“ No sooner had the door closed, than yelling screams and sounds which almost suspended the very pulse of life issued from the vault, as if a troop of hellish furies, with their chains untied, were dashing them in writhing frenzy, and howling to the uproar. Sir Gawen stood petrified with horror, a stony fear ran to his very heart, and dismayed every sense about him ”

“ He now found himself in a large vault arched in the gothic manner, and supported by eight massy pillars, down whose sides the damp moisture ran in cold and heavy drops, the moon shining with great lustre through three iron-grated windows, which although rusty with age, were strong enough to resist the efforts of Sir Gawen. who after having in vain tried to force them, looked around for his sword, which during the fall had started from his grasp, and in searching the ground with his fingers, he laid hold of and drew forth the fresh bones of an enormous skeleton. ”

“ Sir Gawen stood for some time incapable of motion, at length summoning all his fortitude, he advanced with his sword extended to the darkest part of the room: Instantly burst forth in fierce irradiations a blue sulpherous splendour, and the mangled body of a man distorted with the agony of death, his very fibre racked with convulsion his beard and hair stiff and matted with blood. ”

“ I tell thee spirits pure from vice are present to thy inmost thoughts, when terror, when madness when spectres, and when death surrounded thee, our influence put to flight the ministers of darkness we placed thee in the moonlight vale; and now upon thy head I pour the planetary dew, from Hecat’s dread agents, it will free thee from wildering fear and gloomy superstition' She ended, and Sir Gawen impatient to express his gratitude was about to speak, when suddenly the light turned pale and died away, the spirits fled and music soft and sweet was heard remotely in the air. ”

“ The Knight was a little daunted, but the old woman having mentioned a dwelling at some distance and offering to lead the way, the pleasure received from this piece of news effaced the former impression, and getting from his horse, he laid hold of the bridle, and they slowly moved over the heath. The storm had now ceased, and the moon rising, gave presage of a fine night, just as the old woman, taking a hidden turn, plunged into the wood by a narrow path, and almost choaked up with a quantity of brier and thorn. ”

“ Delight and gratitude dilated his heart and advancing from beneath the tree, whose gigantic branches spread a large extent of shade, a vale, beautiful and romantic, thro' which ran a clear and deep stream, came full in view. he walked to the edge of the water the moon shone with mellow lustre on its surface, and its banks fringed with shrubs, breathed a perfume more delicate than the odors of the east On one side the ground covered with a vivid, soft and downy verdure, stretched for a considerable extent to the borders of a large forest which sweeping round finally closed up the valley ”

“ All was now silent and dark, and he determined to wait in this spot the dawn of day, but a few minutes had scarce elapsed, when the iron door, screaming on its hinges, bellowed through the murmuring ruin. ”

“ Sir Gawen approached the light; it came from an extensive room, the folding doors of which were wide open: he entered; a small taper in a massy silver candlestick stood upon a table in the middle of the room, but gave so inconsiderable an illumination, that the one end was wrapped in palpable darkness, and the other scarcely broken in upon by a dim light that streamed through a large ramified window, covered with thick ivy An arm chair shattered and damp with age, was placed near the table, and the remains of a recent fire were still visible in the grate. ”

“ Sir Gawen entered the keep, having previously reasoned himself into a state of cool fortitude, and bent up every power to the appalling enterprise. He extended his sword before him, for it was dark, and proceeded carefully to search around, in hopes either of discovering some aperture which might lead to the vestibule or staircase or of wreaking his vengeance on, the wretch who had thus decoyed him. All was still as death ”