Some Conversation With An Ancient Druid.

and I found myself completely powerless in their grasp . Now my fears had been fully realised , and I saw , when too late , the folly of trusting myself , at first , to the old man ' s seeming simplicity , The one who had first accosted me now addressed himself to my janitors in some strange tongue , ancl they bound my arms behind my back , bandaged my eyes , ancl led me away . Then there really was a still-existing order of those terrible fanatics , the Druids , ancl I was indeed in one of their dens .

There was no doubt about it , the cords that bound me told me that onl y too plainly . After a seemingly long journey they stopped . I heard a door open , ancl I was brutally thrust in , and fell on my face , while the door clanged behind me . I was stunned for some moments , ancl knew not what had happened . Gradually I recovered my senses , ancl , as I did so , I shuddered to think of my situation , and tried to collect my thoughts . First of all , by painful scrubbing , I managed to remove the bandage over my eyesand found that all around it

, was perfectly dark . I trembled to think what my fate would be ; it appeared nothing less than death . I determined , by a superhuman effort , for I was falling into a lethargy from the effect of the fall , to discover the full extent of my situation . Painfully I staggered to my feet , for I was still bound , and I carefully felt for the wall . When I found this , which seemed to be macle of wood , I groped along ancl soon came back to the same place , having come to

the conclusion that the room was about circular , for there were no corners in it . In fact , I was in a sort of well . I thought of all the horrible terrors of the Inquisition , of the frightful tales of Edgar Allan Poe and of his " Pit ancl the Pendulum . " Was I reserved for a similar refinement of cruelt y ? Had this new order of Druids , as they styled themselves , secured me for a victim to their rapacious superstition ? I threw myself on the floor , ancl , in an agony of despair , I tried to shut out my thoughts ; but it was impossible .

Nothing but the one idea of a fearful death haunted me , and my imagination called forth every conceivable horror . No doubt I was to be offered up to their God as a reconciliation for one of their sinning fiendish souls . Oh , horror ! Again I started to my feet ; I could not bear to remain still with my terrible thoughts . I now began to feel an intolerable itching , which I could not relieve by scratching . Was this part of their torture ? Was I to be slowly tickled to death ? Ohfrightful ! Most frihtful of deaths ! It was

, g excruciating torture ! My flesh began to blister , ancl I could not find a moment ' s rest . I rolled on the floor in agony , and fancied I could hear suppressed laughter near me . Was I affording sport to my tormentors ? But I would not , ancl strove to remain perfectly still , but found it impossible ; my torture was too intense . Vainl y I tried to relieve myself , and felt that I must go mad . I cared not what became of me if I were only put out of my

misery . I prayed for death , as a sweet deliverer from my troubles . I frantically struggled to release my hands , but could not . M y agony kept increasing , and I felt that my fate was to be devoured by innumerable fleas . No pain I ever recollected before could bear comparison with this : to be slowly bitten to death by the smallest and most insignificant of insects ; to die b y inchespiecemeal . My torment could not last much longer , and it became so great that I fell into a sort of stupor . When I awoke I found myself laid on a triangular altar , stripped of my clothing ancl extremely uncomfortable .

I was dazed by the light , and tried to collect my senses . Where was I ? Suddenly I recollected on seeing the old Druid who had first spoken to me , and I rapidly followed up the train of events that had followed since then to the time of my insensibility , after which all was a blank . A shiver of terror ran through my frame ; I was brought here to be sacrificed . I still suffered horribl y from the itching of my skin , which was swollen and blistered . The four Druids who had first seized me were standing round me , dressed in white , with gilt or golden girdles round their waists , and the oldest one was seated on a sort of throne . He was addressing the others in an unknown language .