IftheyhadneededexplanationitwouldhavebeengivenbytheannouncementintheofficeofthehotelthatatroupeofBritishblondeswasthenappearinginQuebecforoneweekonly。
　　Afterdinnertheytookpossessionoftheparlor，andwhileonestrummedfitfullyupontheailinghotelpiano，theresttalked，andtalkedshop，ofcourse，asallofusdowhenseveralofatradearegottogether。
　　“W’at，“saidtheeldestofthedark-faced，blackhairedBritishblondesofJewishrace，——“w’atarewegoingtogiveatMontrehal？“
　　“We’regoingtogive’Pygmalion，’atMontrehal，“answeredtheBritishblondeofAmericanbirth，good-humoredlyburlesquingtheerringhofhersister。
　　“Butwecahn’t，youknow，“saidtheladywiththefringedforehead；
　　“HagnesisgoneontoNewYork，andthere’snobodytodoWenus。“
　　“Yes，youknow，“demandedthe，firstspeaker，“oo’stodoWenus？
　　“Bella’stodoWenus，“saidathird。
　　Therewasanoutcryatthis，and“’Oweverwouldshegetherselfupfor’Venus？“and“W’ataguyshe’lllook！“and“Nonsense！Bella’stoo’eavyforVenus！“camefromdifferentlivelycritics；andthedebatethreatenedtobecometoointimateforthepublicear，whenoneoftheirgentlemencameinandsaid，“Charleydon’tseemsowellthisafternoon。“Onthisthechoruschangeditsnote，andattheproposal，“PoorCharley，let’sgoandcheer’imhopabit，“thewholegood-temperedcompanytroopedoutoftheparlortogether。
　　Ourtouristsmeanttogivetherestoftheafternoontothatsortofaimlesswanderingtoandfroaboutthestreetswhichseizesaforeigncityunawares，andbestdevelopsitscharmofstrangeness。SotheywentoutandtooktheirfillofQuebecwithappetiteskeenthroughlongfastingfromthequaintandold，andonlysharpenedbyMontreal，andimpartiallyrejoicedinthecrookedup-and-downhillstreets；thethoroughlyFrenchdomesticarchitectureofaplacethatthusdeniedhavingbeenEnglishforahundredyears；theporte-cocheresbesideeveryhouse；theFrenchnamesuponthedoors，andtheoddityofthebellpulls；
　　therough-paved，rattlingstreets；theshiningroofsoftin，andtheuniversaldormer-windows；thelittlenessoftheprivatehouses，andthegreatnessofthehigh-walledandgarden-girdledconvents；thebreadthsofweather-stainedcitywall，andtheshaggycliffbeneath；thebatteries，withtheirgunspeacefullystaringthroughloop-holesofmasonry，andthered-coatedsergeantsflirtingwithnursery-maidsuponthecarriages，whilethechildrentumbledaboutoverthepyramidsofshotandshell；theslopingmarket-placebeforethecathedral，whereyetsomeremnantofthemorning’strafficlingeredundercanvascanopies，andwhereIsabelboughtabouquetofmarigoldsandastersofanoldwomanpeasantenoughtohavesolditinanymarket-placeofEurope；thesmall，darkshopsbeyondthequarterinvadedbyEnglishretailtrade；themovementofallthestrangefiguresofclericandlayandmilitarylife；thesoundofaforeignspeechprevailingovertheEnglish；theencounterofothertourists，thepassagebackandforththroughthedifferentcitygates；thepublicwoodenstairways，droppingflightafterflightfromtheUppertotheLowerTown；thebustleoftheport，withitscommerceandshippingandseafaringlifehuddledcloseinunderthehill；themanydesolatestreetsoftheLowerTown，asblackandruinousasthelastgreatfireleftthem；
　　andthemarshymeadowsbeyond，memorableofRecolletsandJesuits，ofCartierandMontcalm。
　　TheywenttothechapeloftheSeminaryatLavalUniversity，andadmiredtheLeBrun，andtheotherpaintingsoflessmerit，butequalinterestthroughtheirsuggestionofawholedimreligiousworldofpaintings；andthentheyspenthalfanhourinthecathedral，notsomuchinlookingattheCrucifixionbyVandyckwhichisthere，asinrevelingamidthefamiliarrococosplendorsofthetemple。Everyswaggeringstatueofasaint，everyrope-dancingangel，everycherubofthosethatonthecarvenandgildedcloudsabovethehighaltarfloat——
　　“Likelittlewantonboysthatswimonbladders，“——
　　wasprecioustothem；thesacristandustingthesacredpropertieswithafeatherbrush，andgivingeachshrineabusiness-likenodashepassed，wasasalong-lostbrother；theyhadheartsofaggressivetendernessfortheyounggirlsandoldwomenwhosteppedinforahalf-hour’sdevotion，andforthemenwithbourgeoisorpeasantfaces，whostoleamomentfromaffairsandcrops，andgaveittothesaints。TherewasnothingintheplacethatneedremindthemofAmerica，anditstastewasexactlythatofathousandotherchurchesoftheeighteenthcentury。TheycouldeasilyhavebelievedthemselvesinthefarthestCatholicSouth，butforthetwogreatporcelainstovesthatstoodoneithersideofthenaveneartheentrance，andthattoovividlyremindedthemofthepossibilityofcold。
　　Infact，QuebecisalittlepainfulinthisandotherconfusionsoftheSouthandNorth，andoneneverquitereconcileshimselftothem。TheFrenchmen，whoexpectedtofindtheretheclimateoftheirnativeland，andripenherwinesinaskindlyasun，haveperpetuatedtheimageofhomeinsomanythings，thatitgoestotheheartwithapainfulemotiontofindthesad，obliquelightoftheNorthuponthem。AsyoupondersomecharacteristicaspectofQuebec，——abitofstreetwithheavystonehousesopeninguponastretchofthecitywall，withaLombardypoplarrisingslimagainstit，——yousay，toyoursatisfiedsoul，“Yes，itistherealthing！“andthenallatonceasenseofthatNorthernskystrikesinuponyou，andmakestherealityamerepicture。Theskyisblue，thesunisoftenfiercelyhot；youcouldnotperhapsprovethatthepatheticradianceisnotaneffluxofyourownconsciousnessthatsummerisbuthangingovertheland，brieflypoisingonwingswhichflitatthefirstdashofrain，andwillsoonvanishinlongretreatbeforethesnow。Butsomehow，fromwithoutorfromwithin，thatlightoftheNorthisthere。
　　Itlaysaddest，ourtravellersthought，uponthelittlecirculargardennearDurhamTerrace，whereeverybrightnessoffallflowersabounded，——
　　marigold，coxcomb，snap-dragon，dahlia，hollyhock，andsunflower。Itwasasubstantialandhardyefflorescence，andtheyfanciedthatfainter-
　　heartedplantswouldhavepinedawayinthatgarden，wherethelittlefountain，leapingupintothejoylesslight，fellbackagainwithamusicalshiver。Theconsciousnessofthislatentcold，ofwinteronlyheldinabeyancebythebrightsun，wasnotdeeperevenintheoncemagnificent，nowneglectedGovernor’sGarden，wheretherewasactuallyarawnessinthelateafternoonair，andwhithertheywerestrollingfortheviewfromitsheight，andtopaytheirdutytotheobeliskraisedtheretothecommonfameofWolfeandMontcalm。ThesoundingLatininscriptioncelebratestheroyalgovernor-generalwhoerecteditalmostasmuchastheheroestowhomitwasraised；butthesespectatorsdidnotbegrudgethespacegiventohispraise，forsofineathoughtmeritedpraise。ItenforcedagaintheideaofakindposthumousfriendshipbetweenWolfeandMontcalm，whichgivestheirmemoryitsraredistinction，andunitesthem，whofellinfightagainsteachother，ascloselyasiftheyhadbothdiedforthesamecause。
　　Somelastingdignityseemstolingeraboutthecitythathasoncebeenacapital；andthisodoroffallennobilitybelongstoQuebec，whichwasacapitalintheEuropeansense，withalltheadvantagesofasmallvice-
　　regalcourt，anditssocialandpoliticalintrigues，intheFrenchtimes。
　　UndertheEnglish，forahundredyearsitwasthecentreofColonialcivilizationandrefinement，withagovernor-general’sresidenceandabrilliant，easy，anddelightfulsociety，towhichthelargegarrisonofformerdaysgavegayetyandromance。Thehonorsofacapital，firstsharedwithMontrealandToronto，nowrestwithhalf-savageOttawa；andthegarrisonhasdwindledtoaregimentofrifles，whosepresencewouldhardlybeknown，butforthenattysergeantslounging，stickinhand，aboutthestreetsandcourtingthenurse-maids。ButinthedaysofoldtherewerescenesofcarnivalpleasureintheGovernor’sGarden，andtherethegarrisonbandstillplaysonceaweek，whenitisfilledbythefashionandbeautyofQuebec，andsomesemblanceofthepastisrecalled。
　　Itisotherwisealonesome，indifferentlytendedplace，andonthisafternoontherewasnoonetherebutafewloafingyoungfellowsoflowdegree，FrenchandEnglish，andchildrenthatplayedscreamingfromseattoseatandpathtopathandoverthetoo-heavilyshadedgrass。Inspiteofaconspicuouswarningthatanydogenteringthegardenwouldbedestroyed，theplacewasthrongedwithdogsunmolestedandapparentlyinnodangerofthethreateneddoom。Thesealofadisagreeabledesolationwasgiveninthelegendrudelycarvedupononeofthebenches，“SuccesstotheIrishRepublic！“
　　ThemorningofthenextdayourtouristsgavetohearingmassattheFrenchcathedral，whichwasnotdifferent，totheirhereticalsenses，fromanyothermass，exceptthattheceremonywasperformedwithaveryfullclericalforce，andwasattendedbyanuncommonlydevoutcongregation。WithEuropeconstantlyintheirminds，theywerebewilderedtofindtheworshippersnotchieflyoldandyoungwomen，butmenalsoofallagesandofeverydegree，fromtheneatpeasantinhisSabbath-daybesttothemodishyoungQuebecker，whospreadhishandkerchiefonthefloortosavehispantaloonsduringsupplication。
　　Therewasfashionandeducationinlargedegreeamongthemen，andtherewasinallapiousattentiontothefunctioninpoeticalkeepingwiththeoriginandhistoryofacitywhichthezealoftheChurchhadfounded。
　　Amagnificentbeadle，clothedinagold-lacedcoataidbearingasilverstaff，bowedtothemwhentheyentered，and，leadingthemtoapew，punchedupakneelingpeasant，whomutelyresumedhisprayersintheaisleoutside，whiletheytookhisplace。ItappearedtoIsabelveryunjustthattheircuriosityshoulddisplacehisreligion；butsheconsoledherselfbymakingBasilgiveashillingtothemanwho，precededbytheshiningbeadle，cameroundtotakeupacollection。Thepeasantcouldhavegivennothingbutcopper，andshefeltthatthisrestoredthelostbalanceofrighteousnessintheirfavor。Therewasasermon，verysweetlyandgracefullydeliveredbyayoungpriestofsingularbeauty，evenamongclergywhosegoodlooksaresonotableasthoseofQuebec；andthentheyfollowedtheorderlycrowdofworshippersout，andleftthecathedraltothesacristanandtheodorofincense。
　　TheythoughtthetypeofFrench-CanadianbetterherethanatMontreal，andtheyparticularlynoticedthegreaternumberofprettyyounggirls。
　　Allclasseswerewelldressed；forthoughthebestdressedcouldnotbecalledstylishaccordingtotheAmericanstandard，asIsabeldecided，andhadonlyaprovincialgentility，thepoorestworegarmentsthatwerecleanandwhole。Everybody，too，wasgoingtohaveahotSundaydinner，iftherewasanytruthintheodorsthatsteamedoutofeverydoorandwindow；andthisdinnerwastobeabundantlygarnishedwithonions，forthedullestnosecouldnoterrconcerningthatsavor。