Almost fainting I slowly approached the fatal waters; when we had quitted the town we heard their roaring[.] I whispered to myself in a muttering voice--"The sound is the same as that which I heard in my dream.

It is the knell of my father which I hear."[42] The rain had ceased; there was no more thunder and lightning; the wind had paused.

My heart no longer beat wildly; I did not feel any fever: but I was chilled; my knees sunk under me--I almost slept as I walked with excess of weariness; every limb trembled.

I was silent: all was silent except the roaring of the sea which became louder and more dreadful.

Yet we advanced slowly: sometimes I thought that we should never arrive; that the sound of waves would still allure us, and that we should walk on for ever and ever: field succeeding field, never would our weary journey cease, nor night nor day; but still we should hear the dashing of the sea, and to all this there would be no end.
Wild beyond the imagination of the happy are the thoughts bred by misery and despair.
At length we reached the overhanging beach; a cottage stood beside the path; we knocked at the door and it was opened: the bed within instantly caught my eye; something stiff and straight lay on it, covered by a sheet; the cottagers looked aghast.