He should never more re-join his father! never behold his plighted
Constantia! Death he would welcome almost with transport, could he but
hear the former pronounce his forgiveness, or the latter vow that she
would cherish his memory. To die unknown, distant from all he loved, be
ignorant of their present state, and they of his miserable doom--such a
combination of excruciating misfortunes required no common fortitude to
support the trial, or to divest a soul (which clung to the future with
greater eagerness in proportion to the fallacy of past expectations) of
those strong attachments to this life which impeded his journey to
another. The glow of heroism which animated his face, and warmed his
bosom before the council, was succeeded by the chill of despair. The
precious moments of preparation for eternity were consumed in a whirl of
distracting thought. He stood caressing a favourite spaniel whom he had
preserved alive during the severe privations of the siege, watching the
swift movements of the clock which numbered the remaining pulses of his
heart, wondering if it would thus throb at the moment when he plunged
into an unknown existence, endeavouring to recollect a recommendatory
prayer, but too amazed and petrified by the cruelty of man to meditate
on the mercy of God.
Pages:
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538