第6章

house，ordenoftheassassinstreetsbytheriver-sides，——ifindeeditdidnotbefallinsomesuchhigh，close-shuttered，handsomedwellingasthosetheypassed，inwhosetwilightitwouldbesoeasytostrikedownthemasterandleavehimundiscoveredandunmournedbythefamilyignorantlyabsentatthemountainsortheseaside。Theyconjecturedofthehorrorofmidsummerbattles，andpicturedtheanguishofshipwreckedmenuponatropicalcoast，andthegrimymiseryofstevedoresunloadingshinycargoesofanthracitecoalatcitydocks。Butnowatlast，astheytookseatsoppositeoneanotherinthecrowdedcar，theyseemedtohavedriftedinfinitedistancesandlongepochsasunder。Theylooked。

hopelesslyacrosstheinterveninggulf，andmutelyquestionedwhenitwasandfromwhatfarcitytheyorsomeremoteancestorsoftheirshadsetforthuponaweddingjourney。Theybadeeachotheratacitfarewell，andwithpatient，patheticfacesawaitedtheendoftheworld。

Whentheyalighted，theytooktheirwayupthroughoneofthestreetsofthegreatwholesalebusinesses，toBroadway。Onthisstreetwasathrongoftrucksandwagonsladingandunlading；balesandboxesroseandsankbypulleysoverhead；thefootwaywasalabyrinthofpackagesofeveryshapeandsize:therewasnoflaggingofthepitilessenergythatmovedallforward，nosignofhowheavyaweightlayonit，saveinthereekingfacesofitshelplessinstruments。Butwhenthewedding-journeyersemergeduponBroadway，theotherpassagesandincidentsoftheirdreamfadedbeforethesuperiorfantasticalityofthespectacle。Itwasfouro’clock，thedeadliesthourofthedeadlysummerday。Thespiritlessairseemedtohaveaqualityofblacknessinit，asiffilledwiththegloomoflow-hoveringwings。Onehalfthestreetlayinshadow，andonehalfinsun；butthesunshineitselfwasdim，asifaheatgreaterthanitsownhadsmittenitwithlanguor。Littlegustsofsick，warmwindblewacrossthegreatavenueatthecornersoftheintersectingstreets。Intheupwarddistance，atwhichthejourneyerslooked，theloftierroofsandsteeplesliftedthemselvesdimoutofthelividatmosphere，andfarupanddownthelengthofthestreetsweptastreamoftormentedlife。

Allsortsofwheeledthingsthrongedit，conspicuousamongwhichrolledandjarredthegaudilypaintedStages，withquiveringhorsesdriveneachbyamanwhosatintheshadeofabranchingwhiteumbrella，andsufferedwithamoodytruculenceofaspect，andasifheharboredthebitternessofdeathinhisheartforthecrowdingpassengerswithin，whenoneofthempulledthestrapabouthislegs，andsummonedhimtohalt。Mostofthefoot-passengerskepttotheshadyside，andtotheunaccustomedeyesofthestrangerstheywerenotlessinnumberthanatanyothertime，thoughtherewerefewerwomenamongthem。Indomitablyresoluteofsoul，theyheldtheircoursewiththeswiftpaceofcustom，andonlyhereandtheretheyshowedtheeffectoftheheat。Oneman，collarless，withwaistcoatunbuttoned，andhatsetfarbackfromhisforehead，wavedafanbeforehisdeath-whiteflabbyface，andsetdownonefootaftertheotherwiththeheavinessofasomnambulist。Another，astheypassedhim，wassayinghuskilytothefriendathisside，“Ican’tstandthismuchlonger。Myhandstingleasiftheyhadgonetosleep；myheart——“

Butstillthemultitudehurriedon，passing，repassing，encountering，evading，vanishingintoshop-doorsandemergingfromthem，dispersingdownthesidestreets，andswarmingoutofthem。Itwasascenethatpossessedthebeholderwithsingularfascination，andinitseffectofuniversallunacy，itmightwellhaveseemedthelastphaseofaworldpresentlytobedestroyed。Theywhowereinitbutnotofit，astheyfancied，thoughtherewasnoreasonforthis，——lookedonitamazed，andatlasttheirownerrandsbeingaccomplished，andthemselvessofarcuredofthemadnessofpurpose，theycriedwithonevoice，thatitwasahideoussight，andstrovetotakerefugefromitinthenearestplacewherethesoda-fountainsparkled。

Itwasavaindesire。Atthefrontdooroftheapothecary’shungathermometer，andastheyenteredtheyheardthenextcomercryoutwithamaniacalprideintheafflictionlaiduponmankind，“Ninety-sevendegrees！“Behindthematthedoortherepouredinaceaselessstreamofpeople，eachpausingattheshrineofheat；beforehetossedoffthehissingdraughtthattwopale，close-clippedboysservedthemfromeithersideofthefountain。Thenintheorderoftheircomingtheyissuedthroughanotherdooruponthesidestreet，each，ashedisappeared，turninghisfacehalfround，andcastingacasualglanceuponalittlegroupnearanothercounter。Thegroupwasofaverypatient，half-

frightened，half-puzzledlookinggentlemanwhosatperfectlystillonastool，andofaladywhostoodbesidehim，rubbingalloverhisheadahandkerchieffullofpoundedice，andeasingonehandwiththeotherwhenthefirstbecametired。Basildrankhissodaandpausedtolookuponthisgroup，whichhefeltwouldcommenditselftorealisticsculptureaseminentlycharacteristicofthelocallife，andas“TheSunstroke“wouldsellenormouslyinthehotseason。“Bettertakealittlemoreofthat，“

theapothecarysaid，lookingupfromhisprescription，and，astheorganizedsympathyoftheseeminglyindifferentcrowd，smilingverykindlyathispatient，whothereupontastedsomethingintheglassheheld。“Doyoustillfeellikefainting？“askedthehumaneauthority。

“Slightly，nowandthen，“answeredtheother，“butI’mhangingonhardtothebottomcurveofthaticicledSonyoursoda-fountain，andIfeelthatI’mallrightaslongasIcanseethat。Thepeoplegetratherhazy，occasionally，andhavenofeaturestospeakof。ButIdon’tknowthatI

lookveryimpressivemyself，“headdedinthejestingmoodwhichseemsthenaturalconditionofAmericansinthefaceofallembarrassments。

“O，you’lldo！“theapothecaryanswered，withalaugh；buthesaid，inanswertoananxiousquestionfromthelady，“Hemustn’tbemovedforanhouryet，“andgaylypestledawayataprescription，whilesheresumedherofficeofgrindingthepoundediceroundandrounduponherhusband’sskull。Isabelofferedherthecommiserationoffriendlywords，andoflookskinderyet，andthenseeingthattheycoulddonothing，sheandBasilfellintotheendlessprocession，andpassedoutofthesidedoor。

“Whatashockingthing！“shewhispered。“Didyouseehowallthepeoplelooked，oneafteranother，soindifferentlyatthatcouple，andevidentlyforgotthemthenextinstant？Itwasdreadful。Ishouldn’tliketohaveyousun-struckinNewYork。“

“That’sveryconsiderateofyou；butplaceforplace，ifanyaccidentmusthappentomeamongstrangers，IthinkIshouldprefertohaveitinNewYork。Thebiggestplaceisalwaysthekindestaswellasthecruelestplace。AmongstthethousandsofspectatorsthegoodSamaritanaswellastheLevitewouldbesuretobe。Asforasun-stroke，itrequirespeculiargifts。Butifyoucompelmetoachoiceinthematter，thenIsay，givemethebusiestpartofBroadwayforasun-stroke。Thereissuchexperienceofcalamitytherethatyoucouldhardlyfallthefirstvictimtoanymisfortune。Probablythegentlemanattheapothecary’swasmerelyexhaustedbytheheat，andraninthereforrevival。Theapothecaryhasacaseofthekindonhishandseveryblazingafternoon，andknowsjustwhattodo。Thecrowdmaybealittle’ennuye’ofsun-

strokes，andtothatdegreeindifferent，buttheymostlikelyknowthattheycanonlydoharmbyanexpressionofsympathy，andsotheydelegatetheirpityastheyhavedelegatedtheirhelpfulnesstotheproperauthority，andgoabouttheirbusiness。Ifamanwasovercomeinthemiddleofavillagestreet，theblunderingcountrydruggistwouldn’tknowwhattodo，andthetender-heartedpeoplewouldcrowdaboutsothatnobreathofaircouldreachthevictim。“

“Maybeso，dear，“saidthewife，pensively；butifanythingdidhappentoyouinNewYork，Ishouldliketohavethespectatorslookasiftheysawahumanbeingintrouble。PerhapsI’malittleexacting。“

“Ithinkyouare。Nothingissohardastounderstandthattherearehumanbeingsinthisworldbesidesone’sselfandone’sset。Butletusbeselfishlythankfulthatitisn’tyouandIthereintheapothecary’sshop，asitmightverywellbe；andletusgettotheboatassoonaswecan，andendthishorriblemidsummer-day’sdream。Wemusthaveacarriage，“headdedwithtardywisdom，hailinganemptyhack，“asweoughttohavehadallday；thoughI’mnotsorry，nowtheworst’sover，tohaveseentheworst。“

III。THENIGHTBOAT。

Thereislittleproportionabouteitherpainorpleasure:aheadachedarkenstheuniversewhileitlasts，acupofteareallylightensthespiritbereftofallreasonableconsolations。ThereforeIdonotthinkittrivialoruntruetosaythatthereisforthemomentnothingmoresatisfactoryinlifethantohaveboughtyourticketonthenightboatuptheHudsonandsecuredyourstate-roomkeyanhourortwobeforedeparture，andsometimeevenbeforethepressureattheclerk’sofficehasbegun。Inthetransactionwiththiscastellatedbaron，youhaveofcoursebeentreatedwithhaughtiness，butnotwithferocity，andyourself-respectswellswithasenseofhavingescapedpositiveinsult；yourkeyclickscheerfullyinyourpocketagainstitsgutta-perchanumber，andyouwalkupanddownthegorgeouslycarpeted，single-columned，two-storycabin，amidamultitudeofplushsofasandchairs，aglitterofglass，andatinkleofprismaticchandeliersoverhead，unawedevenbythearistocraticgloomoftheyellowwaiters。Yourownstateroomasyouenteritfromtimetotimeisanever-newsurpriseofsplendors，amagnificenteffectofamplitude，ofmahoganybedstead，oflacecurtains，andofmarbletoppedwash-stand。Inthemerewantonnessofanunalloyedprosperityyousaytothesaffronnoblemannearestyourdoor，“Bringmeapitcherofice-water，quick，please！“andyoudonotfindthehalf-hourthatheisgoneverylong。

Iftheordinarywayfarerexperiencessomuchpleasurefromthesethings，thenimaginetheinfinitecomfortofourwedding-journeyers，transportedfromBroadwayonthatpitilessafternoontotheshelterandthequietofthatabsurdlypalatialsteamboat。Itwasnotyetcrowded，andbytheriver-sidetherewasalmostafreshnessintheair。Theydisposedoftheirtroublingbagsandpackages；theycomplimentedtheridiculousprincelinessoftheirstateroom，andthentheybetookthemselvestotheshelteredspaceaftofthesaloon，wheretheysatdownforthetranquillerobservanceofthewharfandwhatevershouldcometobeseenbythem。Likeallpeoplewhohavejustescapedwiththeirlivesfromsomemenacingcalamity，theywereveryphilosophicalinspirit；andhavinggotaboardoftheirownmotion，andbeingneitherofthemapparentlytheworsefortheordealtheyhadpassedthrough，wereofalight，conversationaltemper。

“Whatanamusinglysuperbaffair！“Basilcriedastheyglancedthroughanopenwindowdownthelongvistaofthesaloon。“Goodheavens！Isabel，doesittakeallthistogetusplainrepublicanstoAlbanyincomfortandsafety，orarewereallyanationofprincesindisguise？Well，I

shallneverbesatisfiedwithlesshereafter，“headded。“Iamspoiltforordinarypaintandupholsteryfromthishour；Iamaruinousspendthrift，andahumblethree-storyswell-frontupattheSouthEndisnolongertheplaceforme。Dearest，“’Letusswearanoath，andkeepitwithanequalmind，’

nevertoleavethisAladdin’s-palace-likesteamboat，butspendourlivesinperpetualtripsupanddowntheHudson。“