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to regain thee as I have cloven way to lose。〃
Her voice ceased。 I heard the swan…like sough of her wings; and saw the rays of her starry diadem receding far and farther through the gloom。
I sate myself down for some time; musing sorrowfully; then I rose and took my way with slow footsteps towards the place in which I heard the sounds of men。 The miners I encountered were strange to me; of another nation than my own。 They turned to look at me with some surprise; but finding that I could not answer their brief questions in their own language; they returned to their work and suffered me to pass on unmolested。 In fine; I regained the mouth of the mine; little troubled by other interrogatories;… save those of a friendly official to whom I was known; and luckily he was too busy to talk much with me。 I took care not to return to my former lodging; but hastened that very day to quit a neighbourhood where I could not long have escaped inquiries to which I could have given no satisfactory answers。 I regained in safety my own country; in which I have been long peacefully settled; and engaged in practical business; till I retired on a competent fortune; three years ago。 I have been little invited and little tempted to talk of the rovings and adventures of my youth。 Somewhat 157disappointed; as most men are; in matters connected with household love and domestic life; I often think of the young Gy as I sit alone at night; and wonder how I could have rejected such a love; no matter what dangers attended it; or by what conditions it was restricted。 Only; the more I think of a people calmly developing; in regions excluded from our sight and deemed uninhabitable by our sages; powers surpassing our most disciplined modes of force; and virtues to which our life; social and political; becomes antagonistic in proportion as our civilisation advances;… the more devoutly I pray that ages may yet elapse before there emerge into sunlight our inevitable destroyers。 Being; however; frankly told by my physician that I am afflicted by a complaint which; though it gives little pain and no perceptible notice of its encroachments; may at any moment be fatal; I have thought it my duty to my fellow…men to place on record these forewarnings of The Coming Race。
End