sen
a few more degrees, to dispel the almost sepulchral darkness that had
hitherto invested the ruins, and thus proved a more effectual protection
to the travellers than their own courage. Of this Roland was well aware;
and he watched the increasing light with sullen and gloomy forebodings;
though still exhorting his two supporters to hope and courage, and
setting them a constant example of vigilance and resolution. But neither
hope nor courage, neither vigilance nor resolution, availed to deprive
the foe of the advantage he had gained in effecting a lodgment among the
ruins, where four or five different warriors still maintained a hot fire
upon the hovel, doing, of course, little harm, as it was entirely
deserted, but threatening mischief enough, when it should fall into their
hands,--a catastrophe that was deferred only in consequence of the
extreme cautiousness with which they now conducted hostilities, the
travellers making only a show of defending it, though sensible that it
almost entirely commanded the ravine.

It was now more than an hour and a half since Nathan had departed,
and Roland was beginning himself to feel the hope he encouraged in
the others, that the man of peace had actually succeeded in effecting
his escape, and that the wild whoop which he at first esteemed the
evidence of his capture or death, and the assault that followed it,
had been caused by some circumstance having no relation to Nathan
whatever,--perhaps by the arrival of a reinforcement, whose coming had
infused new spirit into the breasts of the so long baffled assailants.
"If he _have_ escaped," he muttered, "he must already be near the
camp:--a strong man and fleet runner might reach it in an hour. In
another hour,--nay, perhaps in half an hour, for there are good horses
and bold hearts in the band,--I shall hear the rattle of their hoofs in
the wood, and the yells of these cursed bandits, scattered like dust
under their footsteps. If I can but hold the ravine for an hour! Thank
Heaven, the moon is a second time lost in clouds, the thunder is again
rolling through the sky! A tempest now were better than gales of
Araby,--a thunder-gust were our salvation."

The wishes of the soldier seemed about, to be fulfilled. The clouds,
which for half an hour had been breaking up, again gathered, producing
thicker darkness than before; and heavy peals of thunder, heralded by
pale sheets of lightning that threw a ghastly but insufficient light over