The Frozen Crew Of The Ice-Bound Ship; Or, Terrors Of The Arctic Region — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

THE FROZEN 60 CREW AND ICE-BOUND SHIP. RR a nr “Pardon me—my youth—my inexperience !’’ he {| ceed at once to narrate the circumstances which exclaimed, tremblingly. “I entreat you to let me return to my comrades.”’ “Do you reject my favours ?” & pba bee ‘© Answer me—Corah will not be trifled with. She does no work by halves. Llike the raging ocean, she engulphs the enemy she strangles, and affords those she has dealt on their death and sepulchre, at once.” << T must reject.” “<°Tis enough,” interrupted Corah, “ you quit not the grotto alive.” ‘“‘ Heavens! you would not kill me !” “Yes ; on this spot you perish! Behold! I am ready to inflict the blow.” As Corah spoke, her knife was seen to glitter in the air. For an instant the steel was suspended over the head of the victim. Uttering a loud cry, Gonzalvi threw himself at the feet of the amazon, and implored mercy. “Retract what you have said, and I may yet spare you,” exclaimed Corah, in a more kindly tone. *‘Oh, if you knew all,” the youth replied with deep emotion, “you would indeed pity the unhappy Gonzalvi.”’ | ** Corah knows not pity—she dea!s the death-meant blow, and smiles upon the wounded foe—she tears the reeking scalp from his head, and looks with composure and delight at him writhing in agonies. ‘¢Such will be your fate,” continued the Indian Queen. “Pity said you? When Corahis slighted, she knows only revenge.” ‘But do you not tear that my comrades——” **T laugh at it.” ‘They will discover ; “‘ Here, within this crystal vault, your bones shall lie and rot,’’ interrupted Corah. Here, on ground which was ne’er imprinted by the foot of man, but yours, this secret retreat known only to myself, who then can trace you here. “You might have perished by some beast of prey,” she continued; “the frost of death might have nipped you, for such your associates will conclude. These circumstances, common in a sterile soil, will place me beyond the eye of suspicion or the hand of vengeance.” “And have I no hope?” ‘‘ None in this world.” ‘By the duty you owe your husband, by the spirit of your father’s, by the kindred whose blood is dear to you, I conjure you suffer ime to depart.”’ ** What! to speak of Corah’s disgrace, to point at her with contempt. No,my pride can never brook such reproach ; this moment, boy, is your last, and this good steel must search your heart. The Indian’s weapon was ugain upraised. The blade descended, In an instant, Gonzalvi was deluged in blood. ‘‘ Avast ; murderess !” shouted a voice, it was that of Brandy-nosed Nick; ‘‘ attempt to stir, and damme Vil make a bole through you.” With the words, the seaman levelled his pistol at the head of Corah, who seemed paralysed at so singular an intrusion. ’ CHAPTER XXIII. GONZALVI’S ESCAPE It would be needless to dwell upon the cordial greet- ing Brandy-nosed Nick gave his newly found mess- mate, or the sympathy he showed towards him on discovering he was badly wounded ; therefore we pro- followed on the malevolent act of Corah. She had no sooner recovered her surprise, than she conceived an idea by which she might encompass her enemies without danger to herself. Before the seaman could prevent it, the Indian had extinguished the torch. The total darkness leaving the one to calculate in silent alarm, the actions of the other. Brandy-nosed Nick laid his charge gently on the ground, then supporting himself on his palms, gazed on all sides, as if anticipating a sudden attack from every quarter of the dark abode, and preparing to resist it if possible. In the extremity of horror, he fancied he saw the nue descending, without being able to ward off its ow. He was no coward, but under these horrible cir- cumstances his usual firmness forsook him. Manhood melted trom him, like wax iu a furnace, and he felt his hair individually bristle. How long he continued in this suspense, he could never pretend to guess; but he was aroused by a sound so loud that it shook the grotto. The truth at once flashed upon the mind of the prisoner. The treacherous enemy had blocked up the en- trance by an iceberg, and consigned to an aw ul tomb the unfortunate victims of her malice. Even this terrible doom was a relief to Brandy- nosed Nick, who, conscious of the disappearance of Corah, seemed once more able to grapple with and surmount the difficulties that beset him. He paused for a moment, and wiped from his brow the cold perspiration, with which the presence of the late individual had covered it. ** So the old catamaran has Jeft us to amuse our- selves with grinning through this icy prison,” ex- claimed the seaman; “ left us to stay here till we gnaw our bones with hunger, eh ? Perhaps the devil will scuttle her instead of us.” ** There must be some rat-hole to creep through,” he continued, musing, “‘ and if there is one, I’m the lad to nose it out. Gonzalvi, poor fellow, overcome by terror and loss of blood, has fainted, if I can judge from hard breathing; perhaps it’s all as well; [ can prosecute my search better without, than with him.” Nick, having delivered himself of such senti- ments, set about the task he imposed upon himself in right good earnest. Stealthily creeping and glancing in various direc- tions, he came in a short time to one ef the sides of the grotto. Here he passed numerous recesses and crevices, none of which appeared to lead to any outlet. At last, in one of the hollows, although it was profoundly dark, the veriest gleam forced itself upon his organs of vision. “Ha!” said the seaman, as he recoguised the wel- come omen, “ what does that mean? There’s no smoke, they say, without fire, and, by a parility of reasoning, no light without a taper of some sort; let us steer by the beacon, at all events.” Nick had to feel his way, and nothing to guide him, but came eventually to the spot which he had noticed. The chink, if, indeed, any at all existed, was so trifling, that its emission of light would rather con- fuse than confirm an observer. The seaman gazed for a moment in doubt, and having satisfied himself that he was not mistaken in his conjecture, stepped more boldly out. He placed his hand against the crumbling spar, and, to his delight, found a portion accede on his touch. Further pressure caused an opening big enough 7 AnLCeleyexo) (S@)