Lifehadnotusedthemillinthistime，andthefairishtreatmenttheyhadreceivedwasnotwhollyunmerited。Thetwelveyearspasthadmadethemolder，astheyearsmustinpassing。Basilwasnowforty-two，andhismoustachewaswellsprinkledwithgray。Isabelwasthirty-nine，andthepartingofherhairhadthinnedandretreated；butshemanagedtogiveitaneffectofyouthfulabundancebycombingitlowdownuponherforehead，androughingittherewithawetbrush。Bygaslightshewasstillverypretty；shebelievedthatshelookedmoreinteresting，andshethoughtBasil’sgraymoustachedistinguished。Hehadgrownstouter；hefilledhisdouble-breastedfrockcoatcompactly，andfromtimetotimehehadthebuttonssetforward；hishandswereroundeduponthebacks，andhenolongerworehisoldnumberofglovesbytwosizes；noamountofpowderormanipulationfromtheyoungladyintheshopwouldinducethemtogoon。Butthisdidnotmattermuchnow，forheseldomworeglovesatall。Hewasgladthatthefashionsufferedhimtospareinthatdirection，forhewasobligedtolooksomewhatcarefullyaftertheout-
　　goes。Theinsurancebusinesswasnotwhatithadbeen，andthoughBasilhadcomfortablyestablishedhimselfinit，hehadnotmademoney。Hesometimesthoughtthathemighthavedonequiteaswellifhehadgoneintoliterature；butitwasnowtoolate。Theyhadnotaverylargefamily:theyhadaboyofeleven，whotookafterhisfather，andagirlofnine，whotookaftertheboy；butwiththeAmericanfeelingthattheirchildrenmusthavethebestofeverything，theymadeitanexpensivefamily，andtheyspentnearlyallBasilearned。
　　Thenarrownessoftheirmeans，aswellastheirhouseholdcares，hadkeptthemfromtakingmanylongjourneys。TheypassedtheirwintersinBoston，andtheirsummersontheSouthShore，cheaperthantheNorthShore，andnearenoughforBasiltogoupanddowneverydayforbusiness；buttheypromisedthemselvesthatsomedaytheywouldrevisitcertainpointsontheirweddingjourney，andperhapssomewherefindtheirlostsecond-youthonthetrack。Itwasnotthattheycaredtobeyoung，buttheywishedthechildrentoseethemastheyusedtobewhentheythoughtthemselvesveryold；andonelovelyafternooninJunetheystartedforNiagara。
　　Ithadbeenveryhotforseveraldays，butthatmorningtheeastwindcamein，andcrispedtheairtillitseemedtorustleliketinsel，andtheskywasassincerelyandsolidlyblueasifithadbeenchromoed。
　　Theyfeltthattheywerereallylookingupintotheroofoftheworld，whentheyglancedatit；butwhenanoldgentlemanhastilykissedayoungwoman，andcommendedhertotheconductorasbeingonewhowasgoingallthewaytoSanFranciscoalone，andthenriskedhislifebysteppingoffthemovingtrain，thevastnessofthegreatAmericanfactbegantoaffectIsabeldisagreeably。“Isn’tittoobig，Basil？“shepleaded，peeringtimidlyoutofthelittlemunicipalconsciousnessinwhichshehadbeensolonghoused——Inthatseclusionshehadsufferedcertainoriginaltendenciestoincreaseuponher；hernervesweremoresensitiveandelectrical；herapprehensionshadmultipliedquitebeyondtheratioofthedangersthatbesether；andBasilhadcounteduponatoniceffectofthechangethejourneywouldmakeintheirdailylives。Shelookedruefullyoutofthewindowatthefamiliarsuburbswhiskingoutofsight，andthecontinentalimmensitythatadvanceddevouringlyuponher。Buttheyhadthebestsectionintheverycentreofthesleeping-car，——shedrewwhatconsolationshecouldfromthefact，——andthechildren’sprematuredemandforlunchhelpedhertoforgetheranxieties；theybegantobehungryassoonasthetrainstarted。Shefoundthatshehadnotputupsandwichesenough；andwhenshetoldBasilthathewouldhavetogetoutsomewhereandbuysomecoldchicken，heaskedherwhatintheworldhadbecomeofthatwholehamshehadhadboiled。Itseemedtohim，hesaid，thattherewasenoughofittosubsistthemtoNiagaraandback；
　　andhewentonassomemendo，whileSomervillevanished，andevenTuftsCollege，whichassailstheBostonianvisionfromeverypointofthecompass，wasshutoutbythecurveatthefootoftheBelmonthills。
　　TheyhadchosentheHoosacTunnelroutetoNiagara，because，asBasilsaid，theirexperienceoftravelhadneveryetincludedaverylongtunnel，anditwouldbeasignalfactbywhichthechildrenwouldalwaysrememberthejourney，ifnothingelseremarkablehappenedtoimpressituponthem。Indeed，theyweresomuchconcernedinitthattheybegantoaskwhentheyshouldcometothistunnel，evenbeforetheybegantoaskforlunch；andthelongtimebeforetheyreacheditwasnotperceptiblyshortenedbyTom’squarter-hourlyconsultationsofhisfather’swatch。
　　ItscarcelyseemedtoBasilandIsabelthattheirfellow-passengersweresointerestingastheirfellowpassengersusedtobeintheirformerdaysoftravel。Theyweresoberlydressed，andwereallofamiddle-agedsobrietyofdeportment，fromwhichnothingsalientoffereditselfforconjectureorspeculation；andtherewaslittlewithinthecartotaketheirmindsfromthebrilliantyoungworldthatflashedandsangbythemoutside。Thebelatedspringhadripened，withitsfrequentrains，intotheperfectionofearlysummer；thegrasswasthickerandthefoliagedenserthantheyhadeverseenitbefore；andwhentheyhadrunoutintothehillsbeyondFitchburg，theysawthelaurelinbloom。Itwaseverywhereinthewoods，lurkinglikedriftsamongtheunderbrush，andoverflowingthetops，andstealingdownthehollows，oftherailroadembankments；asnowofblossomflushedwithamistofpink。Itsshy，wildbeautyceasedwheneverthetrainstopped，buttheoriolesmadeupforitsabsencewiththeirsinginginthevillagetreesaboutthestations；andthoughFitchburgandAyer’sJunctionandAtholarenotnamesthatinvokehistoricalorromanticassociations，theheartsofBasilandIsabelbegantostirwiththejoyoftravelbeforetheyhadpassedthesepoints。AtthefirstBasilgotouttobuythecoldchickenwhichhadbeencommanded，andherecognizedinthekeeperoftherailroadrestauranttheirformerconductor，whohadbeenwarnedbythespiritsnevertotravelwithoutaflowerofsomesortcarriedbetweenhislips，andwhohadpreservedhisownlifeandthelivesofhispassengersformanyyearsbythissimpledevice。Hispresencelentthespongecakeandrhubarbpieandbakedbeansasupernaturalinterest，andreconciledBasiltothetoughnessoftheathleticbirdwhichthemysticalex-partneroffatehadsoldhim；hejustlyreflectedthatifhehadheardthestoryoftherestaurateur’ssuperstitioninaforeignland，oranothertime，hewouldhavefoundinitacertainpoetry。ItwasthiswillingnesstofindpoetryinthingsaroundthemthatkepthislifeandIsabel’sfresh，andtheytaughttheirchildrenthesecretoftheirelixir。Tobesure，itwasonlyagenrepoetry，butitwassuchashasalwaysinspiredEnglishartandsong；andnowthewholefamilyenjoyed，asifithadbeenapassagefromGoldsmithorWordsworth，theflyingsentimentoftherailroadside。Therewasasimpleinterioratoneplace，——asmallshanty，showingthroughtheopendooracookstovesurmountedbytheeveningcoffee-pot，withalazycatoutstretcheduponthefloorinthemiddledistance，andanoldwomanstandingjustoutsidethethresholdtoseethetraingoby，——whichhadanunrivaledvaluetilltheycametoasuperannuatedcaronasidinginthewoods，inwhichtherailroadworkmenboarded——somewereloungingontheplatformandattheopenwindows，whileotherswere“washingup“forsupper，andthewholescenewasfullofholidayeaseandsylvancomraderythatwenttotheheartsofthesympatheticspectators。BasilhadlatelybeenreadingaloudthedelightfulhistoryofRudderGrange，andthechildren，whohadmadetheirsecretvowsnevertoliveinanythingbutanoldcanal-boatwhentheygrewup，ownedthattherewerefascinatingpossibilitiesinaworn-outrailroadcar。
　　ThelovelyDeerfieldValleybegantoopenoneitherhand，withsmoothstretchesofthequietriver，andbreadthsofgrassyintervaleandtableland；theelmsgroupedthemselveslikethetreesofapark；hereandtherethenearerhillsbrokeaway，andrevealedlong，deep，chasmedhollows，fullofgoldenlightanddeliciousshadow。Therewerepeoplerowingonthewater；andeveryprettytownhadsometouchofpicturesquenessorpastoralcharmtooffer:atGreenfield，therewerechildrenplayinginthenew-mownhayalongtherailroadembankment；atShelburneFalls，therewasagameofcricketgoingonamongtheEnglishoperativesofthecutleryworks，asBasilboldlyasserted。Theylookeddownfromtheircar-windowonayoungladyswinginginahammock，inherdoor-yard，andonanoldgentlemanhoeinghispotatoes；agroupofgirlswavedtheirhandkerchiefstothepassingtrain，andaboypausedinweedingagarden-bed，——andprobablydeniedthathehadpaused，later。
　　Inthemeantimethegoldenhazealongthemountainsidechangedtoaclear，pearlylustre，andthequieteveningpossessedthequietlandscape。Theyconfessedtoeachotherthatitwasallassweetandbeautifulasitusedtobe；andinfacttheyhadseenpalaces，inotherdays，whichdidnotgivethemthepleasuretheyfoundinawoodcutter’sshanty，losingitselfamongtheshadowsinasolitudeofthehills。
　　Thetunnel，afterthis，wasagrossandmaterialsensation；buttheyjoinedthechildrenintryingtoholdandkeepit，andBasillettheboytimeitbyhiswatch。“Now，“saidTom，whenfiveminutesweregone，“weareundertheverycentreofthemountain。“Butthetunnelwaslikeallaccomplishedfacts，allhopesfulfilled，valuelesstothesoul，andscarcelyappreciabletothesense；andthechildrenemergedatNorthAdamswithbutameanopinionofthatgreatfeatofengineering。Basildrewaprettymoralfromtheirexperience。“Ifyourodeuponacometyouwouldbedisappointed。Takemyadvice，andneverrideuponacomet。I
　　shouldn’tobjecttoyourridingonalittlemeteor，——youwouldn’texpectmuchofthat；butIwarnyouagainstcomets；theyareasbadastunnels。“
　　Thechildrenthoughtthismoralwasajokeattheirexpense，andastheywerealittlesleepytheypermittedthemselvestheluxuryoffeelingtrifledwith。Buttheywoke，refreshedandencouraged，fromslumbersthathadevidentlybeenunbroken，thoughtheybothprotestedthattheyhadnotsleptawinkthewholenight，andgavethemselvesuptowonderattheinterminablelevelsofWesternNewYorkoverwhichthetrainwasrunning。Thelongingtocometoanedge，somewhere，thattheNewEnglandtravelerexperiencesonthisplain，wasinarticulatewiththechildren；
　　butitbreathedinthesighwithwhichIsabelwelcomedeventhearchitecturalinequalitiesofacityintowhichtheydrewintheearlymorning。Thiscityshowedtotheirwearyeyesanoblestretchofriver，fromthewatersofwhichloftypilesofbuildingsroseabruptly；andIsabel，beinglefttoguesswheretheywere，couldthinkofnootherplacesopicturesqueasRochester。
　　“Yes，“saidherhusband；“itisourownEnchantedCity。Iwonderifthatunstintedhospitalityisstilldispensedbythegoodheadwaiteratthehotelwherewestopped，tobridalpartieswhohavepassedtheordealofthehaughtyhotelclerk。Iwonderwhathasbecomeofthathotelclerk。
　　Hashefallen，throughpride，tosomelowerlevel，orhashebowedhisarrogantspirittothedemandsofadvancingcivilization，andrealizedthatheistheservant，andnotthemaster，ofthepublic？IthinkI’venoticed，sincehistime，agrowingkindnessinhotelclerks；orperhapsI
　　havebecomeofamoreimpressivepresence；theycertainlyunbendtomealittlemore。Ishouldliketogouptoourhotel，andtrymyselfonouroldenemy，ifheisstillthere。Icanfancyhowhisshirtfronthasexpandedinthesetwelveyearspast；hehasgrownalittlebald，afterthefashionofmiddle-agedhotelclerks，buthepartshishairverymuchononeside，andbrushesitsquarelyacrosshisforeheadtohidehisloss；theforefingerthathetouchesthatlittlesnapbellwith，whenhedoesn’tlookatyou，mustbeverypudgynow。Come，letusgetoutandbreakfastat，Rochester；theywillgiveusbroiledwhitefish；andwecanshowthechildrenwhereSamPatchjumpedoverGeneseeFalls，and——“