The San Francisco call., 1907-06-09
CHAPTER SEVENTIES
The Tefrers Of The Nhkht

Ix<h &Et t1AIEEI
The Terrsrs Of the zixht
"HE storm had risen. the low
Whispering OF the wind. the dis
tant rumbles OF the thunder.
gathering unheeded, burst sud-
denly into . tempest
It's very fury spoke Il brief. but
many covered ana shrank before 1t.
as II its termination must be the ter
mination Of the world And to no one
solitary prisoner In the castle OF
Brescfa--Gian visconti- In obedience
TO Carrara's orders. he had been placed
in q separate chamber. a. Tar from the
other prisoners as space allowed His
chamber was a circular. vauitlike
space. once serving as antechamber to
q gloomy suite OF rooms beyond in
which Barnabzs vfsconti had chosen
to beguile the summer heat The doors
Of this suite we're locked: Clan Wis
conti himself had locked them. when
he and his father last came there to-
gether- This vaaitiike room was high
and III lit. and. In the blackness OF the
storm. pitch dark TiSc0nti sat un-
derneafh one OF the windows. whittier
he had dragged the wooden stool, the
sole furniture the place contained: his
face was buried In his hands. and he
wrfthed In horror.
The wind howled and tore at the
locked doors. making them creak and
groan: the thunder shook the build
ing: and at every fresh cenvu1sion Wis
cont shrieked aloud In unison
The lightning, nashing blue through
the crevices, seemed to play about
that inner door. and he covered
from the sight. and bit at his hngers In
a fierce endeayor to resist the madness
SELLING him
1t was not so very long ago that he
had turned the great key behind him
in that ponderous door. and ridden from
the deed he had done. shouting through
the midnight. He thought then never
to return. and here he was. thrust In
alone. and his madness on him Wis.,
cont staggered from his seat. gropinE
blindly.
The blackness seemed 70 wniri with
faces and elutehing. tearing hngers:
he knew not where he was--he could
see nothing-blackness and space
seemingly unbounded.
Another fash revealed TO him that he
had drawn near that inner door--in the
instant II was visible: IL seemed TO
open and shut-auickfy.
vfsconti Tell back against the wall.
and wrestled with his terrors as il
they were some living thing. and again
with savage teeth he bit into his flesh.
But the floor was opening beneath
him. opening into CULTS deep and still
deeper. bottomless-
Il am madr said yfsconti. and
shrieked and howled with the storm.
II did not help him: he heard hurrying
feet through all the alarm of the temp
est. hurrying to him behind that locked
door Let him not look. for what he
feared to see the dark could not con-
eeal-and now they were at the door.
and now they were fitting key.
Keep away he yelled
Then he stood. hushed with bated
breath. eyes starting into the black
ness. listening. And through the dark
he heard the creaking and twisting OF
the key. the slow opening OF a heavy
door. the groaning OF the hinges as IL
opened. slowly.
The wind howled In a wild gust, and
suddenly through the narrow window
there showed the black sky torn in
two by the lightning fash. AS IL circIed
the chamber. Visconti raised his head
the door was open And through the
opening two faces peered--they were
not human faces-visconti knew them
when they were
vivid fash. and the thunder crashed
and rolled. and at last the rain came
with a mighty roar.
II am In hellr' yelled visconti. II
am dead and In he1I!' And maniac
shrieks arose He dragged himself to
the narrow slit that made the window.
and some Of the heavy rain drops were
dashed in upon his face.
II am aliver he cried. "alivei II
does not rain in hellr' He dropped. and
lay prone along the ground. After
a while he rose. and began cropping for
the outer door.
The walls seemed to rock and twist.
but on his face and hand was the cold
splash of the rain. and Visconti kept q
hold upon his self-controI. saying be-
tween his teeth: "A light; II can get
, a light"
He found the door. and struck II with
the fury OF madness
There was no response Again he
struck and shouted. The worst had
gone by. but only to leave his thoughts
centered on one ideas TO see a human
face and in the light
Suddenly, in the midst OF his blows.
the door opened. showing a glimmering
light. and In the entrance the figure OF
a soldier. who looked fearfuliy around
the chamber.
'I thought IL was the fiend himself
who called" he said, and crossed HIM
SELF
visconti clutched his arm. 1T was
the fiend." he said. 'Legions or them
the place is haunted. Give me lfght,'
The soldier shrank back in horror at
his words. at his hardly human eyes.
Santa Marial'' he muttered. Il have
heard evil tales OF this castle; the
storm, too, Is fearful
".Give me a light" said visconti;
give me a light"
None OF the prisoners have lights
ii is forbidden" began the man. but
Clan Maria cut him short
"A light, say" and he put his blood
marked hand upon the others shoul-
der.
Thou heardst the fiend screanl--and
It was the hend- Wit thou give me a
light?'
The frightened soldier shrank from
him anew.
Thou are distraught." he cried with
a paling face
visconti laughed wildly. do not
say so? Give me the lanternr and he
held out his finger. on which there
blazed a splendid ring Would any
ordinary prisoner wear q ring like
this? i tell thee IL is a coal from
hell. and I will give II thee--for thy
Cao hrxu -