e.

Before very long, however, the neighbours began to ask such pointed
questions, that Ivan now lived in a state of chronic suspense. He feared
every moment that the truth would leak out, and that his beautiful young
wife would receive condign punishment.

At last, finding such a state of apprehension intolerable, he confided
in an old man who was reputed a sage and metaphysician--one who was
extremely well versed in all matters appertaining to the spiritual
world. "There is only one course to pursue," the old man said, "you must
have the evil spirit in her exorcized, and you must have it done
immediately. Otherwise, she will continue her depredations, and your
good neighbours will find her out and kill her. They more than half
suspect her now, and are talking of paying a visit some night, when you
are snug and safe in bed, to the cemetery, to see if the story you told
them about your mother's and sisters' sudden deaths is correct."

"What kind of exorcism would you use?" Ivan inquired nervously. "You
would not hurt her?"

"The form of exorcism I should make use of would do her no lasting
harm," the old man said feelingly; "you can rely on me for that."

"But is exorcism always effectual?" Ivan persisted.

"When exorcism is ineffectual it is the exception, not the rule," the
old man replied, "and there are very few cases of exorcism being
employed ineffectually upon those who have become werwolves through the
practice of magic, or the medium of flowers or of water."

"Should my wife refuse to undergo the ceremony, what would you advise
then?" Ivan asked.

"Strategy and force," the old man said, "anything to prevent her
continuing in her demoniacal ways, and being burned or drowned by an
infuriated mob."

Thus admonished, Ivan, without delay, broached the matter to Breda. But
she was so angry with him for having dared even to mention exorcism,
that he thought it best to act on the advice of the old occultist and to
catch her unawares. Consequently, one evening, when the moon was in the
full, and she had just changed into wolf form, he stole into her room
accompanied by the old man and two assistants. After a desperate
struggle, Ivan and the three exorcists overpowered her, and bound her so
securely that she could not move.

They then took her out of doors, to a lonely spot at the back of the
house, and placed her in the centre of an equilateral triangle that had
been carefully marked on the ground, in red ch