"Wo worth the hour! dark fates did lower, when our hands were first united, For my heart's firm truth, 'mid tears and ruth, with death hast thou requited: In prayer sincere, full many a year of my wretched life I've spent; But to hell's control would I give my soul to work thy chastisement!" These wild words said, low drooped her head, and Ranulph's life-blood froze, For the earth did gape, as an awful shape from out its depths arose: "Thy prayer is heard, Hell hath concurred," cried the fiend, "thy soul is mine! Like fate may dread each dame shall wed with Ranulph or his line!" Within the tomb to await her doom is that hapless lady sleeping, And another bride by Ranulph's side through the livelong night is weeping. _This_ dame declines--a third repines, and fades, like the rest, away; Her lot she rues, whom a Rookwood woos--_cursed is her Wedding Day_! "And this is the legend of my ancestress?" said Luke, as Sybil's strains were ended. "It is," replied she. "An idle tale," observed Luke, moodily. "Not so," answered Sybil. "Has not the curse of blood clung to all your line? Has it not attached to your father--to Sir Reginald--Sir Ralph--Sir Ranulph--to all? Which of them has escaped it? And when I tell you this, dear Luke; when I find you bear the name of this accursed race, can you wonder if I shudder at adding to the list of the victims of that ruthless spirit, and that I tremble for you? I would die _for_ you willingly--but not by your hand. I would not that my blood, which I would now pour out for you as freely as water, should rise up in judgment against you. For myself I have no tears--for _you_, a thousand. My mother, upon her death-bed, told me I should never be yours. I believed her not, for I was happy then. She said that we never should be united; or, if united----?" "What, in Heaven's name?" "That you would be my destroyer. How could I credit her words then? How can I doubt them now, when I find you are a Rookwood? And think not, dear Luke, that I am ruled by selfish fears in this resolution. To renounce you may cost me my life; but the deed will be my own. You may call me superstitious, credulous: I have been nurtured in credulity. It is the faith of my fathers. There are those, methinks, who have an insight into futurity; and such boding words have been spoken, that, be they true or false, I will not risk their fulfilment in my person. I may be credulous; I may be weak; I may be erring; but I am steadfast in this. Bid me perish at your feet, and I will do it. I will not be your Fate. I will not be the wretched instrument of your perdition. I will love, worship, watch, serve, perish for you--but I'll not wed you."