InsteadofBurnamy，Mrs。AddingandhersonnowbreakfastedwiththeMarchesatthePosthof，andtheboywaswithMarchthroughoutthedayagooddeal。HerectifiedhisimpressionsoflifeinCarlsbadbyMarch’sgreaterwisdomandexperience，anddidhisbesttoanticipatehisopinionsandconformtohisconclusions。Thiswasnoteasy，forsometimeshecouldnotconcealfromhimself，thatMarch’sopinionswerewhimsical，andhisconclusionsfantastic；andhecouldnotalwaysconcealfromMarchthathewasmatchingthemwithKenby’sonsomepoints，andsufferingfromtheirdivergence。Hecametojointhesageinhisearlyvisittothesprings，andtheywalkedupanddowntalking；andtheywentofftogetheronlongstrollsinwhichRosewasproudtobearhimcompany。
Hewaspatientoftheabsencesfromwhichhewasoftenanswered，andhelearnedtodistinguishbetweentheearnestandtheironyofwhichMarch’srepliesseemedtobemixed。HeexaminedhimuponmanyfeaturesofGermancivilization，butchieflyuponthetreatmentofwomeninit；anduponthishisphilosopherwaslesssatisfactorythanhecouldhavewishedhimtobe。Hetriedtoexcusehistriflingasanescapefromthepainfulstressofquestionswhichhefoundsoafflictinghimself；butinthematterofthewoman-and-dogteams，thiswasnoteasy。Marchownedthatthenotionoftheirbeingyokemateswasshocking；butheurgedthatitwasastageofevolution，andadistinctadvanceuponthetimewhenwomendraggedthecartswithoutthehelpofthedogs；andthatthetimemightnotbefardistantwhenthedogswoulddragthecartswithoutthehelpofthewomen。
Rosesurmisedajoke，andhetriedtoenjoyit，butinwardlyhewastroubledbyhisfriend’sapparentacceptanceofunjustthingsontheirpicturesqueside。OnceastheyweresaunteringhomewardbythebrinkoftheturbidEger，theycametoamanlyingonthegrasswithapipeinhismouth，andlazilywatchingfromunderhisfallenlidsthecowsgrazingbytheriver-side，whileinafieldofscraggywheatafileofwomenwerereapingabelatedharvestwithsickles，bendingwearilyovertoclutchthestemstogetherandcutthemwiththeirhookedblades。“Ah，delightful！“Marchtookoffhishatasiftosalutethepleasantsight。
“Butdon’tyouthink，Mr。March。”theboyventured，“thatthemanhadbetterbecuttingthewheat，andlettingthewomenwatchthecows？”
“Well，Idon’tknow。Therearemoreofthem；andhewouldn’tbehalfsogracefulastheyare，withthatflowoftheirgarments，andtheswayoftheirachingbacks。”Theboysmiledsadly，andMarchputhishandonhisshoulderastheywalkedon。“YoufindalotofthingsinEuropethatneedputtingright，don’tyou，Rose？”