h of the wind, Robin felt their power. His nature
changed: he grew more agile and capacious; and without further ado,
found Goody upon his back, and his own shanks at an ambling gallop on
the high-road to Pendle. He panted and grew weary, but she urged him on
with an unsparing hand, lashing and spurring with all her might, until
at last poor Robin, unused to such expedition, flagged and could
scarcely crawl. But needs must when the witches drive. Rest and despite
were denied, until, almost dead with toil and terror, he halted in one
of the steep gullies of Pendle near to Malkin Tower.

It was an old grey-headed ruin, solitary and uninhabited. The cold
October wind whistled through its joints and crannies;--the walls were
studded with bright patches of moss and lichen;--darkness and desolation
brooded over it, unbroken by aught but the cry of the moor-fowl and the
stealthy prowl of the weasel and wild cat.

But this lonesome and time-hallowed ruin was now lit up as for some gay
festival; lights were flickering through the crevices, and the coming of
the guests, each mounted on her enchanted steed, was accompanied by loud
and fiend-like acclamations. Shrieks and howlings were borne from afar
upon the blast. Unhallowed words and unutterable curses came on the
hollow wind. Forms of indescribable and abominable shape flitted through
the troubled elements. Robin, trembling all over with fright and
fatigue, was told by his mistress to graze where he could, while she
went into the feast:--"Make good use of thy time, for in two hours I
shall mount thee back again."

This was poor sustenance for Robin's stomach,--furze and heath were not
at all to his mind, and he peeped about for a quiet resting-place. Here
he was kicked and bitten by others of the herd; several of them were in
the like pitiable condition with himself; but some were really of the
brute kind, and these fared the best and were better mannered than most
of their human companions. Often did our unfortunate hero wish himself
in their place. Having little else to do, he was prompted by curiosity
to approach the building, from whence the loud din of mirth and revelry
grated harshly on his ears. A long chink disclosed to him some part of
the mysteries within. There sat on the floor a great company of witches,
feasting and cramming with all their might. An elderly gentleman of a
grave and respectable deportment, clad in black doublet and hosen, sat
on a stone-heap at t