Inthewaiting-roomatthetop，BasilandIsabelfoundMr。Richardandhisladiesagain，whogotintothemovablechamberwiththem，andtheyallsilentlydescendedtogether。Itwasnotatimefortalkofanykind，eitherwhentheywereslowlyandnotquitesmoothlydroppingthroughthelugubriousupperpartofthestructure，whereitwasdarkenedbyaroughweatherboarding，orlowerdown，wheretheunobstructedlightshowedthegrimtearfulfaceofthecliff，bedrabbledwithoozysprings，andtheaudaciousslightnessoftheelevator。
　　AnabidingdistrustofthemachineryoverheadmingledinIsabel’sheartwithadoubtofthevalueofthescenebelow，andshecouldnotlookforwardtoescapefromherpresentperilsbytheconveyancewhichhadbroughtherintothem，withanysatisfaction。Shewanlysmiled，andshrankclosertoBasil；whiletheothermatronmadenothingofseizingherhusbandviolentlybythearmandimploringhimtostopitwhenevertheyexperiencedarougherjoltthanusual。
　　AtthebottomoftheclifftheywerehelpedoutoftheirprisonbyahumidyoungEnglishman，withmuchclayonhim，whosefacewasredandbathedinperspiration，foritwasveryhotdownthereinhislittleinclosureofbakingpineboards，anditwasnotmuchcooleroutontherocksuponwhichthepartyissued，descendinganddescendingbyrepeatedanddesultoryflightsofsteps，tillatlasttheystooduponahugefragmentofstonerightabreastoftherapids。Yetitwasamagnificentsight，andforamomentnoneofthemweresorrytohavecome。Thesurgesdidnotlooklikethegiganticripplesonariver’scourseastheywere，butlikeaprocessionofoceanbillows；theyarosefaraloftinvastbulksofcleargreen，andbrokeheavilyintofoamatthecrest。Greatblocksandshapelessfragmentsofrockstrewedthemarginoftheawfultorrent；gloomywallsofdarkstonerosenakedfromthese，beardedhereandtherewithcedar，andeverywherefrowningwithshaggybrowsofevergreen。Theplaceisinexpressiblylonelyanddreadful，andonefeelslikeanalienpresencethere，orasifhehadintrudeduponsomemoodorhauntofNatureinwhichshehadarighttobeforeveralone。Theslight，impudentstructureoftheelevatorrisesthroughthesolitude，likeathingthatmeritsruin，yetitisbetterthansomethingmoreelaborate，foritlookstemporary，andsincetheremustbeanelevator，itiswelltohaveitofthemosttransitoryaspect。SomesuchqualityofrudeimpermanenceconsolesyouforthepresenceofmostimprovementsbywhichyouenjoyNiagara；thesuspensionbridgesfortheirpartbeingsavedfromoffensivenessbytheirbeautyandunreality。
　　Ascending，noneofthepartyspoke；Isabelandtheothermatronblanchedineachother’sfaces；theirhusbandsmaintainedastolidresignation。
　　Whentheysteppedoutoftheirtrapintothewaitingroomatthetop，“WhatIlikeabouttheselittleadventures，“saidMr。RichardtoBasil，abruptly，“isgettingsafelyoutofthem。Good-morning，sir。“HebowedslightlytoIsabel，whoreturnedhispoliteness，andexchangedfaintnods，orglances，withtheladies。Theygotintotheirseparatecarriages，andatthatsafedistancemadeeachothermoredecidedobeisances。
　　“Well，“observedBasil，“Isupposewe’reintroducednow。Weshallbemeetingthemfromtimetotimethroughoutourjourney。Youknowhowthesamefacesandthesametrunksusedtokeepturningupinourtravelsontheotherside。Oncemeetpeopleintravelling，andyoucan’tgetridofthem。“
　　“Yes，“saidIsabel，asifcontinuinghistrainofthought，“I’mgladwe’regoingto-day。“
　　“Odearest！“
　　“Truly。WhenwefirstarrivedIfeltonlythelovelinessoftheplace。
　　Itseemedmorefamiliar，too，then；buteversince，it’sbeengrowingstrangeranddreadfuller。Somehowit’sbeguntopervademeandpossessmeinaveryuncomfortableway；I’mtosseduponrapids，andflungfromcataractbrinks，anddizziedinwhirlpools；I’mnolongeryours，Basil；
　　I’mmostunhappilymarriedtoNiagara。Flywithme，savemefrommyawfullord！“
　　Shelightlyburlesquedthewoesofaprimadonna，withclaspedhandsandupliftedeyes。
　　“That’lldoverywell，“Basilcommented，“anditimpliesarealitythatcan’tbequitedefinitelyspoken。WecometoNiagarainthepatronizingspiritinwhichweapproacheverythingnowadays，andforafewhourswehaveitourownway，andpayourlittletributesofadmirationwithasmuchcomplacencyaswefeelinacknowledgingtheexistenceoftheSupremeBeing。Butafterawhileweareawareofsomepotentinfluenceunderminingourself-satisfaction；webegintoconjecturethatthegreatcataractdoesnotexistbyvirtueofourapproval，andtofeelthatitwillnotceasewhenwegoaway。Theseconddaymakesusitsabjectslaves，andonthethirdwewanttoflyfromitinterror。Ibelievesomepeoplestayforweeks，however，andhordesofthemhavewrittenodestoNiagara。“
　　“Ican’tunderstandit，atall，“saidIsabel。“Idon’twondernowthatthetownshouldbesoemptythisseason，butthatitshouldeverbefull。
　　Iwishwe’dgoneafterourfirstlookattheFallsfromthesuspensionbridge。Howbeautifulthatwas！IrejoiceineverythingthatIhaven’tdone。I’msogladIhaven’tbeenintheCaveoftheWinds；I’msohappythatTableRockfelltwentyyearsago！Basil，Icouldn’tstandanotherrainbowtoday。I’msorrywewentoutontheThreeWeirdSisters。O，I
　　shalldreamaboutit！andtherush，andthewhirl，andthedampnessinone’sface，andtheeverlastingchirr-r-r-rofeverything！“
　　Shedippedsuddenlyuponhisshoulderforamoment’soblivion，andthenroseradiantwithaquestion:“Whyintheworld，ifNiagaraisreallywhatitseemstousnow，dosomanybridalpartiescomehere？“
　　“Perhapsthey’retheonlypeoplewho’vethestrengthtobearupagainstit，andarenoteasilydispersedandsubjectedbyit。“
　　“Butwe’redispersedandsubjected。“
　　“Ah，mydear，wemarriedalittlelate。Whoknowshowitwouldbeifyouwerenineteeninsteadoftwenty-seven，andItwenty-fiveandnotturnedofthirty？“
　　“Basil，you’reverycruel。“
　　“No，no。Butdon’tyouseehowitis？We’veknowntoomuchoflifetodesireanygloomybackgroundforourhappiness。We’requitecontentedtohavethingsgayandbrightaboutus。Oncewecouldn’thavemadethecircledarkenough。Well，mydear，that’stheeffectofage。We’resuperannuated。“
　　IusedtothinkIwasbeforeweweremarried，“answeredIsabelsimply；
　　“butnow，“sheaddedtriumphantly，“I’mrescuedfromallthat。Ishallneverbeoldagain，dearest；never，aslongasyouloveme！“
　　Theywereabouttoenterthevillage，andhecouldnotmakeanyopenacknowledgmentofhertenderness；buthersilkenmantleorwhatever
　　slippedfromhershoulder，andheembracinglyreplacedit，flatteringhimselfthathehaddelicatelyseizedthischanceofanunavowedcaressandnotallowingOsuchistheblindnessofoursex！thattheopportunityhadbeenyetmoresubtlyaffordedhim，withtheartwhichwomenneverdisuseinthisworld，andwhichIhopetheywillnotforgetinthenext。
　　Theyhadanearlydinner，andlookedtheirlastuponthenuptialgayetyoftheotherwiseforlornhotel。Threebridessatdownwiththemintravelling-dress；twooccupiedtheparlorastheypassedout；halfadozenhappypairsarrivedtothemusicofthebandintheomnibusthatwastocarryourfriendsbacktothestation；theycaughtsightofseveralabouttheshopwindows，asthatdrovethroughthestreets。Thustheplaceperpetuallyrenewsitselfintheglowofloveaslongasthesummerlasts。Themoonwhichiselsewheresooftenofwormwood，oroftheordinarygreencheeseatthebest，isoflucenthoneytherefromthefirstofJunetothelastofOctober；andthisisagreatcharminNiagara。Ithinkwithtendernessofallthelivesthathaveopenedsofairlythere；thehopesthathavereignedinthegladyounghearts；
　　themeasurelesstideofjoythatebbsandflowswiththearrivinganddepartingtrains。Elsewheretherearecarkingcaresofbusinessandoffashion，thereareage，andsorrow，andheartbreak:buthereonlyyouth，faith，rapture。IkissmyhandtoNiagaraforthatreason，andwouldI
　　wereapoetforaquarterofanhour。
　　Isabeldepartedinalmostaforgivingmoodtowardstheweaksisterhoodofevidentbrides，andbothourfriendsfeltalurkingfondnessforNiagaraatthelastmoment。Idonotknowhowmuchoftheircontentwasduetothefactthattheyhadsufferednosortofwrongthere，fromthosewhoareapttopreyupontravellers。Inthehotelaplacardwarnedthemtohavenothingtodowiththemiscreanthackmenonthestreets，butalwaystoordertheircarriageattheoffice；onthestreetthehackmenwhisperedtothemnottotrusttheexorbitantdriversinleaguewiththelandlords；yettheiractualexperiencewasgreatreasonablenessandfacilecontentmentwiththesumagreedupon，Thismayhavebeenbecausethehackmensofaroutnumberedthevisitors，thatthelattercoulddictateterms；buttheychosetobelieveitatriumphofcivilization；andIwillneverbethecynictosneerattheirfaith。OnlyatthestationwasthevirtueoftheNiagaransputindoubt，bythehotelporterwhoprofessedtofindBasil’strunkenfeebledbytravel，andadvisedastrapforit，whichafriendofhiswouldsellforadollarandahalf。Yetevenhemayhavebeenabenevolentnatureunjustlysuspected。
　　TheyweretotaketheCanadiansteameratCharlotte，theportofRochester，andtheyrattleduneventfullydownfromNiagarabyrail。Atthebroad，low-bankedriver-mouththesteamerlaybesidetherailroadstation；andwhileIsabeldisposedofherselfonboard，Basillookedtothetransferofthebaggage，novellycomfortedinthebusinessbytherespectfulnessoftheyoungCanadianwhotookchargeofthetrunksfortheboat。Hewasslow，andhissystemwasnotgood，——hedidnotgivechecksforthepieces，butmarkedthemwiththenameoftheirdestination；andtherewasthatindefinablesomethinginhismannerwhichhintedhishopethatyouwouldremembertheporter；buthewassocivilthathedidnotsnubthemeekestandmostvexatiousofthepassengers，andBasilmutelyblessedhisservilesoul。FewwhiteAmericans，hesaidtohimself，wouldbehavesodecentlyinhisplace；andhecouldnotconceiveoftheAmericansteamboatclerkwhowouldusethepolitenesstowardsawaitingcrowdthattheCanadianpursershowedwhentheyallwedgedthemselvesinabouthiswindowtoreceivetheirstateroomkeys。
　　Hewassomewhatawkward，liketheporter，buthewaspatient，andhedidnotlosehistemperevenwhensomeofthecrowd，findinghewouldnotbullythem，madeboldtobullyhim。HewasthreetimesaslonginservingthemasanAmericanwouldhavebeen，buttheirtimewasofnovaluethere，andheservedthemwell。Basilmadeapointofspeakinghimfair，whenhisturncame，andthepurserdidnottrampleonhimforabasetruckler，asanAmericanjack-in-officewouldhavedone。
　　Ourtouristsfeltathomedirectlyonthissteamer，whichwasverycomfortable，andineverywaysufficientforitspurpose，withavisiblecaptain，whoansweredtwoorthreequestionsverypleasantly，andborehimselftowardshispassengersinsomesortlikeahost。
　　InthesaloonIsabelhadfoundamongthepassengershersemi-