Page:The Literary Magnet 1825 vol 4.djvu/181

 ascent, before he took his seat. The Queen imagined she recognized in him young Henry of Navarre, whom she mortally hates, on account of his mother, for she exclaimed—“What! little Bearn on my throne?” Master Lucas instantly flew towards her, and conjured her, as she valued her life, not to utter a syllable. He appeared to have no small difficulty in resuming his operations, for the whole magic image trembled like an object reflected in troubled water. When, after many and powerful spells, he had again succeeded in restoring every thing to its former state, I saw the King again sitting placidly upon his throne. But his stay was not of very long duration, and he fell with a noise resembling thunder.

Now appeared three kings, one after the other, upon the throne, which became brighter and brighter; they sat each of them longer, much longer, than the former, and disappeared in a sitting posture. But when a fourth king had ascended the throne, Master Lucas again caused the apparition to disappear, and absolutely refused to show any thing more of the future. The Queen solicited in vain, and at length threatened him with her own and the King’s displeasure. Master Lucas now grew wroth, and exclaimed—“Since you will not remain in peace, gaze on—gaze on! till horror freezes your heart,—terror palsies your limbs; and may you not rest till all is fulfilled that you have seen!” His aspect now grew so terrible and appalling, that I feared I should have swooned away on the spot, and I fain would have fled from that scene of horror, had not the fear of detection retained me. The Queen must be endued with nerves of steel, for she calmly said, she was prepared for the worst, knowing that the spirits had no power over her. She persisted with more vehemence than before, till at length Master Lucas was again prevailed upon to renew the magic rites. The throne again appeared, with the king who had last ascended it. He sat quietly for a short time; then a peal of distant thunder burst over the throne, and became louder and louder: at length, the king rose, and—oh, Mother, how can I describe the horrible scene!—a frightful noise, more fearful than all the former, was heard; the sceptre and the crown were dashed to the earth; and immediately afterwards, the whole throne was shattered into pieces. The king was still standing on the ruins; but, a few moments after, he fell amidst a most tremendous crash. Monsters now began to rise, of more hideous shapes than any I had ever beheld embodied by the painter’s imagination in pictures of hell. These monsters combated with each other upon the ruins of the throne, which were soon dyed with blood; they tore one another in pieces, while shrieks of horror and yells of despair arose around. At length, a chair was seen to arise in the midst of this chaos, and a man, clad in shining arms, and invested with all the attributes of a hero, sat thereon. Ere long, the chair became transformed into a throne, far more magnificent than the former; its supporters were sceptres intertwined, and it was based upon crowns.

More I could not see; for the Queen became so terrified by the appalling scene before her, that her nerves of iron at length gave way, and she fell senseless to the ground. I hastened to assist her; but Master Lucas withheld me by force, exclaiming—“Lady, you are a dead woman, if you venture a single step forward!” At the same Rh