CHAPTER XXIV. THE SANDS

kensands—nothingbeforehadtrampledthemsincelastnight’sflowingtidehadobliteratedthedeepestmarksofyesterday,andleftthemfairandeven,exceptwherethesubsidingwaterhadleftbehinditthetracesofdimpledpoolsandlittlerunningstreams. Refreshed,delighted,invigorated,Iwalkedalong,forgettingallmycares,feelingasifIhadwingstomyfeet,andcouldgoatleastfortymileswithoutfatigue,andexperiencingasenseofexhilarationtowhichIhadbeenanentirestrangersincethedaysofearlyyouth.Abouthalf-pastsix,however,thegroomsbegantocomedowntoairtheirmasters’horses—firstone,andthenanother,tillthereweresomedozenhorsesandfiveorsixriders:butthatneednottroubleme,fortheywouldnotcomeasfarasthelowrockswhichIwasnowapproaching.WhenIhadreachedthese,andwalkedoverthemoist,slipperysea-weed(attheriskofflounderingintooneofthenumerouspoolsofclear,saltwaterthatlaybetweenthem),toalittlemossypromontorywiththeseasplashingroundit,Ilookedbackagaintoseewhonextwasstirring.Still,therewereonlytheearlygroomswiththeirhorses,andonegentlemanwithalittledarkspeckofadogrunningbeforehim,andonewater-cartcomingoutofthetowntogetwaterforthebaths.Inanotherminuteortwo,thedistantbathingmachineswouldbegintomove,andthentheelderlygentlemenofregularhabitsandsoberquakerladieswouldbecomingtotaketheirsalutarymorningwalks.Buthoweverinterestingsuchascenemightbe,Icouldnotwaittowitnessit,forthesunandtheseasodazzledmyeyesinthatdirection,thatIcouldbutaffordoneglanceandthenIturnedagaintodelightmyselfwiththesightandthesoundofthesea,dashingagainstmypromontory—withnoprodigiousforce,fortheswellwasbrokenbythetangledsea-weedandtheunseenrocksbeneathotherwiseIshouldsoonhavebeendelugedwithspray.Butthetidewascominginthewaterwasrisingthegulfsandlakeswerefillingthestraitswerewidening:itwastimetoseeksomesaferfootingsoIwalked,skipped,andstumbledbacktothesmooth,widesands,andresolvedtoproceedtoacertainboldprojectioninthecliffs,andthenreturn. Presently,Iheardasnufflingsoundbehindmeandthenadogcamefriskingandwrigglingtomyfeet.Itw