Angelina: Or, The Mystery of St. Mark's Abbey — page 68: 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, 65 with what had occurred to him at the ruins, he would not only be breaking the promise he had made to the women, bet should. very likely be the cause of frustrating all the plaus she had devised to save Angelina. . No sooner had the first grey shadows of evening fallen upon the earth, than Ijr, Weodfield, having first taken the precaution to have a brace of loaded pistols with him, in case he should happen to fajl into any danger, bade his wike and daughter:an affectionate adiau, aad quitted the cottage. He took a cirenitona way to the Abbey ruiga, ip ardar tint they sight not have any iden of the right direction in which he was going, and. heving eposeed.a corner of the woad soen came in sight of the vanerahle fabgic. : - ‘Phe evening was very mild, and the non was barely vippled by a light ani refreshing breeze. The moon seemed to rest calmly on the bosom of the deep, and the screech of the owl from the reine, amd-the melanchaly mailing ef the sea-mom, ware the only sonnds thet disturbed the stillness whieh reigned around. - Jt-wasted yot full half an hour to the thos he bad appointed to meet the woman, but he walked round the Suicide’s Reck te godo the place where he wha to await her arrival. The corpse of the ruMen ans gone, eed had probably been consigned to the deep, but the marks of bleed were atill visible. Have ing stood to gave upon this and ether things around him for 9 few momonts, Mr. Woedfield passed en amid the chain of necks, unt he seached the pilice of appointment. He had no diffcelty ie. dudiig 40, but thone was se person present, end the stone was covered over the antmace ¢o the cavern exactly in the same manner as it had been left the night before. He tried @ re- move it, bet found that it whe more than ids atrength could accenplishs; 90 im order to pass the time away anfii tho woman should ‘arrive, he walked back, and ascending the rock, entered the abbey. Phe rays af the moon beamed full in at. the several apertures which time had made in the roof and wall,so that Mr. Woodfield was enabled to dis tingutel the suriounding objecty as clpnrly as if M had been noonday. He waiked through the cleisters, and wea abort to sacend 6 Might of steps at the extremity, whea his Progress was } suddenly abrested by. bearing: ‘the eound of music. - He Hstened attentively ; he was-convinced that he was not tnistakon, it was a guitar, and was touched by a masterly hand. A short symphony was plaged, and then a female voice of the most bewitching melody, singing an air of plaintive sweetness, vibrated in his ears. Astoniseed and delighted, Mr.‘ Woed- ‘field scarcely ventured to breathe, for ear be shoulll toag a note sung. hy the accomplished vocalist, and se entranced did he become by the strangeness of the event, and the melancholy stillness of the scene around him, that he was very near yielding to the vulgar superstition of the peasants in the neighbeur- hood, and thinking the ruins were inhabited by spirits, Suddenly, however, the voice ceased, and immediately afterwards Mr. Woodfield heard a door open from above, and the next moment the mysterious woman of the reins stood before him. - 6 Why do you loiter here ?” she demanded in-a harsh and peremptory tone, “ is this the place where we appointed te meet ?” ““JTt is not,’’ answered Mr. Woodfield, ‘‘but having arrived al soon, I merely strolled into the ruins to pass away the time.” JOO Go