If his return had been suddenly
commanded by Alaric himself; if evidences of indubitable treachery had
lurked about the solitary place, at the moment when he thrust open its
unbarred door, he felt that he must still have proceeded upon his onward
course. The next instant he entered the house. The light streamed
through the open entrance into the gloomy hall; the night-wind, rushing
upon its track, blew shrill and dreary among the stone pillars, and in
the hidden crevices and untenanted chambers above. Not a sign of life
appeared, not a sound of a footstep was audible, not even an article of
household use was to be seen. The deserted suburbs rose without, like a
wilderness; and this empty house looked within, like a sepulchre--void
of corpses, and yet eloquent of death!
There was an inexplicable fascination to the eyes of the Goth about this
vault-like, solitary hall. He stood motionless at its entrance, gazing
dreamily at the gloomy prospect before him, until a strong gust of wind
suddenly forced the outer door further backwards, and at the same moment
admitted a larger stream of light.
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