k if so be that you remembered her."

The dame looked up, her quick and saucy petulance exchanged for a
subdued and melancholy air.

"Remember thee! thou foul witch? ay long, long years have passed; I
thought thy persecutions at an end; thy prediction was nigh forgotten.
It was my wedding-ring, Gervase!"

"More marvellous still."

"Peace, and I'll tell thee. Grace Ashton, come forward. I know thine
ears are itching for the news. Well, well, it was when thou wast but a
boy, Gervase, and I remember an evening just like this. I was standing
by the draw-well yonder, looking, I now bethink me, at the dovecot,
where I suspected thieves; and in a humour somewhat of the sharpest, I
trow. By-and-by comes, what I thought, an impudent beggar-woman for an
alms. Her dress was red and tattered, with a high red cap to match. I
chided her it might be somewhat harshly, and I shall not soon forget
the malicious look she put on. 'I ask not, I need not thy benison,'
she said; 'I would have befriended thee, but I now curse thee
altogether:' and stretching out her shrivelled arm, dry and bare, she
shook it, threatening me with vengeance. Suddenly, or ere I was aware,
she seized my left hand, drew off my wedding-ring; breathing upon it
and mumbling a spell, she held it as though for me to take back, but
with such a fiendish look of delight that I hesitated. All on a sudden
I remembered to have heard my grandmother say that should a witch or
warlock get your wedding-ring, and have time to mutter over it a
certain charm, _so long as that ring is above ground_ so long misery
and misfortune do afflict the owner. Lucky it was I knew of this, for
instead of replacing it I threw it into the well, being the nearest
hiding-place. And happy for me and thee it was so near; for, would you
believe, though hardly a minute's space in my hand, the black heifer
died, the red cow cast her calf, and a large venture of merchandise
was wrecked in a fearful gale off the gulf. I had no sooner thrown it
into the well than the witch looked more diabolical than ever. 'It
will come again, dame,' said she, 'and then look to it;' and with this
threat she departed. But what am I doing? If it be the ring, which I
doubt not, I've had it o'er long in my keeping. Even now disaster may
be a-brewing; and is there not a richly-freighted ship on its passage
with silks and spices? I'll put it out of her reach this time anyhow.
No! I'll hide it where never a witch in Christendo