Page:Singular adventures of Sir Gawen, and the enchanted castle.pdf/5

5 the moon, which now and then poured light on the uncouth features of his companion, all was dark and dismal; the heart of Sir Gawen misgave him, neither spoke, and the knight pursued his guide merely by the noise she made in hurrying through the bushes, which was done with a celerity totally inconsistent with her former decripitude —At length the path grew wider, and a faint blue light, which came from a building at some distance, glimmered before them; they now left the wood, and issued upon a rocky and uneven piece of ground; the moon struggling through a cloud, cast a doubtful and uncertain light, and the old woman with a leer which made the very hair of Sir Gawen stand an end, told him that the dwelling was at hand. It was so, for a Gothic castle placed on a considerable elevation, now came in view; It was a large massy structure, much decayed, and some parts of it in a totally ruinous condition, a portion, however of the keep or great tower was still entire, as was also the enterance to the court or inclosure, preserved probably by the ivy, whose fibres crept round with solicitous care. Large fragments of the ruins were scattered about covered with moss, and half sunk in the ground and a number of old elm trees, through whole foliage the wind sighed with a sullen and melancholy sound, dropped a