His courage deserted him. Energy and exertion seemed hopeless. He was
about to deliver himself up to despair, when and expanding lustre
attracted his attention in the opposing gloom.
A small and bright red cloud seemed sailing towards him. It opened,
discharged from its bosom as silvery star, and dissolved again into
darkness. But the star remained, the silvery star, and threw a long line
of tremulous light upon the vast and raging rapid, which now, fleet and
foaming, revealed itself on all sides to the eye of Alroy.
The beautiful interposition in his favour re-animated the adventurous
pilgrim. A dark shadow in the foreground, breaking the line of light
shed by the star upon the waters, attracted his attention. He advanced,
regained his former footing, and more nearly examined it. It was a boat,
and in the boat, mute and immovable, sat one of those vast, singular,
and hidden forms which eh had observed sculptured on the walls of the
gallery.
David Alry, committing his fortunes to the God of Israel, leapt into the
boat.
And at the same moment the Afrite, for it was one of those dread
beings,[50] raised the oars, and the barque moved. The falling waters
suddenly parted in the long line of the star's reflection, and the
barque glided through their high and severed masses.
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