TheOutsetAMidsummer-day’sDreamTheNightBoatADay’sRailroadingTheEnchantedCity，andBeyondNiagaraDowntheSt。LawrenceTheSentimentofMontrealHomewardandHomeNiagaraRevisitedTwelveYearsafterTheirWedding
byWilliamDeanHowells
TheyfirstmetinBoston，butthematchwasmadeinEurope，wheretheyafterwardssaweachother；whither，indeed，hefollowedher；andtherethematchwasalsobrokenoff。Whyitwasbrokenoff，andwhyitwasrenewedafteralapseofyears，ispartofquitealonglove-story，whichIdonotthinkmyselfqualifiedtorehearse，distrustingmyfitnessforasustainedorinvolvednarration；thoughIampersuadedthataskillfulromancercouldturnthecourtshipofBasil。andIsabelMarchtoexcellentaccount。Fortunatelyforme，however，inattemptingtotellthereaderofthewedding-journeyofanewlymarriedcouple，nolongerveryyoung，tobesure，butstillfreshinthelightoftheirlove，I
shallhavenothingtodobuttotalkofsomeordinarytraitsofAmericanlifeastheseappearedtothem，tospeakalittleofwell-knownandeasilyaccessibleplaces，topresentnowabitoflandscapeandnowasketchofcharacter。
Theyhadagreedtomaketheirwedding-journeyinthesimplestandquietestway，andasitdidnottakeplaceatonceaftertheirmarriage，butsomeweekslater，ithadallthedesiredcharmofprivacyfromtheoutset。
“Howmuchbetter，“saidIsabel，“togonow，whennobodycareswhetheryougoorstay，thantohavestartedoffuponawretchedwedding-breakfast，alltearsandtrousseau，andhadpeoplewantingtoseeyouaboardthecars。Nowtherewillnotbeasuspicionofhoney-moonshineaboutus；weshallgojustlikeanybodyelse，——withadifference，dear，withadifference！“andshetookBasil’scheeksbetweenherhands。Inordertodothis，shehadtoranroundthetable；fortheywereatdinner，andIsabel’saunt，withwhomtheyhadbegunmarriedlife，satsubstantialbetweenthem。ItwasratheragirlishthingforIsabel，andsheadded，withaconsciousblush，“Wearepastourfirstyouth，youknow；andweshallnotstrikethepublicasbridal，shallwe？Myonehorrorinlifeisanevidentbride。“
Basillookedatherfondly，asifhedidnotthinkheratalltoooldtobetakenforabride；andformypartIdonotobjecttoawoman’sbeingofIsabel’sage，ifsheisofagoodheartandtemper。Lifemusthavebeenveryunkindtoherifatthatageshehavenotwonmorethanshehaslost。ItseemedtoBasilthathiswifewasquiteasfairaswhentheymetfirst，eightyearsbefore；buthecouldnothelprecurringwithaninextinguishableregrettothelongintervaloftheirbrokenengagement，whichbutforthatfatalitytheymighthavespenttogether，heimagined，injustsuchraptureasthis。Theregretalwayshauntedhim，moreorless；itwaspartofhislove；thelossaccountedirreparablereallyenrichedthefinalgain。
“Idon’tknow，“hesaidpresently，withasmuchgravityasamancanwhosecheeksareclaspedbetweenalady’shands，“youdon’tbeginverywellforabridewhowishestokeephersecret。Ifyoubehaveinthisway，theywillputusintothe’bridalchambers’atallthehotels。Andthecars——they’rebeginningtohavethemonthepalace-cars。“
Justthenashadowfellintotheroom。
“Wasn’tthatthunder，Isabel？“askedheraunt，whohadbeencontentedlysurveyingthetenderspectaclebeforeher。“Odear！you’llneverbeabletogobytheboatto-night，ifitstorms。It’sactuallyrainingnow！“
Infact，itwasthebeginningofthatterriblestormofJune，1870。Allinamoment，outofthehotsunshineofthedayitburstuponusbeforewequiteknewthatitthreatened，evenbeforewehadfairlynoticedtheclouds，anditwentonfrompassiontopassionwithaninexhaustibleviolence。Inthesquareuponwhichourfriendslookedoutoftheirdining-roomwindowsthetreeswhitenedinthegusts，anddarkenedinthedrivingfloodsoftherainfall，andinsomeparoxysmsofthetempestbentthemselvesindesperatesubmission，andthenwithagreatshudderrentawaywholebranchesandflungthemfaroffupontheground。Hailmingledwiththerain，andnowthefewumbrellasthathadbravedthestormvanished，andthehurtlingicecrackleduponthepavement，wherethelightningplayedlikeflamesburningfromtheearth，whilethethunderroaredoverheadwithoutceasing。Therewassomethingsplendidlytheatricalaboutitall；andwhenastreet-car，ladentothelastinchofitscapacity，cameby，withhorsesthatprancedandleapedunderthestingingblowsofthehailstones，ourfriendsfeltasifitwereaneffectiveandverynaturalisticbitofpantomimecontrivedfortheiradmiration。Yetastothemselvestheywereverysensibleofapotentrealityintheaffair，andatintervalsduringthestormtheydebatedaboutgoingatallthatday，anddecidedtogoandnottogo，accordingtothechangingcomplexionoftheelements。BasilhadsaidthatasthiswastheirfirstjourneytogetherinAmerica，hewishedtogiveitatthebeginningaspungentanationalcharacteraspossible，andthatashecouldimaginenothingmorepeculiarlyAmericanthanavoyagetoNewYorkbyaFallRiverboat，theyoughttotakethatroutethither。Somuchupholstery，somuchmusic，suchvarietycfcompany，heunderstood，couldnotbegotinanyotherway，anditmightbethattheywouldevencatchaglimpseoftheinventorofthecombination，whorepresentedtheveryexcessandextremityofacertainkindofAmericanism。Isabelhadeagerlyconsented；buttheseaestheticmotiveswereparalyzedforherbythethoughtofpassingPointJudithinastorm，andshedescendedfromherhighintentsfirsttotheInsideBoats，withoutthemagnificenceandtheorchestra，andthentotheideaofgoingbylandinasleeping-car。
Havingcomfortablyaccomplishedthisfeat，shetreatedBasil’sconsentasamatterofcourse，notbecauseshedidnotregardhim，butbecauseasawomanshecouldnotconceiveofthestepstoherconclusionasunknowntohim，andalwaystreatedherowndecisionsastheproductoftheircommonreasoning。Butherhusbandheldoutfortheboat，andinsistedthatifthestormfellbeforeseveno’clock，theycouldreachitatNewportbythelastexpress；anditwasthisobstinacythat，inproofofIsabel’swisdom，obligedthemtowaittwohoursinthestationbeforegoingbythelandroute。Thestormabatedatfiveo’clock，andthoughtheraincontinued，itseemedwellbyaquarterofseventosetoutfortheOldColonyDepot，insightofwhichasuddenandvividflashoflightningcausedIsabeltoseizeherhusband’sarm，andtoimplorehim，“Odon’tgobytheboat！“Onthis，Basilhadtheincredibleweaknesstoyield；andbadethedrivertakethemtotheWorcesterDepot。Itwasthefirstswervingfromtheidealintheirweddingjourney，butitwasbynomeansthelast；thoughitmustbeconfessedthatitwasearlytobegin。
Theybothfeltmoretranquilwhentheywereirretrievablycommittedbythepurchaseoftheirtickets，andwhentheysatdowninthewaiting。
roomofthestation，withallthetimebetweensevenandnineo’clockbeforethem。Basilwouldhaveekedoutthebusinessofcheckingthetrunksintoanaffairofsomelength，butthebaggage-masterdidhisdutywithpitilesscelerity；andsoBasil，inthemereexcessofhisdisoccupation，boughtanaccident-insuranceticket。Thisemployedhimhalfaminute，andthenhegaveuptheunequalcontest，andwentandtookhisplacebesideIsabel，whosatprettilywrappedinhershawl，perfectlycontent。
“Isn’titcharming，“shesaidgayly，“havingtowaitsolong？Itputsmeinmindofsomeofthoseotherjourneyswetooktogether。ButIcan’tthinkofthosetimeswithanypatience，whenwemightreallyhavehadeachother，anddidn’t！DoyourememberhowlongwehadtowaitatChambery？andthenumbersofmilitarygentlementhatwaitedtoo，withtheirlittlewaists，andtheirkisseswhentheymet？andthatpoormarriedmilitarygentleman，withtheplainwifeandthetwochildren，andatarnisheduniform？Heseemedtobesomehowinmisfortune，andhismustachehungdowninsuchaspiritlessway，whilealltheothermilitarymustachesaboutcurledandbristledwithsomuchboldness。Ithink’sallesd’attente’everywherearedelightful，andthereissuchacommunityofinterestinthemall，thatwhenIcomehereonlytogoouttoBrookline，Ifeelmyselfatravelleroncemore，——ablessedstrangerinastrangeland。Odear，Basil，thosewerehappytimesafterall，whenwemighthavehadeachotheranddidn’t！Andnowwe’rethemorepreciousforhavingbeensolonglost。“
Shedrewcloserandclosertohim，andlookedathiminawaythatthreatenedbetrayalofherbridalcharacter。
“Isabel，youwillbehavingyourheadonmyshoulder，next，“saidhe。
“Never！“sheansweredfiercely，recoveringherdistancewithastart。
“But，dearest，ifyoudoseemegoingto——actabsurdly，youknow，dostopme。“
“I’mverysorry，butI’vegotmyselftostop。Besides，Ididn’tundertaketopreservetheincognitoofthisbridalparty。“
Ifanyaccidentofthesortdreadedhadreallyhappened，itwouldnothavematteredsomuch，forasyettheywerethesoleoccupantsofthewaitingroom。Tobesure，theticket-sellerwasthere，andtheladywhocheckedpackagesleftinhercharge，butthesemusthaveseensomanyendearmentspassbetweenpassengers，——thatafleetingcaressorsowouldscarcelyhavedrawntheirnoticetoourpair。YetIsabeldidnotsomuchevenasputherhandintoherhusband’s；andasBasilafterwardssaid，itwasverygoodpractice。
Ourtemporarystate，whateveritis，isoftenmirroredinallthatcomenearus，andourfriendswerefatedtomeetfrequentparodiesoftheirhappinessfromfirsttolastonthisjourney。Thetravestybeganwiththeveryfirstpeoplewhoenteredthewaiting-roomafterthemselves，andwhowereaveryyoungcouplestartinglikethemselvesuponapleasuretour，whichalsowasevidentlyoneofthefirsttoursofanykindthattheyhadmade。Itwasofmodestextent，andcomprisedgoingtoNewYorkandback；，buttheytalkedofitwithaflutteredandjoyfulexpectationasifitwereavoyagetoEurope。Presentlythereappearedaburlesqueoftheirhappinessbutwithatouchoftragedyinthatkindofyoungmanwhoiscalledbythefemalesofhisclassafellow，andtwoyoungwomenofthatkindknowntohimasgirls。Hetookaplacebetweenthese，andpresentlybeganarobustflirtationwithoneofthem。Hepossessedhimself，afterabriefstruggle，ofherparasol，andtwirleditabout，asheuttered，withasortoftenderrudenessinconceivablevapidities，suchasyouwouldexpectfromnonebutamanofthehighestfashion。
Thegirlthuscourtedbecameselfishlyunconsciousofeverythingbutherownjoy，andmadenoattempttobringtheothergirlwithinitswarmth，butlefthertolanguishforgottenontheotherside。Thelattersometimesleanedforward，andtriedtodivertalittleoftheflirtationtoherself，buttheflirterssnubbedherwithshortanswers，andpresentlyshegaveupandsatstillinthesadpatienceofuncourtedwomen。InthisattitudeshebecameaburdentoIsabel，whowasgladwhenthethreetookthemselvesaway，andweresucceededbyaverystylishcouple——fromNewYork，sheknewaswellasiftheyhadgivenhertheiraddressonWest999thStreet。Theladywasnotpretty，andshewasnot，Isabelthought，dressedintheperfecttasteofBoston；butsheownedfranklytoherselfthattheNew-Yorkeresswasstylish，undeniablyeffective。ThegentlemanboughtaticketforNewYork，andremainedatthewindowoftheofficetalkingquiteeasilywiththeseller。
“Youcouldn’tdothat，mypoorBasil，“saidIsabel，“you’dbeafraid。“
“Odear，yes；I’monlytoogladtogetoffwithoutbrowbeating；thoughI
mustsaythatthisofficerlooksaffableenough。Really，“headded，asanacquaintanceoftheticket-sellercameinandnoddedtohimandsaid“Hot，to-day！““thisisverystrange。Ialwaysfeltasifthesemenhadnoprivatelife，nofriendshipsliketherestofus。Ondutytheyseemsolikesovereigns，setapartfrommankind，andaboveusall，thatit’squiteincredibletheyshouldhavethecommonpersonalrelations。“
Atintervalsoftheirtalkandsilencetherecamevividflashesoflightningandquiteheavyshocksofthunder，veryconsolingtoourfriends，whotookthemassomanycomplimentstotheirprudenceinnotgoingbytheboat，andwhohadsecretdoubtsoftheirwisdomwhenevertheseacknowledgmentswerewithheld。Isabelwentsofarastosaythatshehopednothingwouldhappentotheboat，butIthinkshewouldcheerfullyhavelearntthatthevesselhadbeenobligedtoputbacktoNewport，onaccountofthestorm，oreventhatithadbeendrivenashoreataperfectlysafeplace。