midnight
At last they said I was mad , an ' I went awee tae th ' ` sylum yonder i ' th ' town , an ' then I gat some sleep ; an ' ane nicht I saw in a dream a woman a ' in white , an ' she laid her cool , moist han ' on my hot forehead , an ' tauld me she would save me yet . ` It was th ' auld enemy that ye forgathered wi ' on th ' ice , an ' ye are his until ye can kill th ' king o ' th ' geese ; an ' then ye ken whaever carries his croun o ' black an ' white feathers can unnerstand th ' language o ' all fowl , an ' , wha ' is more , call them to himsel ' , sae that he canna ' fail to hae his wull o ' them . Then , laddie , ye wull hae earned yoursel ' th ' penny-fee for whilk ye hae perilled your saul . '' ` But , ' said she , ` my ain bairn , when ye hae won the croun , use it na ' at all , though a ' the fiends fra ' hell tempted ye , but carry it to the kirkyard at mirk midnight ; an ' when ye hae cannily lichted a bit bleeze , burn the king 's croun , an ' say wha ' I shall tell ye . `` I gie back more than I hae taken , an ' I rest on Christ 's smercy ; '' an ' then shall ye be safe an ' happy if ye fail na ' to be constant in gude warks . ' `` Then , sirs , the vision faded , an ' I woke calmer an ' happier than for many a lang day ; an ' a few days after , they aye sent me hame , but the folk say I 've a bit bee in my bannet yet . But sin ' that time , I hae hunted a ' I can .