Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1828-03-13
light was well calculated to drawt [

fol Cavalier, who thus addressed bis
friend
81 marvel, Signor Don Alvarez de
Pietro, what strange knight errantry
prompted you hiiher at night fall TO
explore these hideous ruins. Know
you not they are haunted, and that
strange noises are heard and mystc-
rious lights seen fitting around its
easements, at the dead hour of mid.
night?-And though reckless you may
be, SIgnor, | boast not such wild ad
genturcus chivalry." GAS YOU list,
Slgnor Guespefes," returned the Ca
Waller, "but light 1 ween must be the
daring that heeds an idle tale. "Nay
Signor Pietro," resumed the youth, it
is not the mere illusion of an idle fan
tasy There is indeed horrid mystery
connected with these ruins which might
well beseem them the unhaIlowed
haunts of guilty and perturbed spirit
Know you not these walls are stained
with blood; with cold blooded murder
and assassination Bot bark he whis
pered, "what noise is thatf'' Moth
ing, Siguor, replied Don Alvarez"
but the flight of bird that passed a
bove your head; and see where it
lights upon that fallen baiIustrade by
the marble staircase But proceed,
Signor Guesperes; what are the mys
FERROUS circumstances interviewer with
these ruins"
"Well signor," he continued, Gone
night as an aged peasant was returning
from Coimbra with basket of Pilch
ards, just as he had crossed the aven
ue of tall chesnut trees in the rear of
that broken bridge, who should he
meet but two females standing in the
moonlight One instantly vanished,
how be knew not--he said it was like
the flashing of Meteor, SO sudden
and SO soon she passed-The other,-
a shrivelled fairy like figure, address
ed him with-well friend, what have
you in that basket? Pilchards, Slgnora,
Richards, stammered the old man. -
Follow me, then, returned the phan
tom, and you shall have gold for them.
He obeyod, for he dared not act other
wise; and having entered the ruins
and deposited the contents of bis bas
ket, she placed within bis hand what
ne thought to be Spanish real, but
which proved to be an ancient gold
coin of considerable value, and which
mysterious relic be still continues to
preserve in memory of his extraordina
ry adventure" "Pshaw," muttered
Don Alvarez, "there is nothing eth
er extraordinary, or marvellous in all
that Probably some miserable wretch
whom guilt Or misfortune may have
driven hlther, or perchance some IN
happy maniac" "Well, well, Sig
nor" returned Guesperes, rather i'm
patiently, "but there are other circum.
stances OF darker and more horrible
import, and which / will now relate
to you'll was on the eve of the ed
of November, when Bernardo Pas
quail and comradc of his were pass
ing these ruins. The night was far ad
vanced--all around was wrapt in pro
found stiffness, aud as they were de
scendlng the green eminence that rises
above the moat, a sudden burst of
mysterious melody struck upon the air
1t floated in soft and mourniul numbers
like the last breathing OF ministering
Angel over the soothed couch of the
dying, and turning whence it proceed.
ed; they beheld the Castle brilliantly
Illuminated as on the occasion of fee
tival, Led on by intense curiosity,
they clambered among the ruins, and
with the aid of broken fragments and
piles OF rubbish, succeeded in gaining
a window that opened into the ban.
quoting room, where they beheld
number of armed knights, with vizors
drawn, seated round a table, which
seemed bending beneath the weight of
luxury and prolusion, and holding
gOblets of wine with which they were
pledgiDg each other Suddenly two
ofthe Knights arose, and dashing their
gauntlets upon The table, fearful cry
rang through the Castle. The lights
were instantly extingulshed, and the
roar of distant thunder was heard, with
vivid flashes of lightning Again, a