seated　there　again！　　Tears　unbidden　streamed　down　her　cheek；　and
  She　abandoned　herself　to　the　sadness　which　grew　deeper　with
  every　moment。
  Ashamed　of　her　weakness；　She　at　length　rose　from　her　seat：　　She
  proceeded　to　seek　for　what　had　brought　her　to　this　melancholy
  scene。　　The　small　collection　of　Books　was　arranged　upon　several
  shelves　in　order。　　Antonia　examined　them　without　finding　any
  thing　likely　to　interest　her；　till　She　put　her　hand　upon　a　volume
  of　old　Spanish　Ballads。　　She　read　a　few　Stanzas　of　one　of　them：
  They　excited　her　curiosity。　　She　took　down　the　Book；　and　seated
  herself　to　peruse　it　with　more　ease。　　She　trimmed　the　Taper；
  which　now　drew　towards　its　end；　and　then　read　the　following
  Ballad。
  ALONZO　THE　BRAVE；　AND　FAIR　IMOGINE
  A　Warrior　so　bold；　and　a　Virgin　so　bright
  Conversed；　as　They　sat　on　the　green：
  They　gazed　on　each　other　with　tender　delight；
  Alonzo　the　Brave　was　the　name　of　the　Knight；
  The　Maid's　was　the　Fair　Imogine。
  'And　Oh！'　said　the　Youth；　'since　to…morrow　I　go
  To　fight　in　a　far　distant　land；
  Your　tears　for　my　absence　soon　leaving　to　flow；
  Some　Other　will　court　you；　and　you　will　bestow
  On　a　wealthier　Suitor　your　hand。'
  'Oh！　hush　these　suspicions；'　Fair　Imogine　said；
  'Offensive　to　Love　and　to　me！
  For　if　ye　be　living；　or　if　ye　be　dead；
  I　swear　by　the　Virgin；　that　none　in　your　stead
  Shall　Husband　of　Imogine　be。
  'If　e'er　I　by　lust　or　by　wealth　led　aside
  Forget　my　Alonzo　the　Brave；
  God　grant；　that　to　punish　my　falsehood　and　pride
  Your　Ghost　at　the　Marriage　may　sit　by　my　side；
  May　tax　me　with　perjury；　claim　me　as　Bride；
  And　bear　me　away　to　the　Grave！'
  To　Palestine　hastened　the　Hero　so　bold；
  His　Love；　She　lamented　him　sore：
  But　scarce　had　a　twelve…month　elapsed；　when　behold；
  A　Baron　all　covered　with　jewels　and　gold
  Arrived　at　Fair　Imogine's　door。
  His　treasure；　his　presents；　his　spacious　domain
  Soon　made　her　untrue　to　her　vows：
  He　dazzled　her　eyes；　He　bewildered　her　brain；
  He　caught　her　affections　so　light　and　so　vain；
  And　carried　her　home　as　his　Spouse。
  And　now　had　the　Marriage　been　blest　by　the　Priest；
  The　revelry　now　was　begun：
  The　Tables；　they　groaned　with　the　weightof　the　Feast；
  Nor　yet　had　the　laughter　and　merriment　ceased；
  When　the　Bell　of　the　Castle　told；'One！'
  Then　first　with　amazement　Fair　Imogine　found
  That　a　Stranger　was　placed　by　her　side：　　His　air　was　terrific；
  He　uttered　no　sound；　　He　spoke　not；　He　moved　not；
  He　looked　not　around；
  But　earnestly　gazed　on　the　Bride。
  His　vizor　was　closed；　and　gigantic　his　height；
  His　armour　was　sable　to　view：
  All　pleasure　and　laughter　were　hushed　at　his　sight；
  The　Dogs　as　They　eyed　him　drew　back　in　affright；
  The　Lights　in　the　chamber　burned　blue！
  His　presence　all　bosoms　appeared　to　dismay；
  The　Guests　sat　in　silence　and　fear。
  At　length　spoke　the　Bride；　while　She　trembled；
  'I　pray；　　Sir　Knight；　that　your　Helmet　aside　you　would　lay；
  And　deign　to　partake　of　our　chear。'
  The　Lady　is　silent：　　The　Stranger　complies。
  His　vizor　lie　slowly　unclosed：
  Oh！　God！　what　a　sight　met　Fair　Imogine's　eyes！
  What　words　can　express　her　dismay　and　surprize；
  When　a　Skeleton's　head　was　exposed。
  All　present　then　uttered　a　terrified　shout；
  All　turned　with　disgust　from　the　scene。
  The　worms；　They　crept　in；　and　the　worms；　They　crept　out；
  And　sported　his　eyes　and　his　temples　about；
  While　the　Spectre　addressed　Imogine。
  'Behold　me；　Thou　false　one！　Behold　me！'　He　cried；
  'Remember　Alonzo　the　Brave！
  God　grants；　that　to　punish　thy　falsehood　and　pride
  My　Ghost　at　thy　marriage　should　sit　by　thy　side；
  Should　tax　thee　with　perjury；　claim　thee　as　Bride
  And　bear　thee　away　to　the　Grave！'
  Thus　saying；　his　arms　round　the　Lady　He　wound；
  While　loudly　She　shrieked　in　dismay；
  Then　sank　with　his　prey　through　the　wide…yawning　ground：
  Nor　ever　again　was　Fair　Imogine　found；
  Or　the　Spectre　who　bore　her　away。
  Not　long　lived　the　Baron；　and　none　since　that　time
  To　inhabit　the　Castle　presume：
  For　Chronicles　tell；　that　by　order　sublime
  There　Imogine　suffers　the　pain　of　her　crime；
  And　mourns　her　deplorable　doom。
  At　midnight　four　times　in　each　year　does　her　Spright
  When　Mortals　in　slumber　are　bound；
  Arrayed　in　her　bridal　apparel　of　white；
  Appear　in　the　Hall　with　the　Skeleton…Knight；
  And　shriek；　as　He　whirls　her　around。
  While　They　drink　out　of　skulls　newly　torn　from　the　grave；
  Dancing　round　them　the　Spectres　are　seen：
  Their　liquor　is　blood；　and　this　horrible　Stave
  They　howl。'To　the　health　of　Alonzo　the　Brave；
  And　his　Consort；　the　False　Imogine！'
  The　perusal　of　this　story　was　ill…calculated　to　dispel　Antonia's
  melancholy。　　She　had　naturally　a　strong　inclination　to　the
  marvellous；　and　her　Nurse；　who　believed　firmly　in　Apparitions；
  had　related　to　her　when　an　Infant　so　many　horrible　adventures　of
  this　kind；　that　all　Elvira's　attempts　had　failed　to　eradicate
  their　impressions　from　her　Daughter's　mind。　　Antonia　still
  nourished　a　superstitious　prejudice　in　her　bosom：　　She　was　often
  susceptible　of　terrors　which；　when　She　discovered　their　natural
  and　insignificant　cause；　made　her　blush　at　her　own　weakness。
  With　such　a　turn　of　mind；　the　adventure　which　She　had　just　been
  reading　sufficed　to　give　her　apprehensions　the　alarm。　　The　hour
  and　the　scene　combined　to　authorize　them。　　It　was　the　dead　of
  night：　She　was　alone；　and　in　the　chamber　once　occupied　by　her
  deceased　Mother。　　The　weather　was　comfortless　and　stormy：　　The
  wind　howled　around　the　House；　the　doors　rattled　in　their　frames；
  and　the　heavy　rain　pattered　against　the　windows。　　No　other　sound
  was　heard。　　The　Taper；　now　burnt　down　to　the　socket；　sometimes
  flaring　upwards　shot　a　gleam　of　light　through　the　room；　then
  sinking　again　seemed　upon　the　point　of　expiring。　　Antonia's　heart
  throbbed　with　agitation：　　Her　eyes　wandered　fearfully　over　the
  objects　around　her；　as　the　trembling　flame　illuminated　them　at
  intervals。　　She　attempted　to　rise　from　her　seat；　But　her　limbs
  trembled　so　violently　that　She　was　unable　to　proceed。　　She　then
  called　Flora；　who　was　in　a　room　at　no　great　distance：　　But
  agitation　choaked　her　voice；　and　her　cries　died　away　in　hollow
  murmurs。
  She　passed　some　minutes　in　this　situation；　after　which　her
  terrors　began　to　diminish。　　She　strove　to　recover　herself；　and
  acquire　strength　enough　to　quit　the　room：　Suddenly　She　fancied；
  that　She　heard　a　low　sigh　drawn　near　her。　　This　idea　brought　back
  her　former　weakness。　　She　had　already　raised　herself　from　her
  seat；　and　was　on　the　point　of　taking　the　Lamp　from　the　Table。
  The　imaginary　noise　stopped　her：　　She　drew　back　her　hand；　and
  supported　herself　upon　the　back　of　a　Chair。　　She　listened
  anxiously；　but　nothing　more　was　heard。
  'Gracious　God！'　She　said　to　herself；　'What　could　be　that　sound？
  Was　I　deceived；　or　did　I　really　hear　it？'
  Her　reflections　were　interrupted　by　a　noise　at　the　door　scarcely
  audible：　　It　seemed　as　if　somebody　was　whispering。　　Antonia's
  alarm　increased：　　Yet　the　Bolt　She　knew　to　be　fastened；　and　this
  idea　in　some　degree　reassured　her。　　Presently　the　Latch　was
  lifted　up　softly；　and　the　Door　moved　with　caution　backwards　and
  forwards。　　Excess　of　terror　now　supplied　Antonia　with　that
  strength；　of　which　She　had　till　then　been　deprived。　　She　started
  from　her　place　and　made　towards　the　Closet　door；　whence　She
  might　soon　have　reached　the　chamber　where　She　expected　to　find
  Flora　and　Dame　Jacintha。　　Scarcely　had　She　reached　the　middle　of
  the　room　when　the　Latch　was　lifted　up　a　second　time。　　An
  involuntary　movement　obliged　her　to　turn　her　head。　　Slowly　and
  gradually　the　Door　turned　upon　its　hinges；　and　standing　upon　the
  Threshold　She　beheld　a　tall　thin　Figure；　wrapped　in　a　white
  shroud　which　covered　it　from　head　to　foot。
  This　vision　arrested　her　feet：　　She　remained　as　if　petrified　in
  the　middle　of　the　apartment。　　The　Stranger　with　measured　and
  solemn　steps　drew　near　the　Table。　　The　dying　Taper　darted　a　blue
  and　melancholy　flame　as　the　Figure　advanced　towards　it。　　Over　the
  Table　was　fixed　a　small　Clock；　The　hand　of　it　was　upon　the　stroke
  of　three。　　The　Figure　stopped　opposite　to　the　Clock：　　It　raised
  its　right　arm；　and　pointed　to　the　hour；　at　the　same　time　looking
  earnestly　upon　Antonia；　who　waited　for　the　conclusion　of　this
  scene；　motionless　and　silent。
  The　figure　remained　in　this　posture　for　some　moments。　The　clock
  struck。　　When　the　sound　had　ceased；　the　Stranger　advanced　yet　a
  few　steps　nearer　Antonia。
  'Yet　three　days；'　said　a　voice　faint；　hollow；　and　sepulchral；
  'Yet　three　days；　and　we　meet　again！'
  Antonia　shuddered　at　the　words。
  'We　meet　again？'　She　pronounced　at　length　with　difficulty：
  'Where　shall　we　meet？　　Whom　shall　I　meet？'
  The　figure　pointed　to　the　ground　with　one　hand；　and　with　the
  other　raised　the　Linen　which　covered　its　face。
  'Almighty　God！　My　Mother！'
  Antonia　shrieked；　and　fell　lifeless　upon　the　floor。
  Dame　Jacintha　who　was　at　work　in　a　neighbouring　chamber；　was
  alarmed　by　the　cry：　　Flora　was　just　gone　down　stairs　to　fetch
  fresh　oil　for　the　Lamp；　by　which　they　had　been　sitting。　　Jacintha
  therefore