Then, besides the keenest sorrow, a fierce, burning hate took possession of her soul.

She had not appealed to her saint for years; but now, in a brief, ejaculatory prayer, she besought her to drive this child from Lienhard, punish her with misery, suffering, and destruction.  A sharp pang which she had never before experienced pierced her to the heart.  The pure, sunny air which she inhaled on her lofty height seemed like acrid smoke, and forced tears into the eyes which had not wept for many a long day.

As, not knowing exactly what she was doing, with her ears deafened by the shouts of the crowd, among whom Lienhard now, with anxious suspense, watched her every movement, she again raised the rope and prepared to spring, she fancied that her narrow path rose higher and higher.  One more step, and suddenly, with Loui’s shriek of horror and the clown’s terrified “Jesus and Mary, she is falling!” ringing on the air, she felt as if the rope had parted directly in front of her.  Then a hurricane appeared to howl around her, bearing her away she knew not whither.  It seemed as though the tempest had seized the ends of the rope, and was dealing terrible blows with them upon her shoulders, her back, and her feet.  Meanwhile the little wearer of the wreath was lying on a black cloud opposite to her at Lienhard’s feet.

She still held the sheet in her hand, and was shouting to the angry elements the magic formulas which it contained.  Their power Kuni knew it—­had unchained them.  Lienhard’s deep voice mingled with her furious cries until the roar of the sea, on whose rocky shore the hurricane must have dashed her, drowned every other sound, and rolled over her, sometimes in scorching crimson, sometimes in icy crystal waves.  Then, for a long time, she saw and heard nothing more.

When her deadened imagination again began to stir, she fancied that she was struggling with a huge crab, which was cutting her foot with shears.  The little elf was urging it on, as the huntsmen cheer the hounds.  The pain and hate she felt would have been intolerable if Lienhard had made common cause with the terrible child.  But he reproved her conduct, and even struggled with the kobold who tried to prevent his releasing her from the crab.  The elf proved stronger than he.  The terrible shears continued to torture her.  The more she suffered, the more eagerly Lienhard seemed trying to help her, and this soothed her and blended a sweet sense of comfort with the burning pain.

CHAPTER VI.

Kuni remained under the spell of these delusions for many days and nights.  When she at last regained her senses, she was lying on a plain couch in a long, whitewashed hall.  The well-scoured floor was strewn with sand and pine needles.  Other beds stood beside hers.  On one wall hung a large wooden crucifix, painted with glaring colours; on the other a touching picture of the Mater Dolorosa, with the swords in her heart, looked down upon her.