FromthewindowofthetrainasitdrewoutMrs。Marchtriedforaglimpseoftheomnibusinwhichherprotegeswerenowrollingawaytogether。Astheywerequiteoutofsightintheomnibus，whichwasitselfoutofsight，shefailed，butasshefellbackagainstherseatshetreatedtherecentincidentwithacomplexityandsimultaneityofwhichnoreportcangiveanidea。Attheendonefatalconvictionremained：thatineverythingshehadsaidshehadfailedtoexplaintoMissTriscoehowBurnamyhappenedtobeinWeimarandhowhehappenedtobetherewiththeminthestation。SherequiredMarchtosayhowshehadoverlookedtheverythingswhichsheoughttohavementionedfirst，andwhichshehadonthepointofhertonguethewholetime。Shewentovertheentiregroundagaintoseeifshecoulddiscoverthereasonwhyshehadmadesuchanunaccountablebreak，anditappearedthatshewasledtoitbyhisrushingafterherwithBurnamybeforeshehadhadachancetosayawordabouthim；ofcourseshecouldnotsayanythinginhispresence。Thisgavehersomecomfort，andtherewasconsolationinthefactthatshehadleftthemtogetherwithouttheleastintentionorconnivance，andnow，nomatterwhathappened，shecouldnotaccuseherself，andhecouldnotaccuseherofmatch-making。
Hesaidthathisownsenseofguiltwassogreatthatheshouldnotdreamofaccusingherofanythingexceptofregretthatnowshecouldneverclaimthecreditofbringingtheloverstogetherundercircumstancessofavorable。Assoonastheywereengagedtheycouldjoininrenouncingherwithagoodconscience，andtheywouldprobablymakethisthebasisoftheireffortstopropitiatethegeneral。
Shesaidshedidnotcare，andwiththemereremovaloftheloversinspace，herinterestinthembegantoabate。TheybegantobeofaminorimportanceintheanxietiesofthechangeoftrainsatHalle，andintheexcitementofsettlingintotheexpressfromFrankfortthereweremomentswhentheywerealtogetherforgotten。ThecarwasofalmostAmericanlength，anditranwithalmostAmericansmoothness；whentheconductorcameandcollectedanextrafarefortheirseats，theMarchesfeltthatifthechargehadbeentwodollarsinsteadoftwomarkstheywouldhavehadeveryadvantageofAmericantravel。
OnthewaytoBerlinthecountrywasnowfertileandflat，andnowsterileandflat；nearthecapitalthelevelsandywastespreadalmosttoitsgates。Thetrainranquicklythroughthenarrowfringeofsuburbs，andthentheywereinoneofthosevastContinentalstationswhichputouroutdateddepotstoshame。Thegood’traeger’whotookpossessionofthemandtheirhand-bags，puttheirboxesonabaggage-bearingdrosky，andthengotthemanotherdroskyfortheirpersonaltransportation。Thiswasadroskyofthefirst-class，buttheywouldnothavethoughtitso，eitherfromthevehicleitself，orfromtheappearanceofthedriverandhishorses。ThepubliccarriagesofGermanyaretheshabbiestintheworld；atBerlinthehorseslooklikeoldhairtrunksandthedriversliketheirmoth-eatencontents。
TheMarchesgotnosplendorforthetwopricestheypaid，andtheirapproachtotheirhotelonUnterdenLindenwasasunimpressiveastheignobleavenueitself。Itwasamoist，coldevening，andthemean，tiresomestreet，sloppedandsplashedunderitstworowsofsmalltrees，towhichthethinningleavesclunglikewetrags，betweenlonglinesofshopsandhotelswhichhadneitherthegraceofParisnorthegrandiosityofNewYork。Marchquotedinbitterderision：
“Bees，bees，wasityourhydromel，UndertheLindens？”
andhiswifesaidthatifCommonwealthAvenueinBostoncouldbeimaginedwithitstreesandwithouttheirbeauty，flankedbythearchitectureofSixthAvenue，withdashesofthewestsideofUnionSquare，thatwouldbethefamousUnterdenLinden，whereshehadsoresolutelydecidedthattheywouldstaywhileinBerlin。
Theyhadagreeduponthehotel，andneithercouldblametheotherbecauseitprovedsecond-rateineverythingbutitscharges。Theyateapoorishtabled’hotedinnerinsuchlowspiritsthatMarchhadnohearttogetarisefromhiswifebycallinghernoticetothemousewhichfeduponthecrumbsabouttheirfeetwhiletheydined。TheirEnglish-speakingwaitersaidthatitwasaverywarmevening，andtheyneverknewwhetherthiswasbecausehewasahumorist，orbecausehewaslonelyandwishedtotalk，orbecauseitreallywasawarmevening，forBerlin。Whentheyhadfinished，theywentoutanddroveaboutthegreaterpartoftheeveninglookingforanotherhotel，whosefirstrequisiteshouldbethatitwasnotonUnterdenLinden。WhatmainlydeterminedMrs。Marchinfavorofthelarge，handsome，impersonalplacetheyfixeduponwasthefactthatitwasequippedforsteam-heating；whatdeterminedMarchwasthefactthatithadapassenger-officewherewhenhewishedtoleave，hecouldbuyhisrailroadticketsandhavehisbaggagecheckedwithoutthemaddeninganxiety，ofdoingitatthestation。Butitwaspreciselyinthesepointsthatthehotelwhichadmirablyfulfilleditsotherfunctionsfellshort。Theweathermadeasuccessionofeffortsthroughouttheirstaytoclearupcold；itmerelygrewcolderwithoutclearingup，butthisseemedtooffernosuggestionofsteamforheatingtheirbleakapartmentandthechillycorridorstothemanagement。Withthehelpofalargelampwhichtheykeptburningnightanddaytheygotthetemperatureoftheirroomsuptosixty；therewasneitherstovenorfireplace，thecoldelectricbulbsdiffusedafrostyglare；andinthevast，statelydining-roomwithitsvaultedroof，therewasnothingtowarmthembuttheirplates，andthehandlesoftheirknivesandforks，which，byamysteriousinspiration，werealwayshot。Whentheywerereadytogo，Marchexperiencedfromtheapathyofthebaggageclerkandthereluctanceoftheportersamorepiercingdistressthananyhehadknownattherailroadstations；andonelucklessvalisewhichheorderedsentafterhimbyexpressreachedhisbankersinParisafortnightoverdue，withanaccumulationofchargesuponitoutvaluingthebookswhichitcontained。
Butthesewereminordefectsinanestablishmentwhichhadmanymerits，andwasmainlyofthetemperamentandintentionofthelargeEnglishrailroadhotels。Theylookedfromtheirwindowsdownintoagardenedsquare，peopledwithafullshareofthesuperaboundingstatuesofBerlinandfrequentedbybabiesandnursemaidswhoseemednottomindthecoldanymorethanthestonekingsandgenerals。Theaspectofthissquare，liketheexcellentcookingofthehotelandthearchitectureoftheimperialcapital，suggestedthesuperiorcivilizationofParis。EventherowsofgrayhousesandprivatepalacesofBerlinareintheFrenchtaste，whichistheonlytastethereisinBerlin。ThesuggestionofParisisconstant，butitisofParisinexile，andwithoutthechicwhichthecitywearsinitsnativeair。Thecrowdlacksthisasmuchasthearchitectureandthesculpture；thereisnodistinctionamongthemenexceptfornowandthenamilitaryfigure，andamongthewomennostylesuchasrelievesthecommonplacerashoftheNewYorkstreets。TheBerlinersareplainandilldressed，bothmenandwomen，andeventhelittlechildrenareplain。Everyoneisilldressed，butnooneisragged，andamongtheundersizedhomelyfolkofthelowerclassesthereisnosuchpoverty-strickenshabbinessasshocksandinsultsthesightinNewYork。Thatwhichdistinctlyrecallsourmetropolisistheloftypassageoftheelevatedtrainsintersectingtheprospectivesofmanystreets；butinBerlintheelevatedroadiscarriedonmassivebrickarchwaysandnotliftedupongay，crazyironladderslikeours。
Whenyoulookawayfromthis，andregardBerlinonitsaesthetic，sideyouareagaininthatbanishedParis，whosecaptiveart-soulismadetoserve，sofarasitmaybeenslavedtosuchaneffect，inthecelebrationoftheGermantriumphoverFrance。Berlinhasneverthepresenceofagreatcapital，however，inspiteofitsperpetualmonumentalinsistence。
Thereisnostreamingmovementinbroadvistas；thedulllookingpopulationmovessluggishly；thereisnoshowoffineequipages。Theprevailingtoneofthecityandtheskyisgray；butunderthecloudyheaventhereisnoresponsiveGothicsolemnityinthearchitecture。
TherearehintsoftheolderGermancitiesinsomeoftheremoteandobservestreets，butotherwiseallisasnewasBoston，whichinfacttheactualBerlinhardlyantedates。
ThereareeasilymorestatuesinBerlinthaninanyothercityintheworld，buttheyonlyuniteinfailingtogiveBerlinanartisticair。
Theystandinlongrowsonthecornices；theycrowdthepediments；theypoiseononelegabovedomesandarches；theyshelterthemselvesinniches；theyrideaboutonhorseback；theysitorloungeonstreetcornersoringardenwalks；allwithamediocrityintheoldersortwhichfailsofanyimpression。Iftheywereonlyfuriouslybaroquetheywouldbesomething，anditmaybefromasenseofthisthatthereisaself-
assertionintherecentsculptures，whicharealwayspatriotic，morenoisyandbraggingthananythingelseinperennialbrass。ThisoffensiveartisthemodernPrussianavataroftheoldGermanromanticspirit，andbearsthesamerelationtoitthatmodernromanticisminliteraturebearstoromance。ItfindsitsapotheosisinthemonumenttoKaiserWilhelmI。，avastincoherentgroupofswellingandswaggeringbronze，commemoratingthevictoryofthefirstPrussianEmperorinthewarwiththelastFrenchEmperor，andavengingthevanquisheduponthevictorsbyitsugliness。Theungainlyandirrelevantassemblageofmenandanimalsbacksawayfromtheimperialpalace，andsavesitselftoosoonfromplungingovertheborderofacanalbehindit，notfarfromRauch’sgreatstatueofthegreatFrederic。Tocometoitfromthesimplicityandquietofthatnobleworkislikepassingfromsomeexquisitemasterpieceofnaturalisticactingtotherantanduproarofmelodrama；andtheMarchesstoodstunnedandbewilderedbyitswildexplosions。
Whentheycouldescapetheyfoundthemselvessoconvenienttotheimperialpalacethattheyjudgedbesttodischargeatoncetheobligationtovisititwhichmustotherwiseweighuponthem。Theyenteredthecourtwithoutoppositionfromthesentinel，andjoinedotherstrangersstragglinginstinctivelytowardawaiting-roominonecornerofthebuilding，whereaftertheyhadincreasedtosomethirty，acustodiantookchargeofthem，andledthemupaseriesofinclinedplainsofbricktothestateapartments。Intheantechambertheyfoundaprovisionofimmensefeltover-shoeswhichtheywereexpectedtoputonfortheirpassageoverthewaxedmarquetryofthehalls。Theseroomyslippersweredesignedfortheaccommodationofthenativeboots；anduponthemixedcompanyofforeignerstheeffectwasinthelastdegreehumiliating。Thewomen’sskirtssomewhathidtheirdisgrace，butthemenwereopenlyputtoshame，andtheyshuffledforwardwiththeirbodiesataconvenientinclinelikeacompanyofsnow-shoers。InthedepthsofhisownabasementMarchheardafemalevoicebehindhimsighinginAmericanaccents，“TothinkIshouldbepolishinguptheseimperialfloorswithmyrepublicanfeet！”
Theprotestexpressedtherebellionwhichhefeltmountinginhisownheartastheyadvancedthroughtheheavilysplendidrooms，inthehistoricalorderofthefamilyportraitsrecordingtheriseofthePrussiansovereignsfromMargravestoEmperors。HebegantorealizeherethefactwhichgrewopenhimmoreandmorethatimperialGermanyisnottheeffectofapopularimpulsebutofadynasticpropensity。Thereisnothingoriginalintheimperialpalace，nothingnational；itembodiesandproclaimsapowerfulpersonalwill，andinitsadaptationsofFrenchartitappealstonoemotionintheGermanwitnessnoblerthanhisprideintheGermantriumphovertheFrenchinwar。Marchfoundittiresomebeyondthetiresomewontofpalaces，andhegladlyshookoffthesenseofitwithhisfeltshoes。“Well。”heconfidedtohiswifewhentheywerefairlyout-of-doors，“ifPrussiaroseinthestrengthofsilence，asCarlylewantsustobelieve，sheistakingitoutintalknow，andtalltalk。”