hese vanishments and hoped
to find out their cause. And one night at a very late hour, when he was
passing by the mysterious house, he heard from it now and then sounds
like groans mingled with the clanking of chains, and saw red and blue and
green lights at the windows, but by keeping still he also distinguished
the sound of music and girls' voices laughing and singing; and stealing
near in the darkness, and fearing no devils, he contrived to climb up to
a window, and pulling aside a curtain, peeped in, when he beheld plainly
enough a great many beautiful women in scant array, or a real dance of
witches, and being marvellously attracted by the sight of so many charms
so liberally displayed, he naturally desired to enter the gay party.

"And here chance favoured him beyond all hope; for on going to the door,
he found an old woman about to enter, to whom he gave a gold piece, and
begged her to tell him the true story of the house, and whether he could
enter it. But what was his amazement to find in her his old
foster-mother of the country, whom he had not seen for many years, and
who loved him dearly.

"And she, being pressed, told him the whole story of the house, wherein
she was a servant, but that she had grown deadly tired of such evil ways,
and seeing such sin as went on there, though she was well paid, and said
if he would only give her a home, she would reveal all to justice. And
she added that for the present he could freely join the girls who were
dancing, as the wizard, their master, was away that night.

"But when he entered, he was amazed at the splendour of the rooms and the
beauty of the women. Now among these he found one who truly enchanted
him, and entering into conversation with her, found that she would gladly
escape with him, and that many others were inclined to leave, but dare
not show it for fear of the master.

"Then the Signore, addressing all the girls, told them that in a few
hours the guards or police would, by his orders, be in the house, and
advised them to at once seize on all the valuables on which they could
lay their hands, and pack up their bundles and depart, and that he
himself would write for every one a free pass to let her go with the
property. And truly he had hardly spoken ere there began such a
plundering and pillaging, sacking and spoliation, as it would have done
your heart good to see, and which was like the taking of a rich town,
only that the marauders were all maid