ww perish, it shall not be with thy brutal scoff's in our ears, or thy fiendish eyes to glare upon our departing agony. Here shall you remain ALONE until we are rescued, or thy death takes place; and you, who best know what resources you have within you to sustain your fortitude as famine consumes you, will know how to thank your own villany for the terrible situation in which it has placed you. If you are not wholly abandoned to wickedness, offer up to God your most earnest prayers for mercy hereafter, and speedy death here-for you, at least, there is no hope of escape." for me, will make him persist in his search until this place, among others, has been explored." "I hope it will be the first place he thinks of," ejaculated Rubacelle. "And I," answered Wat; "but I doubt it; we shall not perhaps need his aid-let us make a search at once." "Those windows perhaps may afford us means of escape ?" "There is no chance of that. In the first place, it would be impossible to reach them without assistance, which we have not got; and, secondly, I can see the aperture is too small for either you or I to squeeze Wat took Rubacelle by the hand, and led her from the place. As he passed through the doorway, Bull-through if even we could reach them-there is no frie suddenly cried out, in an altered tone,--"Stay! Come back!" "Not if you held in your hand the means of our deliverance, and swore to employ it to save us!" returned Wat, closing the door after him as he crossed the threshold, without heeding the yells which Bullfric poured out for him to return. When they had quitted the cell a few paces, Rubacelle, who clung to Wat as if she expected some fresh attack, from which he only could protect her, said to him, in a tone of anxiety,- "That dreadful man could not have spoken the truth; there is surely some way of escaping from these dreary vaults ?" hope that way, but there may be some opening, natheless yon villain's asseveration to the contrary. Come, cheer up, we must not give way to despair until all hope has left us, and it must be some time before that takes place; we shall escape, never fear— although it may be a dreary time ere we do, yet we shall escape, or for the first time my presentiments will fail me.' "I sincerely trust we may; it is not so much for myself that I feel despondent, but for you-you who have already incurred so much harm for my sake, and who now, to save me from a terrible fate, have been shut in this lonely place, with but a frail possibility of getting free, or of being rescued ere death overtakes you." "I hope so, and think so, but fear we shall be unable to discover it," replied Wat. "It shall not, Nay, maiden, think not of that-I have done however, be for want of a trial. Come, if your naught for you I would not have done for any one in fright has not robbed you of all your strength, we your strait." will search the place minutely, but if you feel fatigued, "I believe it," she uttered, enthusiastically. seat yourself upon the base of one of these pillars, "And for the hazard, 'tis not worth a thought. I and I will prosecute my scrutiny alone. If I should am a soldier, and incur the daily risk of embracing be so fortunate as to find an outlet, believe me, I will death in many shapes, therefore let no such consideranot be long in making you acquainted with it, or in{tion have any weight with you; our lives are in the making use of it." "Oh, no, I could not stay alone-I will go with you. I am not tired-indeed, I am not; you shall see that I can very well endure considerable fatigue." "Yet you look pale and weary." "But I am not. You must not leave me alone; I should die with fright." 66 Nay, you are not such a coward; beside, there is nothing now to harm you." "I am no coward when near you, but if I were alone, I should conjure up such frightful things, my brain would turn. Oh, do not leave me! indeed, I shall not be tired, nor frightened, nor anything but pleased when near you." Rubacelle uttered these last words in such a tone of fullness of heart, and pressed his arm, and looked up with such swimming eyes and earnest manner, that had Wat been as observant respecting himself as of others, he would have surmised that there was something more than mere gratitude dictating the words and action. He, however, thought no more of it than as a kind remembrance on her part of what he had done, and so, smiling, said,- "Well, if it gives you pleasure, you shall be near me. Come, we will together look for means of deliverance; and if we cannot find them, we will sit down together and patiently await--" "Death!" uttered Rubacelle, mournfully. "No!" replied Wat, pressing her hand as he saw her head droop. "Not so bad as that; we shall surely be missed-my friend, Michael, is aware that I went in pursuit of Bullfric, and I am sure will not rest until he has found us out; he may be many hours before he conceives the idea that we may be here; but I know his perseverance, and his affection keeping of our Maker, and we shall not perish unless He has so ordained it-if He has, nothing we can do will avert it. In any case, despondency or sadness will avail us naught, so let us cheerfully prosecute our search, and see what Providence has in store for us." "If I thought that you would bear our situation more lightly by my smiling and talking cheerfully, or that it would add one small degree to your sanguine expectations of escape, I would most gladly obey you-you should not know by my countenance but that I was walking in some pleasant place, and was very, very happy.' "It will certainly take something off the care and regret I must feel, to know your painful situation in being imprisoned thus." "Then will I look glad and contented, nor breathe one mournful sigh to make you think otherwise; and we will search together with hopeful and cheerful hearts, trusting in the goodness of the Almighty to save us from the dreadful fate of perishing here; but if it be His will that no aid shall reach us, why we will e'en die together as a-a-" She hesitated, but Wat said nothing, and seemingly making an effort to conquer a strong emotion, she looked up with a full, earnest, tender gaze, and faltered, "An affectionate brother and sister." "Even so," replied Wat, quietly. He pressed her hand as he spoke, but Rubacelle felt a pang of disappointment pass through her heart to find that he said no more. Once more Wat sought the door which had denied them egress, and exhausted his invention in devising means to open it, without success-it remained im moveable. He sought over every inch, with the hope to find the spring that commanded it, but in vain. He returned for the stone which he had dashed open the cell door with, and when he arrived at it, Bullfric heard his footsteps, and called out to him; he heeded him not, but endeavoured to lift the stone, but to his { surprise found he could scarcely move it. Again Bullfric shouted to him, but he returned no answer, still essaying with all his strength to raise the block of stone. Bullfric heard his efforts. "Aha!" he roared, "you may take the stone block an' you will, and dash it against the door if you can, but I tell you as I told you before, the heavier your blows, the firmer you will fasten yourself in, so that those without cannot help you if they would; try it, and when you are worn out with fatigue and despair, you will remember my words." Wat made no reply, but strove still harder to get the stone into his arms, wondering how he had before raised it even high in the air, when now he was unable to lift it an inch from the ground, but he forgot that the madness of his desperation lent him a strength which in cooler moments he might despair { of being able to employ. Rubacelle, who saw his exertions, wanted with her delicate gentle hands to assist-and if willingness to share his toil and labour had been all that was required to raise the massive block, he would, with her aid, have borne it as though it had been a feather: he would not, however, permit her to touch it, and commenced rolling it forward. Bullfric persisted in calling to him, although he was unheeded. "You are but ensuring your doom," he cried; "besides there is another way besides the iron door to escape ?" "Heaven be praised!" cried Rubacelle, eagerly; and forgetting everything but the hope of escape, inquired, "where is it ?" "I am not quite such a fool as to tell, without making good terms for myself," returned he. "Then keep your secret," exclaimed Wat;"your fate is sealed, there is no release for you but death." "Nor you," cried Bullfric, with a sneering laugh. "We shall see," returned Wat; "the hint that there is an outlet besides that door is enough for meI'll find it out." "You cannot! even I, who know every inch of the ground, and know all about it, would have difficulty to discover it-I'm sure, therefore, you won't. You'd better come to my terms-set me free, and hold me scatheless for what I have done, and then I'll warrant to get you from here." "I would perish rather," returned Wat with stern determination. "And see the maiden, too, starve and die by inches for your obstinacy?" "Think not of me," cried Rubacelle eagerly, as she saw the rapid change that passed over Wat's features at his words; "do only as you would were I not near." "Fear not," replied Wat, "I can save you without his aid, I trust; but if not, it would be better that your freedom were purchased even at that villain's safety than you should perish." "I am not afraid to die," said Rubacelle, "and would rather do so than you should compromise your word or forego any just determination you might form, and regret hereafter it had not been fulfilled!" "Your safety is a far greater consideration than any determination of mine," rejoined Wat. "We will, however, try everything we can first, and if all our efforts fail, then I will apply to him." "And then it will be too late," cried Bullfric. "If you do not at once agree, my lips shall be closed as firmly as though death had sealed them." "The fear of death will open them," said Wat, scornfully. "Not though I were at the last gasp," exclaimed Bullfric. "I could see famine eating your cheeks to the bone-make your eyes ready to start out of your head-could see you fall upon your knees in abject misery-hear your frantic prayers for mercy, and though I knew a word would save you and myself, { too, I would die without uttering it. I can be as firm as you, and care for death as little as you do. I would not advise you to try me, but come to my terms at once." Wat made him no reply, but making a tremendous exertion got the stone into his arms, and, tottering beneath its ponderous weight, made towards the iron { door, followed by Rubacelle. Bullfric heard him depart, and uttering the most frightful oaths, vowed that nothing should Low make him disclose the secret of the outlet; he yelled forth shouts of derision, of scorn, and defiance, and ended in cries of despair. Wat paid no attention to them, but persevered in endeavouring to break in the door, but uselessly. The stone was far too large to be employed with facility; and required greater strength than he or any human being possessed to cast effectually at the door; therefore, after several futile attempts, he was obliged to give up all hopes of succeeding that way. Then did he and Rubacelle search the whole range of vaults and passages with the closest scrutiny, but without discovering the outlet of which Bullfric had spoken, and night came on while they were yet searching, and then they returned to the largest vault of the range, and seated themselves upon the stone sill of the door leading to the passage through which they were debarred egress, and for a time they were both silent and sad; but Wat roused himself and tried to cheer Rubacelle by telling her that the morning would bring them help he was sure, and bade her not fear although they were in that dark dull place alone, and she, who could not be impercipient of his kind motive, or of what he had undergone and incurred in her behalf, strove hard to repay him by appearing cheerful and contented, and full of hope that the morrow would bring them freedom, and said many things smilingly, and, as it appeared, happily, in order to cheer him and keep him from thinking that her heart was sinking with horror and apprehension at being there; and as the night advanced she grew heavy and tired, and full of sleep, and at last laid her head upon his breast and slumbered as gently and sweetly as though she had naught to raise one sad misgiving in her mind. Wat watched the long night through, if not with melancholy forebodings of being buried there alive, at least with thoughts which were oppressed by the nature of his situation. His thoughts recurred to Violet, and, despite of all he could do to the contrary, they were filled with strange presentiments of evil to her, and misery to himself. He endeavoured to laugh them impatiently away, as the consequence of his unpleasant predicament, and tried to think of other things, but they would return and settle themselves like evil spirits upon him. Two or three times during the night he heard Bullfric's shouts, but they did not waken Rubacelle, and he heeded them no further; and then the grey of morning began to appear, and he bent his ear to listen intently whether he could not hear efforts being made to discover him, but there was no sound conveying any such blissful intelligence; and then Rubacelle awoke, cold and shivering, and stared wildly round her for some little time ere she could remember where she was, or how she came there, but the sight of Wat, looking pale and haggard with his fatigue and sleepless night in the cold morn ing light, soon restored her to her recollection-one that was very sad. She took both his hands, and would { would have said something to him, but that her heart was too full, and she could only hang her head to conceal her tears. Wat, however, smiled and spoke cheeringly, and again they essayed to discover some outlet, looking with the most vigilant investigation at every place where a secret door or outlet of any description was likely to exist, and even in those places where such a thing seemed improbable, but always with the sickening certainty that they searched in vain. They returned frequently to the iron door, to listen if there was any search being made for them, and staid there nearly an hour each time; but no, all was silent and still-the very absence of sound seeming a bugbear to frighten hope away. Night again drew near; Wat felt faint for want of sustenance, but said nothing, although Rubacelle several times referred to it; and she would have made no complaint to have saved herself from death, for fear he should have his sufferings (and she knew by her own feelings that he must be enduring many pangs he would not display) added to by any lamentations or murmurings on her part. When the shades of evening were making the pillars and forms indistinct, and there seemed to be but little hope left that they would be discovered, Wat thought it would be better to go to Bullfric and accede to his terms, but Rubacelle said she hoped that help would soon arrive-it could not now be far distant, and would not on her account suffer him to compromise his sense of justice; as he was resolved to wait a much longer time on his own, he did n go, but when night enshrouded them once more in darkness, they returned to the door sill and seated themselves, and Wat endeavoured to beguile the time by relating tales and repeating such things as would keep Rubacelle from sinking into despair, until, quite worn out with fatigue, they both dropped into a deep slumber. Wat was the first to awake, and found that the sun had risen considerably, for the place was quite light. Rubacelle's head still rested on his breast, and she still slept; he looked upon her face, which was wan, and began to show indications of a want of nourishment, in the sunken eyes and pallid cheeks. His heart smote him, for he thought it might be his terrible lot to see those indications fearfully increase, and be unable to do aught to remove them; he fancied she looked like Violet as she slept-her face was very fair and her features very beautiful; } there was the same contour, the same coloured hair, the same formed eyelids; the more he gazed, the stronger he fancied the resemblance, and upon the impulse of the moment he bent over her and very gently kissed her forehead; she opened her eyes slowly as he did so, and smiled sweetly, while he felt the warm blood rush up into his face. He, however, made no allusion to it, nor did she; but after a short embarrassing silence, he questioned her whether she did not feel feeble and faint, and she did not deny that such was the case, but rejoined, if such was her feeling, what must be his? He would not acknowledge that he was much affected by his long abstinence; and, indeed, the keen sense of hunger which had so painfully oppressed him the previous day, had subsided into a faint, sick feeling, that brought more of feebleness with it than a desire to eat. Once more they prosecuted a search among the vaults and passages, with a hope that they might yet discover the outlet, only to be disappointed, and have hard struggles to dispel the gloomy anticipations which were seizing fast hold of them, in spite of their efforts to the contrary. www Again they visited the iron door, against which Wat beat and shouted at the same time, until the vaults rung with his voice, without having any reply { but the bitter mockery of the echo of his own words. He could see that Rubacelle was growing paler and paler, and could tell by the way in which she clung to his arms that she was growing more feeble every hour. The afternoon was approaching, and still there was no sound or symptom of help being at hand-their situation was becoming terrible; Wat felt that his strength was leaving him, and that he was getting oppressed by a raging thirst; his mouth and throat were dry and parched, and he could with difficulty force out his words. He saw that Rubacelle was watching his countenance earnestly and sadly, and surmised that his face must bear likewise the long fast he had suffered impressed upon it as strongly as hers; and then he thought if her life and his own could be spared, even t the expense of the escape of such a villain as Bullfric from the punishment which he so richly deserved, it would be better than that all should perish, and no good gained. When he had come to this determination, he said to Rubacelle "I will to Bullfric, and even at the expense of obtaining him a free pardon, I will get from him the means of escape; the hope, now, that we shall be discovered is but a frail one, and it will be better far that he should escape than you perish." "Or you!" replied Rubacelle, fervently; "go to him, he will be sure to tell you all you wish to know, and we shall yet be happy." "You will not be alarmed to remain here until I return ?" May I not accompany you?" "It is impossible to tell what change bad passions and a want of food may have made in his features-I would spare you the pain of such a sight." "You are very thoughtful, and very, very kind; I will be guided in all things by you. I will wait here if you wish it until your return." Wat pressed her hand, and she seated herself upon the sill, for she was growing weak and exhausted; he hastened to the cell in which he had confined Bullfric; he was not long in reaching it, and, as he anticipated, the change in the ruffian was awful to behold; his face was white to ashyness-his hair was straggling over his eyes, which were like fiery balls ready to start from their sockets-his cheek bones were fearfully sharp-his nose seemed pinched, and to protrude much beyond its usual place-he appeared altogether wild, haggard, and a ghastly victim of gaunt famine. Wat was shocked at the sight, and started as he beheld him. Bullfric grinned as he entered, but uttered no word, and Wat, conquering the strong repugnance he felt to interchange a word with him, said "You see me here; you guess the purport of my visit?" Bullfric nodded, grinned, but did not speak. "I have come to hear your terms by which our release is to be effected ?" Bullfric nodded, but said nothing. "Name them, and if they are reasonable, I will comply with them. What are they ?" "None!" roared Bullfric, in a voice frightfully hollow. il "Not if life and free pardon were offered thee ?" "No!" "Nor a large sum proffered to boot ?" "Not to be made an emperor!" "Wretch of what good can the death of the maiden be to thee ?" "The same as yours-it brings me revenge. She hates me, and, doubtless, likes you; if she won't be mine, she shan't be thine, not though you have-" "Hell-hound, forbear! does not the prospect of a speedy death deter thee from uttering such infernal malignity ?" "No! I shall give up my last gasp with delight, for then I shall know you are both stretched upon the stone flags beyond all help-dead or lingering, and praying-if you are one of the fools who think prayers can help-to die, without the strength to raise a finger, or power to utter a sound, and writhing in the agony which famine's iron fangs will tear you with-ha! ha!-I've felt it all, but I shall not suffer alone-I shall have rare company." "Do you refuse to help us to escape ?" fiercely interrupted Wat. "I do, I do! I would not let—" "Will you communicate to me, on consideration of being let free and paid handsomely, the secret of the outlet ?" "No! I'll have the sweet revenge of making you starve to death," he roared. Wat rushed from the place to save himself from slaying the wretch; he had with difficulty commanded his temper during the colloquy-his case was desperate, and the bitter scoffs of Bullfric seemed like pouring oil on fire; he felt that had he remained another second he should have sprung upon him and at a bow accomplished the death that by slow but sure degrees was stealing over him. Rubacelle saw Wat advancing rapidly towards her, and augured well of it, hope prognosticating that there could be no haste but that which good news had created, and she rose from her seat, and stretched out her hands towards him, smiling faintly, yet joyously, end saying feebly "He will set us free, will he not ?-ah, I was sure his heart could not be so hard that he would let you perish; he has been very wicked, but not so bad as that! and shall we go now directly, and shall we be sure to get free?-ah, you hang your head mournfully -he does not refuse, he cannot refuse; oh, merciful Heaven! speak to me-look not so very, very sad, he will set us free!" "He is a wretch without parallel,” replied Wat ; "let us not talk of him." "Oh God, have mercy upon us! is there no hope ?" "While we have life let us not despair; there is hope even at the eleventh hour, that we may be saved. You must be sure the search for us is made as anxiously as we look for its discovery of us, and while there is a chance of finding us I know there are those without who will not cease their efforts. But if the worst should come to the worst, and it should be the will of the Almighty that we die here, let us meet our fate patiently and resignedly the bitterest tears, the loudest lamentations, the shrieks of despair and hope lessness, will not assist in releasing us, but, on the contrary, add to the horror of our situation; so let us bear this dispensation calmly, and, if not cheerfully, at least unafflictedly; let us look the danger in the face, and it will have little or no terror for us." "And so I would, if I only were to suffer; but indeed, I am very miserable to think I should have been the cause of death-a death so dreadful, to you -you who-" I know you would not wish to pain me, Rubacelle," interrupted Wat, in gentle tones; "but if you speak thus you will, and that considerably. Come, let us look again for this hidden outlet-of which Bullfric has the secret, though I am somewhat inclined to think it nowhere exists-it will pass the dreary time away if we are not successful. Come, lean on methere all will yet be well-God will not desert us, feel he will not-we will walk very gently, and rest now and then as we proceed; so, cheerly-that is well." I And using such kind words, though uttered in a low hollow voice, Wat led Rabacelle along; she was very feeble, and tottered on, scarcely able to support herself. Wat himself had but little more strength; he felt dizzy and light-headed; several times during their slow progress the place seemed to whirl round with him, and he staggered as if he must fall; but stretching out his hands to any pillar that was near, he saved himself, and after a moment's rest proceeded, trying hard to say things to comfort Rubacelle, who was so weak and powerless, that she had not the power to prevent the tears which fell profusely down her pallid wasted cheeks, although she would have given worlds to have done so, in order that Wat might not see them. They wandered about, and as well as their feeble limbs would permit them, visited every place they had before scrutinized, only to be subjected to the sick depression of the heart utter ill success creates. They got back to their old resting-place, fatigued dreadfully by their exertions, and seated themselves silently upon the stone step. Wat felt that if his burning thirst was not allayed he must go mad-horrid imaginings rose up, and though he tried strenuously to drive them from him, they would throng and crowd into his brain; he felt a horrible impulse seize him to rave and tear and act franticly, yet possessed the knowledge that to indulge in it would be mere madness, and, in a fit of desperation, he resolved to pay Bullfric another visit, to endeavour to get from him, by any means, he cared not what, some clue to the outlet, and he turned to Rubacelle to tell her what he proposed doing, but found her leaning back in a sleep, like unto a death-swoon. He shuddered to look on the ravages famine, in three short days, had made, and could have wept in very despair, that one so young and fair should be doomed to such a dreadful fate; he would not disturb her, and tottered feebly to Bullfric's cell, reeling like a drunken man from utter weakness. As he reached the door, he heard a moaning and it seemed like an ineffectual effort to pronounce his name. He made an effort to hasten his steps, and entered. He shuddered to see the horrible state the wretched man was in: he was foaming at the mouth-his eyes were protruding fearfully, and his jaws were working in vain efforts to make himself heard. He uttered a cry of joy as his eyes encountered Wat, and articulated, so feebly that he could scarce make himself understood,"Water water!" "I have none!" replied Wat, hoarsely, the thirst he was himself enduring receiving an im petus at the very name; "I have none, would to God I had!" |