he cannot abide the cross on the
pass, and the church bell gives him pains." And then the farmer looked
at Roderick and said, "You know that they ring the bell all night on
the feast of All Souls?" "Yes," said Roderick, "I have heard it ring."
"Well, on that night alone," said the farmer, "they say that spirits
have power upon men, and come abroad to do them hurt; and so they ring
the bell, which the spirits cannot listen to--but, young master, it is
ill to talk of these things, and Christian men should not even think
of them; but as I said, though Satan has but little power over the
baptized soul, yet even so, says the priest, he can enter in, if the
soul be willing to admit him,--and so I say, avoid the place! it may
be that these are silly stories to affright folk, but it is ill to
touch pitch; and no good can be got by going to the pool, and perhaps
evil;--and now I think I have told you enough and more than enough."
For Roderick was looking at him pale and with wide open eyes.

Is it strange that from that day the thing that Roderick most desired
was to see the pool and what dwelt there? I think not; when hearts are
young and before trouble has laid its heavy hand upon them, the hard
and cruel things of life, wounds, blows, agonies, terrors, seen only
in the mirrors of another spirit, are but as a curious and lively
spectacle that feeds the mind with wonder. The stories to which
Roderick had listened in church of men that were haunted by demons
seemed to him but as dim and distant experiences on which he would
fain look; and the fainter the thought of his promise grew, the
stronger grew his desire to see for himself.

In the month of June, when the heart is light, and the smell of the
woods is fresh and sharp, Roderick's father and mother were called to
go on a journey, to see an ancient friend who was thought to be dying.
The night before they set off Roderick had a strange dream; it seemed
to him that he wandered over bare hillsides, and came at last to the
pool; the peak rose sharp and clear, and the water was very black and
still; while he gazed upon it, it seemed to be troubled; the water
began to spin round and round, and bubbling waves rose and broke on
the surface. Suddenly a hand emerged from the water, and then a head,
bright and unwetted, as though the water had no power to touch it.
Roderick saw that it was a man of youthful aspect and commanding mien;
he waded out to the shore and stood for a moment