Seite:Marsh Hallig 1856.djvu/57

57

THE CITY BELLE.

upon which he has hitherto walked firmly has slid from
beneath his feet ; the objects of his past life become
confused, and his thoughts and emotions at the new
prospect have not yet become familiar to him. In
this situation he can have no aid but that which comes
from above. Let him then raise his mind and thoughts
to the strong tower of pure truth, let him hold fast with
eye and heart the eternal word of the Great Judge of
quick and dead. Let him leave the world and its
dreams a moment behind him, and lose himself entirely
in the contemplation of Him who, through His holy
spirit, makes the pious heart a temple for Himself.
And this spirit will give him the light which he needs.
The cloudy phantoms will have disappeared when he
looks at his path. He will recognize them as the
shadows of some sin concealed in the background, and
now he clearly sees his way and walks on with confi-
dence.
  But Godber did not pray ; and his eye and soul
grew darker as he threw a hasty glance toward the
abode of Maria. A feeling like a pang of conscience
seized him ; but he shrunk from an examination of
himself, and was glad when the recollection of the
wreck he had left in the storm, and of those who re-
mained upon it, repressed every other thought. He
turned his searching eye toward the west side of the
hallig — there lay the ship on her side not far from the
shore. He hurried rapidly toward it. But his way led
him by the dwelling of Maria, and his heart felt
strangely as he approached it, his blood flowed faster
in his veins and gave his, cheeks a deeper red. He un-
consciously trod more lightly as if he feared by the