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These words were syllabled trembling by the iron man. Adrian replied,
Whither indeed would you fly? We must all remain; and do our best to help
our suffering fellow-creatures."
"
"Help!" said Ryland, "there is no help!--great God, who talks of help!
All the world has the plague!"
"Then to avoid it, we must quit the world," observed Adrian, with a
gentle smile.
Ryland groaned; cold drops stood on his brow. It was useless to oppose his
paroxysm of terror: but we soothed and encouraged him, so that after an
interval he was better able to explain to us the ground of his alarm. It
had come sufficiently home to him. One of his servants, while waiting on
him, had suddenly fallen down dead. The physician declared that he died of
the plague. We endeavoured to calm him--but our own hearts were not calm.
I saw the eye of Idris wander from me to her children, with an anxious
appeal to my judgment. Adrian was absorbed in meditation. For myself, I own
that Ryland's words rang in my ears; all the world was infected;--in what
uncontaminated seclusion could I save my beloved treasures, until the
shadow of death had passed from over the earth? We sunk into silence: a
silence that drank in the doleful accounts and prognostications of our
guest. We had receded from the crowd; and ascending the steps of the
terrace, sought the Castle. Our change of cheer struck those nearest to us;
and, by means of Ryland's servants, the report soon spread that he had fled
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