Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 1.djvu/81

 and the Baron began again to read to us.—When the Lieutenant's turn came for the second time, he looked at his watch and exclaimed, "three quarters past eleven, we must be on our guard."

"He got up and went to the window, I followed him, impenetrable darkness surrounded us, no star could be seen: Awful silence was still swaying around, interrupted only by the snoring John, and the creaking of the wood; the pale light of our lamp produced an horrid glimmering in the spacious dreary hall; the Baron leaning his head upon his arm, struggled to forget every object around him, and the officer uttered not a single word."

"Now we heard a clock toll twelve at a great distance, and I walked softly back to my seat, the Lieutenant did the same, taking up one of his pistols, and rubbing the lock with his handkerchief. We looked at each other, and every one of us strove in vain to