ces, and be
caught in their own snares."

Simon threw a threatening glance at the monk, which he received with a
cool and undaunted aspect.

"Verily, your blood be on your own heads," cried Simon, with a loud
voice, "and your reward in your right hand. Behold, thou scourner, and
tremble; for your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, and he in whom
you trust shall be as the stubble which the fire devoureth."

The enthusiast, as he spoke, struck a heavy blow on the floor with his
foot, when there came a low rumbling sound like the roar of the wind
through some subterraneous abyss, or the distant moan of the sea,
driven on by the rushing tempest. The whole assembly stood aghast,
save the king and the two disputants.

"Shall I strike once more?"

"Do as seemeth to thee good," said the monk deliberately; "but think
not to intimidate me with thy fooleries."

"Then beware. I obey, but it is with awe and reluctance."

It is said that Simon's heart failed him as he gave the blow, or the
effects would have been more terrific. But the castle shook as with an
earthquake; even the incredulous monk looked amazed and confounded.

"Shall I repeat the stroke?" said Simon, when the disturbance had in
some measure subsided. "But remember, I will not answer for the
result. Only in cases of the greatest difficulty and trial it was
that the duchess made me resort to so dangerous a resource."

Most of his hearers besought him to desist. Simon yielded at once to
their entreaties, and the uplifted foot fell softly on the floor. Soft
and noiseless though it was, yet they saw a lurid mist roll upward;
and a form, apparently of gigantic size, was faintly visible in the
dark vapour, as it swept slowly through the apartment. Even Simon and
his royal pupil showed symptoms of agitation and alarm.

The assembly was suddenly dissolved. The proud ambassador of a prouder
prelate was astonished and bewildered, and hastily took his leave to
report these occurrences to his master.

The whole of these proceedings, in all probability, were but the
artful contrivance of an ambitious priest; and yet, connected as they
were with a female whose well-known predilection for the occult
sciences, and herself no mean adept therein, they assumed in those
ages of credulity and superstition more the character of miraculous
events than as happening in the common course and established order of
nature. The alarm of the king, too, evidently at the appearance of th