But it immediately
clears, as he resumes his singing, and his way.
And so HE goes up the postern stair.
The red light burns steadily all the evening in the lighthouse on
the margin of the tide of busy life. Softened sounds and hum of
traffic pass it and flow on irregularly into the lonely Precincts;
but very little else goes by, save violent rushes of wind. It
comes on to blow a boisterous gale.
The Precincts are never particularly well lighted; but the strong
blasts of wind blowing out many of the lamps (in some instances
shattering the frames too, and bringing the glass rattling to the
ground), they are unusually dark to-night. The darkness is
augmented and confused, by flying dust from the earth, dry twigs
from the trees, and great ragged fragments from the rooks' nests up
in the tower. The trees themselves so toss and creak, as this
tangible part of the darkness madly whirls about, that they seem in
peril of being torn out of the earth: while ever and again a
crack, and a rushing fall, denote that some large branch has
yielded to the storm.
Not such power of wind has blown for many a winter night. Chimneys
topple in the streets, and people hold to posts and corners, and to
one another, to keep themselves upon their feet. The violent
rushes abate not, but increase in frequency and fury until at
midnight, when the streets are empty, the storm goes thundering
along them, rattling at all the latches, and tearing at all the
shutters, as if warning the people to get up and fly with it,
rather than have the roofs brought down upon their brains.
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