1830.] A Night on Dartmoor. 51 



now soaring in one tall spiral column high up into the cloud-abandoned 

 sky. But hark ! whose is that fairy step that comes lightly gliding down 

 the lane ? She hastens towards me, my cousin Harriette the pride,, the 

 flower of Bishopsteignton. But though the maiden's step was light, her 

 cheek was wan ; the spirit of a premature decay looked forth from the 

 dark blue depths of her eye, and the whispered music of her voice 

 seemed to have caught its tone from the breathings of an atmosphere 

 beyond the grave. While I yet listened to her conversation,, as together 

 we rambled beside the lake-like Teign, a cloud rolled between us, the 

 landscape assumed an altered character, and I stood solitary in the 

 church-yard low down in the lane, where the elms meeting overhead 

 cast ever a cool shadow on the earth. But where was Harriette ? The 

 passing bell tolled out a sullen answer. " And is it so ? Oh, what," I 

 said, " has death to do with so young a form ? Why, why have I sur- 

 vived this hour ?" A low faint whisper at my ear replied, " Grieve not, 

 I am watching beside you ; we were friends in life, and in death we will 

 not be divided." I started not a soul was near. I stretched out my 

 arms they encountered only empty space. " Speak again, sweet spirit," 

 I exclaimed ; " let me at least feel that you stand beside me, even though 

 I may not see you." For an instant all was still, when suddenly a soft 

 warm breeze lightly kissed my cheek, and the same voice returned, " I 

 may come to you, love ; but you cannot come to me. Worlds roll 

 between us. She who grew up beside you, who but one short week 

 since parted with you, has done with earth for ever. But mourn 

 not, I am happy very happy, and in dreams will be still your 

 Harriette ; farewell/' and with a low, faint, melancholy sigh so faint, 

 that it scarcely stirred the green leaves which overhung the churchyard 

 wall the voice ceased, and all again was silence. 



I called aloud on my cousin's name ; I conjured her to stay ; I tore 

 my hair ; I beat my breast ; and then, with one last wild convulsive 

 struggle, rushed forward in the direction of the voice, and awoke. 



It was some minutes, before I fully regained my recollection. My 

 dreams, especially the last, had left so painful an impression on my 

 mind, that even after I had contrived to raise myself upright, and 

 stretch out my stiffened limbs, I felt my heart still beat, the sigh escape 

 my lips, the tears fall thick and blinding from my eyes. 



By this time, though the darkness was still intense, the fog had par- 

 tially cleared off. The excessive cold, too, had abated, but was suc- 

 ceeded by a sudden, oppressive, and I may add, unnatural sultriness. 

 But the change was scarcely for the better, and even had it been so, I 

 should not have noticed it, for so extreme was my dejection, so perfectly 

 worn out with excitement, both my mental and physical energies, that I 

 had scarcely heart enough left to expect the dawn of day. I was in the 

 condition of a sailor, who, having vainly struggled for hours against the 

 tempest, and exhausted the springs of horror, at length resigns all hope, 

 and, with a sort of sullen, stupid, idiotic lethargy, awaits the approach of 

 the wave that is to engulph him. 



A sudden burst of light roused me from this abject torpor. At first I 

 mistook it for the quick glancing of a meteor across the morass, but was 

 soon undeceived by a prolonged clap of thunder, accompanied by a 

 shower, worthy in every respect to vie with the autumnal deluges in 

 India. It has been my luck whether good or ill, I will not here pause 

 to determine to witness many tremendous thunder-storms; I have 



II 2 



