Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

IVAN THE thy madness and arrogance, to Wage war with the decrees of Heaven. Your fate will come, it cannot be averted, Wretches both ! Begone from this holy place and perish !” The voice ceased—the light suddenly disappeared. All now was horrible darkness. The awful soul-smiting darkness was now intolerable. The earth seemed to quake and shake the old ruin to its very foundations. Lightning now flashed through and through the building ; thunder pealed overhead with tremendous noise, and rain, deluging rain, poured from the heavens in heavy sheets of water, CHAPTER XII, THE STORM—THE FATAL REEF—THE EVIL SPIRITS OF THE STORM—THE DREADFUL WRECK—FALL OF HARRY PERCY AND DARBY—JESSIE HOVERS AROUND IVAN THE TERRIBLE —IVAN HAS HIS REVENGE—TERRIBLE DISCLOSURES, BASIL THE SORCERER, as soon as consciousness returned to his affrighted mind, rushed from the Abbey ruins with shrieks of unearthly horror. He was followed by Ivan, who, mad with fury, jumped oyer everything that impeded his path, and darted out of the ruins like a maniac, not heeding the boy victim he had left behind, gagged, bound, and unconscious among the ruins. Sword in hand, he ran through the darkness, cutting and slashing, as he went, at a thousand imaginary foes, whose shrieks and horrid cries still rang through his brain, Had Basil met him at that moment, the aged and villanous Sorcerer would have surely fallen by the edge of his sharp and ponderous sword. | As soon as could be the courageous gipsy girl and Lady Laura, in truth more dead than alive with fear and alarm, retreated from their hiding-place as best they could, and hurried towards the castle, and entered it without being per- ceived by any of the many servants, for all had been long abed. On the way the quick ear of Jessie had heard many words fall from Ivan’s lips about Harry Percy that Laura did not, Her purposes and designs she revealed to none, The vision of the Scorpion, his departed comrade, was ever in Ivan’s mind, and he vowed to have awful revenge. When he reached his rendezvous two of his band were sent to the “ look-out” on the mountain top. They were not long in detecting a ship far away upon the broad ocean, which, with all sail set, was making for the little harbour of Glenloch. No sooner was Ivan informed of this than he ordered some of his men to light signal-fires near a mass of shoals, called by wreckers the “ Devil’s Pool.” ‘“‘Tt must be the vessel,” said Ivan. ‘‘which Earl Percy expects, but his son shall never tread firm land again! I have sworn it. I will make Percy Castle desolate, and it shall ever be in mourning.” Not only was Ivan anxious for the destruction of all save one of the Percy race, but Basil the Sorcerer was also busy with his fiendish incantations upon a barren, storm-beaten promontory that jutted into the sea, and with all his devilish arts and charms and spells was invoking the Evil Spirits of the Storm, It seemed as if his unholy prayer had been heard and answered, Next morning saw the storm come on. Three days it continued. It was now the third day. A lee shore!—a boiling sea!—and on the coast of Corn- wal) ! A wild and fearful offing. Foam !—foam !—foam! Whichever way one looked, nothing but foam ! Black reefs of rocks the highest tides never completely covered, were discernible now only by a spot here and there, so quick the breakers flew upon and over them. The spray was flying over the cliffs fifty, aye a hundred feet above the level of the sea, and spreading far over the land. Though noon-day, all above was pitch black. } Everything seemed to cower before the Spirit of the Storm, | TERRIBLE. 21 The shore, formed partly of huge masses of rock and shingle, was dotted here and there with wreckers, a few in small groups, and some alone, promiscuously furnished with boat- hooks, gaffs, grapnels, hatchets, and knives, ready to dispute with the waves the plunder of any ill-fated ship that might be driven within the awful jaws of that rock and mountain- bound, inhospitable bay. Expectation glistened in their eyes that kept eagerly scan- ning backward and forward, far and near over the waste of waters, Some were wreckers, some were followers of Ivan the Terrible, and fondly styled themselves the “‘Scourges of both Land and Sea !” A stalwart figure, in advance of all others, sat stationed upon the landward end of a treacherous reef of rocks that dipped into the sea. His hair black and lank, thrown back from a swarthy, ill- favoured visage, hung half way down his shoulders, His eye, dark, small, and glistening bright, was directed towards the sea in quick and restless motion, and seemed to see everything at once. A long boat-hook, clenched with both his hands, rested across his knees, and, in a belt which encircled his waist, were stuck a huge knife of more than ordinary sharpness and polish, and a small, sharp-edged hatchet. The waves repeatedly washed more than half way up his lower extremities. He paid no more heed than if he had been a part of the rock that scattered it into mist and boiling foam. This rough, savage-looking fellow was none other than Ivan the Terrible ! The eyes of all were now strained towards the ill-fated ship fast drifting to shore. Few, indeed, knew that the doomed vessel had Harry Percy on board. The gipsy girl had her suspicions regarding it, however, for the strange words and stranger scenes which she had heard and witnessed in the Abbey ruins confirmed her in the belief that the ill-starred vessel now approaching the treacherous shore, and endeavouring to make a safe harbour, was the very one that Earl Percy had for some days expected. For the number of strange watch-fires she had seen burn- ing in unusual and dangerous places along the coast for the past few days convinced her that Ivan and his villanous band were on the look out to wreck and beach her. Upon the first report of the vessel’s signal of distress, as the sound boomed over the stormy sea, she rushed down to the beach in terror and alarm for the safety of the young and gal- lant Harry. Nearer and nearer the ill-starred vessel came. A huge, black hull it was, and high out of water as if every article of weight that could be spared had been thrown over- board. Reeling and pitching she came on, staggering every now and then at the heavy strokes of gigantic waves that mercilessly broke over her. ‘ Fast was she nearing the shore. “Now ! now !” exclaimed the wreckers in jubilant expecta- tion of her striking the rocks, but she floated bravely on, so much had those on board lightened her. “ At last !” some exclaimed aloud. She was now among the fatal breakers. She touched and touched, yetstill went on. “ She strikes ! she strikes !” exclaimed many voices. A loud crash fell upon the ears of the anxious watchers, accompanied with halloos and shrieks. The shore was now all astir. ‘That blow stove her in!” exclaimed several voices all at once, as an enormous wave, towering as if charged with pitiless doom, came foaming towards her. Ina moment it broke upon her in a fury that sent the spray to the clouds, and hid the ill-fated vessel from view- When she was visible again the whole of her broadside was stove in ! ; A loud yell of triumph from the wreckers rent the sky. Winds howled, the sky was black as pitch, while thunder rolled with awful grandeur, and awoke a thousand echoes among the rocks and hills, GOmic boo <S ,(E(0) ! im