hat, if
anything remained to do, by him it could no longer be done. And as yet he
knew not for certain if their safety were accomplished. But the lady--

But the lady--! Oh heavens! will that spectacle ever depart from my dreams,
as she rose and sank upon her seat, sank and rose, threw up her arms wildly
to heaven, clutched at some visionary object in the air, fainting, praying,
raving, despairing! Figure to yourself, reader, the elements of the case;
suffer me to recall before your mind the circumstances of the unparalleled
situation. From the silence and deep peace of this saintly summer
night--from the pathetic blending of this sweet moonlight, dawnlight,
dreamlight--from the manly tenderness of this flattering, whispering,
murmuring love--suddenly as from the woods and fields--suddenly as from
the chambers of the air opening in revelation--suddenly as from the ground
yawning at her feet, leaped upon her, with the flashing of cataracts, Death
the crowned phantom, with all the equipage of his terrors, and the tiger
roar of his voice.

The moments were numbered. In the twinkling of an eye our flying horses had
carried us to the termination of the umbrageous aisle; at right angles we
wheeled into our former direction; the turn of the road carried the scene
out of my eyes in an instant, and swept it into my dreams for ever.

DREAM-FUGUE.

ON THE ABOVE THEME OF SUDDEN DEATH.

"Whence the sound
Of instruments, that made melodious chime,
Was heard, of harp and organ; and who mov'd
Their stops and chords, was seen; his volant touch
Instinct through all proportions, low and high,
Fled and pursued transverse the resonant fugue."

_Par. Lost, B. XL_

_Tumultuosissimamente_.

Passion of Sudden Death! that once in youth I read and interpreted by the
shadows of thy averted[1] signs;--Rapture of panic taking the shape which
amongst tombs in churches I have seen, of woman bursting her sepulchral
bonds--of woman's Ionic form bending forward from the ruins of her grave
with arching foot, with eyes upraised, with clasped adoring hands--waiting,
watching, trembling, praying, for the trumpet's call to rise from dust
for ever!--Ah, vision too fearful of shuddering humanity on the brink
of abysses! vision that didst start back--that didst reel away--like a
shrivelling scroll from before the wrath of fire racing on the wings of the
wind! Epilepsy so brief of horror--wherefore is it that thou canst not die?
Passi