She motioned that Ambrosio should be silent, and began the mysterious rites.

She drew a circle round him, another round herself, and then taking a small Phial from the Basket, poured a few drops upon the ground before her.

She bent over the place, muttered some indistinct sentences, and immediately a pale sulphurous flame arose from the ground.

It increased by degrees, and at length spread its waves over the whole surface, the circles alone excepted in which stood Matilda and the Monk.

It then ascended the huge Columns of unhewn stone, glided along the roof, and formed the Cavern into an immense chamber totally covered with blue trembling fire.