“I am Anthonio, one of the Signor’s soldiers,” replied the voice.
“And what is that tapering light you bear?” said Emily, “see how it darts upwards,—and now it vanishes!”
“This light, lady,” said the soldier, “has appeared tonight as you see it, on the point of my lance, ever since I have been on watch; but what it means I cannot tell.”
“This is very strange!” said Emily.
“My fellow-guard,” continued the man, “has the same flame on his arms; he says he has sometimes seen it before. I never did; I am but lately come to the castle, for I have not been long a soldier.”
“How does your comrade account for it?” said Emily.
“He says it is an omen, lady, and bodes no good.”
“And what harm can it bode?” rejoined Emily.
“He knows not so much as that, lady.”
Whether Emily was alarmed by this omen, or not, she certainly was relieved from much terror by discovering this man to be only a soldier on duty, and it immediately occurred to her, that it might be he, who had occasioned so much alarm on the preceding night. There were, however, some circumstances, that still required explanation. As far as she could judge by the faint moonlight, that had assisted her observation, the figure she had seen did not resemble this man either in shape or size; besides, she was certain it had carried no arms. The silence of its steps, if steps it had, the moaning sounds, too, which it had uttered, and its strange disappearance, were circumstances of mysterious import, that did not apply, with probability, to a soldier engaged in the duty of his guard.