TheirwaywaspartlyupthequayoftheMain，pastabarrackfullofsoldiers。Theymetdetachmentsofsoldierseverywhere，infantry，artillery，cavalry。
“Thisisgoingtobeagreatshow。”Kenbysaid，meaningthemanoeuvres，andheadded，asifnowhehadkeptawayfromthesubjectlongenoughandhadarighttorecurtoit，atleastindirectly，“IshouldliketohaveRoseseeit，andgethisimpressions。”
“I’veanideahewouldn’tapproveofit。Hismothersayshismindisturningmoreandmoretophilanthropy。”
KenbycouldnotforegosuchachancetospeakofMrs。Adding。“It’soneoftheprettiestthingstoseehowsheunderstandsRose。It’scharmingtoseethemtogether。Shewouldn’thavehalftheattractionwithouthim。”
“Oh，yes。”Marchassented。Hehadoftenwonderedhowamanwishingtomarryawidowmanagedwiththeideaofherchildrenbyanothermarriage；
butifKenbywashonest；itwasmuchsimplerthanhehadsupposed。Hecouldnotsaythistohim，however，andinacertainembarrassmenthehadwiththeconjectureinhispresenceheattemptedadiversion。“We’repromisedsomethingattheVolksfestwhichwillbeagreatnoveltytousasAmericans。Ourdrivertoldusthismorningthatoneofthehousestherewasbuiltentirelyofwood。”
WhentheyreachedthegroundsoftheVolksfest，thiscivilfeatureofthegreatmilitaryeventathand，whichtheMarcheshadfoundlargelysetforthintheprogrammeoftheparade，didnotfullykeeptheglowingpromisesmadeforit；infactitcouldnoteasilyhavedoneso。ItwasinapleasantneighborhoodofnewvillassuchasformthemodernquarterofeveryGermancity，andtheVolksfestwasevenmoreunfinishedthanitsenvironment。Itwasnotyetenclosedbythefencewhichwastohideitswondersfromthenon-payingpublic，butMarchandKenbywentinthroughanarchwaywherethegate-moneywasaseffectuallycollectedfromthemasiftheywerebarredeveryotherentrance。
Thewoodenbuildingwaseasilydistinguishablefromtheotheredificesbecausetheseweretentsandboothsstilllesssubstantial。Theydidnotmakeoutitsfunction，butoftheothersfourshelteredmerry-go-rounds，fourwerebeer-gardens，fourwererestaurants，andtherestweredevotedtoamusementsoftheusualcountry-fairtype。Apparentlytheyhadlittleattractionforcountrypeople。TheAmericansmetfewpeasantsinthegrounds，andneitherattheEdisonkinematograph，wheretheyrefreshedtheirpatriotismwithsomescenesoftheirnativelife，noratthelittletheatrewheretheysawthesportsofthearenarevived，inthewrestleofawomanwithabear，didanyofthepeopleexcepttradesmenandartisansseemtobetakingpartinthefestivalexpressionofthepopularpleasure。
Thewoman，whofinallythrewthebear，whetherbyslight，orbymainstrength，orbyapreviousunderstandingwithhim，wasaslendercreature，patheticallysmallandnotaltogetherplain；andMarchastheywalkedawaylapsedintoapensivemuseuponherstrangeemploy。Hewonderedhowshecametotakeitup，andwhethershebeganwiththebearwhentheywerebothveryyoung，andshecouldeasilythrowhim。
“Well，womenhaveagreatdealmorestrengththanwesuppose。”KenbybeganwithaphilosophicalairthatgaveMarchthehopeofsomerationalconversation。Thenhiseyeglazedwithafar-offlook，andadotingsmilecameintohisface。“WhenwewentthroughtheDresdengallerytogether，RoseandIwereperfectlyusedupattheendofanhour，buthismotherkeptonaslongastherewasanythingtosee，andcameawayasfreshasapeach。”
ThenMarchsawthatitwasuselesstoexpectanythingdifferentfromhim，andhelethimtalkonaboutMrs。Addingalltherestofthewaybacktothehotel。Kenbyseemedonlytohavebegunwhentheyreachedthedoor，andwantedtocontinuethesubjectinthereading-room。
Marchpleadedhiswishtofindhowhiswifehadgotthroughtheafternoon，andheescapedtoher。HewouldhavetoldhernowthatKenbywasinthehouse，buthewasreallysosickofthefacthimselfthathecouldnotspeakofitatonce，andhelethergooncelebratingallshehadseenfromthewindowsinceshehadwakedfromherlongnap。Shesaidshecouldneverbegladenoughthattheyhadcomejustatthattime。
Soldiershadbeengoingbythewholeafternoon，andthatmadeitsofeudal。
Yes。”heassented。“Butaren’tyoucominguptothestationwithmetoseethePrince-Regentarrive？He’sdueatseven，youknow。”
“IdeclareIhadforgottenallaboutit。No，I’mnotequaltoit。Youmustgo；youcantellmeeverything；besuretonoticehowthePrincessMarialooks；thelastoftheStuarts，youknow；andsomepeopleconsiderhertherightfulQueenofEngland；andI’llhavethesupperordered，andwecangodownassoonasyou’vegotback。”
MarchfeltrathershabbystealingawaywithoutKenby；buthehadreallyhadasmuchofMrs。Addingashecouldstand，foroneday，andhewasevenbeginningtogetsickofRose。Besides，hehadnotsentbackalinefor’EveryOtherWeek’yet，andhehadmadeuphismindtowriteasketchofthemanoeuvres。TothisendhewishedtoreceiveanimpressionofthePrince-Regent’sarrivalwhichshouldnotbeblurredorcloudedbyotherinterests。Hiswifeknewthekindofthinghelikedtosee，andwouldhavehelpedhimoutwithhisobservations，butKenbywouldhavegotintheway，andwouldhavecloggedthemovementofhisfancyinassigningthefactstothepartshewouldlikethemtoplayinthesketch。
AtleasthemadesomesuchexcusestohimselfashehurriedalongtowardtheKaiserstrasse。Thedraughtofuniversalinterestinthatdirectionhadlefttheotherstreetsalmostdeserted，butasheapproachedthethoroughfarehefoundallthewaysblocked，andthehorse-cars，ordinarilysofuriouslyheadlong，arrestedbythemultipleranksofspectatorsonthesidewalks。Theavenueleadingfromtherailwaystationtothepalacewasdecoratedwithflagsandgarlands，andplantedwiththestemsofyoungfirsandbirches。Thedoorwayswerecrowded，andthewindowsdensewitheagerfacespeeringoutofthedrapedbunting。Thecarriagewaywaskeptclearbymildpolicemenwhonowandthenallowedoneofthecrowdtocrossit。
Thecrowdwasmadeupmostlyofwomenandboys，andwhenMarchjoinedthem，theyhadalreadybeenwaitinganhourforthesightoftheprinceswhoweretoblessthemwithavisionofthefaeryracewhichkingsalwaysaretocommonmen。Hethoughtthepeoplelookeddull，andthereforeabletobearthestrainofexpectationwithpatiencebetterthanalivelierrace。Theyrelieveditbynoattemptatjoking；hereandthereadimsmiledawnedonawearyface，butitseemedaneffectofamiabilityratherthanhumor。Therewassolittleofthis，orelseitwassowellbridledbythesolemnityoftheoccasion，thatnotaman，woman，orchildlaughedwhenabareheadedmaid-servantbrokethroughthelinesandrandownbetweenthemwithalife-sizeplasterbustoftheEmperorWilliaminherarms：shecarrieditlikeanovergrowninfant，andinalarmatherconspicuouspartshecastfrightenedlooksfromsidetosidewithoutarousinganysortofnotice。Undeterredbyherfailure，ayoungdog，partedfromhisowner，andseekinghiminthecrowd，pursuedhissearchinawildflightdowntheguardedroadwaywithanairofanxietythatinAmericawouldhavewonhimthundersofapplause，andallsortsofkindlyencouragementstogreaterspeed。ButthisGermancrowdwitnessedhisprogressapparentlywithoutinterest，andwithoutasignofpleasure。
TheyweretheretoseethePrince-Regentarrive，andtheydidnotsufferthemselvestobedistractedbyanypreliminaryexcitement。Suddenlytheindefinableemotionwhichexpressesthefulfilmentofexpectationinawaitingcrowdpassedthroughthemultitude，andbeforeherealizeditMarchwaslookingintothefriendlygray-beardedfaceofthePrince-
Regent，forthemomentthathiscarriageallowedinpassing。Thiscamefirstprecededbyfouroutriders，andfollowedbyothersimpleequipagesofBavarianblue，fullofhighnessesofallgrades。BesidetheRegentsathisdaughter-in-law，thePrincessMaria，hersilveredhairframingafaceasplainandgoodastheRegent’s，ifnotsointelligent。
He，invirtueofhavingbeenborninWurzburg，isofficiallysupposedtobespeciallybelovedbyhisfellowtownsmen；andtheynowtestifiedtheiraffectionashewhirledthroughtheirranks，bowingrightandleft，bywhatpassesinGermanyforacheer。ItisthewordHoch，groanedforthfromabdominaldepths，anddismallyprolongedinahollowroarlikethatwhichthemobmakesbehindthescenesatthetheatrebeforeburstinginvisibletumultonthestage。Thenthecrowddispersed，andMarchcameawaywonderingwhysuchakindly-lookingPrince-Regentshouldnothavegiventhemalittlelongersightofhimself；aftertheyhadwaitedsopatientlyforhourstoseehim。Butdoubtlessinthosecountries，heconcluded，theartofkeepingthesovereignpreciousbysufferinghimtoberarelyandbrieflyseeniswiselystudied。
OnhiswayhomeheresolvedtoconfessKenby’spresence；andhedidsoassoonashesatdowntosupperwithhiswife。“Ioughttohavetoldyouthefirstthingafterbreakfast。ButwhenIfoundyouinthatmoodofhavingtheplacealltoourselves，Iputitoff。”
“Youtookterriblechances，mydear。”shesaid，gravely。
“AndIhavebeenterriblypunished。You’venoideahowmuchKenbyhastalkedtomeaboutMrs。Adding！”
Shebrokeoutlaughing。“Well，perhapsyou’vesufferedenough。Butyoucanseenow，can’tyou，thatitwouldhavebeenawfulifIhadmethim，andletoutthatIdidn’tknowhewashere？”
“Terrible。ButifIhadtold，itwouldhavespoiledthewholemorningforyou；youcouldn’thavethoughtofanythingelse。”
“Oh，Idon’tknow。”shesaid，airily。“WhatshouldyouthinkifItoldyouIhadknownhewashereeversincelastnight？”Shewentonindelightatthestarthegave。“Isawhimcomeintothehotelwhileyouweregonefortheguide-books，andIdeterminedtokeepitfromyouaslongasIcould；Iknewitwouldworryyou。We’vebothbeenverynice；
andIforgiveyou。”shehurriedon，“becauseI’vereallygotsomethingtotellyou。”
“Don’ttellmethatBurnamyishere！”
“Don’tjumptoconclusions！No，Burnamyisn’there，poorfellow！Anddon’tsupposethatI’mguiltyofconcealmentbecauseIhaven’ttoldyoubefore。IwasjustthinkingwhetherIwouldn’tspareyoutillmorning，butnowIshallletyoutakethebruntofit。Mrs。AddingandRosearehere。”Shegavethefacttimetosinkin，andthensheadded，“AndMissTriscoeandherfatherarehere。”
“WhatisthematterwithMajorEltwinandhiswifebeinghere，too？Aretheyinourhotel？”
“No，theyarenot。TheycametolookforroomswhileyouwereoffwaitingforthePrince-Regent，andIsawthem。TheyintendedtogotoFrankfortforthemanoeuvres，buttheyheardthattherewasnotevenstanding-roomthere，andsothegeneraltelegraphedtotheSpanischerHof，andtheyallcamehere。Asitis，hewillhavetoroomwithRose，andAgathaandMrs。Addingwillroomtogether。Ididn’tthinkAgathawaslookingverywell；shelookedunhappy；Idon’tbelieveshe’sheard，fromBurnamyyet；Ihadn’tachancetoaskher。Andthere’ssomethingelsethatI’mafraidwillfairlymakeyousick。”
“Oh，no；goon。Idon’tthinkanythingcandothat，afteranafternoonofKenby’sconfidences。”