hip；　and　thy　God　shall　be　my　God。〃
  〃Unhappy　woman；〃　replied　the　clergyman；　〃man　forms　not　pactions　with　his　Maker　as　with　a　creature　of　clay　like　himself。　　Thinkest　thou　to　chaffer　with　Him；　who　formed　the　earth；　and　spread　out　the　heavens；　or　that　thou　canst　offer　aught　of　homage　or　devotion　that　can　be　worth　acceptance　in　his　eyes？　　He　hath　asked　obedience；　not　sacrifice；　patience　under　the　trials　with　which　He　afflicts　us；　instead　of　vain　bribes；　such　as　man　offers　to　his　changeful　brother　of　clay；　that　he　may　be　moved　from　his　purpose。〃
  〃Be　silent；　priest！〃　　answered　the　desperate　woman；　〃speak　not　to　me　the　words　of　thy　white　book。　　Elspat's　kindred　were　of　those　who　crossed　themselves　and　knelt　when　the　sacring　bell　was　rung；　and　she　knows　that　atonement　can　be　made　on　the　altar　for　deeds　done　in　the　field。　　Elspat　had　once　flocks　and　herds；　goats　upon　the　cliffs；　and　cattle　in　the　strath。　　She　wore　gold　around　her　neck　and　on　her　hairthick　twists；　as　those　worn　by　the　heroes　of　old。　　All　these　would　she　have　resigned　to　the　priestall　these；　and　if　he　wished　for　the　ornaments　of　a　gentle　lady；　or　the　sporran　of　a　high　chief；　though　they　had　been　great　as　Macallum　Mhor　himself；　MacTavish　Mhor　would　have　procured　them；　if　Elspat　had　promised　them。　　Elspat　is　now　poor；　and　has　nothing　to　give。　　But　the　Black　Abbot　of　Inchaffray　would　have　bidden　her　scourge　her　shoulders；　and　macerate　her　feet　by　pilgrimage；　and　he　would　have　granted　his　pardon　to　her　when　he　saw　that　her　blood　had　flowed；　and　that　her　flesh　had　been　torn。　　These　were　the　priests　who　had　indeed　power　even　with　the　most　powerful；　they　threatened　the　great　men　of　the　earth　with　the　word　of　their　mouth；　the　sentence　of　their　book；　the　blaze　of　their　torch；　the　sound　of　their　sacring　bell。　　The　mighty　bent　to　their　will；　and　unloosed　at　the　word　of　the　priests　those　whom　they　had　bound　in　their　wrath；　and　set　at　liberty；　unharmed；　him　whom　they　had　sentenced　to　death；　and　for　whose　blood　they　had　thirsted。　　These　were　a　powerful　race；　and　might　well　ask　the　poor　to　kneel；　since　their　power　could　humble　the　proud。　　But　you！against　whom　are　ye　strong；　but　against　women　who　have　been　guilty　of　folly；　and　men　who　never　wore　sword？　　The　priests　of　old　were　like　the　winter　torrent　which　fills　this　hollow　valley；　and　rolls　these　massive　rocks　against　each　other　as　easily　as　the　boy　plays　with　the　ball　which　he　casts　before　him。　　But　you！you　do　but　resemble　the　summer…stricken　stream；　which　is　turned　aside　by　the　rushes；　and　stemmed　by　a　bush　of　sedges。　　Woe　worth　you；　for　there　is　no　help　in　you！〃
  The　clergyman　was　at　no　loss　to　conceive　that　Elspat　had　lost　the　Roman　Catholic　faith　without　gaining　any　other；　and　that　she　still　retained　a　vague　and　confused　idea　of　the　composition　with　the　priesthood；　by　confession；　alms；　and　penance；　and　of　their　extensive　power；　which；　according　to　her　notion；　was　adequate；　if　duly　propitiated；　even　to　effecting　her　son's　safety。　Compassionating　her　situation；　and　allowing　for　her　errors　and　ignorance；　he　answered　her　with　mildness。
  〃Alas；　unhappy　woman！　　Would　to　God　I　could　convince　thee　as　easily　where　thou　oughtest　to　seek；　and　art　sure　to　find；　consolation；　as　I　can　assure　you　with　a　single　word；　that　were　Rome　and　all　her　priesthood　once　more　in　the　plenitude　of　their　power；　they　could　not；　for　largesse　or　penance；　afford　to　thy　misery　an　atom　of　aid　or　comfortElspat　MacTavish；　I　grieve　to　tell　you　the　news。〃
  〃I　know　them　without　thy　speech；〃　said　the　unhappy　woman。　　〃My　son　is　doomed　to　die。〃
  〃Elspat；〃　resumed　the　clergyman；　〃he　WAS　doomed；　and　the　sentence　has　been　executed。〃
  The　hapless　mother　threw　her　eyes　up　to　heaven；　and　uttered　a　shriek　so　unlike　the　voice　of　a　human　being；　that　the　eagle　which　soared　in　middle　air　answered　it　as　she　would　have　done　the　call　of　her　mate。
  〃It　is　impossible！〃　　she　exclaimed〃it　is　impossible！　　Men　do　not　condemn　and　kill　on　the　same　day！　　Thou　art　deceiving　me。　The　people　call　thee　holyhast　thou　the　heart　to　tell　a　mother　she　has　murdered　her　only　child？〃
  〃God　knows；〃　said　the　priest；　the　tears　falling　fast　from　his　eyes；　〃that　were　it　in　my　power；　I　would　gladly　tell　better　tidings。　　But　these　which　I　bear　are　as　certain　as　they　are　fatal。　　My　own　ears　heard　the　death…shot；　my　own　eyes　beheld　thy　son's　deaththy　son's　funeral。　　My　tongue　bears　witness　to　what　my　ears　heard　and　my　eyes　saw。〃
  The　wretched　female　clasped　her　bands　close　together；　and　held　them　up　towards　heaven　like　a　sibyl　announcing　war　and　desolation；　while；　in　impotent　yet　frightful　rage；　she　poured　forth　a　tide　of　the　deepest　imprecations。　　〃Base　Saxon　churl！〃　she　exclaimed〃vile　hypocritical　juggler！　　May　the　eyes　that　looked　tamely　on　the　death　of　my　fair…haired　boy　be　melted　in　their　sockets　with　ceaseless　tears；　shed　for　those　that　are　nearest　and　most　dear　to　thee！　　May　the　ears　that　heard　his　death…knell　be　dead　hereafter　to　all　other　sounds　save　the　screech　of　the　raven；　and　the　hissing　of　the　adder！　　May　the　tongue　that　tells　me　of　his　death　and　of　my　own　crime；　be　withered　in　thy　mouthor　better；　when　thou　wouldst　pray　with　thy　people；　may　the　Evil　One　guide　it；　and　give　voice　to　blasphemies　instead　of　blessings；　until　men　shall　fly　in　terror　from　thy　presence；　and　the　thunder　of　heaven　be　launched　against　thy　head；　and　stop　for　ever　thy　cursing　and　accursed　voice！　　Begone；　with　this　malison！　　Elspat　will　never；　never　again　bestow　so　many　words　upon　living　man。〃
  She　kept　her　word。　　From　that　day　the　world　was　to　her　a　wilderness；　in　which　she　remained　without　thought；　care；　or　interest；　absorbed　in　her　own　grief；　indifferent　to　every　thing　else。
  With　her　mode　of　life；　or　rather　of　existence；　the　reader　is　already　as　far　acquainted　as　I　have　the　power　of　making　him。　　Of　her　death；　I　can　tell　him　nothing。　　It　is　supposed　to　have　happened　several　years　after　she　had　attracted　the　attention　of　my　excellent　friend　Mrs。　Bethune　Baliol。　　Her　benevolence；　which　was　never　satisfied　with　dropping　a　sentimental　tear；　when　there　was　room　for　the　operation　of　effective　charity；　induced　her　to　make　various　attempts　to　alleviate　the　condition　of　this　most　wretched　woman。　　But　all　her　exertions　could　only　render　Elspat's　means　of　subsistence　less　precariousa　circumstance　which；　though　generally　interesting　even　to　the　most　wretched　outcasts；　seemed　to　her　a　matter　of　total　indifference。　　Every　attempt　to　place　any　person　in　her　hut　to　take　charge　of　her　miscarried；　through　the　extreme　resentment　with　which　she　regarded　all　intrusion　on　her　solitude；　or　by　the　timidity　of　those　who　had　been　pitched　upon　to　be　inmates　with　the　terrible　Woman　of　the　Tree。　　At　length；　when　Elspat　became　totally　unable　（in　appearance　at　least）　to　turn　herself　on　the　wretched　settle　which　served　her　for　a　couch；　the　humanity　of　Mr。　Tyrie's　successor　sent　two　women　to　attend　upon　the　last　moments　of　the　solitary；　which　could　not；　it　was　judged；　be　far　distant；　and　to　avert　the　possibility　that　she　might　perish　for　want　of　assistance　or　food；　before　she　sunk　under　the　effects　of　extreme　age　or　mortal　malady。
  It　was　on　a　November　evening；　that　the　two　women　appointed　for　this　melancholy　purpose　arrived　at　the　miserable　cottage　which　we　have　already　described。　　Its　wretched　inmate　lay　stretched　upon　the　bed；　and　seemed　almost　already　a　lifeless　corpse；　save　for　the　wandering　of　the　fierce　dark　eyes；　which　rolled　in　their　sockets　in　a　manner　terrible　to　look　upon；　and　seemed　to　watch　with　surprise　and　indignation　the　motions　of　the　strangers；　as　persons　whose　presence　was　alike　unexpected　and　unwelcome。　　They　were　frightened　at　her　looks；　but；　assured　in　each　other's　company；　they　kindled　a　fire；　lighted　a　candle；　prepared　food；　and　made　other　arrangements　for　the　discharge　of　the　duty　assigned　them。
  The　assistants　agreed　they　should　watch　the　bedside　of　the　sick　person　by　turns；　but；　about　midnight；　overcome　by　fatigue；　（for　they　had　walked　far　that　morning）；　both　of　them　fell　fast　asleep。　When　they　awoke；　which　was　not　till　after　the　interval　of　some　hours；　the　hut　was　empty；　and　the　patient　gone。　　They　rose　in　terror；　and　went　to　the　door　of　the　cottage；　which　was　latched　as　it　had　been　at　night。　　They　looked　out　into　the　darkness；　and　called　upon　their　charge　by　her　name。　　The　night…raven　screamed　from　the　old　oak…tree；　the　fox　howled　on　the　hill；　the　hoarse　waterfall　replied　with　its　echoes；　but　there　was　no　human　answer。　The　terrified　women　did　not　dare　to　make　further　search　till　morning　should　appear；　for　the　sudden　disappearance　of　a　creature　so　frail　as　Elspat；　together　with　the　wild　tenor　of　her　history；　intimidated　them　from　stirring　from　the　hut。　　They　remained；　therefore；　in　dreadful　terror；　sometimes　thinking　they　heard　her　voice　without；　and　at　other　times；　that　sounds　of　a　different　description　were　mingled　with　the　mournful　sigh　of　the　night…　breeze；　or　the　dashing　of　the　cascade。　　Sometimes；　too；　the　latch　rattled；　as　if　some　frail　and　impotent　hand　were　in　vain　attempting　to　lift　it；　and　ever　and　anon　they　expected　the　entrance　of　their　terrible　patient；　animated　by　supernatural　strength；　and　in　the　company；　perhaps；　of　some　being　more　dreadful　than　herself。　　Morning　came　at　length。　　They　sought　brake；　roc