第14章
Atfirstshewasgladtherewereotherpeopledownthere，asifsheandBasilwerenotenoughtobearitalone，andshecouldalmosthavespokentothetwohopelesslyprettybrides，withparasolsandimpertinentlittleboots，whomtheirattendanthusbandswerehelpingoverthesharpandslipperyrocks，sobarebeyondthespray，sogreenandmossywithinthefallofmist。Butinanotherbreathsheforgotthem；asshelookedonthatdizziedsea，hurlingitselffromthehighsummitinhugewhiteknots，andbreaksandmasses，andplungingintothegulfbesideher，whileitsentcontinuallyupastrongvoiceoflamentation，andcrawledawayinvasteddies，withsomehowalookofhumanterror，bewilderment，andpain。Itwasbathedinsnowyvaportoitscrest，butnowandthenheavycurrentsofairdrewthisaside，andtheysawtheoutlineoftheFallsalmostasfarastheCanadaside。Theyrememberedafterwardshowtheywereabletomakeuseofbutonesenseatatime，andhowwhentheystrovetotakeintheformsofthedescendingflood，theyceasedtohearit；butassoonastheyreleasedtheireyesfromthisservice，everyfibreinthemvibratedtothesound，andthespectacledissolvedawayinit。Theywereaware，too，ofastrangecapriciousnessintheirsenses，andofatendencyofeachtopalterwiththethingsperceived。Theeyecouldnolongertaketruthfulnoteofquality，andnowbeheldthetumblingdelugeasaGothicwallofcareenmarble，white，motionless，andnowasafalloflightestsnow，withmovementinallitsatoms，andscarcesomuchcohesionaswouldholdthemtogether；andagaintheycouldnotdiscernifthiscoursewerefromaboveorfrombeneath，whetherthewaterrosefromtheabyssordroppedfromtheheight。Theearcouldgivethebrainnoassuranceofthesoundthatfelledit，andwhetheritweregreatorlittle；theprevailingsoftnessofthecataract’stoneseemedsomuchopposedtoideasofprodigiousforceorofprodigiousvolume。Itwasonlywhenthesight，soidleinitsownbehalf，cametotheaidoftheothersense，andshowedthemthemutemovementofeachother’slips，thattheydimlyappreciatedthedepthofsoundthatinvolvedthem。
“Ithinkyoumighthavebeenhigh-strungthere，forasecondortwo，“
saidBasil，when，ascendingtheincline；hecouldmakehimselfheard。
“Wewilltrythebridgenext。“
Overtheriver，sostillwithitsoilyeddiesanddelicatewreathsoffoam，justbelowtheFallstheyhaveinlateyearswovenawebofwirehighinair，andhungabridgefromprecipicetoprecipice。Ofallthebridgesmadewithhandsitseemsthelightest，mostethereal；itisideallygraceful，anddroopsfromitsslighttowerslikeagarland。Itisworthytocommand，asitdoes，thewholegrandeurofNiagara，andtoshowthetravellerthevastspectacle，fromthebeginningoftheAmericanFalltothefarthestlimitoftheHorse-Shoe，withalltheawfulpompoftherapids，thesolemndarknessofthewoodedislands，themysteryofthevaporousgulf，theindomitablewildnessoftheshores，asfarastheeyecanreachupordownthefatalstream。
Tothisbridgeourfriendsnowrepaired，byapaththatledthroughanotherofthosegroveswhichkeepthevillagebackfromtheshoresoftheriverontheAmericanside，andgreatlyhelpthesight-seer’spleasureintheplace。Theexquisitestructure，whichswayssotremulouslyfromitstowers，andseemstolaysoslightaholdonearthwhereitscablessinkintotheground，istootherbridgeswhatthebloodhorseistothecommonbreedofroadsters；antnowtheyfeltitssensitivenervesquiverunderthemandsympatheticallythroughthemastheyadvancedfartherandfarthertowardthecentre。Perhapstheirsympathywiththebridge’strepidationwastoogreatforunalloyeddelight，andyetthethrillwasagloriousone，tobeknownonlythere；
andafterwards，atleast，theywouldnothavehadtheirairypathseemmoresecure。
ThelasthuesofsunsetlingeredinthemiststhatsprungfromthebaseoftheFallswithamournful，tremulousgrace，andamovementweirdastheplayofthenorthernlights。Theyweretouchedwiththemostdelicatepurplesandcrimsons，thatdarkenedtodeepred，andthenfadedfromthematasecondlook，andtheyflewupward，swiftlyupward，liketroopsofpale，transparentghosts；whileaperfectlyclearradiance，betterthananyotherforlocalcolor，dweltuponthescene。Farunderthebridgetheriversmoothlyswam，theundercurrentsforeverunfoldingthemselvesuponthesurfacewithavastrose-likeevolution，edgedallroundwithfaintlinesofwhite，wheretheairthatfilledthewaterfreeditselfinfoam。Whathadbeencleargreenonthefaceofthecataractwasheremorelikerichverd-antique，andhadalookoffirmnessalmostlikethatofthestoneitself。Soitshowedbeneaththebridge，anddowntherivertillthecurvingshoreshidit。These，springingabruptlypromthewater’sbrink，andshaggedwithpineandcedar，displayedthetenderverdureofgrassandbushesintermingledwiththedarkevergreensthatcombfromledgetoledge，tilltheypointtheirspearytopsabovethecrestofbluffs。Infront，wheretumbledrocksandexpansesofcakedclayvariedthegloomierandgayergreen，sprungthosespectralmists；andthroughthemloomedout，initsmanifoldmajesty，Niagara，withtheseeminglyimmovablewhiteGothicscreenoftheAmericanFall，andthegreenmassivecurveoftheHorseshoe，solidandsimpleandcalmasanEgyptianwall；whilebehindthis，withtheirwhiteandblackexpansesbrokenbydarkfoliagedlittleisles，thesteepCanadianrapidsbilloweddownbetweentheirheavilywoodedshores。
Thewedding-journeyershung，theyknewnothowlong，inraptureonthesight；andthen，lookingbackfromtheshoretothespotwheretheyhadstood，theyfeltrelievedthatunrealityshouldpossessitselfofall，andthatthebridgeshouldswingthereinmid-airlikeafilmyweb，scarcemorepassablethantherainbowthatflingsitsarchabovethemists。
Ontheporticoofthehoteltheyfoundhalfascoreofgentlemensmoking，andcreatingtogetherthatcollectivesilencewhichpassesforsocialityonourcontinent。Somecarriagesstoodbeforethedoor，andwithin，aroundthebaseofapillar，satacircleofidlecall-boys。Therewereafewtrunksheapedtogetherinoneplace，withaporterstandingguardoverthem；asolitaryguestwasbuyingacigaratthenewspaperstandinonecorner；anotherfriendlesscreaturewaswritingaletterinthereading-room；theclerk，inaseersuckercoatandalavishshirt-bosom，triedtogivethewholeaneffectofwatering-placegayetyandbustle，asheprovidedanewlyarrivedguestwitharoom。
Ourpairtookinthesetraitsofsolitudeandreposewithindifference。
Ifthehotelhadbeenthrongedwithbrilliantcompany，theywouldhavebeennomoreandnolesspleased；andwhen，aftersupper，theycameintothegrandparlor，andfoundnothingtherebutamarble-toppedcentre。
table，withasilver-platedice-pitcherandasmallcompanyofgoblets，theysatdownperfectlycontentinasecludedwindow-seat。Theywerenotseenbythethreepeoplewhoenteredsoonafter，andhaltedinthecentreoftheroom。
“Why，Kitty！“saidoneofthetwoladieswhomust；beinanytravelling-
partyofthree，“thisismoreinappropriatetoyourgorgeousarraythanthesupper-room，even。“
ShewhowascalledKittywasarmed，asforsocialconquest，insomekindofairyevening-dress，andwaslookingroundwithbewildermentuponthatforlornwasteofcarpetingandupholstery。Sheowned，withasmile，thatshehadnotseensomuchoftheworldyetasshehadbeenpromised；butshelikedNiagaraverymuch，andperhapstheyshouldfindtheworldatbreakfast。
“No，“saidtheotherlady，whowasasunquietasKittywascalm，andwhoseemedresolvedtomakethemostoftheworst，“itisn’tprobablethatthehotelwillfillupovernight；andIfeelpersonallyresponsibleforthisstateofthings。WhowouldeverhavesupposedthatNiagarawouldbesoempty？Ithoughttheplacewasthrongedthewholesummerlong。Howdoyouaccountforit，Richard？“
Thegentlemanlookedfatigued，asfromalong-continueddiscussionelsewhereofthematterinhand，andhesaidthathehadnotbeentryingtoaccountforit。
“Thenyoudon’tcareforKitty’spleasureatall，andyoudon’twanthertoenjoyherself。Whydon’tyoutakesomeinterestinthematter？“
“Why，ifIaccountedfortheemptinessofNiagarainthemostsatisfactoryway，itwouldn’taddasoultothefloatingpopulation。
UnderthecircumstancesIprefertoleaveitunexplained。“
“Doyouthinkit’sbecauseit’ssuchahotsummer？Doyousupposeit’snotexactlytheseason？Didn’tyouexpectthere’dbemorepeople？
PerhapsNiagaraisn’tasfashionableasitusedtobe。“
“Itlookssomethinglikethat。“
“Well，whatunderthesundoyouthinkisthereason？“
“Idon’tknow。“
“Perhaps，“interposedKitty，placidly，“mostofthevisitorsgototheotherhotel，now。“
“It’saltogetherlikely，“saidtheotherlady，eagerly。“Therearejustsuchcaprices。“
“Well，“saidRichard，“Iwantedyoutogothere。“
“Butyousaidthatyoualwaysheardthiswastheamostfashionable。“
“Iknowit。Ididn’twanttocomehereforthatreason。Butfortunefavorsthebrave。“
“Well，it’stoobad！Herewe’veaskedKittytocometoNiagarawithus，justtogiveheralittlepeepintotheworld，andyou’vebroughtustoahotelwherewe’re——“
“Monarchsofallwesurvey，“suggestedKitty。
“Yes，andstartatthesoundofourown，“addedtheotherlady，helplessly。
“Comenow，Fanny，“saidthegentleman，whowasbuttooclearlythehusbandofthelastspeaker。“Youknowyouinsisted，againstallIcouldsayordo，uponcomingtothishouse；Iimploredyoutogototheother，andnowyoublamemeforbringingyouhere。“
“SoIdo。Ifyou’dletmehavemyownwaywithoutoppositionaboutcominghere，IdaremyIshouldhavegonetotheotherplace。Butnevermind。Kittyknowswhomtoblame，Ihope。She’syourcousin，“
Kittywassittingwithherhandsquiescentlyfoldedinherlap。Shenowroseandsaidthatshedidnotknowanythingabouttheotherhotel，andperhapsitwasjustasemptyasthis。
“Itcan’tbe。Therecan’tbetwohotelssoempty，“saidFanny。“Itdon’tstandtoreason。“
“IfyouwishKittytoseetheworldsomuch，“saidthegentleman，“whydon’tyoutakeherontoQuebec，withus？“
KittyhadleftherseatbesideFanny，andwasmovingwithalistlesscontentabouttheparlor。
“Iwonderyouask，Richard，whenyouknowshe’sonlycomeforthenight，andhasnothingwithherbutafewcuffsandcollars！Icertainlyneverheardofanythingsoabsurdbefore！“
Theabsurdityoftheideathenseemedtocastitscharmuponher，for，afterasilence，“Icouldlendhersomethings，“shesaidmusingly。“Butdon’tspeakofitto-night，please。It’stooridiculous。Kitty！“shecalledout，and，astheyoungladydrewnear，shecontinued，“HowwouldyouliketogotoQuebec，withus？“