application of certain ointments, were supposed to possess the art of
separating soul from body, and, leaving the last as dead, to dismiss
the first to the dismal orgies of the Sabbat. It was a frequent
custom to select for the place of such trances, heathen temples and
ancient graves. And Hilda seated herself beside the witch to await
the waking. The cock crowed thrice, heavy mists began to arise from
the glades, covering the gnarled roots of the forest trees, when the
dread face on which Hilda calmly gazed, showed symptoms of returning
life! a strong convulsion shook the vague indefinite form under its
huddled garments, the eyes opened, closed,--opened again; and what had
a few moments before seemed a dead thing sate up and looked round.

"Wicca," said the Danish prophetess, with an accent between contempt
and curiosity, "for what mischief to beast or man hast thou followed
the noiseless path of the Dreams through the airs of Night?"

The creature gazed hard upon the questioner, from its bleared but
fiery eyes, and replied slowly, "Hail, Hilda, the Morthwyrtha! why art
thou not of us, why comest thou not to our revels? Gay sport have we
had to-night with Faul and Zabulus [180]; but gayer far shall our
sport be in the wassail hall of Senlac, when thy grandchild shall come
in the torchlight to the bridal bed of her lord. A buxom bride is
Edith the Fair, and fair looked her face in her sleep on yester noon,
when I sate by her side, and breathed on her brow, and murmured the
verse that blackens the dream; but fairer still shall she look in her
sleep by her lord. Ha! ha! Ho! we shall be there, with Zabulus and
Faul; we shall be there!"

"How!" said Hilda, thrilled to learn that the secret ambition she
cherished was known to this loathed sister in the art. "How dost thou