Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 2.djvu/111

 an exception with me, being a stranger, and having reasons of moment to wish for an interview with the old man: The sight of the money seemed to have more weight with him than my words; he mused awhile, and then said, "since you are a stranger I will make an exception from the common rule, but I must insist upon your telling nobody of this indulgence."

So saying, he conducted me without farther ado to a narrow staircase, leading to a long and narrow passage, at length we came to a small black door, marked with three red crosses, through which I followed him into a dark gloomy room; the entrance was guarded by two men half asleep, and in the back ground close to the wall I beheld two human figures, of a ghastly woe-worn aspect, and, drawing near with a beating heart, saw that one of them was Volkert: His countenance was pale and emaciated, but still stamped with his usual dignity of mien; his head reclining against the wall, and his hands resting on his knees.