252 RAMBLES OF A GEOLOGIST. 



scarce a day passed in which she was not seen by some of the 

 domestics ; never, however, except on one occasion, after the 

 sun had risen, or before it had set. The maids could see her 

 in the gray of the morning flitting like a shadow round their 

 beds, or peering in upon them at night through the dark win- 

 dow-panes, or at half-open doors. In the evening she would 

 glide into the kitchen or some of the out-houses, one of the 

 most familiar and least dignified of her class that ever held 

 intercourse with mankind, and inquire of the girls how they 

 had been employed during the day often, however, without 

 obtaining an answer, though from a cause different from that 

 which had at first tied their tongues. For they had become 

 so regardless of her presence, viewing her simply as a trouble- 

 some mistress, who had no longer any claim to be heeded, 

 that when she entered, and they had dropped their conver- 

 sation, under the impression that their visitor was a creature 

 of flesh and blood like themselves, they would again resume 

 it, remarking that the entrant was " only the green lady." 

 Though always cadaverously pale, and miserable looking, she 

 affected a joyous disposition, and was frequently heard to 

 laugh, even when invisible. At one time, when provoked by 

 the studied silence of a servant girl, she flung a pillow at her 

 head, which the girl caught up and returned ; at another, she 

 presented her first acquaintance, the ploughman, with what 

 seemed to be a handful of silver coin, which he transferred 

 to his pocket, but which, on Bearing her laugh, he drew out, 

 and found to be merely a handful of slate shivers. On yet 

 another occasion, the man, when passing on horseback through 

 a clump of wood, was repeatedly struck from behind the trees 

 by little pellets of turf; and, on riding into the thicket, he 

 found that his assailant was the green lady. To her husband 

 she never appeared ; but he frequently heard the tones of her 

 voice echoing from the lower apartments, and the faint peal 

 of her cold, unnatural laugh. 



