Acataractfellinasinglesheetintothepool;thepoolboiledandbubbledatthebaseofthefall，butthroughthegreaterpartofitsextent，laycalm，deep，andblack，asifthecataracthadplungedthroughittoanunimaginabledepth，withoutdisturbingitseternalrepose。Attheoppositeextremityofthepool，therocksalmostmetattheirsummits，thetreesoftheoppositebanksintermingledtheirleaves，andanothercataractplungedfromthepoolintoachasm，onwhichthesunbeamsnevergleamed。Highabove，onbothsides，thesteepwoodyslopesofthedinglesoaredintothesky;andfromafissureintherock，onwhichthelittlepathterminated，asinglegnarledandtwistedoakstretcheditselfoverthepool，formingaforkwithitsboughsatashortdistancefromtherock。MissSusannahoftensatontherock，withherfeetrestingonthistree;intime，shemadeherseatonthetreeitself，withherfeethangingovertheabyss;andatlength，sheaccustomedherselftoliealonguponitstrunk，withhersideonthemossyboleofthefork，andanarmroundoneofthebranches。
Fromthispositionaportionoftheskyandthewoodswasreflectedinthepool，which，fromitsbank，wasbutamassofdarkness。Thefirsttimeshereclinedinthismanner，herheartbeataudibly;intimeshelaydownascalmlyasonthemountainheather;theperceptionofthesublimewasprobablyheightenedbyanintermingledsenseofdanger;andperhapsthatindifferencetolife，whichearlydisappointmentforcesuponsensitiveminds，wasnecessarytothefirstexperiment。Therewas，inthenoveltyandstrangenessoftheposition，anexcitementwhichneverwhollypassedaway，butwhichbecamegraduallysubordinatetotheinfluence，atoncetranquillisingandelevating，ofthemingledeternityofmotion，sound，andsolitude。
Onesultrynoon，shedescendedintothisretreatwithamindmorethanusuallydisturbedbyreflectionsonthepast。Shelayinherfavouriteposition，sometimesgazingonthecataract;lookingsometimesupthesteepsylvanacclivities，intothenarrowspaceofthecloudlessether;sometimesdownintotheabyssofthepool，andthedeepbright-bluereflectionsthatopenedanotherimmensitybelowher。Thedistressingrecollectionsofthemorning，theworldandallitslittlenesses，fadedfromherthoughtslikeadream;butherwoundedandweariedspiritdrankintoodeeplythetranquillisingpoweroftheplace，andshedroppedasleepuponthetreelikeaship-boyonthemast。
AtthismomentMr。Chainmailemergedintodaylight，onaprojectionoftheoppositerock，havingstruckdownthroughthewoodsinsearchofunsophisticatedscenery。Thescenehediscoveredfilledhimwithdelight：heseatedhimselfontherock，andfellintooneofhisromanticreveries;whensuddenlythesemblanceofablackhatandfeathercaughthiseyeamongthefoliageoftheprojectingoak。Hestartedup，shiftedhisposition，andgotaglimpseofabluegown。Itwashisladyofthelake，hisenchantressoftheruinedcastle，dividedfromhimbyabarrierwhich，atafewyardsbelow，hecouldalmostoverleap，yetunapproachablebutbyacircuitperhapsofmanyhours。Hewatchedwithintenseanxiety。
Tolistenifshebreathedwasoutofthequestion：thenosesofadeanandchapterwouldhavebeensoundlessintheroarofthetorrent。Fromherextremestillness，sheappearedtosleep：yetwhatcreature，notdesperate，wouldgowilfullytosleepinsuchaplace？Wassheasleep，then？Nay，wasshealive？Shewasasmotionlessasdeath。Hadshebeenmurdered，thrownfromabove，andcaughtinthetree？Shelaytooregularlyandtoocomposedlyforsuchasupposition。Shewasasleep，then，and，inallprobability，herwakingwouldbefatal。Heshiftedhisposition。Belowthepooltwobeetle-browedrocksnearlyoverarchedthechasm，leavingjustsuchaspaceatthesummitaswaswithinthepossibilityofaleap;thetorrentroaredbelowinafearfulgulf。Hepausedsometimeonthebrink，measuringthepracticabilityandthedanger，andcastingeverynowandthenananxiousglancetohissleepingbeauty。Inoneoftheseglanceshesawaslightmovementofthebluegown，and，inamomentafter，theblackhatandfeatherdroppedintothepool。Reflectionwaslostforamoment，and，byasuddenimpulse，heboundedoverthechasm。