Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 118: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

110 AGNES; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. tempest had lasted. The miser was thrown vio-|delay. The ship, as we have said, was motion- lently over the open chest from which he had been taking forth his gold; while Gustavus was so powerfully hurled against the door-post of the cabin, and thence on the floor itself, that he was stunned, For a few minutes did he thus remain in a state of unconsciousness—from which on slowly awaken- ing, he fancied that he was under the influence of a dream. But a crowd of fearful recollections soon trooped in unto his brain, rapid as the tem- pest that was sweeping over the devoted ship— rapid too as the gush of waters into her battered hull! The lantern was extinguished: Gustavus was enveloped in total darkness; and springing to his feet, he was about to rush towards the stairs, when he bethought himself of the miser. He groped about for the old man, and quickly found him lying across the open chest. He was mo- tionless ; and Gustavus muttered to himself, “ He is dead!” But Elverstone groaned: the young midship- man spoke to him hurriedly and excitedly; and the miser returned some answer, though feebly and indistinctly: yet as he lived, the generous Barrington seized him in his arms, He bore him up the stairs; and scarcely had he reached the deck with his burden, when the wild cries of human voices mingled their last notes of agony with the terrific chorus of the raging wind and the roaring billows. Some minutes elapsed before Gustavus Barring- ton succeeded in completely comprehending his present position: but after a hurried search all over the deck—after calling forth many familiar names and receiving no response—he found that himself and the old miser were alone left in the vessel. The boats were gone, except the one which had been rendered useless by the violence of the billow that stove it in; and more than half the hencoops, spars, and casks which but a short time past encumbered the deck, were likewise gone. The ship was lying motionless, with the sea beating terrifically over its bows; so that Gustavus knew that it must have got upon a rock or a sank-bank—but he conjectured that it was the latter. The departure from the devoted Catharine Millard must have been effected with all possible despatch—indeed with the wildest of haste on the part of crew and passengers; and it was no wonder if in the confusion attending that awful moment, the absence of himself and the old miser should not have been noticed. But as for the fate of at least some portion of those who had abandoned the ship, it was but too plainly and awfully told by the agonizing cries that had mingled their shrill piercing accents with the deep bass of the ocean and the thundering diapason of se storm. But what was now to be done? There was for an instant a feeling as if of thank- fulness in the heart of Gustavus that he should have been delayed by the old miser in the cabin; for life still remained to him, while he had only too much reason to be- lieve that all who had left the ship had found a sepulchre in the deep waters. Yes—life remained unto himself; and where there was life there was hope! Gustavus resolved to do nothing rashly, and yet to avoid if possible falling into the other extreme by suffering through a aaa eee econniclooolks (E(0) i less as a bulk, though it quivered and vibrated throughout its entire length as each rapidly sue- eeeding billow dashed with appalling din and fury over its bows. Its forepart was lifted up some- what; and it heeled over a little on one side: but the point which Gustavus had to judge of and te speculate upon, was whether it were likely to hold together until daylight. not far distant; and if it were possible for himself and his aged companion to remain on board the wreck until light succeeded to the awful darkness of this night, they might be reseued by some pass- ing ship. Bidding Elverstone remain where he was and cling fast to a rope so as to avoid being washed away by the sweeping billows, Gustavus descended into the cabins to ascertain to what extent the water had risen within them. lantern, which he lighted; and he continued his investigations with mingled despatch and caution. From all appearances by which he could judge, he came to the conclusion that of the two desperate alternatives it would be better to remain upon the wreck than for himself and his aged companion to trust themselves to a raft upon the seething, roar- ing cauldron of the ocean. This decision he com- municated to Elverstone: but the old man ap- peared not to comprehend the words which the youth uttered; for, lying upon the deck and me- chanically clutching fast to the rope which Gas- tavus had so fixed as to protect him, he murmured vaguely and in a semi-idiotic manner, “ Yes—the gold! ’tis all safe !” * For a moment the high-minded Barrington was seized with a feeling of ineffable disgust for the wretch who thus clung to his treasure where it would have been sufficient to cling only to his life: but the youth had far more important sub- jects for his thoughts than to abandon his mind to any particular reflections relative to so piteous a wretch. He began to busy himself in prepara- tions for the emergency which might arise at any moment. With his own arms and his own un- aided strength, he performed a task which in other circumstances would have I several men to accomplish. Flinging off his jacket that he might work all the more freely, he got together spars and planks—he attached them one to another with strong cordage— and he lashed them to empty casks. He was careful in the first instance to commence his labours on a part of the deck where the bulwarks had been carried away, so that his raft might be with the least degree of trouble committed to the raging element at the first indication 2 peageme crisis being at hand in respect to the ship. By the time the raft was finished, Gustayus was so exhausted that he sank down upon the deck, where he lay for some minutes with energies completely prostrate. The spray kept beating over him—until at length he aroused himself once more; and again he descended to the cabins. There he procured a bottle of spirits; he imbibed a larger dram than ever in his life had hitherto passed his lips; and he proceeded to pour some of the exhilarating fluid down the throat of the old miser, who appeared to have sunk into a list- less apathy of mind and a complete physical numbness. The potent cordial infused life, and He knew the dawn was | He procured a - )