Theyweregoingawaythenextday，andtheysatdownthateveningtoafinalsupperinsuchgood-humorwiththemselvesthattheywerewillingtoincludeayoungcouplewhocametotakeplacesattheirtable，thoughtheywouldratherhavebeenalone。Theyliftedtheireyesfortheirexpectedsalutation，andrecognizedMr。andMrs。Leffers，oftheNorumbia。
Theladiesfelluponeachotherasiftheyhadbeenmotheranddaughter；
Marchandtheyoungmanshookhands，inthefeelingofpassengersmutuallyendearedbythememoriesofapleasantvoyage。TheyarrivedatthefactthatMr。LeffershadreceivedlettersinEnglandfromhispartnerswhichallowedhimtoprolonghisweddingjourneyinatourofthecontinent，whiletheirwiveswerestillexclaimingattheirencounterinthesamehotelatNuremberg；andthentheyallsatdowntohave，asthebridesaid，arealNorumbiatime。
Shewasoneofthoseyoungwiveswhotalkalwayswiththeireyessubmissivelyontheirhusbands，nomatterwhomtheyarespeakingto；
butshewasalreadyunconsciouslyrulinghiminherabeyance。Nodoubtshewasrulinghimforhisgood；shehadalivelier，mindthanhe，andsheknewmore，astheAmericanwivesofyoungAmericanbusinessmenalwaysdo，andshewasplanningwiselyfortheirtravels。Sherecognizedhermeritinthisdevotionwithanartlesscandor，whichwastypicalratherthanpersonal。MarchwasgladtogooutwithLeffersforalittlestroll，andtoleaveMrs。MarchtolistentoMrs。Leffers，whodidnotletthemgowithoutmakingherhusbandpromisetowrapupwell，andnotgethisfeetwet。ShemadeMarchpromisenottotakehimfar，andtobringhimbackearly，whichhefoundhimselfverywillingtodo，afteranexchangeofideaswithMr。Leffers。Theyoungmanbegantotalkabouthiswife，inherprovidential，heralmostmiraculousadaptationtothesortofmanhewas，andwhenhehadoncebeguntoexplainwhatsortofmanhewas，therewasnoendtoit，tilltheyrejoinedtheladiesinthereading-room。