Page:In Maremma, by Ouida (vol 3).djvu/168

 hoarsely, with her parching tongue, out of her swollen throat:

'They have set you free! Go yonder, read it.'

He looked at her, and trembled violently.

He stood just within the entrance of the sepulchre; and as she spoke, such a change came over all his face as comes to a dead man galvanised into sudden life. His lips, his eyes, his whole frame seemed suddenly to grow instinct with life and light and wonder, and rapture and radiance. He caught hold of her with both hands.

'What? what?' he said, with tremulous force. 'What do you say to me? Tell me again—quick, quick!'

It seemed to her as if all his life would go out of him in that passion of hope; as if he would dissolve into the air and vanish, as the Etruscan king had done.

He vibrated from head to foot with passionate desire.

She could not bear to look at him or feel his hand upon her.

'It is true,' she muttered hoarsely, as she shook herself loose. 'Go and see it