Page:Cross, or, The Spanish champion.pdf/22

20 then rushing with rekindled rage toward the passage, he fixed upon it his glaring eyes; but hearing no sound, he quitted the entrance and stalked, with furious muttering and brandished weapon, to the further end of the apartment; where, often starting, he fixed his eyes upon the ground, and groaned deeply.

Meantime Roderigo having awakened Perez, accompanied by him, ventured to push open the door leading to the apartment in which Seraphina had been confined, and peeping in, beheld the faint light which glimmered through the vaulted entrance of the inner recess. They gazed upon each other with amazement and apprehension; yet at length they ventured, finding all still, to pass through the first apartment, and approach the passage; where they beheld, with astonishment, Seraphina seated by the trembling flame, and leaning dejectedly upon her hand.

The furious Spaniard, who had assisted her, was fixed in deep and convulsed agitation of mind, with his eyes rivetted on the earth, at a distance, and out of sight from the entrance; and the cautious observers of Seraphina, conceiving her to be alone, though unable to account for the light, determined to seize her; and rushing in, were on the point of accomplishing their purpose, when her screams, and the sight of her assailants, roused the agonized Spaniard. Darting upon then with his sword, he exclaimed, with frenzied looks, “Come on, my brave countrymen, and aided by this arm; drive the murderous infidels before you! thus let us avenge our wrongs!"

Roderigo and Perez, surprized and terrified, started from their prey; and though they saw but one, who with fury rushed upon them, their frightened imaginations made them fancy his