A few minutes more and the ladies and gentlemen of the family, in full dress, entered by the door at the back of the dais, and were shown to their places by Mr. Moyle, the first usher.  Next came the marquis, leaning on lord Charles, and walking worse than usual.  He too was, wonderful to tell, in full dress, and, notwithstanding his corpulency and lameness, looked every inch a marquis and the head of the house.  He placed himself in the great chair, and sat upright, looking serenely around on the multitude of pale expectant faces, while lord Charles took his station erect at his left hand.  A moment yet, and by the same door, last of all, entered lord Herbert, alone, in his garb of astrologer.  He came before his father, bowed to him profoundly, and taking his place by his right hand, a little in front of the chair, cast a keen eye around the assembly.  His look was grave, even troubled, and indeed somewhat anxious.

‘Are all present?’ he asked, and was answered only by silence.  He then waved his right hand three times towards heaven, each time throwing open his palm outwards and upwards.  At the close of the third wafture, a roar as of thunder broke and rolled about the place, making the huge hall tremble, and the windows rattle and shake fearfully.  Some thought it was thunder, others thought it more like the consecutive discharge of great guns.  It grew darker, and through the dim stained window many saw a dense black smoke rising from the stone-court, at sight of which they trembled yet more, for what could it be but the chariot upon which Modo, or Mahu, or whatever the demon might be called, rode up from the infernal lake?  Again lord Herbert waved his arm three times, and again the thunder broke and rolled vibrating about the place.  A third time he gave the sign, and once more, but now close over their heads, the thunder broke, and in the midst of its echoes, high in the oak roof appeared a little cloud of smoke.  It seemed to catch the eye of lord Herbert.  He made one step forward, and held out his hand towards it, with the gesture of a falconer presenting his wrist to a bird.

‘Ha! art thou here?’ he said.

And to the eyes of all, a creature like a bat was plainly visible, perched upon his forefinger, and waving up and down its filmy wings.  He looked at it for a moment, bent his head to it, seemed to whisper, and then addressed it aloud.

‘Go,’ he said, ’alight upon the head of him or of her who hath wrought the evil thou knowest in this house.  For it was of thine own kind, and would have smirched a fair brow.’

As he spoke he cast the creature aloft.  A smothered cry came from some of the women, and Tom Fool gave a great sob and held his breath tight.  Once round the wide space the bat flew, midway between floor and roof, and returning perched again upon lord Herbert’s hand.

‘Ha!’ said his lordship, stooping his head over it, ’what meanest thou?  Is not the evil-doer in presence?  What?—­Nay, but it cannot be?  Not within the walls?—­Ha!  “Not in the hall” thou sayest!’