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"
Light!" she cried. "I see!"
And she expired. She fell back rigid and motionless on the mattress.
"
Dead!" said Ursus.
And the poor old man, as if crushed by his despair, bowed his bald head
and buried his swollen face in the folds of the gown which covered Dea's
feet. He lay there in a swoon.
Then Gwynplaine became awful. He arose, lifted his eyes, and gazed into
the vast gloom above him. Seen by none on earth, but looked down upon,
perhaps, as he stood in the darkness, by some invisible presence, he
stretched his hands on high, and said,--
"I come!"
And he strode across the deck, towards the side of the vessel, as if
beckoned by a vision.
A few paces off was the abyss. He walked slowly, never casting down his
eyes. A smile came upon his face, such as Dea's had just worn. He
advanced straight before him, as if watching something. In his eyes was
a light like the reflection of a soul perceived from afar off. He cried
out, "Yes!" At every step he was approaching nearer to the side of the
vessel. His gait was rigid, his arms were lifted up, his head was thrown
back, his eyeballs were fixed. His movement was ghost-like. He advanced
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