Chapter 30 - Page 2

outlines. The pinnacle could be faintly discerned in front of a lighter
background of clouds, between which a few glimmering stars occasionally
twinkled in momentary brightness, and then gradually became obscured by
the passing vapor that was moving before the wind, at a vast distance
below the clouds themselves. Should she return, Henry and the peddler
would most probably pass the night in fancied security upon that very
hill towards which she was straining her eyes, in the vain hope of
observing some light that might encourage her to proceed. The
deliberate, and what to her seemed cold-blooded, project of the officer
for the recapture of the fugitives, still rang in her ears, and
stimulated her to go on; but the solitude into which she must venture,
the time, the actual danger of the ascent, and the uncertainty of her
finding the hut, or what was still more disheartening, the chance that
it might be occupied by unknown tenants, and those of the worst
description--urged her to retreat.

The increasing darkness was each moment rendering objects less and less
distinct, and the clouds were gathering more gloomily in the rear of the
hill, until its form could no longer be discerned. Frances threw back
her rich curls with both hands on her temples, in order to possess her
senses in their utmost keenness; but the towering hill was entirely lost
to the eye. At length she discovered a faint and twinkling blaze in the
direction in which she thought the building stood, that, by its reviving
and receding luster, might be taken for the glimmering of a fire. But
the delusion vanished, as the horizon again cleared, and the star of
evening shone forth from a cloud, after struggling hard, as if for
existence. She now saw the mountain to the left of the place where the
planet was shining, and suddenly a streak of mellow light burst upon the
fantastic oaks that were thinly scattered over its summit, and gradually
moved down its side, until the whole pile became distinct under the rays
of the rising moon. Although it would have been physically impossible
for our heroine to advance without the aid of the friendly light, which
now gleamed on the long line of level land before her, yet she was not
encouraged to proceed. If she could see the goal of her wishes, she
could also perceive the difficulties that must attend her reaching it.

While deliberating in distressing incertitude, now shrinking with the
timidity of her sex and years from the enterprise, and now resolving to
rescue her brother at every hazard, Frances turned her looks towards the
east, in earnest gaze at the clouds which constantly threatened to
involve her again in comparative darkness. Had an adder stung her, she
could not have sprung with greater celerity