But whatever it might be, spirit of good or ill, it was visible to the Puritan alone.
After gazing at him for some minutes, in mixed wonderment and fright, the halberdier ventured to draw near him.

As he touched him, the Puritan uttered a fearful cry, and attempted to spring forward, as if to grasp some vanishing object, but being checked in the effort by the chain, he fell heavily to the ground, and seemed to sustain severe injury; for when the man raised him, and set him against the pillar, though he made no complaint, it was evident he suffered excruciating pain.

The halberdier poured out a cup of wine, and offered it to him; but, though well-nigh fainting, he peremptorily refused it.
From this moment a marked change was perceptible in his looks.

The hue of his skin became cadaverous; his eyes grew dim and glassy; and his respiration was difficult.

Everything betokened that his sufferings would be speedily over, and that, however he might deserve it, Hugh Calveley would be spared the disgrace of death by the hands of the executioner.