Walter Scott

“ The fever of his body aided the impatience and agony of his mind, and his death-bed exhibited a mixture of the newly awakened feelings of remorse, combating with the fixed and inveterate obstinacy of his disposition;—a fearful state of mind, only to be equalled in those tremendous regions, where there are complaints without hope, remorse without repentance, a horrid sense of present agony, and a presentiment that it cannot cease or be diminished! ”

“ Front-de-Bœuf, there is another cause—Rememberest thou the magazine of fuel that is stored beneath these apartments?"
"Woman!" he exclaimed with fury, "thou hast not set fire to it?—By heaven thou hast, and the castle is in flames!"
"They are fast rising at least," said Ulrica, with frightful composure ”

“ During the interval of quiet which followed the first success of the besiegers, while the one party was preparing to follow their advantage, and the other to strengthen their means of defence, the Templar and De Bracy held brief council together in the hall of the castle.
"Where is Front-de-Bœuf?" said the latter, who had superintended the defence of the fortress on the other side; "men say he hath been slain."
"He lives," said the Templar coolly, "lives as yet ”

“ To guard against such an evil, their numbers only permitted the knights to place centinels from space to space along the walls in communication with each other, who might give the alarm whenever danger was threatened. ”