oor girl; it was they who were the evil genius of the town,
which seemed as if a curse rested upon it.

Corpses floated in the bay, and tempest followed tempest incessantly,
as if the day of judgment were at hand.

In spite of the weather, many people were abroad in the streets, in
order to procure further information, and they found a group with a
couple of lanterns down by the market-place.

The Haugians heard the news just as they came home from the meeting.
Sivert Jespersen put on his great coat again, turned up the collar,
and hurried off through the dark streets to Madame Torvestad.

Many others besides him had ventured out. Men and women of the
Haugians were afraid to stay at home alone with this terrible news,
which, in some measure, caused them to feel conscience-stricken.

They went out in order to ascertain the truth, and to learn how the
elders received it. They met many persons in the streets near the
market-place, and a number of people bearing lanterns, who had
collected near Madame Torvestad's house.

Whenever any of the Haugians approached, they threw a light on their
faces, calling out their names with scornful and opprobrious words.
In order to enter, the Haugians were obliged to take a circuitous
route, and when they reached the door, a couple of the Brethren
opened it when the voice was recognized, shutting it quickly again.

Indoors they felt more secure, for Worse's premises were built in a
square, with a court-yard in the centre, like a fortress. But here,
too, there was distraction and terror. Madame Torvestad was said to
have gone out of her senses. She sat upright by the side of the bed,
watching the water as it dripped from the corpse, and would not allow
any one to touch it.

The old dyer was the only person she would suffer to be with her.

In the chief part of the house Jacob Worse lay, and fought his last
fight with the devil. He was in a room looking upon the court-yard,
for in the rooms towards the market-place they did not dare show
lights, in order not to excite the crowd, which was increasing, and
from which menacing utterances broke forth at times.

In a short time the principal men and women of the Haugian community
assembled. They went about with pale faces, in anxiety and
bewilderment, and no one was capable of taking the lead. In the
meantime the storm raged on, and the house shook to its foundations.

Jacob Worse lay on his death-bed, his features pale and drawn. Fo