Page:Tales of the White Hills.djvu/64

58 &ldquo;Matthew,&rdquo; said Hannah, clinging to him, &ldquo;let us go hence!&rdquo;

Matthew saw that she was faint, and kneeling down, supported her in his arms, while he threw some of the thrillingly cold water of the enchanted lake upon her face and bosom. It revived her, but could not renovate her courage.

&ldquo;Yes, dearest!&rdquo; cried Matthew, pressing her tremulous form to his breast,&mdash;&ldquo;we will go hence, and return to our humble cottage. The blessed sunshine and the quiet moonlight shall come through our window. We will kindle the cheerful glow of our hearth, at eventide, and be happy in its light. But never again will we desire more light than all the world may share with us.&rdquo;

&ldquo;No,&rdquo; said his bride, &ldquo;for how could we live by day, or sleep by night, in this awful blaze of the Great Carbuncle!&rdquo;

Out of the hollow of their hands, they drank each a draught from the lake, which presented them its waters uncontaminated by an earthly lip. Then, lending their guidance to the blinded Cynic, who uttered not a word, and even stifled his groans in his own most wretched heart, they began to descend the mountain. Yet, as they left the shore, till then untrodden, of the spirit&rsquo;s lake, they threw a farewell glance towards the cliff, and beheld the vapors gathering in dense volumes, through which the gem burned duskily.

As touching the other pilgrims of the Great Carbuncle, the legend goes on to tell, that the worshipful Master Ichabod Pigsnort soon gave up the quest as a desperate speculation, and wisely resolved to betake himself again to his warehouse, near the town dock, in Boston. But as be passed through the Notch of the