Page:The Story and Song of Black Roderick.djvu/76

68 face, for it was an evil creature who crouched here.

Now, as the little bride paused at the gate of the garden a voice came from inside, and said:

‘Wherefore comest thou?’

And he who sat at the foot of the coffin answered:

‘Open, for I claim the soul of Black Roderick.’

And the voice that was within answered:

‘Thou shalt come, for his cruelty hath driven my young daughter to her grave, wherein she lieth while the birds sing and the flowers blossom, and the earth is glad with youth and spring.’

So he dropped the bolt and the door swung open, so the coach and its six horses entered.

Now, when the driver reached the door of the courtyard, he found it closed against him, and he drew his coach up beside it, and called in a hollow voice for entrance.

And one cried from inside: