Werwolves

spirits that have it in their power to confer the property of lycanthr

y the werwolf, or, as those would say who see in the werwolf, not the

h demoniacal spirits, and tried on spontaneous psychic phenomena in haunted houses-and in both cases it has failed. Now, although, as I have said, I regard lycanthropy in the light of a property, and do not believe in the lycanthropist being posse

rwolves. I have come across a good many alleged cases of its having been successfully practised on werwolv

?tida, and castoreum, mixed with clear spring water; or hypericum, compounded with vinegar-which two

ddressed thrice by his baptismal name, each address being accompanied by a blow on the forehead with a knife; or he was sprinkled, whilst at the same time his gir

rcism was cited to me the other day in connexion with

of Herr Schauman, the well-known German banker and horticulturist (every one in Russia has heard of the Schauman t

nd bright as a mirror; and his mouth, when open, displayed a most brilliant set of even, white teeth. Tina had three children by her first husband, and the fuss Ivan Baranoff made of them pleased her immensely. Their own father never evin

s," Tina often remonstrated. "

osy cheeks and stout limbs. Wait till you're in the country! Then you may talk

here will be an end of us,"

from Ivan; and on Tina angrily demanding the reason, they told her they could not help it-there was something in his

e his lips; and as for his eyebrows-those dark, straight eyebrows that me

im his looks and money." And to her sisters she said, "You only wish you could have had him yoursel

, accompanied by her children and dogs-some people hinted that Tina was fonder of h

h the exception of those devoted to herself, her husband and the children, which were covered with crimson drugget, were carpetless. A more barren, inhospitable looking house could not be imagined, and the moment Tina entered it, her spirits sank to zero. The atmosphere of the place frightened her the most. It was not that it was merely forlorn and cheerle

live here. Take us away at once. Look at those things. Whatever are they?" And they pointed to

check them. Moreover, since leaving Moscow the warnings of her friends and relations had often come back to her. Though Ivan had never ceased to be kind, his conduct roused her suspicions. During the journey, which he had insisted should be performed in a

abroad in the night-time-it would be

nocturnal rambles, and that on his return the corners of his mouth and his long finger-nails were always smeared with blood. Furthermore, she noticed that although he was concerned about the appeti

heir arrival at the chateau, but, on the contrary, th

ftly into the room, and as he tiptoed across the floor to the washstand, Tina saw splashes of blood on his face and coat, whilst it dripped freely from his finger-tips. In the morning the news was brought her by the children that one of her favourite dogs was dead-eaten by some wild animal, presumably a wolf. Tina's position now became painful in the extreme. She was m

curiously discordant tones, and usually only in monosyllables; but she never heard them converse with one another save in whispers-always in whispers. The house was now full of shadows-and whispers. They haunted her even in her sleep. For the first two or three days her husband had been communicative; but he gradually grew more and more taciturn, until at last he rarely said anything at all. He merely watched her-watched her wherever she went, and whatever she did; and he watched the children-particularly the children-with the same expression, the same undefinable secretive expression that harmonized so well with the shadows and whispers. And it was this treatment-the treatment she now received from her husband-that made Tina appreciate the company of her children. Before, they had been quite a tertiary consideration-Ivan had come first; then the dogs; and lastly, Hilda, Olga, and Peter. But this order was at length reversed; and on the death of the last of her pets, Hilda, Olga

ll bounds, flushed, tumbled and awry-the round arms tossed up, the rosy face flung back, the bedclothes pushed off, the pillow flung out, the nightcap one way, the hair another

the servants rapped at the door to say that the meal was ready. The house was very large, and Tina had to pass through two halls and down a long corridor before reaching the room where the dinner was served. Rather t

s to get him out of the way, and be left for the rest of the evening in peace. The big wood fire appealed to Tina-it was the only thing in that part of the house that seemed to have any life-and she resolved to sit by it, and, perhaps, skim through a book. Tina seldom read-in Moscow, all her evenings were spent at cards. She remembered, however

against the wall and joined it. And Tina, yielding to a sudden fascination, followed in their wake. In this fashion they crossed the hall and ascended the staircase, Tina keeping well behind them. She knew where they were aiming for, and any little doubt that she might have had was set at rest, when they turned into the passage leading to her bedroom. A moaning cry of fear from one of the children told her that they, too, knew by intuition of their coming danger. Tina was now in an agony of mind as to what to do for the best. That the intention of these hideous creatures-be they what they might-phantasms or things of flesh and blood-was sinister, she had not the slightest doubt; but how could she prevent them getting at her children? The most she could do would be to shout to Hilda and tell her to lock the two doors. But would that keep them out? She opened

eking "Mother!" There it was again, "Mother! Mother! Help! Help!" Then a series of savage snarls and growls and more shrieks-the combined shrieks of all three children. Shrieks and growls were then mingled together in one dreadful, hideous pandemonium, which all of a sudden ceased, and was succeeded by the loud crunching and cracking of bones. At last that, too, ceased, and Tina heard footsteps rapidly approaching her door. For a moment the room and everything in it swam round her. She felt choked; the dinning in her ears came again, it beat louder and louder and completely paralysed her. A crash on the door panel, however, abruptly restored her faculties, and the idea of escaping by the window for the first time entered her mind. If her husband could use the window as a means of exit, why couldn't she? Not a second was to be lost-the creatures outside were now striving their utmost to get in. It was the work of a moment to throw open the window, and almost before she knew she had opened it, she found hersel

rwolves. He then begged that before anything was done to them he might be allowed to try his powers of exorcism. The Colonel ridiculed the idea, but in the end was persuaded to postpone his visit to the chateau till the evening, and to go there wi

e scuffle, in which they were all more or less badly mauled, succeeded in securing their quarry. In more civilized parts of the country the police would have been called in, but here, where that good old law, "Might is right," still held good, a man in the Colonel's position could do whatever he deem

y remarked to the priest, wiping the blood off his sle

ed, for he did not care what happened

ny (and which I understand are those most commonly observed

outer circle. Within this inner circle were then placed the three captive werwolves. It would be well to explain here that in exorcism, as well as in the evocation of spirits, great attention must be paid to the position of the stars, as astrology exercises the greatest influence on the spirit world. The present occasi

o ♂ with

♂ ? ?

about a foot to the southeast of the circumference of the inner circle. Exactly opposite this altar, and about 1-1/2 feet to the far side of the circumferen

ixture consisting of

ms of s

of cas

hms of

ms of a

of hyp

. of a

. of c

ake root, a live snake, two live toads in linen bags, and a fungus. He then bound together, with re

, and slashing them severely across the head with his wand, dashed in their faces the seething liquid, calling out as he did so: "In the name of Our Blessed Lady I command thee to depart. Black, evil devils from hell, begone! Begone! Again I say, Begone!" He repeated this three times to the vociferous yells of the smarting werwo

he discovery of the half-eaten remains of an old woman and two children in a cave. True to their lupine natures,[91:1] they showed no fight when cornered, and a couple of well-directed bullets put an end to their existence-the same metamorphosis

only by werwolves but by all sorts o

led it down, and that another house, replete with every modern lux

TNO

among savage animals, give in

en due to something connected with the