'Calm yourself, beloved one,' said Hermanric gently; 'your fancy has
misled you--the door is safe.'
He parted back her dishevelled hair caressingly as he spoke. Incapable
of doubting the lightest word that fell from his lips, and hearing no
suspicious or unwonted sound in the room, she never attempted to justify
her suspicions. As she again rested her head on his shoulder, a vague
misgiving oppressed her heart, and drew from her an irrepressible sigh;
but she gave her apprehensions no expression in words. After listening
for a moment more to assure himself of the security of the latch, the
Goth resumed insensibly the contemplations from which he had been
disturbed; once more his head drooped, and again his hands returned
mechanically to their old listless position, side by side, on the
scabbard of his sword.
The faint, fickle flames still rose and fell, gleaming here and sinking
there, the latch sounded sharply in its socket, the thunder yet uttered
its surly peal, but the wind was now subsiding into fainter moans, and
the rain began to splash faintly and more faintly against the shutters
without.
Pages:
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524