When the voices at
length died and a clock struck one, Noy came to himself, and realized that,
in so far as the present affected him, Fate had brought him back to life
and liberty by a short cut. Then, seeing his position, he asked himself
whether life was long enough to make atonement and even allow of ultimate
escape after death. But the fierce disappointment which beat upon his soul
like a recurring wave, as thought drifted back and back, told him that he
had fairly won hell-fire and must abide by it.
So thinking, he returned to his lodging, entered unobserved and prowled the
small chamber till dawn. By morning light all his life appeared
transfigured and a ghastly anti-climax faced the man. Presently he
remembered the letters he had posted overnight, and the recollection of
them brought with it sudden resolves and a course of action.
Half an hour later he had reached Paddington Station, and was soon on his
way back to Cornwall.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
STARLIGHT AND FROST
Born of the sunshine, on a morning in late December, gray ephemerae danced
and dipped and fashioned vanishing patterns against the green of the great
laurel at the corner of Drift farmyard. The mildness of the day had wakened
them into brief life, but even as they twinkled their wings of gauze death
was abroad. A sky of unusual clearness crowned the Cornish moorland, and
Uncle Chirgwin, standing at his kitchen door, already foretold frost,
though the morning was still young.
Pages:
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467