LEGEND OF KNOCK- A-THAMPLE. 169 



thy faith, and thou must say masses for her soul's health. 

 Yearly shall the same sum be sent to thy convent ; see that all 

 that prayers can do, be done, or by my hopes of grace, thy hive 

 of drones shall smoke for it. Doubt me not. De Burgo will 

 keep his word to the very letter. And now, farewell ! I hurry 

 from this fatal spot for ever ; my train are not distant, and 

 have long since expected me." 



As he spoke, he took his mantle from the floor, and wrapped 

 it round him carelessly ; then, as he passed the spot where the 

 body of the murderer lay, he spurned it with his foot, and 

 pausing for a moment, looked at the Monk 



" Remember /" he said in a low voice, which made the old 

 man shudder, and passing from the cabin, he crossed the 

 heath, and disappeared. 



But the terror of the herdsman's family did not abate 

 with his departure ; a dead man lay before them, and the 

 floor was deluged with his blood. No human help was nigh ; 

 before daylight assistance could not be expected; and no 

 alternative remained, but to wait patiently for the morrow. 

 Candles were lighted up, the hearth was heaped with fuel, 

 and a cloth thrown over the corpse, which they lacked the 

 courage to remove. To sleep was impossible, and in 

 devotional acts they endeavoured to while the night away, 

 Midnight came ; the Monk was slumbering over his breviary, 

 and the matron occupied with her beads, when a violent 

 trampling was heard outside, and the peasant, fearing the 

 cattle he had in charge were disturbed, rose to ascertain the 

 cause. In a moment he returned. A herd of wild deer 

 surrounded the cabin, and actually stood in threatening atti- 

 tude within a few paces of the door ! While he told this 

 strange occurrence to the Monk a clap of thunder shook the 

 hovel to its centre yells, and shrieks, and groans succeeded 

 noises so demoniac, as to almost drive the listeners to 

 madness, hurtled through the air and infernal lights flashed 

 through the crevices of the door and window. Till morning 

 broke, these unearthly terrors continued, without a moment's 

 intermission. 



Next day the villagers collected. They listened to the 

 fearful story with dismay, while the melancholy fate of the 

 gentle pilgrim was bitterly lamented, To inter the Pedler's 

 corpse was the first care ; for the Monk swore by his patron 

 saint, that he would not pass another night with it overground 



