Idon’tthinktheworldaffordssuchanothersight；andforonemoment，atsuchtimes，I’dhavebeenwillingtobeanIrishcouncilman，thatI
mighthavesomerighttotheprideIfeltinthecapitaloftheIrishRepublic。WhatafinethingitmustbeforeachvictimofsixcenturiesofoppressiontoreflectthatheownsatleastadozenAmericans，andthat，withhisfellows，herulesahundredhelplessmillionaires！“
Likealldaughtersofafreecountry，Isabelknewnothingaboutpolitics，andshefeltthatshewasgettingintodeepwater；sheansweredbuoyantly，butshewasgladtomakeherwearinesstheoccasionofhailingastage，andchangingtheconversation。Thefartherdowntowntheywentthebusierthestreetgrew；andabouttheAstorHouse，wheretheyalighted，therewasalreadyabustlethatnothingbutafirecouldhavecreatedatthesamehourinBoston。AlittlefartheronthesteepleofTrinityrosehighintothescorchingsunlight，whilebelow，intheshadowthatwasdarkerthanitwascool，slumberedtheoldgravesamongtheirflowers。
“Howstilltheylie！“musedthehappywife，peeringthroughtheironfenceinpassing。
“Yes，theirwedding-journeysareended，poorthings！“saidBasil；andthroughboththeirmindsflashedthewonderiftheyshouldevercometosomethinglikethat；butitappearedsoimpossiblethattheybothsmiledattheabsurdity。
“It’stooearlyyetforLeonard，“continuedBasil；“whatapitythechurch-yardislockedup。Wecouldspendthetimesodelightfullyinit。
But，nevermind；letusgodowntotheBattery，——it’snotaverypleasantplace，butit’snear，andit’shistorical，andit’sopen，——wherethesedrowsyfriendsofoursusedtotaketheairwhentheywereinthefashion，andhadsomeoccasionfortheelementinitsfreshness。Youcanimagine——it’scheap——howtheyusedtoseeMr。BurrandMr。Hamiltondownthere。“
Allplacesthatfashionhasoncelovedandabandonedareverymelancholy；
butofallsuchplaces，IthinktheBatteryisthemostforlorn。Aretheresomesicklylocust-treestherethatcastatremulousanddecrepitshadeuponthemangygrass-plots？Ibelieveso，butIdonotmakesure；
Iamcertainonlyofthemangygrass-plots，orratherthespacesbetweenthepaths，thinlyovergrownwithsomekindofrefuseandopprobriousweed，astuntedandpaupervegetationpropersolelytotheNewYorkBattery。Atthathourofthesummermorningwhenourfriends，withtheaimlessnessofstrangerswhoarewaitingtodosomethingelse，sawtheancientpromenade，afewscantandhungry-eyedlittleboysandgirlswerewanderingoverthisweedygrowth，notplaying，butmovinglistlesslytoandfro，fantasticinthewildinaptnessoftheircostumes。Oneoftheselittlecreatureswore，withanoddinvoluntaryjauntiness，thecast-offbestdrewofsomehappierchild，agaylittlegarmentcutlowintheneckandshortinthesleeves，whichgaveherthegrotesqueeffectofhavingbeenatapartythenightbefore。Presentlycametwojadedwomen，amotherandagrandmother，thatappeared，whentheyhadcrawledoutoftheirbeds，tohaveputononlysomuchclothingasthelawcompelled。
Theyabandonedthemselvesuponthegreenstuff，whateveritwas，and，withtheirleanhandsclaspedoutsidetheirknees，satandstared，silentandhopeless，attheeasternsky，attheheartoftheterriblefurnace，intowhichinthosedaystheworldseemedcasttobeburntup，whilethechildwhichtheyoungerwomanhadbroughtwithherfeeblywailedunheededatherside。Ononesideofthesewomenweretheshamelesshousesoutofwhichtheymighthavecrept，andwhichsomehowsuggestedriotousmaritimedissipation；ontheothersidewerethosehousesinwhichhadoncedweltrichandfamousfolk，butwhichwerenowdroppingdowntheboarding-housescalethroughvariousun-homelikeoccupationstofinaldishonoranddespair。Downnearerthewater，andnotfarfromthecastlethatwasonceaplayhouseandisnowthedepotofemigration，stoodcertainexpress-wagons，andabouttheseloungedafewhard-lookingmen。Beyondlaughedanddancedthefreshbluewaterofthebay，dottedwithsailsandsmokestacks。
“Well，“saidBasil，“IthinkifIcouldchoose，IshouldliketobeafriendlessGermanboy，settingfootforthefirsttimeonthishappycontinent。Fancyhisraptureonbeholdingthislovelyspot，andthesecharmingAmericanfaces！WhatasmilingaspectlifeintheNewWorldmustweartohisyoungeyes，andhowhisheartmustleapwithinhim！“
“Yes，Basil；it’sallverypleasing，andthankyonforbringingme。Butifyoudon’tthinkofanyotherNewYorkdelightstoshowme，doletusgoandsitinLeonard’sofficetillhecomes，andthengetoutintothecountryassoonaspossible。“
BasildefendedhimselfagainsttheimputationthathehadbeentryingtoshowNewYorktohiswife，orthathehadanythoughtbutofwhilingawaythelongmorninghours，untilitshouldbetimetogotoLeonard。HeprotestedthataknowledgeofEuropemadeNewYorkthemostuninterestingtowninAmerica，andthatitwasthelastplaceintheworldwhereheshouldthinkofamusinghimselforanyoneelse；andthentheybothupbraidedthecity’sbignessanddullnesswithanenjoymentthatnonebutBostonianscanknow。TheyparticularlyderidedthenotionofNewYork’sbeinglovedbyanyone。Itwasimmense，itwasgrandinsomeways，partsofitwereexceedinglyhandsome；butitwastoovast，toocoarse，toorestless。Theycouldimagineitsbeinglikedbyasuccessfulyoungmanofbusiness，orbyarichyounggirl，ignorantoflifeandwithnottooniceatasteinherpleasures；butthatitshouldbedeartoanypoetorscholar，oranywomanofwisdomandrefinement，thattheycouldnotimagine。Theycouldnotthinkofanyone’slovingNewYorkasDantelovedFlorence，orasMadamedeStaellovedParis，orasJohnsonlovedblack，homely，home-likeLondon。Andastheytwitteredtheirlittledispraises，thegiantMotherofCommercewasgrowingmoreandmoreconsciousofherself，wakingfromhernight’ssleepandbecomingawareofherfleetsandtrains，andthemyriadhandsandwheelsthatthroughoutthewholeseaandlandmoveforher，anddoherwillevenwhileshesleeps。Allaboutthewedding-journeyersswelledthedeeptideoflifebackfromitsnight-longebb。Broadwayhadfilledherlengthwithpeople；notyetthemostcharacteristicNewYorkcrowd，butthenotlessinterestingmultitudeofstrangersarrivedbytheearlyboatsandtrams，andthateasilydistinguishableclassoflatelyNew-Yorkizedpeoplefromotherplaces，aboutwhominthemetropolisstillhungtheprovincialtraditionsofearlyrising；andoverall，frommomenttomoment，theeager，audacious，well-dressed，properlifeofthemightycitywasbeginningtoprevail，——thoughthiswasnotsonotablewhereBasilandIsabelhadpausedatacertainwindow。ItwastheofficeofoneoftheEnglishsteamers，andhewassaying，“ItwasbythislineIsailed，youknow，“——andshewasinterruptinghimwith，“Whenwhocouldhavedreamedthatyouwouldeverbetellingmeofithere？“Sotheoldmarvelwaswonderedoveranew，tillitfilledtheworldinwhichtherewasroomfornothingbutthestrangenessthattheyshouldhavelovedeachothersolongandnotmadeitknown，thattheyshouldeverhaveutteredit，andthat，beinguttered，itshouldbesomuchmoreandbetterthanevercouldhavebeendreamed。Thebrokenengagementwasafableofdisasterthatonlymadetheirpresentfortunemoreprosperous。Thecityceasedaboutthem，andtheywalkedonupthestreet，thefirstmanandfirstwomaninthegardenofthenew-madeearth。Astheywerebothveryconsciouspeople，theyrecognizedinthemselvessomesenseofthis，andpresentlydrolleditaway，intheopulenceofatimewheneverymomentbroughtsomebeautifuldream，andthesoulcouldbeprodigalofitsbliss。
“IthinkifIhadthenamingoftheanimalsoveragain，thismorning，I
shouldn’tcallsnakes’snakes’；shouldyou，Eve？“laughedBasilinintricateacknowledgmentofhishappiness。
“Ono，Adam；we’dlookoutallthemostgracefuleuphemismsinthenewspapers，andwewouldn’thurtthefeelingsofaspider。“
TheyhadwaitedtoseeLeonard，inorderthattheymightlearnbetterhowtofindhishouseinthecountry；andnow，whentheycameinuponhimatnineo’clock，hewelcomedthemwithallhisfriendlyheart。Herosefromthepileofmorning’sletterstowhichhehadbutjustsatdown；heplacedthemtheeasiestchairs；hemadeafeintofitsnotbeingabusyhourwithhim，andwouldhavehadthemlookuponhisoffice，whichwasstilldampandodorousfromtheporter’sbroom，asakindofdown-townparlor；butaftertheyhadbrieflyaccountedtohisamazementfortheirappearancethenandthere，andIsabelhadboastedoftheoriginalfashioninwhichtheyhadthatmorningseenNewYork，theytookpityonhim，andbadehimadieutillevening。
TheycrossedfromBroadwaytothenoisomestreetbytheferry，andinalittlewhilehadtakentheirplacesinthetrainontheothersideofthewater。
“Don’ttellme，Basil，“saidIsabel，“thatLeonardtravelsfiftymileseverydaybyrailgoingtoandfromhiswork！“
“Imust，dearest，ifIwouldbetruthful。“
“Then，darling，thereareworsethingsinthisworldthanlivingupattheSouthEnd，aren’tthere？“AndinagreementuponBostonasaplaceofthegreatestnaturaladvantages，aswellasallacquirablemerits，withaftertalkthatneednotberecorded，theyarrivedinthebesthumoratthelittlecountrystationnearwhichtheLeonardsdwelt。
ImustinevitablyfollowMrs。Isabelthither，thoughIdoitatthecostofthereader，whosuspectstheexcitementswhichalongdescriptionofthemovementwoulddelay。Theladieswereveryoldfriends，andtheyhadnotmetsinceIsabel’sreturnfromEuropeandrenewalofherengagement。
Uponthenewsofthis，Mrs。LeonardhadswallowedwithsurprisingeaseallthatshehadsaidinblameofBasil’sconductduringtherupture，andexactedapromisefromherfriendthatsheshouldpayherthefirstvisitaftertheirmarriage。Andnowthattheyhadcometogether，theironlytalk；wasofhusbands，whomtheyviewedineverylighttowhichhusbandscouldbeturned，andstillfoundaninexhaustiblenoveltyinthetheme。Mrs。Leonardbeheldinherfriend’sjoythesweetreflectionofherownhoneymoon，andIsabelwaspleasedtolookupontheprosperousmarriageoftheformerastheimageofherfuture。Thus，withimmenseprofitandcomfort，theyreassuredoneanotherbyeveryquestionandanswer，andintheirweakcontentlapsedfarbehindtherepresentativewomenofourage，whenhusbandsareatbestanecessaryevil，andtherelationofwivestothemisknowntobeoneofpitiablesubjection。
Whenthesetwopretty，fogiesputtheirheadsoffalsehairtogether，theywereassillyandbenightedastheirgreat-grandmotherscouldhavebeeninthesamecircumstances，and，asIsay，shamefullyencouragedeachother，intheirabsurdity。Theabsurdityappearedtoogoodandblessedtobetrue。“Doyoureallysuppose，Basil，“Isabelwouldsaytoheroppressor，afterhavinggivenhimsomeelegantextractfromthelastconversationuponhusbands，“thatweshallgetonassmoothlyastheLeonardswhenwehavebeenmarriedtenyears？Lucysaysthatthingsgomorehitchilythefirstyearthanevertheydoafterwards，andthatpeopleloveeachotherbetterandbetterjustbecausethey’vegotusedtoit。Well，ourblissdoesseemalittlecrudeandgarishcomparedwiththeirhappiness；andyet“——sheputupbothherpalmsagainsthis，andgaveavehementlittlepush——“thereissomethingagreeableaboutit，evenatthisstageoftheproceedings。“
“Isabel，“saidherhusband，withseverity，“thisisbridal！“
“Nomatter！Ionlywanttoseemanoldmarriedwomantothegeneralpublic。Buttheapplicationofitisthatyoumustbecarefulnottocontradictme，orcrossmeinanything，sothatwecanbeliketheLeonardsverymuchsoonerthantheybecameso。Thegreatobjectisnottohaveanyhitchiness；andyouknowyouAREprovoking——attimes。“
