y brother, the prior?"

"A liege subject of my lord the Devil: he never opens his mouth,
except to utter an oath, or to swallow a cup of wine."

"And yet, if but one of these would but say an ave for me, I should be
saved."

"Aves with them are _rarae_ aves," replied Mercurius, wagging his tail
right waggishly; "and, what is more, I will lay thee any wager that no
one of these will say a prayer to save thee."

"I would wager willingly," responded he of Chauchigny; "but what has a
poor soul like me to stake?"

"Every evening, after the day's roasting, my lord Satan giveth a cup
of cold water to his servants; I will bet thee thy water for a year,
that none of the three will pray for thee."

"Done!" said Rollo.

"Done!" said the demon; "and here, if I mistake not, is thy castle of
Chauchigny."

Indeed, it was true. The soul, on looking down, perceived the tall
towers, the courts, the stables, and the fair gardens of the castle.
Although it was past midnight, there was a blaze of light in the
banqueting-hall, and a lamp burning in the open window of the Lady
Matilda.

"With whom shall we begin?" said the demon: "with the baron or the
lady?"

"With the lady, if you will."

"Be it so; her window is open, let us enter."

So they descended, and entered silently into Matilda's chamber.

* * * * *

The young lady's eyes were fixed so intently on a little clock, that
it was no wonder that she did not perceive the entrance of her two
visitors. Her fair cheek rested in her white arm, and her white arm
on the cushion of a great chair in which she sat, pleasantly supported
by sweet thoughts and swan's down; a lute was at her side, and a book
of prayers lay under the table (for piety is always modest). Like the
amorous Alexander, she sighed and looked (at the clock)--and sighed
for ten minutes or more, when she softly breathed the word "Edward!"

At this the soul of the Baron was wroth. "The jade is at her old
pranks," said he to the devil; and then addressing Matilda: "I pray
thee, sweet niece, turn thy thoughts for a moment from that villainous
page, Edward, and give them to thine affectionate uncle."

When she heard the voice, and saw the awful apparition of her uncle
(for a year's sojourn in purgatory had not increased the comeliness of
his appearance), she started, screamed, and of course fainted.

But the devil Mercurius soon restored her to herself. "What's
o'clock?" said she