Thegentlemaninthesilktravelling-capnowtookachair，andanumberofsympatheticlistenersdrewtheirchairsabouthim，andthenbegananinterchangeofexperience，inwhicheachrelatedtothelastparticularallthathefelt，thought，andsaid，and，ifmarried，whathiswifefelt，thought，andsaid，atthemomentofthecalamity。Theyturnedthedisasteroverandoverintheirtalk，androlleditundertheirtongues。
Thentheyrevertedtoformeraccidentsinwhichtheyhadbeenconcerned；
andthesilk-cappedgentlemantold，tothecommonadmiration，ofafearfulescapeofhis，ontheErieRoad，frombeingthrowndownasteepembankmentfiftyfeethighbyapieceofrockthathadfallenonthetrack。“Nowjustsee，gentlemen，whatalittlething，humanlyspeaking，lifedependsupon。Ifthatoldwomanhadbeenabletosleep，andhadn’tsentthatboydowntowarnthetrain，weshouldhaverunintotherockandbeendashedtopieces。Thepassengersmadeupapursefortheboy，andIwroteafullaccountofittothepapers。“
“Well，“saidoneofthegroup，amaninahardhat，“Ineverliedownonasteamboatorarailroadtrain。Iwanttobereadyforwhateverhappens。“
Theotherslookedatthisspeakerwithinterest，asonewhohadinventedasafemethodoftravel。
“Ihappenedtobeupto-night，butIalmostalwaysundressandgotobed，justasifIwereinmyownhouse，“saidthegentlemanofthesilkcap。
“Idon’tsayyourwayisn’tthebest，butthat’smyway。“
Thechampionsoftherivalsystemsdebatedtheirmeritswithsuavityandmutualrespect，buttheymetwithscornfulsilenceacompromisingspiritwhoheldthatitwasbettertothrowoffyourcoatandboots，butkeepyourpantaloonson。Meanwhile，thesteamerwashangingidleuponthecurrent，againstwhichitnowandthenstirredacarelesswheel，stillwaitingforthereturnofthesmallboats。Thingrayclouds，throughriftsofwhichastarsparkledkeenlyhereandthere，veiledtheheavens；
shadowybluffsloomeduponeitherhand；inahollowonthelefttwinkledadrowsylittletown；abeautifulstillnesslayonall。
Afteranhour’sintervalashoutwasheardfromfardowntheriver；。
thenlatertheplashofoars；thenacryhailingtheapproachingboats，andtheanswer，“Allsafe！“Presentlytheboatshadcomealongside，andthepassengerscrowdeddowntotheguardtolearnthedetailsofthesearch。Basilheardahollow，moaning，gurglingsound，regularasthatofthemachinery，forsomenoteofwhichhemistookit。“Clearthegangwaythere！“shoutedagruffvoice；“manscaldedhere！“Andaburdenwascarriedbyfromwhichfluttered，withitsterribleregularity，thatutteranceofmortalanguish。
Basilwentagaintotheforwardpromenade，andsatdowntoseethemorningcome。
Theboatswiftlyascendedthecurrent，andpresentlythesteepershoreswereleftbehindandthebanksfellawayinlongupwardslopingfields，withfarm-housesandwithstacksofharvestdimlyvisibleinthegenerousexpanses。Byandbytheypassedafishermandrawinghisnets，andbendingfromhisboat，therenearAlbany，N。Y。，inthepicturesqueimmortalattitudesofRaphael’sGalileanfisherman；andnowaflushmountedthepalefaceoftheeast，andthroughthedewycoolnessofthedawntherecame，moretothesightthananyothersense，avaguemenaceofheat。Butasyettheairwasdeliciouslyfreshandsweet，andBasilbathedhiswearinessinit，thinkingwithacertainluxuriouscompassionofthescaldedman，andhowhewastofarethatday。Thispoorwretchseemedofanotherorderofbeings，asthecalamitousalwaysseemtothehappy，andBasil’spitywasquiteanabstraction；which，again，amusedandshockedhim，andheaskedhisheartofblisstoconsiderofsorrowalittlemoreearnestlyasthelotofallmen，andnotmerelyofanaliencreaturehereandthere。Hedutifullytriedtoimagineanotherissuetothedisasterofthenight，andtorealizehimselfsuddenlybereftofherwhosofilledhislife。Hebadehissoulrememberthat，inthesecurityofsleep，Deathhadpassedthembothsoclosethathispresencemightwellhavechilledtheirdreams，astheicebergthatgrazestheshipinthenightfreezesalltheairaboutit。Butitwasquiteidle:wherelovewas，lifeonlywas；andsenseandspiritalikeputasidetheburdenthathewouldhavelaiduponthem；hisreveryreflectedwithdeliciouscapricethelooks，thetones，themovementsthatheloved，andborehimfarawayfromthesadimagesthathehadinvitedtomirrorthemselvesinit。
Happinesshascommonlyagoodappetite；andthethoughtofthefortunatelyendedadventuresofthenight，thefreshmorningair，andthecontentoftheirownhearts，giftedourfriends，bythetimetheboatreachedAlbany，withawholesomehunger，sothattheydebatedwithspiritthequestionofbreakfastandthebestplaceofbreakfastinginacitywhichneitherofthemknew，saveinthemostfugitiveandsketchyway。
Theydecidedatlast，inviewoftheearlydepartureofthetrain，andtheprobabilitythattheywouldbemorehurriedatahotel，tobreakfastatthestation，andthithertheywentandtookplacesatoneofthemanytables^-w4hin，wheretheyseemedtohavebeenexpectedonlybytheflies。Thewaitressplainlyhadnotlookedforthem，andforatimefoundtheirpresencesoincrediblethatshewouldnotacknowledgetherattlingthatBasilwasobligedtomakeonhisglass。Thenitappearedthatthecookwouldnotbelieveinthem，andhedidnotsendthem，tilltheywerequitefaint，thepepperyandmuddydraughtwhichimpudentlyaffectedtobecoffee，theoilyslicesoffugaciouspotatoesslippingaboutintheirshallowdishandskillfullyevadingpursuit，thepiecesofbeefthatsimulatedsteak，thehot，greasybiscuit，steamingevillyupintothefacewhenopened，andthensoddeningintomassesofcondenseddyspepsia。
Thewedding-journeyerslookedateachotherwitheyesofsadamaze。Theybowedthemselvesforamomenttotheviands，andthenbyanequalimpulserefrained。Theyweresufficientlyyoung，theywerehappy，theywerehungry；natureisgreatandstrong，butartisgreater，andbeforethesetriumphsofthecookattheAlbanydepotappetitesuccumbed。Byaterribletourdeforcetheyswallowedthefierceandturbidliquorintheircups，andthenspeculatedfantasticallyuponthecharacterandhistoryofthematerialsofthatbreakfast。
PresentlyIsabelpaused，playedalittlewithherknife，and，afteramoment。lookedupatherhusbandwithanarchregardandsaid:“IwasjustthinkingofasmallstationsomewhereintheSouthofFrancewhereourtrainoncestoppedforbreakfast。Irememberthefreshnessandbrightnessofeverythingonthelittletables，——theplates，thenapkins，thegleaminghalf-bottlesofwine。Theyseemedtohavebeenpreparingthatbreakfastforusfromthebeginningoftime，andwewerehardlyseatedbeforetheyserveduswithgreatcupsof’caffe-au-lait’，andthesweetestrollsandbutter；thenadelicatecutlet，withanunspeakablegravy，andpotatoes，——suchpotatoes！Dearme，howlittleIateofit！
Iwish，foronce，I’dhadyourappetite，Basil；Idoindeed。“
Sheendedwithaheartlesslaugh，inwhich，despitethetragicalcontrastherwordshadsuggested，Basilfinallyjoined。Somuchamazementhadprobablyneverbeengotbeforeoutofthemiseryinflictedinthatplace；
buttheirlightnessdidnotatallcommendthem。Thewaitresshadnotlikeditfromthefirst，andhadservedthemwithreluctance；andtheproprietordidnotlikeit，andkepthiseyeuponthemasifhebelievedthemabouttoescapewithoutpayment。Here，then，theyhadenforcedagreatfactoftravelling，——thatpeoplewhoservethepublicarekindlyandpleasantinproportionastheyserveitwell。Theunjustandtheinefficienthavealwaysthatconsciousnessofevilwhichwillnotletamanforgivehisvictim，orlikehimtobecheerful。
Ourfriends，however，didnotheatthemselvesoverthefact。Therewasalreadysuchheatfromwithout，evenateighto’clockinthemorning，thattheychosetobeascoolaspossibleinmind，andtheyplacidlytooktheirplacesinthetrain，whichhadbeenmadeupfordeparture。Theyhaddeliberatelyrejectedthenotionofadrawing-roomcarasaffordingalessvariedprospectofhumanity，andasbeinglessinthespiritofordinaryAmericantravel。Now，inreward，theyfoundthemselvesquitecomfortableinthecommonpassenger-car，anddisposedtoviewthescenery，intowhichtheystruckanhourafterleavingthecity，withmuchcomplacency。Therewassufficientdraughtthroughtheopenwindowtomaketheheattolerable，andthegreatbroodingwarmthgavetothelandscapethecharmwhichitalonecanimpart。ItisalandscapethatI
greatlyloveforitsmildbeautyandtranquilpicturesqueness，anditisinhonorofourfriendsthatIsaytheyenjoyedit。Therearenowhereanyconsiderablehills，buteverywheregenerousslopesandpleasanthollowsandthewidemeadowsofagrazingcountry，withtheprettybrownMohawkRiverripplingdownthroughall，andatfrequentintervalsthelifeofthecanal，nownear，nowfaraway，withthelazyboatsthatseemnottostir，andthehorsesthatthetrainpasseswithawhirl，and，leavesslowlysteppingforwardandswiftlyslippingbackward。Therearefarmsthathadonce，orstillhave，theromancetothemofbeingDutchfarms，——ifthereisanyromanceinthat，——andoneconjecturesaDutchthriftintheirwavinggrassandgrain。Spacesofwoodlandhereandtheredappletheslopes，andthecozyredfarm-housesreposebythesideoftheircapaciousredbarns。Truly，thereisnogroundonwhichtodefendtheidleness，andyetasthetrainstrivesfuriouslyonwardamidthesescenesoffertilityandabundance，Ilikeinfancytoloiterbehindit，andtosaunteratwillupanddownthelandscape。Istopatthefarm-yardgates，andsitupontheporchesorthresholds，andamservedwithcupsofbuttermilkbyoldDutchladieswhohavedonetheirmorning’sworkandhaveleisuretobeknittingorsewing；oriftherearenooldladies，withdecentcapsupontheirgrayhair，thenIdonotcomplainifthedrinkisbroughtmebysomered-cheeked，comelyyounggirl，outofWashingtonIrving’spages，withnocaponhergoldenbraids，whomirrorsmydiffidence，andtakesanattitudeofprettyawkwardnesswhileshewaitstillIhavedonedrinking。InthesameeasilycontentedspiritasIloungethroughthebarn-yard，ifIfindtheoldhensgoneabouttheirfamilyaffairs，Idonotmindameadow-lark’ssinginginthetopoftheelm-treebesidethepump。Intheseexcursionsthewatch-dogsknowmeforaharmlessperson，andwillnotopentheireyesastheyliecoiledupinthesunbeforethegate。Atalltheplaces，Ihavethepeoplekeepbees，and，inthegardenfullofworthypot-herbs，suchidlersinthevegetableworldashollyhocksandlarkspursandfour-o’clocks，nearagreatbedinwhichtheasparagushasgonetosleepfortheseasonwithadreamofdelicatesprayhangingoverit。Iwalkunmolestedthroughthefarmer’stallgrass，andridewithhimupontheperilousseatofhisvolublemowing-machine，andlearntomyheart’scontentthathisnamebeginswithVan，andthathisfamilyhasownedthatfarmeversincethedaysofthePatroon；whichIdaresayisnottrue。ThenIfallasleepinacornerofthehayfield，andwakeuponthetow-pathofthecanalbesidethatwonderfullyleanhorse，whosebonesyoucannotcountonly，becausetheyaresomany。Heneverwakesup，but，withafalteringunder-lipandhalf-shuteyes，hobblesstifflyon，unconsciousofhisanatomicalinterest。Thecaptainhospitablyasksmeonboard，withatwistoftherudderswingingthesternoftheboatuptothepath，sothatIcanstepon。SheisladenwithflourfromthevalleyoftheGenesee，andmayhavestartedonhervoyageshortlyafterthecanalwasmade。Sheissuccinctlymannedbythecaptain，thedriver，andthecook，afiery-
hairedladyofimperfecttemper；andthecabin，whichIexplore，isplainlyfurnishedwithacook-stoveandaflaskofwhiskey。Nothingbutprofanelanguageisallowedonboard；andso，inalifeofwickedjollityandease，weglideimperceptiblydownthecanal，unvexedbythefar-offfutureofarrival。
Such，Isay，aremyownunambitiousmentalpastimes，butIamawarethatlesssuperficialspiritscouldnotbesatisfiedwiththem，andIcannotpretendthatmywedding-journeyerswereso。