TWO:"Now, sirrah," said the baron, whose anger was aroused to the highest pitch; "say the wordis it death or bondage?"The rain did continue, and, after Byles had supped, he sat at the fire for two or three hours, and scarcely spoke. His countenance was troubled;the deed he had promised to dowhich he had contemplated with almost indifference, was now about to be accomplished; and he felt how different it is to dwell upon the commission of a thing, and actually to do it. Frequent draughts of ale, however, in some measure restored the tone of his nerves; and, as the evening wore away, he rose from the fire, and, opening the door, looked out at the weather. A thick drizzling rain still fell; the moon was at the full; and though the heavy clouds precluded the possibility of her gladdening the earth, yet even the heavy clouds could not entirely obscure her light;there was a radiance spread over the heavens which, though wanting the brightness of moonlight, was nevertheless equal and shadowless.
This theme features some wonderful photography courtesy of Death to the Stock Photo.
