Dicken's works . showed him someblack object he was drifting close upon. The hullof a ship ! He could touch its smooth and slipperysurface with his hand. One loud cry now — Butthe resistless water bore him down before he couldgive it utterance, and driving him under, it carriedaway a corpse. It toyed and sported with its ghastly freight,now bruising it against the slimy piles, now hidingit in mud or long rank grass, now dragging itheavily over rough stones arid gravel, now feigningto yield it to its own element, and in the sameaction luring it away, until, tired of the ugly play-thing, it flun
Dicken's works . showed him someblack object he was drifting close upon. The hullof a ship ! He could touch its smooth and slipperysurface with his hand. One loud cry now — Butthe resistless water bore him down before he couldgive it utterance, and driving him under, it carriedaway a corpse. It toyed and sported with its ghastly freight,now bruising it against the slimy piles, now hidingit in mud or long rank grass, now dragging itheavily over rough stones arid gravel, now feigningto yield it to its own element, and in the sameaction luring it away, until, tired of the ugly play-thing, it flung it on a swamp — a dismal place wherepirates had swung in chains through many a wintrynight — and left it there to bleach. And there it lay, alone. The sky was red withflame, and the water that bore it there had beentinged with the sullen light as it flowed along. Theplace the deserted carcass had left so recently aliving man was now a blazing ruin. There wassomething of the glare upon its face. The THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP. 355 stirred by the damp breeze, played in a kind ofmockery of death — such a mockery as the deadman himself -would have delighted in when alive —about its head, and its dress fluttered idly in thenicfht wind. CHAPTER XXXII. Lighted rooms, bright fires, cheerful faces, themusic of glad voices, words of love and welcome,warm hearts, and tears of happiness — what achange is this ! But it is to such delights that Kitis hastening. They are awaiting him, he fears he will die of joy before he gets amongthem. They have prepared him for this, all day. He isnot to be carried off to-morrow with the rest, theytell him first. By degrees they let him know thatdoubts have arisen, that inquiries are to be made,and perhaps he may be pardoned after all. At last,the evening being come, they bring him to a roomwhere some gentlemen are assembled. Foremostamong them is his good old master, who comes andtakes him by the hand. He hears that his inno-cenc
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