At the same moment a small, stealthy tongue of red flame curled up
through the deck from the hold,--and Gueldmar, observing this, smiled.
"I see thou hast redeemed thine oath," he said, gratefully pressing
Svensen's hand. "'Tis the last act of thine allegiance,--may the gods
reward thy faithfulness! Peace be with thee!--we shall meet hereafter.
Already the light shines from the Rainbow Bridge,--there,--there are the
golden peaks of the hills and the stretch of the wide sea! Go,
Valdemar!--delay no longer, for my soul is impatient--it burns, it
struggles to be free! Go!--and--farewell!"
Stricken to the heart, and full Of anguish,--yet serf-like in his
submission and resignation to the inevitable,--Svensen kissed his
master's hand for the last time. Then, with a sort of fierce sobbing
groan, wrung from the very depths of his despairing grief, he turned
resolutely away, and sprang off the vessel. Standing at the extreme edge
of the pier, he let slip the last rope that bound her,--her sails filled
and bulged outward,--her cordage creaked, she shuddered on the
water--lurched a little--then paused.
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