Page:Clermont - Roche (1798, volume 2).djvu/152

 "Peter's master now declared he was taken very ill, and must go directly to his chamber. Scarcely had he spoken, when the dreadful creaking of an iron door was heard, and a faint light flashed upon him, from the spiral stair-case of an old tower, that had for centuries been uninhabited, from an idea of its being haunted.

'Lord, defend me! (cried Peter); I have the key of the iron door at the top of the tower in my possession, and no human hand could have opened it; the light, too, from the stair-case is quite a blue flame.'

"Hark (cried Floretta at this moment, with an affrighted countenance), what noise is that?"

"Noise!" (repeated Agatha, with an emotion of fear.)

"Oh! 'tis only the wind (continued she, listening a minute); it often comes in this way against the doors, as if it would burst them open; but bless me, Mam'selle (look-