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A Chance Acquaintance by William Dean Howells
page 48 of 203 (23%)
rugged as the shores, broke the long reaches of the grim river with its
massive rock and dark evergreen, and seemed in the distance to forbid
escape from those dreary waters, over which no bird flew, and in which
it was incredible any fish swam.

Mrs. Ellison, with her foot comfortably and not ungracefully supported
on a stool, was in so little pain as to be looking from time to time at
one of the guide-books which the colonel had lavished upon his party,
and which she was disposed to hold to very strict account for any
excesses of description.

"It says here that the water of the Saguenay is as black as ink. Do
_you_ think it is, Richard?"

"It looks so."

"Well, but if you took some up in your hand?"

"Perhaps it wouldn't be as black as the best Maynard and Noyes, but it
would be black enough for all practical purposes."

"Maybe," suggested Kitty, "the guide-book means the kind that is light
blue at first, but 'becomes a deep black on exposure to the air,' as the
label says."

"What do you think, Mr. Arbuton?" asked Mrs. Ellison with unabated
anxiety.

"Well, really, I don't know," said Mr. Arbuton, who thought it a very
trivial kind of talk, "I can't say, indeed. I haven't taken any of it up
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