Meanwhile, the darkness had increased so much that the Queen called upon her dusky attendants to light the great oil lamp that swung from the roof. The Queen continued self-possessed, and tried to comfort her guests.
“It will soon be over,” she said. “I am assured of that. My experience is great.”
But Matty refused all consolation.
“I’se never been a very great sinner, has I?” she innocently asked Reginald, as she clung round his neck.
“Oh, no, darling,” he said; “you are too young to be much of a sinner.”
“You think God won’t be angry, and will take you and me and Ilda and Queen Bertha straight up to Heaven, clothes and all?”
“My child,” said Reginald, “what has put all this into your head?”
“Oh,” she answered, “because I know the Day of Judgment has come.”
Well, there was some excuse for the little innocent thinking so.
Without the thickest darkness reigned. Dickson and Hall went to the door, but did not venture out. Scoria was falling, and destroying all the shrubs and flowers in the beautiful valley. The river was mixed with boiling lava, and the noise therefrom was like a thousand engines blowing off steam at one and the same time. Surely never was such loud and terrible thunder heard before; and the lightning was so vivid and so incessant that not only did the island itself seem all ablaze, but even the distant sea. Crimson and blue fire appeared to lick its surface in all directions.