Page:Tales of my landlord (Volume 1).djvu/344

 thee not, that it is her wish the ceremony should go on.—Is it not, Isabella, my dear?"

"It is," said Isabella, half fainting—"since there is no help either in God or man."

The first word alone was distinctly audible. Mareschal shrugged up his shoulders and stepped back. Ellieslaw led, or rather supported, his daughter to the altar. Sir Frederick moved forward and placed himself by her side. The clergyman opened his prayer-book, and looked to Mr Vere for the signal to commence the service.

"Proceed," said the latter.

But a voice, as if proceeding from the tomb of his deceased wife, called, in such loud and harsh accents as awakened every echo in the vaulted chapel, "Forbear!"

All were mute and motionless, till a distant rustle, and the clash of swords, or something resembling it, was heard from