Frances threw back
her rich curls with both hands on her temples, in order to possess her
senses in their utmost keenness; but the towering hill was entirely lost
to the eye. At length she discovered a faint and twinkling blaze in the
direction in which she thought the building stood, that, by its reviving
and receding luster, might be taken for the glimmering of a fire. But
the delusion vanished, as the horizon again cleared, and the star of
evening shone forth from a cloud, after struggling hard, as if for
existence. She now saw the mountain to the left of the place where the
planet was shining, and suddenly a streak of mellow light burst upon the
fantastic oaks that were thinly scattered over its summit, and gradually
moved down its side, until the whole pile became distinct under the rays
of the rising moon. Although it would have been physically impossible
for our heroine to advance without the aid of the friendly light, which
now gleamed on the long line of level land before her, yet she was not
encouraged to proceed. If she could see the goal of her wishes, she
could also perceive the difficulties that must attend her reaching it.
While deliberating in distressing incertitude, now shrinking with the
timidity of her sex and years from the enterprise, and now resolving to
rescue her brother at every hazard, Frances turned her looks towards the
east, in earnest gaze at the clouds which constantly threatened to
involve her again in comparative darkness.
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