Do you not think
there was, Valletort?"
"Most assuredly not," returned his companion, anxious to
remove the impression of self-blame that existed in the
mind of Captain de Haldimar. "From the moment of our
reaching the schooner, which lay immediately in our route,
to that when the shout was raised by the savages as they
rushed into the fort, there was scarcely an interval of
three minutes; and it would have required a longer period
to have enabled us even to gain the shore."
"Thank, thank you for that!" exclaimed the officer,
drawing himself up with the air of one who breathes more
freely. "I would not, for the wealth and honours of the
united world, that such a cause for self-reproach should
linger on my mind. By Heaven! it would break my heart to
think we had been in time to save them, and yet had lost
the opportunity through even one moment of neglect." Then
turning once more to his sister,--"Now, Clara, that I
see you in safety, I have another sacred duty to perform.
I must leave you, but not alone."
"What mean you, Frederick?" exclaimed his agitated sister,
clinging more closely to his embrace.
Pages:
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510