Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 2.djvu/52

 traces of blood I had seen on the pillow, which recalled all my apprehensions with redoubled anxiety.

Sleep, whom 'till now I had carefully kept at a distance, began, by degrees, to steal upon me, and shut at last with his leaden wand my heavy eyes: But I was scarce fallen asleep, when one of my pistols dropped on the floor, and went off. I started up, seized by the chilly fangs of terror, and in the same moment the other pistol slipped out of my hand. I had scarcely picked it up when the door suddenly flew open, and three fellows of a gigantic size entered my room with naked swords. Sleep, the report of my pistol, and the sudden appearance of those terrible men, had stunned me so much, that I, without knowing what I was doing, discharged my pistol, at which one of the villains dropped on the floor with a roaring yelp. A numerous crew, armed with guns, cutlasses, and daggers, rushed like lightning into my chamber, and, before I could unsheath