This was a direct confirmation
to his suspicions; but the following was a more undeniable proof, if
need were, of his wife's dishonest confederacy with the powers of
darkness.
One morning, ere his servant-man Robin had taken the grey mare from the
stable, Giles awoke early, and found his wife had not lain by his side.
He had beforetime felt half roused in the night from a deep but uneasy
slumber; but he was too heavy and bewildered to recollect himself, and
sleep again overcame him ere he could satisfy his doubts. He had either
dreamt, or fancied he had dreamt, that his wife was, at some seasons,
away for a whole night together, and he was rendered insensible by her
spells. This morning, however, he awoke before the usual time, probably
from some failure in the charm, and he met her as she was ascending the
stairs. Something like alarm or confusion was manifest. She had been to
look after the cattle, she stammered out, scolding Robin for an idle
lout to lie a-bed so long. The stable-door was open. With an aching
heart, he went in. The grey mare was in a bath of foam, panting and
distressed as though from some recent journey.
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