The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 152: what you’re looking at

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

di | THE STEAM PACKET. 111 rous voices, were also heard; and the three inmates of the closet were speedily made aware that the police were cep a — search throughout the house. As The investigation of the rooms in the upper storeys was tertninated! and that of the ground-floor commenced. Every step which the police-officers now took brought them nearer to the vicinity of the spot where the priest and his companions were concealed, At this awe-inspiring moment—at this period of terrible suspense, the child, which Marie had retained in her arms, began to cry. In vain did she endeavour to pacify it: something had frightened it—and its screams increased in violence. - “God will punish us by means of the fruit of our crime!” mur- mured the unhappy woman in an agony of despair. “Tt is certain death to-morrow penne) if I be discovered to- night!’ said the priest. *¢ What is to be done ?”’ demanded the surgeon ; “ é the bloodhounds draw nearer and nearer !”’ | ** Marie,” said the archdeacon i in a hollow tone of voice, ‘‘ give me the child! 1» ‘© O God, what would you do?” asked the wretched ssidtbics as she passed her beloved infant into the arms of its father. - The child’s screams were now appalling. : **The police are sok at hand!” whispered the surgeon: “ all is lost!” Suddenly the child’s cries ies! short—not gradually, but Asin and they were followed by a low gurgling sound which lasted for only a few moments, grew fainter and fainter, and was then hushed altogether. Marie sank senseless upon the floor of the closet; and at ‘that moment the gendarmes entered the oratory. ‘‘ Tt must be as the old woman says,” cried one, witha terrible oath: “the rook has flown to where he’]l find fresh gulls.” ‘* Perhaps he’s taken refuge in the cellars,” observed another. ~“ Ah! wery likely?” said a third: ‘“at all events it will be more regular to visit them before we go—if it’s only just to see whether the _ wine is in proper order.”’ _ This remark elicited a general laugh ; and the police left the oratory. There was another half-hour of dreadful suspense, during which Marie moved not, and only from time to time sobbed low and mournfully ;. —and at length the house was cleared of those unwelcome visitors altogether. = _ | /Who shall describe the appalling scene hicks occurred when the Gomichbooks (E@)