Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-01
Some New American Stories
Produced by Combination of News
papers, and Published Serially.
in Parts, Every Sunday.
Copyright, 1854. by Henry james,
P A n D O r A
By HENRY JAMES.
FIRST PART.

FIRST PART.
1t has long been the custom Of the North
German LLOYD steamers which convey
passengers from Bremen to New York to
anchor for several hours in the pleasant
port of southampton, where their human
cargo receives many additions. An in
telligent young German, Count Otto
VOgelstein, hardly knew, a few. years ago, /
whether TO condemn this custom or APP
prove it. He leaned over the bUlwaTks Of
the DOnau as the American passengers |
crossed the plank-the travellers who en-
bark at Southampton are mainly of that
natiOnality-and curiOusly, indiherently,
vaguely. through the smoke of his cigar, |
saw them absorbed in the huge capacity of
the ship, where he had the agreeable con-
seriousness that his own nest was comfort
ably made. To watch from point OF van
tage the struggles of later cOmers-of the
uniformed, the unprOYided, the be-
wildered-is an occupation not devoid of
sweetness, and there was nothing to miti-
gate the cOmplacency with which our
young friend gave himself up to it; moth
ing, that is, save natural benevOlence
which had not yet been eXtinguished by
the consciousness of official greatness. !
For Count VOgelstein was official, as l
think you would have seen from the
straightness Of his back, the lustre Of his
light, elegant spectacles, and something
discreet and diplomatic in the curve of
his mOustache, which looked as if it might
we'll contribute TO the principal function,
as cynics say, of the lips, the cOncealment
Of thought. He had been appointed to the
Secretaryship of the German Legation at
Washington, and in these first days
Of the autumn he was going to
take possession of his post. He was a
model character for such purpose
serious, civil, ceremOnious, stiff, inquisi-
tive, stuffed with knowledge, and con-
WINGED that at present the German En-
pire is the country in the world most high I
~ evolved. He was quite aware, how
ever, Of the claims Of the United States,
and that this portion of the globe present
ed an enormous field for study. The pro-
cess Of inquiry had already begun, in
spite Of his having as yet spoken to none
of his fellow passengers, for NOgeistein in
quired not only with his tOngue-he in
quiTed with his eyes chat is, with his
Spectacles }, with his ears, with his nose,
with his palate, with all his senses and
organs. He was an excellent young man,
and his only fault was that he had not a
high sense of humOr. He had enough,
however, to suspect this deficiency, and
he was aware that he was about to visit a
highly humorous people. This suspicion
gave him a certain mistrust of what might
be said Of him, and If circumspectiOn
Is the essence of diplomacy, our
young aspirant promised well. His mind
contained several millions of facts, packed
100 closely together for the light breeze Of
the Imagination to draw through the
mass. He was impatient to report him.
self 70 MS superior in Washington, and
the loss of time in an English port could
only incOmmOde him, inasmuch as the
study of English institutions was no part
of his mission. But, on the other hand,
the day was charming. the blue sea, IN
southampton water, pricked all over with
light. had no movement but that OF its in
finite simmer. And he was by no means
sure that he should be happy in the United
States. where doubtless he should find
himself soon enough disembarked. He
knew that this was not an important
question, and happiness was an unscien-
ti1ic term, which he was ashamed to
use even in the silence of his
thoughts. But lost in the incOnsiderate
crowd, and feeling himself neither in his
own country nor in that 10 which he was
IN a manner accredited, he was reduced
IN his mere personality; so that, for the
moment, to fill himself out, he tried to
have an opinion on the subject of this de-
Law to which the German steamer was
subjected in English waters, 1t appeared
"a him that it might be proved To be con-
Siderably greater than the occasion de-
manded. Count NOgelstein was still
young enough in diplomacy to think 1t
necessary to have opinions. He had a
guOd many, indeed, which had been form
ed without difficulty; they had been re-
ceiyed ready made from line OF ances-
tors who knew what they liked. This was,
Of cOurse-aud he would have admitted
it-an Unscientific way OF furnishing
ones mind. Our young man was
stiG conservative, a Junker of Junkers;
be thought modern democracy a
temporary phase, and expected to
find many arguments against il in
the United States. In regard to these
things, it was a pleasure to him to feel
that, with his complete training, he had
been taught thoroughly to appreciate the
nature of evidence. The ship was heaY-
lily laden with German emigrants, whose
mission in the United States differed con
sIderIbly from Count OttO's. They hung
over the bulwaTks densely grouped; they
leaned forward on their elbows for hours,
with their shoulders on a level with their
ears; the men in furred caps, smoking
lOng-bOWlgd pipes: the women with ba-
Oies hidden IN their shawls. Some were
yellow Germans and some were black,
and all Of them looked greasy and matted
with the sea damp. They were destined
TO swell the current of Western demOc-
racy, and Count VOgelstein doubtless
said 10 himself that they would not i'm
prove its quality. Their numbers, how
ever. were striking, and l know not what
he thought Of the nature of this evidence.
The passengers who came on board at
southampton were not Of the greasy class;
they were for the most part American
families who had been spending the sum-
mer, or longer period, IN Europe. They
had great deal of luggage, innumerable
bags and rugs and hampers and sea
chairs, and were composed largely OF
ladies of various ages, little pale with
authorization, wrapped in striped shawls,
rr-SF hsrrh nnr#- nr.I
feathers. They darted to and fro across
the ganGway, looking for each other and
for their scattered parcels; they sepa-
rated and reunited, they exclaimed and
declared, they eyed with dismay the Occu-
pants Of the steerage, who seemed nu-
merOus enough to sink the vessel, and
their voices sounded faint and far as they
rose to VOgelstein's ear over the
tarred sides Of the ship. He
observed that in the new contingent there
were many young girls, and ne remem-
bered what lady in Dresden had once
said to him-that America was a country
Of girls. He wondered whether he should
like that, and reflected that it would be a
question 10 study, like everything else.
he had known in Dresden an American
family. liz which there were three daugh-
tiers. who used to skate with the officers,
and some Of the ladies now coming ON
board seemed to him of that same habit,
except IudL III Auc DIEbuGn udyS AcdLutEs
were not worn quite so high. At last the
ship began to creak and slowly bulge,
and the delay at southampton came to
an end. The gangway was removed,
and the vessel INDUCED in the
awkard evOlutions which were to
detach her from the land. Count
VOgelstein had finished his cigar, and
ne spent a long time in walking up and
down the upper deck. the charming
English coast passed before him, and he
felt that this was the last of the Old
World. The American coast also might
be pretty. He hardly knew what one
would expect Of an American coast; but
he was sure it would be different. Differ
ences, however, were half the charm of
travel. AS yet, indeed, there were very
few on the steamer. Most of his fellow
passengers appeared to be of the same
persuasion, and that persuasion the least
10 be mistaken. They were Jews, and
commercial, to a man. And by this time