第18章
likecomposureofthemanwhoshowsoffthehell-broth)isaddedtothosesuccessivesorceriesbywhichNiagaragraduallychangesfromathingofbeautytoathingofterror。Byallodds，too，themosttremendousviewoftheFallsisaffordedbythepointonthedrivewhenceyoulookdownupontheHorse-Shoe，andbeholditsthreemassivewallsofsearoundingandsweepingintothegulftogether，thecolorgone，andthesmoothbrinkshowingblackandridgy。
Wouldtheynotgotothebattle-fieldofLundy’sLane？askedthedriveratacertainpointontheirreturn；butIsabeldidnotcareforbattle-
fields，andBasilpreferredtokeepintactthereminiscenceofhisformervisit。“Theyhaveasortoftowerofobservationbuiltonthebattle-
ground，“hesaid，astheydroveondownbytheriver，“anditwasinchargeofanoldCanadianmilitia-man，whohadhelpedhiscountrymentobebeateninthefight。Thisherogavemeasimpleandunintelligibleaccountofthebattle，askingmefirstifIhadeverheardofGeneralScott，andaddingwithoutflinchingthatherehegothisearliestlaurels。Heseemedtogojustsolongtoeverylistener，andnothingcouldstophimshort，soIfellintoareveryuntilhecametoanend。
Itwashardtoremember，thatsweetsummermorning，whenthesunshone，andthebirdssang，andthemusicofapianoandagirl’svoicerosefromabowerycottagenear，thatallthepureairhadoncebeentaintedwithbattle-smoke，thatthepeacefulfieldshadbeenplantedwithcannon，insteadofpotatoesandcorn，andthatwherethecowscamedownthefarmer’slane，withtinklingbells，theshockofarmedmenhadbefallen。
TheblueandtranquilOntariogleamedfaraway，andfarawayrolledthebeautifulland，withfarm-houses，fields，andwoods，andatthefootofthetowerlaytheprettyvillage。Thebattleofthepastseemedonlyavagaryofmine；yethowcouldIdoubtthewarrioratmyelbow？——grievedthoughIwastofindthatahabitofstrongdrinkhadthebetterofhisutterancethatmorning。Mydriverexplainedafterwards，thatpersonsvisitingthefieldwerecommonlysomuchpleasedwiththecaptain’seloquence，thattheykeptthenobleoldsoldierinabrandyand-waterrapturethroughouttheseason，therebygreatlyrefreshinghismemory，andmakingthebattlebloodierandbloodierastheseasonadvancedandthenumberofvisitorsincreased。Theremydear，“hesuddenlybrokeoff，astheycameinsightofaslenderstreamofwaterthatescapedfromthebrowofacliffontheAmericansidebelowtheFalls，andspunitselfintoagauzeofsilverymist，“that’stheBridalVeil；andIsupposeyouthinkthestream，whichismakingsuchafinedisplay，yonder，issomeidlebrooklet，endingalongcourseoferrorandworthlessnessbythatspectacularplunge。It’snothingofthekind；it’sanhonesthydrauliocanal，ofthemoststraightforwardcharacter，apoorbutrespectablemill-racewhichhasdevoteditselfstrictlytobusiness，andhasturnedmill-wheelsinsteadoffoolingroundwater-lilies。Itcanaffordthatultimatefinery。WhatyoubeholdintheBridalVeil，mylove，istheapotheosisofindustry。“
“WhatIcan’thelpthinkingof，“saidIsabel，whohadnotpaidthesmallestattentiontotheBridalVeil，oranythingaboutit，“istheawfulnessofsteppingofftheseplacesinthenight-time。“Shereferredtotheroadwhich，nexttheprecipice，isunguardedbyanysortofparapet。InEuropeastrongwallwouldsecureit，butwemanagethingsdifferentlyonourcontinent，andcarriagesgorunningoverthebrinkfromtimetotime。
“Ifyourthoughtshavethatdirection，“answeredherhusband，“wehadbettergobacktothehotel，andleavetheWhirlpoolforto-morrowmorning。It’slateforitto-day，atanyrate。“HehadtreatedIsabelsincetheadventureontheThreeSisterswithasuperioritywhichhefelthimselftobeveryodious，butwhichhecouldnotdisuse。
“I’mnotafraid，“shesighed，“butinthewordsoftheretreatingsoldier，I——I’mawfullydemoralized；“andadded，“Youknowwemustreservesomeofthevitalforcesforshoppingthisevening。“
PartoftheirbusinessalsowastobuytheticketsfortheirreturntoBostonbywayofMontrealandQuebec，anditwaspartoftheirpleasuretogettheseoftheheartiestimaginableticket-agent。Hewasacoloneloratleastamajor，andhemadeapolitefeintofcallingBasilbysomemilitarytitle。Hecommendedthetriptheywereabouttomakeasthemostmagnificentandbeautifulonthewholecontinent，andhecommendedthemforintendingtomakeit。HesaidthatwasMrs。GeneralBowdurofPhiladelphiawhojustwentout；didtheyknowher？Somehow，thetitlesaffectedBasilasofolderdatethanthelatewar，andasbelongingtothemilitiaperiod；andheimaginedfortheagenttheromanceofalifespentatawatering-place，incontactwithrichmoney-spending，pleasure-
takingpeople，whoformedhiswholejovialworld。TheColonel，whoincludedtheminthisworld，andtherebybrevettedthemrichandfashionable，couldnotsecureastate-roomforthemontheboat，——aperfectlysplendidLakesteamer，whichwouldtakethemdowntherapidsoftheSt。Lawrence，andontoMontrealwithoutchange，——buthewouldgivethemalettertothecaptain，whowasaveryparticularfriendofhis，andwouldbehappytoshowthemashisfriendseveryattention；andsohewroteanoteascribingpeculiarmeritstoBasil，andinspiteofallreasonmakinghimfeelforthemomentthathewasprivilegedbyadocumentwhichwasnodoubtpartofeverysuchtransaction。Hespokeinaloudcheerfulvoice；helaughedjollilyatnoapparentjoke；hebowedverylowandsaid，“GOOD-evening！“atparting，andtheywentawayasifhehadblessedthem。
Therestoftheeveningtheyspentinwanderingthroughthevillage，charmedwithitsbizarremixtureofquaintnessandcommonplaceness；inhangingabouttheshop-Windowswiththeirmonotonousvarietyoffeatherfans，——eachwithaviolentlyredoryellowbirdpainfullysacrificedinitscentre，——moccasons，bead-wroughtwork-bags，tobacco-pouches，bowsandarrows，andwhateverelsethesavageartoftheneighboringsquawscaninvent；insaunteringthroughthesegaybooths，pricingmanythings，andinhanginglongandundecidedlyovercasesfulloffeldsparcrosses，quartzbraceletsandnecklaces，andeverymannerofvase，inoperativepitcher，andothervesselthatcanbefashionedoutofthegeologicalformationsatNiagara，tormentedmeantimebytheheatofthegas-lightsandthepersistenceofthemosquitoes。Therewereveryfewpeoplebesidesthemselvesintheshops，andIsabel’spurchaseswerenotlavish。
Herhusbandhadmadeuphismindtogethersomelittlekeepsake；
andwhenhehadtakenhertothehotelheranbacktooneoftheshops，andhastilyboughtherafeatherfan，——amagnificentthingofdeepmagentadyeshadingintoblue，withawholeyellow-birdtransfixedinthecentre。Whenhetriumphantlydisplayeditintheirroom，“Who’sthatfor，Basil？“demandedhiswife；“thecook？“Butseeinghisghastlylookatthis，shefelluponhisneck，crying，“Oyoupooroldtastelessdarling！You’vegotitforme！“andseemedabouttodieoflaughter。
“Didn’tyoustartandthrowupyourhands，“hestammered，“when，youcametothatcaseoffans？“
“Yes，——inhorror！DidyouthinkIlikedthecruelthings，withtheirdeadbirdsandtheirhideouscolors？OBasil，dearest！Youareincorrigible。Can’tyoulearnthatmagentaisthevilestofallthehuesthattheperversenessofmanhasinventedindefianceofnature？Now，mylove，justpromisemeonething，“shesaidpathetically。“We’regoingtodoalittleshoppinginMontreal，youknow；andperhapsyou’llbewantingtosurprisemewithsomethingthere。Don’tdoit。Orifyoumust，dotellmeallaboutitbeforehand，andwhatthecolorofit’stobe；andI
cansaywhethertogetitornot，andthenthere’llbesometasteaboutit，andIshallbetrulysurprisedandpleased。“
Sheturnedtoputthefanintohertrunk，andhemurmuredsomethingaboutexchangingit。“No，“shesaid，“we’llkeepitasa——a——monument。“Andshedeposedhim，withanotherpealoflaughter，fromtheproudheighttowhichhehadclimbedinpityofhernervousfearsoftheday。Socompletelyweretheirplaceschanged，thathedoubtedifitwerenothewhohadmadethatsceneontheThirdSister；andwhenIsabelsaid，“O，whywon’tmenusetheirreasoningfaculties？“hecouldnotforhimselfhaveclaimedany，andhecouldnoturgethetruth:thathehadboughtthefanmoreforitsbarbaricbrightnessthanforitsbeauty。Shewouldnotlethimgetangry，andhecouldsaynothingagainstthehalf-ironicalpettingwithwhichshesoothedhismortification。
Butalltroublespassedwiththenight，andthenextmorningtheyspentacharminghouraboutProspectPoint，andinsaunteringoverGoatIsland，somewhatdaintilytastingtheflavorsoftheplaceonwhosewonderstheyhadsohungrilyandindiscriminatelyfeastedatfirst。Theyhadalreadythefeelingofveteranvisitors，andtheyloftilymarveledatthegreedwithwhichnewer-comersplungedatthesensations。TheycouldnotconceivewhypeopleshouldwanttodescendtheinclinedrailwaytothefootoftheAmericanFall；theysmiledattheideaofgoingupTerrapinTower；theyderidedthevulgardaringofthosewhowentoutupontheThreeWeirdSisters；forsomewhomtheysawabouttogodowntheBiddleStairstotheCaveoftheWinds，theyhadnowordstoexpresstheircontempt。
ThentheymadetheirexcursiontotheWhirlpool，mistakenlygoingdownontheAmericanside，foritismuchbetterseenfromtheother，thoughseenfromanypointitisthemostimpressivefeatureofthewholeprodigiousspectacleofNiagara。
Herewithinthecompassofamile，thoseinlandseasoftheNorth，Superior，Huron，Michigan，Erie，andthemultitudeofsmallerlakes，allpourtheirfloods，wheretheyswirlindreadfulvortices，withresistlessunder-currentsboilingbeneaththesurfaceofthatmightyeddy。Abruptlyfromthissceneofsecretpower，sodifferentfromthethunderoussplendorsofthecataractitself，riseloftycliffsoneveryside，toaheightoftwohundredfeet，clothedfromthewater’sedgealmosttotheircreatewithdarkcedars。Noiselessly，sofarasyoursensesperceive，thelakesstealoutofthewhirlpool，then，drunkandwild，withbrawlingrapidsroarawaytoOntariothroughthenarrowchanneloftheriver。
Awfulasthesceneis，youstandsofaraboveitthatyoudonotknowthehalfofitsterribleness；forthosewatersthatlooksosmootharegreatridgesandrings，forced，bytheimpulseofthecurrents，twelvefeethigherinthecentrethanatthemargin。Nothingcanlivethere，andwithwhatiscaughtinitshold，themaelstromplaysfordays，andwhirlsandtossesroundandroundinitstoils，withasad，maniacalpatience。
Theguidestellghastlystories，whicheventheirtellingdoesnotwhollyrobofghastliness，aboutthebodiesofdrownedmencarriedintothewhirlpoolandmadetoenactuponitsdizzysurgesatravestyoflife，apparentlyfloatingthereattheirpleasure，divingandfrolickingamidthewaves，orfranticallystrugglingtoescapefromthedeaththathaslongsincebefallenthem。
OntheAmericanside，notfarbelowtherailwaysuspensionbridge，isanelevatormorethanahundredandeightyfeethigh，whichismeanttoletpeopledowntotheshorebelow，andtogiveaviewoftherapidsontheirownlevel。Fromthecliffopposite，itlooksaterriblyfrailstructureofpinesticks，butisdoubtlessstrongerthanitlooks；andatanyrate，asithasneveryetfallentopieces，itmaybepronouncedperfectlysafe。