BurnamycameawayfromseeingthepivotalgirlandhermotheroffonthetrainwhichtheyweretakingthateveningforFrankfortandHombourg，andstrolledbackthroughtheWeimarstreetslittleateasewithhimself。
Whilehewaswiththegirlandnearherhehadfelttheattractionbywhichyouthimpersonallydrawsyouth，thecharmwhichmeremaidhasformereman；butoncebeyondtherangeofthishefeltsickatheartandashamed。Hewasawareofhavingusedherfollyasananodyneforthepainwhichwasalwaysgnawingathim，andhehadmanagedtoforgetitinherfolly，butnowitcameback，andthesensethathehadbeenrecklessofherrightscamewithit。Hehaddonehisbesttomakeherthinkhiminlovewithher，byeverythingbutwords；hewonderedhowhecouldbesuchanass，suchawickedass，astotrymakingherpromisetowritetohimfromFrankfort；hewishednevertoseeheragain，andhewishedstilllesstohearfromher。Itwassomecomforttoreflectthatshehadnotpromised，butitwasnotcomfortenoughtorestorehimtosuchfragmentaryself-respectashehadbeenenjoyingsincehepartedwithAgathaTriscoeinCarlsbad；hecouldnotevengetbacktotheresentmentwithwhichhehadbeenstayinghimselfsomewhatbeforethepivotalgirlunexpectedlyappearedwithhermotherinWeimar。
ItwasSedanDay，buttherewasapparentlynoofficialobservanceoftheholiday，perhapsbecausetheGrand-Dukewasawayatthemanoeuvres，withalltheotherGermanprinces。Burnamyhadhopedforsomevoluntaryexcitementamongthepeople，atleastenoughtowarranthiminmakingapaperaboutSedanDayinWeimar，whichhecouldsellsomewhere；butthenightwasfalling，andtherewasstillnosignofpopularrejoicingovertheFrenchhumiliationtwenty-eightyearsbefore，exceptinthemultitudeofJapaneselanternswhichthechildrenwereeverywherecarryingattheendsofsticks。Babieshadthemintheircarriages，andtheeffectofthefloatinglightsinthewinding，up-and-down-hillstreetswascharmingeventoBurnamy’slack-lustreeyes。Hewentbyhishotelandontoacaf？withagarden，wheretherewasapatriotic，concertpromised；hesuppedthere，andthensatdreamilybehindhisbeer，whilethemusicbangedandbrayedroundhimunheeded。
PresentlyheheardavoiceoffriendlybantersayinginEnglish，“MayI
sitatyourtable？”andhesawanironicalfacelookingdownonhim。