Page:The Wreck of a World - Grove - 1890.djvu/134

118 moments, and then unable to endure more, fell lifeless to the ground. The disturbance caused among the bystanders attracted Aurelia's attention, who suddenly aware of the reason, tore herself from my arms, and fell at the side of the breathless form of her true lover. Forgetting all around, she called him by every endearing name; told him how she had kept alive all these years for him, and for him alone; implored him to return to life for her sake; and laying her soft warm cheek to his so cold and ghastly from pallor and soot, prayed God not to blight her return home with so cruel a blow.

And from the very gates of death through which the soul was passing—nay I have sometimes thought it had even passed—strong love brought back that life which was so precious to her who prayed. The eyelids quivered, the heart began feebly to beat: the respiration again commenced to stir the relaxed and exanimate body; and at last a faint sigh caught by the loving ear of my true-hearted child caused the hot tears to pour down from her cheeks to those of her dear heart's love. "He lives—he lives"—cried she; and a gasp of relief passing through the throng indi-