This last visitation of the apparition, accompanied as it was by a denunciation so terrible, had a yet more overwhelming effect upon Inverawe than either of those that preceded it. Bereft of all power over himself, he lay, conscious of existence it is true, but utterly incapable of commanding thought, much less of exercising action. Ere he could rally his intellect, or his nervous energy, the spectre was gone; and the apartment was dark. When his thoughts began to arise within him, they were of a more agonizing character than any which he had formerly experienced--"Your blood must flow for his."--These dreadful words still sounded in his ears, in the same deep, sepulchral tone in which they had been uttered. Do not suppose that one thought of himself ever crossed his mind. He thought of his son--that son, for whose welfare every desire of his life was concentrated,--that was his blood, against which he conceived this dread prophecy to be directed--that was his blood which he dreaded might flow. He shivered at the very thought. He recalled the strange circumstances which had attended the drinking of the toast to his roof-tree. His anxiety about his son was raised to a pitch, that converted his bed, for that night at least, into a bed of thorns. He slept not,--yet all his tossings failed to awaken his lady, who slept as if she had been drenched with some soporiferous drug. The sun had no sooner darted his first rays through the casement, however, than she awaked as if from a most refreshing sleep. She looked round upon her husband--observed his haggard and tortured expression--and the whole recollection of what she previously knew having come upon her at once, she began vehemently to upbraid herself. "I have slept," said she, in a tone of vexed self-reprehension.--"After all my determination to the contrary, I have slept throughout the whole night; and you have been again disturbed.--Say!--what has happened? Have you seen him again?" "I have seen him," replied Inverawe in a subdued tone and manner--"I have seen him, and his appearance was terrible." "Say--tell me!--what passed?" exclaimed the lady earnestly. "Inverawe, I must know all." Inverawe would have fain eaten in his words. He would have especially wished to have left his wife in ignorance of the denunciation to which the apparition had given utterance. But he had not as yet recovered sufficient mastery over himself, to enable him to baffle the questioning of an acute woman. In a short time the whole truth was extracted from him; and now the lady, in a state of agitation that very much exceeded his, began to press upon him the necessity of giving up the criminal to justice. Her argument was long and energetic; and during the time that it occupied, he gradually resumed the full possession of himself.