Page:In Maremma, by Ouida (vol 1).djvu/143

 no real meaning for her, thronged on her memory now. She was afraid, but she was enthralled; the horror that was upon her had both beauty and tyranny in it.

This king was dust.

All his gold had availed him nothing; when the air or the light had touched him, he and it had dissolved and perished.

He had been there one moment before, and now was gone for ever.

An immense wonder and an infinite pity began to drive the terror from her soul and take its place. There was his place of rest, there was his bed of stone, and he was gone, taking his treasures with him. Had they melted into the rays of the sun and gone on the wings of the wind? Why had he not taken her too? She would have been so glad to go.

The place grew darker and darker; for up above, in the world of the living, the sun was sinking to its setting into the deep-blue sea.

Absolute night enshrouded her here; the great cold of the tomb began to chill her veins and freeze her heart; for the first time in all her fearless young years she was afraid; she longed for some human voice