Still, he pressed on unhesitatingly, and
with a sort of pleasurable sensation at the difficulties he was
encountering. Suddenly, however, he was startled by a blue
phosphoric light streaming through the bushes on the left, and, looking
up, he beheld at the foot of an enormous oak, whose giant roots
protruded like twisted snakes from the bank, a wild spectral-looking
object, possessing some slight resemblance to humanity, and habited,
so far as it could be determined, in the skins of deer, strangely
disposed about its gaunt and tawny-coloured limbs. On its head was
seen a sort of helmet, formed of the skull of a stag, from which
branched a large pair of antlers; from its left arm hung a heavy and
rusty-looking chain, in the links of which burnt the phosphoric fire
before mentioned; while on its right wrist was perched a large horned
owl, with feathers erected, and red staring eyes.
Impressed with the superstitious feelings common to the age, the
young earl, fully believing he was in the presence of a supernatural
being, could scarcely, despite his courageous nature, which no
ordinary matter would have shaken, repress a cry. Crossing himself, he
repeated, with great fervency, a prayer, against evil spirits, and as he
uttered it the light was extinguished, and the spectral figure vanished.
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