Seite:Marsh Hallig 1856.djvu/197

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THE EBB-WALKERS.

just where they were, and, in utter helplessness, resign
themselves to the steadily advancing ocean, commend-
ing their souls and bodies in prayer to that Father in
Heaven who alone can say to the waves, "Thus far and
no further." "My poor, poor wife !" thought Hold, and
his mind was so completely occupied with this idea, so
entirely filled with sympathy for her in the loss of her
husband, that all consciousness of the present danger
was forgotten in her affliction. The two sailors stood
in silent resignation. But in this forced inactivity, Os-
wald had no power of contending against the fear of
death by opposing it with a stronger feeling, or even
to conceal it under apparent tranquillity. As long as
it was possible to make any effort to escape, every
favorable circumstance filled him with hope, and the
difficulties of the way caused him, sometimes, to forget
entirely that they were treading a path which was per-
haps only leading them to more certain destruction.
But to stand still with the wide waste of waters around
him ; to see in every light dash of the waves a new mes-
senger of death, sent maliciously by the enemy now sure
of his prey ; to endure a martyrdom which was without
change of pain; to see drop after drop steadily falling
from the cup of hope; to measure, second by second,
the advance of a cruel death which surrounded him like
a huge serpent, winding itself upward in higher and
higher circles ; to feel it approaching nearer and nearer
to the loud beating heart; this was more than Oswald
could bear. At first he vehemently urged his compan-
ions to endeavor to think of some other means of es-
cape. At length, when forced to believe their repeated
assurances that every expedient had been tried, and that