h deepening awe the rumbling of the
earth below, the wheels and voices of the Ministry of Nature in her
darkest and most inscrutable recess. Suddenly, as a bomb from a shell,
a huge stone was flung hundreds of yards up from the jaws of the crater,
and falling with a mighty crash upon the rock below, split into ten
thousand fragments, which bounded down the sides of the mountain,
sparkling and groaning as they went. One of these, the largest fragment,
struck the narrow space of soil between the Englishmen and the guide,
not three feet from the spot where the former stood. Mervale uttered an
exclamation of terror, and Glyndon held his breath, and shuddered.

"Diavolo!" cried the guide. "Descend, Excellencies,--descend! we have
not a moment to lose; follow me close!"

So saying, the guide and the peasant fled with as much swiftness as they
were able to bring to bear. Mervale, ever more prompt and ready than his
friend, imitated their example; and Glyndon, more confused than alarmed,
followed close. But they had not gone many yards, before, with a rushing
and sudden blast, came from the crater an enormous volume of vapour. It
pursued,--it overtook, it overspread them. It swept the light from the
heavens. All was abrupt and utter darkness; and through the gloom was
heard the shout of the guide, already distant, and lost in an instant
amidst the sound of the rushing gust and the groans of the earth
beneath. Glyndon paused. He was separated from his friend, from the
guide. He was alone,--with the Darkness and the Terror. The vapour
rolled sullenly away; the form of the plumed fire was again dimly
visible, and its struggling and perturbed reflection again shed a
glow over the horrors of the path. Glyndon recovered himself, and sped
onward. Below, he heard the voice of Mervale calling on him, though
he no longer saw his form. The sound served as a guide. Dizzy and
breathless, he bounded forward; when--hark!--a sullen, slow rolling
sounded in his ear! He halted,--and turned back to gaze. The fire had
overflowed its course; it had opened itself a channel amidst the furrows
of the mountain. The stream pursued him fast--fast; and the hot breath
of the chasing and preternatural foe came closer and closer upon his
cheek! He turned aside; he climbed desperately with hands and feet upon
a crag that, to the right, broke the scathed and blasted level of the
soil. The stream rolled beside and beneath him, and then taking a sudden
wind rou