A Sicilian Romance

The castle was buried in sleep when Ferdinand again joined his sisters

in madame's apartment. With anxious curiosity they followed him to the

chamber. The room was hung with tapestry. Ferdinand carefully sounded

the wall which communicated with the southern buildings. From one part

of it a sound was returned, which convinced him there was something

less solid than stone. He removed the tapestry, and behind it

appeared, to his inexpressible satisfaction, a small door. With a hand

trembling through eagerness, he undrew the bolts, and was rushing

forward, when he perceived that a lock withheld his passage. The keys

of madame and his sisters were applied in vain, and he was compelled

to submit to disappointment at the very moment when he congratulated

himself on success, for he had with him no means of forcing the door.

He stood gazing on the door, and inwardly lamenting, when a low hollow

sound was heard from beneath. Emilia and Julia seized his arm; and

almost sinking with apprehension, listened in profound silence. A

footstep was distinctly heard, as if passing through the apartment

below, after which all was still. Ferdinand, fired by this

confirmation of the late report, rushed on to the door, and again

tried to burst his way, but it resisted all the efforts of his

strength. The ladies now rejoiced in that circumstance which they so

lately lamented; for the sounds had renewed their terror, and though

the night passed without further disturbance, their fears were very

little abated. Ferdinand, whose mind was wholly occupied with wonder, could with

difficulty await the return of night. Emilia and Julia were scarcely

less impatient.

They counted the minutes as they passed; and when the

family retired to rest, hastened with palpitating hearts to the

apartment of madame. They were soon after joined by Ferdinand, who

brought with him tools for cutting away the lock of the door. They

paused a few moments in the chamber in fearful silence, but no sound

disturbed the stillness of night. Ferdinand applied a knife to the

door, and in a short time separated the lock. The door yielded, and

disclosed a large and gloomy gallery. He took a light. Emilia and

Julia, fearful of remaining in the chamber, resolved to accompany him,

and each seizing an arm of madame, they followed in silence. The

gallery was in many parts falling to decay, the ceiling was broke, and

the window-shutters shattered, which, together with the dampness of

the walls, gave the place an air of wild desolation.

They passed lightly on, for their steps ran in whispering echoes

through the gallery, and often did Julia cast a fearful glance around.