Angels and Women (1924)

204 ANGELS AND WOMENpainful, awful stillness brooded over all.The city was aroused. Housetop and towersbecame crowded with men gazing at the portentousheavens. Suddenly, as by a commonimpulse, all eyes were turned to theNorth, whence had come but shortly beforethe chill blast and terrible shudder.0 sight of horror, before which even theheart of the boldest Deva must quail l Entirelyacross the entrance of the valley,crowding the very mountaintops, appeareda mighty wall, tottering, crashing, falling,pressed forward by some invisible power.Upon its awful front, in confusion whichdazed the sight, were borne timbers, fragmentsof buildings, earth, rocks and mutilatedbodies of animals and creatures of thesea. But most dreadful of all, tossed in uncertainmotion, were the ghastly corpses ofdead men and women and children.Beyond and above, heaped against thelowering sky, were seen oncoming cold,angry seas, raging breakers, monster water-