the
witch. She looked up, and uttered a low, croaking laugh, as she saw
their terror.

"Ah! ah! ah!--your beauty and your wealth cannot guard you from the
power of a wretched old woman like me!" she cried out. "Well, well,
when the storm is over, you will ride away, and think no more of me; but
I can follow you wherever you go, and find out your thoughts, as I know
them now. You think, perhaps, that you are strangers to me--ah! ah!
ah!--but I know you well--whence you come, and your future fates. You
three fair dames were born in a foreign land, and so was one of you
gallant gentlemen, but the other first saw the light in this hapless
country. I speak true, do I not? answer me, lady!" she exclaimed,
looking towards Madam Clough.

"Yes, indeed you do," said the latter; "but you might have judged by our
tongues that we were not Flemings."

"Had you kept silence I should have known as well," said the old witch.
"And now would you like to know the future?"

"If you can tell it to us, there may be no harm in so doing," said Madam
Clough. "Can you tell me my fate?"

"Eh! that can I," answered the old woman. "Twice you have wedded, and
once been a widow; again a widow you will be, and once more wedded, till
the green turf on which you have been wont to trip so lightly lies heavy
above your head. Think of that as you step forth over the green sward,
when the air blows softly and the sun shines brightly--think what you
will ere long be."

I saw that Madam Clough did not at all like these remarks, and, willing
to relieve her, I asked if she could tell the fortunes of the rest of
the party.

"Ay! that will I," she answered, eyeing us keenly. "There are two fair
damsels here, who are ready to wed two bold youths; but danger and
trouble, and battle and tempest, will intervene ere their hopes will be
fulfilled. If their troubles are short, so may be their joys; but long
troubles may bring longer happiness. Choose you which you will, my
masters--I will read you a riddle; let me hear if you can answer it."

"We want no riddles, mother," said A'Dale; "but if you are a true
sorceress, tell us plainly what is about to happen."

"A true sorceress, indeed!" exclaimed the old woman. "If I was to tell
you what was about to occur, your hair would stand on end, and you would
rush forth shrieking with terror amid the raging tempest. The future I
see looming, and not far off. Bloodshed and destruction, fierce
conflagrati