Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 1.djvu/110

 resounded still through the winding caverns, but soon all around was hushed in profound silence. After a short pause of horrid stillness, the trampling of horses and the sound of horns was heard again; yet that noise died also away before we recovered our recollection."

"When our astonishment began to sub- side, we perceived that we were standing in a dark cellar, without knowing whether any one of us was missing. A disagreeable sul- phurous odour affected our smelling organs, and bereft us almost of the power of respi- ration; not a whisper interrupted the dead midnight silence which surrounded us. At length somebody took me by the hand, I shuddered back, my imagination being still the wrestling place of horrid wild phantoms, and my soul divining a thousand dreadful thoughts."

"It is I," said the Lieutenant, and I felt at once as if an heavy load had been taken from my breast. Now the Baron began also