ThatwasnotthefirsttimeGeneralTriscoehadsilencedquestionofhisopinionswiththeargumenthehaduseduponEltwin，thoughhewasseldomabletouseitsoaptly。Healwaysfoundthatpeoplesuffered，hisbeliefinournationaldegenerationmuchmorereadilywhentheyknewthathehadleftadiplomaticpositioninEuropehehadgoneabroadassecretaryofaminorlegationtocomehomeandfightfortheUnion。
Somemillionsofothermenhadgoneintothewarfromthevariedmotiveswhichimpelledmenatthattime；buthewasawarethathehaddistinction，asamanofpropertyandamanoffamily，indoingso。Hisfamilyhadimprovedastimepassed，anditwasnowsooldthatbackofhisgrandfatheritwaslostinantiquity。ThisancestorhadretiredfromtheseaandbecomeamerchantinhisnativeRhodeIslandport，wherehissonestablishedhimselfasaphysician，andmarriedthedaughterofaformerslave-traderwhosesocialpositionwasthehighestintheplace；
Triscoelikedtomentionhismaternalgrandfatherwhenhewishedalistenertorealizejusthowanomaloushispartinawaragainstslaverywas；itheightenedtheeffectofhispose。
Hefoughtgallantlythroughthewar，andhewasbrevettedBrigadier-
Generalattheclose。Withthishonor，andwiththewoundwhichcausedanalmostimperceptiblelimpinhisgait，hewontheheartofarichNewYorkgirl，andherfathersethimupinabusiness，whichwasnotlongingoingtopiecesinhishands。ThentheyoungcouplewenttoliveinParis，wheretheirdaughterwasborn，andwherethemotherdiedwhenthechildwastenyearsold。Alittlelaterhisfather-in-lawdied，andTriscoereturnedtoNewYork，wherehefoundthefortunewhichhisdaughterhadinheritedwasmuchlessthanhesomehowthoughthehadarighttoexpect。
Theincomefromherfortunewasenoughtoliveon，andhedidnotgobacktoParis，where，infact，thingswerenotsomuchtohismindundertheRepublicastheyhadbeenundertheSecondEmpire。Hewasstillwillingtodosomethingforhiscountry，however，andheallowedhisnametobeusedonacitizen’sticketinhisdistrict；buthisprovision-manwassenttoCongressinstead。ThenheretiredtoRhodeIslandandattemptedtoconverthisshorepropertyintoawatering-place；butafterbeingattractivelyplottedandlaidoutwithstreetsandsidewalks，itallurednoonetobuildonitexceptthebirdsandthechipmonks，andhecamebacktoNewYork，wherehisdaughterhadremainedinschool。
Oneofhermaternalauntsmadeheracoming-outtea，aftersheleftschool；andsheentereduponaseriesofdinners，dances，theatreparties，andreceptionsofallkinds；butthetideoffairygoldpouringthroughherfingersleftnoengagement-ringonthem。Shehadnoduties，butsheseldomgotoutofhumorwithherpleasures；shehadsomeoddtastesofherown，andinasocietywherenonebutthemostseriousbookswereeverseriouslymentionedshewasratherfondofgoodones，andhadromanticideasofalifethatshevaguelycalledbohemian。Hercharacterwasnevertestedbyanythingmoretryingthanthefearthatherfathermighttakeherabroadtolive；hehadtakenherabroadseveraltimesforthesummer。
Thedreadedtrialdidnotapproachforseveralyearsaftershehadceasedtobeabud；andthenitcamewhenherfatherwasagainwillingtoservehiscountryindiplomacy，eitherattheHague，oratBrussels，orevenatBerne。Reasonsofpoliticalgeographypreventedhisappointmentanywhere，butGeneralTriscoehavingarrangedhisaffairsforgoingabroadonthemissionhehadexpected，decidedtogowithoutit。Hewasreallyveryfitforbothoftheofficeshehadsought，andsofarasamancandeservepublicplacebypublicservice，hehaddeservedit。
Hispessimismwasuncommonlywellgrounded，andifitdidnotgoverydeep，itmightwellhavereachedthebottomofhisnature。
Hisdaughterhadbeguntodivinehimattheearlyagewhenparentssupposethemselvesstilltobemysteriestotheirchildren。Shedidnotthinkitnecessaryevertoexplainhimtoothers；perhapsshewouldnothavefounditpossible；andnowaftershepartedfromMrs。EltwinandwenttositdownbesideMrs。Marchshedidnotrefertoherfather。ShesaidhowsweetshehadfoundtheoldladyfromOhio；andwhatsortofplacedidMrs。MarchsupposeitwaswhereMrs。Eltwinlived？Theyseemedtohaveeverythingthere，likeanyplace。ShehadwantedtoaskMrs。
Eltwiniftheysatontheirsteps；butshehadnotquitedared。
Burnamycameby，slowly，andatMrs。March’ssuggestionhetookoneofthechairsonherotherside，tohelpherandMissTriscoelookattheChannelIslandsandwatchtheapproachofthesteamertoCherbourg，wheretheNorumbiawastolandagain。TheyoungpeopletalkedacrossMrs。
Marchtoeachother，andsaidhowcharmingtheislandswere，intheirgray-greeninsubstantiality，withvalleysfurrowingthemfarinward，likeairycleftsinlowbanksofclouds。Itseemedallthenicernottoknowjustwhichwaswhich；butwhentheshipdrewnearertoCherbourg，hesuggestedthattheycouldseebetterbygoingroundtotheothersideoftheship。MissTriscoe，asattheothertimeswhenshehadgoneoffwithBurnamy，markedherallegiance，toMrs。Marchbyleavingawrapwithher。
Everyonewasrestlessinbreakingwiththeoldlifeatsea。Therehadbeenanequalunrestwhentheshipfirstsailed；peoplehadfirstcomeaboardinthedemoralizationofseveringtheirtieswithhome，andtheyshrankfromformingothers。Thenthecharmoftheidle，eventlesslifegrewuponthem，andunitedtheminafondreluctancefromtheinevitableend。
Nowthatthebeginningoftheendhadcome，thepangsofdisintegrationwerefeltinalltheonce-more-repellantparticles。BurnamyandMissTriscoe，astheyhungupontherail，ownedtoeachotherthattheyhatedtohavethevoyageover。TheyhadlikedleavingPlymouthandbeingatseaagain；theywishedthattheyneednotberemindedofanotherdebarkationbytheenergyofthecraneinhoistingtheCherbourgbaggagefromthehold。
TheyapprovedofthepicturesquenessofthreeFrenchvesselsofwarthatpassed，draggingtheirkrakenshapeslowthroughthelevelwater。AtCherbourganemotionalFrenchtendercameouttotheship，verydifferentinherclamorousvoicesandexcitedfiguresfromthesteadyself-controloftheEnglishtenderatPlymouth；andtheythoughttheFrenchfortificationsmuchmoreonshowthantheEnglishhadbeen。NothingmarkedtheiryouthfuldatesomuchtotheMarches，whopresentlyjoinedthem，astheirfailuretorealizethatinthispeacefulseathegreatbattlebetweentheKearsargeandtheAlabamawasfought。Theeldercoupletriedtoaffecttheirimaginationswiththefactwhichreanimatedthespectreofadreadfulwarforthemselves；buttheyhadtopassonand，leavetheyoungpeopleunmoved。
Mrs。Marchwonderediftheynoticedthedebarkationofthepivotalgirl，whomshesawstandingonthedeckofthetender，withherhandsatherwaist，andgivingnowthissideandnowthatsideofherfacetotheyoungmenwavingtheirhatstoherfromtherailoftheship。Burnamywasnotoftheirnumber，andheseemednottoknowthatthegirlwasleavinghimfinallytoMissTriscoe。IfMissTriscoeknewitshedidnothingthewholeofthatlong，lastafternoontoprofitbythefact。
BurnamyspentagreatpartofitinthechairbesideMrs。March，andheshowedanintolerableresignationtothegirl’sabsence。
“Yes。”saidMarch，takingtheplaceBurnamyleftatlast，“thatterriblepatienceofyouth！”
“Patience？Folly！Stupidity！Theyoughttobetogethereveryinstant！
Dotheysupposethatlifeisfullofsuchchances？Dotheythinkthatfatehasnothingtodobut——“
Shestoppedforafitclimax，andhesuggested，“Hangroundandwaitonthem？”
“Yes！It’stheironechanceinalife-time，probably。”
“Thenyou’vequitedecidedthatthey’reinlove？”Hesankcomfortablyback，andputuphiswearylegsonthechair’sextensionwiththeconvictionthatlovehadnosuchjoyasthattooffer。
“I’vedecidedthatthey’reintenselyinterestedineachother。”
“Thenwhatmorecanweaskofthem？Andwhydoyoucarewhattheydoordon’tdowiththeirchance？Whydoyouwishtheirlovewell，ifit’sthat？Ismarriagesuchaverycertaingood？”
“Itisn’tallthatitmightbe，butit’sallthatthereis。Whatwouldourliveshavebeenwithoutit？”sheretorted。
“Oh，weshouldhavegoton。It’ssuchatremendousriskthatwe，oughttogoroundbeggingpeopletothinktwice，tocountahundred，oranonillion，beforetheyfallinlovetothemarrying-point。Idon’tmindtheirflirting；thatamusesthem；butmarryingisadifferentthing。
IdoubtifPapaTriscoewouldtakekindlytothenotionofason-in-lawhehadn’tselectedhimself，andhisdaughterdoesn’tstrikemeasayoungladywhohasanywisdomtothrowawayonachoice。Shehasherlittlecharm；herlittlegiftofbeauty，ofgrace，ofspirit，andtheotherthingsthatgowithherageandsex；butwhatcouldshedoforafellowlikeBurnamy，whohashiswaytomake，whohastheladderoffametoclimb，withanoldmotheratthebottomofittolookafter？Youwouldn’twanthimtohaveaneyeonMissTriscoe’smoney，evenifshehadmoney，andIdoubtifshehasmuch。It’sallveryprettytohaveagirllikeherfascinatedwithayouthofhissimpletraditions；thoughBurnamyisn’taltogetherpastoralinhisideals，andhelooksforwardtoaplaceintheveryworldshebelongsto。Idon’tthinkit’sforustopromotetheaffair。”
“Well，perhapsyou’reright。”shesighed。“Iwillletthemalonefromthisout。Thankgoodness，Ishallnothavethemundermyeyesverylong。”
“Oh，Idon’tthinkthere’sanyharmdoneyet。”saidherhusband，withalaugh。
Atdinnerthereseemedsolittleharmofthekindhemeantthatshesufferedfromanillogicaldisappointment。Theyoungpeoplegotthroughthemealwithnotalkthatseemedinductive；Burnamyleftthetablefirst，andMissTriscoeborehisgoingwithoutapparentdiscouragement；
shekeptonchattingwithMarchtillhiswifetookhimawaytotheirchairsondeck。
Therewereafewmoreshipsinsightthantherewereinmid-ocean；butthelatetwilightthickenedovertheNorthSeaquitelikethenightaftertheyleftNewYork，exceptthatitwascolder；andtheirheartsturnedtotheirchildren，whohadbeeninabeyancefortheweekpast，witharemorsefulpang。“Well，shesaid，“IwishweweregoingtobeinNewYorkto-morrow，insteadofHamburg。”
“Oh，no！Oh，no！”heprotested。“Notsobadasthat，mydear。Thisisthelastnight，andit’shardtomanage，asthelastnightalwaysis。I
supposethelastnightonearth——“
“Basil！”sheimplored。
“Well，Iwon’t，then。ButwhatIwantistoseeaDutchlugger。I’veneverseenaDutchlugger，and——“
Shesuddenlypressedhisarm，andinobediencetothesignalhewassilent；thoughitseemedafterwardsthatheoughttohavegoneontalkingasifhedidnotseeBurnamyandMissTriscoeswingingslowlyby。Theywerewalkingclosetogether，andshewasleaningforwardandlookingupintohisfacewhilehetalked。
“Now。”Mrs。Marchwhispered，longaftertheywereoutofhearing，“letusgoinstantly。Iwouldn’tforworldshavethemseeusherewhentheygetfoundagain。Theywouldfeelthattheyhadtostopandspeak，andthatwouldspoileverything。Come！