The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

10 THE STRING OF PEARLS. tinctly, and each moment the wind grew more furious and fierce, and I saw in the distance a ship—it was battling with the waves, which at one moment lifted it mountains high, and at another plunged it far down into such an abyss, that not a vestige of it could be seen but the topmost spars of the tall mast. And still the storm increased each moment in its fury, and ever and anon there came a strange sullen sound across the waters, and J saw a flash of fire, and knew that those in the ill-fated vessel were thus endeavouring to attract aftention and some friendly aid. Father, from the first to the last I knew that Mark Ingestrie was there—my heart told me so: IL was certain he was there, and I was helpless—utterly heipless, utterly and entirely unable to lend the slightest aid. I could only gaze upon what was going forward as a silent and terrified spectator of the scene. And at last I feat a cry come over the deep—a strange, loud, wailing cry—which proclaimed to me the fate of the vessel. I saw its mass shiver for a moment in the blackened air, and then all was still for a few seconds, until there arose a strange, wild shriek, that I knew was the despairing cry of those who sank, never to rise again, in that vessel. Oh! that was a frightful sound—it was a sound to linger on the ears, and haunt the memory of sleep—it was a sound never to be forgotten when | ee gait but such as might again and again be remembered with horror and alfright.? _ ; . | « And all this was in your dream e” *°1¢ was, father, it was.” “And you were helpless ?” “TI was—utterly and entirely helpless.” It was very sad.” | “It was, as you shall hear. The ship went down, and that ery that I had heard was the last despairing one given by those who clung to the wreck with scarce a || hope, and yet because it was their only refuge, for where else had they to look for | the smallest ray of consolation? where else, save in the surging waters, were they '| to turn for safety? Nowhere! all was lost! all was despair! I tried to scream | ~—I tried to cry aloud to Heaven to have mercy upon. those brave and gallant souls who had trusted their dearest possession—life itseli—to the mercy of the deep ; A i Rn ttt ee eee and while 1 so tried to render so inefficient succour, I saw a small speck in the sea, and my straining eyes perceived that it, was a man floating and clinging to a piece of the wreck, and I knew it was Mark Ingestrie.”’ : “But, my dear, surely you are not annoyed at a dream 2” ‘It saddened me. I stretched out my arms to save him—I heard him pronounce my name, and call upon me for help. “I'was all in vain; he battled with the waves © as long as human nature could battle with them. He could do no more, and I saw him disappear before my anxious eyes.” | Don’t say you saw him, my dear, say you fancy you saw him.” “Tt was such a fancy as I shall not lose the remembrance of for many a day.” | “Well, weil, after all, my dear, it’s only a dream ; and it seems to me, without at all adverting to anything that should give you pain as regards Mark Ingestrie that you made a very foolish bargain ; for only consider how many difficulties might arise In the way of his keeping faith with you. You know I have your happiness So much at heart that, if Mark had been a worthy man and an industrious one. T should not have opposed myself to your union; but, believe me, my dear J ohanna _ that a young man with great facilities for spending money, and none whatever for earning any, 18 just about the worst husband you could choose, and such a man was Mark Ingestrie. But come, we will say nothing of this to your mother: let the secret, if we may call it such, rest with me; and if vou can inform me in what capacity and in what vessel he left England, I will not carry my prejudice so far against him as to hesitate about making what in uiry I can concerning his fate,” 1 ae pore more, tein, : nie parted, fg never met again?’ _ ell, well: dry your eyes, Johanna, and, as I go to Alder Ps, I’ think over the matter, which, aiter all, may not be gD eegcice ce amt lad is a good-enough looking lad, and has, I believe, a good ability, if he would put it to some useful purpose; but if he goes scampering about the world in an un- epee Se <i eh eae ein tn a Be ne as teenies, comicbooks.com _ | a tenses ’ 4 i | » \ RE EAC eee ees Ta oe Mae f BES 7 ee