Page:Gothic Stories.djvu/17

 arms round her neck–hid his head in her boom–and mingled his tears with hers.

Fitzalan having at length lot ight of the dear objects that retarded his progres, purued his journey with all poible wiftnes: in a few minutes he entered upon the heath, acros which lay the road he was neceitated to take. Not a ingle houe was to be een before him–not an individual traveller appeared, whoe preence and converation might enliven the tedious way he had to go. It was now night, and the moon had not yet rien. The chilling wind, that howling mournfully through the trees cattered their hrivelled yellow foliage upon the ground; the gloomy, petre-like appearance of every urrounding object; the late parting from his wife and child; and the painful nature of the duty he was then hatening to perform, all contributed to fill the boom of Fitzalan with the mot melancholy reflections. “It is now ixteen years ago,” aid he to himelf, with a igh, “ince my brave and tender father disappeared on this heath; lain, mot probably, by the word of ome vile aain! Would to God that I could avenge his death! but, alas, I know not his murderer! The venerable Sir Edmund too, the friend, the guardian of my youth; he, whoe liberality preerved my independanceindependence [sic], when the rapacious Fitzurban, wreted from me my paternal domains–he will, perhaps, ere I can arrive at his catle, be no more! I hall not have the ad atisfaction of cloing thoe eyes that were ever turned upon me with the tendered affection. I hall not receive the bleing of him who delighted to contribute to my happines: but yet, all is not lot. My faithful lovely Edith, my little Edwin, till remain; and, while I poes them, I cannot be mierable.”

In this manner Fitzalan gave vent to his meditations. He had now travelled over one-third of the heath, when he imagined that he heard, at a great ditance, as the gale wafted the found, the trampling of hores feet: he topped for a moment, in hopes that ome one might be journeying the ame way with himelf: he litened–but, not again hearing it, he uppoed that he had