How long Ralph, in his mental wanderings, would have gone on, as we have
seen, incoherently developing his heart's history, may not be said.
Gathering courage at last, with a noble energy, the maiden proceeded to
her proposed duty, and his slumbers were broken. With a half-awakened
consciousness he raised himself partially up in his couch, and sought to
listen. He was not deceived; a whispered sentence came to his ears,
addressed to himself, and succeeded by a pause of several moments'
continuance. Again his name was uttered. Half doubting his senses, he
passed his hand repeatedly over his eyes, and again listened for the
repetition of that voice, the identity of which he had as yet failed
utterly to distinguish. The sounds were repeated, and the words grew
more and more distinct. He now caught in part the tenor of the sentence,
though imperfectly heard. It seemed to convey some warning of danger,
and the person who spoke appeared, from the tremulous accents, to labor
under many apprehensions.
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