"Only tell me," Erica was heard to say, "only tell me where and how he died. I know he is dead—I knew he would die; from that terrible night when we were betrothed. Tell me who did it—for I am sure you know. Was it Nipen? O Hund, speak! Say only where his body is, and I will try—I will try never to speak to you again—never to——"
No other than the Mountain-Demon.
Hund looked miserable; he moved his lips, but no sound was heard mingling with Erica's rapid speech.
Madame Erlingsen, who, with Orga, had by this time reached the spot, laid her hand on Erica's arm, to beg for a moment's silence, made Oddo call his dog out of the boat, and then spoke, in a severe tone, to Hund.
"Why do you shake your head, Hund, and speak no word? Say what you know, for the sake of those whom, we grievously suspect, you have deeply injured. Say what you know, Hund."
"What I say is, that I do not know," replied Hund in a hoarse and agitated voice. "I only know that we live in an enchanted place, here by this fiord, and that the spirits try to make us answer for their doings. The very first night after I went forth, this very boat was spirited away from me, so that I could not come home. Nipen had a spite against me there—to make you all suspect me. I declare to you that the boat was gone, in a twinkling, by magic, and I heard the cry of the spirit that took it."
"What was the cry like?" asked Oddo gravely.
"Where were you, that you were not spirited away with the boat?" asked his mistress.