Marjorie Bowen

“ He rested his head against one of the supports of the chimney-piece, and Nathalie, peering into his face, saw that his eyes were wet.
"Alas! who was this man?"
"I did all I could," whispered Dirk ... "the Empress shall burn in hell." The sickly creeping flames illuminated his pallid face and his small hand, hanging clenched by his side.
"This is an evil day for us," moaned the witch, "the spirits will not answer, the flames will not burn ... some horrible misfortune threatens." ”

“ Dirk flung himself on a chair and moaned; the snow lay still on his hair and his shoulders; he buried his face in the bend of his arm.
"Zerdusht and his master have forsaken us," whimpered the witch. "I could work no spells tonight, and the mirror was blank."
Dirk spoke in a muffled voice, without raising his head. "Of what use magic to me? I should have stayed in Frankfort."
Nathalie drew his wet cloak from his shoulders. "Have I not warned you? has not the brass head warned you that the young scholar will be your ruin, bringing you to woe and misery and shame?" ”

“ Out of the further darkness came a distant hurry and confusion of sound. Horses, shouting, eager feet; a populace roused, on the heels of the dealer in black magic, armed with fire and sword for the witches....
Dirk opened the gate, for the last time stepped from the witch's garden; he wondered if Theirry was with the oncoming crowd, yet he did not think so, probably he was in the palace, probably he had repented already of what he had done ”