house，ordenoftheassassinstreetsbytheriver-sides，——ifindeeditdidnotbefallinsomesuchhigh，close-shuttered，handsomedwellingasthosetheypassed，inwhosetwilightitwouldbesoeasytostrikedownthemasterandleavehimundiscoveredandunmournedbythefamilyignorantlyabsentatthemountainsortheseaside。Theyconjecturedofthehorrorofmidsummerbattles，andpicturedtheanguishofshipwreckedmenuponatropicalcoast，andthegrimymiseryofstevedoresunloadingshinycargoesofanthracitecoalatcitydocks。Butnowatlast，astheytookseatsoppositeoneanotherinthecrowdedcar，theyseemedtohavedriftedinfinitedistancesandlongepochsasunder。Theylooked。
hopelesslyacrosstheinterveninggulf，andmutelyquestionedwhenitwasandfromwhatfarcitytheyorsomeremoteancestorsoftheirshadsetforthuponaweddingjourney。Theybadeeachotheratacitfarewell，andwithpatient，patheticfacesawaitedtheendoftheworld。
Whentheyalighted，theytooktheirwayupthroughoneofthestreetsofthegreatwholesalebusinesses，toBroadway。Onthisstreetwasathrongoftrucksandwagonsladingandunlading；balesandboxesroseandsankbypulleysoverhead；thefootwaywasalabyrinthofpackagesofeveryshapeandsize:therewasnoflaggingofthepitilessenergythatmovedallforward，nosignofhowheavyaweightlayonit，saveinthereekingfacesofitshelplessinstruments。Butwhenthewedding-journeyersemergeduponBroadway，theotherpassagesandincidentsoftheirdreamfadedbeforethesuperiorfantasticalityofthespectacle。Itwasfouro’clock，thedeadliesthourofthedeadlysummerday。Thespiritlessairseemedtohaveaqualityofblacknessinit，asiffilledwiththegloomoflow-hoveringwings。Onehalfthestreetlayinshadow，andonehalfinsun；butthesunshineitselfwasdim，asifaheatgreaterthanitsownhadsmittenitwithlanguor。Littlegustsofsick，warmwindblewacrossthegreatavenueatthecornersoftheintersectingstreets。Intheupwarddistance，atwhichthejourneyerslooked，theloftierroofsandsteeplesliftedthemselvesdimoutofthelividatmosphere，andfarupanddownthelengthofthestreetsweptastreamoftormentedlife。
Allsortsofwheeledthingsthrongedit，conspicuousamongwhichrolledandjarredthegaudilypaintedStages，withquiveringhorsesdriveneachbyamanwhosatintheshadeofabranchingwhiteumbrella，andsufferedwithamoodytruculenceofaspect，andasifheharboredthebitternessofdeathinhisheartforthecrowdingpassengerswithin，whenoneofthempulledthestrapabouthislegs，andsummonedhimtohalt。Mostofthefoot-passengerskepttotheshadyside，andtotheunaccustomedeyesofthestrangerstheywerenotlessinnumberthanatanyothertime，thoughtherewerefewerwomenamongthem。Indomitablyresoluteofsoul，theyheldtheircoursewiththeswiftpaceofcustom，andonlyhereandtheretheyshowedtheeffectoftheheat。Oneman，collarless，withwaistcoatunbuttoned，andhatsetfarbackfromhisforehead，wavedafanbeforehisdeath-whiteflabbyface，andsetdownonefootaftertheotherwiththeheavinessofasomnambulist。Another，astheypassedhim，wassayinghuskilytothefriendathisside，“Ican’tstandthismuchlonger。Myhandstingleasiftheyhadgonetosleep；myheart——“
Butstillthemultitudehurriedon，passing，repassing，encountering，evading，vanishingintoshop-doorsandemergingfromthem，dispersingdownthesidestreets，andswarmingoutofthem。Itwasascenethatpossessedthebeholderwithsingularfascination，andinitseffectofuniversallunacy，itmightwellhaveseemedthelastphaseofaworldpresentlytobedestroyed。Theywhowereinitbutnotofit，astheyfancied，thoughtherewasnoreasonforthis，——lookedonitamazed，andatlasttheirownerrandsbeingaccomplished，andthemselvessofarcuredofthemadnessofpurpose，theycriedwithonevoice，thatitwasahideoussight，andstrovetotakerefugefromitinthenearestplacewherethesoda-fountainsparkled。