第7章

TowhichnotverycostlybanterIsabelrespondedinkind，andrapidlysketchedthelifetheycouldleadaboard。Sincetheycouldnothelpit，theymockedthepublicprovisionwhich，leavingnointervalbetweendisgracefulsqualorandludicroussplendor，accommodatesourdemocratic’menage’tothetasteoftherichestandmostextravagantplebeianamongstus。He，unhappily，mindsdangerandoppressionaslittleashemindsmoney，solongashehasaspectacleandasensation，anditisthisruthlessimbecilewhowillhavelacecurtainstothesteamboatberthintowhichhegetswithhispantaloonson，andoutofwhichhemaybeblownbyanexplodingboileratanymoment；itishewhowillhaveforsupperthatovergrownandshapelessdinnerinthelowersaloon，andwillnotletanyoneelsebuyteaortoastforalesssumthanhepaysforhissurfeit；itishewhoperpetuatestheinsolenceoftheclerkandthereluctanceofthewaiters；itishe，infact，whonowcomesoutofthesaloon，withhiswomenkind，andtakeschairsundertheawningwhereBasilandIsabelsit。Personally，heisnotsobad；heisgood-looking，likeallofus；heisbetterdressedthanmostofus；hebehaveshimselfquietly，ifnoteasily；andnolordsoloathesascene。NextyearheisgoingtoEurope，wherehewillnotshowtosomuchadvantageashere；butforthepresentitwouldbehardtosayinwhatwayheisvulgar，andperhapsvulgarityisnotsocommonathingafterall。

Itwassomethingbesidestheriverthatmadetheairsomuchmoresufferablethanithadbeen。Overthecity，sinceourfriendshadcomeaboardtheboat，ablackcloudhadgatheredandnowhunglowuponit，whilethewindfromthefaceofthewatertookthedustintheneighboringstreets，andfrolickeditaboutthehouse-tops，andinthefacesofthearrivingpassengers，who，asthemomentofdeparturedrewnear，appearedinconstantlyincreasingnumbersandingreatervariety，withnotonlythetrepidationofgoinguponthem，butalsowiththeelectricalexcitementpeoplefeelbeforeatempest。

Thebreastoftheblackcloudwasnowzigzaggedfrommomenttomomentbylightning，andclapsofdeafeningthunderbrokefromit。Atlastthelongenduranceofthedaywasspent，andoutofitsconvulsionburstfloodsofrain，againandagainsweepingthepromenade-deckwherethepeoplesat，anddrivingthemdisconsolateintothesaloon。Theairwasdarkenedasbynight，andwithmanyregretsforthevanishingprospect，mingledwithasenseofrelieffromtheheat，ourfriendsfelttheboattrembleawayfromhermooringsandsetforthuponhertrip。

“Ah！ifwehadonlytakenthedayboat！“moanedIsabel。“Now，weshallseenothingoftheriverlandscape，andweshallneverbeabletoputourselvesdownwhenwelongforEurope，bydeclaringthatthesceneryoftheHudsonismuchfinerthanthatoftheRhine。“

Yettheyresolved，thisindomitablygood-naturedcouple，thattheywouldbejusteventotheelements，whichhadbynomeansbeengeneroustothem；andtheyownedthatifsonobleastormhadcelebratedtheirdepartureuponsomestoriedriverfromsomemoreromanticportthanNewYork，theywouldhavethoughtitanadmirablething。Evenwhilsttheycontentedthemselves，thestormpassed，andleftaveiledandhumidskyoverhead，thatgaveacharmingsoftnesstothesceneonwhichtheireyesfellwhentheycameoutofthesaloonagain，andtooktheirplaceswithalargelyincreasedcompanionshiponthedeck。

Theyhadalreadyreachedthatpartoftheriverwheretheuplandsbegin，andtheircoursewasbetweenstatelywallsofrockysteepness，orwoodedslopes，orgrassyhollows，thesceneforeverlosingandtakinggrandandlovelyshape。Wreathsofmisthungaboutthetopsoftheloftierheadlands，andlongshadowsdrapedtheirsides。Asthenightgrew，lightstwinkledfromalonelyhousehereandthereinthevalleys；aswarmoflampsshowedatownwhereitlayuponthelaporatthefootofthehills。Behindthemstretchedthegreatgrayriver，hauntedwithmanysails；nowagroupofcanal-boatsgrappledtogether，andhavinganairofcozinessintheiradventureuponthisstrangecurrentoutoftheirownsluggishwaters，driftedoutofsight；andnowasmallerandslowersteamer，makingalaboriousshowofkeepingupwaspassed，andreluctantlyfellbehind；alongthewater’sedgerattledandhootedthefrequenttrains。Theycouldnottellatanytimewhatpartoftherivertheywereon，andtheycouldnot，iftheywould，havemadeitsbeautyamatterofconscientiousobservation；butallthemore，therefore，theydeeplyenjoyeditwithoutreferencetotimeorplace。TheyfeltsomenaturalpainwhentheythoughtthattheymightunwittinglypassthescenesthatIrvinghasmadepartofthecommondream-land，andtheywouldfairhaveseenthelightedwindowsofthehouseoutofwhichacheerfulrayhaspenetratedtosomanyhearts；butbeingsureofnothing，astheywere，theyhadthecomfortoffindingtheTappanZeeineveryexpanseoftheriver，andofdiscoveringSunny-Sideoneverypleasantslope。Byvirtueofthishelplessness，theHudson，withoutceasingtobetheHudson，becamefrommomenttomomentallfairandstatelystreamsuponwhichtheyhadvoyagedorreadofvoyaging，fromtheNiletotheMississippi。Thereisnoothertravellikerivertravel；itistheperfectionofmovement，andonemightwelldesirenevertoarriveatone’sdestination。Theabundanceofroom，thefree，pureair，theconstantdelightoftheeyesinthechanginglandscape，thesofttremoroftheboat，sosteadyuponherkeel，thevarietyofthelittleworldonboard，——allformacharmwhichnogoodheartinasoundbodycanresist。

So，whilstthetwilightheld，wellcontent，incontiguouschairs，theypurredinflatteryoftheirkindlyfate，imaginingdifferentpleasures，certainly，butnonegreater，andtastingtoitssubtlestflavorthehappinessconsciousofitself。

Theirownsatisfaction，indeed，wassointerestingtotheminthisobjectivelight，thattheyhadlittledesiretoturnfromitscontemplationtothepeoplearoundthem；andwhenatlasttheydidso，itwasstillwithlingeringglancesofself-recognitionandenjoyment。Theydivinedrightlythatoneofthemainconditionsoftheirpresentfelicitywasthefactthattheyhadseensomuchoftimeandoftheworld，thattheyhadnolongeranydesiretotakebeholdingeyes，ortomakeanysortofimpressivefigure，andtheyunderstoodthattheirprosperousloveaccountedasmuchasyearsandtravelforthisresult。Iftheyhadhadaloftieropinionofthemselves，theirindifferencetoothersmighthavemadethemoffensive；butwiththeirmodestestimateoftheirownvalueintheworld，theycouldhaveallthecomfortofself-sufficiency，withoutitsvulgarity。

“Oyes！“saidBasil，inanswertosomeapostrophetotheirblissfromIsabel，“it’sthegreatestimaginablesatisfactiontohavelivedpastcertainthings。IalwaysknewthatIwasnotaveryhandsomeorotherwisecaptivatingperson，butIcanrememberyears——nowblessedlyremote——whenInevercouldseeayounggirlwithouthopingshewouldmistakemeforsomethingofthatsort。Icouldn’thelpdesiringthatsomefascinationofmine，whichhadescapedmyownanalysis，wouldhaveaneffectuponher。Idaresayallyoungmenareso。IusedtoliveforthepossibleinterestImightinspireinyoursex，Isabel。Theycontrolledmymovements，myattitudes；theyforbademerepose；andyetI

believeIwasnoass，butatolerablysensiblefellow。Blessedbemarriage，Iamfreeatlast！Allthelovelinessthatexistsoutsideofyou，dearest，——andit’smightylittle，——ismerepageanttome；andI

thankHeaventhatIcanmeetthemoststylishgirlnowuponthebroadlevelofourcommonhumanity。Besides，itseemstomethatourexperienceoflifehasquietedusinmanyotherways。Whataluxuryitistosithere，andreflectthatwedonotwantanyofthesepeopletosupposeusrich，ordistinguished，orbeautiful，orwelldressed，anddonotcaretoshowoffinanysortofwaybeforethem！“

Thiscontentwasheightened，nodoubt，byajustsenseoftheircontrasttothegroupofpeoplenearestthere，——ayoungmanofthesecondorthirdquality——andtwoyounggirls。Theeldestofthesewascarryingonavivaciousflirtationwiththeyoungman，whowasapparentlyanacquaintanceofbriefstanding；theotherwasscarcelymorethanachild，andsatsomewhatabashedatthesparkleofthecolloquy。Theywereconjecturallysistersgoinghomefromsomevisit，andnotskilledintheworld，butofacertainreputeintheircountryneighborhoodforbeautyandwit。Theyoungmanpresentlygavehimselfoutasonewho，inpursuitoftradeforthedry-goodshouseherepresented，hadtravelledmanythousandsofmilesinallpartsofthecountry。Theencounterwasvisiblythatkindofadventurewhichbothwouldtreasureupforfuturecelebrationtotheirdifferentfriends；andithadabrilliancyandinterestwhichtheycouldnotevennowconsenttokeeptothemselves。

Theytalkedtoeachotherandatallthecompanywithinhearing，andexchangedcurtspeecheswhichhadforthemallthesensationofrepartee。

YoungMan。Theysaythatbeautyunadornedisadornedthemost。

YoungWoman(bridling，andtwitchingherheadfromsidetoside，inthehighexcitementofthedialogue)。Flatteryisoutofplace。

YoungMan。Well，nevermind。Ifyoudon’tbelieveme，youaskyourmotherwhenyougethome。

(Titterfromtheyoungersister。)

YoungWoman(scornfully)。Umph！mymotherhasnocontroloverme！

YoungMan。Nobodyelsehas，either，Ishouldgay。(Admiringly。)

YoungWoman。Yes，you’vetoldthetruthforonce，forawonder。I’mabletotakecareofmyself，——perfectly。(Almosthoarsewithasenseofsarcasticperformance。)

YoungMan。“Wholeteamandbigdogunderthewagon，“astheysayoutWest。

YoungWoman。Betterabigdogthanapuppy，anyday。

Gigglesandhorrorfromtheyoungersister，sensationintheyoungman，andsomuchraptureintheyoungwomanthatshedropsthekeyofherstate-roomfromherhand。Theybothstoop，andajocosescuffleforitensues，afterwhichthetalktakesanautobiographicalturnonthepartoftheyoungman，anddropsintoanunintelligiblemurmur。Ah！poorRealLife，whichIlove，canImakeotherssharethedelightIfindinthyfoolishandinsipidface？)

NotfarfromthisgroupsattwoHebrews，oneyoungandtheotherold，talkingofsomebusinessoutofwhichthelatterhadretired。Theyoungerhadbeenaskedhisopinionuponsomepoint，andhewasexpandingwithaflatteredconsciousnessoftheelder’sperceptionofhisimportance，andtoadyingtohimwiththepleasurewhichallyoungmenfeelinwinningthefavorofseniorsintheirvocation。“Well，asIwasa-say’n’，Isaacdon’tseemtohafnonatcheralpentfortheglothingbusiness。Mangomesinandwandsagoat，“——heseemedtobespeakingofagarmentandnotadomesticanimal，——“Isaac’llzellhimthegoathewandshimtopuy，andhe’llmakehimbelieveit’athegoathewasalookin’

for。Well，now，that’swellenoughasfarasitgoes；butyouknowandIknow，Mr。Rosenthal，thatthat’snowaytodobusiness。Amangan’tzugzeedthatgoesuponthatbrincible。Id’swrong。Id’seasyenoughtomakeamanpuythegoatyouwanthimto，ifhewandsagoat，butthethingistomakehimpuythegoatthatyouwandtozellwhenhedon’twandnogoatatall。You’veaskedmewhatIthoughtandI’vedoldyou。

Isaac’llneverzugzeedintheredailglothing-businessintheworld！“