’Is it the custom in this country to make mischief one of the pleasures of society?’

‘Yes!’ said the witch with some emphasis.  ’And to tell you the truth again, that is just one of the points in which society might be improved.’

‘But how do fun and mischief go along together?’

‘Well, that depends,’ said the witch.  ’The wrong sort of mischief spoils the right sort of fun.’

’And does that often happen, among such well-dressed people as these?’

’O, where if her Grace?’—­cried a gay voice in the distance.  ‘I’ve sworn to find her.’

The witch was silent a moment, then answered slowly, ’It happens—­quite often.’

‘Can people find nothing pleasanter to do with their time,’ said the countryman, ’than to spend it in mischief? or in fun which the mischief spoils?  These things you tell me sound very strange in my ears.’

’The right sort of mischief is fun,—­and the right sort of fun is -not- mischief,’ she said impatiently.  ’And what people find in the wrong sorts, I don’t know!’

‘By the way,’ said the countryman, ’how come you to be here?  How did you escape, when Saul killed all the rest of the witches?’

‘It is queer, isn’t it?’ she said.  ’Wouldn’t you have supposed I should be the first one to fall?’

’And in this country, are you using your experience to make or to mend mischief?’

‘Make all I can!  Are there any Sauls on hand, do you think?’

‘Pray, what sort of man would you characterize by that name?’

‘Well,’ said she of Endor with again the hidden laugh in her voice, ’some men have a hidden weakness for witches which conflicts with their duty,—­and some men don’t!’

‘I hope I am not a Saul, then,’ said the countryman laughing, though softly; ’but in any case you are safe to take my arm for a walk round the rooms.  I should like to see all that is to be seen; and perhaps you could help me to understand.’

It was not a more incongruous pair than were to be seen in many parts of the assembly.  The beauty of Charles the Second’s court was flirting with Rob Roy; a lady in the wonderful ruff of Elizabeth’s time talked with a Roman toga; a Franciscan monk with bare feet gesticulated in front of a Swiss maiden; as the Witch of Endor sauntered through the rooms on the arm of nobody knew exactly what countryman.

‘Your prejudices must be very often shocked here,’ said the countryman with a smothered tone of laughter again.  ’Or, I beg pardon!—­has a witch any prejudices, seeing she can have no gravity?’

‘What does prejudice mean in your country?’

’Much the same, I am afraid, that it does elsewhere.  What are we coming to?’

Passing slowly through the rooms, they had arrived at the great saloon, at one end of which large folding doors opened into another and smaller apartment.  This smaller room was hung with green baize; candelabra shed gentle light upon it from within the doors, so placed as not to be seen from the principal room; and over the folding doors was hung a hick red curtain; rolled up now.