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SEXTON.

Nay, she herself saw nothing; but the dog

That follow'd her bark'd briskly, then stopp'd short,
And, with a kind of stifled choking howl,
Look'd in her face, and then cower'd by her side,
Trembling for fear; and then right well she knew
Some elrich thing was near her, though its form
Was only visible to the poor brute.

CRAWFORD.

You think the dog saw something.

SEXTON.

Certes did he!

And had he not been dumb, he could, no doubt,
Have told a tale to set our hair on end.

CLAUDE (who, during their discourse, has been pacing to and fro impatiently, to Sexton).

You know not who it was?

SEXTON.

The Lord preserve us, Sir! for she saw nothing.

CLAUDE.

What dost thou mean? Could'st thou not guess, at least,

Who 't was who made request to chant the dirge?

SEXTON.

Ay, ay! the dirge. In truth I cannot say.

It was a man I never saw before.