The reader will
understand it was at the instant of the swoop of the winds, that has just
been detailed, for what we have taken so many pages to describe in words,
scarce needed a minute of time in the accomplishment.
Maso knelt on the verge of the gangway, sustaining himself by passing an
arm around a shroud, and, bending forward, he gazed into the cauldron of
the lake with aching eyes. Once or twice, he thought he heard the stifled
breathing of one who struggled with the raging water; but, in that roar of
the winds, it was easy to be deceived. He shouted encouragement to his
dog, however, and gathering a small rope rapidly, he made a heaving coil
of one of its ends. This he cast far from him, with a peculiar swing and
dexterity, hauling-in, and repeating the experiments, steadily and with
unwearied industry. The rope was necessarily thrown at hazard, for the
misty light prevented more than it aided vision; and the howling of the
powers of the air filled his ears with sounds that resembled the laugh of
devils.
In the cultivation of the youthful manly exercises, neither of the old
nobles had neglected the useful skill of being able to buffet with the
waves.
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