the harpoon, came
right between it and the ship, and bore the blows, and took the fatal
weapons again and again into her bleeding body; and when she was
struggling in her flurry, and the sea around was dyed as red as scarlet,
still she tried to save her offspring, and managed so as to die lying
over it. It was the very time that I was bringing my own girl to
England--a little creature, sleeping in my bosom--and it was by a vessel
in our company the poor whale was killed; for I would not suffer one of
my men to have a hand in such a sickening job:--but I never forgot
it--never--how she lay over her young, shielding it to the last with her
own body! I used to pray--I could pray whenever I took my Barbara into
my arms!--I thought it a duty then to pray for her, and I trusted that
she would hereafter pray for me. Had I always her sweet face to look
upon, I should be free from many a crime!--It is a beautiful mystery, I
say again; and no one but myself, young man, can ever tell what I felt
when I knew that she was yet alive! As soon as I had sufficiently
collected my senses, I examined the wound. Often had I looked on blood;
and wounds were familiar to me, as blackberries to a schoolboy; but I
trembled from head to foot, as if I had never seen either. The ball had
made its own way out under the shoulder; and, as consciousness was fast
returning, I endeavoured to staunch the stream, which flowed so
copiously that I began to dread the destruction of my newly raised
hopes. While I was thus occupied, I heard so deeply drawn a sigh from
some one close to me, that I started back, and was horrified at seeing
the source of all the evil--the Jewess Zillah--pale as ashes, standing
by my side. I cursed her with a wicked curse, and was about to inflict
instant, but most unjust punishment. The unfortunate creature prostrated
herself at my feet, and explained, as briefly as her sobs permitted,
that, enraged at Burrell's treachery--finding herself deserted by
Fleetword, whose faith she relied upon--imagining that Mistress Cecil
was leagued against her, from the circumstance of her never taking
notice of the communications she wrote and confided to Jeromio's
care--wrought up, in fact, to a pitch of frenzy, she determined on
destroying Burrell's destined bride, whose appearance she had
confounded with that of my poor Barbara! Nothing could exceed her
penitence. She had groped her way to the secret entrance into the tomb.
It had been revealed