FRENZY 219 



Once, for an instant, he fancied that it yielded to his 

 straining sinews, but it was only his hand that slided 

 upon the surface of the marble. It was fixed — 

 immovable. The sides and lid rang with the strokes 

 which the unfortunate lady bestowed upon them with 

 the dagger's point ; but these sounds were not long 

 heard. Presently all was still ; the marble ceased to 

 vibrate with her blows. Alan struck the lid with his 

 knuckles, but no response was returned. All was 

 silent. 



" He now turned his attention to his own situation, 

 which had become sufficiently alarming. An hour 

 must have elapsed, 3^et Luke had not arrived. The 

 door of the vault was closed — the key was in the lock, 

 and on the outside. He was himself a prisoner within 

 the tomb. What if Luke should not return ? What if 

 he were slain, as it might chance, in the enterprise ? 

 That thought flashed across his brain like an electric 

 shock. None knew of his retreat but his grandson. 

 He might perish of famine within this desolate vault. 

 " He checked this notion as soon as it was formed — 

 it was too dreadful to be indulged in. A thousand 

 circumstances might conspire to detain Luke. He was 

 sure to come. Yet the solitude, the darkness, was 

 awful, almost intolerable. The dying and the dead 

 were around him. He dared not stir. 



" Another hour — an age it seemed to him—had 

 passed. Still Luke came not. Horrible forebodings 

 crossed him ; but he would not surrender himself to 

 them. He rose, and crawled in the direction, as he 

 supposed, of the door — fearful even of the stealthy 

 sound of his own foorsteps. He reached it, and his 

 heart once more throbbed with hope. He bent his 

 ear to the key ; he drew in his breath ; he listened for 

 some sound, but nothing was to be heard. A groan 

 would have been almost music in his ears. 



' Another hour was gone ! He was now a prey to 

 the most frightful apprehensions, agitated in turns by 

 the wildest emotions of rage and terror. He at one 

 moment imagined that Luke had abandoned him, and 



