Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1863-02-18
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talf 0 i'E s rr.} fe OIL -a
TTsometimes happens, on certain coasts
Of Brittany or Scotland, that man, trav-f
eler or fisherman, walking on the beach
at low tide, suddenly notices that he has
been walking with some difficulty. The
strand beneath his feet is like pitch; his
soles stick to it; it sand no longer, it
is glue. The beach is perfectly dry; but
at every step he takes, as soon as he lifts
his foot the print which he leaves fills
with water. The eye, however, has no.
tieed no change the immense strand IS
smooth and tranquil, all thessand has the
same appearance, nothing distinguished
on the. surface which is no longer SO; the
joyous little cloul Of sand feas continue
ito LEAP unanimously over the wayfarer's'
feet, The man pur5ues his way, goes
forward, inclines toward the land, endea-
vOrs to get nearer the upland. he is not
anxious. Anziousi Anxious about what7
Only. he feels somehow as if the weight
Of his feet increased with every step
which he takes. Suddenly he sinks IN.
He sinks in two or three inches. Deci-.
dedly he is not on the right road; he.
stops to take his bearing. All at once
be looks at his feet. His feet have dis
appeared. The sand covers them. He
draws his feet out of the sand; be viii
retrace his steps, he turns back, he sinks
| in deeper. The sand comes up to his
ankles, he pulls himself out and throws
himself to the left, the sand is half leg
deep he throws himself to the right, the
sand comes up to his shins. Then he
recognizes with unspeakable terror that
he is eaught.in the quieksand, and that
| he has beneath him the fearful medium
in which man can no more walk than the
fish can swim. He throws off his load,
lif he has one, he lightens himself like
ship in distress; It is too late, the sand
is above his knees. la2 - roc
he calls, he waves his bat. or his hand
keTehief, the sand gains on him more and
more; if the beach is deserted, if the
land is too far of, if the sand-banE is Of
too i'll repute, if there is no hero in sight,
it is all over, he is condemned to enlize-
ment. He is condemned to that appal-
ling interment, long, implacabIeS, impos-
sible to slacken or to hasten, which en-
dures for hours, which will not end,
which seizes you erect, free and in fun
health, which draws you by the feet,
which at every effort that you attempt,
at every shout that you utter, drags you
a little deeper, which appears to punish
you for your resistance by doubling of
its grasp, which sinks the man slowly
into the earth while it leaves him all the
time to look at the horizon, the trees, the
| green fields, the smoke of the village in
the plain, the sails of the ships upon the
sea, the birds flying and singing, the sun.
shine, tie sky. Enlizement is the grave
become tide, and rising from the depth
of the earth, towards a living man. Each
minute is an inexOrable enshroudness.
The victim attempts to sit down, to lie
down, to Creep every movement he
makes inters him; hestraightens himself,
he sinks in; be feels that be is being
swallowed up he hOwls, implOres, cries
to the clouds, Brings his hands, despairs.
Behold him waist deep in the sand; the
sand reaches his breast, he is now only
bust. He raises his arms, uttors furious
groans, clutches the beach with his nails,
would hold by that straw, leans upon his
elbows to pull himself out of the soft
sheath, sobs frenziedly, the sand rizss.
The sand reaches his shoulders thesaDd
reaches his neck; the face alone is now
visible. The mouth cries, the sand fills
it; silence. The eyes still gaze, the sand
shuts them; night Then the forehead
decreases, a little hair futters above the
sand; hand protrudes, comes through
1.-THE surface of the beach, moves and
shakes, and disappears. sinisters efaee.
ment Of a man.-VIcToR HUGO.