“Wedon’tknow！“answeredtheothersinasfearfulakey，andrelatedhowtheyhadfoundthedooroftheirroomajar，andabrightlightstreamingintothecorridor。Theydidnotstoptoponderthisfact，but，withtheheedlessnessoftheirsex，pushedthedoorwideopen，whentheysawseatedbeforethemirrorabewilderingfigure，withdisheveledlockswanderingdowntheback，andindishabilleexpressiveofbeingquiteathomethere，whichturneduponthemapairofpaleblueeyes，underaforeheadremarkableforthestragglingfringeofhairthatcoveredit。
Theyprofessedtohaveremainedtransfixedatthesight，andtohavenotedalikedismayonthevisagebeforetheglass，eretheysummonedstrengthtofly。ThesefactsColonelEllisongaveatthecommandofhiswife，withmanyprotestsandinsinceredelaysamidstwhichthecuriosityofhishearersalonepreventedthemfromrendinghiminpieces。
“Andwhatdoyousupposeitwas？“demandedhiswife，withforcedcalmness，whenhehadatlastmadeanendofthestoryandhisabominablehypoocisies。
“Well，Ithinkitwasamermaid。“
“Amermaid！“saidhiswife，scornfully。“Howdoyouknow？“
“Ithadacombinitshand，foronething；andbesides，mydear，IhopeI
knowamermaidwhenIseeit。“
“Well，“saidMrs。Ellison，“itwasnomermaid，itwasamistake；andI’mgoingtoseeaboutit。Willyougowithme，Richard？“
“Nomoneycouldinduceme！Ifit’samistake，itisn’tproperformetogo；ifit’samermaid，it’sdangerous。“
“Oyoucoward！“saidtheintrepidlittlewomantoaheroofallthefightsonSherman’smarchtothesea；andpresentlytheyheardherattackthemysteriousenemywithalady-likecourage，claimingtheinvadedchamber。Thefoerepliedwithlikecivility，sayingtheclerkhadgivenherthatroomwiththeunderstandingthatanotherladywastobeputtherewithher，andshehadleftthedoorunlockedtoadmither。Thewatcherswiththesickmannextdoorappearedandconfirmedthisspeech，afeeblevoicefromthebedclothessworetoit。
“Ofcourse，“addedtheinvader，“ifI’dknown’owitreallywas，Ineverwouldlavelistenedtosuchathing，never。Andthereisn’tanother’oleinthelousetolayme’ead，“sheconcluded。
“Thenit’stheclerk’sfault，“saidMrs。Ellison，gladtoretreatunharmed；andshemadeherhusbandringfortheguiltywretch，apale，quietyoungFrenchman，whomtheunitedparty，sallyingintothecorridor，begantoupbraidinonebreath，theladyindishabillevanishingasoftenassherememberedit，andreappearingwheneversomestrongpointofargumentordenunciationoccurredtoher。
Theclerk，whowastheBenjaminofhiswickedtribe，threwhimselfupontheirmercyandconfessedeverything:thehousewassocrowded，andhehadbeensocrazedbythedemandsuponhim，thathehadunderstoodColonelEllison’sapplicationtobeforabedfortheyoungladyinhisparty，andhehaddonetheverybesthecould。Iftheladythere——shevanishedagain——wouldgiveuptheroomtothetwogentlemen，hewouldfindheraplacewiththehousekeeper。Tothistheladyconsentedwithoutdifficulty，andtherestdispersing，shekissedoneofthesickman’swatcherswith“Isn’titashame，Bella？“andflitteddownthedarknessofthecorridor。Theroomsuponitseemedall，savethetwoassignedourtravellers，tobeoccupiedbyladiesofthetroupe；theirdoorssuccessivelyopened，andshewasheardexplainingtoeachasshepassed。Themomentarydispleasurewhichshehadshownatherbanishmentwasover。Shedetailedthefactswithperfectgood-nature，andthoughtheothersappearednomorethanherselftofindanyhumorouscastintheaffair，theyreceivedhernarrationwiththesameamiability。Theyutteredtheirsympathyseriously，andeachpartedfromherwithsomefriendlyword。Thenallwasstill。
“Richard，“saidMrs。Ellison，wheninIsabel’sroomthetravellershadbrieflycelebratedtheseevents，“Ishouldthinkyou’dhatetoleaveusaloneuphere。“
“Ido；butyoucan’tthinkhowIhatetogooffalone。Iwishyou’dcomepartofthewaywithus，Ladies；Idoindeed。Leaveyourdoorunlocked，atanyrate。“
Thisprayer，utteredatpartingoutsidetheroom，wasansweredfromwithinbyasoundofturningkeysandslidingbolts，andalowthunderasofbureausandwashstandsrolledagainstthedoor。“Theladiesarefortifyingtheirposition，“saidtheColoneltoBasil，andthetworeturnedtotheirownchamber。“Idon’twishanyintrusions，“hesaid，instantlyshuttinghimselfin；“mynervesaretoomuchshakennow。WhatanawfullymysteriousoldplacethisQuebecis，Mr。March！I’lltellyouwhat:it’smyopinionthatthisisanenchantedcastle，andifmyribsarenotwalkedoverbyamuleteerinthecourseofthenight，it’sallI
InthisandotherdiscourserecallingthefamousadventureofDonQuixote，theColonelbeguiledthelaborofdisrobing，andhadgotasfarashisboots，whentherecameastartlingknockatthedoor。Withonebootinhishandandtheotheronhisfoot，theColonellimpedforward。
“Isupposeit’sthatclerkhassenttosayhe’smadesomeothermistake，“
andheflungwidethedoor，andthenstoodmotionlessbeforeit，dumblystaringatafigureonthethreshold，——afigurewiththefringedforeheadandpaleblueeyesofherwhomtheyhadsolatelyturnedoutofthatroom。
Shrinkingbehindthesideofthedoorway，“Excuseme，gentlemen，“shesaid，withadignitythatrecalledtheirscatteredsenses，“butwillyou’avethegoodnesstolookifmybeadsareonyourtable——Othanks，thanks，thanks！“shecontinued，showingherfaceandonehand，asBasilblushinglyadvancedwithastringofheavyblackbeads，piouslyadornedwithalargecross。“I’msure，I’mgreatlyobligedtoyou，gentlemen，andIhaskathousandpardonsfortroublin’you，“sheconcludedinasomewhatseveretone，thatleftthemabashedandculpable；andvanishedasmysteriouslyasshehadappeared。
“Now，seehere，“saidtheColonel，withahugesighasheclosedthedooragain，andthistimelockedit，“Ishouldliketoknowhowlongthissortofthingistobekeptup？Because，ifit’stoberegularlyrepeatedduringthenight，I’mgoingtodressagain。“Nevertheless，hefinishedundressingandgotintobed，whereheremainedforsometimesilent。
Basilputoutthelight。“O，I’msorryyoudidthat，mydearfellow，“
saidtheColonel；“butnevermind，itwasanidlecuriosity，nodoubt。
It’smybeliefthatinthelandlord’sextremityofbedlinen，I’vebeenputtosleepbetweenapairoftablecloths；andIthoughtI’dliketolook。ItseemstomethatImakeoutacheckeredpatternontopandafloweredorarabesquepatternunderneath。Iwishtheyhadgivenmemates。It’sprettyhardhavingtosleepbetweenoddtablecloths。I
shallcomplaintothelandlordofthisinthemorning。I’veneverhadtosleepbetweenoddtable-clothsatanyhotelbefore。“
TheColonel’svoiceseemedscarcelytohavediedawayuponBasil’sdrowsyear，whensuddenlythesoundsofmusicandlaughterfromtheinvalid’sroomstartledhimwideawake。Thesickman’swatcherswerecoquettingwithsomeonewhostoodinthelittlecourt-yardfivestoriesbelow。
Acertainbreadthofreparteewasnaturallyallowableatthatdistance；
theloveravowedhispassioninardentterms，andtheladiesmockedhimwiththesamefreedom，nowandthentotallyneglectinghimwhiletheysangasnatchofsongtothetwangingoftheguitar，ortalkedprofessionalgossip，andthenreturningtohimwithsometormentingexpressionoftenderness。
Allthis，abstractlyspeaking，wasnothingtoBasil；yethecouldrecollectfewthingsintendedforhispleasurethathadgivenhimmoresatisfaction。Hethought，asheglancedoutintothemoonlightonthehigh-gabledsilveryroofsaroundandonthegardensoftheconventsandthetowersofthequaintcity，thatthescenewantednothingofthepropercharmofSpanishhumorandromance，andhewasasgratefultothosepoorsoulsasiftheyhadmeanthimafavor。Tousofthehithersideofthefoot-lights，thereisalwayssomethingfascinatinginthelifeofthestrangebeingswhodwellbeyondthem，andwhoareneversounrealasintheirowncharacters。Intheirshabbybestowalinthosemeanupperrooms，theirtawdrypoverty，theirmerrysubmissiontotheerrorsandcapricesofdestiny，theirmutualkindlinessandcarelessfriendship，theseunprofitabledevoteesofthetwinkling-footedburlesqueseemedtobeplayingratherthanlivingthelifeofstrollingplayers；
andtheirlove-makingwasthelasttouchofacomedythatBasilcouldhardlyacceptasreality，itwassomuchmorelikesomethingseenuponthestage。Hewouldnothavedetractedanythingfromthecommonnessandcheapnessofthe’miseenscene’，forthat，hereflecteddrowsilyandconfusedly，helpedtogiveitanairoffactandmakeitlikeanepisodeoffiction。Butaboveall，hewaspleasedwiththenaturaleventlessnessofthewholeadventure，whichwasinperfectagreementwithhistaste；
andjustashisreveriesbegantoloseshapeindreams，hewasawareofanabsurdprideinthefactthatallthiscouldhavehappenedtohiminourcommonplacetimeandhemisphere。“Why，“hethought，“ifIwereastudentinAlcala，whatbettercouldIhaveasked？“Andasatlasthissoulswungoutfromitsmooringsandlapseddownthebroadslowlycirclingtidesoutintheseaofsleep，hewasconsciousofonesubtletouchofcompassionforthosepoorstrollers，——apitysodelicateandfineandtenderthatithardlyseemedhisownbutratherasenseofthecompassionthatpitiesthewholeworld。
Thetravellersallmetatbreakfastanddulydiscussedtheadventuresofthenight；andfortherest，theforenoonpassedrapidlyandslowlywithBasilandIsabel，asregrettoleaveQuebec，orthenaturalimpatienceoftravellerstobeoff，overcamethem。Isabelspentpartofitinshopping，forshehadfoundsomesmallsumsofmoneyandcertainoddcornersinhertrunksstillunappropriated，andthehandsomestoresontheRueFabriquewereverytempting。Shesaidshewouldjustgoinandlook；andthewisereaderimaginestheresult。Asshekneltoverherboxes，tryingsotodistributeherpurchasesastomakethemlookasiftheywereold，——oldthingsofhers，whichshehadbroughtallthewayroundfromBostonwithher，——afleetingtouchofconsciencestayedherhand。
“Basil，“shesaid，“perhapswe’dbetterdeclaresomeofthesethings。
What’sthedutyonthose？“sheasked，pointingtocertainarticles。
“Idon’tknow。Aboutahundredpercent。advalorem。“
“C’estadire——？“
“Asmuchastheycost。“
“Othen，dearest，“respondedIsabelindignantly，“itcan’tbewrongtosmuggle！Iwon’tdeclareathread！“
“That’sverywellforyou，whomtheywon’task。Butwhatiftheyaskmewhetherthere’sanythingtodeclare？“
