Inthewaiting-roomatthetop，BasilandIsabelfoundMr。Richardandhisladiesagain，whogotintothemovablechamberwiththem，andtheyallsilentlydescendedtogether。Itwasnotatimefortalkofanykind，eitherwhentheywereslowlyandnotquitesmoothlydroppingthroughthelugubriousupperpartofthestructure，whereitwasdarkenedbyaroughweatherboarding，orlowerdown，wheretheunobstructedlightshowedthegrimtearfulfaceofthecliff，bedrabbledwithoozysprings，andtheaudaciousslightnessoftheelevator。
AnabidingdistrustofthemachineryoverheadmingledinIsabel’sheartwithadoubtofthevalueofthescenebelow，andshecouldnotlookforwardtoescapefromherpresentperilsbytheconveyancewhichhadbroughtherintothem，withanysatisfaction。Shewanlysmiled，andshrankclosertoBasil；whiletheothermatronmadenothingofseizingherhusbandviolentlybythearmandimploringhimtostopitwhenevertheyexperiencedarougherjoltthanusual。
AtthebottomoftheclifftheywerehelpedoutoftheirprisonbyahumidyoungEnglishman，withmuchclayonhim，whosefacewasredandbathedinperspiration，foritwasveryhotdownthereinhislittleinclosureofbakingpineboards，anditwasnotmuchcooleroutontherocksuponwhichthepartyissued，descendinganddescendingbyrepeatedanddesultoryflightsofsteps，tillatlasttheystooduponahugefragmentofstonerightabreastoftherapids。Yetitwasamagnificentsight，andforamomentnoneofthemweresorrytohavecome。Thesurgesdidnotlooklikethegiganticripplesonariver’scourseastheywere，butlikeaprocessionofoceanbillows；theyarosefaraloftinvastbulksofcleargreen，andbrokeheavilyintofoamatthecrest。Greatblocksandshapelessfragmentsofrockstrewedthemarginoftheawfultorrent；gloomywallsofdarkstonerosenakedfromthese，beardedhereandtherewithcedar，andeverywherefrowningwithshaggybrowsofevergreen。Theplaceisinexpressiblylonelyanddreadful，andonefeelslikeanalienpresencethere，orasifhehadintrudeduponsomemoodorhauntofNatureinwhichshehadarighttobeforeveralone。Theslight，impudentstructureoftheelevatorrisesthroughthesolitude，likeathingthatmeritsruin，yetitisbetterthansomethingmoreelaborate，foritlookstemporary，andsincetheremustbeanelevator，itiswelltohaveitofthemosttransitoryaspect。SomesuchqualityofrudeimpermanenceconsolesyouforthepresenceofmostimprovementsbywhichyouenjoyNiagara；thesuspensionbridgesfortheirpartbeingsavedfromoffensivenessbytheirbeautyandunreality。
Ascending，noneofthepartyspoke；Isabelandtheothermatronblanchedineachother’sfaces；theirhusbandsmaintainedastolidresignation。
Whentheysteppedoutoftheirtrapintothewaitingroomatthetop，“WhatIlikeabouttheselittleadventures，“saidMr。RichardtoBasil，abruptly，“isgettingsafelyoutofthem。Good-morning，sir。“HebowedslightlytoIsabel，whoreturnedhispoliteness，andexchangedfaintnods，orglances，withtheladies。Theygotintotheirseparatecarriages，andatthatsafedistancemadeeachothermoredecidedobeisances。
“Well，“observedBasil，“Isupposewe’reintroducednow。Weshallbemeetingthemfromtimetotimethroughoutourjourney。Youknowhowthesamefacesandthesametrunksusedtokeepturningupinourtravelsontheotherside。Oncemeetpeopleintravelling，andyoucan’tgetridofthem。“
“Yes，“saidIsabel，asifcontinuinghistrainofthought，“I’mgladwe’regoingto-day。“
“Odearest！“
“Truly。WhenwefirstarrivedIfeltonlythelovelinessoftheplace。
Itseemedmorefamiliar，too，then；buteversince，it’sbeengrowingstrangeranddreadfuller。Somehowit’sbeguntopervademeandpossessmeinaveryuncomfortableway；I’mtosseduponrapids，andflungfromcataractbrinks，anddizziedinwhirlpools；I’mnolongeryours，Basil；
I’mmostunhappilymarriedtoNiagara。Flywithme，savemefrommyawfullord！“
Shelightlyburlesquedthewoesofaprimadonna，withclaspedhandsandupliftedeyes。
“That’lldoverywell，“Basilcommented，“anditimpliesarealitythatcan’tbequitedefinitelyspoken。WecometoNiagarainthepatronizingspiritinwhichweapproacheverythingnowadays，andforafewhourswehaveitourownway，andpayourlittletributesofadmirationwithasmuchcomplacencyaswefeelinacknowledgingtheexistenceoftheSupremeBeing。Butafterawhileweareawareofsomepotentinfluenceunderminingourself-satisfaction；webegintoconjecturethatthegreatcataractdoesnotexistbyvirtueofourapproval，andtofeelthatitwillnotceasewhenwegoaway。Theseconddaymakesusitsabjectslaves，andonthethirdwewanttoflyfromitinterror。Ibelievesomepeoplestayforweeks，however，andhordesofthemhavewrittenodestoNiagara。“
“Ican’tunderstandit，atall，“saidIsabel。“Idon’twondernowthatthetownshouldbesoemptythisseason，butthatitshouldeverbefull。
Iwishwe’dgoneafterourfirstlookattheFallsfromthesuspensionbridge。Howbeautifulthatwas！IrejoiceineverythingthatIhaven’tdone。I’msogladIhaven’tbeenintheCaveoftheWinds；I’msohappythatTableRockfelltwentyyearsago！Basil，Icouldn’tstandanotherrainbowtoday。I’msorrywewentoutontheThreeWeirdSisters。O，I
shalldreamaboutit！andtherush，andthewhirl，andthedampnessinone’sface，andtheeverlastingchirr-r-r-rofeverything！“
Shedippedsuddenlyuponhisshoulderforamoment’soblivion，andthenroseradiantwithaquestion:“Whyintheworld，ifNiagaraisreallywhatitseemstousnow，dosomanybridalpartiescomehere？“
“Perhapsthey’retheonlypeoplewho’vethestrengthtobearupagainstit，andarenoteasilydispersedandsubjectedbyit。“
“Butwe’redispersedandsubjected。“
“Ah，mydear，wemarriedalittlelate。Whoknowshowitwouldbeifyouwerenineteeninsteadoftwenty-seven，andItwenty-fiveandnotturnedofthirty？“
“Basil，you’reverycruel。“
“No，no。Butdon’tyouseehowitis？We’veknowntoomuchoflifetodesireanygloomybackgroundforourhappiness。We’requitecontentedtohavethingsgayandbrightaboutus。Oncewecouldn’thavemadethecircledarkenough。Well，mydear，that’stheeffectofage。We’resuperannuated。“
IusedtothinkIwasbeforeweweremarried，“answeredIsabelsimply；
“butnow，“sheaddedtriumphantly，“I’mrescuedfromallthat。Ishallneverbeoldagain，dearest；never，aslongasyouloveme！“
Theywereabouttoenterthevillage，andhecouldnotmakeanyopenacknowledgmentofhertenderness；buthersilkenmantle(orwhatever)
slippedfromhershoulder，andheembracinglyreplacedit，flatteringhimselfthathehaddelicatelyseizedthischanceofanunavowedcaressandnotallowing(Osuchistheblindnessofoursex！)thattheopportunityhadbeenyetmoresubtlyaffordedhim，withtheartwhichwomenneverdisuseinthisworld，andwhichIhopetheywillnotforgetinthenext。
Theyhadanearlydinner，andlookedtheirlastuponthenuptialgayetyoftheotherwiseforlornhotel。Threebridessatdownwiththemintravelling-dress；twooccupiedtheparlorastheypassedout；halfadozenhappypairsarrived(tothemusicoftheband)intheomnibusthatwastocarryourfriendsbacktothestation；theycaughtsightofseveralabouttheshopwindows，asthatdrovethroughthestreets。Thustheplaceperpetuallyrenewsitselfintheglowofloveaslongasthesummerlasts。Themoonwhichiselsewheresooftenofwormwood，oroftheordinarygreencheeseatthebest，isoflucenthoneytherefromthefirstofJunetothelastofOctober；andthisisagreatcharminNiagara。Ithinkwithtendernessofallthelivesthathaveopenedsofairlythere；thehopesthathavereignedinthegladyounghearts；
themeasurelesstideofjoythatebbsandflowswiththearrivinganddepartingtrains。Elsewheretherearecarkingcaresofbusinessandoffashion，thereareage，andsorrow，andheartbreak:buthereonlyyouth，faith，rapture。IkissmyhandtoNiagaraforthatreason，andwouldI
wereapoetforaquarterofanhour。
Isabeldepartedinalmostaforgivingmoodtowardstheweaksisterhoodofevidentbrides，andbothourfriendsfeltalurkingfondnessforNiagaraatthelastmoment。Idonotknowhowmuchoftheircontentwasduetothefactthattheyhadsufferednosortofwrongthere，fromthosewhoareapttopreyupontravellers。Inthehotelaplacardwarnedthemtohavenothingtodowiththemiscreanthackmenonthestreets，butalwaystoordertheircarriageattheoffice；onthestreetthehackmenwhisperedtothemnottotrusttheexorbitantdriversinleaguewiththelandlords；yettheiractualexperiencewasgreatreasonablenessandfacilecontentmentwiththesumagreedupon，Thismayhavebeenbecausethehackmensofaroutnumberedthevisitors，thatthelattercoulddictateterms；buttheychosetobelieveitatriumphofcivilization；andIwillneverbethecynictosneerattheirfaith。OnlyatthestationwasthevirtueoftheNiagaransputindoubt，bythehotelporterwhoprofessedtofindBasil’strunkenfeebledbytravel，andadvisedastrapforit，whichafriendofhiswouldsellforadollarandahalf。Yetevenhemayhavebeenabenevolentnatureunjustlysuspected。
TheyweretotaketheCanadiansteameratCharlotte，theportofRochester，andtheyrattleduneventfullydownfromNiagarabyrail。Atthebroad，low-bankedriver-mouththesteamerlaybesidetherailroadstation；andwhileIsabeldisposedofherselfonboard，Basillookedtothetransferofthebaggage，novellycomfortedinthebusinessbytherespectfulnessoftheyoungCanadianwhotookchargeofthetrunksfortheboat。Hewasslow，andhissystemwasnotgood，——hedidnotgivechecksforthepieces，butmarkedthemwiththenameoftheirdestination；andtherewasthatindefinablesomethinginhismannerwhichhintedhishopethatyouwouldremembertheporter；buthewassocivilthathedidnotsnubthemeekestandmostvexatiousofthepassengers，andBasilmutelyblessedhisservilesoul。FewwhiteAmericans，hesaidtohimself，wouldbehavesodecentlyinhisplace；andhecouldnotconceiveoftheAmericansteamboatclerkwhowouldusethepolitenesstowardsawaitingcrowdthattheCanadianpursershowedwhentheyallwedgedthemselvesinabouthiswindowtoreceivetheirstateroomkeys。
Hewassomewhatawkward，liketheporter，buthewaspatient，andhedidnotlosehistemperevenwhensomeofthecrowd，findinghewouldnotbullythem，madeboldtobullyhim。HewasthreetimesaslonginservingthemasanAmericanwouldhavebeen，buttheirtimewasofnovaluethere，andheservedthemwell。Basilmadeapointofspeakinghimfair，whenhisturncame，andthepurserdidnottrampleonhimforabasetruckler，asanAmericanjack-in-officewouldhavedone。
Ourtouristsfeltathomedirectlyonthissteamer，whichwasverycomfortable，andineverywaysufficientforitspurpose，withavisiblecaptain，whoansweredtwoorthreequestionsverypleasantly，andborehimselftowardshispassengersinsomesortlikeahost。
InthesaloonIsabelhadfoundamongthepassengershersemi-
