CHAPTER LIII. THE BURIAL.

ThedeathofDredfelllikeanightofdespairontheheartsofthelittlefugitivecircleintheswamps—ontheheartsofmultitudesinthesurroundingplantations,whohadregardedhimasaprophetandadeliverer.Heinwhomtheytrustedwasdead!Thesplendid,athleticform,sofullofwildvitality,thepowerfularm,thetrainedandkeen-seeingeye,allstruckdownatonce!Thegrandandsolemnvoicehushed,andallthesplendidpoetryofoldentime,theinspiringsymbolsandpropheticdreams,whichhadsowroughtuponhisownsoul,andwithwhichhehadwroughtuponthesoulsofothers,seemedtopassawaywithhim,andtorecedeintothedistanceandbecomeunsubstantial,liketherememberedsoundsofmightywinds,orsolemnvisionsofeveningclouds,intimeslongdeparted. Onthatnight,whenthewoodshadceasedtoreverberatethebrutalsoundsofbayingdogs,andthemorebrutalprofanityofdrunkenmenwhentheleavesstoodstillonthetrees,andtheforestlaypiledupinthedarknesslikeblackclouds,andthemorningstarwasstandinglikeacalmangelicpresenceabovethem,theremighthavebeenheardinthelittleclearingamuffledsoundoffootsteps,treadingheavily,andvoicesofthosethatweptwitharepressedandquietweeping,astheyborethewildchieftaintohisgravebeneaththeblastedtree.Oftheundauntedcirclewhohadmetthereatthesamehourmanyeveningsbefore,somehaddaredtobepresentto-nightfor,hearingthereportofthehunt,theyhadlefttheirhutsontheplantationsbystealthwhenallwereasleep,and,eludingthevigilanceofthepatrols,thenightwatchwhichcommonlyguardsplantations,hadcometotheforesttolearnthefateoftheirfriendsandbitterwasthedismayandanguishwhichfilledtheirsoulswhentheylearnedtheresult.Itismelancholytoreflect,