Page 333 - The snake's pass

THE CATASTROPHE. 321
thunderous feeling, and we expected each moment to be
startled by the lightning's flash or the roar of Heaven's
artillery. Masses of mist or sea fog now began to
be borne landward by the passing squalls. In the time
that elapsed between that one momentary glimpse of
Knockcalltecrore and our arrival at the foot of the boreen
a whole lifetime seemed to me to have elapsed, and
in my thoughts and harrowing anxieties I recalled—as
drowning men are said to do before death—every moment,
every experience since I had first come within sight of
the western sea. The blackness of my fears seemed
only a carrying inward of the surrounding darkness,
which was made more pronounced by the flickering of
our lanterns, and more dread by the sounds of the
tempest with which it was laden.
When we stopped in the boreen, Dick and I hurried
up the hill, whilst Andy, with whom we left one of the
lanterns, drew the horse under the comparative shelter
of the wind-swept alders, which lined the entrance to the
lane. He wanted a short rest before proceeding to
Mrs. Kelligan's, where he was to stop the remainder
of the night, so as to be able to come for us in
the morning.
As we came near Murdock's cottage Dick pressed my
arm.
" Look ! " he called to me, putting his mouth to my
ear so that I could hear him, for the storm swept the
hill fiercely here, and a special current of wind came
whirling up through the Shleenanaher. " Look ! " he is