that such was their devilish obstinacy in error that even the
little children, the sucking babes, were hardened and desperate
heretics. He affirmed that no man without Heaven's especial warrant
should attempt their conversion lest while he lent his hand to draw
them from the slough he should himself be precipitated into its lowest
depths.

The sands of the second hour were principally in the lower half of the
glass when the sermon concluded. An approving murmur followed, and the
clergyman, having given out a hymn, took his seat with much
self-congratulation, and endeavored to read the effect of his
eloquence in the visages of the people. But while voices from all
parts of the house were tuning themselves to sing a scene occurred
which, though not very unusual at that period in the province,
happened to be without precedent in this parish.

The muffled female, who had hitherto sat motionless in the front rank
of the audience, now arose and with slow, stately and unwavering step
ascended the pulpit stairs. The quaverings of incipient harmony were
hushed and the divine sat in speechless and almost terrified
astonishment while she undid the door and stood up in the sacred desk
from which his maledictions had just been thundered. She then divested
herself of the cloak and hood, and appeared in a most singular array.
A shapeless robe of sackcloth was girded about her waist with a
knotted cord; her raven hair fell down upon her shoulders, and its
blackness was defiled by pale streaks of ashes, which she had strewn
upon her head. Her eyebrows, dark and strongly defined, added to the
deathly whiteness of a countenance which, emaciated with want and wild
with enthusiasm and strange sorrows, retained no trace of earlier
beauty. This figure stood gazing earnestly on the audience, and there
was no sound nor any movement except a faint shuddering which every
man observed in his neighbor, but was scarcely conscious of in
himself. At length, when her fit of inspiration came, she spoke for
the first few moments in a low voice and not invariably distinct
utterance. Her discourse gave evidence of an imagination hopelessly
entangled with her reason; it was a vague and incomprehensible
rhapsody, which, however, seemed to spread its own atmosphere round
the hearer's soul, and to move his feelings by some influence
unconnected with the words. As she proceeded beautiful but shadowy
images would sometimes be seen like bright things moving in