Angelina: Or, The Mystery of St. Mark's Abbey — page 48: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE MYSTERY OF 8ST. MARK’S ABBEY. 35 ehamber, closed the secret panel, the spring of which she had previously dis- covered, and hurried down the stairs into the hall. Here, for the first time, she paused to recover breath, to reflect upon the dreadful spectacle she had seen, and to decide what course it was best to pursue, At length, as it was getting late, she resolved to return home, and at another time to prosecute her search still farther, hoping that she might again encounter the mysterious female, and be enabled to discover some clue to the perpetrators of a crime, which had evidently been for so many years hidden, and which she could not help thinking she was ordained by an inscrutuble Power, to be the means of disclosing to the world. CHAPTER IX. with the utmost precipifation, and appalled at what she had seen, Ange- lina quitted the chamber, having, however, the presence of mind first to fasten the chest and close the trap over it, taking the key of the former with her. As she descended the broken stairs, her heart throbbed, and she frequently looked back expecting to see the ghastly shade of the murdered person pursu'ng her ; or fancying that she heard its dismal groans. Eveniog had now spread its sombre mantle over the earth, and when Ange- lina had reached the hall, her lamp being exhausted, she was involved in com- plete darkness. She had very little difficulty, notwithstanding, in finding her way to the door, but no sooner wag she abont to quit the place, than the light from a lantern blazed across her face, and she started back with considerable alarm when she beheld the Baron de Morton. Butif Angelina was alarmed, the terror of the baron appeared to be tenfold : he fixed his appalled gaze upoa her countenance, his face became deathly pale, his eyes were distended, his whole frame trembled, and he exclaimed in a voice hoarse with agitation :— ** Avaunt dread phantom! Why again do you cross my path? My eyes become seared in gazing on you! Jt was not I that did the bloody deed: why then do you haunt ne? Ah!—a light dawns upon my brain; fool I was to be so deceived! By hell! I will know whether you are mortal or a being of the other world. Ah! I grasp your arm, you are not what my coward conscience conjured up; no, I know you now; you are the girl whose strange likeness to her has so haunted my fancy. Nay,. attempt not to leave me; you have heard too much, and——”’ ‘+ My lord,” ejaculated Angelina, as the baron grasped her arm, ‘ what means this violence, and how have I incurred your displeasure? for heaven’s sake do not grasp my arm so vchemently, but suffer me to depart.’’ ‘¢ Never!” cried the baron, *¢ never shall you leave me, until [ am satisfied who you are, and for what purpose you visit these ruins so frequently ; tell | the, girl, and without equivocation, Mr. Woodfield is in no way related to you ; is it not so ?”’ ‘¢ Why do you ask me such a question, my lord?” said the astonished Ange- lina 3 ‘“‘ and why should you take such an interest in one who——”- “ Answer my question, girl,” cried-the baron parcels, while an indescribable / CORNICE DO© (SO)