''
She flew to a harpsichord which stood in the
room, and, while the servant and master gazed on
each other, as if doubting whether her senses were
about to leave her entirely, she wandered over the
keys, producing a wilderness of harmony, composed
of passages recalled by memory, or combined
by her own musical talent, until at length
her voice and instrument united in one of those
magnificent hymns in which her youth had praised
her Maker, with voice and harp, like the Royal
Hebrew who composed it. The tear ebbed insensibly
from the eyes which she turned upwards---
her vocal tones, combining with those of the instrument,
rose to a pitch of brilliancy seldom attained
by the most distinguished performers, and then
sunk into a dying cadence, which fell, never again
to rise,---for the songstress had died with her strain.
The horror of the distracted husband may be
conceived, when all efforts to restore life proved
totally ineffectual. Servants were despatched for
medical men---Hartley, and every other who could
be found. The General precipitated himself into
the apartment they had so lately left, and in his
haste ran against Middlemas, who, at the sound of
the music from the adjoining apartment, had naturally
approached nearer to the door, and, surprised
and startled by the sort of clamour, hasty steps,
and confused voices which ensued, had remained
standing there, endeavouring to ascertain the cause
of so much disorder.
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