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ANINTERNATIONALEPISODE1ANINTERNATIONALEPISODEByHenryJamesANINTERNATIONALEPISODE2PARTIFouryearsago--in1874--twoyoungEnglishmenhadoccasiontogototheUnitedStates.Theycrossedtheoceanatmidsummer,and,arrivinginNewYorkonthefirstdayofAugust,weremuchstruckwiththefervidtemperatureofthatcity.Disembarkinguponthewharf,theyclimbedintooneofthosehugehigh-hungcoacheswhichconveypassengerstothehotels,andwithagreatdealofbouncingandbumping,tooktheircoursethroughBroadway.ThemidsummeraspectofNewYorkisnot,perhaps,themostfavorableone;still,itisnotwithoutitspicturesqueandevenbrilliantside.NothingcouldwellresemblelessatypicalEnglishstreetthantheinterminableavenue,richinincongruities,throughwhichourtwotravelersadvanced--lookingoutoneachsideofthematthecomfortableanimationofthesidewalks,thehigh-colored,heterogeneousarchitecture,thehugewhitemarblefacadesglitteringinthestrong,crudelight,andbedizenedwithgildedlettering,themultifariousawnings,banners,andstreamers,theextraordinarynumberofomnibuses,horsecars,andotherdemocraticvehicles,thevendorsofcoolingfluids,thewhitetrousersandbigstrawhatsofthepolicemen,thetrippinggaitofthemodishyoungpersonsonthepavement,thegeneralbrightness,newness,juvenility,bothofpeopleandthings.Theyoungmenhadexchangedfewobservations;butincrossingUnionSquare,infrontofthemonumenttoWashington--intheveryshadow,indeed,projectedbytheimageoftheipaterpatriae--oneofthemremarkedtotheother,Itseemsarum-lookingplace.Ah,veryodd,veryodd,saidtheother,whowastheclevermanofthetwo.Pityit'ssobeastlyhot,resumedthefirstspeakerafterapause.Youknowweareinalowlatitude,saidhisfriend.Idaresay,remarkedtheother.Iwonder,saidthesecondspeakerpresently,iftheycangiveoneabath?Idaresaynot,rejoinedtheother.ANINTERNATIONALEPISODE3Oh,Isay!criedhiscomrade.Thisanimateddiscussionwascheckedbytheirarrivalatthehotel,whichhadbeenrecommendedtothembyanAmericangentlemanwhoseacquaintancetheymade--withwhom,indeed,theybecameveryintimate--onthesteamer,andwhohadproposedtoaccompanythemtotheinnandintroducethem,inafriendlyway,totheproprietor.Thisplan,however,hadbeendefeatedbytheirfriend'sfindingthathispartnerwasawaitinghimonthewharfandthathiscommercialassociatedesiredhiminstantlytocomeandgivehisattentiontocertaintelegramsreceivedfromSt.Louis.ButthetwoEnglishmen,withnothingbuttheirnationalprestigeandpersonalgracestorecommendthem,wereverywellreceivedatthehotel,whichhadanairofcapacioushospitality.Theyfoundthatabathwasnotunattainable,andwereindeedstruckwiththefacilitiesforprolongedandreiteratedimmersionwithwhichtheirapartmentwassupplied.Afterbathingagooddeal--more,indeed,thantheyhadeverdonebeforeonasingleoccasion--theymadetheirwayintothediningroomofthehotel,whichwasaspaciousrestaurant,withafountaininthemiddle,agreatmanytallplantsinornamentaltubs,andanarrayofFrenchwaiters.Thefirstdinneronland,afteraseavoyage,is,underanycircumstances,adelightfuloccasion,andtherewassomethingparticularlyagreeableinthecircumstancesinwhichouryoungEnglishmenfoundthemselves.Theywereextremelygoodnaturedyoungmen;theyweremoreobservantthantheyappeared;inasortofinarticulate,accidentallydissimulativefashion,theywerehighlyappreciative.Thiswas,perhaps,especiallythecasewiththeelder,whowasalso,asIhavesaid,themanoftalent.Theysatdownatalittletable,whichwasaverydifferentaffairfromthegreatclatteringseesawinthesaloonofthesteamer.Thewidedoorsandwindowsoftherestaurantstoodopen,beneathlargeawnings,toawidepavement,wheretherewereotherplantsintubs,androwsofspreadingtrees,andbeyondwhichtherewasalargeshadysquare,withoutanypalings,andwithmarble-pavedwalks.Andabovethevividverdureroseotherfacadesofwhitemarbleandofpalechocolate-coloredstone,squaringthemselvesagainstthedeepbluesky.Here,outside,inthelightandtheshadeandtheheat,therewasagreattinklingofthebellsofANINTERNATIONALEPISODE4innumerablestreetcars,andaconstantstrollingandshufflingandrustlingofmanypedestrians,alargeproportionofwhomwereyoungwomeninPompadour-lookingdresses.Within,theplacewascoolandvaguelylighted,withtheplashofwater,theodorofflowers,andtheflittingofFrenchwaiters,asIhavesaid,uponsoundlesscarpets.It'sratherlikeParis,youknow,saidtheyoungerofourtwotravelers.It'slikeParis--onlymoreso,hiscompanionrejoined.Isupposeit'stheFrenchwaiters,saidthefirstspeaker.Whydon'ttheyhaveFrenchwaitersinLondon?FancyaFrenchwaiterataclub,saidhisfriend.TheyoungEnglishmanstartedalittle,asifhecouldnotfancyit.InParisI'mveryapttodineataplacewherethere'sanEnglishwaiter.Don'tyouknowwhat's-his-name's,closetothethingumbob?TheyalwayssetanEnglishwaiteratme.IsupposetheythinkIcan'tspeakFrench.Well,youcan't.AndtheelderoftheyoungEnglishmenunfoldedhisnapkin.Hiscompaniontooknonoticewhateverofthisdeclaration.Isay,heresumedinamoment,IsupposewemustlearntospeakAmerican.Isupposewemusttakelessons.Ican'tunderstandthem,saidthecleverman.WhatthedeuceisHEsaying?askedhiscomrade,appealingfromtheFrenchwaiter.Heisrecommendingsomesoft-shellcrabs,saidthecleverman.Andso,indesultoryobservationoftheidiosyncrasiesofthenewsocietyinwhichtheyfoundthemselves,theyoungEnglishmenproceededtodine--goinginlargely,asthephraseis,forcoolingdr