Page:Gothic Stories.djvu/31

 almot palpable fog, trange and unuual forms eemed to wim before their ight. No ound was heard; all was till for a few econds, when a kind of rutling noie mote on their ears, and the dun vapour which urrounded them was violently agitated–again all was till, which was broke by a voice at a ditance, harh and grating, crying, was the anwer given by a loud and dionant voice near them.

creamed another voice till more dicordant.

Amazed and terrified, Edmund exclaimed, “Who are you, who, thus wrapt in gloomy darknes, pierce with loud and trange outcries our wonder-truck ears?”

A peal of laughter hook the mity air; the hores trembled in every joint; and to the flowing mane of the king’s beautiful teed a lambent kind of fire affixed itelf, who, no longer obeying the curbing rein, flew forward with amazing peed, followed by Edmund with equal velocity. In vain did they endeavour to top their rapid career–they eemed impelled by ome powerful impule, and entered the wood, of which traditionary tales had told wonders.

Down the broad avenue, up which they were borne, treamed a blaze of light that illumined the night, and howed them a building of an odd and antique form; but howed it only momentarily; for as they reached the gate it vanihed, and all was total darknes, whilt, exhauted by fatigue, the wift courers of the king and Edmund fell beneath them.

The gate tood open; and whilt diengaging themelves from their dying hores, they pied a pale light proceeding from a door at the extreme end of a wide hall, whoe dark ide received not the faintet ray.

“Too ure are we,” aid James, “in the fatal wood of which I poke; nor hall we ecape from its dreaded incloure.”