He was uncertain whether to abide the conclusion of the ceremony, or to endeavour to regain the chancel, when a change in his position made him visible through the grate to one of the attendant mourners.

The person who first espied him indicated his discovery to the individual who stood apart and nearest the coffin, by a sign, and upon his making a sign in reply, two of the group detached themselves, and, gliding along with noiseless steps, as if fearing to disturb the service, unlocked and opened the grate which separated them from the adept.

Each took him by an arm, and exerting a degree of force, which he would have been incapable of resisting had his fear permitted him to attempt opposition, they placed him on the ground in the chancel, and sat down, one on each side of him, as if to detain him.

Satisfied he was in the power of mortals like himself, the adept would have put some questions to them; but while one pointed to the vault, from which the sound of the priest's voice was distinctly heard, the other placed his finger upon his lips in token of silence, a hint which the German thought it most prudent to obey.

And thus they detained him until a loud Alleluia, pealing through the deserted arches of St.Ruth, closed the singular ceremony which it had been his fortune to witness.
When the hymn had died away with all its echoes, the voice of one of the sable personages under whose guard the adept had remained, said, in a familiar tone and dialect, "Dear sirs, Mr.Dousterswivel, is this you?
could not ye have let us ken an ye had wussed till hae been present at the ceremony ?--My lord couldna tak it weel your coming blinking and jinking in, in that fashion." "In de name of all dat is gootness, tell me what you are ?" interrupted the German in his turn.
"What I am?
why, wha should I be but Ringan Aikwood, the Knockwinnock poinder ?--and what are ye doing here at this time o' night, unless ye were come to attend the leddy's burial ?" "I do declare to you, mine goot Poinder Aikwood," said the German, raising himself up, "that I have been this vary nights murdered, robbed, and put in fears of my life." "Robbed! wha wad do sic a deed here ?--Murdered! od ye speak pretty blithe for a murdered man--Put in fear! what put you in fear, Mr.
Dousterswivel ?" "I will tell you, Maister Poinder Aikwood Ringan, just dat old miscreant dog villain blue-gown, as you call Edie Ochiltrees." "I'll neer believe that," answered Ringan;--"Edie was ken'd to me, and my father before me, for a true, loyal, and sooth-fast man; and, mair by token, he's sleeping up yonder in our barn, and has been since ten at e'en--Sae touch ye wha liket, Mr.Dousterswivel, and whether onybody touched ye or no, I'm sure Edie's sackless." "Maister Ringan Aikwood Poinders, I do not know what you call sackless,-- but let alone all de oils and de soot dat you say he has, and I will tell you I was dis night robbed of fifty pounds by your oil and sooty friend, Edies Ochiltree; and he is no more in your barn even now dan I ever shall be in de kingdom of heafen." "Weel, sir, if ye will gae up wi' me, as the burial company has dispersed, we'se mak ye down a bed at the lodge, and we'se see if Edie's at the barn.