Shortly afterwards the earl retired with Father Norham into the cell adjoining the prison-chamber, where the priest heard his confession, and gave him absolution.
During this interval, the countess knelt down and prayed fervently.
At length, the earl came forth, and she arose, perceiving from his looks that the moment of parting was come.
He extended his arms, and flying towards him, she was clasped to his breast.
Thus they remained for some minutes amid a silence, broken only by her sobs.
He then made a slight effort to loosen her embrace, but she clung to him even more tenaciously.
“We must part, my best beloved,” he said, printing a kiss upon her brow.
“Oh! I knew not the anguish of this hour,” she cried. “Would my heart would break and relieve me!”
“For your husband's sake, calm yourself, dear daughter, I implore you!” said the priest.
But her grief was too violent to be restrained, and a paroxysm ensued that found vent in a fearful shriek, that burst through the grated windows of the fortification, and almost froze the blood of such as heard it.