Page:Infernal secret, or, The invulnerable Spaniard.pdf/20

20 this he placed the boy near his mother, and by his looks aud manner endeavoured to inspire her with courage to encounter the threats and entreaties of the desperate and almost lost Montilla, the bell again gave dreadful note of the close approach of midnight. Montilla's eyes gleared fire when he beheld Theodore with his uplifted crucifix, and he furiously exclaimed, “ Art thou of earth or hell--if I reach thee I'll tear thee piecemeal, he then discharged a pistol at the interpid and faithful domestic; but Theodore, whose eyes were narrowly on the watch stooped, and avoided its effects. Here the bell gave the last warning save one, of midnight, the wretched Montilla became delirious with rage, terror, and approaching death, he looked fearfully around, and saw, for the last time on earth, the entire failure of all his purposes. The Alphonso party had arrived many hundreds strong; the bravos were nearly all cut to pieces. The Marques Antaldi reached his daughter and her child. Isidora cast a remorseful look to the appalled Montilla, and exclaimed, Pray, Montilla, pray, and we will join in supplication for thee; but the only answer she could obtain was, "All prayer is mockery now; the fiends and furies gnaw thee with perpetual remorse.” here he paused as if suffering great internal agony: but snddenly drawing forth his poniard he aimed a blow at Juan, who would have perished beneath the murderous aim, had not the dreaded hour of midnight tolled. The face of nature became suddenly darkened-the moon refused her light, a violent gust blew out every torch; when the grey glimmering of morning light appeared, no traces of the stranger were to be discovered, but the skeleton arm and hand grasping a poniard.