Seite:Marsh Hallig 1856.djvu/207

207

THE WARNING AND THE RESCUE.

heart, and this feeling gave a weight to the feeble rem-
nant of her love which it would not otherwise have
had. Godber dared not think clearly upon his own
feelings, because he was loth to lose a treasure which
he had so dearly bought, although he began to perceive
that it would not make him happy, and because he
shuddered at the vacuity of a heart floating between
one life's hope thrown away, and another that had
proved deceptive.
  During one of these embarrassing pauses, the door
suddenly opened and the pastor's wife, a rare visitor in
that house, stood, pale and trembling, before the aston-
ished pair.
  "Godber, Godber ! I implore you ! take your boat
and row over toward the ship. They are in danger !
my husband is in danger ! Pity an unhappy wife,
Godber, and row over !"
  In the mean time, she had seized his hand with the
most imploring expression of anguish, and was on the
point of sinking to the floor, when Godber sprang up
and placed the half-fainting woman on his chair.
  "Quiet yourself, madam," cried he ; "I will do
every thing you wish. Is there any news of them ?"
  Mander, who now came in from another room where
he had been occupying himself with books calculated to
enlighten the present twilight of his faith, inquired,
eagerly, the cause of Madam Hold's distress, and how
she knew that the vessel was in danger.
  "O you ask questions ! you don't believe I" com-
plained she, wringing her hands, "and meanwhile my
husband is sinking in the waves ! you did not see him
as I saw him ! His finger tapped at my window. I