Page:Gothic Stories.djvu/26

farther, and Fitzalan to advance. “O much injunred knight,” he groaned, “can you forgive me? Will you ſpeak peace to my departing ſpirit? O look not ſo ſternly! Yet I deſerve it. I have ſinned beyond hope of pardon. But I muſt be ſpeedy in my tale, I feel the hand of death upon me! O God! O Chriſt! O fave a wretched ſinner! Alas! for me there is no hope.” Weak through loſs of blood and agony, Fitzurban fainted; when he recovered, he continued–“It is now more than ſixteen years ſince, to gratify my avarice, I cauſed your father to be ſeized as he was travelling, and conveyed to this caſtle. He fell in one of the dungeons of the north tower by the hands of an aſſaſſin. I gained poſſeſſion of his domains by the vileſt means. I robbed you of your birth-right, but I loſt my peace; ſince that hour I have been a ſtranger to happineſs. Suſpecting all, and hated by all, I have exiſted the moſt miſerable of wretches. Sleeping or waking, the ſpirit of your father has unceaſingly been preſent; has ſtill frowned on me, and threatened me with vengeance for my crimes. O ſave me from him! Now he ſmiles on me with ſcorn, and bids the fiend ſnatch my trembling foul. O mercy! mercy!” Terror ſtopped his utterance. In a few moments he was more calm, and proceeded “Two years ago, I firſt ſaw your Edith, and inſtantly” “Where, where is my Edith?” cried Fitzalan impetuouſly. “Ruffian, reſtore her to me.” “She is ſafe and ſpotleſs,” anſwered the dying Fitzurban “reſtrain awhile your juſt indignation, and liſten to me. From the time I ſaw your Edith, I felt a freſh fire burning in my breaſt. I deviſed a thouſand plans to get her into my poſſeſſion; and as ſad as I had formed, rejected them. It was not till four days ago, that I formed the ſcheme which I put in practice; and which has righteouſly ended in my deſtruction. I wrote the letter in the name of Sir Edmund, well knowing that you would fly to your friend. The reſult you know. Your Edith was deluded in the ſame mariner by a letter which I diſpatched yeſterday morning, and which was pretended to be written by your orders from