While I was listening, she disappeared. But a moment afterwards I heard
a voice speaking in the midst of the surfs roaring. It was just as plain
and distinct as the minister's from the pulpit. It said, "Endure!
endure! endure."
I might think that all this, even my seeing Margaret, was only a
creation of my disordered mind, were it not for something happening
afterwards which proved itself.
One evening, about twilight, I walked through the graveyard, and stood
leaning against her tombstone. I soon knew that she was coming, for I
heard the ringing sound in the air which always came before her. A
moment after, she stood beside me. She placed her hand on my heart, and
said, "Joseph, all is right here,"--then upon my forehead, and said,
"But here all is wrong."
Then she told me there was a ship ready to sail from Boston, and that I
must go in her,--said it troubled her that I wasted my life so. She gave
me the name of the ship and of the captain, and told me when to go.
I did exactly as she said. And it all came true. When the captain saw
me, he started back and exclaimed,--"What sent you here?"