ul region which the soul might enter, of a
transmutation that was unto death, of evocations which could summon the
utmost forces of evil from their dark places--in a word, of that sphere
which is represented to most of us under the crude and somewhat childish
symbolism of Black Magic. And here again he was not altogether without a
dim comprehension of what was meant. He found himself recalling an odd
incident that had happened long ago, which had remained all the years in
his mind unheeded, amongst the many insignificant recollections of his
childhood, and now rose before him, clear and distinct and full of
meaning. It was on that memorable visit to the old house in the west,
and the whole scene returned, with its smallest events, and the voices
seemed to sound in his ears. It was a grey, still day of heavy heat that
he remembered: he had stood on the lawn after breakfast, and wondered at
the great peace and silence of the world. Not a leaf stirred in the
trees on the lawn, not a whisper came from the myriad leaves of the
wood; the flowers gave out sweet and heavy odours as if they breathed
the dreams of the summer night; and far down the valley, the winding
river was like dim silver under that dim and silvery sky, and the far
hills and woods and fields vanished in the mist. The stillness of the
air held him as with a charm; he leant all the morning against the rails
that parted the lawn from the meadow, breathing the mystic breath of
summer, and watching the fields brighten as with a sudden blossoming of
shining flowers as the high mist grew thin for a moment before the
hidden sun. As he watched thus, a man weary with heat, with some glance
of horror in his eyes, passed him on his way to the house; but he stayed
at his post till the old bell in the turret rang, and they dined all
together, masters and servants, in the dark cool room that looked
towards the still leaves of the wood. He could see that his uncle was
upset about something, and when they had finished dinner he heard him
tell his father that there was trouble at a farm; and it was settled
that they should all drive over in the afternoon to some place with a
strange name. But when the time came Mr. Darnell was too deep in old
books and tobacco smoke to be stirred from his corner, and Edward and
his uncle went alone in the dog-cart. They drove swiftly down the narrow
lane, into the road that followed the winding river, and crossed the
bridge at Caermaen by the m