{"product_id":"2940014054935","title":"The Water Spectre","description":"Muchardus, the usurping Thane of Dungivan, had murdered Roderic the\u003cbr\u003elate owner of that title, whom he had treacherously invited to an\u003cbr\u003eentertainment in a castle that he possessed on the banks of the Clyde.\u003cbr\u003eAs soon as the banquet was nearly concluded, Roderic arose,\u003cbr\u003ecourteously took leave of his entertainer and his guests, and\u003cbr\u003edescended the stairs. But he was not allowed to quit Boswell Castle.\u003cbr\u003eHis faithful followers had been previously dispatched, and buried in\u003cbr\u003eone of the vaults beneath the edifice. To one of these, which was\u003cbr\u003eformed into a kind of dungeon, the hapless Roderic was forcibly\u003cbr\u003edragged, and fastened to the stone wall by an iron chain.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThree days and nights did the unfortunate Roderic remain in this\u003cbr\u003ewretched lodging; his bed the cold ground, with oaten cake and water\u003cbr\u003efor food; and this vile treatment he received from one on whom he had\u003cbr\u003eheaped innumerable favours, and honoured with his confidence.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn the fourth night of Roderic's dreadful confinement, Muchardus\u003cbr\u003eentered his dungeon; in one hand he carried a written paper, in the\u003cbr\u003eother a dagger; the man who had always brought Roderic's food, carried\u003cbr\u003ea torch before the recreant lord. Roderic surveyed his foe with silent\u003cbr\u003eindignation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter a pause of a few minutes, Muchardus presented to the Thane the\u003cbr\u003epaper which he had brought, and desired him to peruse it with\u003cbr\u003eattention. He did so, and found it to be drawn up as a will, by which\u003cbr\u003ehe bequeathed to his treacherous friend all his vast possessions, and\u003cbr\u003ethe Thaneship of Dungivan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'For what vile purpose have you brought me this infamous scroll?'\u003cbr\u003edemanded the Thane.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'By signing that paper,' replied Muchardus, 'you will preserve your\u003cbr\u003eexistence. Liberty, 'tis true, I cannot grant you, consistent with my\u003cbr\u003eown designs and safety; yet you shall be secreted in the best\u003cbr\u003eapartment my castle affords; and every wish you can form, that will\u003cbr\u003enot tend to a discovery of your still being an inhabitant of this\u003cbr\u003eworld, shall be attended to with the most scrupulous exactness.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Thane's eyes darted fire at this disclosure of the premeditated\u003cbr\u003evillainy of Muchardus, and he tore the paper to atoms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe enraged Muchardus flew towards his victim, and repeatedly plunged\u003cbr\u003ehis dagger in his breast, till, with a heavy groan, he fell, and\u003cbr\u003eexpired at the feet of his murderer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMuchardus then left the dungeon, and returned to his own apartment,\u003cbr\u003ewhere he employed one of his emissaries, whom he had sworn to secrecy,\u003cbr\u003eto draw up another paper of the same purport as that which the Thane\u003cbr\u003ehad destroyed. Muchardus had several papers in his possession, which\u003cbr\u003ehad been written by Roderic, and to most of them his signature was\u003cbr\u003eaffixed. This they copied with great exactness, and then prepared to\u003cbr\u003ereap the fruits of their wicked design.","brand":"WDS Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47179831312624,"sku":"2940014054935","price":1.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940014054935","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}