A lamp stood on the high chimney-piece, and sometimes the room seemed full of lamp-shadows, sometimes of cloudy forms.

The princess lay on the settle by the wall, and seemed never to have moved hand or foot.

It was a fearsome waiting.
When Mara returned, she drew the settle with Lilith upon it to the middle of the room, then sat down opposite me, at the other side of the hearth.

Between us burned a small fire.
Something terrible was on its way! The cloudy presences flickered and shook.

A silvery creature like a slowworm came crawling out from among them, slowly crossed the clay floor, and crept into the fire.