Falkland, CompleteLytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron
General
Falkland, Complete
Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron
Fiction
They were--at that instant in one of the caverns, where they had already
been loitering too long. Falkland rushed out to the sands. The tide was
hurrying in with a deep sound, which came on his soul like a knell.
He looked back towards the way they had come: not one hundred yards
distant, and the waters had already covered the path! An eternity would
scarcely atone for the horror of that moment! One great characteristic
of Falkland was his presence of mind. He turned to the man who stood
beside him--he gave him a cool and exact description of the spot where
he had left Emily. He told him to repair with all possible speed to his
home--to launch his boat--to row it to the place he had described. “Be
quick,” he added, “and you must be in time: if you are, you shall never
know poverty again.” The next moment he was already several yards from
the spot. He ran, or rather flew, till he was stopped by the waters. He
rushed in; they were over a hollow between two rocks--they were already
up to his chest. “There is yet hope,” thought he, when he had passed
the spot, and saw the smooth sand before him. For some minutes he was
scarcely sensible of existence; and then he found himself breathless at
her feet. Beyond, towards T----- (the small inn I spoke of), the waves
had already reached the foot of the rocks, and precluded all hope of
return. Their only chance was the possibility that the waters had not
yet rendered impassable the hollow through which Falkland had just
waded. He scarcely spoke; at least he was totally unconscious of what he
said. He hurried her on breathless and trembling, with the sound of the
booming waters ringing in his ear, and their billows advancing to his
very feet. They arrived at the hollow: a single glance sufficed to show
him that their solitary hope was past! The waters, before up to his
chest, had swelled considerably: he could not swim. He saw in that
instant that they were girt with a hastening and terrible death. Can it
be believed that with that certainty ceased his fear? He looked in
the pale but calm countenance of her who clung to him, and a strange
tranquillity, even mingled with joy, possessed him. Her breath was on
his cheek--her form was reclining on his own--his hand clasped hers; if
they were to die, it was thus. What would life afford to him more dear?
“It is in this moment,” said he, and he knelt as he spoke, “that I dare
tell you what otherwise my lips never should have revealed. I love--I
adore you! Turn not away from me thus. In life our persons were severed;
if our hearts are united in death, then death will be sweet.” She
turned--her cheek was no longer pale! He rose--he clasped her to
his bosom: his lips pressed hers. Oh! that long, deep, burning
pressure!--youth, love, life, soul, all concentrated in that one kiss!
Yet the same cause which occasioned the avowal hallowed also the madness
of his heart. What had the passion, declared only at the approach of
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