Hemetheratthetopoftheinclinedtramwaywithafaceofexemplaryunconsciousness，andhelistenedwithhertothetaletheircoachmantold，astheysatinaprettyarborlookingoutontheRapids，ofaFrenchmanandhiswife。ThisFrenchmanhadreturned，onemorning，fromastrollonGoatIsland，andreportedwithmuchapparentconcernthathiswifehadfallenintothewater，andbeencarriedovertheFall。Itwassonaturalforamantogrieveforthelossofhiswife，underthepeculiarcircumstances，thateveryonecondoledwiththewidower；butwhenafewdayslater，herbodywasfound，andthedistractedhusbandrefusedtocomebackfromNewYorktoherfuneral，therewasageneralregretthathehadnotbeenarrested。AflashofconvictionillumedthewholefacttoBasil’sguiltyconsciousness:thisunhappyFrenchmanhadpaidadollarfortheuseofanoil-skinsuitatthefootoftheFall，andhadbeenashamedtoconfesstheswindletohiswife，till，inamomentofremorseandmadness，heshoutedthefactintoherear，andthenBasillookedatthemotherofhischildren，andregisteredavowthatifhegotawayfromNiagarawithoutbeingforcedtoasimilarexcesshewouldconfesshisguilttoIsabelattheveryfirstactofspendthriftprofusionshecommitted。TheguidepointedouttherockintheRapidstowhichAveryhadclungfortwenty-fourhoursbeforehewascarriedovertheFalls，andtothemorbidfancyofthedeceitfulhusbandIsabel’sbonnetribbonsseemedtoflutterfromthepointedreef。Hecouldenduretheprettyarbornolonger。“Come，children！“hecried，withawild，unnaturalgayety；“letusgotoGoatIsland，andseetheBridgetotheThreeSisters，thatyourmotherwasafraidtowalkbackonaftershehadcrossedit。“
“Forshame，Basil！“retortedIsabel。“Youknowitwasyouwhowereafraidofthatbridge。“
Thechildren，whoknewthestorybyheart，laughedwiththeirfatheratthemonstrouspretension；andhissimulatedhilarityonlyincreaseduponpayingatolloftwodollarsattheGoatIslandbridge。
“Whatextortion！“criedIsabel，withanindignationthatsecretlyunnervedhim。Hetrembleduponthevergeofconfession；buthehadfinallythemoralforcetoresist。HesufferedhertocomputethecostoftheirstayatNiagarawithoutallowingthosethreedollarstoenterintohercalculation；heevenbegantothinkwhatjustificativeextravagancehecouldtemptherto。Hesuggestedthepurchaseoflocalbric-a-brac；heaskedherifshewouldnotliketodineattheInternational，foroldtimes’sake。Butsheanswered，withdishearteningvirtue，thattheymustnotthinkofsuchathing，afterwhattheyhadspentalready。Nothing，perhaps，markedtheconfirmedhusbandinBasilmorethanthesehiddenfearsandreluctances。
InthemeantimeIsabelignorantlyabandonedherselftothecharmoftheplace，whichshefoundunimpaired，inspiteofthereportedravagesofimprovementaboutNiagara。GoatIslandwasstillthesylvansolitudeoftwelveyearsago，hauntedbyevenfewernymphsanddryadsthanofold。