uliar to yourself," as some one has since insulted me by saying, I
instantly gave myself up as lost. The bridge would run into some other
bridge, or dash into a steamer, or do something horrible, and I should
be killed, and none would know of my fate; or it would all break into
little pieces, and I should have to cling to one of them, and should
inevitably be drowned.

In any case, my destruction was only a matter of time. How I loved my
life then! How sweet, and warm, and full, and fresh it seemed! How cold
the river, and how undesirable a speedy release from the pomps and
vanities of this wicked world!

The wind was still howling horribly--chanting my funeral dirge. Like
grim death, I held on to my railing, and longed, with a desperate
longing, for one glimpse of light.

I had believed myself alone upon my impromptu raft--or rather, it had
not occurred to me that there might be another than myself upon it; but
at this instant, in a momentary lull of the wind, almost by my side I
heard a sound that I knew well, and had cause to remember--the tune of
the wild march from "Lenore," set to the same words, sung by the same
voice as of yore.

My heart stood still for a moment, then leaped on again. Then a faint,
sickly kind of dread overcame me. I thought I was going out of my
mind--was wandering in some delusion, which took the form of the dearest
voice, and sounded with its sound in my ears.

But no. The melody did not cease. As the beating of my heart settled
somewhat down, I still heard it--not loud, but distinct. Then the tune
ceased. The voice--ah! there was no mistaking that, and I trembled with
the joy that thrilled me as I heard it--conned over the words as if
struck with their weird appropriateness to the scene, which was
certainly marked:

"Und das Gesindel, husch, husch, husch
Kam hinten nachgeprasselt--
Wie Wirbelwind am Haselbusch
Durch duerre Blatter rasselt."

And _wirbelwind_--the whirlwind--played a wild accompaniment to the
words.

It seemed to me that a long time passed, during which I could not speak,
but could only stand with my hands clasped over my heart, trying to
steady its tumultuous beating. I had not been wrong, thank the good God
above! I had not been wrong when my heart sung for joy at being once
more in this land. He was here--he was living--he was safe!

Here were all my worst fears soothed--my intensest longings answered
without my having spoken. It was now f