of a spent mortal, but shrill, but fierce, but like the first voice of
his indignant ghost. Four only did not recoil; the rest, half-hearted
brought to the rescue, urged again: 'Wait till the tide go down,' pulling
back the two women from insane wading. But Giles was forward, staggering
in the tide, floundering impotent against it; and his Reverence turned
upon them as intolerable a countenance as when through his black flock he
drove, threatening the curse of Heaven. Therefore two, though loath, swam
out to fetch in the boy's body. They cut the ropes from him, and lifted
him along with the waves to hard land.

Rhoda shrieked at sight of the deathly inertness and the rent flesh, and
hopeless, fell to an anguish of weeping; but Giles and Lois, tearless,
mute, with hand and ear over his heart, sought and sought for sign of
life, finding none. Pitiless aid brought a torch, and held it to dispel
all hope of a flicker of life. Could any look on the sad, serene face and
still pronounce him worthy of death, worthy the burial of a dog? They
did, even those whom kindness to the parents had constrained far, for
among themselves they said: 'Persuade them away, and his Reverence. Best
to serve the body with its grave quick and meet, in the sea, lest they
want it laid in holy ground.' But Lois, who would not believe her son yet
dead, and Giles, who could not believe him still alive, would have and
hold him, living or dead, and none with heart of flesh could withstand
them. So the limp, lifeless burden was taken up along the weary shore,
past the doors of the street, close shut every one, and delivered to the
weak shelter of home for the nonce.

Against life and decent burial had Christian's last desire been: these to
impose was all the service great love for him could conceive, though the
broken body, dreadful to see, dreadful to handle, made silent appeal
against a common valuation of life. Through tireless effort to provoke
breath despair hovered, hour-long, till response came in a faintest
flutter of life at lips and heart; and chafed with cordials and wrapped
about with warmth, the shadow of pain drew over his face and weak spasms
flexed his hands as tyrannous vitality haled back the reluctant spirit
into bondage. His eyes opened upon them with sense and recognition, a
feeble effort to move fetched a groan, and again he relapsed deathlike.
So and again all through the long night watches the desperate debate of
life and death l