Page:The Story and Song of Black Roderick.djvu/60

52 castle, her spirit rose again from her body, and knew her hour of trial had come.

And when the grave was closed and the mourners gone, the spirit stayed by the grave afraid.

When evening came, the spirits of the dead rose in a white mist, each above his grave, and all prepared for their swift and dangerous flight towards the dark heavens.

‘Now,’ saith she, ‘my body can no longer protect me with its earthly presence. I am separated from the world, and am no more of it. I must arise and meet death alone.’

The first thing she knew of the great presence was a loud whirring of wings; she raised her head, and saw around her a crowd of evil birds. So afraid was she that she gave a loud and sudden cry, and at the sound the ill birds rose and hovered in the air between her and heaven.

‘My sins have discovered me,’ she cried, ‘and now I fear death!’

And because she knew that before dawn she would have to account for her evil deeds,