Hemetheratthetopoftheinclinedtramwaywithafaceofexemplaryunconsciousness，andhelistenedwithhertothetaletheircoachmantold，astheysatinaprettyarborlookingoutontheRapids，ofaFrenchmanandhiswife。ThisFrenchmanhadreturned，onemorning，fromastrollonGoatIsland，andreportedwithmuchapparentconcernthathiswifehadfallenintothewater，andbeencarriedovertheFall。Itwassonaturalforamantogrieveforthelossofhiswife，underthepeculiarcircumstances，thateveryonecondoledwiththewidower；butwhenafewdayslater，herbodywasfound，andthedistractedhusbandrefusedtocomebackfromNewYorktoherfuneral，therewasageneralregretthathehadnotbeenarrested。AflashofconvictionillumedthewholefacttoBasil’sguiltyconsciousness:thisunhappyFrenchmanhadpaidadollarfortheuseofanoil-skinsuitatthefootoftheFall，andhadbeenashamedtoconfesstheswindletohiswife，till，inamomentofremorseandmadness，heshoutedthefactintoherear，andthenBasillookedatthemotherofhischildren，andregisteredavowthatifhegotawayfromNiagarawithoutbeingforcedtoasimilarexcesshewouldconfesshisguilttoIsabelattheveryfirstactofspendthriftprofusionshecommitted。TheguidepointedouttherockintheRapidstowhichAveryhadclungfortwenty-fourhoursbeforehewascarriedovertheFalls，andtothemorbidfancyofthedeceitfulhusbandIsabel’sbonnetribbonsseemedtoflutterfromthepointedreef。Hecouldenduretheprettyarbornolonger。“Come，children！“hecried，withawild，unnaturalgayety；“letusgotoGoatIsland，andseetheBridgetotheThreeSisters，thatyourmotherwasafraidtowalkbackonaftershehadcrossedit。“
“Forshame，Basil！“retortedIsabel。“Youknowitwasyouwhowereafraidofthatbridge。“
Thechildren，whoknewthestorybyheart，laughedwiththeirfatheratthemonstrouspretension；andhissimulatedhilarityonlyincreaseduponpayingatolloftwodollarsattheGoatIslandbridge。
“Whatextortion！“criedIsabel，withanindignationthatsecretlyunnervedhim。Hetrembleduponthevergeofconfession；buthehadfinallythemoralforcetoresist。HesufferedhertocomputethecostoftheirstayatNiagarawithoutallowingthosethreedollarstoenterintohercalculation；heevenbegantothinkwhatjustificativeextravagancehecouldtemptherto。Hesuggestedthepurchaseoflocalbric-a-brac；heaskedherifshewouldnotliketodineattheInternational，foroldtimes’sake。Butsheanswered，withdishearteningvirtue，thattheymustnotthinkofsuchathing，afterwhattheyhadspentalready。Nothing，perhaps，markedtheconfirmedhusbandinBasilmorethanthesehiddenfearsandreluctances。
InthemeantimeIsabelignorantlyabandonedherselftothecharmoftheplace，whichshefoundunimpaired，inspiteofthereportedravagesofimprovementaboutNiagara。GoatIslandwasstillthesylvansolitudeoftwelveyearsago，hauntedbyevenfewernymphsanddryadsthanofold。
TheairwasfulloftheperfumethatscenteditatProspectPark；theleavesshoweredthemwithshadeandsun，astheydrovealong。“Ifitwerenotforthechildrenhere，“shesaid，“IshouldthinkthatourfirstdriveonGoatIslandhadneverended。“
Shesighedalittle，andBasilleanedforwardandtookherhandinhis。
“Itneverhasended；it’sthesamedrive；onlyweareyoungernow，andenjoyitmore。“ItalwaystouchedhimwhenIsabelwassentimentalaboutthepast，fortheyearshadtendedtomakeherrathermoreseriouslymaternaltowardshimthantowardstheotherchildren；andherecognizedthatthesefondreminiscencesweretheexpressionofthegirlhoodstilllurkingdeepwithinherheart。
Sheshookherhead。“No，butI’mwillingthechildrenshouldbeyounginourplace。It’sonlyfairtheyshouldhavetheirturn。“
Sheremainedinthecarriage，whileBasilvisitedthevariouspointsofviewonLunaIslandwiththeboyandgirl。Aboyisprobablyofconsiderableinteresttohimself，andamanlooksbackathisownboyhoodwithsomepathos。Butinhisactualityaboyhasverylittletocommendhimtothetolerationofotherhumanbeings。Tomwasverywell，asboysgo；butnowhiscontributiontothecommonenjoymentwastoventureasnearaspossibletoallperilousedges；tothrowstonesintothewater，andtomakeasiftothrowthemoverprecipicesonthepeoplebelow；topepperhisfatherwithquestions，andtocollectcumbrousmementosofthevegetableandmineralkingdoms。Hekeptthecarriagewaitingagoodfiveminutes，whilehecouldcuthisinitialsonaband-rail。“Youcancomebackandsee’emonyourbridaltower，“saidthedriver。Isabelgavealittlestart，asifshehadalmostthoughtofsomethingshewastryingtothinkof。
Theyoccasionallymetladiesdriving，andsometimestheyencounteredacouplemakingatouroftheislandonfoot。Butnoneofthesepeoplewereyoung，andBasilreportedthattheThreeSisterswereinhabitedonlybypersonsoflikematurity；evenagroupofpeoplewhowereeatinglunchtothemusicoftheshoutingRapids，ontheouteredgeofthelastSister，werenoyounger，apparently。
Isabeldidnotgetoutofthecarriagetoverifyhisreport；shepreferredtorefutehisstoryofherformerpaniconthoseislandsbyremainingserenelyseatedwhilehevisitedthem。ShethuslostasuperbnoveltywhichnaturehaslatelyaddedtothewondersofthisFall，inthatplaceattheedgeofthegreatHorseShoewheretherockhasfallenandleftapeculiarlyshapedchasm:throughthisthesprayleapsupfrombelow，andflashesahundredfeetintotheair，inrocket-likejetsandpoints，andthenbreaksanddissolvesawayinthepyrotechniccurvesofaperpetualFourthofJuly。Basilsaidsomethinglikethisincelebratingthedisplay，withthepurposeofrenderingherlossmorepoignant；
butshereplied，withtranquilpiety，thatshewouldratherkeepherNiagaraunchanged；andshedeclaredthat，assheunderstoodhim，theremustbesomethingrathercheapandconsciousinthenewfeature。Sheapproved，however，ofthechangethathadremovedthatfoolishlittleTerrapinTowerfromthebrinkonwhichitstood，andsheconfessedthatshecouldhaveenjoyedalittlevarietyinthestoriesthedrivertoldthemoftheIndianburial-groundontheisland:theywereexactlythestoriessheandBasilhadheardtwelveyearsbefore，andtheill-starredgoats，fromwhichtheislandtookitsname，perishedoncemoreinhisnarrative。
Undertheinfluenceofhisromancesourtravelersbegantofindthewholescenehackneyed；andtheyweregladtopartfromhimalittlesoonerthantheyhadbargainedtodo。Theystrolledabouttheanomalousvillageonfoot，andoncemoremarveledatthepaucityoftravelandtheenormityofthelocalpreparation。Surelythehotelsarenowhereelseintheworldsolarge！CouldthereeverhavebeenvisitorsenoughatNiagaratofillthem？Theywerebuiltsobigforsomegoodreason，nodoubt；butitisnomoreapparentthanwhyallthesemagnificentequipagesarewaitingabouttheemptystreetsforthepeoplewhonevercometohirethem。
“ItseemstomethatIdon’tseesomanystrangershereasIused，“Basilhadsuggestedtotheirdriver。
“Oh，theyhaven’tcommencedcomingyet，“hereplied，withhardycheerfulness，andpretendedthattheywereplentyenoughinJulyandAugust。
Theywenttodineatthemodestrestaurantofacoloredman，whoadvertisedatabled’hotedinneronaboardathisdoor；andtheyputtheirmisgivingstohim，whichseemedtogrievehim，andhecontendedthatNiagarawasasprosperousandasmuchresortedtoasever。Infact，theyobservedthattheirregretforthesupposeddeclineoftheFallsasasummerresortwasnowherepopularinthevillage，andtheydesistedintheiroffersofsympathy，aftertheirrebufffromtherestaurateur。
Basilgothisfamilyawaytothestationafterdinner，andleftthemthere，whilehewalkeddownthevillagestreet，foracloserinspectionofthehotels。Atthedoorofthelargestapairofchildrensportedinthesolitude，asfearlesslyasthebirdsonSelkirk’sisland；lookingintothehotel，hesawafewportersandcall-boysseatedinstatuesquereposeagainstthewall，whiletheclerkpinedindreamlessinactivitybehindtheregister；somedesertedladiesflittedthroughthedooroftheparlorattheside。Herecalledtheeveningofhisformervisit，whenheandIsabelhadmettheEllisonsinthatparlor，anditseemed，intheretrospect，asceneofthewildestgayety。Heturnedforconsolationintothebarber’sshop，wherehefoundhimselftheonlycustomer，andnobusysoundof“Next“greetedhisear。Butthebarber，likealltherest，saidthatNiagarawasnotunusuallyempty；andhecameoutfeelingbewilderedanddefrauded。SurelytheagentoftheboatswhichdescendtheRapidsoftheSt。Lawrencemustbefrank，ifBasilwenttohimandpretendedthathewasgoingtobuyaticket。Butaglanceattheagent’ssignshowedBasilthattheagent，withhisbravejollityofmannerandhisimpressive“Good-morning，“hadpassedawayfromthedeceitsoftravel，andthathewasnowinheritedbyhiswidow，whointurnwasabsent，andtemporarilyrepresentedbytheirson。Theboy，insupplyingBasilwithanadvertisementoftheline，madeaspeciousshowofhaste，asiftherewerealongqueueoftouristswaitingbehindhimtobeservedwithtickets。Perhapstherewas，indeed，aspectrallinethere，butBasilwastheonlytouristpresentintheflesh，andheshiveredinhisisolation，andfledwiththeadvertisementinhishand。Isabelmethimatthedoorofthestationwithafrightenedface。
“Basil，“shecried，“Ihavefoundoutwhatthetroubleis！Wherearethebrides？“
Hetookheroutstretchedhandsinhis，andpassingoneofthemthroughhisarmwalkedwithherapartfromthechildren，whowereexaminingatthenews-man’sbooththemoccasinsandthebirchbarkbric-a-bracoftheIrishaborigines，andthecupsandvasesofNiagarasparimportedfromDevonshire。
“Mydear，“hesaid，“therearenobrides；everybodywasmarriedtwelveyearsago，andthebridesaremiddle-agedmothersoffamiliesnow，anddon’tcometoNiagaraiftheyarewise。“
“Yes，“shedesolatelyasserted，“thatisso！Somethinghasbeenhangingovermeeversincewecame，andsuddenlyIrealizedthatitwastheabsenceofthebrides。But——but——downatthehotels——Didn’tyouseeanythingbridalthere？Whentheomnibusesarrived，wastherenoburstofminstrelsy？Wasthere——“
Shecouldnotgoon，butsanknervelesslyintothenearestseat。
“Perhaps，“saidBasil，dreamilyregardingthecontestofTomandBellaforanewly-purchasedpaperofsourcherries，andhelplesslyforecastinginhisremotermindtheprobableconsequences，“therewerebothbridesandminstrelsyatthehotel，ifIhadonlyhadtheeyestoseeandtheearstohear。Inthisworld，mydear，wearealwaysofourowntime，andweliveamidcontemporarythings。Idaresaythereweremiddle-agedpeopleatNiagarawhenwewereherebefore，butwedidnotmeetthem，northeyus。Idaresaythattheplaceisnowswarmingwithbridalcouples，anditisbecausetheyareinvisibleandinaudibletousthatitseemssuchahowlingwilderness。Butthehotelclerksandtherestaurateursandthehackmenknowthem，andthatisthereasonwhytheyreceivewithsurpriseandevenoffenseoursympathyfortheirloneliness。Doyousuppose，Isabel，thatifyouweretolayyourheadonmyshoulder，inabridalmanner，itwoulddoanythingtobringusenrapportwiththatlostbridalworldagain？“
Isabelcaughtawayherhand。“Basil，“shecried，“itwouldbedisgusting！Iwouldn’tdoitfortheworld——notevenforthatworld。
