The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-10-07

20 HIM IN this mute lnqulTy--WniCn, loOk
where he would, he could not escape. /
There was not a lady who went whistling
past, not a milliner girl tripping lightly
with her burden, that did not seem in this
mans disordered fancy to be an accusing
spirit. knowing his purpose and haunting
him with it. To elude this, he went long
way round--and reached the bridge Just
when the sun had set. He tried TO lounge |
upon it as he saw other people do, watch
ing the cockney-W altonians who pursued
their harmless amusement in the twilight. |
His eyes rested or each tiny float and his
wandering thoughts followed the line down,
down, to the deep bed OF the river. What
was there2
lie could not answer that hardly
tried. All that he felt was, that il must be
a place Of stiffness, and GOODNESS. and ST.
lence:-he sought nothing more. Even the
blueness which the still bright sky cast
within il was painful; he wanted it dark
all dark. He could not enter the portals
of that home while ray Of light rested on
them--while one worldly sound broke above
them. There was yet near him q murmur
of boyish talk and laughter, and robin
sang in one Of the distant trees. lie would
wait-wait until night and its stars should
be the only witnesses Of the geat change.
Tristan sat down under the parapet OF
the bridge. A man passed by, and looked
at him seeming to wonder what he was do
ing there. So he took out of his pocket
biscuit and pretended to eat. Then a wo-
man crossed, leading a sickly Child-who
gazed wislGully at the food. Tristan gave
his morsel to the famished boy.
Now the world owes me more than it
would fain beStow-a crust of bread!
thought he: and he felt savage pride in the
reflection.
Colder and darker came on the night
and Tristan waited still. A dreaminess, a
torpor seemed to cramp his energies, ma
king them unequal even to that last effort
Of all. A mist was over his eyes; yet still
he saw through its gathering folds the dark
waving ghostly trees-the stars overhead
and the calm ripping waves below.
As, uncertain still, he seemed TO lean
lover the parapet he felt it give way. A
shudder-an unconscious and vain effort to
spring back-and the waters had drawn
him in. The terrible refuge which he sought
had Of itself opened its doors 10 receive
Ihim-and there was no retreat
As in dreams we sometimes feel ourselves
Plunging deeper and deeper into an abyss
which we know TO be fathomless and yet
Experience no terror, no pain--So Tristan
sank. He seemed TO feel the cool dark
waters above him, around him, folding hin
in an embrace which he knew was that o.
death-and yet the parting of soul anC
body brought no agony. He thought j
would have been terrible pang; bur it fel
only like the loosening of burthen-th
putting of Of robe. lie would not be
lieve in the reality of the immortal change
Tristan felt himself rising up-up to th'
surface Of the river A faint idea haunte,
him that it was always so with the drown
ing; whom the wave tauntingly casts fort
once or twice.-giving a chance of life bs
fore it swallows them in forever. He Nigh
have one more sight Of the real world, bt
fore entering into the land Of shadows, o.
whose verge he stood. He could not recon
lcile 10 himself the truth that he had alread
passed through the eternal gate-for he ha
: yet powers of thought and sense. He hear
| the murmur Of the little waves--and say
the stars shining through the waters.
4 lie reached the surface-he resolved {
/. make one struggle and raise himself frnr
that dark abyss. But there was no need
As easily as a winged thought, Tristan fe
himself disengaged from the waters an
. floating above them with the lightness of
!, bird. Then he knew that the mysteriou
change had indeed passed over ninth,
. he was no longer a living man, but spiri
And ;here, waited Powerlessly to and Fl
y by the eddes of the river with motion tbs
: awiully simulated life, lay the thing whic
4 had been Tristan The soul shuddered q
. it looked upon that dead fom:-it kne'
4 then what was the guilt Of Murder. Ayl
!, though this had been its own mortal dive
A ling place which il had destroyed, or wisl
4 ed to destroy, still il was murder! Ho'
dared he to darken with that terrible glaze
stare the orbs into which but three houl
i ago beloved and most loving eyes had lool
ed, seeing there a reflected image-knowin
|, well that as that image dwelt in bis eyes
,rI it dwelt in his heart, and blest that know
y edgel-to cast among the dark weeds Il
;, bright hair where her fingers had q right
q stray.-the lips which hers had a right
- press? Oh! il was sin, deadly sin; an
;, he-the spirit of the dead Tristan-felt
to be so, now. Parted from its mortality
% from that chain which by the might OF Il
9 senses had dragged it down from all high
N impulses,-the soul knew wherein it hs
|; erred. Yet something Of the selfshness
% its earthly nature encountered it still.
. 1T was bitter and heartless world
q me! thought he--for the spirit of Trist'
- was Tristan still;-I ever sought FOR goo
., therein, and found none. My friends temp
n ed me with kindness, and left me to sterv
> my very flesh and blood set their fac
against me; doubted Love itself--and hi
- | not cause? And now, what soul is the
oc living that thinks Of the one this night thru
. into the dark land Of nothingnesSs? Won
10 | knew.
And with that desire came the knowled
= Of all the power that is possessed by d
!, embodied spirit. The shadow floated {
the wings Of the night over the sleepil
:, city; and found itself at the entrance OF
" house to which Tristan had crept not twel
.. hours before-s blot of Insignificant mise
j on its threshold--a butt for the underlin,