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52 BYGONE SUSSEX.
leading down to one of the gates of our town ; the blue marsh-land, and yonder, across the marsh, Rye towers and gables; a great silver sea stretching beyond, and that dark man's figure stooping and looking at the child asleep. He never kissed the infant or touched her. I remember it woke smiling, and held out its little arms, and he turned away with a sort of groan."
When the poor distraught Countess had in her madness left her child on the sea shore, and came back with a bleeding foot and without one of her slippers, the boy Denis sets out to find the little child he loves. "A sudden thought comes to me, and, whenever I remember it, my heart is full of thankfulness to the gracious Giver of all good thoughts. Madame, of whom I was not afraid, and who sometimes was amused by my prattle, would now and then take a walk accompanied by Martha, her maid, who held the infant, and myself, who liked to draw it in its carriage. We used to walk down to the shore, and there was a rock there on which the poor lady would sit for hours. ' You take her home, mother,' says I, all in a tremble. 'You give me the lantern, and I'll go—I'll go—' I was off before I said where. Down I went, through |
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