Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 120: what you’re looking at

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IVAN THE friend who is kindly permitted by him to come and tell you the strange story of Will Winter in all its marvellous bearings.” “Tf, then, you be my brother’s friend, you must be both of ncoble birth and a man of honour, No one but a man of virtue would be permitted by my brother thus unceremoniously to visit me at this late hour.” “T am of noble birth, fair one,” said Andy, meekly bowing. There was no light in the apartment save the moon’s pale rays, and as Andy’s dark figure appeared before them, they turned pale and instinctively shuddered. “ Who and what are you,sir? I fear you. Speak, sir, or I will arouse the mansion.” “Tam, fair lady, your brother’s friend, Sir Thomas Clif- ford,” said Andy, bowing, “andin presence of so much virtue, beauty and dignity; I cannot but crave pardon for my appa- rently rude intrusion.” He advanced towards Lizzie Ashton as thus he spoke. Lizzie, with a shudder, which quivered through every limb, cowered behind Lady Laura, half-shrieking. “No! no! no! Protect me, Laura! Ifearhim! Do not let him touch me, I cannot but tremble! he reminds me of my father’s assassin. I cannot look at him without fear and shuddering.” Lady Laura showed in an instant that the stranger nad not spoken of her dignity without warrant. . Like a queen she drew herself up, and interposed between him and Lizzie with a majesty of fesicasone and determina- tion in her aspect which compelled him to pause, She raised her hand and said, ‘Sir Thomas Clifford, if such you really be, keep your place and your position. It is only cowards and knaves who forget the respect due to innocence, or attempt to remove the barrier which virtue places as a shield beforeit. Advance no further, whoever you are, or I shall believe that you are both an arrant coward and an atrocious villain. Nay, worse, for, if you are Sir Thomas Clifford, you have a high estate, from which to fall is a disgrace of deeper dye than that which invests the villains of low or obscure origim.” For a moment Andy stood abashed at the stately manner of Lady Laura. With a sudden burst of vulgar rage and impetuosity of manner he betrayed himself, and exclaimed, “This scene has lasted long enough ; let us understand each other. The play is over—I have acted my part, you yours ; we will now be more natural, You are herein my power— mine—mine to dispose of as I please, for you know me not. No soul but myself and my trusty servant knows of your presence here, and I will plainly tell you both that your beauty has enslaved me, and both shall share the love which you have jointly inspired. One quaff of this bright wine to inspire me with the true spirit to woo ye,” he said, turning to a sideboard and helping himeelf, “and then for a draught of violet dew from your soft lips—such nectar as Hebe never poured into the goblet of Jove himeelf.” As he concluded, he, with a quivering hand, trembling with excitement, poured from the decanter a glass of wine, and, placing it to his lips, he drained its contents with the avidity of one devoured by an insatiate thirst, He was about to proceed in carrying out his threat on the two alarmed and unprotected ladies when his face turned deadly pale as he heard hurried footsteps on the landing. He went to the drawing-room door and listened. It was a servant who had gone to arouse Earl Percy and inform him of the presence of Ivan’s band. “IT must away,” he said, ‘and for a moment leave these lovely creatures to their fate, but will soon return and lead them captive away,” _So saying, Master Andy closed the drawing-room door and listened to all that passed between the earl and his servant. It was Darby, knocking at Harl Percy's bed-chamber door, “Who is there?” the earl asked angrily. ‘Tt is me, my lord, Thieves! robbers! cut-throats |” “What say you ?” exclaimed the old earl, darting out of bed, sword in hand, “what say you, at this dread hour of the night? You must be dreaming; stark staring mad. What attack me in my own house?” “ Robbery, destruction, and death !” gasped Darby, 116. = TERRIBLE. “What mean you?” shouted the earl. “Speak, foo} 1” he roared, as Darby, overcome by his emotions, found it difficult to articulate. : “ Thieves! cut-throats!” cried Darby, rapidly. ‘I obeyed your command, my good lord, to see that the park gates were closed, after Master Harry arrived home, and, on entering the shrubbery, I saw three or four rogues perched on the wall, shouting to others to fling them ropes to assist them in their descent. Ere five minutes they will overrun the honse, and we shall all be murdered.” : The old earl looked at Darby with a bewildered air. “You are not deceiving me—this is not a false alarm?” he cried, vehemently. i ; “One glance from your chamber window will convince you, my lord,” returned Darby. ‘The moon is yet bright, and from here you can see them.” The old earl hurried to the window, and a fierce oath escaped him. ‘“‘ The scoundrels are already in the garden, and not half-a- dozen brave fellows in the house to help us! Follow me, Darby ; a sudden attack may daunt them. Call out to all my servants—arouse every man and boy, and dash on to them with me, Cut them down unsparingly, for not one of the vile thieves shall cross this threshold alive.” As he concluded he drew his sword and rushed out, crying at the top of his voice, ‘“What ho! alarm the house! ring the fire-bell! to the rescue! Hi, there! thieves! murderers! Whip them out! Follow me! This way! this way !” Darby followed the old earl with a heavy heart, yet shouting as though he would crack his lungs, ‘Help ho, masters! What ho! to the rescue, here! On, bold hearts! This way! Down with the marauding dogs! Stab and slay! Follow, lads! follow ! follow!” As her father’s voice grew fainter, Laura clasped Lizzie in her arms, and murmured, her face upturned, ‘‘ Heaven, desert us not in this our deadly need! Throw around us thy impenetrable shield, and save us! Oh, if we have not lost all favour in thy sight, save us !” Then, addressing Lizzie, she said, “Now is our time for flight. We must away from this room ; the villains will soon return. We must hide.” ‘‘Oh, whither, whither can we go? Destruction awaits our steps, turn which way we will! Ah, what have we done to deserve this fate?” ‘We will not despair.” A wild shout suddenly rang through the air, There was a violent clashing of steel, and then a piercing cry, as of some one mortally hurt, caught their ears. Then the clashing of steel continued, “We must fly,” urged Laura. ‘Come, for mercy’s sake— as you value life, honour, all—keep up your courage! Come, come, we must fly ; he knows we are here |” “Whither ?’’ gasped Lizzie. ‘“ Whither can we go? The mansion has no outlet but where that dreadful uproar is taking lates: “We shall find some spot where we can secrete ourselves,” replied Laura, courageously dragging Lizzie forward from the apartment. “ Hark |” she cried, as another yell of agony rose on the air accompanied by yells and shouts for help, “ Hark! another wretched being has fallen! We must fly, or we shall be destroyed. Come this way !|—this way !” She drew Lizzie by force to the doorway, and as they crossed the threshold a roar of triumph followed anda third cry of fearful pain. ' Then there was & hurried tramping of footsteps approaching the house, ; Stifling a shriek of horror, and animated by one impulse, they fled up a flight of stairs, and found themselves ina cor- ridor which would have been totally dark but for aloop-hole, which admitted a faint ray of moonlight. With light and almost noiseless footsteps, they hurried down it and crossed by a gallery, one turning of which they took instinctively, ; It led to two chambers, 2 The door of one was fastened ; the second was a small , comicbooks.com