinkhewasjustinthehumorforit。”Hebegantolaughashesketchedtheirencounterwiththegendarme，butshedidnotseemtothinkitamusing；andhebecameseriousagain。“Besides，Iwasafraidshewasgoingtoblubber，anyway。”