Page:The Enchanted Knights; or The Chronicle of the Three Sisters.djvu/66

54 young lady in an irresistible magic slumber. The charming sight of so lovely a form kindled in his breast the spark of love. Motionless and amazed he gazed at her without being able to avert his eyes.

Knight Reginald having looked around saw opposite to the slumbering lady an alabaster tablet, covered with hieroglyphic characters. He supposed that upon this tablet was engraved the talisman which held all the enchantments, and in his just anger, he struck it with his clenched hand covered with an iron gauntlet, with all his might, and immediately the beautiful sleeper started, cast a glance at the tablet, and sank back into insensible slumber. Reginald repeated the blow, and the same occurrence took place. He now considered how to destroy the talisman, but he had neither sword nor spear, nought but two sound arms, wherewith he then took the magic tablet, and threw it down upon the marble ground. It shivered to pieces. The sound caused the lady to awake as if from death, and she only then beheld the knight before her who bent his knee in honour of her charms. But before he began to speak, she covered her angelic face with a Corinthian veil, and angrily exclaimed, “Begone, infamous monster! although you take the form of a beautiful youth, you