THE KING OF ELFLAND’S DAUGHTER
he listened: and nothing was sounding, not a noise was astir; yet Orion stood there called by things beyond mortal hearing. “It is too late now,” said Threl.
And that was the fear of all.
Then Guhic rose slowly up and stood by that table. And trolls were gibbering like bats away in their loft, and the pale marsh-lights were flickering, and shapes prowled in the dark: the pit-pat of their feet came now and then to the ears of the twelve that were there in that inner room. And Guhic said: “We wished for a little magic.” And a gust of gibbering came clear from the trolls. And then they disputed awhile as to how much magic they had wished in the olden time, when the grandfather of Orion was lord in Erl. But when they came to a plan this was the plan of Guhic.
“If we may not turn our lord Orion,” he said, “and his eyes be turned to Elfland, let all our parliament go up the hill to the witch Ziroonderel, and put our case to her, and ask for a spell which shall be put against too much magic.”
And at the name of Ziroonderel the twelve took heart again; for they knew that her magic was greater than the magic of flickering lights, and knew there was not atroll or thing of the night but went in fear of her broom. They took heart. again and quaffed Narl’s heavy mead, and re-filled their mugs and praised Guhic.
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