A Sicilian Romance

The gallery terminated in a large old stair-case, which led to a hall

below; on the left appeared several doors which seemed to lead to

separate apartments. While they hesitated which course to pursue, a

light flashed faintly up the stair-case, and in a moment after passed

away; at the same time was heard the sound of a distant footstep.

Ferdinand drew his sword and sprang forward; his companions, screaming

with terror, ran back to madame's apartment.

Ferdinand descended a large vaulted hall; he crossed it towards a low

arched door, which was left half open, and through which streamed a

ray of light. The door opened upon a narrow winding passage; he

entered, and the light retiring, was quickly lost in the windings of

the place. Still he went on. The passage grew narrower, and the

frequent fragments of loose stone made it now difficult to proceed. A

low door closed the avenue, resembling that by which he had entered.

He opened it, and discovered a square room, from whence rose a winding

stair-case, which led up the south tower of the castle. Ferdinand

paused to listen; the sound of steps was ceased, and all was

profoundly silent.

A door on the right attracted his notice; he tried

to open it, but it was fastened. He concluded, therefore, that the

person, if indeed a human being it was that bore the light he had

seen, had passed up the tower. After a momentary hesitation, he

determined to ascend the stair-case, but its ruinous condition made

this an adventure of some difficulty. The steps were decayed and

broken, and the looseness of the stones rendered a footing very

insecure. Impelled by an irresistible curiosity, he was undismayed,

and began the ascent. He had not proceeded very far, when the stones

of a step which his foot had just quitted, loosened by his weight,

gave way; and dragging with them those adjoining, formed a chasm in

the stair-case that terrified even Ferdinand, who was left tottering

on the suspended half of the steps, in momentary expectation of

falling to the bottom with the stone on which he rested. In the terror

which this occasioned, he attempted to save himself by catching at a

kind of beam which projected over the stairs, when the lamp dropped

from his hand, and he was left in total darkness. Terror now usurped

the place of every other interest, and he was utterly perplexed how to

proceed. He feared to go on, lest the steps above, as infirm as those

below, should yield to his weight;--to return was impracticable, for

the darkness precluded the possibility of discovering a means. He

determined, therefore, to remain in this situation till light should

dawn through the narrow grates in the walls, and enable him to

contrive some method of letting himself down to the ground.