Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 1.djvu/102

 echoed through the dreary abode of horror as we walked nigher."

"The old man stopped at a small distance from the marble coffin, beckoning to us to come nigher; we moved slowly on, and he made a sign not to advance farther than he could reach with extended arms. The Lieutenant placed himself at his right, I took my station at his left, and the Baron opposite to him."

"Now he put the lamp on the ground before him, taking his book, an ebony wand, and a box of white plate, out of his wallet:—Out of the latter he strewed a reddish sand around him, drew a circle with his wand, and folded his hands across his breast, then he pronounced amid terrible convulsions, some mysterious words, opened the book and began to read, whilst his face was distorted in a grisly manner; his convulsions grew more horrible as he went on reading; all his limbs seemed to be contracted by a convulsive fit.