第17章
“Oraballoon，“hesuggested，humoringthepleasantry。
Isabelburstintotears；andnowhewentonhiskneesatherside，andtookherhandsinhis。“Isabel！Isabel！Areyoucrazy？“hecried，asifhemeanttogomadhimself。Shemoanedandshudderedinreply；
hesaid，tomendmatters，thatitwasajest，abouttheboat；andhewasdriventodespairwhenIsabelrepeated，“Inevercangobackbythebridges，never。“
“Butwhatdoyouproposetodo？“
“Idon’tknow，Idon’tknow！“
Hewouldtrysarcasm。“Doyouintendtosetupahermitagehere，andhaveyourmealssentoutfromthehotel？It’sacharmingspot，andvisitedprettyconstantly；butit’ssmall，evenforahermitage。“
Isabelmoanedagainwithherhandsstillonhereyes，andwonderedthathewasnotashamedtomakefunofher。
Hewouldtrykindness。“Perhaps，darling，you’llletmecarryyouashore。“
“No，thatwillbringdoubletheweightonthebridgeatonce。“
“Couldn’tyoushutyoureyes，andletmeleadyou？“
“Why，itisn’tthesightoftherapids，“shesaid，lookingupfiercely。
“Thebridges“arenotsafe。I’mnotachild，Basil。O，whatshallwedo？“
“Idon’tknow，“saidBasil，gloomily。“It’sanexigencyforwhichI
wasn’tprepared。“ThenhesilentlygavehimselftotheEvilOne，forhavingprobablyoverwroughtIsabel’snervesbyrepeatingthatpoemaboutAvery，andbytheensuingtalkaboutNiagara，whichshehadseemedtoenjoysomuch。Heaskedherifthatwasit；andsheanswered，“Ono，it’snothingbutthebridges。“Heprovedtoherthatthebridges，uponallknownprinciples，wereperfectlysafe，andthattheycouldnotgiveway。Sheshookherhead，butmadenoanswer，andhelosthispatience。
“Isabel，“hecried，“I’mashamedofyou！“
“Don’tsayanythingyou’llbesorryforafterwards，Basil，“shereplied，withtheforbearanceofthosewhohavereasonandjusticeontheirside。
Therapidsbeatandshoutedroundtheirlittleprison-isle，eachbillowleapingasifpossessedbyaseparatedemon。Theabsurdhorrorofthesituationoverwhelmedhim。Hedarednotattempttocarryherashore，forshemightspringfromhisgraspintotheflood。Hecouldnotleavehertocallforhelp；andwhatifnobodycametillshelosthermindfromterror？Or，whatifsomebodyshouldcomeandfindtheminthatridiculousaffliction？
Somebodywascoming！
“Isabel！“heshoutedinherear，“herecomethosepeoplewesawintheparlorlastnight。“
Isabeldashedherveiloverherface，clutchedBasil’swithhericyhand，rose，drewherarmconvulsivelythroughhis，andwalkedashorewithoutaword。
Inashelterednooktheysatdown，andshequickly“repairedherdroopingheadandtrickedherbeams“again。Hecouldseehertearfullysmilingthroughherveil。“Mydear，“hesaid，“Idon’taskanexplanationofyourfright，forIdon’tsupposeyoucouldgiveit。Butshouldyoumindtellingmewhythosepeopleweresosovereignagainstit？“
“Why，dearest！Don’tyouunderstand？ThatMrs。Richard——whoeversheis——issomuchlikeme。“
Shelookedathimasifshehadmadethemostsatisfyingstatement，andhethoughthehadbetternotaskfurtherthen，butwaitinhopethatthemeaningwouldcometohim。TheywalkedoninsilencetilltheycametotheBiddleStairs，attheheadofwhichisanoticethatpersonshavebeenkilledbypiecesofrockfromtheprecipiceoverhangingtheshorebelow，andwarningpeoplethattheydescendattheirperil。IsabeldeclinedtovisittheCaveoftheWinds，towhichthesestairslead，butwaswillingtorisktheascentofTerrapinTower。“Thanks；no，“saidherhusband。“Youmightfinditunsafetocomebackthewayyouwentup。Wecan’tcountcertainlyupontheappearanceoftheladywhoissomuchlikeyou；andI’venofancyforspendingmylifeonTerrapinTower。“Sohefoundheraseat，andwentalonetothetopoftheaudaciouslittlestructurestandingonthevergeofthecataract，betweenthesmoothcurveoftheHorse-ShoeandthesculpturedfrontoftheCentralFall，withthestormyseaoftheRapidsbehind，andtheriver，dimseenthroughthemists，crawlingawaybetweenitsloftybluffsbefore。HeknewagaintheawfuldelightwithwhichsolongagohehadwatchedthechangesinthebeautyoftheCanadianFallasithungamassoftranslucentgreenfromthebrink，andapearlywhiteseemedtocrawlupfromtheabyss，andpenetrateallitssubstancetotheverycrest，andthensuddenlyvanishedfromit，andperpetuallyrenewedthesameeffect。Themysteryoftherisingvaporsveiledthegulfintowhichthecataractswooped；thesunshone，andarainbowdreameduponthem。
Nearthefootofthetower，somelooserocksextendquitetotheverge，andhereBasilsawanelderlygentlemanskippingfromoneslipperystonetoanother，andlookingdownfromtimetotimeintotheabyss，who，whenhehadamusedhimselflongenoughinthisway，clamberedupontheplankbridge。Basil，whohaddescendedbythistime，madeboldtosaythathethoughtthediversionanoddoneandratherdangerous。Thegentlemantookthisingoodpart，andowneditmightseemso，butaddedthatadistinguishedphrenologisthadexaminedhishead，andtoldhimhehadequilibriumsolargethathecouldgoanywhere。
“Onyourbridaltour，Ipresume，“hecontinued，astheyapproachedthebenchwhereBasilhadleftIsabel。Shehadnowthecompanyofaplain，middle-agedwoman，whoseattirehesitatinglyexpressedsomeinwardfestivity，andhadacertainreluctantfashionableness。“Well，thisismythirdbridaltourtoNiagara，andmywife’sbeenhereoncebeforeonthesamebusiness。Weseeagoodmanychanges。IusedtostandonTableRockwiththeothers。Nowthat’sallgone。Well，oldlady，shallwemoveon？“heasked；andthisbridalpairpassedupthepath，attended，haply，bytheguardianspiritsofthosewhogavetheplacesomanysadyetpleasingassociations。
Atdinner，Mr。Richard’spartysatatthetablenextBasil’s，andtheywereallnowtalkingcheerfullyovertheemptinessofthespaciousdining-hall。
“Well，Kitty，“themarriedladywassaying，youcantellthegirlswhatyoupleaseaboutthegayetiesofNiagara，whenyougethome。They’llbelieveanythingsoonerthanthetruth。“
“Oyes，indeed，“saidKitty，“I’vegotagooddealofitmadeupalready。
I’lldescribeagrandhopatthehotel，withfashionablepeoplefromallpartsofthecountry，andthegentlemenIdancedwiththemost。I’mgoingtohavehadquiteaflirtationwiththegentlemanofthelongblondmustache，whomwemetonthebridgethismorningandhe’sgottododutyinaccountingformymissingglove。It’llneverdototellthegirlsI
droppeditfromthetopofTerrapinTower。Thenyouknow，Fanny，I
reallycansaysomethingaboutdiningwitharistocraticSoutherners，waiteduponbytheirblackservants。“
Thisreferredtothesad-facedpatricianwhomBasilandIsabelhadnotedinthecarsfromBuffaloasaSouthernerprobablycomingNorthforthefirsttimesincethewar。Hehadanairatoncefierceandsad，andahalf-barbaric，homicidalgentilityofmannerfascinatingenoughinitsway。Hesatwithhiswifeatatablefartherdowntheroom，andtheirchildwasservedinpartbyalittletan-colorednurse-maid。Thefactdidnotquiteanswertotheyounglady’sdescriptionofit，andgetitcertainlyaffordedheraground-work。BasilfanciedasortofbewildermentintheSoutherner，andexplainedituponthetheorythatheusedtocomeeveryyeartoNiagarabeforethewar，andwasnowpuzzledtofinditsochanged。
“Yes，“hesaid，“Ican’taccountforhimexceptastheghostofSoutherntravel，andIcan’thelpfeelingalittlesorryforhim。Isupposethatalmostanyevilcommendsitselfbyitsruin；thewrecksofslaveryarefastgrowingafunguscropofsentiment，andtheymayyetoutflourishtheremainsofthefeudalsysteminthekindofpoetrytheyproduce。Theimpoverishedslave-holderisapatheticfigure，inspiteofalljusticeandreason，thebeatenrebeldoesmoveustocompassion，anditisofnousetothinkofAndersonvilleinhispresence。Thisgentleman，andotherslikehim，usedtobethelordsofoursummerresorts。Theyspentthemoneytheydidnotearnlikeprinces；theyheldtheirheadshigh；
theytrampledupontheAbolitionistinhislair；theyreceivedthehomageofthedoughfaceinhishome。Theycameupherefromtheirrice-swampsandcotton-fields，andbulliedthewholebusycivilizationoftheNorth。
Everybodywhohadmerchandiseorprinciplestoselltruckledtothem，andtravelamongstuswasatriumphalprogress。Nowthey’remoneylessandsubjugated(astheycallit)，there’snonesopoortodothemreverence，andit’sleftforme，anAbolitionistfromthecradle，tosighovertheirfate。Afterall，theyhadnobletraits，anditwasnogreatwondertheygot，todespiseus，seeingwhatmostofuswere。ItseemstomeIshouldliketoknowourfriend。Ican’thelpfeelingtowardshimastowardsafallenprince，heavenhelpmycravenspirit！Iwonderhowourcoloredwaiterfeelstowardshim。Idaresayheadmireshimimmensely。“
Therewerenotaboveadozenotherpeopleintieroom，andBasilcontrastedthescenewiththatwhichthesameplaceformerlypresented。
“Intheoldtime，“hesaid，“everytablewasfull，andwedinedtothemusicofabrassband。Ican’tsayIlikedtheband，butImissit。
IwonderifourSouthernfriendmissesit？Theygaveusaverysmallallowanceofbrassbandwhenwearrived，Isabel。Uponmyword，Iwonderwhat’scomeovertheplace，“hesaid，astheSouthernparty，risingfromthetable，walkedoutofthedining-room，attendedbymanytreacherousechoesinspiteofanostentatiousclatterofdishesthatthewaitersmade。
AfterdinnertheydroveontheCanadashoreuppasttheCliftonHouse，towardstheBurningSpring，whichisnottheleastwonderofNiagara。
Aseachbubblebreaksuponthetroubledsurface，andyieldsitsflashofinfernalflameanditswhiffofsulphurousstench，itseemshardlystrangethattheNeutralNationshouldhavereveredthecataractasademon；andanothersubtlespell(nottobebrokenevenbythebusiness-