Thus I tell you we reached the West Tower: a tower long haunted in renown, and of which no apartment is either in use or preservation. We entered a rude kind of saloon, where we dimly saw mouldering walls, and unoccupied pedestals; scraps of its former carved ornaments were strewed upon the pavements; and here and there the faint rays of our lanthern glanced upon an headless hero. The saloon was cold and dreary; a wintry blast crept round us, with the hollow murmur of emptiness. We were treading ground, of which the apparitions of the castle had for time immemorial claimed the undisturbed possession; and the panic struck hearts of my companions were doubtless anticipating supernatural disasters, when slam went some door at no great distance. 'Lord, Lord have mercy on us!' cried Griffiths, seizing on my arm; while his yet paler brother, envying him the supposed protection, forced himself between us, and I have still the misfortune to bear tokens of his cowardly gripe. Enraged with the pain of this fellow's pinch, and the terror of being surprised, I shook him off like a fly; and, closing up the lanthern, I listened attentively at each door of the saloon, and became convinced we had heard only one of the accidental noises of an old and shattered building. 'Follow me, ye frightened fools,' said I, 'and at your peril----' 'Indeed, my lord,' whispered both cowards together, 'we were not at all frightened, and----' With a look expressive enough I believe, for I was then mad with apprehension least their ignorance and credulity should ruin my project, I awed them into silence. I again bade them follow with the tone of authoritative command, and cowards are at all times most ready to obey. Our next stage, and last except the stairs, was a winding, narrow, damp, stone passage.----The devil certainly owed me a grudge, since he incited me to enter it at that moment.----Ten minutes sooner, and I had probably secured the damsel, and had left the invisible night-walking inamorato to sigh, as it is now alass, Walter, my fate and fortune. This passage was barely wide enough for three to walk abreast. I placed myself in the middle; and they clung to me with infinite zeal. I carried the lanthern; and our step was soft as secresy on my part and terror on their's could make it.--Turning an angle of this infernal passage, behold there came sweeping towards us a tall long bearded figure, in a black cloak, and carrying a dark lanthern likewise.