through, to my own certainty, at least thrice."

"Thrice in thy teeth!" said his angry opponent; "and so I'll go
forward."

"And I'll go back," was the reply. But the precise idea they had
formed of these opposite and important determinations was more than
either of them could explain; even though they had been ever so
certain upon these points, to proceed in a straight line in any
direction was impossible, without some object by which to direct their
course. Ever and anon was heard a heavy plunge into the stream, but
even this token had ceased to avail them, for its course could not be
ascertained. The tide was now arresting its progress, and the water
moved to and fro in every direction, according to the various impulses
it received. The wind, too, was light and treacherous; its breath
seemed to come and go, without any fixed point by which they could
feel either its arrival or departure. In this dilemma, and without any
clue to their extrication, harassed and confounded, they were like men
bereft of their senses, and almost at their wits' end. Still they
clung instinctively about each other, but their conduct had now taken
the opposite extreme. Before, all was bustle and activity, everybody
giving directions, hallooing, shouting, and so forth. Now, they were
silent, and almost stationary, stupefied, distracted. There is a
fascination in danger. I have known those who never could look down a
precipice without a horrible impulse to leap over the brink. Like the
scared bird, almost within the gripe of its destroyer, yet unable to
flee, so had they lost, apparently, all power of escape. It was a
silence more awful even than the yellings of despair. Its horrid gripe
was on every heart; every bosom withered beneath its touch. The nature
of the most courageous appeared to change; trembling and perplexity
shook the stoutest frame; yet suddenly and unexpectedly was the
silence broken, and the spell that bound them dissolved.

"Hark!" said every voice together; "a bell, by the blessed Virgin!"
The sound roused them from their stupor. Hope again visited the
prison-house of the spirit.

"On, on!" said their leader.

"On, on!" was re-echoed on every side; but they were still attempting
to escape in different directions. Scarcely two of them were agreed as
to the place whence the sound proceeded. Yet it came on, at stated
intervals, a long, deep, melancholy knell, almost terrific in their
present condition. Another council