magic in it at all--not a bit--It is all founded on
de planetary influence, and de sympathy and force of numbers. I will
show you much finer dan dis. I do not say dere is not de spirit in it,
because of de suffumigation; but, if you are not afraid, he shall not be
invisible."

"I have no curiosity to see him at all," said the Baronet, whose courage
seemed, from a certain quaver in his accent, to have taken a fit of the
ague.

"Dat is great pity," said Dousterswivel; "I should have liked to show
you de spirit dat guard dis treasure like one fierce watchdog--but I know
how to manage him;--you would not care to see him?"

"Not at all," answered the Baronet, in a tone of feigned indifference;
"I think we have but little time."

"You shall pardon me, my patron; it is not yet twelve, and twelve
precise is just our planetary hours; and I could show you de spirit
vary well, in de meanwhile, just for pleasure. You see I would draw
a pentagon within a circle, which is no trouble at all, and make my
suffumigation within it, and dere we would be like in one strong castle,
and you would hold de sword while I did say de needful worts. Den you
should see de solid wall open like de gate of ane city, and den--let me
see--ay, you should see first one stag pursued by three black greyhounds,
and they should pull him down as they do at de elector's great
hunting-match; and den one ugly, little, nasty black negro should appear
and take de stag from them--and paf--all should be gone; den you should
hear horns winded dat all de ruins should ring--mine wort, they should
play fine hunting piece, as goot as him you call'd Fischer with his
oboi; vary well--den comes one herald, as we call Ernhold, winding his
horn--and den come de great Peolphan, called de mighty Hunter of de
North, mounted on hims black steed. But you would not care to see all
this?"*

* Note F. Witchcraft.

"Why, I am not afraid," answered the poor Baronet,--"if--that is--does
anything--any great mischiefs, happen on such occasions?"

"Bah! mischiefs? no!--sometimes if de circle be no quite just, or
de beholder be de frightened coward, and not hold de sword firm and
straight towards him, de Great Hunter will take his advantage, and drag
him exorcist out of de circle and throttle him. Dat does happens."

"Well then, Dousterswivel, with every confidence in my courage and your
skill, we will dispense with this apparition, and go on to the business
of the night."

"With