FullReads

Into one of these two rooms, whose walls were decorated and hung round with the richest crimson drapery, and which was as richly furnished in every other respect, did the strange guides usher their fair prisoners, after which, they instantly retired, leaving our heroine and her companion to consult together as they might see fit upon their singular and mysterious situation.

‘Do we dream dear Mary,’ exclaimed Ellen, us she gazed wildly around this strange apartment, ‘or are we laboring under the influence of some fairy spell of necromantic enchantment?’

‘Would to Heaven, that it was so,’ exclaimed Mary, in reply, ‘but alas, it is not. For the present at least, dear Ellen, we are in the power of ferocious pirates, from whom, I hope we shall soon be released.’

‘How?’ asked Ellen, hardly realizing what she said.

‘Through the agency of our friends on ship-board’ replied Mary.

‘Oh yes, I recollect now,’ said Ellen. ‘My father and Arthur have gone on board our vessel, but I have seen nothing of Henry or Patrick, since we first landed upon this fatal spot. Where do you think they can be?’

‘I have been trying to convince my mind of their safety, ever since we fell in with our cruel captors,’ answered Mary, ‘yet I cannot say that I have succeeded in so doing. From the top of some adjacent hill, they may have witnessed the scenes which transpired on the occasion of our capture, and concealed themselves in some of the fissures of the rocky cliffs, there to await assistance from the ship, or–‘

‘They may have been taken prisoners, by the pirates, as you call them,’ interrupted Ellen.

‘Heaven forbid,’ exclaimed Mary earnestly. ‘But if that should be the fact,’ continued the fair girl, after a moment’s pause, ‘I feel greatly consoled by the hope that they, as well as ourselves, will find a speedy release from this horrible bondage.’

‘I’m sure it will not be Captain Rowland’s fault, if we are not very soon liberated,’ replied Ellen.

‘You seem to be rather partial towards this Captain Rowland,’ Mary carelessly remarked.

‘Partial, what mean you by that, Mary?’ asked Ellen, as a slight blush overspread her beautiful features. ‘He has been very kind and attentive to all of us during our voyage, and such treatment requires, in my opinion, at least civility in return.’

Before Mary could find time to reply to the words of her companion, the ears of both our fair captives were suddenly astonished by the sound of a female voice, singing in a sweet, low tone of touching melody the following words–

‘Beware, beware,
Of the false and fair,
For many a noble form,
Hides a heart within,
Quite as full of sin,
And as black as the midnight storm.’

‘This must be the very palace of enchantment,’ exclaimed Ellen, as the voice of the singer abruptly ceased, ‘where one could almost be led to forget their own personal identity. But hark, I hear the strange voice again.’

Ellen and her companion again listened in almost breathless silence as the invisible vocalist continued her song, thus:

‘Beware, beware,
For grief and care
Broods over the youthful heart,
And the chastening rod
Of an Infinite God,
His justice will soon impart.’

Here the voice of the invisible songster again ceased, and although both Ellen and her companion listened long for its repetition, they listened in vain, for it was heard no more.

After a short interval of silence had elapsed, Mary Hamilton addressed her companion as follows–

‘The thought has just entered my mind of attempting to escape from this strange and horrible place.’

‘I must own, dear Mary,’ replied Ellen, ‘that the place is strange enough to terrify a less romantic person than myself, still I think it far from being horrible. This room is almost as elegantly furnished as was my dear mother’s in London, and then only think of the delightful music which has so lately greeted our ears.’