nd he saw a high wall that was in places half
broken down, and an old grey church on the inside of the wall, and about
a dozen withered old trees scattered here and there round it. There was
neither leaf nor twig on any of them, but their bare crooked branches
were stretched out like the arms of an angry man when he threatens. He
had no help for it, but was obliged to go forward. He was a couple of
hundred yards from the church, but he walked on, and never looked behind
him until he came to the gate of the churchyard. The old gate was thrown
down, and he had no difficulty in entering. He turned then to see if any
of the little people were following him, but there came a cloud over the
moon, and the night became so dark that he could see nothing. He went
into the churchyard, and he walked up the old grassy pathway leading to
the church. When he reached the door, he found it locked. The door was
large and strong, and he did not know what to do. At last he drew out
his knife with difficulty, and stuck it in the wood to try if it were
not rotten, but it was not.

"Now," said he to himself, "I have no more to do; the door is shut, and
I can't open it."

Before the words were rightly shaped in his own mind, a voice in his ear
said to him, "Search for the key on the top of the door, or on the
wall."

He started. "Who is that speaking to me?" he cried, turning round; but
he saw no one. The voice said in his ear again, "Search for the key on
the top of the door, or on the wall."

"What's that?" said he, and the sweat running from his forehead; "who
spoke to me?"

"It's I, the corpse, that spoke to you!" said the voice.

"Can you talk?" said Teig.

"Now and again," said the corpse.

Teig searched for the key, and he found it on the top of the wall. He
was too much frightened to say any more, but he opened the door wide,
and as quickly as he could, and he went in, with the corpse on his back.
It was as dark as pitch inside, and poor Teig began to shake and
tremble.

"Light the candle," said the corpse.

Teig put his hand in his pocket, as well as he was able, and drew out a
flint and steel. He struck a spark out of it, and lit a burnt rag he had
in his pocket. He blew it until it made a flame, and he looked round
him. The church was very ancient, and part of the wall was broken down.
The windows were blown in or cracked, and the timber of the seats were
rotten. There were six or seven old iron candlesticks left there