第15章
“OFanny！“criedKitty，withrapture；andthen，withdismay，“HowcanI？“
“Why，verywell，Ithink。You’vegotthisdress，andyourtravelling-
suit；andIcanlendyonwhateveryouwant。Come！“sheaddedjoyously，“let’sgouptoyourroom，andtalkitover！“
Thetwoladiesvanisheduponthisimpulse，andthegentlemanfollowed。
Totheirownrelieftheguiltlesseaves-droppers，whofoundnomomentfavorableforrevealingthemselvesafterthecomedybegan，issuedfromtheirretiracy。
“Whataremarkablelittlelady！“saidBasil，eagerlyturningtoIsabelforsympathyinhisenjoymentofherinconsequence。
“Yes，poorthing！“returnedhiswife；“it’snolightmattertoinviteayoungladytotakeajourneywithyou，andpromiseherallsortsofgayety，andperhapsbeauxandflirtations，andthenfindheronyourhandsinadesolationlikethis。It’sdreadful，Ithink。“
Basilstared。“O，certainly，“hesaid。“Butwhatanamusinglyillogicallittlebody！“
“Idon’tunderstandwhatyoumean，Basil。Itwastheonlythingthatshecoulddo，toinvitetheyoungladytogoonwiththem。Iwonderherhusbandhadthesensetothinkofitfirst。Ofcourseshe’llhavetolendherthings。“
“Andyoudidn’tobserveanythingpeculiarinherwayofreachingherconclusions？“
“Peculiar？Whatdoyoumean？“
“Why，herblamingherhusbandforlettingherhaveherownwayaboutthehotel；andhertellinghimnottomentionhisproposaltoKitty，andthendoingitherself，just——aftershe’dpronounceditabsurdandimpossible。“
Hespokewithheatatbeingforcedtomakewhathethoughtaneedlessexplanation。
“O！“saidIsabel，afteramoment’sreflection。“That！Didyouthinkitsoveryodd？“
Herhusbandlookedatherwiththegravityamanmustfeelwhenhebeginstoperceivethathehasmarriedthewholemystifyingworldofwomankindinthewomanofhischoice，andmadenoan。，ewer。Buttohisownsoulhesaid:“IsupposedIhadthepleasureofmywife’sacquaintance。ItseemsIhavebeenflatteringmyself。“
Thenextmorningtheywentoutastheyhadplanned，foranexplorationofGoatIsland，afteranearlybreakfast。Astheysaunteredthroughthevillage’scontrastsofpigmyandcolossalinarchitecture，theypraisefullytookintheunalloyedholidaycharacteroftheplace，enjoyingequallytheloungingtouristsatthehoteldoors，thedriversandtheircarriagestolet，andthelittleshops，withnothingbutmementosofNiagara，andIndianbeadwork，andothertrumpery，tosell。
Shopssouseless，theyagreed，couldnotbefoundoutsidethePalmsRoyale，ortheSquareofSt。Mark，oranywhereelseintheworldbuthere。Theyfeltthemselvesoncemoreapartofthetideofmeresight-
seeingpleasure-travel，onwhichtheyhaddriftedinotherdays，andinaneddyofwhichtheirloveitselfhadopeneditswhiteblossom，andlily-likedreameduponthewave。
Theywerenowalsopartofthegreatcircleofnewlyweddedbliss，which，involvingthewholelandduringtheseasonofbridal-tours，maybesaidtoshowrichestandfairestatNiagara，likethecostlyjewelofapreciousring。Theplaceis，infact，almostabandonedtobridalcouples，andanyoneoutofhishoney-moonisinsomedegreeanalienthere，andmustdiscernacertainimmodestyinhimintrusion。Isitforhisprofaneeyestolookuponallthatblushingandtremblingjoy？Amanofanysensibilitymustdesiretoveilhisface，and，bowinghisexcusestothecollectiverapture，takethefirsttrainforthewickedoutsideworldtowhichhebelongs。Everywhere，heseesbridesandbrides。Threeorfourwiththebenedictionstillonthem，comedowninthesamecarwithhim；hehandshertravelling-shawlafteroneasshespringsfromtheomnibusintoherhusband’sarms；therearetwoorthreewalkingbackandforthwiththeirnewlordsupontheporchofthehotel；atsuppertheyareoneverysideofhim，andhefeelshimselfsuffused，asitwere，byaroseateatmosphereofyouthandloveandhope。Atbreakfastitisthesame，andthen，inhiswanderingsabouttheplaceheconstantlymeetsthem。Theyareofallmannersofbeauty，fairanddark，slenderandplump，tallandshort；buttheyareallbeautifulwiththeradianceoflovingandbeingloved。Now，ifeverintheirlives，theyarecharminglydressed，andravishingtoiletstakethewillingeyefromtheobjectsofinterest。Howhightheheelsoftheprettyboots，howsmallthetender。
tintedgloves，howelectricaltheflutterofthesnowyskirts！WhatisNiagaratothesethings？
Isabelwasnotwillingtoownherbridalsisterhoodtotheseblessedsouls；butshesecretlyrejoicedinit，evenwhileshejoinedBasilinnotingtheirnumberandsmilingattheirinnocentabandon。Shedroppedhisarmatencounterofthefirstcouple，andwalkedcarelesslyathisside；shemadeasolemnvownevertotakeholdofhiswatch-chaininspeakingtohim；shetrustedthatshemightbepreservedfromputtingherfaceveryclosetohisatdinnerinstudyingthebilloffare；gettingoutofcarriages，sheforbadehimevertotakeherbythewaist。Allasceticresolutionsaremodifiedbyexperiment；butifIsabeldidnotrigorouslykeepthese，sheisnotthelesstobepraisedforhavingformedthem。
JustbeforetheyreachedthebridgetoGoatIsland，theypassedalittlegroupoftheIndiansstilllingeringaboutNiagara，whomakethebarbaricwaresinwhichtheshopsabound，and，likethewoodsandthewildfacesofthecliffsandprecipices，helptokeepthecataractremote，andtoinvestitwiththecharmofprimevalloneliness。Thisgroupwerewomen，andtheysatmotionlessontheground，smilingsphinx-likeovertheirlapsfullofbead-work，andturningtheirdarkliquideyesofinvitationuponthepassers。Theyworebrightkirtles，andredshawlsfellfromtheirheadsovertheirplumpbrowncheeksanddowntheircomfortablepersons。Alittlegirlwiththemwasattiredinlikegayetyofcolor。？
“Whatishername？“askedIsabel，payingforabeadpincushion。“DaisySmith，“saidhermother，indistressinglygoodEnglish。“ButherIndianname？““Shehasnone，“answeredthewoman，whotoldBasilthathervillagenumberedfivehundredpeople，andthattheywereProtestants。
WhiletheytalkedtheywerejoinedbyanIndian，whomthewomensalutedmusicallyintheirnativetongue。Thiswassomewhatconsoling；butheworetrousersandawaistcoat，anditcouldhavebeenwishedthathehadnotasilkhaton。
“Still，“saidIsabel，astheyturnedaway，“I’mgladhehasn’tLisle-
threadgloves，likethatchieftainwesawputtinghisforestqueenonboardthetrainatOneida。ButhowshockingthattheyshouldbeChristians，andProtestants！ItwouldhavebeenbadenoughtohavethemCatholics。Andthatwomansaidthattheywereincreasing。Theyoughttobefadingaway。“
Onthebridge，theypausedandlookedupanddowntherapidsrushingdowntheslopeinalltheirwildvariety，withthewhitecrestsofbreakingsurf，thedarkmassivenessofheavy-climbingwaves，thefleet，smoothsweepofcurrentsoverbroadshelvesofsunkenrock，thedizzyswirlandsuckofwhirlpools。
Spell-bound，thejourneyersporeduponthedeathfulcoursebeneaththeirfeet，gaveashuddertothehorrorofbeingcastuponit，andthenhurriedoverthebridgetotheisland，intheshadowofwhosewildnesstheysoughtrefugefromthesightandsound。
Therehadbeenraininthenight；theairwarfullofforestfragrance，andthelow，sweetvoiceoftwitteringbirds。Presentlytheycametoabenchsetinacornerofthepath，andcommandingapleasantvistaofsunlitfoliage，withameregleamofthefoamingriverbeyond。Astheysatdownhereloverwise，Basil，asintheearlydaysoftheircourtship，begantoreciteapoem。Itwasonewhichhadbeenhauntinghimsincehisfirstsightoftherapids，oneofmanythatheusedtolearnbyheartinhisyouth——therhymeofsomepoornewspaperpoet，whomthethirdorfourtheditorcopyinghisversesconsignedtooblivionbycarelesslyclippinghisnamefromthebottom。IthadalwayslingeredinBasil’smemory，ratherfromtheinterestoftheawfulfactitrecorded，thanfromanymeritofitsown；andnowherecalleditwithadistinctnessthatsurprisedhim。