“Oraballoon，“hesuggested，humoringthepleasantry。
　　Isabelburstintotears；andnowhewentonhiskneesatherside，andtookherhandsinhis。“Isabel！Isabel！Areyoucrazy？“hecried，asifhemeanttogomadhimself。Shemoanedandshudderedinreply；
　　hesaid，tomendmatters，thatitwasajest，abouttheboat；andhewasdriventodespairwhenIsabelrepeated，“Inevercangobackbythebridges，never。“
　　“Butwhatdoyouproposetodo？“
　　“Idon’tknow，Idon’tknow！“
　　Hewouldtrysarcasm。“Doyouintendtosetupahermitagehere，andhaveyourmealssentoutfromthehotel？It’sacharmingspot，andvisitedprettyconstantly；butit’ssmall，evenforahermitage。“
　　Isabelmoanedagainwithherhandsstillonhereyes，andwonderedthathewasnotashamedtomakefunofher。
　　Hewouldtrykindness。“Perhaps，darling，you’llletmecarryyouashore。“
　　“No，thatwillbringdoubletheweightonthebridgeatonce。“
　　“Couldn’tyoushutyoureyes，andletmeleadyou？“
　　“Why，itisn’tthesightoftherapids，“shesaid，lookingupfiercely。
　　“Thebridges“arenotsafe。I’mnotachild，Basil。O，whatshallwedo？“
　　“Idon’tknow，“saidBasil，gloomily。“It’sanexigencyforwhichI
　　wasn’tprepared。“ThenhesilentlygavehimselftotheEvilOne，forhavingprobablyoverwroughtIsabel’snervesbyrepeatingthatpoemaboutAvery，andbytheensuingtalkaboutNiagara，whichshehadseemedtoenjoysomuch。Heaskedherifthatwasit；andsheanswered，“Ono，it’snothingbutthebridges。“Heprovedtoherthatthebridges，uponallknownprinciples，wereperfectlysafe，andthattheycouldnotgiveway。Sheshookherhead，butmadenoanswer，andhelosthispatience。
　　“Isabel，“hecried，“I’mashamedofyou！“
　　“Don’tsayanythingyou’llbesorryforafterwards，Basil，“shereplied，withtheforbearanceofthosewhohavereasonandjusticeontheirside。
　　Therapidsbeatandshoutedroundtheirlittleprison-isle，eachbillowleapingasifpossessedbyaseparatedemon。Theabsurdhorrorofthesituationoverwhelmedhim。Hedarednotattempttocarryherashore，forshemightspringfromhisgraspintotheflood。Hecouldnotleavehertocallforhelp；andwhatifnobodycametillshelosthermindfromterror？Or，whatifsomebodyshouldcomeandfindtheminthatridiculousaffliction？
　　Somebodywascoming！
　　“Isabel！“heshoutedinherear，“herecomethosepeoplewesawintheparlorlastnight。“
　　Isabeldashedherveiloverherface，clutchedBasil’swithhericyhand，rose，drewherarmconvulsivelythroughhis，andwalkedashorewithoutaword。
　　Inashelterednooktheysatdown，andshequickly“repairedherdroopingheadandtrickedherbeams“again。Hecouldseehertearfullysmilingthroughherveil。“Mydear，“hesaid，“Idon’taskanexplanationofyourfright，forIdon’tsupposeyoucouldgiveit。Butshouldyoumindtellingmewhythosepeopleweresosovereignagainstit？“
　　“Why，dearest！Don’tyouunderstand？ThatMrs。Richard——whoeversheis——issomuchlikeme。“
　　Shelookedathimasifshehadmadethemostsatisfyingstatement，andhethoughthehadbetternotaskfurtherthen，butwaitinhopethatthemeaningwouldcometohim。TheywalkedoninsilencetilltheycametotheBiddleStairs，attheheadofwhichisanoticethatpersonshavebeenkilledbypiecesofrockfromtheprecipiceoverhangingtheshorebelow，andwarningpeoplethattheydescendattheirperil。IsabeldeclinedtovisittheCaveoftheWinds，towhichthesestairslead，butwaswillingtorisktheascentofTerrapinTower。“Thanks；no，“saidherhusband。“Youmightfinditunsafetocomebackthewayyouwentup。Wecan’tcountcertainlyupontheappearanceoftheladywhoissomuchlikeyou；andI’venofancyforspendingmylifeonTerrapinTower。“Sohefoundheraseat，andwentalonetothetopoftheaudaciouslittlestructurestandingonthevergeofthecataract，betweenthesmoothcurveoftheHorse-ShoeandthesculpturedfrontoftheCentralFall，withthestormyseaoftheRapidsbehind，andtheriver，dimseenthroughthemists，crawlingawaybetweenitsloftybluffsbefore。HeknewagaintheawfuldelightwithwhichsolongagohehadwatchedthechangesinthebeautyoftheCanadianFallasithungamassoftranslucentgreenfromthebrink，andapearlywhiteseemedtocrawlupfromtheabyss，andpenetrateallitssubstancetotheverycrest，andthensuddenlyvanishedfromit，andperpetuallyrenewedthesameeffect。Themysteryoftherisingvaporsveiledthegulfintowhichthecataractswooped；thesunshone，andarainbowdreameduponthem。
　　Nearthefootofthetower，somelooserocksextendquitetotheverge，andhereBasilsawanelderlygentlemanskippingfromoneslipperystonetoanother，andlookingdownfromtimetotimeintotheabyss，who，whenhehadamusedhimselflongenoughinthisway，clamberedupontheplankbridge。Basil，whohaddescendedbythistime，madeboldtosaythathethoughtthediversionanoddoneandratherdangerous。Thegentlemantookthisingoodpart，andowneditmightseemso，butaddedthatadistinguishedphrenologisthadexaminedhishead，andtoldhimhehadequilibriumsolargethathecouldgoanywhere。
　　“Onyourbridaltour，Ipresume，“hecontinued，astheyapproachedthebenchwhereBasilhadleftIsabel。Shehadnowthecompanyofaplain，middle-agedwoman，whoseattirehesitatinglyexpressedsomeinwardfestivity，andhadacertainreluctantfashionableness。“Well，thisismythirdbridaltourtoNiagara，andmywife’sbeenhereoncebeforeonthesamebusiness。Weseeagoodmanychanges。IusedtostandonTableRockwiththeothers。Nowthat’sallgone。Well，oldlady，shallwemoveon？“heasked；andthisbridalpairpassedupthepath，attended，haply，bytheguardianspiritsofthosewhogavetheplacesomanysadyetpleasingassociations。
　　Atdinner，Mr。Richard’spartysatatthetablenextBasil’s，andtheywereallnowtalkingcheerfullyovertheemptinessofthespaciousdining-hall。
　　“Well，Kitty，“themarriedladywassaying，youcantellthegirlswhatyoupleaseaboutthegayetiesofNiagara，whenyougethome。They’llbelieveanythingsoonerthanthetruth。“
　　“Oyes，indeed，“saidKitty，“I’vegotagooddealofitmadeupalready。
　　I’lldescribeagrandhopatthehotel，withfashionablepeoplefromallpartsofthecountry，andthegentlemenIdancedwiththemost。I’mgoingtohavehadquiteaflirtationwiththegentlemanofthelongblondmustache，whomwemetonthebridgethismorningandhe’sgottododutyinaccountingformymissingglove。It’llneverdototellthegirlsI
　　droppeditfromthetopofTerrapinTower。Thenyouknow，Fanny，I
　　reallycansaysomethingaboutdiningwitharistocraticSoutherners，waiteduponbytheirblackservants。“
　　Thisreferredtothesad-facedpatricianwhomBasilandIsabelhadnotedinthecarsfromBuffaloasaSouthernerprobablycomingNorthforthefirsttimesincethewar。Hehadanairatoncefierceandsad，andahalf-barbaric，homicidalgentilityofmannerfascinatingenoughinitsway。Hesatwithhiswifeatatablefartherdowntheroom，andtheirchildwasservedinpartbyalittletan-colorednurse-maid。Thefactdidnotquiteanswertotheyounglady’sdescriptionofit，andgetitcertainlyaffordedheraground-work。BasilfanciedasortofbewildermentintheSoutherner，andexplainedituponthetheorythatheusedtocomeeveryyeartoNiagarabeforethewar，andwasnowpuzzledtofinditsochanged。
　　“Yes，“hesaid，“Ican’taccountforhimexceptastheghostofSoutherntravel，andIcan’thelpfeelingalittlesorryforhim。Isupposethatalmostanyevilcommendsitselfbyitsruin；thewrecksofslaveryarefastgrowingafunguscropofsentiment，andtheymayyetoutflourishtheremainsofthefeudalsysteminthekindofpoetrytheyproduce。Theimpoverishedslave-holderisapatheticfigure，inspiteofalljusticeandreason，thebeatenrebeldoesmoveustocompassion，anditisofnousetothinkofAndersonvilleinhispresence。Thisgentleman，andotherslikehim，usedtobethelordsofoursummerresorts。Theyspentthemoneytheydidnotearnlikeprinces；theyheldtheirheadshigh；
　　theytrampledupontheAbolitionistinhislair；theyreceivedthehomageofthedoughfaceinhishome。Theycameupherefromtheirrice-swampsandcotton-fields，andbulliedthewholebusycivilizationoftheNorth。
　　Everybodywhohadmerchandiseorprinciplestoselltruckledtothem，andtravelamongstuswasatriumphalprogress。Nowthey’remoneylessandsubjugatedastheycallit，there’snonesopoortodothemreverence，andit’sleftforme，anAbolitionistfromthecradle，tosighovertheirfate。Afterall，theyhadnobletraits，anditwasnogreatwondertheygot，todespiseus，seeingwhatmostofuswere。ItseemstomeIshouldliketoknowourfriend。Ican’thelpfeelingtowardshimastowardsafallenprince，heavenhelpmycravenspirit！Iwonderhowourcoloredwaiterfeelstowardshim。Idaresayheadmireshimimmensely。“
　　Therewerenotaboveadozenotherpeopleintieroom，andBasilcontrastedthescenewiththatwhichthesameplaceformerlypresented。
　　“Intheoldtime，“hesaid，“everytablewasfull，andwedinedtothemusicofabrassband。Ican’tsayIlikedtheband，butImissit。
　　IwonderifourSouthernfriendmissesit？Theygaveusaverysmallallowanceofbrassbandwhenwearrived，Isabel。Uponmyword，Iwonderwhat’scomeovertheplace，“hesaid，astheSouthernparty，risingfromthetable，walkedoutofthedining-room，attendedbymanytreacherousechoesinspiteofanostentatiousclatterofdishesthatthewaitersmade。
　　AfterdinnertheydroveontheCanadashoreuppasttheCliftonHouse，towardstheBurningSpring，whichisnottheleastwonderofNiagara。
　　Aseachbubblebreaksuponthetroubledsurface，andyieldsitsflashofinfernalflameanditswhiffofsulphurousstench，itseemshardlystrangethattheNeutralNationshouldhavereveredthecataractasademon；andanothersubtlespellnottobebrokenevenbythebusiness-