doom--their bloodless lips move not--their shadowy limbs are void of
motion, while still they glide onwards. We come," he exclaimed, springing
forwards, "for what should we wait? Haste, my friends, apparel yourselves
in the court-dress of death. Pestilence will usher you to his presence. Why
thus long? they, the good, the wise, and the beloved, are gone before.
Mothers, kiss you last--husbands, protectors no more, lead on the
partners of your death! Come, O come! while the dear ones are yet in sight,
for soon they will pass away, and we never never shall join them more."

From such ravings as these, he would suddenly become collected, and with
unexaggerated but terrific words, paint the horrors of the time; describe
with minute detail, the effects of the plague on the human frame, and tell
heart-breaking tales of the snapping of dear affinities--the gasping
horror of despair over the death-bed of the last beloved--so that groans
and even shrieks burst from the crowd. One man in particular stood in
front, his eyes fixt on the prophet, his mouth open, his limbs rigid, while
his face changed to various colours, yellow, blue, and green, through
intense fear. The maniac caught his glance, and turned his eye on him--
one has heard of the gaze of the rattle-snake, which allures the trembling
victim till he falls within his jaws. The maniac became composed; his
person rose higher; authority beamed from his countenance. He looked on the
peasant, who began to tremble, while he still gazed; his knees knocked
together; his teeth chattered. He at last fell down in convulsions. "That
man has the plague," said the maniac calmly. A shriek burst from the lips
of the poor wretch; and then sudden motionlessness came over him; it was
manifest to all that he was dead.

Cries of horror filled the place--every one endeavoured to effect his
escape--in a few minutes the market place was cleared--the corpse lay
on the ground; and the maniac, subdued and exhausted, sat beside it,
leaning his gaunt cheek upon his thin hand. Soon some people, deputed by
the magistrates, came to remove the body; the unfortunate being saw a
jailor in each--he fled precipitately, while I passed onwards to the
Castle.

Death, cruel and relentless, had entered these beloved walls. An old
servant, who had nursed Idris in infancy, and who lived with us more on the
footing of a revered relative than a domestic, had gone a few days before
to visit a daughter, married, an