The spectacle was appalling. At intervals in the
roaring and crackling of the flames was heard the roar of the near ocean,
while the familiar features of the landscape and the faces of the
encircling spectators, stood out with unreal and terrible distinctness in
the hellish light.
Emily, who had coughed all the way climbing up the hill, stood stirring
the fire with a long pole, and making reckless and facetious remarks the
while, which, uttered in the midst of that unearthly scene, struck me
cold with horror.
"Come, Bachelder," said she; "git onto the end of my pole, and I'll hold
ye over there a while. Ye might as well be gittin' used to it!"
"Heh! yes," said Bachelor Lot. "But what I'm a thinkin' is, you'd ought
to have a subordinate. I never heered--heh!--of putting a person of such
importance in the Kingdom--heh!--however efficient--into the position of
Fire Tender!"
"Crazy Silvy" was at the bonfire. I had never seen her before. Silvy did
not go out on ordinary occasions. I watched her as she stood with a
scant, thin shawl thrown over her head, looking intently into the flames,
shivering often, and smiling as she moved her lips in apparently
delightful conversation with herself.
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