y became less angular; at last, as if
catching the cadence of the drums, leaning all her long body forward,
and writhing like an eel, she rushed round and round the blazing
bonfire. A dry leaf caught in a hurricane could not fly swifter. Her
bare bony feet trod noiselessly on the rocky ground. The long locks of
her hair flew round her like snakes, lashing the spectators, who knelt,
stretching their trembling arms towards her, and writhing as if they
were alive. Whoever was touched by one of this Fury's black curls, fell
down on the ground, overcome with happiness, shouting thanks to the
goddess, and considering himself blessed for ever. It was not human hair
that touched the happy elect, it was the goddess herself, one of the
seven. Swifter and swifter fly her decrepit legs; the young, vigorous
hands of the drummer can hardly follow her. But she does not think
of catching the measure of his music; she rushes, she flies forward.
Staring with her expressionless, motionless orbs at something before
her, at something that is not visible to our mortal eyes, she hardly
glances at her worshippers; then her look becomes full of fire; and
whoever she looks at feels burned through to the marrow of his bones.
At every glance she throws a few grains of rice. The small handful seems
inexhaustible, as if the wrinkled palm contained the bottomless bag of
Prince Fortunatus.

Suddenly she stops as if thunderstruck.

The mad race round the bonfire had lasted twelve minutes, but we looked
in vain for a trace of fatigue on the deathlike face of the witch. She
stopped only for a moment, just the necessary time for the goddess to
release her. As soon as she felt free, by a single effort she jumped
over the fire and plunged into the deep tank by the portico. This time,
she plunged only once; and whilst she stayed under the water, the
second sister-goddess entered her body. The little boy in white produced
another dish, with a new piece of burning camphor, just in time for the
witch to take it up, and to rush again on her headlong way.

The colonel sat with his watch in his hand. During the second obsession
the witch ran, leaped, and raced for exactly fourteen minutes. After
this, she plunged twice in the tank, in honor of the second sister; and
with every new obsession the number of her plunges increased, till it
became six.

It was already an hour and a half since the race began. All this time
the witch never rested, stopping only for a