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 it–but his utmot trength could not open it again. After everal ineffectual attempts, he looked behind him, and beheld, acros a hall, upon a large tair-cae, a pale bluih flame, which cat a dimal gleam of light around. He again ummoned forth his courage, and advanced toward it–it retired. He came to the foot of the tairs; and, after a moment’s deliberation, acended. He went lowly up, the flame retiring before him, till he came to a wide gallery. The flame proceeded along it, and he followed in ilent horror, treading lightly, for the echoes of his footteps tartled him: It led him to the foot of another tair-cae, and then vanihed! At the ame intant another toll ounded from the turret. Sir Bertrand felt it trike upon his heart. He was now in total darknes; and, with his arms extended, began to acend the econd tair-cae. A dead cold hand met his left hand, and firmly grafped it, drawing him forcibly forward–he endeavoured to diengage himelf, but could not he made a furious blow with his word, and intantly a loud hriek pierced his ears, and the dead hand was left powerles in his–he dropped it, and ruhed forward with a deperate valour.

The tairs were narrow and winding, and interrupted by frequent breaches, and looe fragments of tones. The tair-cae declined narrower and narrower, and at length terminated in a low iron grate. Sir Bertrand puhed it open it led to an intricate winding paage, jut large enough to admit a peron upon his hands and knees. A faint glimmering of light erved to how the nature of the place. Sir Bertrand entered–a deep hollow groan reounded from a ditance through the vault–he went forward; and, proceeding beyond the firt turning, dicerned the ame blue flame which had before conducted him–he followed it. The vault, at length, uddenly opened into a lofty gallery, in the midt of which a figure appeared, completely armed, thruting forward the bloody tump of an arm, with a terrible frown, and menacing geture, brandihing a word in his hand. Sir