butthentheycouldnotswim，andwouldnothavetosavethemselves。
TheLaChine’stocomeyet，“theyexulted，“andthat’stheawfullestofall！“
TheypassedtheLakeSt。Louis；theLaChin；rapidsflashedintosight。
Thecaptainroseupfromhisseat，tookhispipefromhismouth，andwavedasilencewithit。“Ladiesandgentlemen，“saidhe，“it’sveryimportantinpassingtheserapidstokeeptheboatperfectlytrim。
Pleasetoremainjustasyouare。“
Itwastwilight，fortheboatwaslate。FromtheIndianvillageontheshoretheysignaledtoknowifhewantedthelocalpilot；thecaptainrefused；andthenthesteamerplungedintotheleapingwaves。Fromrocktorocksheswervedandsank；onthelastledgeshescrapedwithadeadlytouchthatwenttotheheart。
Thenthedangerwaspassed，andthenoblecityofMontrealwasinfullsight，lyingatthefootofherdarkgreenmountain，andliftinghermanyspiresintotherosytwilightair:massiveandgrandshowedthesistertowersoftheFrenchcathedral。
Basilhadhopedtoapproachthisfamouscitywithjustassociations。HehadmeanttoconjureupforIsabel’ssakesomereflex，howeverfaint，ofthatbeautifulpictureMr。ParkmanhaspaintedofMaisonneuvefoundingandconsecratingMontreal。Heflushedwiththerecollectionofthehistorian’sphrase；butinthatmomenttherecameforthfromthecabinaprettyyoungpersonwhogaveeverytokenofbeingaprettyyoungactress，eventotheduenna-like，elderlyfemalecompanion，tobedetectedintheremotebackgroundofeveryyoungactress。ShehadflirtedaudaciouslyduringthedaywithsomeyoungEnglishmenandCanadiansofheracquaintance，andafterpassingtheLaChineRapidsshehadtakentheheartsofallthemenbyspringingsuddenlytoherfeet，apostrophizingthetumultwithacharmingattitude，andwarblingadeliciousbitofsong。NowastheydrewnearthecitytheVictoriaBridgestretcheditslongtubeathwarttheriver，andlookedsolowbecauseofitsgreatlengththatitseemedtobarthesteamer’spassage。
“Iwonder，“saidoneoftheactress’sadorers，aCanadian，whosefacewasexactlythatofthebeaverontheescutcheonofhisnativeprovince，andwhoseheavygallantriesshehadconstantlyreceivedwithagay，impertinentnonchalance，——“Iwonderifwecanbegoingrightunderthatbridge？“
“No，sir！“answeredtheprettyyoungactresswithshockingpromptness，“we’regoingrightoverit！“
“’Threegroansandaguggle，Andanawfulstruggle，Andoverwego！’“
Atthiswitless，sweetimpudencetheCanadianlookedverysheepish——forabeaver；andalltheotherpeoplelaughed；butthenoblehistoricalshadesofBasil’sthoughtvanishedinwoundeddignitybeyondrecall，andlefthimfeelingratherashamed，——forhehadlaughedtoo。
Thefeelingofforeigntravelforwhichourtouristshadstriventhroughouttheirjourney，andwhichtheyhadknowninsomedegreeatKingstonandallthewaydowntheriver，wasintensifiedfromthefirstmomentinMontreal；anditwassowelcomethattheywerealmostgladtolosemoneyontheirgreenbacks，whichtheconductoroftheomnibuswouldtakeonlyatadiscountoftwentycents。Atbreakfastnextmorningtheycouldhardlytellonwhatcountrytheyhadfallen。ThewaitershadbutathinvarnishofEnglishspeechupontheirnativeFrench，andtheyspoketheirowntonguewitheachother；butmostofthemeatswerecookedtotheEnglishtaste，andthewholewasapoorimitationofanAmericanhotel。Duringtheirstaythesamecomminglingofusagesandracesbewilderedthem；theshopswereEnglishandtheclerkswerecommonlyFrench；thecarriage-driverswereoftenIrish，andupanddownthestreetswiththeirpiousold-fashionednames，tinkledAmericanhorse-
cars。Everywherewerechurchesandconventsthatrecalledtheecclesiasticalandfeudaloriginofthecity；thegreattubularbridge，thesuperbwater-frontwithitslongarrayofdocksonlysurpassedbythoseofLiverpool，thesolidblocksofbusinesshouses，andthesubstantialmansionsonthequieterstreets，proclaimedthesuccessionofProtestantthriftandenergy。
OurfriendscaredfarlessforthemodernsplendorofMontrealthanfortheremnantsofitspast，andforthefeaturesthatidentifieditwithanotherfaithandanotherpeoplethantheirown。Isabelwouldalmosthaveconfessedtoanyoneoftheblack-robedpriestsuponthestreet；
Basilcouldeasilyhavegonedownuponhiskneestothewhite-hooded，pale-facednunsglidingamongthecrowd。Itwasrapturetotakeacarriage，anddrive，nottothecemetery，nottothepubliclibrary，nottotheroomsoftheYoungMen’sChristianAssociation，orthegrainelevators，orthenewparkjusttrickedoutwithrockworkandsprigsofevergreen，——nottoanyofthecharmingresortsofourowncities，butasinEuropetothechurches，thechurchesofapitilesssuperstition，thechurcheswiththeiratrociouspicturesandstatues，theirlingeringsmellofthemorning’sincense，theirconfessionals，theirfee-takingsacristans，theirworshippersdroppedhereandthereupontheirkneesabouttheaislesandsayingtheirprayerswithshutorwanderingeyesaccordingastheywereoldwomenoryoung！Idonotdefendthefeeblesentimentality，——callitwickednessifyoulike，——butIunderstandit，andIforgiveitfrommysoul。
Theywentfirst，ofcourse，totheFrenchcathedral，pausingontheirwaytoalightandwalkthroughtheBonsecoursMarket，wherethehabitanshaveallcomeintheircarts，withtheirvariousstoresofpoultry，fruit，andvegetables，andwhereeverycartisastudy。Hereisasimple-facedyoungpeasant-couplewithbutterandeggsandchickensravishinglydisplayed；hereisasmooth-checked，blackeyed，black-hairedyounggirl，lookingasifaninfusionofIndianbloodhaddarkenedtheredofhercheeks，presidingoverastockofonions，potatoes，beets，andturnips；
thereanoldwomanwithafacecarvenlikeawalnut，behindaflatteringarrayofcherriesandpears；yonderawholefamilytraffickinginloavesofbrown-breadandmaple-sugarinmanyshapesofpiousandgrotesquedevice。Therearegayshowsofbrightscarfsandkerchiefsandvari-
coloredyarns，andsadshowsofoldclothesandsecond-handmerchandiseofothersorts；butaboveallprevailstheabundanceoforchardandgarden，whilewithinthefineedificearethestallsofthebutchers，andinthebasementbelowaworldofhouseholdutensils，glass-ware，hard-
ware，andwooden-ware。AsinotherLatincountries，eachpeasanthasgivenapersonalinteresttohiswares，butthebargainsarenotclamoredoverasinLatinlandsabroad。WhateverprotestandconcessionandinvocationofthesaintsattendthetransactingofbusinessatBonsecoursMarketareinasubduedtone。Thefathuckster-womendrowsingbesidetheirwares，scarcesendtheirvoicesbeyondthebordersoftheirbroad-
brimmedstrawhats，astheysoftlyhagglewithpurchasers，ortranquillygossiptogether。
Atthecathedralthereare，perhaps，theworstpaintingsintheworld，andthemassivepine-boardpillarsareunscrupulouslysmokedtolooklikemarble；butourtouristsenjoyeditasifithadbeenSt。Peter’s；infactithassomethingofthebarnlikeimmensityandimpressivenessofSt。
Peter’s。Theydidnotaskittobebeautifulorgrand；theydesireditonlytorecallthebelovedugliness，thefondlycherishedhideousnessandincongruityoftheaverageCatholicchurchesoftheirremembrance，anditdidthisandmore:itaddedaneffectofitsown；itofferedthespectacleofaswarthyoldIndiankneelingbeforethehighaltar，tellinghisbeads，andsayingwithmanysighsandtearstheprayerswhichitcostsomuchmartyrdomandheroismtoteachhisrace。“O，itisonlyasavageman，“saidthelittleFrenchboywhowasshowingthemtheplace，impatientoftheirinterestinathingsounworthyasthisgroaningbarbarian。Heranswiftlyaboutfromobjecttoobject，rapidlylecturingtheirinattention。“Itisnowtimetogoupintothetower，“saidhe，andtheygladlymadethattoilsomeascent，thoughitisdoubtfuliftheascentoftowersisnottoomuchliketheascentofmountainsevertobecompensatory。FromthetopofNotreDameiscertainlytobehadaprospectuponwhich，butforhisflutterednervesandtremblingmusclesandtroubledrespiration，thetravellermightwelllookwithdelight，andasitismustbeholdwithwonder。Sofarastheeyereachesitdwellsonlyuponwhatismagnificent。Allthefeaturesofthatlandscapearegrand。Belowyouspreadsthecity，whichhaslessthatismerelymeaninitthananyothercityofourcontinent，andwhichiseverywhereennobledbystatelycivicedifices，adornedbytastefulchurches，andskirtedbyfullfoliagedavenuesofmansionsandvillas。Behinditrisesthebeautifulmountain，greenwithwoodsandgardenstoitscrest，andflankedontheeastbyanendlessfertileplain，andonthewestbyanotherexpanse，throughwhichtheOttawarushes，turbidanddark，toitsconfluencewiththeSt。Lawrence。Thenthesetwomightystreamscommingledflowpastthecity，lightingupthevastChampaigncountrytothesouth，whileupontheutmostsouthernverge，asonthenorthern，risethecloudysummitsoffar-offmountains。
Asourtravellersgazeduponallthisgrandeur，theirheartswerehumbledtothetacitadmissionthatthecolonialmetropoliswasnotonlyworthyofitsseat，buthadtraitsofasolidprosperitynotexcelledbyanyoftheaboundingandboastfulcitiesoftheRepublic。LongbeforetheyquittedMontrealtheyhadralliedfromthisweakness，buttheydelightedstilltohonorhersuperbbeauty。
Thetowerisnaturallybescribbledtoitstopwiththenamesofthosewhohaveclimbedit，andmostoftheseareAmericans，whoflockingreatnumberstoCanadainsummer。Theymodifyitshotellife，andtheobjectsofinterestthriveupontheirbounty。Ourfriendsmetthemateveryturn，andknewthemataglancefromthenativepopulations，whoarealsoeasilydistinguishablefromeachother。TheFrenchCanadiansarenearlyalwaysofapeasant-likecommonness，orwheretheyriseabovethishaveabourgeoiscommonnessoffaceandmanner，andtheEnglishCanadiansaretobeknownfromthemanyEnglishsojournersbytheefforttolookmuchmoreEnglishthanthelatter。Thesocialheartofthecolonyclingsfasttothemother-country，thatisplain，whateverthepoliticaltendencymaybe；andthepublicmonumentsandinscriptionscelebratethisaffectionateunion。