The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 291: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

288 THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. But nothing but sullen silence and a wandering eye was ob- servable in him. Then, after having awaited patiently for some time, the governor said to him, in a kindly tone: ‘“‘Can Ido anything for you, Sternholde? Is there anything at this moment that can be done for you, or that you would desire?” | Sternholde shook himself, but answered not. “Think,” added the worthy chaplain, ‘‘think of the awful moment so near at hand; think upon the little time you have to make your supplications to the throne of grace—let me beseech “Too late—too late,” said Sternholde. ‘‘ Not too late for repentance. Be true; say but the word, and I will sit up with you all night. I will not leave you till that awful moment arrives when you quit the world forever.” ‘¢ Away, away; none of your hated jugglery here. I am what I have been, and a change now would be impossible; but it will advantage me nothing, and I will not consent.” ‘‘But it would advantage you something hereafter.” ‘‘T'll have none of it.” ‘‘ Wretched manf hour after hour will your courage fail; hour after hour will death seem more terrible and more fearful: and, without the consolation of repentance, and the promises of Heaven to nid you, your last moment will be one of bitterness and gall. Think again—think again, if there can be no hope of your repentance. Time is short—fearfully short; yet, to those who ask it with a contrite heart, the mercies of Heaven are surely promised.” . * Ha, ha, hat Leave me, I have heard enough of this. You may frighten timid hands, but I have had enough of your cloth; away, away, I have done—leave me to myself.” The chaplain and governor looked at each other with sorrow on their countenances; the former whispered: ‘‘ He is, I fear, a hardened sinner; but what an end!” ‘‘ His courage,” said the governor, ‘‘ is only assumed, and not real, I cannot believe he will be the man to hold out in this manner to the end—he is much too furious.” ‘“‘He is, indeed, a wretched man, but I fear further offers would be unavailing; and yet it is dreadful to see him die thus; but there is no help for it.” ‘‘None,” said the governor, as he quitted the cell, leaving the wretched Sternholde to all the horrors of his fate. When alone, Sternholde looked around upon the cell in which he sat; not a single ray of hope beamed from any quarter: no possibility of escape presented itself, and, had there been plenty, he would have been unable to have taken advantage of it, since he was so secured that he could do nothing. His limbs were not at liberty, lest he should commit some act of self-destruction. ‘‘T am indeed cooped up here, and there is no chance of get- ting out of this. J must stay and die. Die, eh? Well, [ have had a long career; I have been successful in many things, but this has bee); fatal tome, | would] had never attempted it; and comicbooks. com