Allpalaceshaveacharacteroftiresomeunlivablenesswhichiscommontothemeverywhere，andveryprobablyifonecouldmeettheirproprietorsinthemonewouldaslittlerememberthemapartafterwardsasthepalacesthemselves。Itwillnotdotolifteitherhousesormenfaroutoftheaverage；theybecomespectacles，ceremonies；theyceasetohavecharm，tohavecharacter，whichbelongtothelevelsoflife，wherealonethereareeaseandcomfort，andhumannaturemaybeitself，withallthelittledelightfuldifferencesrepressedinthosewhorepresentandtypify。
Astheyfollowedthecustodianthroughthegrand-ducalResidenzatWeimar，MarchfelteverywherethestrongwishoftheprincewhowasGoethe’sfriendtoallyhimselfwithliterature，andtobehumanatleastinthehumanities。Hecamehonestlybyhispassionforpoets；hismotherhadknownitinhertime，andWeimarwasthehomeofWielandandofHerderbeforetheyoungGrand-DukecamebackfromhistravelsbringingGoethewithhim，andafterwardsattractingSchiller。ThestoryofthatgreatepochisallthereintheResidenz，toldasarticulatelyasapalacecan。
TherearecertainPoets’Rooms，frescoedwithillustrationsofGoethe，Schiller，andWieland；thereistheroomwhereGoetheandtheGrand-Dukeusedtoplaychesstogether；thereistheconservatoryopeningfromitwheretheylikedtositandchat；everywhereinthepicturesandsculptures，theengravingandintaglios，arethewitnessesofthetastestheyshared，thelovetheybothhadforItaly，andforbeautifulItalianthings。Theprincewasnotsogreataprincebutthathecouldverynearlybeaman；thecourtwasperhapsthemosthumancourtthateverwas；theGrand-Dukeandthegrandpoetwerefirstbooncompanions，andthenmonarchandministerworkingtogetherforthegoodofthecountry；
theywerealwaysfriends，andyet，astheAmericansawinthelightoftheNewWorld，whichhecarriedwithhim，howfarfromfriends！Atbestitwasmake-believe，themake-believeofsuperiorityandinferiority，themake-believeofmasterandman，whichcouldonlybethemorepainfulandghastlyfortheendeavoroftwogenerousspiritstoreachandrescueeachotherthroughtheasphyxiatingunreality；buttheykeptuptheshowofequalityfaithfullytotheend。Goethewasborncitizenofafreerepublic，andhisyouthwasnurturedinthetraditionsofliberty；hewasoneofthegreatestsoulsofanytime，andhemusthaveknowntheimpossibilityofthethingtheypretended；buthediedandmadenosign，andthepoet’sfriendshipwiththeprincehaspassedsmoothlyintohistoryasoneofthethingsthatmightreallybe。Theyworkedandplayedtogether；theydinedanddanced，theypicnickedandpoetized，eachonhisownsideoftheimpassablegulf；withanairofitsnotbeingtherewhichprobablydidnotdeceivetheircontemporariessomuchasposterity。
Apartofthepalacewasofcourseundergoingrepair；andinthegallerybeyondtheconservatoryacompanyofworkmenweresittingatatablewheretheyhadspreadtheirluncheon。Theyweresomewhatsubduedbytheconsciousnessoftheiraugustenvironment；butthesightofthemwascharming；theygaveakindlyinteresttotheplacewhichithadwantedbefore；andwhichtheMarchesfeltagaininanotherpalacewherethecustodianshowedthemthelittletindishesandsaucepanswhichtheGermanEmpressAugustaandhersistersplayedwithwhentheywerechildren。Thesightofthesewasmoreaffectingeventhanthewitheredwreathswhichtheyhadleftonthedeath-bedoftheirmother，andwhicharestillmoulderingthere。
ThiswasintheBelvedere，thecountryhouseontheheightoverlookingWeimar，wherethegrand-ducalfamilyspendthemonthofMay，andwherethestrangerfindshimselfamidoverwhelmingassociationsofGoethe，althoughtheplaceissofullofrelicsandmemorialsoftheowners。
Itseemedinfacttobeastorehouseforthewedding-presentsofthewholeconnection，whichwereonshowineveryroom；Mrs。Marchhardlyknewwhethertheyheightenedthedomesticeffectortookfromit；buttheyenabledhertoverifywiththecustodian’shelpcertainroyalintermarriageswhichshehadbeenindoubtaboutbefore。
HerzealforthesemadesuchfavorwithhimthathedidnotsparethemaportraitofallthosewhichMarchhopedtoescape；hepassedthemover，scarcelyabletostand，tothegardener，whowastoshowthemtheopen-
airtheatrewhereGoetheusedtotakepartintheplays。
TheNatur-Theaterwasofaclassicideal，realizedinthetrainedvinesandclippedtreeswhichformedthecoulisses。Therewasagrassyspaceforthechorusandthecommoneraudience，andthenafewsemicirculargradinescutintheturf，onealcoveanother，wherethemorehonoredspectatorssat。BehindtheseatswereplinthsbearingthebustsofGoethe，Schiller，Wieland，andHerder。Itwasallverypretty，andifevertheweatherinWeimarwasdryenoughtopermitaperformance，itmusthavebeencharmingtoseeaplayinthatopendaytowhichthedramaisnative，thoughinthelatehoursitnowkeepsinthethickairofmoderntheatresithaslongforgottenthefact。ItwouldbedifficulttobeGreekunderaGermansky，evenwhenitwasnotactuallyraining，butMarchheldthatwithGoethe’shelpitmighthavebeendoneatWeimar，andhiswifeandheprovedthemselvessuchenthusiastsfortheNatur-Theaterthatthewalnut-facedoldgardenerwhoshoweditputtogetherasheafoftheflowersthatgrewnearestitandgavethemtoMrs。Marchforasouvenir。
Theywentforacupofteatothecaf？whichlooks，asfromanothereyebrowofthehill，outoverlovelylittleWeimarintheplainbelow。
Inamomentofsunshinetheprospectwasverysmiling；buttheirspiritssankovertheirteawhenitcame；theywereatleastsorrytheyhadnotaskedforcoffee。Mostofthepeopleaboutthemweretakingbeer，includingtheprettygirlsofayoungladies’school，whoweretherewiththeirbooksandneedle-work，inthecareofoneoftheteachers，apparentlyfortheafternoon。
Mrs。Marchperceivedthattheywerenotsomuchengagedwiththeirbooksortheirneedle-workbuttheyhadeyesforotherthings，andshefollowedtheglancesofthegirlstilltheyresteduponthepeopleatatablesomewhatobliquelytotheleft。Thesewereapparentlyamotheranddaughter，andtheywerelisteningtoayoungmanwhosatwithhisbacktoMrs。March，andleanedlowoverthetabletalkingtothem。Theywerebothsmilingradiantly，andasthegirlsmiledshekeptturningherselffromthewaistup，andslantingherfacefromthissidetothat，asiftomakesurethateveryonesawhersmiling。
Mrs。Marchfeltherhusband’sgazefollowingherown，andshehadjusttimetopressherfingerfirmlyonhisarmandreducehiscryofastonishmenttothehoarsewhisperinwhichhegasped，“Goodgracious！
It’sthepivotalgirl！”
Atthesamemomentthegirlrosewithhermother，andwiththeyoungman，whohadrisentoo，camedirectlytowardtheMarchesontheirwayoutoftheplacewithoutnoticingthem，thoughBurnamypassedsonearthatMrs。
Marchcouldalmosthavetouchedhim。
Shehadjuststrengthtosay，“Well，mydear！Thatwasthecutdirect。”
Shesaidthisinordertohaveherhusbandreassureher。“Nonsense！Heneversawus。Whydidn’tyouspeaktohim？”
“Speaktohim？Inevershallspeaktohimagain。No！ThisisthelastofMr。Burnamyforme。Ishouldn’thavemindedhisnotrecognizingus，for，asyousay，Idon’tbelievehesawus；butifhecouldgobacktosuchagirlasthat，andflirtwithher，afterMissTriscoe，that’sallI
wishtoknowofhim。Don’tyoutrytolookhimup，Basil。！I’mglad-
yes，I’mgladhedoesn’tknowhowStollerhascometofeelabouthim；hedeservestosuffer，andIhopehe’llkeeponsuffering：Youwerequiteright，mydear——anditshowshowtrueyourinstinctisinsuchthingsI
don’tcallitmorethaninstinct——nottotellhimwhatStollersaid，andIdon’twantyouevershould。”
Shehadriseninherexcitement，andwasmakingoffinsuchhastethatshewouldhardlygivehimtimetopayfortheirtea，asshepulledhimimpatientlytotheircarriage。
Atlasthegotachancetosay，“Idon’tthinkIcanquitepromisethat；
mymind’sbeenveeringroundintheotherdirection。IthinkIshalltellhim。”
“What！Afteryou’veseenhimflirtingwiththatgirl？Verywell，then，youwon’t，mydear；that’sall！He’sbehavingverybaselytoAgatha。”
“What’shisflirtationwithallthegirlsintheuniversetodowithmydutytohim？HehasarighttoknowwhatStollerthinks。AndastohisbehavingbadlytowardMissTriscoe，howhashedoneit？Sofarasyouknow，thereisnothingwhateverbetweenthem。Sheeitherrefusedhimoutright，thatlastnightinCarlsbad，orelseshemadeimpossibleconditionswithhim。Burnamyissimplyconsolinghimself，andIdon’tblamehim。”
“Consolinghimselfwithapivotalgirl！”criedMrs。March。
“Yes，withapivotalgirl。Herpivotalitymaybeanervousidiosyncrasy，oritmaybetheeffectoftightlacing；perhapsshehastokeepturningandtwistingthatwaytogetbreath。Butattributetheworstmotive：sayitistomakepeoplelookather！Well，Burnamyhasarighttolookwiththerest；andIamnotgoingtorenouncehimbecausehetakesrefugewithoneprettygirlfromanother。It’swhatmenhavebeendoingfromthebeginningoftime。”
“Oh，Idaresay！”
“Men。”hewenton，“areverydelicatelyconstituted；verypeculiarly。
Theyhavebeenknowntoseekthesocietyofgirlsingeneral，ofanygirl，becausesomegirlhasmadethemhappy；andwhensomegirlhasmadethemunhappy，theyarestillmoresusceptible。Burnamymaybemerelyamusinghimself，orhemaybeconsolinghimself；butineithercaseI
thinkthepivotalgirlhasasmuchrighttohimasMissTriscoe。Shehadhimfirst；andI’mallforher。”