Larksong at Dawn Author:Agnes Russell Zebra Illustrated Gothic — I sank back and closed my eyes. My head was throbbing unbearably; I had no more strength. — Someone turned the lamps down. A bowl of salt was put upon my stomach and then the cloth was pulled up over my face. From all around me rose the strange, blood-chilling dirge of women and I knew that I was living out some weird an... more »d horrible nightmare in the mountain stronghold of a horde of Tam O'Shanter's devils. I had the wild thought that I was to be some sort of pagan sacrifice, but either terror or weakness kept me where I was. I could see nothing through the cool linen cloth which covered my face and hear nothing but the women's keening.
The pity was that I would die without learning the meaning of the strange warning I had received from the old witch, which now came thundering through my mind as my life was slipping away: Avoid evil and evil will avoid you!« less