第2章
Peopleconstantlycameandwentinthewaiting-room，whichwassometimesquitefull，andagainemptyofallbutthemselves。Inthecourseoftheirobservationstheyformedmanycordialfriendshipsandbitterenmitiesuponthegroundofpersonalappearance，orparticularsofdress，withpeoplewhomtheysawforhalfaminuteuponanaverage；andtheytooksuchakeeninterestineveryone，thatitwouldbehardtosaywhethertheyweremoreconcernedinanoldgentlemanwithvigorouslyuprightiron-grayhair，whosatfrontingthem，andreadingalltheeveningpapers，orayoungmanwhohurledhimselfthroughthedoor，boughtaticketwithterrificprecipitation，burstoutagain，andthenrandownadepartingtrainbeforeitgotoutofthestation:theylovedtheoldgentlemanforacertainstubbornbenevolenceofexpression，andiftheyhadbeenfriendsoftheyoungmanandhisfamilyforgenerationsandfeltboundifanyharmbefellhimtogoandbreakthenewsgentlytohisparents，theirnervescouldnothavebeenmoreintimatelywroughtuponbyhishazardousbehavior。Still，astheyhadtheirticketsforNewYork，andhewasgoingoutonamerelylocaltrain，——toBrookline，I
believe，theycouldnot，evenintheiranxiety，repressafeelingofcontemptforhisunambitiousdestination。
TheywerealreadyascompletelycutofffromlocalassociationsandsympathiesasiftheywereathousandmilesandmanymonthsawayfromBoston。Theyenjoyedthelonelyflaringofthegas-jetsasagustofwinddrewthroughthestation；theysharedthegloomandisolationofamanwhotookaseatinthedarkestcorneroftheroom，andsattherewithfoldedarms，thegeniusofabsence。Inthepatronizingspiritoftravellersinaforeigncountrytheynotedandapprovedthevasesofcut-
flowersintheboothoftheladywhocheckedpackages，andthepotsofivyinherwindows。“ThesepoorBostonians，“theysaid；“havesomeloveofthebeautifulintheirruggednatures。“
Butafterallwassaidandthought，itwasonlyeighto’clock，andtheystillhadanhourtowait。
Basilgrewrestless，andIsabelsaid，withasubtileinterpretationofhisuneasiness，“Idon’twantanythingtoeat，Basil，butIthinkIknowtheweaknessesofmen；andyouhadbettergoandpassthenexthalf-houroveraplateofsomethingindigestible。“
Thiswassaid’constizza’，theleastlittlesuggestionofit；butBasilrosewithshamefulalacrity。“Darling，ifit’syourwish——“
“It’smyfate，Basil，“saidIsabel。
“I’llgo，“heexclaimed，“becauseitisn’tbridal，andwillhelpustopassforoldmarriedpeople。“
“No，no，Basil，behonest；fibbingisn’tyourforte:Iwonderyouwentintotheinsurancebusiness；yououghttohavebeenalawyer。Gobecauseyoulikeeating，andarehungry，perhaps，orthinkyoumaybesobeforewegettoNewYork。
“Ishallamusemyselfwellenoughhere！“
Isupposeitisalwaysalittleshockingandgrievoustoawifewhensherecognizesarivalinbutchers’-meatandthevegetablesoftheseason。
Withherslenderrelishesforpastryandconfectioneryandherdaintyhabitsoflunching，shecannotreconcilewiththeidea(of)herhusband’scapacityforbreakfasting，dining，supping，andhotmealsatallhoursofthedayandnight——astheywriteitonthesign-boardsofbarbariceating-houses。ButisabelwouldhaveonlyherselftoblameifshehadnotperceivedthistraitofBasil’sbeforemarriage。Sherecurrednow，ashisfiguredisappeareddownthestation，tomemorableinstancesofhisappetiteintheirEuropeantravelsduringtheirfirstengagement。“Yes，heateterriblyatSusa，whenIwastoofullofthenotionofgettingintoItalytocareforbouillonandcoldroastchicken。AtRomeI
thoughtImustbreakwithhimonaccountofthewild-boar；andatHeidelberg，thesausageandtheham！——howcouldhe，inmypresence？ButItookhimwithallhisfaults，——andwasgladtogethim，“sheadded，endinghermeditationwithalittleburstofcandor；andshedidnoteventhinkofBasil’sappetitewhenhereappeared。
Withthethrongingofmanysortsofpeople，inpartiesandsingly，intothewaitingroom，theybecameonceagainmereobserversoftheirkind，moreorlesscriticalintemper，untilthecrowdgrewsothatindividualtraitsweremergedinthecharacterofmultitude。Eventhen，theycouldcatchglimpsesoffacessosweetorfinethattheymadethemselvesfeltlikemomentsofreposeinthetumult，andhereandtherewassomethingsogrotesqueindressofmannerthatitshoweddistinctfromtherest。Theticket-seller’sstampclickedincessantlyashesoldticketstoallpointsSouthandWest:toNewYork，Philadelphia，Charleston；toNewOrleans，Chicago，Omaha；toSt。Paul，Duluth，St。Louis；anditwouldnothavebeenhardtofindinthatanxiousbustle，thatunsmilingeagerness，animageofthewholebusyaffairoflife。Itwasnotaparticularlysanespectacle，thatimpatiencetobeofftosomeplacethatlaynotonlyinthedistance，butalsointhefuture——towhichnolineofroadcarriesyouwithabsolutecertaintyacrossanintervaloftimefullofeveryimaginablechanceandinfluence。ItiseasyenoughtobuyatickettoCincinnati，butitissomewhathardertoarrivethere。Saythatallgoeswell，isitexactlyyouwhoarrive？
Inthemidstofthedisquietthereenteredatlastanoldwoman，soveryinfirmthatshehadtobeupheldoneitherhandbyherhusbandandthehackmanwhohadbroughtthem，whileayounggirlwentbeforewithshawlsandpillowswhichshearrangedupontheseat。Theretheinvalidlaydown，andturnedtowardsthecrowdawhite，sufferingface，whichwasyetsoheavenlymeekandpeacefulthatitcomfortedwhoeverlookedatit。
Inspiritourhappyfriendsbowedthemselvesbeforeitandownedthattherewassomethingbetterthanhappinessinit。
“Whatisitlike，Isabel？“
“O，Idon’tknow，darling，“shesaid；butshethought，“Perhapsitislikesomeblessedsorrowthattakesusoutofthisprisonofaworld，andsetsusfreeofourevery-dayhatesanddesires，ouraims，ourfears。
ourselves。Maybealongandmortalsicknessmightcometowearsuchafaceinoneofustwo，andtheothercouldseeit，andnotregretthepoormaskofyouthandprettylooksthathadfallenaway。“
Sheroseandwentovertothesickwoman，onwhosefacebeamedatendersmile，asIsabelspoketoher。Achordthrilledintwoliveshithertounknowntoeachother；butwhatwassaidBasilwouldnotaskwhentheinvalidhadtakenIsabel’shandbetweenherown，asforadieu，andshecamebacktohissidewithswimmingeyes。Perhapshiswifecouldhavegivennogoodreasonforheremotion，ifhehadaskedit。Butitmadeherverysweetanddeartohim；andIsupposethatwhenatolerablyunselfishmanisoncesecureofawoman’slove，heisordinarilymoreaffectedbyhercompassionandtendernessforotherobjectsthanbyherfeelingstowardshimself。Helikeswellenoughtothink，“Shelovesme，“
butstillbetter，“Howkindandgoodsheis！“
Theylostsightoftheinvalidinthehurryofgettingplacesonthecars，andtheyneversawheragain。Themanatthewicket-gateleadingtothetrainhadthrownitup，andthepeoplewerepressingfuriouslythroughasiftheirliveshunguponthechanceofinstantpassage。Basilhadsecuredhisticketforthesleeping-car，andsoheandIsabelstoodasideandwatchedthetumult。Whentherashwasovertheypassedthrough，andastheywalkedupanddowntheplatformbesidethetrain，“Iwasthinking，“saidIsabel，“afterIspoketothatpooroldlady，ofwhatClaraWilliamssays:thatshewondersthehappiestwomenintheworldcanlookeachotherinthefacewithoutburstingintotears，theirhappinessissounreasonable，andsobuiltuponandhedgedaboutwithmisery。Shedeclaresthatthere’snothingsosadtoherasabride，unlessit’sayoungmother，oralittlegirlgrowingupintheinnocentgayetyofherheart。Shewonderstheycanlivethroughit。“
“Claraisverymuchofareformer，andwouldmakeanendofallofusmen，Isuppose，——exceptherfather，whosupportsherintheleisurethatenableshertodoherdeepthinking。Shelittleknowswhatwepoorfellowshavetosuffer，andhowoftenwebreakdowninbusinesshours，andsobupononeanother’snecks。Didthatoldladytalktoyouinthesamestrain？“
“Ono！shespokeverycalmlyofhersickness，andsaidshehadlivedablessedlife。Perhapsitwasthatmademeshedthosefewsmalltears。
Sheseemedaveryreligiousperson。“
“Yes，“saidBasil，“itisalmostapitythatreligionisgoingout。Butthenyouaretohavethefranchise。“
“Allaboard！“
Thiswarningcrysavedhimfromwhateverheresyhemighthavebeenabouttoutter；andpresentlythetraincarriedthemoutintothegas-sprinkleddarkness，withanever-growingspeedthatsoonleftthecitylampsfarbehind。Itisaphenomenonwhosecommonnessalonepreventsitfrombeingmostimpressive，thatdepartureofthenight-express。Thetwohundredmilesitistotravelstretchbeforeit，tracedbythoseslenderclews，tolosewhichisruin，andaboutwhichhangsomanydangers。Thedrawbridgesthatgapeupontheway，thetrainsthatstandsmokingandsteamingonthetrack，therailthathasbornethewearsolongthatitmustsoonsnapunderit，thedeepcutwheretheoverhangingmassofrocktremblestoitsfall，theobstructionthatapitilessmalicemayhaveplacedinyourpath，——youthinkoftheseafterthejourneyisdone，buttheyseldomhauntyourfancywhileitlasts。Theknowledgeofyourhelplessnessinanycircumstancesissoperfectthatitbegetsasenseofirresponsibility，almostofsecurity；andasyoudrowseuponthepalletofthesleepingcar，andfeelyourselfhurledforwardthroughtheobscurity，youarealmostthankfulthatyoucandonothing，foritisuponthisconditiononlythatyoucanendureit；andsomesuchconditionasthis，Isuppose，accountsformanyheroicfactsintheworld。Tothefantasticmoodwhichpossessesyouequally，sleepingorwaking，thestoppagesofthetrainhaveaweirdcharacter；andWorcester，Springfield，NewHaven，andStamfordareratherpointsindream-landthanwell-knowntownsofNewEngland。Asthetrainstopsyoudrowseifyouhavebeenwaking，andwakeifyouhavebeeninadoze；butinanycaseyouareawareofthelocomotivehissingandcoughingbeyondthestation，offlaringgas-jets，ofclatteringfeetofpassengersgettingonandoff；
thenofsomeone，conductororstation-master，walkingthewholelengthofthetrain；andthenyouareawareofaninsanesatisfactioninrenewedflightthroughthedarkness。Youthinkhazilyofthefolkintheirbedsinthetownleftbehind，whostiruneasilyatthesoundofyourtrain’sdepartingwhistle；andsoallisablankvigilorablankslumber。