Seite:Marsh Hallig 1856.djvu/198

198THE HALLIG.

their last hope was now the possibility that the fog
might clear away, and the land prove sufficiently near
for them to be able to call over a boat to their assist-
ance, seeing only certain death in delay, he gave a
scream so piercing, so heart-rending, that only the
most fearful agony of soul could have given him the
preternatural strength to utter such a cry. But this
shout completely exhausted his strength, his limbs could
support him no longer, he trembled violently in every
joint, his teeth chattered, and his hair stood up with
horror ; he could no longer utter a coherent word. He
would have sunk if the pastor had not held him up.
They were now all obliged to draw closely together for
mutual support, as the waves had already risen so high
that it was difficult to resist their pressure. Silent,
with hand grasped in hand, the group stood firmly by
each other. Each had his life's reckoning to work up,
and therefore had no time to complain, no disposition
to console. Oswald, indeed, desired to commit his soul to
the protection of Heaven, and in the confusion of his
wild thoughts and feelings he once threw a look up-
ward, but the heavens, where here and there a star was
glimmering through the fog, did not seem to regard the
glance ; at least the young man's eye shrunk timidly
back, and, at the same moment, a higher wave rolled
up behind him dashing a double stream from his neck
and shoulders upon his breast. "Thou art condemned,"
was the thought that passed through his shuddering
soul, and forced from him a new cry of anguish, which
was followed by low continued moans, mingled with
broken sighs. Perhaps, to firmer souls, this lamentation
might have been repulsive, but its effects on his com-