Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 2.djvu/69

 assailing my ears from afar, and the loud clamorous shouts of our troop.

The sound of horns drew nearer, and my conductors answered it by blowing theirs. Now I perceived a powerful troop of horsemen sweeping the heath like a hurricane. In an instant I was surrounded by a numerous crew on horseback, and rough dismal voices vibrated in my ear in a confused manner: One of them struck fire, a number of torches were lighted, and I beheld, with amazement and dismay, a large troop of terrible beings around me.

Whithersoever I turned my eyes I was frightened almost out of my wits by stern threatening looks: They soon perceived the workings of my desponding mind, laughed at my fear, and uttered terrible execrations. One of them who bore a more tremendous aspect than the rest, came: forth, the noisy crew was awed in solemn silence, and the terrible man began to address them thus: