Page:Tales of a Voyager to the Arctic Ocean, vol. 3 (1826).djvu/335

 Not now,’ cried Wolfgang, gasping with horror at the thought, ‘Hendrick is coming, he will slay me.’

I mean it,’ replied the demon laughing ferociously, ‘I brought him here, his dogs are mine—see he comes!’

“Wolfgang turned his head and saw Hendrick rushing towards him; he felt his figure change, his hands became feet, his head grew large and bristly, he sunk down towards the earth, and stood like a four-footed brute, but bewildered and unable either to fly or resist. The most bitter feelings of terror and despair overwhelmed his faculties. He sprung into the air, and attempted to scream with rage, but he only uttered a harsh hoarse roar, like a boarwolf. It was answered by Hendrick, who at that moment fixed his eye upon him, with a wild shout of joy; his friends also shouted, and the blood-hounds, giving a tremendous yell, sprung upon him and held him firmly with their teeth. Hendrick leaped from his horse, and raised his sword, and while Wolfgang vainly strove to exclaim, ‘Spare me, Hendrick! spare me!’ his rival and former friend smote off his head at a blow. His spirit fled with a groan, a dreadful clap of thunder shook the earth, a flash of