‘That night Tronda sat alone in her cabin, beneath the bronze lamp, as she had done when her victim entered. The crystal lay upon the table as before. All at once, the flame of the lamp flashed high up, and then sank down into the bronze, so that the cabin was almost in darkness, and the two ravens fluttered and croaked. Tronda lifted up her head, and her livid face became as the face of a statue carved out of blue and grey marble, for before her, standing as he had already done that day, was the form of Torquil Randa, with the blue spot upon his forehead where the lightning had struck it.
‘There was silence for the space of a minute, and then the form of Torquil spoke.
‘“I am sent from the dead,” it said, “to give you a last warning.”
‘“Return to those who sent you,” answered the witch; “I take no warnings.”
‘“I am bid to tell you,” said the spirit, “that the measure of your iniquities is nearly full.”
‘The witch of Lapland rose erect, and stood confronting the apparition.
‘“I have no fear of aught, either dead or living, spirit or flesh,” she replied. “Get you gone, or I will call up the spectres of the winds, who will chase you to the uttermost ends of the earth.”
‘The figure of Torquil Randa gave a sad smile, and stretching forth its hand, touched the magic crystal, which immediately crumbled into black dust. “The powers which are given to me,” said the spirit, “are greater than yours.”
‘Tronda’s frame shivered as she saw this, but she lost no whit of countenance, and looked her terrible visitant steadily in the face.
‘“There will be given you one last opportunity,” the apparition said. “Will you repent?”