第12章

“Isabel，yourignoranceofallthatanAmericanwomanshouldbeproudofdistressesme。Haveyoureally，then，neverheardofthemanwhoinventedthesaying，’Somethingscanbedoneaswellasothers，’andproveditbyjumpingoverNiagaraFallstwice？Spurredonbythisbelief，heattemptedtheleapoftheGeneseeFalls。Theleapwaseasyenough，butthecomingupagainwasanothermatter。Hefailedinthat。

Itwastheonethingthatcouldnotbedoneaswellasothers。“

“Dreadful！“saidIsabel，withthecheerfullestsatisfaction。“ButwhathasallthattodowithRochester？“

“Now，mydear，Youdon’tmeantosayyoudidn’tknowthattheGeneseeFallswereatRochester？Uponmyword，I’mashamed。Why，we’rewithintenminutes’walkofthemnow。“

“Thenwalktothematonce！“criedIsabel，whollyunabashed，andinfactunabletoseewhathehadtobeashamedof。“Actually，IbelieveyouwouldhaveallowedmetoleaveRochesterwithouttellingmethefallswerehere，ifyouhadn’thappenedtothinkofSamPatch。“

Sayingthis，shepersuadedherselfthatachiefobjectoftheirjourneyhadbeentovisitthesceneofSamPatch’sfatalexploit，andshedrewBasilwithanervousswiftnessinthedirectionoftherailroadstation，beyondwhichhesaidwerethefalls。Presently，afterthreadingtheirwayamongamultitudeoflocomotives，withandwithouttrainsattached，thatbackedandadvanced，orstoodstill，hissingimpatientlyoneveryside，theypassedthroughthestationtoabroadplankingabovetheriverontheotherside，andthence，afterencounterofmorelocomotives，theyfound，bydintofmuchasking，astreetwindingupthehill-sidetotheleft，andleadingtotheGermanBierhausthatgivesaccesstothebestviewofthecataract。

TheAmericanshavecharacteristicallyborderedtheriverwithmanufactures，makingeverydropworkitspassagetothebrink；whiletheGermanshaveascharacteristicallymadeuseofthebeautyleftover，andhavebuiltaBierhauswheretheymayregalebothsoulandsenseinthepresenceofthecataract。Ourtravellersmight，inanothermoodandplace，havethoughtitdrolltoarriveatthatsublimespectaclethroughaBierhaus，butinthisenchantedcityitseemedtohaveapeculiarfitness。

Anarrowcorridorgaveintoawidefestivalspaceoccupiedbymanytables，eachofwhichwassurroundedbyagroupofclamorousGermansofeithersexandeveryage，withtallbeakersofbeadedlagerbeforethem，andslimflasksofRhenish；overheadflamedthegasinglobesofvaricoloredglass；thewallswerepaintedlikethoseofsuchhauntsinthefatherland；andthewedding-journeyerswerefairtolingerontheirway，todwelluponthatsceneofhonestenjoyment，toinhaletheminglingodorsofbeerandofpipes，andofthepungentcheesesinwhichthechildrenofthefatherlanddelight。Amidsttheinspiritingclashofplatesandglasses，therattleofknivesandforks，andthehoarserushofgutturals，theycouldcatchthewordsFranzosen，Kaiser，Konig，andSchlacht，andtheyknewthatfestivecompanytobeexultinginthefirstGermantriumphsofthewar，whichwerethentheday’snews；theysawfistsshakenatnosesinfierceexchangeofjoy，armstossedabroadinwildcongratulation，andhealth-pouringgobletsofbeerliftedinair。

Thentheysteppedintothemoonlightagain，andheardonlythesolemnorganstopsofthecataract。Throughgarden-groundtheywereledbythelittlemaid，theirguide，toasmallpavilionthatstoodontheedgeoftheprecipitousshore，andcommandedaperfectviewofthefalls。Astheyenteredthispavilion，ayouthandmaiden，clearlylovers，passedout，andtheywereleftalonewiththatsublimepresence。Somethingofdefinitenesswastobedesiredinthespectacle，buttherewasamplecompensationinthemysterywithwhichthebroadeffulgenceandthedenseunluminousshadowsofthemoonshineinvestedit。Thelighttouchedallthetopsoftherapids，thatseemedtowritheswayfromthebrinkofthecataract，andthendesperatelybreakingandperishingtofall，thewhitedisembodiedghostsofrapids，downtothebottomofthevastanddeepravinethroughwhichtheriverrushedaway。Nowthewatersseemedtomassthemselvesahundredfeethighinawallofsnowycompactness，nowtodisperseintotheirmultitudinousparticlesandhanglikesomevaporouscloudfromthecliff。Everymomentrenewedthevisionofbeautyinsomerareandfantasticshape；anditslovelinessisolatedit，inspiteofthegreattownontheothershore，thestationwithitsbridgeanditstrains，themillsthatsuppliedtheirfeeblelittleneedsfromthecataract’sstrength。

AtlastBasilpointedoutthetable-rockinthemiddleofthefall，fromwhichSamPatchhadmadehisfatalleap；butIsabelrefusedtoadmitthattragicalfiguretothehonorsofheremotions。“Idon’tcareforhim！“

shesaidfiercely。“Patch！Whatanametobelinkedinourthoughtswiththissuperbcataract。“

“Well，Isabel，Ithinkyouareveryunjust。It’sasgoodanameasLeander，tomythinking，anditwasimmortalizedinsupportofagreatidea，thefeasibilityofallthings；whileLeander’shascomedowntousasthatoftheweakvictimofapassion。Weshallneverhaveapoetryofourowntillwegetoverthisabsurdreluctancefromfacts，tillwemaketheidealembraceandincludethereal，tillweconsenttofacethemusicinoursimplecommonnames，andputSmithintoalyricandJonesintoatragedy。TheGermansarebraverthanwe，andinthemyoufindfactsanddreamscontinuallyblendedandconfronted。Hereisafortunateillustration。Thepeoplewemetcomingoutofthispavilionwerelovers，andtheyhadbeenheresentimentalizingonthissuperbcataract，asyoucallit，withwhichmyheroicPatchisnotworthytobenamed。NodoubttheyhadbeenquotingUhlandorsomeotheroftheirromanticpoets，perhapssingingsomeoftheirtenderGermanlove-songs，——thetenderest，unearthliestlove-songsintheworld。Atthesametimetheydidnotdisdainthematter-of-factcorporeityinwhichtheirsentimentwasenshrined；theyfeditheartilyandabundantlywiththebanquetwhoserelicsweseehere。“

Onatablebeforethemstoodapairofbeer-glasses，inthebottomsofwhichlurkedscarcethefoamofthegenerousliquorlatelybrimmingthem；

someshredsofsausage，somerindsofSwisscheese，bitsofcoldham，crustsofbread，andtheashesofapipe。

Isabelshudderedatthespectacle，butmadenocomment，andBasilwenton:“DoyousupposetheyscornedtheideaofSamPatchastheygazeduponthefalls？Onthecontrary，I’venodoubtthatherecalledtohertheballadwhichapoetoftheirlanguagemadeabouthim。ItusedtogotheroundsoftheGermannewspapers，andItranslatedit，alongwhileago，whenIthoughtthatItoowasin’Arkadiengeboren’。

“’IntheBierhauagartenIlingerBytheFallsoftheGeneses:

FromtheTable-RockinthemiddleLeapsafigureboldandfree。

AloofintheairitrisesO’ertherush，theplunge，thedeath；

OnthethrongingbanksoftheriverThereisneitherpulsenorbreath。

ForeverithoversandpoisesAloofinthemoonlitair；

Aslightasmistfromtherapids，Asheavyasnightmare。

InanguishIcrytothepeople，Thelong-sincevanishedhosts；

Iseethemstretchforthinanswer，Thehelplesshandsofghosts。’

“Ioncemetthepoetwhowrotethis。Hedranktoomuchbeer。“

“Idon’tseethathegotinthenameofSamPatch，afterall，“saidIsabel。

“Oyes；hedid；butIhadtoyieldtoourtaste，andwherehesaid，I

’SpringtderSamPatschkuhnandfrei’，’Imadeit’Leapsafigureboldandfree。’“

Astheypassedthroughthehouseontheirwayout，theysawtheyouthandmaidentheyhadmetatthepaviliondoor。Theywereseatedatatable；

twoglassesofbeertoweredbeforethem；ontheirplateswereodorouscrumbsofLimburgercheese。Theybothworeapensiveair。

Thenextmorningtheillusionthathadwraptthewholeearthwasgonewiththemoonlight。Bynineo’clock，whenthewedding-journeyersresumedtheirwaytowardNiagara，theheathadalreadysetinwiththeeffectofordinarymidsummer’sheatathighnoon。ThecarintowhichtheygothadcomethepastnightfromAlbany，andhadanairofalmostconsciousshabbiness，griminess，andover-use。Theseatswerecoveredwithcinders，whichalsocrackledunderfoot。Dustwasoneverything，especiallythepersonsofthecrumpledandwearypassengersofovernight。

ThosewhocameaboardatRochesterfailedtolightenthespiritualgloom，andpresentlytheysankintothecommonbodilywretchedness。Thetrainwassomewhatbelated，andasitdrewnearerBuffalotheyknewtheconductortohaveabandonedhimselftothatblackestofthearts，makingtime。Thelongirregularjoltoftheordinaryprogresswasreducedtoanincessantshudderandaquicklateralmotion。Theairwithinthecarswasdeadly；ifawindowwasraised，astormofdustandcindersblewinandquickgustscaughtawaythebreath。Sotheysatwithclosedwindows，swelteringandstifling，andallthefacesonwhichalivelyhorrorwasnotpaintedweredullanddampwithapatheticmisery。

Theincidentswereinharmonywiththeabjectphysicaltoneofthecompany。Therewasaquarrelbetweenathin，shrill-voiced，highlydressed，much-bedizenedJewess，ontheoneside，andafat，greedyoldwoman，halfasleep，andaboywithlargepinktransparentearsthatstoodoutfromhisheadlikethehandlesofajar，ontheotherside，aboutaseatwhichtheHebrewwanted，andwhichtheothershadkeptfilledwithpackagesonthepretensethatitwasengaged。Itwasaloudandfiercequarrelenough，butitwonnosortoffavor；andwhentheJewesshadgivenafinalopinionthatthegreedyoldwomanwasnolady，andtheboy，whodisputedinanironicaltemper，replied，“Highlycomplimentary，I

mustsay，“therewasnosignofrelieforotheracknowledgmentinanyofthespectators，thattherehadbeenaquarrel。

TherewasalittlemoreinteresttakeninthemisfortuneofanoldpurblindGermanandhisson，whowerefoundbytheconductortobeafewhundredmilesoutofthedirectcoursetotheirdestination，andwerewithsometroubleandtheaidofanAmericanizedfellow-countrymanmadeawareofthefact。Theoldmanthenfellbackintheprevailingapathy，andthechildnaturallycarednothing。Byandbycametheunsparingtrain-boyonhisrounds，bestrewingthepassengerssuccessivelywithpapers，magazines，fine-cuttobacco，andpackagesofcandy。Hegavetheoldmanapackageofcandy，andpassedon。TheGermantookitasthebountyoftheAmericanpeople，oddlymanifestedinasituationwherehecouldotherwisehavehadlittleproofoftheircare。Heopeneditandwassharingitwithhissonwhenthetrain-boycameback，andmetallically，likeapartofthemachinery，demanded，“Tencents！“

TheGermanstaredhelplessly，andtheboyrepeated，“Tencents！tencents！“withtiresomepatience，whiletheotherpassengerssmiled。Whenithadpassedthroughthealien’sheadthathewastopayforthisnationalgiftandhetookwithhistremulousfingersfromtherecessesofhispocket-bookaten-centnoteandhandedittohistormentor，someofthepeoplelaughed。Amongtherest，BasilandIsabellaughed，andthenlookedateachotherwitheyesofmutualreproach。