The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

198 WAEILEY NOE 0 L S
or of fascination which rivets the attention by its awakening horrors. Much
was told of the strange iand horrible acts of blood by which men, setting
nature and humanity aike at defiance, had, for the thirst of revenge, the
lust of gold, or the cravings of irregular ambition, broken into the tabernacle of life. Yet more surprising and mysterious tales were recounted of
tile mode in which such deeds of blood had come to be discovered and
revenged. Animals, irrational animals, had told the secret, and birds of
the air had carried the matter. The elements had seemed to betray the deed
which had polluted them-earth had ceased to support the murderer's step,
fire to -\warmr his frozen limbs, water to refresh his parched lips, air to relieve
his gasping lungs. All, in short, bore evidence to the homicide's guilt. In
other circumstances, the criminal's own awakened conscience pursued and
brought him to justice; and in some narratives the grave was said to have
yawned, that the ghost of the sufferer might call for revenge.
It was now wearing late in the night, and the book was still in Nigel's
hand, when the tapestry which hung behind him flapped against the wall,
and the windl produced by its motion waved the flame of the candles by
which he was reading. Nigel started and turned round, in thlat excited and
irritated state of muind which arose from the nature of his studies, especially at a period wahen a certain degree of superstition was inculcated as a
point of religious faith. it was not without emotion that he saw the bloodless countenance, meagre fornm, and ghastly aspect of old Trapbois, once
more in the very act of extending his withered hand towards the table which
supported his arms. Convinced by this untimely apparition that something
evil was meditated towards him, Nigel sprung up, seized his sword, drew
it, and, placing it at the old man's bi'east, demanded of him what he did in
his apartment at so untimely an hour. Trapbois showed neither fear nor
surprise, and only answered by some imperfect expressions, intimating he
would part with his life rather than with his property; and Lord Glenvarloch, strangely embarrassed, knew not what to think of the intruder's
motives, and still less how to get rid of him. As he again tried the means
of intimidation, he was surprised by a second apparition froml behind the
tapestry, in the person of the daughter of Trapbois, bearing a lamp in her
hand. She also seemed to possess her filther's insensibility to danger, for,
coming close to Nigel, she pushed aside impetuously his naked sword, and
even attempted to take it out of his hand.
" For shame," she said, " your sword on a man of eighty years and more!
— this the honour of a Scottish gentleman!-give it to me to make a spindle
of "
"<Stand back," said Nigel; "I mean your father no injury - but I will
know what has caused him to prowl this whole day, and even at this late
hour, around my arms."
" Your armas!" repeated she; "alas! young man, the whole arms in the
Tower of London are of little value to him, in comparison of this miserable piece of gold which I left this morning on the table of a young spendthrift, too careless to put what belonged to hinm into his own purse."
So saying, she showed the piece of gold, which, still remaining on the
table where she had left it, had been the bait that attracted old Trapbois so
frequently to the spot; and which, even in the silence of the night, had so
dvelit on his imagination, that he had made use of a private passage long
disused, to enter his guest's apartment, in order to possess himself of the
treasure during his slumbers. lIe now exclaimed, at the highest tones of
his cracked and feeble voice" It is mnine-it is mine! —he gave it to me for a consideration-I will die
ere I part with my property."
"It is indeed his own, mistress," said Nigel, " and I do entreat you will
restore it to the person on whom I have bestowed it, and let ame have my
apartment in quict."'