thought not of it, exorcism there had been already, and that of my evil
spirit of yesterday, by the fearless hand of--a little child.

There came first an old priest, fully vested, bearing a great service
book in one hand, and in the other a crucifix, and reading as he went,
but in Latin, so that I could not know what he read. And on either side
of him were two youths, also vested, one bearing a great candle that
flared and guttered in the wind, and the other a bell, which now and
then he rang when the old priest ceased reading between the verses.

After these came the villagers. I saw the collier among the first, and
his knees shook as he walked. Then some of the men were armed with bills
and short swords, and a few with bows. All, I think, had staves. After
them came some women, and I saw one who wept, looking about her eagerly.

They did not see me, for the timber pile was next the kiln and a little
behind it; so that before they got near I was shut out from view for a
time.

While they were thus hidden from me, they stopped and began to chant
again, priest and people in turn. After that had gone on for a little
time, Turkil woke and sat up, but I bade him in a whisper to be silent,
and putting his finger in his mouth he obeyed, wide eyed.

Then the little bell gave a note or two, and the reading began, so near
that I could hear the words, or seem to remember them as I know now what
they were.

"Adjuro te maleficum Grendel vocatum diabolum--"