Page:Cross, or, The Spanish champion.pdf/21

19 diabolical intention by the situation of Perez, which promised not to admit any touch of pity into his bosom, sufficient for rousing him to her assistance.

To accomplish this purpose, after having by rest invigorated his limbs, he eagerly arose; but the sudden bursting open of a door arrested his steps, and fixed him motionless. The cold drops flowed from his pale visage; his staring eyeballs rolled, accompanied with convulsive starts, around him; and, while his knees knocked together, he sought in terror the cause of his alarm. His ears were wide open to catch the least sound, dreading one to succeed to that he had just heard.

Seraphina, after her first terror had subsided on being left in so miserable a situation, guided by despair and the feeble light which the window afforded her, paced cautiously round the room, with the hope of finding some place to hide herself from the attempts of Roderigo, which she so much dreaded. In the doing of which, her foot striking against some rubbish which lay in her way, threw her with violence against part of an old hanging; which giving way, her weight burst open a door behind, and she fell prostrate into a low and arched passage. Stunned with the fall, she remained motionless and insensible for some time; but at length, recovering, she raised her head, and beheld, by the light of a gloomy lamp which gleamed from an apartment to which this avenue led, a man of grim and furious visage standing over her.

Terror and apprehension robbed her of all power of utterance. While she gazed upon him with supplicating woe, his countenance instantly assumed a milder aspect: he raised her up in his arms, and leading her from the avenue, placed her on a seat; C