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him stringing along with us up to Forty…second Street and spoiling our
last moments together。〃
At Third Avenue they took the Elevated for which she confessed an
infatuation。 She declared it the most ideal way of getting about in the
world； and was not ashamed when he reminded her of how she used to say
that nothing under the sun could induce her to travel on it。 She now
said that the night transit was even more interesting than the day； and
that the fleeing intimacy you formed with people in second and third
floor interiors； while all the usual street life went on underneath； had
a domestic intensity mixed with a perfect repose that was the last effect
of good society with all its security and exclusiveness。 He said it was
better than the theatre； of which it reminded him； to see those people
through their windows： a family party of work…folk at a late tea； some of
the men in their shirt…sleeves； a woman sewing by a lamp； a mother laying
her child in its cradle； a man with his head fallen on his hands upon a
table； a girl and her lover leaning over the window…sill together。 What
suggestion！ what drama？ what infinite interest！ At the Forty…second
Street station they stopped a minute on the bridge that crosses the track
to the branch road for the Central Depot； and looked up and down the long
stretch of the Elevated to north and south。 The track that found and
lost itself a thousand times in the flare and tremor of the innumerable
lights； the moony sheen of the electrics mixing with the reddish points
and blots of gas far and near； the architectural shapes of houses and
churches and towers； rescued by the obscurity from all that was ignoble
in them； and the coming and going of the trains marking the stations with
vivider or fainter plumes of flame…shot steam…formed an incomparable
perspective。 They often talked afterward of the superb spectacle； which
in a city full of painters nightly works its unrecorded miracles； and
they were just to the Arachne roof spun in iron over the cross street on
which they ran to the depot； but for the present they were mostly
inarticulate before it。 They had another moment of rich silence when
they paused in the gallery that leads from the Elevated station to the
waiting…rooms in the Central Depot and looked down upon the great night
trains lying on the tracks dim under the rain of gas…lights that starred
without dispersing the vast darkness of the place。 What forces； what
fates； slept in these bulks which would soon be hurling themselves north
and south and west through the night！ Now they waited there like fabled
monsters of Arab story ready for the magician's touch； tractable；
reckless； will…lessorganized lifelessness full of a strange semblance
of life。
The Marches admired the impressive sight with a thrill of patriotic pride
in the fact that the whole world perhaps could not afford just the like。
Then they hurried down to the ticket…offices； and he got her a lower
berth in the Boston sleeper； and went with her to the car。 They made the
most of the fact that her berth was in the very middle of the car； and
she promised to write as soon as she reached home。 She promised also
that； having seen the limitations of New York in respect to flats； she
would not be hard on him if he took something not quite ideal。 Only he
must remember that it was not to be above Twentieth Street nor below
Washington Square； it must not be higher than the third floor； it must
have an elevator； steam heat； hail…boys； and a pleasant janitor。 These
were essentials； if he could not get them； then they must do without。
But he must get them。
XI。
Mrs。 March was one of those wives who exact a more rigid adherence to
their ideals from their husbands than from themselves。 Early in their
married life she had taken charge of him in all matters which she
considered practical。 She did not include the business of bread…winning
in these； that was an affair that might safely be left to his absent…
minded； dreamy inefficiency； and she did not interfere with him there。
But in such things as rehanging the pictures； deciding on a summer
boarding…place； taking a seaside cottage； repapering rooms； choosing
seats at the theatre； seeing what the children ate when she was not at
table； shutting the cat out at night； keeping run of calls and
invitations； and seeing if the furnace was dampered； he had failed her so
often that she felt she could not leave him the slightest discretion in
regard to a flat。 Her total distrust of his judgment in the matters
cited and others like them consisted with the greatest admiration of his
mind and respect for his character。 She often said that if he would only
bring these to bear in such exigencies he would be simply perfect； but
she had long given up his ever doing so。 She subjected him； therefore；
to an iron code； but after proclaiming it she was apt to abandon him to
the native lawlessness of his temperament。 She expected him in this
event to do as he pleased； and she resigned herself to it with
considerable comfort in holding him accountable。 He learned to expect
this； and after suffering keenly from her disappointment with whatever he
did he waited patiently till she forgot her grievance and began to
extract what consolation lurks in the irreparable。 She would almost
admit at moments that what he had done was a very good thing； but she
reserved the right to return in full force to her original condemnation
of it； and she accumulated each act of independent volition in witness
and warning against him。 Their mass oppressed but never deterred him。
He expected to do the wrong thing when left to his own devices； and he
did it without any apparent recollection of his former misdeeds and their
consequences。 There was a good deal of comedy in it all； and some
tragedy。
He now experienced a certain expansion； such as husbands of his kind will
imagine； on going back to his hotel alone。 It was； perhaps； a revulsion
from the pain of parting； and he toyed with the idea of Mrs。 Grosvenor
Green's apartment； which； in its preposterous unsuitability； had a
strange attraction。 He felt that he could take it with less risk than
anything else they had seen； but he said he would look at all the other
places in town first。 He really spent the greater part of the next day
in hunting up the owner of an apartment that had neither steam heat nor
an elevator； but was otherwise perfect； and trying to get him to take
less than the agent asked。 By a curious psychical operation he was able；
in the transaction； to work himself into quite a passionate desire for
the apartment； while he held the Grosvenor Green apartment in the
background of his mind as something that he could return to as altogether
more suitable。 He conducted some simultaneous negotiation for a
furnished house； which enhanced still more the desirability of the
Grosvenor Green apartment。 Toward evening he went off at a tangent far
up…town； so as to be able to tell his wife how utterly preposterous the
best there would be as compared even with this ridiculous Grosvenor Green
gimcrackery。 It is hard to report the processes of his so