Inthehotelservicetherewasoneofthosemenwhoareportersinthisworld，butwillbeangelsinthenext，unlesstheperfectgoodnessoftheirlooks，theconstantkindnessoftheiracts，beliesthem。TheMarcheshadknownandlovedthemanintheirbriefstay，andhehadbeenthefastfriendofBurnamyfromthemomenttheyfirstsaweachotheratthestation。HehadtenderlytakenpossessionofGeneralTriscoeonhisarrival，andhadconstitutedhimselfthenurseandkeeperoftheirascibleinvalid，intheintervalsofgoingtothetrains，withazealthatoftenrelievedhisdaughterandBurnamy。Thegeneralinfactpreferredhimtoeither，andatacitcustomgrewupbywhichwhenAugustknockedathisdoor，andofferedhimselfinhisfewwordsofserviceableEnglish，thatoneofthemwhohappenedtobesittingwiththegeneralgaveway，andlefthimincharge。Theretiringwatcherwasthenapttoencountertheotherwatcheronthestairs，orinthereading-room，orinthetiny，white-pebbleddoor-yardatalittletableintheshadeofthewooden-tubbedevergreens。FromthehabitofdoingthistheyonedaysuddenlyformedthehabitofgoingacrossthestreettothatgardenedhollowbeforeandbelowtheGrand-DucalMuseum。Therewashereabenchintheshelterofsomelate-floweringbushwhichthefewotherfrequentersoftheplacesoonrecognizedasbelongingtotheyoungstrangers，sothattheywouldsilentlyriseandleaveittothemwhentheysawthemcoming。Apparentlytheyyieldednotonlytotheirright，buttoacertainauthoritywhichresidesinlovers，andwhichallothermen，andespeciallyallotherwomen，liketoacknowledgeandrespect。
IntheabsenceofanycivicdocumentsbearingupontheaffairitisdifficulttoestablishthefactthatthiswasthecharacterinwhichAgathaandBurnamywerecommonlyregardedbytheinhabitantsofWeimar。
Butwhatevertheirownnotionoftheirrelationwas，ifitwasnotthatofaBrantandaBrautigam，thepeopleofWeimarwouldhavebeenpuzzledtosaywhatitwas。Itwasknownthatthegraciousyounglady’sfather，whowouldnaturallyhaveaccompaniedthem，wassick，andinthefactthattheywereAmericansmuchextenuationwasfoundforwhateverwasphenomenalintheirunencumberedenjoymentofeachother’ssociety。
IftheirfreeAmericanassociationwasindistinguishablylikethepeasantinformalitywhichGeneralTriscoedespisedintherelationsofKenbyandMrs。Adding，itistobesaidinhisexcusethathecouldnotbefullycognizantofit，inthecircumstances，andsocoulddonothingtopreventit。Hispessimismextendedtohishealth；fromthefirsthebelievedhimselfworsethanthedoctorthoughthim，andhewouldhavehadsomeotherphysicianifhehadnotfoundconsolationintheirdifferenceofopinionandtheconsequentcontemptwhichhewasenabledtocherishforthedoctorinviewoftheman’scompleteignoranceofthecase。Inproofofhisownbetterunderstandingofit，heremainedinbedsometimeafterthedoctorsaidhemightgetup。
Nearlytendayshadpassedbeforehelefthisroom，anditwasnottillthenthatheclearlysawhowfaraffairshadgonewithhisdaughterandBurnamy，thougheventhenhisobservanceseemedtohaveanticipatedtheirs。Hefoundtheminaquietacceptanceofthefortunewhichhadbroughtthemtogether，socontentedthattheyappearedtoasknothingmoreofit。ThedivinepatienceandconfidenceoftheiryouthmightsometimeshavehadalmosttheeffectofindifferencetoawitnesswhohadseenitsevolutionfromthemoodsofthefirstfewdaysoftheirreunioninWeimar。ToGeneralTriscoe，however，itlookedlikeanunderstandingwhichhadbeenmadewithoutreferencetohiswishes，andhadnotbeendirectlybroughttohisknowledge。