The time flew on. The moon sank nearer and nearer to
the horizon, and was suddenly swallowed up in a craggy mass
of cloud, rising and spreading upward from the western sea. It
moved on swiftly and massively. Myriad after myriad of
bright stars disappeared behind the hurrying edge of its
pitchy mantle rolling onward, in a serrated line, from north
to south. Before was the fast narrowing expanse of glit-
tering radiance; behind the unfathomable blackness of
Erebus.
Fitful, but louder murmurs swept up from the sea in place
of the gentle uniform breathing of the early night, and the



224 NEMRA PABT II.
darkling waters shook with a brisker frolic of dancing frothy
combs, and dull shimmering streaks and flashes of phosphor-
escent light, as if exultingly waking to the dim watchword of
a twinkling storm spirit.
Still Plautia remained motionless, as if bereft of life. The
gathering gloom of the outer air had thickened, amid the
grove, into inky blackness impenetrable to the eye. The tree
stems and boles were entirely obliterated, as well as the shape
of the woman lying prostrate amid them, steeped in oblivious
anguish. A sharp short gust of wind swayed the invisible
branches above, and dashed noisily amongst their leaves;
after which a luU, and a dreamy rustling, as in the calm depth
of a summer night Then came the fierce rush of a blast
roaring amongst the branches and bending them over as with
the flattening pressure of the hand of a Titan, whilst a whizz-
ing tempest of rain and hail swept along in company, and
made its shrill rattling on the leaves heard amidst the bluster.
