Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 2.djvu/81

 The exhilerating juice of the grape spread mirth and cheerfulness around, the spacious cavern re-echoed their jocund songs, the tale of their exploits gave variety to the entertainment, and it seemed as if the sting of conscience had entirely lost, with them, its pungent point. The cloth was at length removed, the beldam, who had been waiting at table, began now likewise to eat, and the robbers made themselves ready to leave their subterraneous haunt.

"To day," said the Captain to me, before they departed, "thou shalt stay at home, but to-morrow thou art to be of our party, and thy deportment must decide whether we can enlist thee in our noble company, or shall knock thy brains out."

Then the whole crew sallied forth through the iron door, without giving me time to answer, and left me alone with the old woman, who was very assiduous to amuse me,