----“Are you satisfied?” cried Edgar, accompanying his words with a
dreadful thrust. The sword entered the breast of Richard, and but just
escaped his heart. “Are you satisfied?” repeated he, while drawing the
weapon from the wound, reaking with the blood of his friend. Richard
would have replied, but his speech failed. He groaned; he gasped for
breath; he fainted.
The clashing of swords, and the words of Edgar, arroused
the venerable inhabitant of the forest. He slipped on his garments, and
hastened to the scene of action: With some herbs, of the nature of which
he was acquainted, he staunched the bleeding, and Richard again opened
his eyes. When the hermit saw he was so far recovered, he returned to
his cottage, to prepare a bed, and get other things in readiness for the
reception of the wounded person.
The first object that Richard’s returning sight brought to view was
Edgar. “Traitor! Villain!” he feebly uttered, “hence from my
sight---life is no longer pleasing to me---you have strewed before me
bitterness. My sister you have wronged; in an unguarded moment you took
the advantage; you triumphed over her virtue: And do you still suppose I
can behold you with tranquility? If you do, know that I detest you.”
“For this I will be revenged!” exclaimed the other. “Take that!---and
should our spirits meet in other worlds revenge I’ll still pursue!” Here
the wretch, triumphing over a fallen enemy, plunged his sword deep into
the heart of Richard; and extinguished the spark of life that still
remained.
The hermit was returning from his cottage---horror arrested his
steps---“he saw the iron enter his soul.”