thememoriesoforieswerethereamongstotherrubbish;aheyrecurred,maturingyouthaddedtothemavigourandvividnessbeyondwhatchildhoodcouldgive.Asthishorseapproached,andasIwatchedforittoappearthroughthedusk,IrememberedcertainofBessie’stales,whereinfiguredaNorth-of-Englandspiritcalleda“Gytrash,”whitheformofhorse,mule,edog,hauntedsolitaryways,andsometimescameupoedtravellers,asthishorsewasnowinguponme.

    Itwasverynear,butinsight;when,inadditiontothetramp,tramp,Iheardarushuhehedge,andclosedownbythehazelstemsglidedagreatdog,whosebladwhiteadehimadistinctobjectagainstthetrees.ItwasexactlyoneformofBessie’sGytrash—alion-likecreaturewithlonghairandahugehead:itpassedme,however,quietlyenough;notstayingtolookup,withstraereeyes,inmyface,asIhalfexpecteditwould.Thehorsefollowed,—atallsteed,andonitsbackarider.Theman,thehumanbeing,brokethespellatohingeverrodetheGytrash:itwasalwaysalone;andgoblins,tomynotions,thoughtheymighttenantthedumbcarcassesofbeasts,couldscarcecovetshelterintheonplacehumanform.NoGytrashwasthis,—onlyatravellertakingtheshortillcote.Hepassed,aoeps,andIturned:aslidingsoundandanexclamationof“Whatthedeuceistodonow?”andaclatteringtumble,arrestedmyattention.Manandhorseweredown;theyhadslippedonthesheetoficewhichglazedthecauseway.Thedogcameboundingbadseeinghismasterinapredit,andhearingthehroan,barkedtilltheeveninghillsechoedthesound,whichwasdeepinproportiontohismagnitude.Hesnuffedroundtheprroup,andthenheranuptome;itwasallhecoulddo,—therewasnootherhelpathandtosummon.Iobeyedhim,andwalkeddown