Of course the view from this upper gallery was far more extended than the one below; but our party did not enjoy it much, it made them so giddy to look down; and although the gilded balustrade was extremely massive, and was built into the stonework in the firmest and most solid manner, Mrs. Holiday, and even Mr. George, were afraid to go near it; and the idea of leaning upon it, to look over, seemed perfectly frightful. There were some young men in the gallery when our party came up. They were just preparing to continue their ascent, under the charge of a guide, up to the cupola. The guide seemed desirous of taking all who were going in one party. So he turned to Mr. George and said,-- "Do your party wish to go up into the ball?" Mr. George looked towards Mrs. Holiday. Mrs. Holiday was very unwilling to prevent Mr. George from ascending as high as he desired, but she was afraid to go up any farther herself, and she was unwilling to stay where she was with the children while he should be gone. It seemed as if the whole of the lofty mass on which she was standing was toppling, ready to fall, and that the first breath of wind that should come would blow it down, cupola, dome, and galleries, all together. "How much farther is it to the top?" said she, timidly. "A hundred feet," said the guide. Mrs. Holiday looked more alarmed than ever. "A hundred feet!" exclaimed Mr. George. "Why, I thought we were nearly at the top; and yet there are a hundred feet more! A hundred feet is equal to a house ten or twelve stories high! "I don't know that it is worth while for us to go up any higher," continued Mr. George, speaking to Mrs. Holiday, "unless you wish it." "No," said Mrs. Holiday; "I am sure _I_ don't wish to go any higher." "Very well," said Mr. George to the guide; "we will not go." So the guide set out with the young men alone. "There cannot be any pleasure in it, I am sure," said Mr. George. "No," said Mrs. Holiday; "there is more pain than pleasure in coming up _here_!" "Nor any advantage, that I can see," added Mr. George. "Except to be able to say," continued Mrs. Holiday, "when we get back to America, that we have been up into the ball." "Yes," said Mr. George; "and that, I think, is rather a doubtful advantage for a lady. The class of ladies that like to boast of having gone where other ladies seldom go are generally of rather a masculine character; and I don't think they gain a very desirable kind of reputation by performing such exploits."