Page:Nightmare Abbey (1818).djvu/144

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NIGHTMARE ABBEY.
133

stranger, dropping the cloak, said, "I see, by your physiognomy, that you may be trusted;" and revealed to the astonished Scythrop a female form and countenance of dazzling grace and beauty, with long flowing hair of raven blackness, and large black eyes of almost oppressive brilliancy: which strikingly contrasted with a complexion of snowy whiteness. Her dress was extremely elegant, but had an appearance of foreign fashion, as if both the lady and her mantua-maker were of "a far countree."

"I guess 'twas frightful there to see
A lady so richly clad as she,
Beautiful exceedingly."

For, if it be terrible to one young lady to find another under a tree at midnight, it must, à fortiori, be much more terrible to a