Starbuck felt his customary response to the idea of seeing the elephant. First there was a pulse of pure fear, as palpable as a chill of liquid pumped from the heart, then there was a surge of excitement that seemed to come from the head rather than the heart, as though sheer resolution could overcome the terror and thus create a vigorous ecstasy from battle. Then came the unnerving knowledge that nothing could be understood, neither the terror nor the ecstasy, until the mystery of battle had been experienced. Starbuck’s impatience to understand that mystery was mixed with a desire to delay the confrontation, and his eagerness with a fervent wish that battle would never happen. It was all very confusing.

Adam, released from his father’s company, turned his horse back toward Starbuck. “We’ll go down the river and have a swim.”

“A swim?” Starbuck feared this activity might be a new enthusiasm in Adam’s life.

“Swimming is good for you!” Adam’s eagerness confirmed Starbuck’s fear. “I’ve been talking with a doctor who claims that soaking in water prolongs life!”

“Nonsense!”

“I’ll race you!” Adam kicked back his heels and galloped away.

Starbuck followed more slowly on his already tired mare as Adam led him around the town on paths he had known since childhood and that led eventually to a stretch of parkland which Starbuck assumed was part of the Seven Springs estate. By the time Starbuck reached the river Adam was already undressing. The water was limpid, tree edged and bright in the spring sunshine. “What doctor?” Starbuck challenged his friend.

“He’s called Wesselhoeft. I went to see him in Vermont, on mother’s behalf, of course. He recommends a diet of brown bread and milk, and frequent immersions in what he calls a sitz-bad.”

“A sitting bath?”

“Sitz-bad please, my dear Nate. It works better in German, all cures do. I told Mother about Doctor Wesselhoeft and she promises me she’ll try each of his specifics. Are you coming in?” Adam did not wait for an answer, but instead leaped naked into the river. He came up shouting, evidently in reaction to the water’s temperature. “It doesn’t really warm up until July!” he explained.

“Maybe I’ll just watch you.”

“Don’t be absurd, Nate. I thought you New Englanders were hardy?”

“Not foolhardy,” Starbuck quipped, and thought how good it was to be back with Adam. They had been apart for months, yet the very first moment they were back together it seemed as if no time had passed at all.

“Come on in, you coward,” Adam called.

“Dear God.” Starbuck leaped into the cleansing coldness, and came up shouting just as Adam had done. “It’s freezing!”

“But good for you! Wesselhoeft recommends a cold bath every morning.”

“Does Vermont not provide asylums for the insane?”

“Probably,” Adam laughed, “but Wesselhoeft is very sane and very successful.”