e to speak," he
continued, "my words would scare you--in an universe of cowards I dare
think--among the church-yard tombs--among the victims of His merciless
tyranny I dare reproach the Supreme Evil. How can he punish me? Let him
bare his arm and transfix me with lightning--this is also one of his
attributes"--and the old man laughed.

He rose, and I followed him through the rain to a neighbouring church-yard
--he threw himself on the wet earth. "Here they are," he cried, "beautiful
creatures--breathing, speaking, loving creatures. She who by day and
night cherished the age-worn lover of her youth--they, parts of my flesh,
my children--here they are: call them, scream their names through the
night; they will not answer!" He clung to the little heaps that marked the
graves. "I ask but one thing; I do not fear His hell, for I have it here; I
do not desire His heaven, let me but die and be laid beside them; let me
but, when I lie dead, feel my flesh as it moulders, mingle with theirs.
Promise," and he raised himself painfully, and seized my arm, "promise to
bury me with them."

"So God help me and mine as I promise," I replied, "on one condition:
return with me to Windsor."

"To Windsor!" he cried with a shriek, "Never!--from this place I never go
--my bones, my flesh, I myself, are already buried here, and what you see
of me is corrupted clay like them. I will lie here, and cling here, till
rain, and hail, and lightning and storm, ruining on me, make me one in
substance with them below."

In a few words I must conclude this tragedy. I was obliged to leave London,
and Adrian undertook to watch over him; the task was soon fulfilled; age,
grief, and inclement weather, all united to hush his sorrows, and bring
repose to his heart, whose beats were agony. He died embracing the sod,
which was piled above his breast, when he was placed beside the beings whom
he regretted with such wild despair.

I returned to Windsor at the wish of Idris, who seemed to think that there
was greater safety for her children at that spot; and because, once having
taken on me the guardianship of the district, I would not desert it while
an inhabitant survived. I went also to act in conformity with Adrian's
plans, which was to congregate in masses what remained of the population;
for he possessed the conviction that it was only through the benevolent and
social virtues that any safety was to be hoped for the remnant of mankind.

It was a melanch