第8章

“Well，“sighedtheelder，whofilledhisarmchairquitefull，andquiveredwithacomfortablejelly-liketremorinit，ateverypulsationoftheengine，“Iwasafraidofsomethingofthekind。Asyousay，Benjamin，hedon’tseemtohavenopentforit。AndyetIproughdhimuptothebusiness；Idrainedhimtoit，myself。“

Besidesthesetalkers，therewerescatteredsingly，orgroupedaboutintwosandthreesandfours，thevariouspeopleoneencountersonaHudsonRiverboat，whoareonthewholedifferentfromthepassengersonotherrivers，thoughtheyallhavefeaturesincommon。Therewasthatmanofthesuddengains，whohasalreadybeentypified；andtherewasalsothesmootherrichmanofinheritedwealth，fromwhomyoucansomehowknowtheformersoreadily。Theywereeachattendedbytheirseveralretinuesofwomankind，thedaughtersallmuchalike，butthemotherssomewhatdifferent。TheyweregoingtoSaratoga，whereperhapstheexigenciesoffashionwouldbringthemacquainted，andwherethebluebloodofaquarterofacenturywouldbekindtotheyesterday’sfluidofwarmerhue。Therewassomethingpleasanterinthefaceofthehereditaryaristocrat，butnotsostrong，nor，altogether，soadmirable；

particularlyifyoureflectedthathereallyrepresentednothingintheworld，nogreatculture，nopoliticalinfluence，nocivicaspiration，notevenapecuniaryforce，nothingbutasocialset，analienclub-life，atraditionofdining。Weliveinatruefairylandafterall，wherethehoardedtreasureturnstoaheapofdryleaves。Thealmightydollardefeatsitself，andfinallybuysnothingthatamancarestohave。TheveryhighestpleasurethatsuchanAmerican’smoneycanpurchaseisexile，andtothisrichmandoubtlessEuropeisatwice-toldtale。Letusclapouremptypockets，dearestreader，andbeglad。

Wecanbeasglad，apparently，andwiththesamereasonasthepoorlydressedyoungmanstandingnearbesidetheguard，whosefaceBasilandIsabelchosetofancythatofapoet，andconcerningwhom，theyromancedthathewasgoinghome，whereverhishomewas，withthemanuscriptofarejectedbookinhispocket。Theyimaginedhimnogreatthingsofapoet，tobesure，buthispensivefaceclaimeddelicatefeelingforhim，andagraceful，sombrefancy，andtheyconjecturedunconsciouslycaughtflavorsofTennysonandBrowninginhisverse，withamodernertintfromMorris:forwasitnotastoryoutofmythology，withgodsandheroesofthenineteenthcentury，thathewasnowcarryingbackfromNewYorkwithhim？Basilsketchedfromthecolorsofhisownlong-accepteddisappointmentsamovinglittlepictureofthispoorimaginedpoet’sadventures；withwhatkindnessandunkindnesshehadbeenputtoshamebypublishers，andhow，descendingfromhishigh，hopesofabook，hehadtriedtoselltothemagazinessomeoftheshorterpiecesoutofthe“AndotherPoems“whichweretohavefilledupthevolume。“He’sgoingbackratherstunnedandbewildered；butit’ssomethingtohavetastedthecity，anditsbittermayturntosweetonhispalate，atlast，tillhefindshimselflongingforthetumultthatheabhorsnow。Poorfellow！

onecompassionatecut-throatofapublisherevenaskedhimtolunch，beingstruck，asweare，withsomethingfineinhisface。Ihopehe’sgotsomebodywhobelievesinhim，athome。Otherwisehe’dbemorecomfortable，forthepresent，ifhewentovertherailingthere。“

Sotheplayofwhichtheywerebothactorsandspectatorswentonaboutthem。Likeallpassagesoflife，itseemednowagrotesquemystery，withabluntlyenforcedmoral，nowafarceofthebroadest，nowalatenttragedyfoldedinthedisguisesofcomedy。Alltheelements，indeed，ofeitherwereatworkthere，andthiswasbutonebriefsceneoftheimmensecomplexdramawhichwastoproceedsovariouslyinsuchdifferenttimesandplaces，andtohaveitsdenouementonlyineternity。Thecontrastsweresharp:eachgrouphaditstravestyinsomeother；thetalkofoneseemedtherudeburlesque，thebittersatireofthenext；butofalltheseparodiesnonewassoterriblyeffectiveasthetwowomen，whosatinthemidstofthecompany，yetweresomehowdistinctfromtherest。

Oneworethedeepestblackofwidowhood，theotherwasdressedinbridalwhite，andtheywerebothalikeawfulintheirmockeryofguiltlesssorrowandguiltlessjoy。Theywerenotold，butthesoulofyouthwasdeadintheirpretty，lamentablefaces，andruinancientassinlookedfromtheireyes；theirtalkandlaughterseemedtheechoofaninnumerablemultitudeofthelosthauntingtheworldineverylandandtime，eachsolitaryforever，yetallboundtogetherintheunityofanimperishableslaveryandshame。

Whatastaleeffect！Whathackneyedcharacters！Letusbegladthenightdropshercurtainuponthecheapspectacle，andshutsthesewiththeotheractorsfromourview。

Withinthecabin，throughwhichBasilandIsabelnowslowlymoved，therewerenumbersofpeopleloungingaboutonthesofas，invariousattitudesoftalkorvacancy；andatthetablestherewereothersreading“Lothair，“anewbookintheremoteepochofwhichIwrite，andaveryfashionablebookindeed。Therewasintheairthatodorofpaintandcarpetwhichprevailsonsteamboats；theglassdropsofthechandelierstickedsoftlyagainsteachother，asthevesselshookwithherrespiration，likeacomfortablesleeper，andimpartedadeliciousfeelingofcozinessandsecuritytoourtravellers。

Afewhourslatertheystruggledawakeatthesharpsoundofthepilot’sbellsignalingtheengineertoslowtheboat。Therewasamomentofperfectsilence；thenallthedropsofthechandeliersinthesaloonclashedmusicallytogether；thenfellanothersilence；andatlastcamewildcriesforhelp，stronglyqualifiedwithblasphemiesandcurses。

“Sendoutaboat！““Therewasawomanaboardthatsteamboat！““Loweryourboats！““Runacraftrightdown，withyourbigboat！““Sendoutaboatandpickupthecrew！“Thecriesroseandsank，andfinallyceased；

throughthelatticeofthestate-roomwindowsomelightsshonefaintlyonthewateratadistance。

“Waithere，Isabel！“saidherhusband。“We’verundownaboat。Wedon’tseemhurt；butI’llgosee。I’llbebackinaminute。“

Isabelhademergedintoaworldofdishabille，aworldwildlyunbuttonedandunlaced，whereitwasthefashionforladiestoweartheirhairdowntheirbacks，andtowalkaboutintheirstockings，andtospeaktoeachotherwithoutintroduction。Theplacewithwhichshehadfeltsofamiliaralittlewhilebeforewasnowutterlyestranged。Therewasnomotionoftheboat，andinthemomentarysuspenseaquietprevailed，inwhichthosegrotesqueshapesofdisarraycreptnoiselesslyroundwhisperingpanic-strickenconjectures。Therewasnorushingtoandfro，nortumultofanykind，andtherewasnotamantobeseen，forapparentlytheyhadallgonelikeBasiltolearntheextentofthecalamity。Amistofsleepinvolvedthewhole，anditwassuchatopsy-

turvyworldthatitwouldhaveseemedonlyanotherdream-land，butthatitwasmarkedforrealitybyonesignalfact。Withtherestappearedthewomaninbridalwhiteandthewomaninwidow’sblack，andthere，amidstthefrightthatmadeallothersfriends，andforaughtthatmostknew，inthepresenceofdeathitself，thesetwomovedtogethershunnedandfriendless。

Somehow，evenbeforeBasilreturned，ithadbecomeknowntoIsabelandtherestthattheirownsteamerhadsufferednoharm，butthatshehadstruckandsunkanotherconvoyingaflotillaofcanalboats，fromwhichthosealarmingcriesandcurseshadcome。Thesteamerwasnowlyingbyforthesmallboatsshehadsentouttopickupthecrewofthesunkenvessel。

“Why，Ionlyheardalittletinklingofthechandeliers，“saidoneoftheladies。“Isitsuchaveryalightmattertorundownanotherboatandsinkit？“

SheappealedindirectlytoBasil，whoansweredlightly，“Idon’tthinkyouladiesoughttohavebeendisturbedatall。Inrunningoveracommontow-boatonaperfectlyclearnightlikethisthereshouldhavebeennonoiseandnoperceptiblejar。TheymanagebetterontheMississippi，andbothboatsoftengodownwithoutwakingthelightestsleeperonboard。“

Theladies，perhapsfromadeficientsenseofhumor，listenedwithundisguiseddispleasuretothisspeech。Itdispersedthem，infact；someturnedawaytobivouacfortherestofthenightuponthearm-chairsandsofas，whileothersreturnedtotheirrooms。WiththelatterwentIsabel。“Lockmein，Basil，“shesaid，withaboldmeekness，“andifanythingmorehappensdon’twakemetillthelastmoment。“Itwashardtopartfromhim，butshefeltthathisvigilwouldsomehowbeusefultotheboat，andsheconfidinglyfellintoasleepthatlastedtilldaylight。

Meantime，herhusband，onwhomshehadtacitlydevolvedsogreataresponsibility，wentforwardtothepromenadeinfrontofthesaloon，inhopesoflearningsomethingmoreofthecatastrophefromthepeoplewhomhehadalreadyfoundgatheredthere。

Alargepartofthepassengerswerestillthere，seatedorstandingaboutinearnestcolloquy。Theywereinthatmoodwhichfollowsgreatexcitement，andinwhichthefeeblest-mindedaresuretoleadthetalk。

Atsuchtimesonefeelsthatasensibleframeofmindisunsympathetic，andifexpressed，unpopular，orperhapsnotquitesafe；andBasil，warnedbyhisfatewiththeladies，listenedgravelytothevoiceofthecommonimbecilityandincoherence。

Theprincipalspeakerwasatallperson，wearingasilktravelling-cap。

Hehadafaceofstupidbenignityandaself-satisfiedsmirk；andhewasformallytryingtoputathisease，andhopelesslyconfusingtheloutishyouthbeforehim。“Yousayyousawthewholeaccident，andyou’reprobablytheonlypassengerthatdidseeit。You’llbethemostimportantwitnessatthetrial，“headded，asiftherewouldeverbeanytrialaboutit。“Now，howdidthetow-boathitus？“

“Well，shecamebowson。“

“Ah！bowson，“repeatedtheother，withgreatsatisfaction；andalittlemurmurof“Bowson！“ranroundthelisteningcircle。

“Thatis，“addedthewitness，“itseemedasifwestruckheramidships，andcutherintwo，andsunkher。“

“Justso，“continuedtheexaminer，acceptingtheexplanation，“bowson。

NowIwanttoaskifyousawourcaptainoranyofthecrewabout？“

“Notasoul，“saidthewitness，withthesolemnityofamanalreadyonoath。

“That’lldo，“exclaimedtheother。“Thisgentleman’sexperiencecoincidesexactlywithmyown。Ididn’tseethecollision，butIdidseethecloudofsteamfromthesinkingboat，andIsawhergodown。Therewasn’tanofficertobefoundanywhereonboardourboat。Ilookedaboutforthecaptainandthematemyself，andcouldn’tfindeitherofthemhighorlow。“

“Theofficersoughtalltohavebeensittinghereonthepromenadedeck，“

suggestedoneironicalspiritinthecrowd，butnoonenoticedhim。