undertaking, even for the powers of darkness. However he drew out his watch, looked, and behold! it was no more then half past eleven.
Recovering his courage, and now fully steeled against all fresh illusions, he resumed his labours with energy. Profound quiet was all around him,—disturbed only at intervals by the owls that made a low muttering, and now and then rattled the skulls and bones together. All at once a crashing was heard in the bushes. The sound was familiar to the experienced hunter’s ears; he looked round; and, as he expected, a wild boar sprang out and rushed up to the circle. “This,” thought William, “is no deception”; and he leaped up, seized his gun, and snapped it hastily at the wild beast; but no spark issued from the flint: he drew his hanger; but the bristly monster, like the carriage and horses, soared far above him into the air and vanished.
XIII.
William, thus repeatedly baffled, now has-
