which my gaze was turned; and that they only became invisible, or
resolved themselves into other woodland shapes, the moment my
looks were directed towards them. However this may have been,
except for this feeling of presence, the woods seemed utterly
bare of anything like human companionship, although my glance
often fell on some object which I fancied to be a human form; for
I soon found that I was quite deceived; as, the moment I fixed my
regard on it, it showed plainly that it was a bush, or a tree, or
a rock.

Soon a vague sense of discomfort possessed me. With variations
of relief, this gradually increased; as if some evil thing were
wandering about in my neighbourhood, sometimes nearer and
sometimes further off, but still approaching. The
feelingcontinued and deepened, until all my pleasure in the shows
of various kinds that everywhere betokened the presence of the
merry fairies vanished by degrees, and left me full of anxiety
and fear, which I was unable to associate with any definite
object whatever. At length the thought crossed my mind with
horror: "Can it be possible that the Ash is looking for me? or
that, in his nightly wanderings, his path is gradually verging
towards mine?" I comforted myself, however, by remembering that
he had started quite in another direction; one that would lead
him, if he kept it, far apart from me; especially as, for the
last two or three hours, I had been diligently journeying
eastward. I kept on my way, therefore, striving by direct effort
of the will against the encroaching fear; and to this end
occupying my mind, as much as I could, with other thoughts. I
was so far successful that, although I was conscious, if I
yielded for a moment, I should be almost overwhelmed with horror,