Page:Tales of a Voyager to the Arctic Ocean, vol. 3 (1826).djvu/339

 beauty and her father, but in vain; till at length a tall slender fiend sprung from the circle towards him, and seizing his hand in her burning grasp, drew him forward, saying, ‘Why, Hendrick my betrothed, do you not know your bride?’

“Hendrick gazed upon her, and saw in her sharpened features, parchment skin, and glowing eyes, some appearance of the girl who had been the sole object of his and Wolfgang’s love; but with a shuddering start he endeavoured to free himself from her grasp. She, however, held him tightly, and drawing him to the circle, another fiend caught him by the hand, in the same manner, and he was thus forced to dance round the fire, as one of the group, whilst the demons grinned and chattered at him, with fearful and malicious joy.

“Although the heart of Hendrick sunk within him, at the hideous figures and grimaces of his companions, his senses still remained collected, and his thoughts were bent on finding some method of escaping from this detestable spot. His love and hopes were converted into the utmost disgust and dread, and his eyes wandered from side to side, to avoid the diabolical leers and hellish mockery of the fiend who pretended to be his bride. She, however, seemed