Page:Clermont - Roche (1798, volume 4).djvu/242

 Not when she trembled beneath the poignard of a supposed assassin—when she shuddered at the idea of having seen a being of the other world—when she groaned from a conviction of her father's being a murderer—did Madeline receive such a shock, did she experience such horrors as she now felt on discovering Lafroy to be a villain! She dropped upon her knees, and raised her eyes and trembling hands to heaven, though unable to articulate a prayer.

She had not been in this situation above two minutes, when a loud knock came to the door. Madeline started wildly from the floor, and looked round to see if there was any place which could afford her concealment; but no such place presented itself to her view. The knock was repeated with increased violence; and scarcely could she prevent the wild shriek of despair from bursting from her lips. Her silence, however, availed her but little; for the knock was repeated, and the moment after, the door