The Amulet

Tottering from weakness, and supporting himself by the sides of the wall,

he gained the door, and trembling between hope and fear, he put his eye to

the keyhole in order to discover who was approaching his person.

He saw in the distance a man with a lamp in his hand; but his gestures

were so strange, and his countenance so singular, that he was at a loss to

know whether it were a human being, or only a creation of his own

disordered brain.

Still he heard confused sounds in the passage; a voice seemed to complain,

curse, and call for aid.

By degrees the mysterious apparition drew nearer, and Geronimo recognized

the servant of Simon Turchi; but why was Julio writhing in such horrible

convulsions? Why was his face so horribly contorted? Why did he threaten

and rage in such harsh accents?

A horrible conviction forced itself upon Geronimo's mind. Julio had sought

in drink the courage necessary to accomplish the work which fate exacted

of him. He had thus drowned his senses, and had come now to slay his

victim without mercy.

The thought for the moment roused his fears; but he remembered that he had

just offered to God his life in expiation of his sins. He retired to the

other side of the cellar, knelt by the side of the grave, and with a smile

upon his lips and his eyes lifted to heaven, he calmly awaited the fatal

blow.

He heard Julio trying to insert the key in the lock as if his hand were

unsteady. He noticed that there was no finger in his tone of voice; on the

contrary, the cries which escaped him were rather those of alarm and

distress; but before he had time for reflection the door opened.

Julio put down the lamp as if his strength had entirely failed him, and

fell upon the ground, exclaiming in a supplicating voice: "O signor, help, help! I am poisoned! A burning fire consumes me! Take

pity on me! For the love of God, deliver me from this torture!"

"Poisoned!" exclaimed Geronimo, hastening to Julio. "What has happened to

you? The mark of death is on your face!"

"Simon Turchi gave me last night poisoned wine, in order to destroy the

witness who could prove your death by his hand. He made me pay Bufferio to

assassinate you. He wishes to marry Mary Van de Werve, and he desires to

remove any cause of fear that his happiness may be disturbed. Ah! the

poison consumes me!"

"Tell me, Julio, what I can do for your relief."