Angelina: Or, The Mystery of St. Mark's Abbey — page 168: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE MYSTERY OF ST, MARK’S ABBEY, gt what had happened to her, and how she had come thither, and soon all the horrors of the truth flashed upon her recollection, and she trembled with the violence of her emotion. With the most indescribable feelings of terror she reflected upon the dreadful spectacle which the wretched Bridget had pre- sented, and the awful sufferings to which she was still subjected, unless death had mercifully released her from her agonies. Gracious Heaven ! she rumi- nated, could it be possible that there could be such monsters in existence, as to take an apparent delight in practising such unparelleled eruelties upon a fellow creature; cruelties, which so closely resembled those which had been ‘perpetrated with impunity in the feudal ages? Had they ne fear of the re- tributive arm of justice overtaking them ? And what could Bridget have done to bring down upon her head the vengeance of the baron and her ruffian has- ‘band? The next moment, the whole truth of the circumstance rushed apon her mind, and added to the bitter anguish which filled her bosom; she remem~- bered the words which Ruthven had made use of, viz:—to the effect that Bridget was punished “for thwarting the schemes of those whom it was her duty to obeys” and she could not doubt, but that for the part which she had taken in assisting her (Angelina) to escape from the tower, she had been doomed to the awful fate she was then, if still living, enduring. The blood in her veins ran icy cold, when this idea occurred to her; and she greaned with agony, to think that she should be the cause of bringing the kind-hearted Bridget to such a barbarous destiny, filled her bosom with the most unspeak- able grief, and her sufferings were as great as those of her, for whom her commiseration was sp powerfully excited. In situations like that in which Angelina was now placed, and after the dreadful scene she had just witnessed, which convinced her to what a terrible extent the cruelty of her oppressors would lead them, there was nothing to alleviate her anguish, or to give the least cause for hope. There was no one at hand te help her, no one who could interpose between her and the singular and unaccountable vengeance of the Baron de Morton, and deep and immeve- able was her despair. Her doem appeared now to be inevitable, for, had she not, in her previous incarceration in this awfal place, been exposed to the most implacable revenge of the baron, and had she not escaped from the shocking fate to which he had condemned her, only in the most miraculous way, and therefore, it was not now te be supposed that he would loose taking the opportunity which was placed in his hands. . ‘Alas! my dearest friends,” exclaimed the poor girl, * you will never again behold your unfortunate Angelina. Ere you will be able to interpose in her behalf, the fell assassin will have done his cruel work, aad she, in whom your fondest affections are placed, will have ceased to be. Not for myself do I so tremble, (although it is hard for one so young to exchange the sunny spring of life, for the icy winter of death), but for the endless agony you will experience, should my dreadful fate ever reach your ears. Oh, God! grant me fortitude to support this awful trial, for much indeed do I now need Thine Omnipotent aid; and, if it is Thy will that I should perish by the hand of a murderer, by the hand of one whom I am unconscious of having offended, and whom my conscience acquits me entirely of injuring ;—grant Thy protecting aid to those I shal! leave behind me, and teach them to support the dreadful event with resignation,” : - COL @ OO SS (CO)