a17-第2节

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old　woman　looked　in　at　the　man。

〃What's　your　pleasure？〃　said　he。　〃Who　are　you？　You're　looking　in
at　the　first　floor　window。　Are　you　standing　on　a　ladder？〃
〃You　have　a　four…leaved　shamrock　in　your　pocket；〃　she　replied。
〃Indeed；　you　have　seven；　and　one　of　them　is　a　six…leaved　one。〃
〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　the　man　again。
〃The　Moor…woman；〃　she　replied。　〃The　Moor…woman　who　brews。　I　was　at　it。　The　bung　was　in　the　cask；　but　one　of　the　little　moor…imps　pulled　it　out　in　his　mischief；　and　flung　it　up　into　the　yard；　where　it　beat
against　the　window；　and　now　the　beer's　running　out　of　the　cask；　and
that　won't　do　good　to　anybody。〃

〃Pray　tell　me　some　more！〃　said　the　man。
〃Yes；　wait　a　little；〃　answered　the　Moor…woman。　〃I've　something
else　to　do　just　now。〃　And　she　was　gone。
The　man　was　going　to　shut　the　window；　when　the　woman　already　stood　before　him　again。

〃Now　it's　done；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　shall　have　half　the　beer　to　brew
over　again　to…morrow；　if　the　weather　is　suitable。　Well；　what　have
you　to　ask　me？　I've　come　back；　for　I　always　keep　my　word；　and　you　have　seven　four…leaved　shamrocks　in　your　pocket；　and　one　of　them　is　a　six…leaved　one。　That　inspires　respect；　for　that's　an　order　that
grows　beside　the　sandy　way；　but　that　every　one　does　not　find。　What
have　you　to　ask　me？　Don't　stand　there　like　a　ridiculous　oaf；　for　I
must　go　back　again　directly　to　my　bung　and　my　cask。〃

And　the　man　asked　about　the　Story；　and　inquired　if　the
Moor…woman　had　met　it　in　her　journeyings。

〃By　the　big　brewing…vat！〃　exclaimed　the　woman；　〃haven't　you　got
stories　enough？　I　really　believe　that　most　people　have　enough　of　them。

Here　are　other　things　to　take　notice　of；　other　things　to　examine。　Even
the　children　have　gone　beyond　that。　Give　the　little　boy　a　cigar；　and
the　little　girl　a　new　crinoline；　they　like　that　much　better。　To　listen
to　stories！　No；　indeed；　there　are　more　important　things　to　be　done
here；　and　other　things　to　notice！〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　asked　the　man；　〃and　what　do　you　know　of　the　world？　You　don't　see　anything　but　frogs　and　Will…o'…the…Wisps！〃

〃Yes；　beware　of　the　Will…o'…the…Wisps；〃　said　the　Moor…woman；
〃for　they're　out…　they're　let　loose…　that's　what　we　must　talk　about！
Come　to　me　in　the　moor；　where　my　presence　is　necessary；　and　I　will
tell　you　all　about　it；　but　you　must　make　haste；　and　come　while　your
seven　four…leaved　shamrocks；　for　which　one　has　six　leaves；　are　still
fresh；　and　the　moon　stands　high！〃

And　the　Moor…woman　was　gone。

It　struck　twelve　in　the　town；　and　before　the　last　stroke　had
died　away；　the　man　was　out　in　the　yard；　out　in　the　garden；　and　stood
in　the　meadow。　The　mist　had　vanished；　and　the　Moor…woman　stopped　her　brewing。

〃You've　been　a　long　time　coming！〃　said　the　Moor…woman。　〃Witches
get　forward　faster　than　men；　and　I'm　glad　that　I　belong　to　the　witch
folk！〃

〃What　have　you　to　say　to　me　now？〃　asked　the　man。　〃Is　it　anything
about　the　Story？〃

〃Can　you　never　get　beyond　asking　about　that？〃　retorted　the　woman。

〃Can　you　tell　me　anything　about　the　poetry　of　the　future？〃　resumed
the　man。

〃Don't　get　on　your　stilts；〃　said　the　crone；　〃and　I'll　answer
you。　You　think　of　nothing　but　poetry；　and　only　ask　about　that　Story；
as　if　she　were　the　lady　of　the　whole　troop。　She's　the　oldest　of　us
all；　but　she　takes　precedence　of　the　youngest。　I　know　her　well。　I've
been　young；　too；　and　she's　no　chicken　now。　I　was　once　quite　a　pretty
elf…maiden；　and　have　danced　in　my　time　with　the　others　in　the
moonlight；　and　have　heard　the　nightingale；　and　have　gone　into　the
forest　and　met　the　Story…maiden；　who　was　always　to　be　found　out　there；　running　about。　Sometimes　she　took　up　her　night's　lodging　in　a
half…blown　tulip；　or　in　a　field　flower；　sometimes　she　would　slip
into　the　church；　and　wrap　herself　in　the　mourning　crape　that　hung　down　from　the　candles　on　the　altar。〃

〃You　are　capitally　well…informed；〃　said　the　man。

〃I　ought　at　least　to　know　as　much　as　you；〃　answered　the
Moor…woman。　〃Stories　and　poetry…　yes；　they're　like　two　yards　of　the
same　piece　of　stuff；　they　can　go　and　lie　down　where　they　like；　and　one　can　brew　all　their　prattle；　and　have　it　all　the　better　and　cheaper。

You　shall　have　it　from　me　for　nothing。　I　have　a　whole　cupboard…full　of　poetry　in　bottles。　It　makes　essences；　and　that's　the　best　of　it…
bitter　and　sweet　herbs。　I　have　everything　that　people　want　of
poetry；　in　bottles；　so　that　I　can　put　a　little　on　my　handkerchief；
on　holidays；　to　smell。〃

〃Why；　these　are　wonderful　things　that　you're　telling！〃　said　the
man。　〃You　have　poetry　in　bottles？〃

〃More　than　you　can　require；〃　said　the　woman。　〃I　suppose　you　know
the　history　of　'the　Girl　who　Trod　on　the　Loaf；　so　that　she　might　not
soil　her　shoes'？　That　has　been　written；　and　printed　too。〃

〃I　told　that　story　myself；〃　said　the　man。

〃Yes；　then　you　must　know　it；　and　you　must　know　also　that　the
girl　sank　into　the　earth　directly；　to　the　Moor…woman；　just　as　Old
Bogey's　grandmother　was　paying　her　morning　visit　to　inspect　the
brewery。　She　saw　the　girl　gliding　down；　and　asked　to　have　her　as　a
remembrance　of　her　visit；　and　got　her　too；　while　I　received　a
present　that's　of　no　use　to　me…　a　travelling　druggist's　shop…　a
whole　cupboard…full　of　poetry　in　bottles。　Grandmother　told　me　where
the　cupboard　was　to　be　placed；　and　there　it's　standing　still。　Just
look！　You've　your　seven　four…leaved　shamrocks　in　your　pocket；　one　of　which　is　a　six…leaved　one；　and　so　you　will　be　able　to　see　it。〃

And　really　in　the　midst　of　the　moor　lay　something　like　a　great
knotted　block　of　alder；　and　that　was　the　old　grandmother's　cupboard。
The　Moor…woman　said　that　this　was　always　open　to　her　and　to　every
one　in　the　land；　if　they　only　knew　where　the　cupboard　stood。　It
could　be　opened　either　at　the　front　or　at　the　back；　and　at　every
side　and　corner…　a　perfect　work　of　art；　and　yet　only　an　old　alder
stump　in　appearance。　The　poets　of　all　lands；　and　especially　those　of
our　own　country；　had　been　arranged　here；　the　spirit　of　them　had　been
extracted；　refined；　criticised　and　renovated；　and　then　stored　up　in
bottles。　With　what　may　be　called　great　aptitude；　if　it　was　not
genius　the　grandmother　had　taken　as　it　were　the　flavor　of　this　and
of　that　poet；　and　had　added　a　little　devilry；　and　then　corked　up　the
bottles　for　use　during　all　future　times。

〃Pray　let　me　see；〃　said　the　man。

〃Yes；　but　there　are　more　important　things　to　hear；〃　replied　the
Moor…woman。

〃But　now　we　are　at　the　cupboard！〃　said　the　man。　And　he　looked
in。　〃Here　are　bottles　of　all　sizes。　What　is　in　this　one？　and　what　in
that　one　yonder？〃

〃Here　is　what　they　call　may…balm；〃　replied　the　woman。　〃I　have
not　tried　it　myself。　But　I　have　not　yet　told　you　the　'more
important'　thing　you　were　to　hear。　THE　WILL…O'…THE…WISP'S　IN　THE　TOWN！

That's　of　much　more　consequence　than　poetry　and　stories。　I　ought；
indeed；　to　hold　my　tongue；　but　there　must　be　a　necessity…　a　fate…　a
something　that　sticks　in　my　throat；　and　that　wants　to　come　out。　Take
care；　you　mortals！〃

〃I　don't　understand　a　word　of　all　this！〃　cried　the　man。
〃Be　kind　enough　to　seat　yourself　on　that　cupboard；〃　she
retorted；　〃but　take　care　you　don't　fall　through　and　break　the　bottles…
you　know　what's　inside　of　them。　I　must　tell　of　the　great　event。　It
occurred　no　longer　ago　than　the　day　before　yesterday。　It　did　not
happen　earlier。　It　has　now　three　hundred　and　sixty…three　days　to　run
about。　I　suppose　you　know　how　many　days　there　are　in　a　year？〃
And　this　is　what　the　Moor…woman　told：

〃There　was　a　great　commotion　yesterday　out　here　in　the　marsh！
There　was　a　christening　feast！　A　little　Will…o'…the…Wisp　was　born
here…　in　fact；　twelve　of　them　were　born　all　together；　and　they　have
permission；　if　they　choose　to　use　it；　to　go　abroad　among　men；　and　to
move　about　and　command　among　them；　just　as　if　they　were　born
mortals。　That　was　a　great　event　in　the　marsh；　and　accordingly　all
the　Will…o'…the…Wisps；　male　and　female；　went　dancing　like　little
lights　across　the　moor。　There　are　some　of　them　of　the　dog　species；　but　those　are　not　worth　mentioning。　I　sat　there　on　the　cupboard；　and　had　all　the　twelve　little　new…born　Will…o'…the…Wisps　upon　my　lap。　
They　shone　like　glow…worms；　they　already　began　to　hop；　and　increased　in　size　every　moment；　so　that　before　a　quarter　of　an　hour　had　elapsed；　each　of　them　looked　just　as　large　as　his　father　or　his　uncle。　Now；　it's　an　old…established　regulation　and　favor；　that　when　the　moon　stands　just　as　it　did　yesterday；　and　the　wind　blows　just　as　it　blew　then；　it　is　allowed　and　accorded　to　all　Will…o'…the…Wisps…　that　is；　to　all　those　who　are　born　at　that　minute　of　time…　to　become　mortals；
and　individually　to　exert　their　power　for　the　space　of　one　year。

〃The　Will…o'…the…Wisp　may　run　about　in　the　country　and　through　the
world；　if　it　is　not　afraid　of　falling　into　the　sea；　or　of　being
blown　out　by　a　heavy　storm。　It　can　enter　into　a　person　and　speak　for
him；　and　make　all　the　movements　it　pleases。　The　Will…o'…the…Wisp　may　take　whatever　form　he　likes；　of　man　or　woman；　and　can　act　in　their　spirit　and　in　their　disguise　in　such　a　way　that　he　can　effect　whatever　he　wishes　to　do。　But　he　must　manage；　in　the　course　of　the　year；　to　lead　three　hundred　and　sixty…five　people　into　a　bad　way；　and　in　a　grand　style；　too。　T