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the apartments had been taken between two visits they made。 Then the
only combination left open to them was of a ground…floor flat to the
right and a third…floor flat to the left。
Still they kept this inspiration in reserve for use at the first
opportunity。 In the mean time there were several flats which they
thought they could almost make do： notably one where they could get an
extra servant's room in the basement four flights down； and another where
they could get it in the roof five flights up。 At the first the janitor
was respectful and enthusiastic； at the second he had an effect of
ironical pessimism。 When they trembled on the verge of taking his
apartment； he pointed out a spot in the kalsomining of the parlor
ceiling； and gratuitously said； Now such a thing as that he should not
agree to put in shape unless they took the apartment for a term of years。
The apartment was unfurnished； and they recurred to the fact that they
wanted a furnished apartment； and made their escape。 This saved them in
several other extremities； but short of extremity they could not keep
their different requirements in mind； and were always about to decide
without regard to some one of them。
They went to several places twice without intending： once to that old…
fashioned house with the pleasant colored janitor； and wandered all over
the apartment again with a haunting sense of familiarity； and then
recognized the janitor and laughed； and to that house with the pathetic
widow and the pretty daughter who wished to take them to board。 They
stayed to excuse their blunder； and easily came by the fact that the
mother had taken the house that the girl might have a home while she was
in New York studying art； and they hoped to pay their way by taking
boarders。 Her daughter was at her class now； the mother concluded； and
they encouraged her to believe that it could only be a few days till the
rest of her scheme was realized。
〃I dare say we could be perfectly comfortable there；〃 March suggested
when they had got away。 〃Now if we were truly humane we would modify our
desires to meet their needs and end this sickening search； wouldn't we？〃
〃Yes； but we're not truly humane；〃 his wife answered； 〃or at least not in
that sense。 You know you hate boarding； and if we went there I should
have them on my sympathies the whole time。〃
〃I see。 And then you would take it out of me。〃
〃Then I should take it out of you。 And if you are going to be so weak；
Basil； and let every little thing work upon you in that way； you'd better
not come to New York。 You'll see enough misery here。〃
〃Well； don't take that superior tone with me； as if I were a child that
had its mind set on an undesirable toy； Isabel。〃
〃Ah； don't you suppose it's because you are such a child in some respects
that I like you； dear？〃 she demanded； without relenting。
〃But I don't find so much misery in New York。 I don't suppose there's
any more suffering here to the population than there is in the country。
And they're so gay about it all。 I think the outward aspect of the place
and the hilarity of the sky and air must get into the people's blood。
The weather is simply unapproachable； and I don't care if it is the
ugliest place in the world； as you say。 I suppose it is。 It shrieks and
yells with ugliness here and there but it never loses its spirits。 That
widow is from the country。 When she's been a year in New York she'll be
as gayas gay as an L road。〃 He celebrated a satisfaction they both had
in the L roads。 〃They kill the streets and avenues； but at least they
partially hide them； and that is some comfort； and they do triumph over
their prostrate forms with a savage exultation that is intoxicating。
Those bends in the L that you get in the corner of Washington Square； or
just below the Cooper Institutethey're the gayest things in the world。
Perfectly atrocious； of course； but incomparably picturesque！ And the
whole city is so；〃 said March； 〃or else the L would never have got built
here。 New York may be splendidly gay or squalidly gay； but； prince or
pauper； it's gay always。〃
〃Yes； gay is the word；〃 she admitted； with a sigh。 〃But frantic。
I can't get used to it。 They forget death； Basil； they forget death in
New York。〃
〃Well； I don't know that I've ever found much advantage in remembering
it。〃
〃Don't say such a thing； dearest。〃
He could see that she had got to the end of her nervous strength for the
present； and he proposed that they should take the Elevated road as far
as it would carry them into the country； and shake off their nightmare of
flat…hunting for an hour or two； but her conscience would not let her。
She convicted him of levity equal to that of the New…Yorkers in proposing
such a thing； and they dragged through the day。 She was too tired to
care for dinner； and in the night she had a dream from which she woke
herself with a cry that roused him； too。 It was something about the
children at first； whom they had talked of wistfully before falling
asleep； and then it was of a hideous thing with two square eyes and a
series of sections growing darker and then lighter； till the tail of the
monstrous articulate was quite luminous again。 She shuddered at the
vague description she was able to give； but he asked； 〃Did it offer to
bite you？〃
〃No。 That was the most frightful thing about it； it had no mouth。〃
March laughed。 〃Why； my dear； it was nothing but a harmless New York
flatseven rooms and a bath。〃
〃I really believe it was；〃 she consented； recognizing an architectural
resemblance； and she fell asleep again； and woke renewed for the work
before them。
IX。
Their house…hunting no longer had novelty； but it still had interest； and
they varied their day by taking a coupe； by renouncing advertisements；
and by reverting to agents。 Some of these induced them to consider the
idea of furnished houses； and Mrs。 March learned tolerance for Fulkerson
by accepting permits to visit flats and houses which had none of the
qualifications she desired in either； and were as far beyond her means as
they were out of the region to which she had geographically restricted
herself。 They looked at three…thousand and four…thousand dollar
apartments； and rejected them for one reason or another which had nothing
to do with the rent； the higher the rent was； the more critical they were
of the slippery inlaid floors and the arrangement of the richly decorated
rooms。 They never knew whether they had deceived the janitor or not； as
they came in a coupe； they hoped they had。
They drove accidentally through one street that seemed gayer in the
perspective than an L road。 The fire…escapes； with their light iron
balconies and ladders of iron； decorated the lofty house fronts； the
roadway and sidewalks and door…steps swarmed with children； women's heads
seemed to show at every window。 In the basements； over which flights of
high stone steps led to the tenements； were green…grocers' shops
abounding in cabbages； and provision stores running chiefly to bacon and
sausages； and cobblers' and tinners' shops； and the like； in proportion
to the small needs of a poor neighbo