By-and-by,
when the giddiness and trembling had gone off, she would be
better able to think of what she should do; she would be out
of the rain, too, there--the cold rain, which had already
drenched her cloak and skirt.
She went in; it was a village church of the simplest
description, very small, with plain wooden benches and
confessionals, and a high altar with inexpensive decorations,
in nowise remarkable. But hardly was Madelon inside the door,
when she stood suddenly motionless, transfixed by a horrible
terror that, weak and exhausted as she was, wholly seized and
gained possession of her; for, raised in the middle of the
aisle, covered with a black velvet pall and with a row of tall
candles on either side, stood a coffin, with white embroidery
of death's heads on the pall, and little banners with painted
death's heads decorating every candle. To the terrified,
speechless child, the skulls seemed to become animated--to
grin; they seemed to move; the whole air was suddenly full of
them, chattering, dancing, swarming round her; she tried to
scream, but could not; she turned to fly from the dreadful,
haunted spot, but with the first step she made, strength and
consciousness gave way altogether, and she sank senseless to
the ground.
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