s the night, and rack;
Hear, in the woods, what an awful crack!
Wildly the owls are flitting,
Hark to the pillars splitting
Of palaces verdant ever,
The branches quiver and sever,
The mighty stems are creaking,
The poor roots breaking and shrieking,
In wild mixt ruin down dashing,
O'er one another they're crashing;
Whilst 'midst the rocks so hoary
Whirlwinds hurry and worry.
Hear'st not, sister--'

'Hark!' said Belle, 'hark!'

'Hear'st not, sister, a chorus
Of voices--?'

'No,' said Belle, 'but I hear a voice.'

CHAPTER XCVI

A shout--A fireball--See to the horses--Passing away--Gap in the hedge--On
three wheels--Why do you stop?--No craven heart--The cordial--Across the
country--Small bags.

I listened attentively, but I could hear nothing but the loud clashing of
branches, the pattering of rain, and the muttered growl of thunder. I
was about to tell Belle that she must have been mistaken, when I heard a
shout--indistinct, it is true, owing to the noises aforesaid--from some
part of the field above the dingle. 'I will soon see what's the matter,'
said I to Belle, starting up. 'I will go too;' said the girl. 'Stay
where you are,' said I; 'if I need you, I will call'; and, without
waiting for any answer, I hurried to the mouth of the dingle. I was
about a few yards only from the top of the ascent, when I beheld a blaze
of light, from whence I knew not; the next moment there was a loud crash,
and I appeared involved in a cloud of sulphurous smoke. 'Lord have mercy
upon us!' I heard a voice say, and methought I heard the plunging and
struggling of horses. I had stopped short on hearing the crash, for I
was half stunned; but I now hurried forward, and in a moment stood upon
the plain. Here I was instantly aware of the cause of the crash and the
smoke. One of those balls, generally called fireballs, had fallen from
the clouds, and was burning on the plain at a short distance; and the
voice which I had heard, and the plunging, were as easily accounted for.
Near the left-hand corner of the grove which surrounded the dingle, and
about ten yards from the fireball, I perceived a chaise, with a postilion
on the box, who was making efforts, apparently useless, to control his
horses, which were kicking and plunging in the highest degree of
excitement. I instantly ran towards the chaise, in order to offer what
help was in my power. 'Help me,' said the poor fell