IsitbecausetheCeltcannotbrookequality；andwherehehasnotanestablishedandrecognizedcasteabovehim，longstotrampleonthoseabouthim；andifhecannotbelowest，willatleastbehighest？
However，ourfriendsdidnotsufferthisoranyotheradvantageofthecolonialrelationtodivertthemfromtheopiniontowhichtheirobservationwasgraduallybringingthem，——thatitsoverweeningloyaltyplacedagreatcountrylikeCanadainsverysillyattitude，theattitudeofanovergrown，unmanlyboy，clingingtothematernalskirts，andthoughspoiltandwillful，withoutanycharacterofhisown。Theconstantreferenceoflocalhopestothatremotecentrebeyondseas，thetestofsuccessbythecriterionsofanecessarilydifferentcivilization，thesocialandintellectualdependenceimpliedbytraitsthatmeetthemosthurriedglanceintheDominion，giveaneffectofmeannesstothewholefabric。Doubtlessitisalifeofcomfort，ofpeace，ofirresponsibilitytheylivethere，butitlacksthegrandeurwhichnosumofmaterialprosperitycangive；itisignoble，likeallvoluntarilysubordinatethings。Somehow，onefeelsthatithasnobasisintheNewWorld，andthattillitisshakenloosefromEnglanditcannothave。
Itwouldbeapity，however，ifitshouldbepartedfromtheparentcountrymerelytobejoinedtoanunsympathetichalf-brotherlikeourselvesandnothing，fortunately，seemstobefurtherfromtheCanadianmind。Therearesomeexperimentsnolongerpossibletouswhichcouldstillbetriedtheretotheadvantageofcivilization，andwewerebettertwogreatnationssidebysidethanaunionofdiscordanttraditionsandideas。ButnonethelessdoestheAmericantraveller，swellingwithforgetfulnessoftheshabbydespotswhogovernNewYork，andtheswindlingrailroadkingswhosewordislawtothewholeland，feellikesayingtothehullingyounggiantbeyondSt。LawrenceandtheLakes，“Severtheapron-stringsofallegiance，andtrytobeyourselfwhateveryouare。“
SomethingofthissortBasilsaid，thoughofcoursenotinapostrophicphrase，norwithIsabel’sentireconcurrence，whenheexplainedtoherthatitwastothecolonialdependenceofCanadasheowedtheabilitytobuythingssocheaplythere。
Thefactisthattheladies’parloratthehotelhadbeenafterdinnernobetterthanadenofsmugglers，inwhichthefaircontrabandistshaddebatedthebestmeansofevadingthelawsoftheircountry。Athearteverymanisasmuggler，andhowmuchmoreeverywoman！ShewouldhavenoscrupleinruiningthesilkandwooleninterestthroughouttheUnitedStates。Sheisafree-traderbyintuitiveperceptionofright，andislimitedinpracticebynothingbutfearofthestatute。WhatcouldbetakenintotheStateswithoutdetection，wasthesubjectbeforethatwickedconclave；andnext，whatitwouldpaytobuyinCanada。Itseemedthatsilkumbrellasweremosteligiblewares；andinthedisplayofsuchpurchasestheparlorwasgiventheappearanceofaviolentthunder-storm。
Glovesitwasnotadvisabletoget；theywerebetterathome，asweremanykindsoffinewoolengoods。Butlaces，whichyoucouldcarryaboutyou，wereexcellent；andsowasanykindofsilk。Coulditbecarriedifsimplycut，andnotmadeup？Therewasadifferenceaboutthis:thefriendofoneladyhadtakenhomehalfatrunkfulofcutsilks；thefriendofanotherhad“runupthebreadths“ofonelonelittlesilkskirt，andthenlostitbytherapacityofthecustomsofficers。Itwasprettymuchluck，andwhethertheofficershappenedtobeingood-humorornot。Youmustnottrytotakeinanythingoutofseason，however。
OnehadheardofaBostonladygoinghomeinJuly，who“hadthefurstakenoffherback，“inthatinclementmonth。Bestgeteverythingseasonable，andputitonatonce。“Andthen，youknow，iftheyaskyou，youcansayit’sbeenworn。“Tothisblackwisdomcamethecombinedknowledgeofthosemiscreants。Basilcouldnotrepressashudderattheinnatedepravityofthefemaleheart。Herewerevirginsnurturedinthemostspotlesspurityoflife，herewerevirtuousmothersoffamilies，herewerevenerablematrons，patternsinsocietyandthechurch，——
smugglerstoawoman，andeagerforanyguiltysubterfuge！HeglancedatIsabeltoseewhateffecttheevilconversationhaduponher。Hereyessparkled；hercheeksglowed；allthewomanwasonfireforsmuggling。Hesighedheavilyandwentoutwithhertodothelittleshopping。
ShallIfollowthemupontheirexcursion？ShoppinginMontrealisverymuchwhatitisinBostonorNewYork，Iimagine，exceptthattheclerkshaveamorehoneyedsweetnessofmannerstowardstheladiesofournation，andaresurprisinglygenerousconstructionistsofourrevenuelaws。Isabelhadprofitedbyeverywordthatshehadheardintheladies’parlor，andshewouldnotventureuponunsafeground；buthertendereyeslookedherunutterablelongingtobelieveinthecharmingpossibilitiesthattheclerkssuggested。Shebemoanedherselfbeforethecordedsilks，whichtherewasnotimetohavemadeup；thepiece-velvetsandthelinenssmotehertotheheart。Buttheyalsostimulatedherinvention，andsheboughtandboughtofthemade-upwaresinrealorfanciedneeds，tillBasilrepresentedthatneithertheirpursesnortheirtrunkscouldstandanymore。“O，don’tbetroubledaboutthetrunks，dearest，“shecried，withthatgayetywhichnothingbutshoppingcankindleinawoman’sheart；whilehefalteredonfromcountertocounter，wonderingatwhichheshouldfinallyswoonfromfatigue。Atlast，aftershehaddeclaredrepeatedly，“There，now，Iamdone，“shebrisklyledthewaybacktothehoteltopackupherpurchases。
Basilpartedwithheratthedoor。Hewasamanofhighprinciplehimself，andthatsceneinthesmugglers’den，andhiswife’spreparationfortransgression，wererevelationsforwhichnothingcouldhaveconsoledhimbutaparagonumbrellaforfivedollars，andanexcellentbusinesssuitofScotchgoodsfortwenty。
WhensomehourslaterhesatwithIsabelontheforwardpromenadeofthesteamboatforQuebec，andsummeduptheprofitsoftheirshopping，theywerebothinthekindliestmoodtowardsthepoorCanadians，whohadbuilttheadmirablecitybeforethem。
FormilesthewaterfrontofMontrealissuperblyfacedwithquaysandlocksofsolidstonemasonry，andthussheiscleanandbeautifultotheveryfeet。Statelypilesofarchitecture，insteadofthefouloldtumble-downwarehousesthatdishonorthewatersideinmostcities，risefromthebroadwharves；behindthesespringthetwintowersofNotreDame，andthesteeplesoftheotherchurchesabovethecityroofs。
It’snoble，yes，it’snoble，afterthebestthatEuropecanshow，“saidIsabel，withenthusiasm；“andwhatapleasantdaywe’vehadhere！
Doesn’tevenourquarrelshow’couleurderose’inthislight？“
“Onesideofit，“answeredBasil，dreamily，butalltherestisblack。“
“Whatdoyoumean，mydear？“
“Why，theNelsonMonument，withthesunsetonitattheheadofthestreetthere。“
TheaffectwassofinethatIsabelcouldnotbeangrywithhimforfailingtoheedwhatshehadsaid，andshemusedamomentwithhim。
“Itseemsratherfar-fetched，“shesaidpresently，“toerectamonumenttoNelsoninMontreal，doesn’tit？Butthen，it’saveryabsurdmonumentwhenyou’renearit，“sheadded，thoughtfully。
Basildidnotansweratonce，forgazingonthisNelsoncolumninJacquesCartierSquare，histhoughtswanderedaway，nottotheherooftheNile，buttothedoughtyoldBretonnavigator，thefirstwhitemanwhoeversetfootuponthatshore，andwhomorethanthreehundredyearsagoexploredtheSt。LawrenceasfarasMontreal，andinthesplendidautumnweatherclimbedtothetopofhergreenheightandnamedit。ThescenethatJacquesCartierthenbeheld，likeamirageofthefastprojecteduponthepresent，floatedbeforehim，andhesawatthemountain’sfoottheIndiancityofHochelaga，withitsvastandpopulouslodgesofbark，itsencirclingpalisades，anditswideoutlyingfieldsofyellowmaize。HeheardwithJacquesCartier’ssensetheblareofhisfollowers’trumpetsdownintheopensquareofthebarbarouscity，wherethesoldiersofmanyanOld-Worldfight，“withmustachedlipandbeardedchin，witharquebuseandglitteringhalberd，helmet，andcuirass，“movedamongtheplumedandpaintedsavages；thenheliftedJacquesCartier’seyes，andlookedoutuponthemagnificentlandscape。“East，wept，andnorth，themantlingforestwasoverall，andthebroadblueribbonofthegreatriverglistenedamidarealmofverdure。Beyond，totheboundsofMexico，stretchedaleafydesert，andthevasthiveofindustry，themightybattle-groundoflate；centuries，laysunkinsavagetorpor，wrappedinillimitablewoods。“
AvaguerpictureofChamplain，who，seekingawestwardroutetoChinaandtheEast，somethreequartersofacenturylater，hadfixedthefirsttrading-postatMontreal，andcampeduponthespotwheretheconventoftheGrayNunsnowstands，appearedbeforehim，andvanishedwithallitsfleetsoffur-traders’boatsandhunters’birchcanoes，andthewatch-
firesofboth；andtheninthesweetlightofthespringmorning，hesawMaisonneuveleapingashoreuponthegreenmeadows，thatspreadallgaywithearlyflowerswhereHochelagaoncestood，andwiththeblack-robedJesuits，thehigh-born，delicatelynurtured，anddevotednuns，andthesteel-cladsoldiersofhistrain，kneelingaboutthealtarraisedthereinthewilderness，andsilentamidstthesilenceofnatureattheliftedHost。
HepaintedasemblanceofallthisforIsabel，usingthecolorsofthehistorianwhohasmadethesescenesthebeautifulinheritanceofalldreamera，andsketchedthebattles，themiracles，thesufferings，andthepenancesthroughwhichthepiouscolonywaspreservedandprospered，tilltheybothgrewimpatientofmodernMontreal，andwouldfainhavehadtheancientVillemariebackinitsplace。
“ThinkofMaisonneuve，dearest，climbinginmidwintertothetopofthemountainthere，underaheavycrosssetwiththebonesofsaints，andplantingitonthesummit，infulfillmentofavowtodosoifVillemarieweresavedfromthefreshet；andthenofMadamedelaPeltrieromanticallyreceivingthesacramentthere，whileallVillemariefelldownadoring！Ah，thatwasapicturesquepeople！WhendideveraBostongovernorclimbtothetopofBeaconhillinfulfillmentofavow？Tobesure，wemayyetseeaNewYorkgovernordoingsomethingofthekind——
ifhecanfindahill。ButthisridiculouscolumntoNelson，whoneverhadanythingtodowithMontreal，“hecontinued；itreallyseemstometheperfectexpressionofsnobbishcolonialdependenceandsentimentality，seekingalwaystoidentifyitselfwiththemother-
country，andignoringthelocalpastanditsheroicfigures。AcolumntoNelsoninJacquesCartierSquare，onthegroundthatwastroddenbyChamplain，andwonforitspresentmastersbythedeathofWolfe“
TheboatdepartedonhertriptoQuebec。DuringsuppertheywereservedbyFrenchwaiters，who，withoutapparentEnglishoftheirown，miraculouslyunderstoodthatofthepassengers，exceptinthecaseofthefuriousgentlemanwhowantedEnglishbreakfasttea；tosomuchEnglishasthattheirinspirationdidnotreach，andtheyforcedhimtocompromiseoncoffee。ItwasaFrenchboat，ownedbyaFrenchcompany，andseemedtobeofficeredbyFrenchmenthroughout；certainly，asourtouristsinthejoyoftheirgoodappetitesaffirmed，thecookwasofthatculinarilydelightfulnation。
