“Yes，isn’tshe！”Mrs。Marchassented，andwithapassionatedesireforexcessinabadthing，whichweallknowattimes，shelookedeagerlyaboutherforproofsofthatodiousmilitarismoftheempire，whichoughttohavebeenconspicuousintheimperialcapital；butpossiblybecausethetroopswerenearlyallawayatthemanoeuvres，therewerehardlymoreinthestreetsthanshehadsometimesseeninWashington。AgaintheGermanofficerssignallyfailedtoofferheranyrudenesswhenshemetthemontheside-walks。Therewerescarcelyanyofthem，andperhapsthatmighthavebeenthereasonwhytheywerenotmoreaggressive；butawholecompanyofsoldiersmarchingcarelesslyuptothepalacefromtheBrandenburggate，withoutmusic，orsomuchstyleasourownmilitiaoftenputson，regardedherwithinoffensiveeyessofarastheylookedather。ShedeclaredthatpersonallytherewasnothingagainstthePrussians；evenwheninuniformtheywerekindlyandmodest-lookingmen；
itwaswhentheygotuponpedestals，inbronzeormarble，thatthey，begantobullyandtobrag。
ThedinnerwhichtheMarchesgotatarestaurantonUnterdenLindenalmostredeemedtheavenuefromthedisgraceithadfallenintowiththem。Itwas，thebestmealtheyhadyeteateninEurope，andastofactandformwasasortofcompromisebetweenaFrenchdinnerandanEnglishdinnerwhichtheydidnothesitatetopronouncePrussian。Thewaiterwhoserveditwasafriendlyspirit，verysensibleoftheirintelligentappreciationofthedinner；andfromhimtheyformedamorerespectfulopinionofBerlincivilizationthantheyhadyetheld。Afterthemannerofstrangerseverywheretheyjudgedthecountrytheywerevisitingfromsuchofitsinhabitantsaschancebroughtthemincontactwith；anditwouldreallybeagoodthingfornationsthatwishtostandwellwiththeworldatlargetolookcarefullytothebehaviorofitscabmenandcarconductors，itshotelclerksandwaiters，itstheatre-ticketsellersandushers，itspolicemenandsacristans，itslandlordsandsalesmen；forbytheseratherthanbyitssocietywomenanditsstatesmenanddivines，isitreallyjudgedinthebooksoftravellers；someattentionalsoshouldbepaidtotheweather，iftheclimateistobepraised。Intherailroadcaf？atPotsdamtherewasawaitersorudetotheMarchesthatiftheyhadnotbeenpeopleofgreatstrengthofcharacterhewouldhaveundonethefavorableimpressionthesoldiersandciviliansofBerlingenerallyhadbeenatsuchpainstoproduceinthem；andthroughouttheweekofearlySeptemberwhichtheypassedthere，itrainedsomuchandsobitterly，itwassowetandsocold，thattheymighthavecomeawaythinkingit’stheworstclimateintheworld，ifithadnotbeenforamanwhomtheysawinoneofthepublicgardenspouringaheavystreamfromhisgardenhoseupontheshrubberyalreadysoakedandshudderinginthecold。Butthisconvincedthemthattheyweresufferingfromweatherandnotfromtheclimate，whichmustreallybehotanddry；andtheywenthometotheirhotelandsatcontentedlydowninatemperatureofsixtydegrees。Theweather，wasnotalwayssobad；onedayitwasdrycoldinsteadofwetcold，withrough，rustycloudsbreakingabluesky；
anotherday，uptoelevenintheforenoon，itwaslikeIndiansummer；
thenitchangedtoaharshNovemberair；andthenitrelentedandendedsomildly，thattheyhiredchairsintheplacebeforetheimperialpalaceforfivepfennigseach，andsatwatchingthelifebeforethem。Motherlywomen-folkwerethereknitting；twoAmericangirlsinchairsnearthemchattedtogether；somefineequipages，theonlyonestheysawinBerlin，wentby；adogandamanthewifewhooughttohavebeeninharnesswasprobablysick，andthepoorfellowwasforcedtotakeherplacepasseddraggingacart；someschoolboyswhohadhungtheirsatchelsuponthelowrailingwereplayingaboutthebaseofthestatueofKingWilliamIII。