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：