“Oh，givehimsomething！“Mrs。Marchentreated。“He’ssuchadear。”
“No，no！Iamnotgoingtohavemylittlehunchbackandhercatoutdone。”
herefused；andthenhewasabouttoyield。
“Holdon！”saidStoller，assumingthehost。“Igotthechange。”
Hegavetheboyafewkreutzers，whenMrs。Marchhadmeantherhusbandtorewardhisnaivetewithhalfaflorinatleast；butheseemedtofeelthathehadnowingratiatedhimselfwiththeladies，andheputhimselfinchargeofthemforthewalktothecemeterychapel；hemadeMissTriscoelethimcarryherjacketwhenshefounditwarm。
ThechapelisdedicatedtotheHolyTrinity，andtheJesuitbrotherwhodesignedit，twoorthreecenturiesago，indulgedadevotionalfancyinthetriangularformofthestructureandthedecorativedetails。
Everythingisthree-cornered；thewholechapel，tobeginwith，andthenthearkofthehighaltarinthemiddleofit，andeachofthethreeside-altars。TheclumsybaroquetasteofthearchitectureisaGermanversionoftheimpulsethatwasmakingItalyfantasticatthetime；thecarvingiscoarse，andthecolorharshandunsoftenedbyyears，thoughitisbrokenandobliteratedinplaces。
Thesacristansaidthatthechapelwasneverusedforanythingbutfuneralservices，andheledthewayoutintothecemetery，wherehewishedtodisplaythesepulturaldevices。Thegravesherewereplantedwithflowers，andsomewereinamourningofblackpansies；butaspacefencedapartfromtherestheldafewneglectedmounds，overgrownwithweedsandbrambles：Thisspace，hesaid，wasforsuicides；buttoMarchitwasnotsoghastlyasthedappergriefofcertaintombsinconsecratedgroundwherethestoneshadphotographsofthedeadonporcelainletintothem。Onewasthepictureofabeautifulyoungwoman，whohadbeenthewifeofthelocalmagnate；aneternallovewasvowedtoherintheinscription，butnow，thesacristansaid，withnothingofirony，themagnatewasmarriedagain，andlivedinthatprettiesthouseofthevillage。Heseemedproudofthemonument，asthethingworthiesttheattentionofthestrangers，andbeledthemwithlessapparenthopefulnesstotheunfinishedchapelrepresentingaGethsemane，withthefigureofChristprayingandhisapostlessleeping。Itisasubjectmuchcelebratedinterra-cottaaboutCarlsbad，anditwasnotanoveltytohisparty；still，fromitssurroundings，ithadafreshpathos，andMarchtriedtomakehimunderstandthattheyappreciatedit。Heknewthathiswifewishedthepoormantothinkhehaddonethemagreatfavorinshowingit；hehadbeentouchedwithallthevainshowsofgriefinthepoor，uglylittleplace；mostofallhehadfelttheexileofthosewhohadtakentheirownlivesandwerepartedindeathfromthemorepatientsuffererswhohadwaitedforGodtotakethem。Withacurious，unpainfulself-analysishenotedthattheoldermembersoftheparty，whointhecourseofnatureweresomuchnearerdeath，didnotshrinkfromitsshows；buttheyounggirlandtheyoungmanhadnotbornetolookonthem，andhadquicklyescapedfromtheplace，somewhereoutsidethegate。
Wasitthebeginning，thepromiseofthatreconciliationwithdeathwhichnaturebringstolifeatlast，orwasitmerelytheeffect，ordefect，ofossifiedsensibilities，oftoughenednerves？
“Thatisall？”heaskedofthespectralsacristan。
“Thatisall。”themansaid，andMarchfeltinhispocketforacoincommensuratetotheservicehehaddonethem；itoughttobesomethinghandsome。
“No，no。”saidStoller，detectinghisgesture。“Yourmoneya’n’tgood。”
Heputtwentyorthirtykreutzersintothehandoftheman，whoregardedthemwithadisappointmentnonethelesscruelbecauseitwassopatient。
InFrance，hewouldhavebeeninsolent；inItaly，hewouldhavefranklysaiditwastoolittle；here，hemerelylookedatthemoneyandwhisperedasad“Danke。”
BurnamyandMissTriscoerosefromthegrassybankoutsidewheretheyweresitting，andwaitedfortheelderstogetintotheirtwo-spanner。
“Oh，haveIlostmygloveinthere？”saidMrs。March，lookingatherhandsandsuchpartsofherdressasaglovemightclingto。
“Letmegoandfinditforyou。”Burnamyentreated。
“Well。”sheconsented，andsheadded，“Ifthesacristanhasfoundit，givehimsomethingformesomethingreallyhandsome，poorfellow。”
AsBurnamypassedher，shelethimseethatshehadbothhergloves，andherheartyearneduponhimforhisinstantsmileofintelligence：somemenwouldhaveblunderedoutthatshehadthelostgloveinherhand。Hecamebackdirectly，saying，“No，hedidn’tfindit。”
Shelaughed，andheldbothglovesup。“Nowonder！Ihaditallthetime。Thankyoueversomuch。”
“Howarewegoingtorideback？”askedStoller。
Burnamyalmostturnedpale；MissTriscoesmiledimpenetrably。Nooneelsespoke，andMrs。Marchsaid，withplacidauthority，“Oh，Ithinkthewaywecame，isbest。”
“Didthatabsurdcreature。”sheapostrophizedherhusbandassoonasshegothimaloneaftertheirarrivalatPupp’s，“thinkIwasgoingtolethimdrivebackwithAgatha？”
“Iwonder。”saidMarch，“ifthat’swhatBurnamycallshernow？”
“Ishalldespisehimifitisn’t。”
BurnamytookuphismailtoStollerafterthesupperwhichtheyhadeateninasilencenaturalwithtwomenwhohavebeenoffonapicnictogether。
Hedidnotrisefromhiswriting-deskwhenBurnamycamein，andtheyoungmandidnotsitdownafterputtinghislettersbeforehim。Hesaid，withaneffortofforcinghimselftospeakatonce，“Ihavelookedthroughthepapers，andthereissomethingthatIthinkyououghttosee。”
“Whatdoyoumean？”saidStoller。
Burnamylaiddownthreeorfourpapersopenedtopageswherecertainarticleswerestronglycircumscribedinink。Thepapersvaried，buttheireditorialsdidnot，inpurportatleast。Someweregraveandsomeweregay；oneindignantlydenounced；anotheraffectedanironicalbewilderment；thethirdsimplyhadfunwiththeHon。JacobStoller。
Theyall，however，treatedhisletteronthecitygovernmentofCarlsbadasthepraiseofmunicipalsocialism，andthepaperwhichhadfunwithhimgleefullycongratulatedthedangerousclassesontheaccessionoftheHonorableJacobtotheirranks。
Stollerreadthearticles，oneafteranother，withpartedlipsandgatheringdropsofperspirationonhisupperlip，whileBurnamywaitedonfoot。Heflungthepapersalldownatlast。“Why，they’reapackoffools！Theydon’tknowwhatthey’retalkingabout！Iwantcitygovernmentcarriedononbusinessprinciples，bythepeople，forthepeople。Idon’tcarewhattheysay！IknowI’mright，andI’mgoingaheadonthislineifittakesall——“ThenoteofdefiancediedoutofhisvoiceatthesightofBurnamy’spaleface。“What’sthematterwithyou？”
“There’snothingthematterwithme。”
“Doyoumeantotellmeitis“——hecouldnotbringhimselftousetheword——“whattheysay？”
“Isuppose。”saidBurnamy，withadrymouth，“it’swhatyoumaycallmunicipalsocialism。”
Stollerjumpedfromhisseat。“Andyouknewitwhenyouletmedoit？”
“Isupposedyouknewwhatyouwereabout。”
“It’salie！”Stolleradvanceduponhim，wildly，andBurnamytookastepbackward。
“Lookout！”shoutedBurnamy。“Youneveraskedmeanythingaboutit。
Youtoldmewhatyouwanteddone，andIdidit。HowcouldIbelieveyouweresuchanignoramusasnottoknowtheabcofthethingyouweretalkingabout？”Headded，incynicalcontempt，“Butyouneedn’tworry。
Youcanmakeitrightwiththemanagersbyspendingalittlemoremoneythanyouexpectedtospend。”
Stollerstartedasifthewordmoneyremindedhimofsomething。“Icantakecareofmyself，youngman。HowmuchdoIoweyou？”
“Nothing！”saidBurnamy，withaneffortforgrandeurwhichfailedhim。
ThenextmorningastheMarchessatovertheircoffeeatthePosthof，hecamedragginghimselftowardthemwithsuchahaggardairthatMrs。Marchcalled，beforehereachedtheirtable，“Why，Mr。Burnamy，what’sthematter？”
Hesmiledmiserably。“Oh，Ihaven’tsleptverywell。MayIhavemycoffeewithyou？Iwanttotellyousomething；Iwantyoutomakeme。
ButIcan’tspeaktillthecoffeecomes。Fraulein！”hebesoughtawaitressgoingoffwithatraynearthem。“TellLili，please，tobringmesomecoffee——onlycoffee。”
Hetriedtomakesometalkabouttheweather，whichwasrainy，andtheMarcheshelpedhim，butthepoorendeavorlaggedwretchedlyintheintervalbetweentheorderingandthecomingofthecoffee。“Ah，thankyou，Lili。”hesaid，withahumilitywhichconfirmedMrs。MarchinherinstantbeliefthathehadbeenofferinghimselftoMissTriscoeandbeenrejected。Aftergulpinghiscoffee，heturnedtoher：“Iwanttosaygood-by。I’mgoingaway。”
“FromCarlsbad？”askedMrs。Marchwithakeendistress。
Thewatercameintohiseyes。“Don’t，don’tbegoodtome，Mrs。March！
Ican’tstandit。Butyouwon’t，whenyouknow。”
HebegantospeakofStoller，firsttoher，butaddressinghimselfmoreandmoretotheintelligenceofMarch，wholethimgoonwithoutquestion，andlaidarestraininghanduponhiswifewhenhesawherabouttoprompthim。Attheend，“That’sall。”hesaid，huskily，andthenheseemedtobewaitingforMarch’scomment。Hemadenone，andtheyoungfellowwasforcedtoask，“Well，whatdoyouthink，Mr。March？”
