Valentine M'Clutchy, The Irish Agent eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 786 pages of information about Valentine M'Clutchy, The Irish Agent.

Valentine M'Clutchy, The Irish Agent eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 786 pages of information about Valentine M'Clutchy, The Irish Agent.

“On reaching the centre of the stream, however, he appeared to feel as if he had miscalculated the strength of either it or himself.  He stood for a moment literally shaking like a reed in its strong current—­the passive maniac still in his arms, uncertain whether to advance with her or go back.  Experience, however, had often told him, that if the fording it were at all practicable, the danger was tenfold to return, for by the very act of changing the position, a man must necessarily lose the firmness of his opposition to the stream, and consequently be borne away without the power of resisting it.  Raymond, therefore, balanced himself as steadily as possible, and by feeling and making sure his footing in the most cautious manner—­the slightest possible slip or stumble being at that moment fatal—­he, with surprising strength and courage, had just succeeded in placing her safely on the rock he had before alluded to, when a stone turned under him—­his foot gave way—­and the poor creature, whose reason was veiled to almost every impulse but that of a wild and touching humanity, tumbled down the boiling torrent, helpless and unresisting as a child, and utterly beyond the reach of assistance.  My own sensations and feelings I really cannot describe, because, in point of fact, such was the tumult—­the horror—­of my mind at that moment, that I have no distinct recollection of my impressions.  I think for a short space I must have lost both my sight and hearing, for I now distinctly remember to have heard, only for the first time, the piercing screams of his mother rising above the wild and alarming cries of the others—­but not until he had gone down the stream, and disappeared round a sharp angle or bend, which it formed about eight or ten yards below where he fell.

“There grew a little to the left of the spot where this shocking disaster occurred, a small clump of whitethorn trees, so closely matted together, that it was impossible to see through them.  We all, therefore, ran round as if by instinct, to watch the tumbling body of poor Raymond, when what was our surprise to see a powerful young man, about eight or ten yards below us, dashing into the stream; where, although the current was narrower, it was less violent, and holding by a strong projecting branch of hazel that grew on the bank, stretch across the flood, and, as the body of Raymond passed him, seize it with a vigorous grasp, which brought it close to where he stood.  Feeling that both were now out of the force of the current, he caught it in his arms, and ere any of us had either time or presence of mind even to proffer assistance, he carried, or rather dragged it out of the water, and laid it on the dry bank.

“‘Come,’ said he, ’I am afraid there is little time to be lost—­help me up with him to my father’s, till we see what can be done to recover life, if life is left.’

“The fact is, however, that Raymond was not altogether insensible; for, as young M’Loughlin—­the same, by the way, who had sent the message to Phil—­had concluded, he opened his eyes, breathed, and after gulping up some water, looked about him.

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Valentine M'Clutchy, The Irish Agent from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.