Averting her gaze, she would have hastened on, but a hand suddenly laid upon her bridle, held back her horse; and she then perceived a tall dark man, mounted on a sable steed, riding beside her.  The supernatural character of the horseman was manifest, inasmuch as no sound was caused by the tread of his steed, nor did he appear to be visible to Crouch when the latter looked back.  Mistress Nutter maintained her seat with difficulty.  She well knew who was her companion.

“Soh, Alice Nutter,” said the horseman at length, in a low deep tone, “you have chosen to shut yourself up in a narrow cell, like a recluse, for more than two months, denying yourself all sort of enjoyment, practising severest abstinence, and passing your whole time in useless prayer—­ay, useless, for if you were to pray from now till doomsday—­come when it will, a thousand years hence, or to-morrow—­it will not save you.  When you signed that bond to my master, sentence was recorded against you, and no power can recall it.  Why, then, these unavailing lamentations?  Why utter prayers which are rejected, and supplications which are scorned?  Shake off this weakness, Alice, and be yourself again.  Once you had pride enough, and a little of it would now be of service to you.  You would then see the folly of this abject conduct—­humbling yourself to the dust only to be spurned, and suing for mercy only to be derided.  Pray as loud and as long as you will, the ears of Heaven will remain ever deaf to you.”

“I hope otherwise,” rejoined the lady, meekly.

“Do not deceive yourself,” replied the horseman.  “The term granted you by your compact will not be abridged, but it is your own fault if it be not extended.  Your daughter is destroying herself in the vain hope of saving you.  Her prayers are unavailing as your own, and recoil from the Judgment Throne unheard.  The youth upon whom her affections are fixed is stricken with a deadly ailment.  It is in your power to save them both.”

Mistress Nutter groaned deeply.

“It is in your power, I say, to save them,” continued the horseman, “by returning to your allegiance to your master.  He will forgive your disobedience if you prove yourself zealous in his service; will restore you to your former worldly position; avenge you of your enemies; and accomplish all you may desire with respect to your daughter.”

“He cannot do it,” replied Mistress Nutter.

“Cannot!” echoed the horseman.  “Try him!  For many years I have served you as familiar; and you have never set me the task I have failed to execute.  I am ready to become your servant again, and to offer you a yet larger range of control.  Put no limits to your desires or ambition.  If you are tired of this narrow sphere, take a wider.  Look abroad.  But do not shut yourself up in a narrow cell, and persuade yourself you are accomplishing your ultimate deliverance, when you are only wasting precious time, which might be more advantageously and far more agreeably employed.  While laughing at your folly, my master deplores it; and he has, therefore, sent me as to one for whom notwithstanding all derelictions from duty, he has still a regard, with an offer of full forgiveness, provided you return to him at once, and renew your covenant, proving your sincerity by casting from you the book you hold under your arm.”