"'It is,' replied Lady Rookwood; 'I have followed him hither, and I will follow him whithersoever he leads me, were it to----' "'What doth he now?' asked Alan; 'do you see him still?' "'The figure points to that sarcophagus,' returned Lady Rookwood--'can you raise up the lid?' "'No,' replied Alan; 'my strength will not avail to lift it.' "'Yet let the trial be made,' said Lady Rookwood; 'the figure points there still--my own arm shall aid you.' "Alan watched her in dumb wonder. She advanced towards the marble monument, and beckoned him to follow. He reluctantly complied. Without any expectation of being able to move the ponderous lid of the sarcophagus, at Lady Rookwood's renewed request he applied himself to the task. What was his surprise when, beneath their united efforts, he found the ponderous slab slowly revolve upon its vast hinges, and, with little further difficulty, it was completely elevated, though it still required the exertion of all Alan's strength to prop it open and prevent its falling back. "'What does it contain?' asked Lady Rookwood. "'A warrior's ashes,' returned Alan. "'There is a rusty dagger upon a fold of faded linen,' cried Lady Rookwood, holding down the light. "'It is the weapon with which the first dame of the house of Rookwood was stabbed,' said Alan, with a grim smile: 'Which whoso findeth in the tomb Shall clutch until the hour of doom; And when 'tis grasped by hand of clay The curse of blood shall pass away. So saith the rhyme. Have you seen enough?' "'No,' said Lady Rookwood, precipitating herself into the marble coffin. 'That weapon shall be mine.' "'Come forth--come forth,' cried Alan. 'My arm trembles--I cannot support the lid.' "'I will have it, though I grasp it to eternity,' shrieked Lady Rookwood, vainly endeavouring to wrest away the dagger, which was fastened, together with the linen upon which it lay, by some adhesive substance to the bottom of the shell. "At this moment Alan Rookwood happened to cast his eye upward, and he then beheld what filled him with new terror. The axe of the sable statue was poised above its head, as in the act to strike him. Some secret machinery, it was evident, existed between the sarcophagus lid and this mysterious image. But in the first impulse of his alarm Alan abandoned his hold of the slab, and it sunk slowly downwards. He uttered a loud cry as it moved. Lady Rookwood heard this cry. She raised herself at the same moment--the dagger was in her hand--she pressed it against the lid, but its downward force was too great to be withstood. The light was within the sarcophagus and Alan could discern her features. The expression was terrible. She uttered one shriek, and the lid closed for ever.