_A cavern, dark, except where a gleam of moonlight is seen on one side at the further end of it; supposed to be cast on it from a crevice in a part of the cavern out of sight. ISIDORE alone, an extinguished torch in his hand._ _Isidore._ Faith 'twas a moving letter--very moving! 'His life in danger, no place safe but this! 'Twas his turn now to talk of gratitude.' And yet--but no! there can't be such a villain. It can not be! Thanks to that little crevice, 5 Which lets the moonlight in! I'll go and sit by it. To peep at a tree, or see a he-goat's beard, Or hear a cow or two breathe loud in their sleep-- Any thing but this crash of water drops! These dull abortive sounds that fret the silence 10 With puny thwartings and mock opposition! So beats the death-watch to a sick man's ear. [_He goes out of sight, opposite to the patch of moonlight: and returns._ A hellish pit! The very same I dreamt of! I was just in--and those damn'd fingers of ice Which clutch'd my hair up! Ha!--what's that--it mov'd. 15 [_ISIDORE stands staring at another recess in the cavern. In the mean time ORDONIO enters with a torch, and halloes to ISIDORE._ _Isidore._ I swear that I saw something moving there! The moonshine came and went like a flash of lightning---- I swear, I saw it move. _Ordonio (goes into the recess, then returns)._ A jutting clay stone Drops on the long lank weed, that grows beneath: And the weed nods and drips.[859:1] _Isidore._ A jest to laugh at! 20 It was not that which scar'd me, good my lord. _Ordonio._ What scar'd you, then? _Isidore._ You see that little rift? But first permit me! [_Lights his torch at ORDONIO'S, and while lighting it._