f the adept, stirred with all the German
superstitions of nixies, oak-kings, wer-wolves, hobgoblins, black
spirits and white, blue spirits and grey, durst not even attempt to
solve.

Another of his senses was soon engaged in the investigation. At the
extremity of one of the transepts of the church, at the bottom of a few
descending steps, was a small iron-grated door, opening, as far as he
recollected, to a sort of low vault or sacristy. As he cast his eye in
the direction of the sound, he observed a strong reflection of red light
glimmering through these bars, and against the steps which descended to
them. Dousterswivel stood a moment uncertain what to do; then, suddenly
forming a desperate resolution, he moved down the aisle to the place
from which the light proceeded.

[Illustration: The Funeral of the Countess]

Fortified with the sign of the cross, and as many exorcisms as his
memory could recover, he advanced to the grate, from which, unseen, he
could see what passed in the interior of the vault. As he approached
with timid and uncertain steps, the chant, after one or two wild and
prolonged cadences, died away into profound silence. The grate, when
he reached it, presented a singular spectacle in the interior of the
sacristy. An open grave, with four tall flambeaus, each about six feet
high, placed at the four corners--a bier, having a corpse in its shroud,
the arms folded upon the breast, rested upon tressels at one side of
the grave, as if ready to be interred--a priest, dressed in his cope and
stole, held open the service book--another churchman in his vestments
bore a holy-water sprinkler, and two boys in white surplices held
censers with incense--a man, of a figure once tall and commanding, but
now bent with age or infirmity, stood alone and nearest to the coffin,
attired in deep mourning--such were the most prominent figures of the
group. At a little distance were two or three persons of both sexes,
attired in long mourning hoods and cloaks; and five or six others in the
same lugubrious dress, still farther removed from the body, around the
walls of the vault, stood ranged in motionless order, each bearing
in his hand a huge torch of black wax. The smoky light from so many
flambeaus, by the red and indistinct atmosphere which it spread around,
gave a hazy, dubious, and as it were phantom-like appearance to the
outlines of this singular apparition, The voice of the priest--loud,
clear, and sonorous--now re