Inthewaiting-roomatthetop，BasilandIsabelfoundMr。Richardandhisladiesagain，whogotintothemovablechamberwiththem，andtheyallsilentlydescendedtogether。Itwasnotatimefortalkofanykind，eitherwhentheywereslowlyandnotquitesmoothlydroppingthroughthelugubriousupperpartofthestructure，whereitwasdarkenedbyaroughweatherboarding，orlowerdown，wheretheunobstructedlightshowedthegrimtearfulfaceofthecliff，bedrabbledwithoozysprings，andtheaudaciousslightnessoftheelevator。
AnabidingdistrustofthemachineryoverheadmingledinIsabel’sheartwithadoubtofthevalueofthescenebelow，andshecouldnotlookforwardtoescapefromherpresentperilsbytheconveyancewhichhadbroughtherintothem，withanysatisfaction。Shewanlysmiled，andshrankclosertoBasil；whiletheothermatronmadenothingofseizingherhusbandviolentlybythearmandimploringhimtostopitwhenevertheyexperiencedarougherjoltthanusual。
AtthebottomoftheclifftheywerehelpedoutoftheirprisonbyahumidyoungEnglishman，withmuchclayonhim，whosefacewasredandbathedinperspiration，foritwasveryhotdownthereinhislittleinclosureofbakingpineboards，anditwasnotmuchcooleroutontherocksuponwhichthepartyissued，descendinganddescendingbyrepeatedanddesultoryflightsofsteps，tillatlasttheystooduponahugefragmentofstonerightabreastoftherapids。Yetitwasamagnificentsight，andforamomentnoneofthemweresorrytohavecome。Thesurgesdidnotlooklikethegiganticripplesonariver’scourseastheywere，butlikeaprocessionofoceanbillows；theyarosefaraloftinvastbulksofcleargreen，andbrokeheavilyintofoamatthecrest。Greatblocksandshapelessfragmentsofrockstrewedthemarginoftheawfultorrent；gloomywallsofdarkstonerosenakedfromthese，beardedhereandtherewithcedar，andeverywherefrowningwithshaggybrowsofevergreen。Theplaceisinexpressiblylonelyanddreadful，andonefeelslikeanalienpresencethere，orasifhehadintrudeduponsomemoodorhauntofNatureinwhichshehadarighttobeforeveralone。Theslight，impudentstructureoftheelevatorrisesthroughthesolitude，likeathingthatmeritsruin，yetitisbetterthansomethingmoreelaborate，foritlookstemporary，andsincetheremustbeanelevator，itiswelltohaveitofthemosttransitoryaspect。SomesuchqualityofrudeimpermanenceconsolesyouforthepresenceofmostimprovementsbywhichyouenjoyNiagara；thesuspensionbridgesfortheirpartbeingsavedfromoffensivenessbytheirbeautyandunreality。
Ascending，noneofthepartyspoke；Isabelandtheothermatronblanchedineachother’sfaces；theirhusbandsmaintainedastolidresignation。
Whentheysteppedoutoftheirtrapintothewaitingroomatthetop，“WhatIlikeabouttheselittleadventures，“saidMr。RichardtoBasil，abruptly，“isgettingsafelyoutofthem。Good-morning，sir。“HebowedslightlytoIsabel，whoreturnedhispoliteness，andexchangedfaintnods，orglances，withtheladies。Theygotintotheirseparatecarriages，andatthatsafedistancemadeeachothermoredecidedobeisances。