Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 1.djvu/109

 Old man. "How darest thou claim it, reprobate villain? Return to thy damned companions in hell. Respect this seal, respect these characters."

"Here the old man pointed at the door of the vault which had been sealed up: The phantom staggered towards it but suddenly shuddered back, and sunk groaning on the ground; a flash of lightning illuminated the cellar, and a tremendous peal of thunder resounded through the lofty vault; all the doors were shut again with a terrible noise, a frightful howling filled our ears, and horrid phantoms hovered before our eyes; flashes of lightning hissed through the vault, and roaring claps of thunder threatened to overturn the whole fabric."

"The lightning ceased by degrees, and the roaring of thunder died away, a blue flame was still glimmering on the staircase, but it soon died away, and we were surrounded with darkness; groans and dreadful lamentations