As I gazed the three men stood up and said something, but I could distinguish no words, though I was aware that it was the central one who was speaking.  They then swept out of the room, followed by the two men with the papers.  At the same instant several rough-looking fellows in stout jerkins came bustling in and removed first the red carpet, and then the boards which formed the dais, so as to entirely clear the room.  When this screen was removed I saw some singular articles of furniture behind it.  One looked like a bed with wooden rollers at each end, and a winch handle to regulate its length.  Another was a wooden horse.  There were several other curious objects, and a number of swinging cords which played over pulleys.  It was not unlike a modern gymnasium.

When the room had been cleared there appeared a new figure upon the scene.  This was a tall, thin person clad in black, with a gaunt and austere face.  The aspect of the man made me shudder.  His clothes were all shining with grease and mottled with stains.  He bore himself with a slow and impressive dignity, as if he took command of all things from the instant of his entrance.  In spite of his rude appearance and sordid dress, it was now his business, his room, his to command.  He carried a coil of light ropes over his left forearm.  The lady looked him up and down with a searching glance, but her expression was unchanged.  It was confident—­even defiant.  But it was very different with the priest.  His face was ghastly white, and I saw the moisture glisten and run on his high, sloping forehead.  He threw up his hands in prayer and he stooped continually to mutter frantic words in the lady’s ear.

The man in black now advanced, and taking one of the cords from his left arm, he bound the woman’s hands together.  She held them meekly toward him as he did so.  Then he took her arm with a rough grip and led her toward the wooden horse, which was little higher than her waist.  On to this she was lifted and laid, with her back upon it, and her face to the ceiling, while the priest, quivering with horror, had rushed out of the room.  The woman’s lips were moving rapidly, and though I could hear nothing I knew that she was praying.  Her feet hung down on either side of the horse, and I saw that the rough varlets in attendance had fastened cords to her ankles and secured the other ends to iron rings in the stone floor.

My heart sank within me as I saw these ominous preparations, and yet I was held by the fascination of horror, and I could not take my eyes from the strange spectacle.  A man had entered the room with a bucket of water in either hand.  Another followed with a third bucket.  They were laid beside the wooden horse.  The second man had a wooden dipper—­a bowl with a straight handle—­in his other hand.  This he gave to the man in black.  At the same moment one of the varlets approached with a dark object in his hand, which even in my dream filled me with