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keeping Mr。 Lindau from his dinner。〃
〃Dinner！〃 cried the old man。 〃Idt's better than breadt and meadt to see
Mr。 Marge！〃
〃I must be going； anyway；〃 said March。 〃 But I must see you again soon；
Lindau。 Where do you live？ I want a long talk。〃
〃And I。 You will find me here at dinner…time。〃 said the old man。 〃It
is the best place〃； and March fancied him reluctant to give another
address。
To cover his consciousness he answered； gayly： 〃Then； it's 'auf
wiedersehen' with us。 Well！〃
〃Also！〃 The old man took his hand； and made a mechanical movement with
his mutilated arm； as if he would have taken it in a double clasp。 He
laughed at himself。 〃I wanted to gif you the other handt； too； but I
gafe it to your gountry a goodt while ago。〃
To my country？〃 asked March； with a sense of pain； and yet lightly； as
if it were a joke of the old man's。 〃Your country； too； Lindau？〃
The old man turned very grave； and said； almost coldly； 〃What gountry
hass a poor man got； Mr。 Marge？〃
〃Well； you ought to have a share in the one you helped to save for us
rich men； Lindau；〃 March returned； still humoring the joke。
The old man smiled sadly； but made no answer as he sat down again。
〃Seems to be a little soured；〃 said Fulkerson； as they went down the
steps。 He was one of those Americans whose habitual conception of life
is unalloyed prosperity。 When any experience or observation of his went
counter to it he sufferedsomething like physical pain。 He eagerly
shrugged away the impression left upon his buoyancy by Lindau； and added
to March's continued silence； 〃What did I tell you about meeting every
man in New York that you ever knew before？〃
I never expected to meat Lindau in the world again；〃 said March； more to
himself than to Fulkerson。 〃I had an impression that he had been killed
in the war。 I almost wish he had been。〃
〃Oh； hello； now！〃 cried Fulkerson。
March laughed； but went on soberly： 〃He was a man predestined to
adversity； though。 When I first knew him out in Indianapolis he was
starving along with a sick wife and a sick newspaper。 It was before the
Germans had come over to the Republicans generally； but Lindau was
fighting the anti…slavery battle just as naturally at Indianapolis in
1858 as he fought behind the barricades at Berlin in 1848。 And yet he
was always such a gentle soul！ And so generous！ He taught me German for
the love of it； he wouldn't spoil his pleasure by taking a cent from me；
he seemed to get enough out of my being young and enthusiastic； and out
of prophesying great things for me。 I wonder what the poor old fellow is
doing here； with that one hand of his？〃
〃Not amassing a very 'handsome pittance；' I guess； as Artemus Ward would
say；〃 said Fulkerson； getting back some of his lightness。 〃There are
lots of two…handed fellows in New York that are not doing much better； I
guess。 Maybe he gets some writing on the German papers。〃
〃I hope so。 He's one of the most accomplished men！ He used to be a
splendid musicianpianistand knows eight or ten languages。〃
〃Well； it's astonishing；〃 said Fulkerson； 〃how much lumber those Germans
can carry around in their heads all their lives； and never work it up
into anything。 It's a pity they couldn't do the acquiring； and let out
the use of their learning to a few bright Americans。 We could make
things hum； if we could arrange 'em that way。〃
He talked on； unheeded by March； who went along half…consciously
tormented by his lightness in the pensive memories the meeting with
Lindau had called up。 Was this all that sweet； unselfish nature could
come to？ What a homeless old age at that meagre Italian table d'hote；
with that tall glass of beer for a half…hour's oblivion！ That shabby
dress； that pathetic mutilation！ He must have a pension； twelve dollars
a month； or eighteen； from a grateful country。 But what else did he eke
out with？
〃Well； here we are；〃 said Fulkerson； cheerily。 He ran up the steps
before March； and opened the carpenter's temporary valve in the door
frame； and led the way into a darkness smelling sweetly of unpainted
wood…work and newly dried plaster； their feat slipped on shavings and
grated on sand。 He scratched a match； and found a candle； and then
walked about up and down stairs； and lectured on the advantages of the
place。 He had fitted up bachelor apartments for himself in the house；
and said that he was going to have a flat to let on the top floor。
〃I didn't offer it to you because I supposed you'd be too proud to live
over your shop； and it's too small； anyway； only five rooms。〃
〃Yes； that's too small；〃 said March； shirking the other point。
〃Well； then； here's the room I intend for your office；〃 said Fulkerson；
showing him into a large back parlor one flight up。 〃You'll have it
quiet from the street noises here； and you can be at home or not； as you
please。 There'll be a boy on the stairs to find out。 Now； you see； this
makes the Grosvenor Green flat practicable； if you want it。〃
March felt the forces of fate closing about him and pushing him to a
decision。 He feebly fought them off till he could have another look at
the flat。 Then； baked and subdued still more by the unexpected presence
of Mrs。 Grosvenor Green herself； who was occupying it so as to be able to
show it effectively； he took it。 He was aware more than ever of its
absurdities； he knew that his wife would never cease to hate it； but he
had suffered one of those eclipses of the imagination to which men of his
temperament are subject； and into which he could see no future for his
desires。 He felt a comfort in irretrievably committing himself； and
exchanging the burden of indecision for the burden of responsibility。
〃I don't know；〃 said Fulkerson； as they walked back to his hotel
together； 〃but you might fix it up with that lone widow and her pretty
daughter to take part of their house here。〃 He seemed to be reminded of
it by the fact of passing the house； and March looked up at its dark
front。 He could not have told exactly why be felt a pang of remorse at
the sight； and doubtless it was more regret for having taken the
Grosvenor Green flat than for not having taken the widow's rooms。 Still；
he could not forget her wistfulness when his wife and he were looking at
them； and her disappointment when they decided against them。 He had
toyed； in； his after…talk to Mrs。 March； with a sort of hypothetical
obligation they had to modify their plans so as to meet the widow's want
of just such a family as theirs； they had both said what a blessing it
would be to her； and what a pity they could not do it； but they had
decided very distinctly that they could not。 Now it seemed to him that
they might； and he asked himself whether he had not actually departed as
much from their ideal as if he had taken board with the widow。 Suddenly
it seemed to him that his wife asked him this； too。
〃I reckon；〃 said Fulkerson； 〃that she could have arranged to give you
your meals in your rooms； and it would have come to about the same thing
as housekeeping。〃
〃No sort of boarding can be the same as house…keeping；〃 said March。
〃I want my little girl to have the