“Iftherewerenotdinneraftersuchexperiencesasthese，“saidIsabel，astheysatattablethatevening，“Idon’tknowwhatwouldbecomeofone。Butdinnerunitestheideaofpleasureandduty，andbringsyougentlybacktoearth。Youmusteat，don’tyousee，andthere’snothingdisgracefulaboutwhatyou’reobligedtodo；andso——it’sallright。“
“Isabel，Isabel，“criedherhusband，“youhaveawonderfulmind，anditsworkingsalwaysamazeme。Butbecareful，mydear；becareful。Don’tworkittoohard。Thehumanbrain，youknow:delicateorgan。“
“Well，youunderstandwhatImean；andIthinkit’soneofthegreatcharmsofahusband，thatyou’renotforcedtoexpressyourselftohim。
Ahusband，“continuedIsabel，sententiously，poisingabitofmeringuebetweenherthumbandfinger，——fortheyhadreachedthatpointintherepast，“ahusbandisalmostasgoodasanotherwoman！“
IntheparlortheyfoundtheEllisons，andexchangedthehistoryofthedaywiththem。
“Certainly，“saidMrs。Ellison，attheend，“it’sbeenapleasantdayenough，butwhatofthenight？You’vebeenturnedout，too，bythosepeoplewhocameonthesteamer，andwhomightaswellhavestayedonboardto-night；haveyougotanotherroom？“
“Notprecisely，“saidIsabel；“wehaveacoopinthefifthstory，rightundertheroof。“
Mrs。Ellisonturnedenergeticallyuponherhusbandandcriedintonesofreproach，“Richard，Mrs。Marchhasaroom！“
“Acoop，shesaid，“retortedthatamiableColonel，“andwe’retoogoodforthat。Theclerkiskeepingusinsuspenseaboutaroom，becausehemeanstosurpriseuswithsomethingpalatialattheend。It’shisjokingway。“
“Nonsense！“saidMrs。Ellison。“Haveyouseenhimsincedinner？“
“Ihavemadelifeaburdentohimforthelasthalf-hour，“returnedtheColonel，withthekindliestsmile。
“ORichard，“criedhiswife，indespairofhisamendment，“youwouldn’tmakelifeaburdentoamouse！“Andhavingnothingelseforit，shelaughed，halfinsorrow，halfinfondness。
“Well，Fanny，“theColonelirrelevantlyanswered，putonyourhatandthings，andlet’sallgouptoDurhamTerraceforapromenade。Iknowourfriendswanttogo。It’ssomethingworthseeing；andbythetimewegetback，theclerkwillhaveusaperfectlysumptuousapartment。“
Nothing，Ithink，moreenforcestheillusionofSouthernEuropeinQuebecthantheSunday-nightpromenadingonDurhamTerrace。Thisistheamplespaceonthebrowoftheclifftotheleftofthecitadel，thenoblestandmostcommandingpositioninthewholecity，whichwasformerlyoccupiedbytheoldcastleofSaintLouis，wheredweltthebraveCountFrontenacandhissplendidsuccessorsoftheFrenchregime。ThecastlewentthewayofQuebecbyfiresomefortyyearsago，andLordDurhamleveledthesiteandmadeitapublicpromenade。Astatelyarcadeofsolidmasonrysupportsitonthebrinkoftherock，andanironparapetinclosesit；thereareafewseatstoloungeupon，andsomeidleoldgunsforthechildrentoclamberoverandplaywith。Asofttwilighthadfollowedtheday，andtherewasjustenoughobscuritytohidefromawillingeyetheNorthernandNewWorldfactsofthescene，andtobringintomoreromanticreliefthecitadeldarkagainstthemellowevening，andthepeoplegossipingfromwindowtowindowacrossthenarrowstreetsoftheLowerTown。TheTerraceitselfwasdenselythronged，andtherewasaconstantcomingandgoingofthepromenaders，whoeachformallypacedbackandforthupontheplankingforacertaintime，andthenwentquietlyhome，givingplacetothenewarrivals。TheywerenearlyallFrench，andtheywerenotgenerally，itseemed，ofthefirstfashion，butratherofmiddlingconditioninlife；theEnglishbeingrepresentedonlybyafewyoungfellowsandnowandthenaredfacedoldgentlemanwithanIndianscarftrailingfromhishat。ThereweresomefairAmericancostumesandfacesinthecrowd，butitwasessentiallyQuebecian。Theyounggirlswalkinginpairs，orwiththeirlovers，hadthetruetouchofprovincialunstylishness，theyoungmentheineffectualexcessofthesecond-rateLatindandy，theirelderstherichineleganceofabourgeoisieintheirbest。Afew，better-figuredavocatsornotaires(theirprofessionwasasunmistakableasiftheyhadcarriedtheirwell-
polishedbrassdoorplatesupontheirbreasts)walkedandgravelytalkedwitheachother。Thenon-Americancharacterofthescenewasnotlessvividlymarkedinthefactthateachpersondressedaccordingtohisowntasteandfranklyindulgedprivatepreferencesinshapesandcolors。Oneofthepromenaderswasinwhite，eventohiscanvasshoes；another，withyetbolderindividuality，appearedinperfectpurple。Ithadastrange，almostportentouseffectwhenthesetwostartlingfiguresmetasfriendsandjoinedeachotherinthepromenadewithlinkedarms；buttheeveningwasalreadybeginningtodarkenroundthem，andpresentlythepurplecomradewasmerelyasombreshadowbesidetheglimmeringwhite。
Thevalleysandtheheightsnowvanished；buttheriverdefineditselfbythevaricoloredlightsoftheshipsandsteamersthatlay，dark，motionlessbulks，uponitsbroadbreast；thelightsofPointLewisswarmedupontheothershore；theLowerTown，twohundredfeetbelowthem，stretchedanalluringmysteryofclusteringroofsandlamplitwindowsanddarkandshiningstreetsaroundthemightyrock，mural-
crowned。SuddenlyaspectaclepeculiarlyNorthernandcharacteristicofQuebecrevealeditself；alongarchbrightenedoverthenorthernhorizon；
thetremulousflamesoftheaurora，pallidvioletorfaintlytingedwithcrimson，shotupwardfromit，andplayedwithaweirdapparitionandevanescencetothezenith。Whilethestrangerslooked，agunboomedfromthecitadel，andthewildsweetnotesofthebuglesprangoutuponthesilence。
Thentheyallsaid，“Howperfectlyinkeepingeverythinghasbeen！“andsaunteredbacktothehotel。
TheColonelwentintotheofficetogivetheclerkanotherturnontherack，andmakehimconfesstoahiddenapartmentsomewhere，whileIsabelleftherhusbandtoMrs。Ellisonintheparlor，andinvitedMissKittytolookathercoopinthefifthstory。Astheyapproached，lightandmusicandlaughterstoleoutofanopendoornexthers，andIsabel，distinguishingthevoicesofthetheatricalparty，divinedthatthiswasthesick-chamber，andthattheywereagaincheeringuptheafflictedmemberofthetroupe。Someonewasheardtosay，“Well，’owdoyoufeelnow，Charley？“andasoundofsubduedswearingresponded，followedbymorelaughter，andthetwangingofaguitar，andasnatchofsong，andastiroffeetanddressesasfordeparture。
Thetwolistenersshranktogether；aswomentheycouldnotenjoytheseproofsofthejollycamaraderieexistingamongthepeopleofthetroupe。
Theytrembledasbeforethemerrimentofasmanylight-hearted，careless，good-naturedyoungmen:itwasnoharm，butitwasdismaying；and，“Dear！“criedIsabel，“whatshallwedo？“
“Goback，“saidMissEllison，boldly，andbacktheyrantotheparlor，wheretheyfoundBasilandtheColonelandhiswifeinearnestconclave。
TheColonel，likeashrewdstrategist，wasmakingshowofadesperationmoreviolentthanhiswife’s，whowasthusnaturallyforcedintotheattitudeofmoderatinghisfury。
“Well，Fanny，that’sallhecandoforus；andIdothinkit’sthemostoutrageousthingintheworld！It’srealmean！“
Fannyperceivedaboldparodyofherowndenunciatorymanner，butjustthenshewasobligedtoanswerIsabel’seagerinquirywhethertheyhadgotaroomyet。“Yes，aroom，“shesaid，“withtwobeds。Butwhatarewetodowithoneroom？Thatclerk——Idon’tknowwhattocallhim“——
(“Callhimahotel-clerk，mydear；youcan’tsayanythingworse，“)
interruptedherhusband)——“seemstothinkthematterperfectlysettled。“
“Yousee，Mrs。March，“addedtheColonel，“he’sabletobullyusinthiswaybecausehehasthearchitectureonhisside。Thereisn’tanotherroominthehouse。“
“Letmethinkamoment，“saidIsabelnotthinkinganinstant。Shehadtakenafancytoatleasttwoofthesepeoplefromthefirst，andinthelasthourtheyhadallbecomeverywellacquaintednowshesaid，“I’lltellyou:therearetwobedsinourroomalso；weladieswilltakeoneroom，andyougentlementheother！“
“Mrs。March，IbowtothesuperiorityoftheBostonmind，“saidtheColonel，whilehisfemalescivillyprotestedandconsented；“andImightalmosthailyouasourpreserver。IfeveryoucometoMilwaukee，——whichisthecentreoftheworld，asBostonis，——we——I——shallbehappytohaveyoucallatmyplaceofbusiness——Ididn’tcommitmyself，didI，Fanny？——
Iamsometimeshospitabletoexcess，Mrs。March，“hesaid，toexplainhisaside。“Andnow，letusreconnoitre。Leadon，madam，andthegratitudeofthehouselessstrangerwillfollowyou。“
Thewholepartyexploredbothrooms，andtheladiesdecidedtokeepIsabel’s。TheColonelwasdispatchedtoseethatthewrapsandtrapsofhispartyweresenttothisnumber，andBasilwentwithhim。Thethingscamelongbeforethegentlemenreturned，buttheladieshappilyemployedtheintervalintalkingovertheexcitementsoftheday，andinsayingfromtimetotime，“Soverykindofyou，Mrs。March，“and“Idon’tknowwhatweshouldhavedone，“and“Don’tspeakofit，please，“and“I’msureit’sagreatpleasuretome。“
Intheroomadjoiningtheirs，wheretheinvalidactorlay，andwherelatelytherehadbeenminstrelsyandapparentlydancingforhissolace，therewasnowcomparativesilence。Twowomen’svoicestalkedtogether，andnowandthenaguitarwastouchedbyawanderinghand。Isabelhadjustputupherhandkerchieftoconcealherfirstyawn，whenthegentlemen，odorousofcigars，returnedtosaygood-night。
“It’stheseconddoorfromthis，isn’tit，Isabel？“askedherhusband。
“Yes，theseconddoor。Good-night。“Good-night。“
Thetwomenwalkedofftogether；butin，aminuteafterwardstheyhadreturnedandwereknockingtremulouslyatthecloseddoor。
“O，whathashappened？“chorusedtheladiesinwoefultune，seeingacertainwildnessinthefacethatconfrontedthem。
