第10部分(第5/7 頁)

ral　days；　to　his　great　disgust。 However；　as　soon　as　he　was　given　permission　to　sing　as　much　as　he　liked；　he　bore　his　trouble　patiently；　and　the　farm　echoed　all　day　with　his　jovial　voice。　But　from　this　adventure　he　imbibed　a　more　lively　sentiment　of　fear　with　regard　to　brownies　and　other　goblins　who　amuse　themselves　by　plaguing　mankind；　and　he　made　them　responsible　for　the　catastrophe　of　the　Motala。 It　would　have　been　vain　to　try　and　convince　him　that　the　Fire…Maidens　did　not　exist；　and　that　the　flame；　so　suddenly　appearing　among　the　ruins；　was　but　a　natural　phenomenon。 No　reasoning　could　make　him　believe　it。　His　panions　were；　if　possible；　more　obstinate　than　he　in

their　credulity。 According　to　them；　one　of　the　Fire…Maidens　had　maliciously　attracted　the　MOTALA　to　the　coast。 As　to　wishing　to　punish　her；　as　well　try　to　bring　the　tempest　to　justice！　The　magistrates　might　order　what　arrests　they　pleased；　but　a　flame　cannot　be　imprisoned；　an　impalpable　being　can't　be　handcuffed。　It　must　be　acknowledged　that　the　researches　which　were　ultimately　made　gave　ground；　at　least　in　appearance；　to　this　superstitious　way　of　explaining　the　facts。

The　inquiry　was　made　with　great　care。 Officials　came　to　Dundonald　Castle；　and　they　proceeded　to　conduct　a　most　vigorous　search。　The　magistrate　wished　first　to　ascertain　if　the　ground　bore　any　footprints；　which　could　be　attributed　to　other　than　goblins'　feet。　It　was　impossible　to　find　the　least　trace；　whether　old　or　new。　Moreover；　the　earth；　still　damp　from　the　rain　of　the　day　before；　would　have　preserved　the　least　vestige。

The　result　of　all　this　was；　that　the　magistrates　only　got　for　their　trouble　a　new　legend　added　to　so　many　others……a　legend　which　would　be　perpetuated　by　the　remembrance　of　the　catastrophe　of　the　MOTA