"Not nearly sinister enough," I complained. "No atmosphere."

"Wait till you get inside," said Ginger.

We got out of the car and went up to the door which opened as we approached. approached.

Miss Thyrza Grey stood on the threshold, a tall, slightly masculine figure in a tweed coat and skirt. She had rough grey hair springing figure in a tweed coat and skirt. She had rough grey hair springing up from a high forehead, a large beak of a nose, and very up from a high forehead, a large beak of a nose, and very penetrating light blue eyes. penetrating light blue eyes.

"Here you are at last," she said in a hearty bass voice. "Thought you'd all got lost." you'd all got lost."

Behind her tweed-clad shoulder I became aware of a face peering out from the shadows of the dark hall. A queer, rather formless out from the shadows of the dark hall. A queer, rather formless face, like something made in putty by a child who had strayed in to face, like something made in putty by a child who had strayed in to play in a sculptor's studio. It was the kind of face, I thought, that you play in a sculptor's studio. It was the kind of face, I thought, that you sometimes see amongst a crowd in an Italian or Flemish primitive sometimes see amongst a crowd in an Italian or Flemish primitive painting. painting.

Rhoda introduced us and explained that we had been lunching with Mr Venables at Priors Court. Mr Venables at Priors Court.

"Ah!" said Miss Grey. "That explains it! Fleshpots. That Italian cook of his! And all the treasures of the treasure house as well. Oh, well, of his! And all the treasures of the treasure house as well. Oh, well, poor fellow - got to have something to cheer him up. But come in, poor fellow - got to have something to cheer him up. But come in, come in. We're rather proud of our own little place. Fifteenth- come in. We're rather proud of our own little place. Fifteenth- century - and some of it fourteenth." century - and some of it fourteenth."

The hall was low and dark with a twisting staircase leading up from it. There was a wide fireplace and over it a framed picture. it. There was a wide fireplace and over it a framed picture.

"The old inn sign," said Miss Grey, noting my glance. "Can't see much of it in this light. The Pale Horse." much of it in this light. The Pale Horse."

"I'm going to clean it for you," said Ginger. "I said I would. You let me have it and you'll be surprised." me have it and you'll be surprised."

"I'm a bit doubtful," said Thyrza Grey, and added bluntly, "Suppose you ruin it?" you ruin it?"

"Of course I shan't ruin it," said Ginger indignantly. "It's my job.

"I work for the London Galleries," she explained to me. "Great fun."

"Modern picture restoring takes a bit of getting used to," said Thyrza. "I gasp every time I go into the National Gallery nowadays. Thyrza. "I gasp every time I go into the National Gallery nowadays. All the pictures look as though they'd had a bath in the latest All the pictures look as though they'd had a bath in the latest detergent." detergent."

"You can't really prefer them all dark and mustard coloured," protested Ginger. She peered at the inn sign. "A lot more would protested Ginger. She peered at the inn sign. "A lot more would come up. The horse may even have a rider." come up. The horse may even have a rider."

I joined her to stare into the picture. It was a crude painting with little merit except the doubtful one of old age and dirt. The pale little merit except the doubtful one of old age and dirt. The pale figure of a stallion gleamed against a dark indeterminate figure of a stallion gleamed against a dark indeterminate background. background.

"Hi, Sybil," cried Thyrza. "The visitors are crabbing our Horse, damn their impertinence!" damn their impertinence!"

Miss Sybil Stamfordis came through a door to join us.

She was a tall willowy woman with dark, rather greasy hair, a simpering expression, and a fishlike mouth. simpering expression, and a fishlike mouth.

She was wearing a bright emerald-green sari which did nothing to enhance her appearance. Her voice was faint and fluttery. enhance her appearance. Her voice was faint and fluttery.

"Our dear, dear Horse," she said. "We fell in love with that old inn sign the moment we saw it. I really think it influenced us to buy the sign the moment we saw it. I really think it influenced us to buy the house. Don't you, Thyrza? But come in, come in." house. Don't you, Thyrza? But come in, come in."

The room into which she led us was small and square and had probably been the bar in its time. It was furnished now with chintz probably been the bar in its time. It was furnished now with chintz and Chippendale and was definitely a lady's sitting room, country and Chippendale and was definitely a lady's sitting room, country style. There were bowls of chrysanthemums. style. There were bowls of chrysanthemums.

Then we were taken out to see the garden which I could see would be charming in summer, and then came back into the house to find be charming in summer, and then came back into the house to find tea had been laid. There were sandwiches and homemade cakes tea had been laid. There were sandwiches and homemade cakes and as we sat down, the old woman whose face I had glimpsed for a and as we sat down, the old woman whose face I had glimpsed for a moment in the hall came in bearing a silver teapot. She wore a plain moment in the hall came in bearing a silver teapot. She wore a plain dark green overall. The impression of a head made crudely from dark green overall. The impression of a head made crudely from Plasticine by a child was borne out on closer inspection. It was a Plasticine by a child was borne out on closer inspection. It was a witless primitive face but I could not imagine why I had thought it witless primitive face but I could not imagine why I had thought it sinister. sinister.

Suddenly I felt angry with myself. All this nonsense about a converted inn and three middle-aged women! converted inn and three middle-aged women!

"Thank you, Bella," said Thyrza.

"Got all you want?"

It came out almost as a mumble.

"Yes, thanks."

Bella withdrew to the door. She had looked at nobody, but just before she went out, she raised her eyes and took a speedy glance before she went out, she raised her eyes and took a speedy glance at me. There was something in that look that startled me - though it at me. There was something in that look that startled me - though it was difficult to describe why. There was malice in it, and a curious was difficult to describe why. There was malice in it, and a curious intimate knowledge. I felt that without effort, and almost without intimate knowledge. I felt that without effort, and almost without curiosity, she had known exactly what thoughts were in my mind. curiosity, she had known exactly what thoughts were in my mind.

Thyrza Grey had noticed my reaction.

"Bella is disconcerting, isn't she, Mr Easterbrook?" she said softly.

"I noticed her look at you."

"She's a local woman, isn't she?" I strove to appear merely politely interested. interested.

"Yes. I dare say someone will have told you she's the local witch."

Sybil Stamfordis clanked her beads.

"Now do confess, Mr - Mr -"

"Easterbrook."

"Mr Easterbrook. I'm sure you've heard that we all practise witchcraft. Confess now. We've got quite a reputation, you know." witchcraft. Confess now. We've got quite a reputation, you know."

"Not undeserved, perhaps," said Thyrza. She seemed amused.

"Sybil here has great gifts."

Sybil sighed pleasurably.

"I was always attracted by the occult," she murmured. "Even as a child I realised that I had unusual powers. Automatic writing came child I realised that I had unusual powers. Automatic writing came to me quite naturally. I didn't even know what it was! I'd just sit to me quite naturally. I didn't even know what it was! I'd just sit there with a pencil in my hand - and not know a thing about what there with a pencil in my hand - and not know a thing about what was happening. And of course I was always ultrasensitive. I fainted was happening. And of course I was always ultrasensitive. I fainted once when taken to tea in a friend's house. Something awful had once when taken to tea in a friend's house. Something awful had happened in that very room... I knew it! We got the explanation happened in that very room... I knew it! We got the explanation later. There had been a murder there - twenty-five years ago. In that later. There had been a murder there - twenty-five years ago. In that very room!" very room!"

She nodded her head and looked round at us with great satisfaction. satisfaction.

"Very remarkable," said Colonel Despard with polite distaste.

"Sinister things have happened in this house," said Sybil darkly.

"But we have taken the necessary steps. The earthbound spirits have been freed." have been freed."

"A kind of spiritual spring cleaning?" I suggested.

Sybil looked at me rather doubtfully.

"What a lovely coloured sari you are wearing," said Rhoda.

Sybil brightened.

"Yes, I got it when I was in India. I had an interesting time there. I explored yoga, you know, and all that. But I could not help feeling explored yoga, you know, and all that. But I could not help feeling that it was all too sophisticated - not near enough to the natural and that it was all too sophisticated - not near enough to the natural and the primitive. One must go back, I feel, to the beginnings, to the the primitive. One must go back, I feel, to the beginnings, to the early primitive powers. I am one of the few women who have visited early primitive powers. I am one of the few women who have visited Haiti. Now there you really do touch the original springs of the Haiti. Now there you really do touch the original springs of the occult. Overlaid, of course, by a certain amount of corruption and occult. Overlaid, of course, by a certain amount of corruption and distortion. But the root of the matter is there. distortion. But the root of the matter is there.

"I was shown a great deal, especially when they learned that I had twin sisters a little older than myself. The child who is born next twin sisters a little older than myself. The child who is born next after twins has special powers, so they told me. Interesting, wasn't after twins has special powers, so they told me. Interesting, wasn't it? Their death dances are wonderful. All the panoply of death, it? Their death dances are wonderful. All the panoply of death, skulls and crossbones, and the tools of a gravedigger, spade, pick skulls and crossbones, and the tools of a gravedigger, spade, pick and hoe. They dress up as undertakers' mutes, top hats, black and hoe. They dress up as undertakers' mutes, top hats, black clothes. clothes.

"The Grand Master is Baron Samedi, and the Legba is the god he invokes, the god who 'removes the barrier.' You send the dead forth invokes, the god who 'removes the barrier.' You send the dead forth -to cause death. Weird idea, isn't it?

"Now this," Sybil rose and fetched an object from the windowsill.

"This is my Asson. It's a dried gourd with a network of beads and - you see these bits? - dried snake vertebrae." you see these bits? - dried snake vertebrae."

We looked politely, though without enthusiasm.

Sybil rattled her horrid toy affectionately.

"Very interesting," said Despard courteously.

"I could tell you lots more -"

At this point my attention wandered. Words came to me hazily as Sybil continued to air her knowledge of sorcery and voodoo - Sybil continued to air her knowledge of sorcery and voodoo - Ma Matre Carrefour, the Coa, the Guid family - family - I turned my head to find Thyrza looking at me quizzically.

"You don't believe any of it, do you?" she murmured. "But you're wrong, you know. You can't explain away everything as wrong, you know. You can't explain away everything as superstition, or fear, or religious bigotry. There are elemental truths and elemental powers. There always have been. There truths and elemental powers. There always have been. There always will be." always will be."

"I don't think I would dispute that," I said.

"Wise man. Come and see my library."

I followed her out through the french window into the garden and along the side of the house. along the side of the house.

"We made it out of the old stables," she explained.

The stables and outbuildings had been reconstituted as one large room. The whole of one long wall was lined with books. I went room. The whole of one long wall was lined with books. I went across to them and was presently exclaiming. across to them and was presently exclaiming.

"You've got some very rare works here, Miss Grey. Is this an original Malleus Maleficorum? My word, you have some treasures." original Malleus Maleficorum? My word, you have some treasures."

"I have, haven't I?"

"That Grimoire - Very rare indeed." I took down volume after volume from the shelves. Thyrza watched me. There was an air of volume from the shelves. Thyrza watched me. There was an air of quiet satisfaction about her which I did not understand. quiet satisfaction about her which I did not understand.

I put back Sadducismus Triumphatus as Thyrza said: "It's nice to meet someone who can appreciate one's treasures. Most people just yawn or gape." Most people just yawn or gape."

"There can't be much about the practice of witchcraft, sorcery, and all the rest of it that you don't know," I said. "What gave you an all the rest of it that you don't know," I said. "What gave you an interest in it in the first place?" interest in it in the first place?"

"Hard to say now. It's been so long. One looks into a thing idly, and then - one gets gripped! It's a fascinating study. The things people then - one gets gripped! It's a fascinating study. The things people believed - and the damn fool things they did!" believed - and the damn fool things they did!"

I laughed.

"That's refreshing. I'm glad you don't believe all you read."

"You mustn't judge me by poor Sybil. Oh, yes, I saw you looking superior! But you were wrong. She's a silly woman in a lot of ways. superior! But you were wrong. She's a silly woman in a lot of ways. She takes voodoo, and demonology, and black magic and mixes She takes voodoo, and demonology, and black magic and mixes everything up into a glorious occult pie - but she has the power." everything up into a glorious occult pie - but she has the power."

"The power?"

"I don't know what else you can call it. There are people who can become a living bridge between this world and a world of strange become a living bridge between this world and a world of strange uncanny powers. Sybil is one of them. She is a first-class medium. uncanny powers. Sybil is one of them. She is a first-class medium. She has never done it for money. But her gift is quite exceptional. She has never done it for money. But her gift is quite exceptional. When she and I and Bella -" When she and I and Bella -"

"Bella?"

"Oh, yes. Bella has her own powers. We all have, in our different degrees. As a team -" degrees. As a team -"

She broke off.

"Sorcerers, Limited?" I suggested with a smile.

"One could put it that way."

I glanced down at the volume I was holding in my hand.

"Nostradamus and all that?"

"Nostradamus and all that."

I said quietly: "You do believe it, don't you?"

"I don't believe. I know."

She spoke triumphantly. I looked at her.

"But how? In what way? For what reason?"

She swept her hand out towards the bookshelves.

"All that! So much of it nonsense! Such grand ridiculous phraseology! But sweep away the superstitions and the prejudices phraseology! But sweep away the superstitions and the prejudices of the times - and the core is truth! You only dress it up - it's always of the times - and the core is truth! You only dress it up - it's always been dressed up - to impress people." been dressed up - to impress people."

"I'm not sure I follow you?"

"My dear man, why have people come throughout the ages to the necromancer - to the sorcerer - to the witch doctor? Only two necromancer - to the sorcerer - to the witch doctor? Only two reasons really. There are only two things that are wanted badly reasons really. There are only two things that are wanted badly enough to risk damnation. The love potion or the cup of poison." enough to risk damnation. The love potion or the cup of poison."

"Ah."

"So simple, isn't it? Love - and death. The love potion to win the man you want, the black mass to keep your lover. A draught to be taken you want, the black mass to keep your lover. A draught to be taken at the full of the moon. Recite the names of devils or of spirits. Draw at the full of the moon. Recite the names of devils or of spirits. Draw patterns on the floor or on the wall. All that's window dressing. The patterns on the floor or on the wall. All that's window dressing. The truth is the aphrodisiac in the draught!" truth is the aphrodisiac in the draught!"

"And death?" I asked.

"Death?" She laughed, a queer little laugh that made me uncomfortable. "Are you so interested in death?" uncomfortable. "Are you so interested in death?"

"Who isn't?" I said lightly.

"I wonder." She shot me a glance, keen, searching. It took me aback. aback.