
Midway between the twin horns of a deserted bay, jagged rock spires rise from deep blue seas, their tops cloaked in hardy grasses and sea‑herbs. The only sounds are the wind through ferns, the distant call of hawks, and the occasional splash of a lone stream tumbling into the surf. Here lives David, a quiet fisherman turned hermit, whose childhood was marked by loss, hard labour, and a secret, lingering devotion to a distant, seldom‑seen faith.
When a sudden squall claims his uncle’s life and casts David ashore, the solitude of the isles becomes both refuge and mystery. In the hush of twilight he glimpses a pale, diffused light walking upon the water—a figure that seems to rise and fall with the waves, stirring his wonder and his prayers. This haunting vision hints at a deeper purpose waiting to unfold on the stark, beautiful edge of the world.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (272K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2006-07-21
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1862–1925
Best known for writing the words later used in "Land of Hope and Glory," he was also a gifted essayist, poet, and master of the quietly uncanny. His work moves easily from reflective, personal prose to ghost stories and literary criticism.
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