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She was standing on the parapet Before I could ain freely, she leaped into the river
The current ranby in the light on the ain, in the moment when I stopped to throw aside my hat and coat and to kick off my shoes I was a practiced swimmer The instant I was in the water ain
The current swept reatly increased the speed at which I swam I was close behind her when she rose for the second ti, just visible a few inches below the surface of the river One more stroke, and my left arm was round her; I had her face out of the water She was insensible I could hold her in the right way to leave me master of all ue, to the exertion of taking her back to the shore
My first attempt satisfied me that there was no reasonable hope, burdened as I noas, of breasting the strong current running toward the mid-river from either bank I tried it on one side, and I tried it on the other, and gave it up The one choice left was to let myself drift with her down the stream Some fifty yards lower, the river took a turn round a promontory of land, on which stood a little inn lers in the season As we approached the place, I ain an attempt in vain) to reach the shore Our last chance noas to be heard by the people of the inn I shouted at the full pitch of my voice as we drifted past The cry was answered A man put off in a boat In five ain; and theher to the inn by the river-side
The landlady and her servant-girl were equally willing to be of service, and equally ignorant of what they were to do Fortunately, ood fire, warm blankets, hot water in bottles, were all at my disposal I showed the women myself how to ply the work of revival They persevered, and I persevered; and still there she lay, in her perfect beauty of forn of life perceptible; there she lay, to all outward appearance, dead by drowning