CHAPTER XXXVI. THE EVENING STAR.

armsadearform,fromwhichthesoulwaspassing—thesoulforwhichgladlywewouldhavegivenourowninexchange!Whenwehavefeltitgoingwithinconceivablerapidityfromusandwe,ignorantandblind,vainlystriving,withthisandthat,toarresttheinevitabledoom,feelingeverymomentthatsomeotherthingmightbedonetosave,whichisnotdone,andthatthatwhichwearedoingmaybeonlyhasteningthecourseofthedestroyer!Oh,thoseawful,agonizedmoments,whenwewatchtheclock,andnophysiciancomes,andeverystrokeofthependulumisliketheapproachingstepofdeath!Oh,isthereanythinginheavenorearthforthedespairofsuchhours? Notamomentwaslostbythethreearoundthatdyingbed,chafingthosecoldlimbs,administeringthestimulantswhichthedead,exhaustedsystemnolongerfelt. "Shedoesn'tsuffer!ThankGod,atanyrate,forthat!"saidClayton,ashekneltoverherinanguish. Abeautifulsmilepassedoverherface,assheopenedhereyesandlookedonthemall,andsaid,— "No,mypoorfriends,Idon'tsuffer.I'mcometothelandwheretheyneversuffer.I'monlysosorryforyou!Edward,"shesaidtohim,"doyourememberwhatyousaidtomeonce?—Ithascomenow.Youmustbearitlikeaman.Godcallsyoutosomework—don'tshrinkfromit.Youarebaptizedwithfire.Italllastsonlyalittlewhile.Itwillbeoversoon,verysoon!Edward,takecareofmypoorpeople.TellTomtobekindtothem.Mypoor,faithful,goodHarry!Oh!I'mgoingsofast!" Thevoicesunkintoawhisperingsigh.Lifenowseemedtohaveretreatedtothecitadelofthebrain.Shelayapparentlyinthelastsleep,whenthefootstepsofthedoctorwereheardontheveranda.Therewasageneralspringtothedoor,andDr.Butlerentered,pale,haggard,andworn,fromconstantexertionandlossofrest. Hedidnotsayinwordsthattherewasnohope,buthisfirstdejectedlooksaiditbuttooplainly. Shemovedherheadalittle,likeonewhoisasleepuneasilyuponherpillow,openedhereyesoncemore,andsaid,— "Goodby!IwillariseandgotomyFather!" Thegentlebreathgraduallybecamefainterandfainter,—allhopewasover!Thenightwalkedonwithsilentandsolemnfootsteps—softshowersfellwithout,murmuringupontheleaves—within,allwasstillasdeath! "Theywatchedherbreathingthroughthenight, Herbreathingsoftandlow, Asinherbreastthewaveoflife Keptheavingtoandfro. "Sosilentlytheyseemedtospeak, Soslowlymovedabout, Astheyhadlentherhalftheirpowers Toekeherlivingout. "Theirveryhopesbeliedtheirfears, Theirfearstheirhopesbelied— Theythoughtherdyingwhensheslept, Andsleepingwhenshedied. "Forwhenthemorncamedimandsad, Andchillwithearlyshowers, Herquieteyelidsclosed—shehad Anothermornthanours."