tones announced the lapſe of the hours. Fitzalan ſeveral times imagined that he heard a low but heavy groan, which ſeemed to him like that of a perſon expiring: and twice or thrice he thought the bolts of the door he had diſcovered juſt grated, as though ſome one were ſtriving ſoftly to draw them back. He liſtened each time with the moſt profound attention; but not hearing any thing more, concluded that it was the effect of his over-heated and bewildered imagination. After ſeveral hours of indeſcribable ſuffering had elapſed, the agonized and exhauſted Fitzalan ſunk into ſlumber. But to him, ſlumber was no reſpite from anguiſh. Innumerable dim and indefinable but horrid forms, appeared to float before him, and view him with ſcowling and portentous aſpects.
Now he thought that he heard a more than mortal voice call upon him to execute vengeance on a murderer. He ſtarted the ſcene changed the murderer, fallen beneath his ſword, lay lifeleſs at his feet it vaniſhed, and he beheld his Edith kneeling for mercy, his little Edwin clinging round her neck, ſcreaming in terror, while a ruffian, whoſe dagger was ſtained with the half-congealed blood of recent murder, was in the act of ſtabbing her. He ſprang forward to ſave her, and awoke, every limb convulſed, and the cold drops of horror trickling down his frame. “Merciful God!” he exclaimed, “my unprotected Edith!”
Thus paſſed the hours, till at laſt the dawning day appeared through a narrow oblique perforation in the wall, which juſt ſerved to keep the air of the dungeon from total ſtagnation. Fitzalan could now examine his priſon more minutely than before. This he did, but with no better effect. The door remained impervious to all his efforts; and the window, if ſo it might be called, gave ſtill leſs proſpect of eſcape; for independant of its form, length, and narrowneſs, it was firmly ſecured, both inſide and out, by thick iron bars, which almoſt excluded the little light and air which was intended to be admitted. Once more then, Fitzalan in deſpair gave up his ſearch, and endeavoured to diſcover
