[Illustration: She stood up serene but heroic] DULCIBEL A Tale of Old Salem BY HENRY PETERSON Author of "Pemberton, or One Hundred Years Ago" Illustrations by HOWARD PYLE PHILADELPHIA The John C. Winston Co. 1907 Copyright 1907 BY Walter Peterson. Contents. Chapter. Page. I DULCIBEL BURTON 1 II IN WHICH SOME NECESSARY INFORMATION IS GIVEN 12 III THE CIRCLE IN THE MINISTER'S HOUSE 17 IV SATAN'S ESPECIAL GRUDGE AGAINST OUR PURITAN FATHERS 22 V LEAH HERRICK'S POSITION AND FEELINGS 24 VI A DISORDERLY SCENE IN CHURCH 27 VII A CONVERSATION WITH DULCIBEL 32 VIII AN EXAMINATION OF REPUTED WITCHES 47 IX ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MORE ALLEGED WITCHES 54 X BRIDGET BISHOP CONDEMNED TO DIE 59 XI EXAMINATION OF REBECCA NURSE 64 XII BURN ME OR HANG ME, I WILL STAND IN THE TRUTH OF CHRIST 73 XIII DULCIBEL IN DANGER 80 XIV BAD NEWS 91 XV THE ARREST OF DULCIBEL AND ANTIPAS 94 XVI DULCIBEL IN PRISON 102 XVII DULCIBEL BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES 107 XVIII WELL, WHAT NOW? 123 XIX ANTIPAS WORKS A MIRACLE 128 XX MASTER RAYMOND GOES TO BOSTON 136 XXI A NIGHT INTERVIEW 139 XXII THE REVEREND MASTER PARRIS EXORCISES "LITTLE WITCH" 149 XXIII MASTER RAYMOND ALSO COMPLAINS OF AN "EVIL HAND" 162 XXIV MASTER RAYMOND'S LITTLE PLAN BLOCKED 166 XXV CAPTAIN ALDEN BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES 172 XXVI CONSIDERING NEW PLANS 180 XXVII THE DISSIMULATION OF MASTER RAYMOND 188 XXVIII THE CRUEL DOINGS OF THE SPECIAL COURT 192 XXIX DULCIBEL'S LIFE IN PRISON 199 XXX EIGHT LEGAL MURDERS ON WITCH HILL 205 XXXI A NEW PLAN OF ESCAPE 214 XXXII WHY THE PLAN FAILED 221 XXXIII MISTRESS ANN PUTNAM'S FAIR WARNING 230 XXXIV MASTER RAYMOND GOES AGAIN TO BOSTON 237 XXXV CAPTAIN TOLLEY AND THE STORM KING 244 XXXVI SIR WILLIAM PHIPS AND LADY MARY 252 XXXVII THE FIRST RATTLE OF THE RATTLESNAKE 262 XXXVIII CONFLICTING CURRENTS IN BOSTON 269 XXXIX THE RATTLESNAKE MAKES A SPRING 273 XL AN INTERVIEW WITH LADY MARY 280 XLI MASTER RAYMOND IS ARRESTED FOR WITCHCRAFT 287 XLII MASTER RAYMOND ASTONISHES THE MAGISTRATES 293 XLIII WHY THOMAS PUTNAM WENT TO IPSWICH 303 XLIV HOW MASTER JOSEPH CIRCUMVENTED MISTRESS ANN 309 XLV THE TWO PLOTTERS CONGRATULATE EACH OTHER 330 XLVI MISTRESS ANN'S OPINION OF THE MATTER 336 XLVII MASTER RAYMOND VISITS LADY MARY 343 XLVIII CAPTAIN TOLLEY'S PROPOSITIONS 351 XLIX MASTER RAYMOND CONFOUNDS MASTER COTTON MATHER 355 L BRINGING AFFAIRS TO A CRISIS 366 LI LADY MARY'S COUP D'ETAT 371 LII AN UNWILLING PARSON 385 LIII THE WEDDING TRIP AND WHERE THEN 394 LIV SOME CONCLUDING REMARKS 397 =Illustrations. = Page. STOOD UP SERENE BUT HEROIC FRONTISPIECE. "THE LORD KNOWS THAT I HAVEN'T HURT THEM" 68 MARCHED FROM JAIL FOR THE LAST TIME 208 CHAPTER I. Dulcibel Burton. In the afternoon of a sunny Autumn day, nearly two hundred years ago, ayoung man was walking along one of the newly opened roads which led intoSalem village, or what is now called Danvers Centre, in the thenProvince of Massachusetts Bay. The town of Salem, that which is now the widely known city of that name, lay between four and five miles to the southeast, on a tongue of landformed by two inlets of the sea, called now as then North and SouthRivers. Next to Plymouth it is the oldest town in New England, havingbeen first settled in 1626. Not till three years after were Boston andCharlestown commenced by the arrival of eleven ships from England. It isa significant fact, as showing the hardships to which the early settlerswere exposed, that of the fifteen hundred persons composing this Bostonexpedition, two hundred died during the first winter. Salem has also thehonor of establishing the first New England church organization, in1629, with the Reverend Francis Higginson as its pastor. Salem village was an adjunct of Salem, the town taking in the adjacentlands for the purpose of tillage to a distance of six miles from themeeting-house. But in the progress of settlement, Salem village alsobecame entitled to a church of its own; and it had one regularlyestablished at the date of our story, with the Reverend Samuel Parris aspresiding elder or minister. There had been many bickerings and disputes before a minister could befound acceptable to all in Salem village. And the present minister wasby no means a universal favorite. The principal point of contention onhis part was the parsonage and its adjacent two acres of ground. MasterParris claimed that the church had voted him a free gift of these; whilehis opponents not only denied that it had been done, but that itlawfully could be done. This latter view was undoubtedly correct; forthe parsonage land was a gift to the church, for the perpetual use ofits pastor, whosoever he might be. But Master Parris would not listen toreason on this subject, and was not inclined to look kindly upon the menwho steadfastly opposed him. The inhabitants of Salem village were a goodly as well as godly people, but owing to these church differences about their ministers, as well asother disputes and lawsuits relative to the bounds of their respectiveproperties, there was no little amount of ill feeling among them. Smallcauses in a village are just as effective as larger ones in a nation, inproducing discord and strife; and the Puritans as a people weredistinguished by all that determination to insist upon their rights, andthat scorn of compromising difficulties, which men of earnest and honestbut narrow natures have manifested in all ages of the world. Selfishnessand uncharitableness are never so dangerous as when they assume thecharacter of a conscientious devotion to the just and the true. But all this time the young man has been walking almost due north fromthe meeting house in Salem village. The road was not what would be called a good one in these days, for itwas not much more than a bridle-path; the riding being generally at thattime on horseback. But it was not the rather broken and uneven conditionof the path which caused the frown on the young pedestrian's face, orthe irritability shown by the sharp slashes of the maple switch in hishand upon the aspiring weeds along the roadside. "If ever mortal man was so bothered, " he muttered at last, coming to astop. "Of course she is the best match, the other is below me, and has aspice of Satan in her; but then she makes the blood stir in a man. Ha!" This exclamation came as he lifted his eyes from the ground, and gazedup the road before him. There, about half a mile distant, was a youngwoman riding toward him. Then she stopped her horse under a tree, andevidently was trying to break off a switch, while her horse prancedaround in a most excited fashion. The horse at last starts in a rapidgallop. The young man sees that in trying to get the switch, she hasallowed the bridle to get loose and over the horse's head, and can nolonger control the fiery animal. Down the road towards him she comes ina sharp gallop, striving to stop the animal with her voice, evidentlynot the least frightened, but holding on to the pommel of the saddlewith one hand while she makes desperate grasps at the hanging rein withthe other. The young Puritan smiled, he took in the situation with a glance, andfelt no fear for her but rather amusement. He was on the top of a steephill, and he knew he could easily stop the horse as it came up; even ifshe did not succeed in regaining her bridle, owing to the better chancesthe hill gave her. "She is plucky, anyhow, if she is rather a tame wench, " said he, as thegirl grasped the bridle rein at last, when about half way up the hill, and became again mistress of the blooded creature beneath her. "Is that the way you generally ride, Dulcibel?" asked the young mansmiling. "It all comes from starting without my riding whip, " replied the girl. "Oh, do stop!" she continued to the horse who now on the level again, began sidling and curveting. "Give me that switch of yours, Jethro. Now, you shall see a miracle. " No sooner was the switch in her hand, than the aspect and behavior ofthe animal changed as if by magic. You might have thought the littlemare had been raised in the enclosure of a Quaker meeting-house, sosober and docile did she seem. "It is always so, " said the girl laughing. "The little witch knows atonce whether I have a whip with me or not, and acts accordingly. No, Iwill not forgive you, " and she gave the horse two or three sharp cuts, which it took like a martyr. "Oh, I wish you would misbehave a littlenow; I should like to punish you severely. " They made a very pretty picture, the little jet-black mare, and themistress with her scarlet paragon bodice, even if the latter wasentirely too pronounced for the taste of the great majority of theinhabitants, young and old, of Salem village. "But how do you happen to be here?" said the girl. "I called to see you, and found you had gone on a visit to JosephPutnam's. So I thought I would walk up the road and meet you comingback. " "What a sweet creature Mistress Putnam is, and both so young for man andwife. " "Yes, Jo married early, but he is big enough and strong enough, don'tyou think so?" "He is a worshiped man indeed. Have you met the stranger yet?" "That Ellis Raymond? No, but I hear he is something of a popinjay in hisattire, and swelled up with the conceit that he is better than any of uscolonists. " "I do not think so, " and the girl's cheek colored a deeper red. "Heseems to be a very modest young man indeed. I liked him very much. " "Oh, well, I have not seen him yet. But they say his father was a son ofBelial, and fought under the tyrant at Naseby. " "But that is all over and his widowed mother is one of us. " "Hang him, what does it matter!" Then, changing his tone, and looking ather a little suspiciously. "Did Leah Herrick say anything to you againstme the other night at the husking?" "I do not allow people to talk to me against my friends, " replied sheearnestly. "She was talking to you a long time I saw. " "Yes. " "It must have been an interesting subject. " "It was rather an unpleasant one to me. " "Ah!" "She wanted me to join the 'circle' which they have just started at theminister's house. She says that old Tituba has promised to show them howthe Indians of Barbados conjure and powwow, and that it will be greatsport for the winter nights. " "What did you say to it?" "I told her I would have nothing to do with such things; that I had noliking for them, and that I thought it was wrong to tamper with suchmatters. " "That was all she said to you?" and the young man seemed to breathe morefreely. The girl was sharp-witted--what girl is not so in all affairs of theheart?--and it was now her turn. "Leah is very handsome, " she said. "Yes--everybody says so, " he replied coolly, as if it were a fact ofvery little importance to him, and a matter which he had thought verylittle about. Dulcibel, was not one to aim all around the remark; she came at once, simply and directly to the point. "Did you ever pay her any attentions?" "Oh, no, not to speak of. What made you think of such an absurd thing?" "'Not to speak of'--what do you mean?" "Oh, I kept company with her for awhile--before you came to Salem--whenwe were merely boy and girl. " "There never was any troth plighted between you?" "How foolish you are, Dulcibel! What has started you off on thistrack?" "Yourself. Answer me plainly. Was there ever any love compact betweenyou?" "Oh, pshaw! what nonsense all this is!" "If you do not answer me, I shall ask her this very evening. " "Of course there was nothing between us--nothing of any account--only aboy and girl affair--calling her my little wife, and that kind ofnonsense. " "I think that a great deal. Did that continue up to the time I came tothe village?" "How seriously you take it all! Remember, I have your promise, Dulcibel. " "A promise on a promise is no promise--every girl knows that. If you donot answer me fully and truly, Jethro, I shall ask Leah. " "Yes, " said the young man desperately "there was a kind of childishtroth up to that time, but it was, as I said, a mere boy and girlaffair. " "Boy and girl! You were eighteen, Jethro; and she sixteen nearly as oldas Joseph Putnam and his wife were when they married. " "I do not care. I will not be bound by it; and Leah knows it. " "You acted unfairly toward me, Jethro. Leah has the prior right. Irecall my troth. I will not marry you without her consent. " "You will not!" said the young man passionately--for well he knew thatLeah's consent would never be given. "No, I will not!" "Then take your troth back in welcome. In truth, I met you here this dayto tell you that. I love Leah Herrick's little finger better than yourwhole body with your Jezebel's bodice, and your fine lady's airs. Youhad better go now and marry that conceited popinjay up at Jo Putnam's, if you can get him. " With that he pushed off down the hill, and up the road, that he mightnot be forced to accompany her back to the village. Dulcibel was not prepared for such a burst of wrath, and such anuncovering of the heart. Which of us has not been struck with wonder, even far more than indignation, at such times? A sudden differenceoccurs, and the man or the woman in whom you have had faith, and whomyou have believed noble and admirable, suddenly appears what he or shereally is, a very common and vulgar nature. It makes us sick at heartthat we could have been so deceived. Such was the effect upon Dulcibel. What a chasm she had escaped. Tothink she had really agreed to marry such a spirit as that! Butfortunately it was now all over. She not only had lost a lover, but a friend. And one day before, thisalso would have had its unpleasant side to her. But now she felt even asensation of relief. Was it because this very day a new vision hadentered into the charmed circle of her life? If it were so, she did notacknowledge the fact to herself; or even wonder in her own mind, why thesudden breaking of her troth-plight had not left her in a sadder humor. For she put "Little Witch" into a brisk canter, and with a smile uponher face rode into the main street of the village. CHAPTER II. In Which Some Necessary Information is Given. Dulcibel Burton was an orphan. Her father becoming a little unsound indoctrine, and being greatly pleased with the larger liberty ofconscience offered by William Penn to his colonists in Pennsylvania, hadleased his house and lands to a farmer by the name of Buckley, anddeparted for Philadelphia. This was some ten years previous to theopening of our story. After living happily in Philadelphia for abouteight years he died suddenly, and his wife decided to return to her oldhome in Salem village, having arranged to board with Goodman Buckley, whose lease had not yet expired. But in the course of the followingwinter she also died, leaving this only child, Dulcibel, now a beautifulgirl of eighteen years. Dulcibel, as was natural, went on living withthe Buckleys, who had no children of their own, and were verygood-hearted and affectionate people. Dulcibel therefore was an heiress, in a not very large way, besideshaving wealthy relatives in England, from some of whom in the course ofyears more or less might reasonably be expected. And as our Puritanancestors were by no means blind to their worldly interests, believingthat godliness had the promise of this world as well as that which is tocome--the bereaved maiden became quite an object of interest to theyoung men of the vicinity. I have called her beautiful, and not without good reason. With the oldmanuscript volume--a family heirloom of some Quaker friends ofmine--from which I have drawn the facts of this narrative, came also anold miniature, the work of a well-known English artist of that period. The colors have faded considerably, but the general contour and thefeatures are well preserved. The face is oval, with a rather higher andfuller forehead than usual; the hair, which was evidently of a ratherlight brown, being parted in the center, and brought down with a littlevariation from the strict Madonna fashion. The eyes are large, and blue. The lips rather full. A snood or fillet of blue ribbon confined herluxuriant hair. In form she was rather above the usual height of women, and slender as became her age; though with a perceptible tendencytowards greater fullness with increasing years. There is rather curiously a great resemblance between this miniature, and a picture I have in my possession of the first wife of a celebratedNew England poet. He himself being named for one of the Judges who satin the Special Court appointed for the trial of the alleged witches, itwould be curious if the beautiful and angelic wife of his youth wereallied by blood to one of those who had the misfortune to come under theban of witchcraft. Being both beautiful and an heiress, Dulcibel naturally attracted theattention of her near neighbor in the village, Jethro Sands. Jethro wasquite a handsome young man after a certain style, though, as his lifeproved, narrow minded, vindictive and avaricious. Still he had a highreputation as a young man with the elders of the village; for he hadearly seen how advantageous it was to have a good standing in thechurch, and was very orthodox in his faith, and very regular in hisattendance at all the church services. Besides, he was a staunchchampion of the Reverend Mr. Parris in all his difficulties with theparish, and in return was invariably spoken of by the minister as one ofthe most promising young men in that neighborhood. Jethro resided with his aunt, the widow Sands. She inherited from herhusband the whole of his property. His deed for the land narrated thatthe boundary line ran "from an old dry stump, due south, to thesouthwest corner of his hog-pen, then east by southerly to the top ofthe hill near a little pond, then north by west to the highway side, andthence along the highway to the old dry stump again aforesaid. " There isa tradition in the village that by an adroit removal of his hog-pen toanother location, and the uprooting and transplanting of the old drystump, at a time when nobody seemed to take a very active interest inthe adjoining land, owing to its title being disputed in successivelawsuits, Jethro, who inherited at the death of his aunt, became thepossessor of a large tract of land that did not originally belong tohim. But then such stories are apt to crop up after the death of everyman who has acquired the reputation of being crafty and close in hisdealings. We left Jethro, after his interview with Dulcibel, walking on in orderthat he might avoid her further company. After going a short distance heturned and saw that she was riding rapidly homeward. Then he began toretrace his steps. "It was bound to come, " he muttered. "I have seen she was getting coldand thought it was Leah's work, but it seems she was true to her promiseafter all. Well, Leah is poor, and not of so good a family, but she isworth a dozen of such as Dulcibel Burton. " Then after some minutes' silent striding, "I hate her though for it, allthe same. Everybody will know she has thrown me off. But nobody shallget ahead of Jethro Sands in the long run. I'll make her sorry for itbefore she dies, the spoiled brat of a Quaker infidel!" CHAPTER III. The Circle in the Minister's House. It would, perhaps be unfair to hold the Reverend Master Parrisresponsible for the wild doings that went on in the parsonage houseduring the winter evenings of 1691-2, in the face of his solemnassertion, made several years afterwards, that he was ignorant of them. And yet, how could such things have been without the knowledge either ofhimself or his wife? Mistress Parris has come down to us with thereputation of a kindly and discreet woman--nothing having been said toher discredit, so far as I am aware, even by those who had a bittercontroversy with her husband. And yet she certainly must have known ofthe doings of the famous "circle, " even if she refrained from speakingof them to her husband. At the very bottom of the whole thing, perhaps, were the West Indianslaves--"John Indias" and his wife Tituba, whom Master Parris hadbrought with him from Barbados. There were two children in the house, alittle daughter of nine, named Elizabeth; and Abigail Williams, threeyears older. These very probably, Tituba often had sought to impress, asis the manner of negro servants, with tales of witchcraft, the"evil-eye" and "evil hand" spirits, powwowing, etc. Ann Putnam, anotherprecocious child of twelve, the daughter of a near neighbor, SergeantPutnam, the parish clerk, also was soon drawn into the knowledge of thesavage mysteries. And, before very long, a regular "circle" of these andolder girls was formed for the purpose of amusing and startlingthemselves with the investigation and performance of forbidden things. At the present day this would not be so reprehensible. We arecomparatively an unbelieving generation; and what are called "spiritualcircles" are common, though not always unattended with mischievousresults. But at that time when it was considered a deadly sin to seekintercourse with those who claimed to have "a familiar spirit, " thatsuch practices should be allowed to go on for a whole winter, in thehouse of a Puritan minister, seems unaccountable. But the fact itself isundoubted, and the consequences are written in mingled tears and bloodupon the saddest pages of the history of New England. Among the members of this "circle" were Mary Walcott, aged seventeen, the daughter of Captain Walcott; Elizabeth Hubbard and Mercy Lewis, alsoseventeen; Elizabeth Booth and Susannah Sheldon, aged eighteen; and MaryWarren, Sarah Churchhill and Leah Herrick, aged twenty; these latterbeing the oldest of the party. They were all the daughters ofrespectable and even leading men, with the exception of Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren, Leah Herrick and Sarah Churchhill, who were living out asdomestics, but who seem to have visited as friends and equals the othergirls in the village. In fact, it was not considered at that timedegrading in country neighborhoods--perhaps it is not so now in manyplaces--for the sons and daughters of men of respectability, and even ofproperty, to occupy the position of "help" or servant, eating at thesame table with, and being considered members of the family. In the casebefore us, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren and Sarah Churchhill seem to havebeen among the most active and influential members of the party. ThoughAbigail Williams, the minister's niece, and Ann Putnam, only eleven andtwelve years of age respectively, proved themselves capable of animmense deal of mischief. What the proceedings of these young women actually were, neithertradition nor any records that I have met with, informs us; but theresult was even worse than could have been expected. By the close of thewinter they had managed to get their nervous systems, theirimaginations, and their minds and hearts, into a most dreadfulcondition. If they had regularly sold themselves to be the servants ofthe Evil One, as was then universally believed to be possible--and whichmay really be possible, for anything I know to the contrary--theircondition could hardly have been worse than it was. They were liable tosudden faintings of an unnatural character, to spasmodic movements andjerkings of the head and limbs, to trances, to the seeing of witches anddevils, to deafness, to dumbness, to alarming outcries, to impudent andlying speeches and statements, and to almost everything else that wasfalse, irregular and unnatural. Some of these things were doubtless involuntary but the voluntary andinvoluntary seemed to be so mingled in their behavior, that it wasdifficult sometimes to determine which was one and which the other. Themoral sense seemed to have become confused, if not utterly lost for thetime. They were full of tricks. They stuck concealed pins into their bodies, and accused others of doing it--their contortions and trances were to agreat extent mere shams--they lied without scruple--they bore falsewitness, and what in many, if not most, cases they knew was falsewitness, against not only those to whom they bore ill will but againstthe most virtuous and kindly women of the neighborhood; and if thereligious delusion had taken another shape, and we see no reason why itshould not have done so, and put the whole of them on trial as seekersafter "familiar spirits" and condemned the older girls to death, therewould at least have been some show of justice in the proceedings; while, as it is, there is not a single ray of light to illuminate the judicialgloom. When at last Mr. Parris and Thomas Putnam became aware of the conditionof their children, they called in the village physician, Dr. Griggs. Thelatter, finding he could do nothing with his medicines, gave it as hisopinion that they were "under an evil hand"--the polite medical phraseof that day, for being bewitched. That important point being settled, the next followed of course, "Whohas bewitched them?" The children being asked said, "Tituba. " CHAPTER IV. Satan's Especial Grudge against Our Puritan Fathers. "Tituba!" And who else? Why need there have been anybody else? Why couldnot the whole thing have stopped just there? No doubt Tituba was guilty, if any one was. But Tituba escaped, by shrewdly also becoming anaccuser. "Who else?" This set the children's imagination roving. Their firstcharges were not so unreasonable. Why, the vagrant Sarah Good, a socialoutcast, wandering about without any settled habitation; and SarahOsburn, a bed-ridden woman, half distracted by family troubles who hadseen better days. There the truth was out. Tituba, Sarah Good and SarahOsburn were the agents of the devil in this foul attempt against thepeace of the godly inhabitants of Salem village. For it was a common belief even amongst the wisest and best of ourPuritan fathers, that the devil had a special spite against the NewEngland colonies. They looked at it in this way. He had conquered inthe fight against the Lord in the old world. He was the supreme andundoubted lord of the "heathen salvages" in the new. Now that thePuritan forces had commenced an onslaught upon him in the westernhemisphere, to which he had an immemorial right as it were, could it bewondered at that he was incensed beyond all calculation? Was he, afterhaving Europe, Asia and Africa, to be driven out of North America by asmall body of steeple-hatted, psalm-singing, and conceited Puritans? Nowonder his satanic ire was aroused; and that he was up to all manner ofdevices to harass, disorganize and afflict the camp of his enemies. I am afraid this seems a little ridiculous to readers nowadays; but tothe men and women of two hundred years ago it was grim and soberearnest, honestly and earnestly believed in. Who, in the face of such wonderful changes in our religious views, canventure to predict what will be the belief of our descendants twohundred years hence? CHAPTER V. Leah Herrick's Position and Feelings. I have classed Leah Herrick among the domestics; but her position wasrather above that. She had lived with the Widow Sands, Jethro's aunt, since she had been twelve years old, assisting in the housework, andreceiving her board and clothing in return. Now, at the age of twenty, she was worth more than that recompense; but she still remained on theold terms, as if she were a daughter instead of a servant. She remained, asking nothing more, because she had made up her mind tobe Jethro's wife. She had a passion for Jethro, and she knew that Jethroreciprocated it. But his aunt, who was ambitious, wished him to lookhigher; and therefore did not encourage such an alliance. Leah washowever too valuable and too cheap an assistant to be dispensed with, and thus removed from such a dangerous proximity, besides the widowreally had no objection to her, save on account of her poverty. Leah said nothing when she saw that Jethro's attentions were directed inanother direction; but without saying anything directly to Dulcibel, she contrived to impress her with the fact that she had trespassed uponher rightful domain. For Leah was a cat; and amidst her soft purrings, she would occasionally put out her velvety paw, and give a wicked littlescratch that made the blood come, and so softly and innocently too, thatthe sufferer could hardly take offence at it. Between these sharp intimations of Leah, and the unpleasant revelationsof the innate hardness of the young man's character, which resulted fromthe closer intimacy of a betrothal, Dulcibel's affection had beengradually cooling for several months. But although the longed-forestrangement between the two had at length taken place, Leah did notfeel quite safe yet; for the Widow Sands was very much put out about it, and censured her nephew for his want of wisdom in not holding Dulcibelto her engagement. "She has a good house and farm already, and she willbe certain to receive much more on the death of her bachelor uncle inEngland, " said the aunt sharply. "You must strive to undo that foolishhour's work. It was only a tiff on her part, and you should have criedyour eyes out if necessary. " And so Leah, thinking in her own heart that Jethro was a prize for anygirl, was in constant dread of a renewal of the engagement, and ready togo to any length to prevent it. Although a member of the "circle" that met at the minister's house, Leahwas not so regular an attendant as the others; for there were no menthere and she never liked to miss the opportunity of a privateconversation with Jethro, opportunities which were somewhat limited, owing to the continual watchfulness of her mistress. Still she wentfrequently enough to be fully imbued with the spirit of their doings, while not becoming such a victim as most of them were to disorderednerves, and an impaired and confused mental and moral constitution. CHAPTER VI. A Disorderly Scene in Church. If anything were needed to add to the excitement which the condition ofthe "afflicted children, " as they were generally termed, naturallyproduced in Salem village and the adjoining neighborhood, it was a scenein the village church one Sunday morning. The church was a low, small structure, with rough, unplastered roof andwalls, and wooden benches instead of pews. The sexes were divided, themen sitting on one side and the women on the other, but each person inhis or her regular and appointed seat. It was the custom at that time to select a seating committee ofjudicious and careful men, whose very important duty it was to seat thecongregation. In doing this they proceeded on certain well-definedprinciples. The front seats were to be filled with the older members of thecongregation, a due reverence for age, as well as for the fact thatthese were more apt to be weak of sight and infirm of hearing, necessitated this. Then came the elders and deacons of the church; thenthe wealthier citizens of the parish; then the younger people and thechildren. The Puritan fathers had their faults; but they never would havetolerated the fashionable custom of these days, whereby the wealthy, without regard to their age, occupy the front pews; and the poorermembers, no matter how aged, or infirm of sight or hearing are oftenforced back where they can neither see the minister nor hear the sermon. And one can imagine in what forcible terms they would have denouncedsome city meeting-houses of the present era where the church is regardedsomewhat in the light of an opera house, and the doors of the pews keptlocked and closed until those who have purchased the right to reservedseats shall have had the first chance to enter. The Reverend Master Lawson, a visiting elder, was the officiatingminister on the Sunday to which we have referred. The psalm had beensung after the opening prayer and the minister was about to come forwardto give his sermon, when, before he could rise from his seat, AbigailWilliams, the niece of the Reverend Master Parris, only twelve yearsold, and one of the "circle" cried out loudly:--"Now stand up and nameyour text!" When he had read the text, she exclaimed insolently, "It's a long text. "And then when he was referring to his doctrine, she said:--"I know nodoctrine you mentioned. If you named any, I have forgotten it. " And then when he had concluded, she cried out, "Look! there sits GoodyOsburn upon the beam, suckling her yellow-bird betwixt her fingers. " Then Ann Putnam, that other child of twelve, joined in; "There flies theyellow-bird to the minister's hat, hanging on the pin in the pulpit. " Of course such disorderly proceedings produced a great excitement in thecongregation; but the two children do not appear to have been rebuked byeither of the ministers, or by any of the officers of the church; itseeming to have been the general conclusion that they were notresponsible for what they said, but were constrained by an irresistibleand diabolical influence. In truth, the children were regarded with aweand pity instead of reproof and blame, and therefore naturally feltencouraged to further efforts in the same direction. I have said that this was the general feeling, but that feeling was notuniversal. Several of the members, notably young Joseph Putnam, FrancisNurse and Peter Cloyse were very much displeased at the toleration shownto such disorderly doings, and began to absent themselves from publicworship, with the result of incurring the anger of the children, whowere rapidly assuming the role of destroying angels to the people ofSalem village and its vicinity. As fasting and prayer were the usual resources of our Puritan fathers indifficulties, these were naturally resorted to at once upon thisoccasion. The families to which the "afflicted children" belongedassembled the neighbors--who had also fasted--and, under the guidance ofthe Reverend Master Parris, besought the Lord to deliver them from thepower of the Evil One. These were exciting occasions, for, wheneverthere was a pause in the proceedings, such of the "afflicted" as werepresent would break out into demoniac howlings, followed by contortionsand rigid trances, which, in the words of our manuscript, were "enoughto make the devil himself weep. " These village prayers, however, seeming to be insufficient, MasterParris called a meeting of the neighboring ministers; but the prayers ofthese also had no effect. The "children" even surpassed themselves onthis occasion. The ministers could not doubt the evidence of their ownreverend eyes and ears, and united in the declaration of their beliefthat Satan had been let loose in this little Massachusetts village, toconfound and annoy the godly, to a greater extent than they had everbefore known or heard of. And now that the ministers had spoken, it wasalmost irreligious and atheistical for others to express any doubt. Forif the ministers could not speak with authority in a case of this kind, which seemed to be within their peculiar field and province, what wastheir judgment worth upon any matter? CHAPTER VII. A Conversation with Dulcibel. As Dulcibel sat in the little room which she had furnished in a prettybut simple way for a parlor, some days after the meeting of theministers, her thoughts naturally dwelt upon all these exciting eventswhich were occurring around her. It was an April day, and the snow hadmelted earlier than usual, and it seemed as if the spring might be anexceptionally forward one. The sun was pleasantly warm, and the windblowing soft and gently from the south; and a canary bird in the rusticcage that hung on the wall was singing at intervals a hymn of rejoicingat the coming of the spring. The bird was one that had been given her bya distinguished sea-captain of Boston town, who had brought it home fromthe West Indies. Dulcibel had tamed and petted it, until she could letit out from the cage and allow it to fly around the room; then, at thewords, "Come Cherry, " as she opened the little door of the cage, thebird would fly in again, knowing that he would be rewarded for his goodconduct with a little piece of sweet cake. Cherry would perch on her finger and sing his prettiest strains on someoccasions; and at others eat out of her hand. But his prettiest feat wasto kiss his mistress by putting his little beak to her lips, when shewould say in a caressing tone, "Kiss me, pretty Cherry. " After playing with the canary for a little while, Dulcibel sighed andput him back in his cage, hearing a knock at the front door of thecottage. And she had just turned from the cage to take a seat, when thedoor opened and two persons entered. "I am glad to see you, friends, " she said calmly, inviting them to beseated. It was Joseph Putnam, accompanied by his friend and visitor, EllisRaymond, the young man of whom Dulcibel had spoken to Jethro Sands. Joseph Putnam was one of that somewhat distinguished family from whomcame the Putnams of Revolutionary fame; Major-General Israel Putnam, thewolf-slayer, being one of his younger children. He, the father I mean, was a man of fine, athletic frame, not only of body but of mind. He wasone of the very few in Salem village who despised the wholewitch-delusion from the beginning. He did not disbelieve in theexistence of witches--or that the devil was tormenting the "afflictedchildren"--but that faith should be put in their wild stories was quiteanother matter. Of his companion, Master Ellis Raymond, I find no other certain accountanywhere than in my Quaker friend's manuscript. From the little that isthere given of personal description I have only the three phrases "acomelie young man, " "a very quick-witted person, " "a very determined andcourageous man, " out of which to build a physical and spiritualdescription. And so I think it rather safer to leave the portraiture tothe imagination of my readers. "Do you expect to remain long in Salem?" asked Dulcibel. "I do not know yet, " was the reply. "I came that I might see whatprospects the new world holds out to young men. " "I want Master Raymond to purchase the Orchard Farm, and settle downamong us, " said Joseph Putnam. "It can be bought I think. " "I have heard people say the price is a very high one, " said Dulcibel. "It is high but the land is worth the money. In twenty years it willseem very low. My father saw the time when a good cow was worth as muchas a fifty-acre farm, but land is continually rising in value. " "I shall look farther south before deciding, " said Raymond. "I am toldthe land is better there; besides there are too many witches here, " andhe smiled. "We have been up to see my brother Thomas, " continued Joseph Putnam. "Healways has had the reputation of being a sober-headed man, but he is alloff his balance now. " "What does Mistress Putnam say?" asked Dulcibel. "Oh, she is at the bottom of all his craziness, she and that elfishdaughter. Sister Ann is a very intelligent woman in some respects, butshe is wild upon this question. " "I am told by the neighbors that the child is greatly afflicted. " "She came in the room while we were there, " responded Master Raymond. "Iknew not what to make of it. She flung herself down on the floor, shecrept under the table, she shrieked, she said Goody Osburn was stickingpins in her, and wound up by going into convulsions. " "What can it all mean?--it is terrible, " said Dulcibel. "Well, the Doctor says she is suffering under an 'evil hand, ' and theministers have given their solemn opinion that she is bewitched; andbrother Thomas and Sister Ann, and about all the rest of the familyagree with them. " "I am afraid it will go hard with those two old women, " interposed EllisRaymond. "They will hang them as sure as they are tried, " answered Joseph Putnam. "Not that it makes much difference, for neither of them is much to speakof; but they have a right to a fair trial nevertheless, and they cannotget such a thing just now in Salem village. "I can hardly believe there are such things as witches, " said Dulcibel, "and if there are, I do not believe the good Lord would allow them totorment innocent children. " "Oh, I don't know that it will do to say there are no witches, " repliedJoseph Putnam gravely. "It seems to me we must give up the Bible if wesay that. For the Old Testament expressly commands that we must notsuffer a witch to live; and it would be absurd to give such a command ifthere were no such persons as witches. " "I suppose it must be so, " admitted Dulcibel, with a deep sigh. "And then again in the New Testament we have continual references topersons possessed with devils, and others who had familiar spirits, andif such persons existed then, why not now?" "Oh, of course, it is so, " again admitted Dulcibel with even a deepersigh than before. But even in that day, outside of the Puritan and other religious bodies, there were unbelievers; and Ellis Raymond had allowed himself to smileonce or twice, unperceived by the others, during their conversation. Thus we read in the life of that eminent jurist, the Honorable FrancisNorth, who presided at a trial for witchcraft about ten years before theperiod of which we are writing, that he looked upon the whole thing as avulgar delusion, though he said it was necessary to be very careful toconceal such opinions from the juries of the time, or else they wouldset down the judges at once as irreligious persons, and bring in theprisoners guilty. "I am not so certain of it, " said Ellis Raymond. "How! What do you mean, Master Raymond?" exclaimed Joseph Putnam; likeall his family, he was orthodox to the bone in his opinions. "My idea is that in the old times they supposed all distracted andinsane people--especially the violent ones, the maniacs--to be possessedwith devils. " "Do you think so?" queried Dulcibel in a glad voice, a light seeming tobreak in upon her. "Well, I take it for granted that there were plenty of insane people inthe old times as there are now; and yet I see no mention of them assuch, in either the Old or the New Testament. " "I never thought of that before; it seems to me a very reasonableexplanation, does it not strike you so, Master Putnam?" "So reasonable, that it reasons away all our faith in the absolutetruthfulness of every word of the holy scriptures, " replied JosephPutnam sternly. "Do you suppose the Evangelists, when they spoke ofpersons having 'familiar spirits, ' and being 'possessed of devils, ' didnot know what they were talking about? I would rather believe that everyinsane person now is possessed with a devil, and that such is the trueexplanation of his or her insanity, than to fly in the face of the holyscriptures as you do, Master Raymond. " Dulcibel's countenance fell. "Yes, " she responded in reverential tones, "the holy Evangelists must know best. If they said so, it must be so. " "You little orthodox darling!" thought young Master Raymond, gazing uponher beautiful sad face. But of course he did not express himself to suchan effect, except by his gaze; and Dulcibel happening to look up andcatch the admiring expression of two clear brown eyes, turned her owninstantly down again, while a faint blush mantled her cheeks. The young Englishman knew that in arousing such heterodox opinions hewas getting on dangerous ground. For expressing not a greater degree ofheresy than he had uttered, other men and even women had been turnedneck and heels out of the Puritan settlements. And as he had no desireto leave Salem just at present, he began to "hedge" a little, as bettingmen sometimes say. "Insane people, maniacs especially, do sometimes act as if they werepossessed of the devil, " he said frankly. "And no doubt their insanityis often the result of the sinful indulgence of their wickedpropensities and passions. " "Yes, that seems to be very reasonable, " said Dulcibel. "Every sinfulact seems to me a yielding to the evil one, and such yielding becomingcommon, he may at least be able to enter into the soul, and takeabsolute possession of it. Oh, it is very fearful!" and she shuddered. "But I find one opinion almost universal in Salem, " continued Raymond, "and that is one which I think has no ground to sustain it in thescriptures, and is very mischievous. It is that the devil cannot actdirectly upon human beings to afflict and torment them; but that he isforced to have recourse to the agency of other human beings, who havebecome his worshipers and agents. Thus in the cases of these childrenand young girls, instead of admitting that the devil and his imps aredirectly afflicting them, they begin to look around for witches andwizards as the sources of the trouble. " "Yes, " responded Joseph Putnam earnestly, "that false and unscripturaldoctrine is the source of all the trouble. That little Ann Putnam, Abigail Williams and the others are bewitched, may perhaps be true--anumber of godly ministers say so, and they ought to know. But, if theyare bewitched, it is the devil and his imps that have done it. If theyare 'possessed with devils'--and does not that scripture mean that thedevils directly take possession of them--what is their testimony worthagainst others? It is nearly the testimony of Satan and his imps, speaking through them. While they are in that state, their evidenceshould not be allowed credence by any magistrate, any more than thedevil's should. " It seems very curious to those of the present day who have investigatedthis matter of witch persecutions, that such a sound and orthodox viewas this of Joseph Putnam's should have had such little weight with thejudges and ministers and other leading men of the seventeenth century. While a few urged it, even as Joseph Putnam did, at the risk of his ownlife, the great majority not only of the common people but of theleading classes, regarded it as unsound and irreligious. But the wholehistory of the world proves that the _vox populi_ is very seldom the_vox Dei_. The light shines down from the rising sun in the heavens, andthe mountain tops first receive the rays. The last new truth is alwaysfirst perceived by the small minority of superior minds and souls. Howindeed could it be otherwise, so long as truth like light always shinesdown from above? "Have you communicated this view to your brother and sister?" askedDulcibel. "I have talked with them for a whole evening, but I do think Sister Annis possessed too, " replied Joseph Putnam. "She fairly raves sometimes. You know how bitterly she feels about that old church quarrel, when asmall minority of the Parish succeeded in preventing the permanentsettlement of her sister's husband as minister. She seems to have theidea that all that party are emissaries of Satan. I do not wonder herlittle girl should be so nervous and excitable, being the child of sucha nervous, high-strung woman. But I am going to see them again thisafternoon; will you go too, Master Raymond?' "I think not, " replied the latter with a smile, "I should do harm, Ifear, instead of good. I will stay here and talk with Mistress Dulcibela little while longer. " Master Putnam departed, and then the conversation became of a lightercharacter. The young Englishman told Dulcibel of his home in the oldworld, and of his travels in France and Switzerland. And they talked ofall those little things which young people will--little things, butwhich afford constant peeps into each other's mind and heart. Dulcibelthought she had never met such a cultivated young man, although she hadread of such; and he felt very certain that he never met with such alovely young woman. Not that she was over intelligent--one of thoseprecociously "smart" young women that, thanks to the female colleges andthe "higher culture" are being "developed" in such alarming numbersnowadays. If she had been such a being, I fancy Master Raymond wouldhave found her less attractive. Ah, well, after a time perhaps, we ofthe present day shall have another craze--that of barbarism--in whichthe "coming woman" shall pride herself mainly upon possessing a strong, healthy and vigorous physical organization, developed within thefeminine lines of beauty, and only a reasonable degree of intelligenceand "culture. " And then I hope we shall see the last of walking femaleencyclopedias, with thin waists, and sickly and enfeebled bodies; fit tobe the mothers only of a rapidly dwindling race, even if they have thewish and power to become mothers at all. I am not much of a believer in love at first sight, but certainlypersons may become very much interested in each other after a few hours'conversation; and so it was in the case before us. When Ellis Raymondtook up his hat, and then lingered minute after minute, as if he couldnot bring himself to the point of departure, he simply manifested anewto the maiden what his tones and looks had been telling her for an hour, that he admired her very greatly. "Come soon again, " Dulcibel said softly, as the young man managed toopen the door at last, and make his final adieu. "And indeed I shall ifyou will permit me, " was his earnest response. But some fair reader may ask, "What were these two doing during all thewinter, that they had not seen each other?" I answer that Dulcibel had withdrawn from the village gatherings sincethe breaking of the engagement with Jethro. At the best, it was anacknowledgment that she had been too hasty in a matter that she shouldnot have allowed herself to fail in; and she felt humbled under thethought. Besides, it seemed to her refined and sensitive nature onlydecorous that she should withdraw for a time into the seclusion of herown home under such circumstances. As for the village gossips, they entirely misinterpreted her conduct. Inasmuch as Jethro went around as usual, and put a bold face upon thematter, they came to the conclusion that he had thrown her off, and thatshe was moping at home, because she felt the blow so keenly. Thus it was that while the young Englishman had attended many socialgatherings during the winter he had never met the one person whom he wasespecially desirous of again meeting. One little passage of the conversation between the two it may be wellhowever to refer to expressly for its bearing upon a very seriousmatter. Raymond had mentioned that he had not seen her recently flyingaround on that little jet black horse, and had asked whether she stillowned it. "Oh, yes, " replied Dulcibel; "I doubt that I should be able to sellLittle Witch if I wished to do so. " "Ah, how is that? She seems to be a very fine riding beast. " "She is, very! But you have not heard that I am the only one that hasever ridden her or that can ride her. " "Indeed! that is curious. " I have owned her from a little colt. She was never broken to harness;and no one, as I said, has ever ridden her but me. So that now if anyother person, man or woman, attempts to do so, she will not allow it. She rears, she plunges, and finally as a last resort, if necessary, liesdown on the ground and refuses to stir. "Why, that is very flatteringto you, Dulcibel, " said Raymond smiling. "I never knew an animal ofbetter taste. " "That may be, " replied the maiden blushing; "but you see how it is thatI shall never be able to sell Little Witch if I desire to do so. She isnot worth her keep to any one but me. " "Little Witch! Why did you ever give her a name like that?" "Oh, I was a mere child--and my father, who had been a sea-captain, andall over the world, did not believe in witches. He named her "LittleWitch" because she was so black, and so bent on her own way. But I mustchange her name now that people are talking so about witches. In truthmy mother never liked it. " CHAPTER VIII. An Examination of Reputed Witches. Warrants had been duly issued against Sarah Good, Sarah Osburn, and theIndian woman Tituba, and they were now to be tried for the very seriousoffence of bewitching the "afflicted children. " One way that the witches of that day were supposed to work, was to makeimages out of rags, like dolls, which they named for the persons theymeant to torment. Then, by sticking pins and needles into the dolls, tightening cords around their throats, and similar doings, the witchescaused the same amount of pain as if they had done it to the livingobjects of their enmity. In these cases, the officers who executed the warrants of arrest, stated"that they had made diligent search for images and such like, but couldfind none. " On the day appointed for the examination of these poor women, the twoleading magistrates of the neighborhood, John Hathorne and JonathanCorwin, rode up the principal street of the village attended by themarshal and constables, in quite an imposing array. The crowd was sogreat that they had to hold the session in the meeting-house Themagistrates belonged to the highest legislative and judicial body in thecolony. Hathorne, as the name was then spelt, was the ancestor of thegifted author, Nathaniel Hawthorne--the alteration in the spelling ofthe name probably being made to make it conform more nearly to thepronunciation. Hathorne was a man of force and ability--though evidentlyalso as narrow-minded and unfair as only a bigot can be. All through theexamination that ensued he took a leading part, and with him, to beaccused was to be set down at once as guilty. Never, among eitherChristian or heathen people, was there a greater travesty of justicethan these examinations and trials for witchcraft, conducted by the veryforemost men of the Massachusetts colony. The accounts of the examination of these three women in the manuscriptbook I have alluded to, are substantially the same as in the officialrecords, which are among those that have been preserved. I will givesome quotations to show how the examinations were conducted:-- "Sarah Good, what evil spirit are you familiar with?" She answered sharply, "None!" "Have you made no contracts with the Devil?" "No!" "Why then do you hurt these children?" "I do not hurt them. I would scorn to do it. " "Here the children who were facing her, began to be dreadfullytormented; and then when their torments were over for the time, againaccused her, and also Sarah Osburn. "Sarah Good, why do you not tell us the truth? Why do you thus tormentthem?" "I do not torment them. " "Who then does torment them?" "It may be that Sarah Osburn does, for I do not. " "Her answers, " says the official report, "were very quick, sharp andmalignant. " It must be remembered in reading these reports, that the accused werenot allowed any counsel, either at the preliminary examinations, or onthe trials; that the apparent sufferings of the children were verygreat, producing almost a frenzied state of feeling in the crowd wholooked on; and that they themselves were often as much puzzled as theiraccusers, to account for what was taking place before their eyes. In the examination of Sarah Osburn, we have similar questions andsimilar answers. In addition, however, three witnesses alleged that shehad said that very morning, that she was "more like to be bewitchedherself. " Mr. Hathorne asked why she said that. She answered that eithershe saw at one time, or dreamed that she saw, a thing like an Indian, all black, which did pinch her in the neck, and pulled her by the backpart of the head to the door of the house. And there was also a lyingspirit. "What lying spirit was this?" "It was a voice that I thought I heard. " "What did it say to you?" "That I should go no more to meeting; but I said I would, and did go thenext Sabbath day. " "Were you ever tempted further?" "No. " "Why did you yield then to the Devil, not to go to meeting for the lastthree years?" "Alas! I have been sick all that time, and not able to go. " Then Tituba was brought in. Tituba was in the "circle" or an attendantand inspirer of the "circle" from the first; and had marvelous things totell. How it was that the "children" turned against her and accused her, I do not know; but probably she had practised so much upon them invarious ways, that she really was guilty of trying to do the things shewas charged with. "Tituba, why do you hurt these children?" "Tituba does not hurt 'em. " "Who does hurt them then?" "The debbil, for all I knows. ' "Did you ever see the Devil?" Tituba gave a low laugh. "Of course I'veseen the debbil. The debbil came an' said, 'Serb me, Tituba. ' But Iwould not hurt the child'en. " "Who else have you seen?" "Four women. Goody Osburn and Sarah Good, and two other women. Dey allhurt de child'en. " "How does the Devil appear to you?" "Sometimes he is like a dog, and sometimes like a hog. The black dogalways goes with a yellow bird. " "Has the Devil any other shapes?" "Yes, he sometimes comes as a red cat, and then a black cat. " "And they all tell you to hurt the children?" "Yes, but I said I would not. " "Did you not pinch Elizabeth Hubbard this morning?" "The black man brought me to her, and made me pinch her. " "Why did you go to Thomas Putnam's last night and hurt his daughterAnn?" "He made me go. " "How did you go?" "We rode on sticks; we soon got there. " "Has Sarah Good any familiar?" "Yes, a yeller bird. It sucks her between her fingers. And Sarah Osburnhas a thing with a head like a woman, and it has two wings. " ("Abigail Williams, who lives with her uncle, the Rev. Master Parris, here testified that she did see the same creature, and it turned intothe shape of Goody Osburn. ") "Tituba further said that she had also seen a hairy animal with GoodyOsburn, that had only two legs, and walked like a man. And that she sawSarah Good, last Saturday, set a wolf upon Elizabeth Hubbard. " ("The friends of Elizabeth Hubbard here said that she did complain ofbeing torn by a wolf on that day. ") "Tituba being asked further to describe her ride to Thomas Putnam's, forthe purpose of tormenting his daughter Ann, said that she rode upon astick or pole, and Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn behind her, all takinghold of one another. Did not know how it was done, for she saw no treesnor path, but was presently there. " These examinations were continued for several days, each of the accusedbeing brought at various times before the magistrates, who seem to havetaken great interest in the absurd stories with which the "afflictedchildren" and Tituba regaled them. Finally, all three of the accusedwere committed to Boston jail, there to await their trial for practisingwitchcraft; being heavily ironed, as, being witches, it was supposed tobe very difficult to keep them from escaping; and as their ability totorment people with their spectres, was considered lessened inproportion to the weight and tightness of the chains with which theywere fettered. It is not to be wondered at, that under theseinflictions, at the end of two months, the invalid, Sarah Osburn, died. Tituba, however, lay in jail until, finally, at the expiration of a yearand a month, she was sold in payment of her jail fees. One accountsaying that her owner, the Rev. Master Parris, refused to pay her jailfees, unless she would still adhere to what she had testified on herexamination, instead of alleging that he whipped and otherwise abusedher, to make her confess that she was a witch. CHAPTER IX. One Hundred and Fifty More Alleged Witches. Ah this was bad enough, but it was but the beginning of trouble. Titubahad spoken of two other women, but had given no names. The "afflictedchildren" were still afflicted, and growing worse, instead of better. The Rev. Master Noyes of Salem town, the Rev. Master Parris of Salemvillage, Sergeant Thomas Putnam, and his wife, --which last also wasbecoming bewitched, and had many old enmities--and many otherinfluential people and church members, were growing more excited, andvindictive against the troubles of their peace, with every passing day. "Who are they that still torment you in this horrible manner?" was thequestion asked of the children and young women, and they had theiranswers ready. There had been an old quarrel between the Endicotts and the Nurses, afamily which owned the Bishop Farm, about the eastern boundary of saidfarm. There had been the quarrel about who should be minister, in whichthe Nurses had sided with the determined opponents of Mistress AnnPutnam's reverend brother-in-law. The Nurses and other families werestaunch opposers of Master Parris's claim to ownership of the Parsonageand its grounds. And it was not to be wondered at, that the accusationsshould be made against opponents rather than against friends. Besides, there were those who had very little faith in the childrenthemselves, and had taken a kind of stand against them; and these too, were in a dangerous position. "Who torments you now?" The answer was ready: Martha Corey, and RebeccaNurse, and Bridget Bishop, and so on; the charges being made now againstthe members, often the heads, of the most reputable families in Salemtown and village and the surrounding neighborhoods. Before the coming ofthe winter snows probably one hundred and fifty persons were in prisonat Salem and Ipswich and Boston and Cambridge. Two-thirds of these werewomen; many of them were aged and venerable men and women of the highestreputation for behavior and piety. Yet, they were bound with chains, andexposed to all the hardships that attended incarceration in small andbadly constructed prisons. A special court composed of the leading judges in the province beingappointed by the Governor for the trial of these accused persons, a massof what would be now styled "utter nonsense" was brought against them. No wonder that the official record of this co-called court of justice isnow nowhere to be found. The partial accounts that have come down to usare sufficient to brand its proceeding with everlasting infamy. Let usrecur to the charges against some of these persons: The Rev. Cotton Mather, speaking of the trial of Bridget Bishop, says:"There was one strange thing with which the Court was _newlyentertained_. As this woman was passing by the meeting-house, she gave alook towards the house; and immediately a demon, invisibly entering thehouse, tore down a part of it; so that, though there was no person to beseen there, yet the people, at the noise, running in, found a board, which was strongly fastened with several nails, transported into anotherquarter of the house. " A court of very ignorant men would be "entertained" now with such astory, in a very different sense from that in which the Rev. CottonMather used the word. The Court of 1692, doubtless swallowed the storywhole, for it was no more absurd than the bulk of the evidence uponwhich they condemned the reputed witches. One of the charges against the Rev. Master Burroughs, who had himselfbeen a minister for a short time in the village, was, that though asmall, slender man, he was a giant in strength. Several personswitnessed that "he had held out a gun of seven foot barrel with onehand; and had carried a barrel full of cider from a canoe to the shore. "Burroughs said that an Indian present at the time did the same, but theanswer was ready. "That was the black man, or the Devil, who looks likean Indian. " Another charge against Master Burroughs was, that he went on a certainoccasion between two places in a shorter time than was possible, if theDevil had not assisted him. Both Increase Mather, the father, and hisson Cotton, two of the most prominent and influential of the Bostonministers, said that the testimony as to Mr. Burroughs' giant strengthwas alone sufficient rightfully to convict him. It is not improbablethat the real animus of the feeling against Master Burroughs was thebelief that he was not sound in the faith; for Master Cotton Mather, after his execution, declared to the people that he was "no ordainedminister, " and called their attention to the fact that Satan oftenappeared as an angel of light. CHAPTER X. Bridget Bishop Condemned to Die. Salem, the habitation of peace, had become, by this time a pandemonium. The "afflicted children" were making accusations in every direction, andMistress Ann Putnam, and many others, were imitating their example. To doubt was to be accused; but very few managed to keep their headssufficiently in the whirlwind of excitement, even to be able to doubt. With the exception of Joseph Putnam, and his visitor, Ellis Raymond, there were very few, if any, open and outspoken doubters, and indignantcensurers of the whole affair. Dulcibel Burton also, though in a gentlerand less emphatic way, sided naturally with them, but, although she wasmuch less violent in her condemnation, she provoked even more anger fromthe orthodox believers in the delusion. For Joseph Putnam, as belonging to one of the most influential andwealthy families in Salem, seemed to have some right to have an opinion. And Master Raymond was visiting at his house, and naturally would beinfluenced by him. Besides, he was only a stranger at the best; and therefore, not entirelyresponsible to them for his views. But Dulcibel was a woman, and it wasoutrageous that she, at her years, should set up her crude opinionsagainst the authority of the ministers and the elders. Besides, Joseph Putnam was known to be a determined and even ratherdesperate young man when his passions were aroused, as they seldom werethough, save in some just cause; and he had let it be known that itwould be worth any person's life to attempt to arrest him. It was almostthe universal habit of that day, to wear the belt and sword; and Messrs. Putnam and Raymond went thus constantly armed. Master Putnam also kepttwo horses constantly saddled in his stable, day and night, to escapewith if necessary, into the forest, through which they might make theirway to New York. For the people of that province, who did not admiretheir Puritan neighbors very much, received all such fugitives gladly, and gave them full protection. As for Master Raymond, although he saw that his position was becomingdangerous, he determined to remain, notwithstanding the period which hehad fixed for his departure had long before arrived. His avowed reasongiven to Joseph Putnam, was that he was resolved to see the crazy affairthrough. His avowed reason, which Master Putnam perfectly understood, was to prosecute his suit to Dulcibel, and see her safely through thedangerous excitement also. "They have condemned Bridget Bishop to death, " said Master Putnam, coming into the house one morning from a conversation with a neighbor. "I supposed they would, " replied Master Raymond. "But how nobly she boreherself against such a mass of stupid and senseless testimony. Did youknow her?" "I have often stopped at her Inn. A fine, free-spoken woman; a littlebold in her manners, but nothing wrong about her. " "Did you ever hear such nonsense as that about her tearing down a partof the meeting-house simply by looking at it? And yet there sat the bestlawyers in the colony on the bench as her judges, and swallowed it alldown as if it had been gospel. " "And then those other stories of her appearing in people's bed-rooms, and vanishing away suddenly; and of her being responsible for theillness and death of her neighbors' children; what could be moreabsurd?" "And of the finding of puppets, made of rags and hogs' bristles, in thewalls and crevices of her cellar! Really, it would be utterlycontemptible if it were not so horrible. " "Yes, she is to be executed on Gallows Hill; and next week! I canscarcely believe it, Master Raymond. If I could muster a score or two ofother stout fellows, I would carry her off from the very foot of thegallows. " "Oh, the frenzy has only begun, my friend, " replied Raymond. "You knowwhose trial comes on next?" "How any one can say a word against Mistress Nurse--that lovely andvenerable woman--passeth my comprehension, " said Joseph Putnam's youngwife, who had been a listener to the conversation, while engaged in somehousehold duties. "My sister-in-law, Ann Putnam, seems to have a spite against that woman. I went to see her yesterday, and she almost foams at the mouth whiletalking of her. " "The examination of Mistress Nurse before the magistrate comes offto-day. Shall we not attend it?" "Of course, but be careful of thy language, Friend Raymond. Do not letthy indignation run away with thy discretion. " Raymond laughed outright, as did young Mistress Putnam. "This advicefrom you, Master Joseph! who art such a very model of prudence andcold-bloodedness! If thou wilt be only half as cautious and discreet asI am, we shall give no offence even to the craziest of them. " CHAPTER XI. Examination of Rebecca Nurse. When they arrived at the village, the examination was in progress. Mistress Rebecca Nurse, the mother of a large family; aged, venerable, and bending now a little under the weight of years, was standing as aculprit before the magistrates, who doubtless had often met her in thesocial gatherings of the neighborhood. She was guarded by two constables, she who needed no guarding. Around, and as near her as they were allowed to stand, stood her husband and hergrown-up sons and daughters. One of the strangest features of the time, as it strikes the reader ofthis day, was the peaceful submission to the lawful authoritiespractised by the husbands and fathers, and grown-up sons and brothers ofthe women accused. Reaching as the list of alleged witches did in ashort time, to between one hundred and fifty and two hundredpersons--nearly the whole of them members of the most respectablefamilies--it is wonderful that a determined stand in their behalf wasnot the result. One hundred resolute men, resolved to sacrifice theirlives if need be, would have put a stop to the whole matter. And ifthere had been even twenty men in Salem, like Joseph Putnam, the thingno doubt would have been done. And in the opinion of the present writer, such a course would have beenfar more worthy of praise, than the slavish submission to such outragesas were perpetrated under the names of law, justice and religion. Thesons of these men, eighty years later, showed at Lexington and Concordand Bunker Hill, that when Law and Peace become but grotesque masks, under which are hidden the faces of legalized injustice and tyranny, then the time has come for armed revolt and organized resistance. But such was the darkness and bigotry of the day in respect to religiousbelief, that the great majority of the people were mentally paralyzed bythe accepted faith, so that they were not able in many respects todistinguish light from darkness. When an estimable man or woman wasaccused of being a witch, for the term was indifferently applied to bothsexes, even their own married partners, their own children, had a moreor less strong conviction that it might possibly be so. And this madethe peculiar horror of it. In at least fifty cases, the accused confessed that they were witches, and sometimes accused others in turn. This was owing generally to theinfluence of their relatives, who implored them to confess; for toconfess was invariably to be acquitted, or to be let off with simpleimprisonment. But to return to poor Rebecca Nurse, haled without warning from herprosperous, happy home at the Bishop Farm, carried to jail, loaded withchains, and now brought up for the tragic farce of a judicialexamination. In this case also, the account given in my friend's littlebook is amply confirmed by other records. Mistress Ann Putnam, AbigailWilliams (the minister's niece), Elizabeth Hubbard and Mary Walcott, were the accusers. "Abigail Williams, have you been hurt by this woman?" said magistrateHathorne. "Yes, " replied Abigail. And then Mistress Ann Putnam fell to the floorin a fit; crying out between her violent spasms, that it was RebeccaNurse who was then afflicting her. "What do you say to those charges?" The accused replied: "I can saybefore the eternal Father that I am innocent of any such wicked doings, and God will clear my innocence. " Then a man named Henry Kenney rose, and said that Mistress Nursefrequently tormented him also; and that even since he had been therethat day, he had been seized twice with an amazed condition. "The villain!" muttered Joseph Putnam to those around him, "if I had himleft to me for a time, I would have him in an amazed condition!" "You are an unbeliever, and everybody knows it, Master Putnam, " said onenear him. "But we who are of the godly, know that Satan goes about likea roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. " "Quiet there!" said one of the magistrates. Edward Putnam (another of the brothers) then gave in his evidence, saying that he had seen Mistress Ann Putnam, and the other accusers, grievously tormented again and again, and declaring that Rebecca Nursewas the person who did it. "These are serious charges, Mistress Nurse, " said Squire Hathorne, "arethey true?" "I have told you that they are false. Why, I was confined to my sick bedat the time it is said they occurred. " "But did you not send your spectre to torment them?" "How could I? And I would not if I could. " Here Mistress Putnam was taken with another fit. Worse than the other, which greatly affected the whole people. Coming to a little, she criedout: "Did you not bring the black man with you? Did you not tell me totempt God and die? Did you not eat and drink the red blood to your owndamnation?" These words were shrieked out so wildly, that all the people weregreatly agitated and murmured against such wickedness. But the prisonerreleasing her hand for a moment cried out, "Oh, Lord, help me!" "Hold her hands, " some cried then, for the afflicted persons seemed tobe grievously tormented by her. But her hands being again firmly held bythe guards, they seemed comforted. Then the worthy magistrate Hathorne said, "Do you not see that when yourhands are loosed these people are afflicted?" "The Lord knows, " she answered, "that I have not hurt them. " "You would do well if you are guilty to confess it; and give glory toGod. " "I have nothing to confess. I am as innocent as an unborn child. " "Is it not strange that when you are examined, these persons should beafflicted thus?" "Yes, it is very strange. " [Illustration: "The Lord knows that I haven't hurt them"] "Do you believe these afflicted persons are bewitched?" "I surely do think they must be. " Weary of the proceedings and the excitement, the aged lady allowed herhead to droop on one side. Instantly the heads of the accusers were bentthe same way. Abigail Williams cried out, "Set up Mistress Nurse's neck, our neckswill all be broken. " The jailers held up the prisoner's neck; and thenecks of all the accused were instantly made straight again. This wasconsidered a marvelous proof; and produced a wonderful effect upon themagistrates and the people. Mistress Ann Putnam went into such greatbodily agony at this time, charging it all upon the prisoner, that themagistrates gave her husband permission to carry her out of the house. Only then, when no longer in the sight of the prisoner, could she regainher peace. "Mistress Nurse was then recommitted to the jail in Salem, in order tofurther examination. " "What deviltry is coming next?" said Joseph Putnam to his friend. Many of those around glared on the speaker, but he was well known to allof them as a daring--and when angered even a desperate young man--andthey allowed him to say with impunity, freely what no one else couldeven have whispered. His son in after years, looked not into the wolf'seyes in the dark den with a sterner gaze, than he looked into thesuperstitious and vengeful wolves' eyes around him. "To think that a godly old woman like Mistress Nurse, should betormented by this Devil's brood of witches, led on by that she-devilsister of mine, Ann Putnam. " Many around heard him, but none cared to meet the young man's fierceeyes, as they blazed upon those that were nearest. "Do control yourself, my friend, " whispered Master Raymond. "Preserveyourself for a time when your indignation may do some good. " Then the constable brought in a little girl of about five years of age, Dorcas Good, a daughter of Sarah Good, who had been arrested on thecomplaint of Edward and Jonathan Putnam. The evidence against this little girl of five was overwhelming. MistressAnn Putnam, Mercy Lewis, and Mary Walcott were the accusers--chargingthe innocent and pretty little creature with biting, pinching andchoking them--the little girl smiling while they were giving theirtestimony. She was not old enough to understand what it was all about, and that even her life was in danger from these demoniacs. Theyabsolutely pretended to show the marks of her little teeth in theirarms. Then, after going through the usual convulsions, they shrieked outthat she was running pins into them; and the pins were found onexamination sticking into their bodies. The little girl was, as I have said, at first inclined to laugh at allthe curious proceedings, and the spasms and contortions of thewitnesses, but at last, seeing everyone so solemn and looking sowickedly at her, she began to cry; until Joseph Putnam went up to herand gave her some sweet cake to eat, which he had provided for his ownluncheon and then, looking into his kind face, she began to smile again. The Magistrates frowned upon Master Putnam, as he did this, but he paidno attention to their frowns. And when the little girl was ordered backto jail as a prisoner to await her trial, he bent down and kissed herbefore she was led away by the constable. This was the end of the proceedings for that day and the crowd began todisperse. "This is a pretty day's work you have made of it, sister-in-law, " saidJoseph Putnam, striding up to his brother's wife. "You say that you aretormented by many devils, and I believe it. Now I want to give you, andall the Devil's brood around you, fair warning that if you dare to touchwith your foul lies any one belonging to my house including the strangerwithin my gates, you shall answer it with your lives, in spite of allyour judges and prisons. " So saying, he glared at his two brothers, who made no reply, and walkedout of the meeting-house in which this ungodly business had beentransacted. "Oh, it is only Joe, " said Thomas Putnam; "he always was the spoiledchild of the family. " His wife said nothing, but soon a hard, bitter smile took the place ofthe angry flush that the young man's words had produced. Dulcibel Burtonwas not one of his household, nor within his gates. CHAPTER XII. Burn Me, or Hang Me, I Will Stand in the Truth of Christ. After the trial and conviction of Bridget Bishop, the Special Court ofseven Judges--a majority of whom were leading citizens of Boston, theDeputy Governor of the Province, acting as Chief-Justice--decided totake further counsel in this wonderful and important matter of thefathers of the church. So the Court took a recess, while it consultedthe ministers of Boston and other places, respecting its duty in thecase. The response of the ministers, while urging in general terms theimportance of caution and circumspection, recommended the earnest andvigorous carrying on of the war against Satan and his disciples. Among the new victims, one of the most striking cases was that of GeorgeJacobs and his grand-daughter Margaret. The former was avenerable-looking man, very tall, with long, thin white hair, who wascompelled by his infirmities to support himself in walking with twostaffs. Sarah Churchill, a chief witness, against him, was a servant inhis family; and probably was feeding in this way some old grudge. "You accuse me of being a wizard, " said the old man on his examination;"you might as well charge me with being a buzzard. " They asked the accused to repeat the Lord's prayer. And Master Parris, the minister, who acted as a reporter, said "he could not repeat itright after many trials. " "Well, " said the brave old man finally, after they had badgered him withall kinds of nonsensical questions, "Well, burn me, or hang me, I willstand in the truth of Christ!" As his manly bearing was evidently producing an effect, the "afflictedgirls" came out in full force the next day at the adjourned session. When he was brought in, they fell at once into the most grievous fitsand screechings. "Who hurts you?" was asked, after they had recovered somewhat. "This man, " said Abigail Williams, going off into another fit. "This is the man, " averred Ann Putnam; "he hurts me, and wants me towrite in the red book; and promises if I will do so, to make me as wellas his grand-daughter. " "Yes, this is the man, " cried Mercy Lewis, "he almost kills me. " "It is the one who used to come to me. I know him by his two staffs, with one of which he used to beat the life out of me, " said MaryWalcott. Mercy Lewis for her part walked towards him; but as soon as she gotnear, fell into great fits. Then Ann Putnam and Abigail Williams "had each of them a pin stuck intheir hands and they said it was done by this old Jacobs. " The Magistrates took all this wicked acting in sober earnest; and askedthe prisoner, "what he had to say to it?" "Only that it is false, " he replied. "I know no more of it than thechild that was born last night. " But the honest old man's denial went of course, for nothing. Neither didSarah Ingersoll's deposition made a short time afterwards; in which shetestified that "Sarah Churchill came to her after giving her evidence, crying and wringing her hands, and saying that she has belied herselfand others in saying she had set her hand to the Devil's book. " She saidthat "they had threatened her that if she did not say it, they would puther in the dungeon along with Master Burroughs. " And that, "if she told Master Noyes, the minister, but once that she hadset her hand to the book, he would believe her; but if she told him thetruth a hundred times, he would not believe her. " The truth no doubt is that Master Noyes, Master Parris, Cotton Mather, and all the other ministers, with one or two exceptions, havingcommitted themselves fully to the prosecution of the witches, wouldlisten to nothing that tended to prove that the principal witnesses weredeliberate and malicious liars; and that, so far as the other witnesseswere concerned, they were grossly superstitious and deluded persons. No charity that is fairly clear-sighted, can cover over the evidence ofthe "afflicted circle" with the mantle of self-delusion. Self-delusiondoes not conceal pins, stick them into its own body, and charge theaccused person with doing it, knowing that the accusation may be theprisoner's death. This was done repeatedly by Mistress Ann Putnam, andher Satanic brood of false accusers. Sarah Churchill was no worse than the others, judging by her remorseafter she had helped to murder with her lying tongue her venerablemaster and we have in the deposition of Sarah Ingersoll, undoubted proofthat she testified falsely. When Ann Putnam, Mercy Lewis and Mary Walcott all united in charginglittle Dorcas Good--five years old!--with biting, pinching and almostchoking them; "showing the marks of her little teeth on their arms, andthe pins sticking in their bodies, where they had averred she waspiercing them"--can any sane, clear-minded man or woman suppose it wasan innocent delusion, and not a piece of horribly wicked lying? When in open court some of the "afflicted" came out of their fits with"their wrists bound together, by invisible means, " with "a real cord" sothat "it could hardly be taken off without cutting, " was there not onlydeception, but undeniable collusion of two or more in deception? When an iron spindle was used by an alleged "spectre" to torture a"sufferer, " the said iron spindle not being discernible by theby-standers until it became visible by being snatched by the suffererfrom the spectre's hand, was there any self-delusion there? Was it notmerely wicked imposture and cunning knavery? I defy any person possessing in the least a judicial and accurate mind, to investigate the records of this witchcraft delusion without coming tothe conclusion that the "afflicted girls, " who led off in this matter, and were the principal witnesses, continually testified to what theyknew to be utterly false. There is no possible excuse for them on theground of "delusion. " However much we may recoil from the sad beliefthat they testified in the large majority of cases to what they knew tobe entirely false, the facts of the case compel us with an irresistibleforce to such an unhappy conclusion. When we are positively certain thata witness, in a case of life or death, has testified falsely against theprisoner again and again, is it possible that we can give him or her thebenefit of even a doubt as to the animus of the testimony? Thefalsehoods I have referred to were cases of palpable, unmistakable anddeliberate lying. And the only escape from considering it _wilful_lying, is to make a supposition not much in accord with the temper ofthe present times, that, having tampered with evil spirits, and invokedthe Devil continually during the long evenings of the preceding winter, the prince of powers of the air had at last come at their call, andordered a legion of his creatures to take possession of the minds andbodies that they had so freely offered to him. For certainly there is noway of explaining the conduct of the "afflicted circle" of girls andwomen, than by supposing either that they were guilty of the mostenormous wickedness, or else that they were "possessed with devils. " CHAPTER XIII. Dulcibel in Danger. The terrible excitement of these days was enough to drive the moreexcitable portion of the inhabitants of Salem almost crazy. The work ofthe house and of the farm was neglected; a large number of suspectedpersons and their relatives were sunk in the deepest grief, the familiesof some of the imprisoned knew not where to get their daily food; fortheir property was generally taken possession of by the officers of thelaw at the time of the arrest, the accused being considered guilty untilthey were proved to be innocent. Upon conviction of a capital offencethe property of the condemned was attainted, being confiscated by thestate; and the constables took possession at once, in order that itmight not be spirited away. And no one outside of the circle of the accusers knew whose turn mightcome next. Neither sex, nor age, nor high character, as we have seen, was a bar against the malice, or the wantonness of the "afflicted. " Theman or woman who had lived a righteous life for over eighty years, thelittle child who wondered what it all meant, the maiden whose onlyfault might be to have a jealous rival, all were alike in danger. Especially were those in peril, however, who dared to take the side ofany of the accused, and express even the faintest disbelief in thejustice of the legal proceedings, or the honesty of the witnesses. Thesewould be surely singled out for punishment. Again and again, had thisbeen done until the voices of all but the very boldest were effectuallysilenced. Those arrested now, as a general thing, would confess at onceto the truthfulness of all the charges brought against them, and eveninvent still more improbable stories of their own, as this mollified theaccusers, and they often would be let off with a solemn reprimand by themagistrates. Joseph Putnam and his male servants went constantly armed; and twohorses were kept saddled day and night, in his stable. He never went tothe village unaccompanied; and made no secret of his determination toresist the arrest of himself or, as he had phrased it, "any one withinhis gates, " to the last drop of his blood. Living with the Goodman Buckley who had leased the Burton property, wasa hired man named Antipas Newton. He was a good worker though nowgetting old, and had in one sense been leased with the place byDulcibel's father. Antipas's history had been a sad one. Adopted when left an orphan by abenevolent farmer who had no children, he managed by diligence andstrict economy to acquire by the age of thirty, quite a comfortableproperty of his own. Then the old couple that he called Father andMother became converts to Quakerism. Fined and imprisoned, deprived oftheir property, and, after the expiration of their term of imprisonment, ordered to leave the colony, they had been "harbored" by the man forwhom they had done so much in his early years. Antipas was a person of limited intelligence, but of strong affectionsand wide sympathies. Again and again, he harbored these persecuted ones, who despite their whippings and banishment would persist in returning toSalem. Finally, Antipas himself was heavily fined, and his property soldto pay the fines. His wife had died early, but a young daughter who kepthis house in order, and who had failed in her attendance at the churchwhich was engaged in persecuting her father, was also fined heavily. Asher father's property was all gone, and she had no money of her own, she could not pay the fine, and was put in prison, to be sent toBarbados, and sold as a slave, that thus the fine might be collected. But the anguish, and the exposure of her prison, were too much for theyoung girl; and she died before means of transportation could be found. As a result of these persecutions, Antipas became demented. As hisinsanity grew evident, the prosecutions ceased; but he was still indanger of starvation, so few would give him employment, both on accountof his impaired mind, and of the odium which attached to any friend ofthe abhorred Quakers. Captain Burton, Dulcibel's father, came to the village at this time. Hehad been one of the sea-captains who had indignantly refused to take theSouthwick children, or any other of the Salem children, to Barbados;and he pitied the poor insane man, and gave him employment. Not only didhe do this, but, as we have said, made it an article of the lease of hisproperty, that the Buckleys should also keep Antipas as a farm servant. Antipas, to the general surprise of the villagers had proved to be anexcellent servant, notwithstanding his insanity. Only on training daysand other periods of excitement, did his insanity obtrude itself. Atall other times he seemed to be a cheerful, simple-hearted, and verycapable and industrious "hand. " To Dulcibel, as was natural, Antipas always manifested the greatestdevotion. Her little black mare was always groomed to perfection, henever being satisfied until he took a white linen handkerchief that hekept for the purpose, and, passing it over the mare's shining coat, sawthat no stain or loose black hair remained on it. "You think that Mistress Dulcibel is an angel, do you not?" said one ofthe female servants to him about this time, a little scornfully. "No, I know what she is, " he replied. "Shall I tell you--but if I do, you will not believe"--and he looked at the girl a little doubtfully. "Oh, yes, I will, " said the girl. "Come here then and I will whisper it to you. I heard the minister readabout her once, she is the woman that is 'clothed with the sun and hasthe moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. '" "That is wicked, Antipas. If Master Parris heard that you said thingslike that, he would have you whipped and put in the stocks. " "Master Parris? you mean Beelzebub! I know Beelzebub when I see him. "And Antipas gave one of his unnatural, insane laughs, which were gettingvery frequent of late. For the general excitement was proving too much for Antipas. Fie stoppedfrequently in his work, and muttered to himself; and then laughedwildly, or shed tears. He talked about the witches and the Devil andevil spirits, and the strange things that he saw at night, in the insanefashion that characterized the "afflicted children. " As for Dulcibel in these times, she kept pretty much to herself, goingout very little. As she could not sympathize with the general gossip ofthe neighborhood, she remained at home, and consequently had very fewvisitors. Joseph Putnam called whenever he came to the village, which, as I have stated, was but seldom; and Ellis Raymond came every few days. Yes, it was a courtship, I suppose; but one of a very grave and seriouscharacter. The conversation generally turned upon the exciting eventscontinually occurring, some new arrest, some new confession, some newand outrageously absurd charges. Master Raymond's hand, if anyone accosted him suddenly, instinctivelysought the hilt of his rapier. He was better skilled in the use of thatweapon than was usual, and had no fear that he should be unable toescape from the constables, if not taken at a disadvantage. Still, asthat would compel him to fly into the woods, and as it would separatehim from Dulcibel, he had been very careful not to express in public hisabhorrence of all the recent proceedings. I am afraid that he was guiltyof considerable dissimulation, even paying his court to some of the"afflicted" maidens when he had the opportunity, with soft words andhandsome presents; and trying in this way to enlist a party in hisbehalf, in case he or any of his friends should need supporters. Joseph Putnam censured him one day for his double dealing, which was athing not only out of Master Joseph's line, but one which his frank andoutspoken nature rendered it very difficult for him to practise. ButRaymond with his references to King David's behavior towards Achish, King of Gath, and to certain other scripture, especially Paul's being"all things to all men that he might save all, " was rather too weightyfor Joseph, whose forte was sensible assertion rather than ingeniousargument. And so Master Raymond persevered in his course, feeling nomore compunction in deceiving the Salemites, as he said to himself, thanhe would in deceiving and cheating a pack of savage wolves, who werethemselves arrayed in sheep's clothing. Jethro Sands had of late shown a disposition to renew his attentions toDulcibel; but, after two or three visits, in the last of which he hadgiven the maiden the desired opportunity, she had plainly intimated tohim that the old state of affairs between them could never be restored. "I know the reason too, " said Jethro, angrily "it is all owing to thatEnglish popinjay, who rides about as if we colonists were not fit todust his pretty coat for him. " "He is a gentleman, and a friend of mine, " replied Dulcibel warmly. "Why do you not say a lover of yours, at once?" "You have no right to talk to me in that manner. I will not endure it. " "You will not--how will you help it?" He was now thoroughly angry, andall his native coarseness came to the surface. "I will show you, " said Dulcibel, the Norse blood of her father glowingin her face. "Good evening, Sir!" and she left the room. Jethro had not expected such a quiet, but effective answer. He sattwirling his thumbs, for awhile, hoping that she would return. Butrealizing at last that she would not, he took his departure in atowering anger. Of course this was the last of his visits. But Dulcibelhad made a deadly enemy. It was unfortunate, for the maiden already had many who disliked heramong the young people of the village. She was a superior person for onething, and "gave herself airs, " as some said. To be superior, withouthaving wealth or an acknowledged high social position, is always to beenvied, and often to be hated. Then again, Dulcibel dressed with morerichness and variety of costume than was usual in the Puritan villages. This set many of the women, both young and old, against her. Her scarletbodice, especially, was a favorite theme for animadversion; some evengoing so far as to call her ironically "the scarlet woman. " It iscurious how unpopular a perfectly amiable, sweet-tempered andsweet-tongued maiden may often become, especially with her own sex, because of their innate feeling that she is not, in spite of all hercourteous endeavors, really one of them. It is an evil day for the swanwhen she finds herself the only swan among a large flock of geese. Dulcibel's antecedents also were not as orthodox as they might be. Hermother, it was granted, was "pious, " and of a "godly" connection; buther father, as he had himself once said, "had no religion to speak of. "He had further replied to the question, asked him when he first came toSalem, as to whether he was "a professor of religion, " that he was "onlya sea captain, and had no other profession. " And a certain freedom ofthought characterized Dulcibel, that she could scarcely have derivedfrom her pious mother. In fact, it was something like the freedom of thewinds and of the clouds, blowing where they liked; and had been probablycaught up by her father in his many voyages over the untrammeled seas. At first Dulcibel had been rather impressed by the sermons of MasterParris and Master Noyes and the other ministers, to the effect thatSatan was making a deadly assault upon the "saints, " in revenge fortheir interference with his hitherto undisputed domination of the newworld. But the longer she thought about it, the more she was inclined toadopt Joseph Putnam's theory, that his sister-in-law and niece and theother "afflicted" persons were possessed by devils. She inclined to this view in preference even to what she knew was EllisRaymond's real conviction, that they were a set of hysterical andvicious girls and women who had rendered themselves half-insane bytampering for a whole winter with their nervous and spiritualorganizations; until they could scarcely now distinguish the true fromthe untrue, the real from the unreal, good from evil, or light fromdarkness. "They have become reprobates and given over to an evil mind, " saidMaster Raymond to her one day; clothing his thought as nearly as hecould in scriptural language, in order to commend it to her. "Yes, this seems to be a reasonable explanation of their wickedconduct, " replied Dulcibel. "But I think after all, that it amounts toabout the same thing as Joseph Putnam says, only that his is thestronger and more satisfactory statement. " And thinking of it, Master Raymond had to come to the same conclusion. His own view and that of his friends were about the same, only they hadexpressed themselves in different phrases. CHAPTER XIV. Bad News. The blow fell at last, and where they might have expected it. As JosephPutnam said afterwards, "Why did I not bring them out to my house? Theywould not have dared to take them from under my roof, and they could nothave done it if they had dared. " One of his servants had been sent to the village on an errand; he hadnot performed his errand, but he had hurried back at once with the news. Dulcibel Burton had been arrested the previous evening, about nineo'clock, on the charge of being a witch. Antipas Newton had also beenarrested. Both had been taken to prison, and put in irons. A desperate, determined look came into the faces of the two men as theygathered every word the servant had to tell. Young Mistress Putnam burstinto tears. But the men dashed a tear or two from their eyes, and beganto collect their thoughts. It was not weeping but stern daring, thatwould be needed before this thing was through. The prisoners were to be brought up that afternoon for examination. "Ihave my two men, who will follow wherever I lead them, " said MasterPutnam. "That makes four of us. Shall we carry her off from under theirvery eyes?" And his face glowed--the fighting instinct of his race wasvery strong within him. "It might not succeed, those men are neither cowards nor babies, "answered his guest. "Besides, it would lead probably to your banishmentand the confiscation of your property. No, we must have the wisdom ofthe serpent, as well as the boldness of the lion. " "The result of the examination may be favorable, so young and good andbeautiful as she is, " said Mistress Putnam. "They lap their tongues in the blood of lambs, and say it is sweet ashoney, " replied her husband, shaking his head. "No, they will show nomercy; but we must try to match them. " "Yes, and with as little hazard and cost to you, my noble friend, aspossible, " said Master Raymond. "Let me act, and take all the risk. Theycannot get hold of my property; and I would just as lief live in NewYork or Philadelphia or England as among this brood of crazy vipers. " "That is wise counsel, Joseph, " said his wife. "Oh, I suppose it is, " he answered emphatically. "But I hate wisecounsel. " "Still, my good friend, you must admit that, as Dulcibel betrothedherself to me only two days ago, I am the one to take the greatest riskin this matter. " "Indeed!" said Mistress Putnam. "I knew it would be so; and I toldJoseph it would be, only yesterday. " "I give you joy of such a mistress!" cried Master Putnam, grasping hisfriend's hand. "Yes, I grant now your right of precedence in thisdanger, and I will follow your lead--yes, to the death!" "I hold you to that, " said Master Raymond. "Remember you are pledged tofollow my lead. Now, whatever I do, do not wonder, much less express anywonder. For this is war, and I have a right to meet craft with craft, and guile with guile. Depend upon it, I will save her, or perish withher. " CHAPTER XV. The Arrest of Dulcibel and Antipas. The arrest of Dulcibel had been entirely unexpected to herself and theBuckleys. Dulcibel indeed had wondered, when walking through the villagein the morning, that several persons she knew had seemed to avoidmeeting her. But she was too full of happiness in her recent betrothalto take umbrage or alarm at such an unimportant circumstance. A fewmonths now, and Salem, she hoped, would see her no more forever. Sheknew, for Master Raymond had told her, that there were plenty of placesin the world where life was reasonably gay and sunny and hopeful; notlike this dull valley of the shadow of death in which she was nowliving. Raymond's plan was to get married; sell her property, whichmight take a few months, more or less; and then sail for England, tointroduce his charming wife to a large circle of relatives. Dulcibel had been reading a book that Raymond had brought to her--avolume of Shakespeare's plays--a prohibited book among the Puritanfathers, and which would have been made the text for one of MasterParris's most denunciatory sermons if he had known that it was in thevillage. Having finished "Macbeth" she laid the book down upon the tableand began playing with her canary, holding it to her cheek, putting itsbill to her lips, and otherwise fondling it. While she was thus engaged, she began to have the uncomfortable feeling which sensitive personsoften have when some one is watching them; and turning involuntarily tothe window which looked out on a garden at the side of the house, shesaw in the dim light that dark faces, with curious eyes, seemed nearlyto fill up the lower half of the casement. In great surprise, and with asudden tremor, she rose quickly from the seat; and, as she did so, theweird faces and glistening eyes disappeared, and two constables, attended by a crowd of the villagers, entered the room. One of thesewalked at once to her side, and seizing her by the arm said, "I arrestyou, Dulcibel Burton, by the authority of Magistrate Hathorne. Comealong with me. " "What does all this mean, friend Herrick?" said Goodman Buckley, cominginto the room. "It means, " said the constable, "that this young woman is no better thanthe other witches, who have been joining hand with Satan against thepeace and dignity of this province. " Then, turning to Dame Buckley, "Gether a shawl and bonnet, goodwife; if you do not wish her to go outunprotected in the night's cold. " "A witch--what nonsense!" said Dame Buckley. "Nonsense, is it?" said the other constable. "What is this?" taking upthe book from the table. "A book of plays! profane and wicked stageplays, in Salem village! You had better hold your peace, goodwife; oryou may go to prison yourself for harboring such licentious devices ofSatan in your house. " Goodwife Buckley started and grew pale. A book of wicked stage-playsunder her roof! She could make no reply, but went off without speakingto pack up a bundle of the accused maiden's clothing. "See here!" continued the constable, opening the book, "All aboutwitches, as I thought! He-cat and three other witches! 'Round about the cauldron go: In the poisoned entrails throw. ' It is horrible!" "Put the accursed book in the fire, Master Taunton, " said Herrick. There was a small fire burning on the hearth, for the evening was alittle cool, and the other constable threw the book amidst the livecoals; but was surprised to see that it did not flame up rapidly. "That is witchcraft, if there ever was witchcraft!" said Jethro Sands, who was at the front of the crowd. "See, it will not burn. The Devillooks out for his own. " "Yes, we shall have to stay here all night, if we wait for that book toburn up, " said Master Herrick. "Now if it had been a Bible, or aPsalm-book, it would have been consumed by this time. " "My father told me, " said one of the crowd, "that they were once sixweeks trying to burn up some witch's book in Holland, and then had totear each leaf separately before they could burn it. " "Where is the yellow bird--her familiar--that she was sending on somewitch's errand when we were watching at the window?" said another of thecrowd. "Oh, it's not likely you will find the yellow bird, " replied Herrick. "It is halfway down to hell by this time. " "No, there it is!" cried Jethro Sands, pointing to a ledge over thedoor, where the canary-bird had flown in its fright. "Kill it! kill the familiar! Kill the devil's imp!" came in variousvoices, the angry tones being not without an inflection of fear. Several pulled out their rapiers. Jethro was the quickest. He made adesperate lunge at the little creature, and impaled it on the point ofhis weapon. Dulcibel shook off the hold of the constable and sprang forward. "Oh, mypretty Cherry, " she cried, taking the dead bird from the point of therapier. "You wretch! to harm an innocent little creature like that!" andshe smoothed the feathers of the bird and kissed its little head. "Take it from her! kill the witch!" cried some rude women in the outercircles of the crowd. "Yes, mistress, this is more than good Christian people can be expectedto endure, " said constable Herrick, sternly, snatching the bird from herand tossing it into the fire. "Let us see if the imp will burn anyquicker than the book. " "Ah, she forgot to charm it, " said the other constable, as the littlefeathers blazed up in a blue flame. "Yes, but note the color, " said Jethro. "No Christian bird ever blazedin that color. " "Neither they ever did!" echoed another, and they looked into eachother's faces and shook their heads solemnly. At this moment Antipas Newton was led to the door of the room, in thecustody of another officer. The old man seemed to be taking the wholeproceeding very quietly and patiently, as the Quakers always did. Butthe moment he saw Dulcibel weeping, with Herrick's grasp upon her arm, his whole demeanor changed. "What devil's mischief is this?" cried the demented man; and springinglike an enraged lion upon Master Herrick, he dashed him against theopposite wall, tore his constable's staff from his hands and laying thestaff around him wildly and ferociously cleared the room of everybodysave Dulcibel and himself in less time than I have taken to tell it. Jethro stepped forward with his drawn rapier to cover the retreat of theconstables; but shouting, "the sword of the Lord and of Gideon!" thederanged man, with the stout oaken staff, dashed the rapier fromJethro's hand, and administered to him a sounding whack over the head, which made the blood come. Then he picked up the rapier and throwing thestaff behind him, laughed wildly as he saw the crowd, constable andall, tumbling out of the door of the next room into the front garden ofthe house as if Satan himself in very deed, were after them. "I will teach them how they abuse my pretty little Dulcibel, " said thenow thoroughly demented man, laughing grimly. "Come on, ye imps ofSatan, and I will toast you at the end of my fork, " he cried, flourishing Jethro's rapier, whose red point, crimson with the blood ofthe canary-bird, seemed to act upon the mind of the old man as a sparkof fire upon tow. "Antipas, " said Dulcibel, coming forward and gazing sadly into the eyesof her faithful follower, "is it not written, 'Put up thy sword; for hethat takes the sword shall perish by the sword'? Give me the weapon!" The old man gazed into her face, at first wonderingly; then, with theinstinct of old reverence and obedience, he handed the rapier to her, crossed his muscular arms over his broad breast, bowed his grisly head, and stood submissively before her. "You can return now safely, " Dulcibel called out to the constables. Theycame in, at first a little warily. "He is insane; but the spell is overnow for the present. But treat him tenderly, I pray you. When he is inone of these fits, he has the strength of ten men. " The constables could not help being impressed favorably by the maiden'sconduct; and they treated her with a certain respect and tendernesswhich they had not previously shown, until they had delivered her, andthe afterwards entirely humble and peaceful Antipas, to the keeper ofSalem prison. But the crowd said to one another as they sought their houses: "What apowerful witch she must be, to calm down that maniac with one word. "While others replied, "But he is possessed with a devil; and she does itbecause her power is of the devil. " They did not remember that this was the very course of reasoning used ona somewhat similar occasion against the Savior himself in Galilee! CHAPTER XVI. Dulcibel in Prison. In the previous cases of alleged witchcraft to which I have alluded, thedetails given in my manuscript volume were fully corroborated, evenalmost to the minutest particulars, by official records now inexistence. But in what I have related, and am about to relate, relativeto Dulcibel Burton, I shall have to rely entirely upon the manuscriptvolume. Still, as there is nothing there averred more unreasonable andabsurd than what is found in the existing official records, I see noreason to doubt the entire truthfulness of the story. In fact, it wouldbe difficult to imagine grosser and more ridiculous accusations thanwere made by Mistress Ann Putnam against that venerable and truly devoutand Christian matron, Rebecca Nurse. When Dulcibel and Antipas, in the custody of four constables, reachedthe Salem jail, it was about eleven o'clock at night. The jailor, evidently had expected them; for he threw open the door at once. He wasa stout, strong-built man, with not a bad countenance for a jailer; butseemed thoroughly imbued with the prevailing superstition, judging bythe harsh manner in which he received the prisoners. "I've got two strong holes for these imps of Satan; bring 'em along!" The jail was built of logs, and divided inside into a number of smallrooms or cells. In each of these cells was a narrow bedstead and a stonejug and slop bucket. Antipas was hustled into one cell, and, after beingchained, the door was bolted upon him. Then Dulcibel was taken intoanother, though rather larger cell, and the jailor said, "Now she willnot trouble other people for a while, my masters. " "Are you not going to put irons on her, Master Foster?" said Herrick. "Of course I am. But I must get heavier chains than those to hold such apowerful witch as she is. Trust her to me, Master Herrick. She'll be tooheavy to fly about on her broomsticks by the time I have done with her. " Then they all went out and Dulcibel heard the heavy bolt shoot into itssocket, and the voices dying away as the men went down the stairs. She groped her way to the bed in the darkness, sat down upon it andburst into tears. It was like a change from Paradise into the infernalregions. A few hours before and she had been musing in an ecstasy of joyover her betrothal, and dreaming bright dreams of the future, suchperhaps as only a maiden can dream in the rapture of her first love. Nowshe was sitting in a prison cell, accused of a deadly crime, and herlife and good reputation in the most imminent danger. One thing alonebuoyed her up--the knowledge that her lover was fully aware of herinnocence; and that he and Joseph Putnam would do all that they could doin her behalf. But then the sad thought came, that to aid her in any waymight be only to bring upon themselves a similar accusation. And then, with a noble woman's spirit of self-sacrifice, she thought: "No, letthem not be brought into danger. Better, far better, that I shouldsuffer alone, than drag down my friends with me. " Here she heard the noise of the bolt being withdrawn, and saw the dimlight of the jailer's candle. As the jailer entered he threw down some heavy irons in the corner ofthe room. Then, he closed the door behind him, and came up to theunhappy girl. He laid his hand upon her shoulder and said: "You little witch!" Something in the tone seemed to strike upon the maiden's ear as if itwere not unfamiliar to her; and she looked up hastily. "Do you not remember me, little Dulcy? Why I rocked you on my foot inthe old Captain's house in Boston many a day. " "Is it not uncle Robie?" said the girl. She had not seen him since shewas four years old. The jailer smiled. "Of course it is, " he replied, "just uncle Robie. Theold captain never went to sea that Robie Foster did not go as firstmate. And a blessed day it was when I came to be first mate of thisjail-ship; though I never thought to see the old captain's bonnie birdamong my boarders. " "And do you think I really am a witch, uncle Robie?" "Of course ye are. A witch of the worst kind, " replied Robie, with achuckle. "Now, when I come in here tomorrow morning nae doobt I willfind all your chains off. It is just sae with pretty much all theothers. I cannot keep them chained, try my best and prettiest. " "And Antipas?" "Oh, he will just be like all the rest of them, doobtless. He is apowerful witch, and half a Quaker, besides. " "But do you really believe in witches, uncle Robie?" "What do these deuced Barebones Puritans know about witches, or thedevil, or anything else? There is only one true church, MistressDulcibel. I have sa mooch respect for the clergy as any man; but I don'ttake my sailing orders from a set of sourfaced old pirates. " Then, leaving her a candle and telling her to keep up a stout heart, thejailer left the cell; and Dulcibel heard the heavy bolt again drawn uponher, with a much lighter heart, than before. Examining the bundle ofclothes that Goodwife Buckley had made up, she found that nothingessential to her comfort had been forgotten, and she soon was sleepingas peacefully in her prison cell as if she were in her own pretty littlechamber. CHAPTER XVII. Dulcibel before the Magistrates. The next afternoon the meeting-house at Salem village was crowded to itsutmost capacity; for Dulcibel Burton and Antipas Newton were to bebrought before the worshipful magistrates, John Hathorne and JonathanCorwin. These worthies were not only magistrates, but persons of greatnote and influence, being members of the highest legislative andjudicial body in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Among the audience were Joseph Putnam and Ellis Raymond; the formerlooking stern and indignant, the latter wearing an apparently cheerfulcountenance, genial to all that he knew, and they were many; andespecially courteous and agreeable to Mistress Ann Putnam, and the"afflicted" maidens. It was evident that Master Raymond was determinedto preserve for himself the freedom of the village, if complimentary andpleasant speeches would effect it. It would not do to be arrested orbanished, now that Dulcibel was in prison. When the constable, Joseph Herrick, brought in Dulcibel, he stated thathaving made "diligent search for images and such like, " they had found a"yellow bird, " of the kind that witches were known to affect; a wickedbook of stage-plays, which seemed to be about witches, especially onecalled "he-cat"; and a couple of rag dolls with pins stuck into them. "Have you brought them?" said Squire Hathorne. "We killed the yellow bird and threw it and the wicked book into thefire. " "You should not have done that; you should have produced them here. " "We can get the book yet; for it was lying only partly burned near theback-log. It would not burn, all we could do to it. " "Of course not. Witches' books never burn, " said Squire Hathorne. "Here are the images, " said a constable, producing two littlerag-babies, that Dulcibel was making for a neighbor's children. The crowd looked breathlessly on as "these diabolical instruments oftorture" were placed upon the table before the magistrates. "Dulcibel Burton, stand up and look upon your accusers, " said SquireHathorne. Dulcibel had sunk upon a bench while the above conversation was goingon--she felt overpowered by the curious and malignant eyes turned uponher from all parts of the room. Now she rose and faced the audience, glancing around to see one loved face. At last her eyes met his; he wasstanding erect, even proudly; his arms crossed over his breast, his facecomposed and firm, his dark eyes glowing and determined. He dared notutter a word, but he spoke to her from the inmost depths of his soul:"Be firm, be courageous, be resolute!" This was what Raymond meant to say; and this is what Dulcibel, with hersensitive and impassioned nature, understood him to mean. And from thatmoment a marked change came over her whole appearance. The shrinking, timid girl of a moment before stood up serene but heroic, fearless andundaunted; prepared to assert the truth, and to defy all the malice ofher enemies, if need be, to the martyr's death. And she had need of all her courage. For, before three minutes hadpassed--Squire Hathorne pausing to look over the deposition on whichthe arrest had been made--Mistress Ann Putnam shrieked out, "Turn herhead away, she is tormenting us! See, her yellow-bird is whispering toher!" And with that, she and her little daughter Ann, and AbigailWilliams and Sarah Churchill and Leah Herrick and several others, flungthemselves down on the floor in apparent convulsions. "Oh, a snake is stinging me!" cried Leah Herrick. "Her black horse is trampling on my breast!" groaned Sarah Churchill. "Make her look away; turn her head!" cried several in the crowd. And oneof the constables caught Dulcibel by the arm, and turned her aroundroughly. "This is horrible!" cried Thomas Putnam--"and so young and fair-looking, too!" "Ah, they are the worst ones, Master Putnam, " said his sympatheticfriend, the Rev. Master Parris. "She looks young and pretty, but she may really be a hundred years old, "said deacon Snuffles. Quiet at last being restored, Magistrate Hathorne said: "Dulcibel Burton, why do you torment Mistress Putnam and these others inthis grievous fashion?" "I do not torment them, " replied Dulcibel calmly, but a littlescornfully. "Who does torment them, then?" "How should I know--perhaps Satan. " "What makes you suppose that Satan torments them?" "Because they tell lies. " "Do you know that Satan cannot torment these people except through theagency of other human beings?" "No, I do not. " "Well, he cannot--our wisest ministers are united upon that. Is it notso, Master Parris?" "That is God's solemn truth, " was the reply. "Who is it that torments you, Mistress Putnam?" continued SquireHathorne, addressing Mistress Ann Putnam, who had sent so many alreadyto prison and on the way to death. Mistress Putnam was angered beyond measure at Dulcibel's intimation thatshe and her party were instigated and tormented directly by the devil. And yet she could not, if she would, bear falser witness than shealready had done against Rebecca Nurse and other women of equally goodfamily and reputation. But at this appeal of the Magistrate, she flungher arms into the air, and spoke with the vehemence and excitement of ahalf-crazy woman. "It is she, Dulcibel Burton. She was a witch from her very birth. Herfather sold her to Satan before she was born, that he might prosper inhouses and lands. She has the witch's mark--a snake--on her breast, justover her heart. I know it, because goodwife Bartley, the midwife, toldme so three years ago last March. Midwife Bartley is dead; but have ajury of women examine her, and you will see that it is true. " At this, as all thought it, horrible charge, a cold thrill ran throughthe crowd. They all had heard of witch-marks, but never of one likethis--the very serpent, perhaps, which had deluded Eve. Joseph Putnamsmiled disdainfully. "A set of stupid, superstitious fools!" he mutteredthrough his teeth. "Half the De Bellevilles had that mark. "[1] [Footnote 1: "Most part of this noble lineage carried upon their bodyfor a natural birth-mark, from their mother's womb, a snake. "--_North_. ] "I will have that looked into, " said Squire Hathorne. "In what shapedoes the spectre come, Mistress Putnam?" "In the shape of a yellow-bird. She whispers to it who it is that shewants tormented, and it comes and pecks at my eyes. " Here she screamed out wildly, and began as if defending her eyes from aninvisible assailant. "It is coming to me now, " cried Leah Herrick, striking out fiercely. "Oh, do drive it away!" shrieked Sarah Churchill, "it will put out oureyes. " There was a scene of great excitement, several men drawing their swordsand pushing and slashing at the places where they supposed the spectralbird might be. Leah Herrick said the spectre that hurt her came oftenest in the shapeof a small black horse, like that which Dulcibel Burton was known tokeep and ride. Everybody supposed, she said, that the horse was itself awitch, for it was perfectly black, with not a white hair on it, andnobody could ride it but its mistress. Here Sarah Churchill said she had seen Dulcibel Burton riding abouttwelve o'clock one night, on her black horse, to a witches' meeting. Ann Putnam, the child, said she had seen the same thing. One curiousthing about it was that Dulcibel had neither a saddle nor a bridle toride with. She thought this was very strange; but her mother told herthat witches always rode in that manner. Here the two ministers of Salem, Rev. Master Parris and Rev. MasterNoyes, said that this was undeniably true, that it was a curious factthat witches never used saddles nor bridles. Master Noyes explainingfurther that there was no necessity for such articles, as the familiarwas instantly cognizant of every slightest wish or command of the witchto whom he was subject, and going thus through the air, there being norocks or gullies or other rough places, there was no necessity of asaddle. Both the magistrates and the people seemed to be very muchinstructed by the remarks of these two godly ministers. That "pious and excellent young man, " Jethro Sands, here came forwardand testified as follows: He had been at one time on very intimate termswith the accused; but her conduct on one occasion was so very singularthat he declined thereafter to keep company with her. Hearing one daythat she had gone to Master Joseph Putnam's, he had walked up the roadto meet her on her return to the village. He looked up after walkingabout a mile, and saw her coming towards him on a furious gallop. Thereseemed to have been a quarrel of some kind between her and her familiar, for it would not stop all she could do to it. As she came up to him shesnatched a rod that he had cut in the woods, out of his hand, and thatmoment the familiar stopped and became as submissive as a pet dog. Hecould not understand what it meant, until it suddenly occurred to himthat the rod was a branch of witch-hazel! Here the audience drew a long breath, the whole thing was satisfactorilyexplained. Every one knew the magical power of witch-hazel. [2] [Footnote 2: This and many other passages, as the reader will notice, are quoted verbatim from the manuscript volume. ] Jethro further testified that Mistress Dulcibel freely admitted to himthat her horse was a witch; never speaking of the mare in fact but as a"little witch. " As might be expected, the horse was a most viciousanimal, worth nothing to anybody save one who was a witch himself. Hethought it ought to be stoned, or otherwise killed, at once. The Rev. Master Noyes suggested that if it were handed over to hisreverend brother Parris, he might be able, by a course of religiousexercises, to cast out the evil spirit and render the animalserviceable. The apostles and disciples, it would be remembered, oftensucceeded in casting out evil spirits; though sometimes, we are told, they lamentably failed. The magistrates here consulted a few minutes, and Squire Hathorne thenordered that the black mare should be handed over to the Rev. MasterParris for his use, and that he might endeavor to exorcise the evilspirit that possessed it. Dulcibel had regarded with calm and serious eyes the concourse aroundher while this wild evidence was being given. Notwithstanding the perilof her position, she could not avoid smiling occasionally at theabsurdity of the charges made against her; while at other times her browand cheeks glowed with indignation at the maliciousness of her accusers. Then she thought, how could I ever have injured these neighbors soseriously that they have been led to conspire together to take my life?Oh, if I had never come to Salem, to a place so overflowing with malice, evil-speaking and all uncharitableness! Where there was so muchsanctimonious talk about religion, and such an utter absence of it inthose that prated the most of its possession. Down among the despisedQuakers of Pennsylvania there was not one-half as much talking aboutreligion but three times as much of that kindly charity which is itsessential life. "Dulcibel Burton, " said Squire Hathorne, "you have heard what theseevidence against you; what answer can you make to them?" Blood will assert itself. The daughter of the old sea-captain, himselfof Norse descent on the mother's side, felt her father's spirit glowingin her full veins. "The charges that have been made are too absurd and ridiculous forserious denial. The 'yellow bird' is my canary bird, Cherry, given me byCaptain Alden when we lived in Boston. He brought it home with him fromthe West Indies. Ask him whether it is a familiar. My black horsemisbehaved on that afternoon Jethro Sands tells of, as I told him at thetime; simply because I had no whip. When he gave me his switch, thevixenish animal came at once into subjection to save herself a goodwhipping. It was not a hazel switch, his statement is false, and heknows it, it was a maple one. " "And you mean to say, I suppose, " shrieked out Mistress Ann Putnam, "that you have no witch-mark either; that you do not carry the devil'sbrand of a snake over your heart?" "I have some such mark, but it is a birth-mark, and not a witch-mark. Itis a simple curving line of red, " and the girl blushed crimson at beingcompelled to such a reference to a personal peculiarity. But shefaltered not in her speech, though her tones were more indignant thanbefore. "It is not a peculiarity of mine, but of my mother's family. Some say that a distant ancestor was once frightened by a large snakecoming into her chamber; and her child was born with this mark upon herbreast. That is all of it. There is no necessity of any examination, forI admit the charge. " "Yes, " screamed Mistress Putnam again, "your ancestress too was a notedwitch. It runs in the family. Go away with you!" she cried strikingapparently at something with her clenched hand. "It is her old greatgrandmother! See, there she is! Off! Off! She is trying to choke me!"endeavoring seemingly to unclasp invisible hands from her throat. The other "afflicted" ones joined in the tumult. With one it was the"yellow bird" pecking at her eyes, with another the black horse rearingup and striking her with its hoofs. Leah Herrick cried that Dulcibel's"spectre" was choking her. "Hold her hands still!" ordered Squire Hathorne, and a constable sprangto each side of the accused maiden and held her arms and hands in agrasp of iron. Joseph Putnam made an exclamation that almost sounded like an oath, andmade a step forward; but a firm hand was laid upon his shoulder. "Bepatient!" whispered Ellis Raymond, though his own mouth was twitchingconsiderably. "We are the anvil now; wait till our turn comes to besledgehammer!" Such a din and babel as the "afflicted" kept up! By the curious power ofsympathy it affected the crowd almost to madness. If Dulcibel looked atthem, they cried she was tormenting them. If she looked upward inresignation to Heaven, they also stared upwards with fixed, stiff necks. If she leaned her head one side they did the same, until it seemed as iftheir necks would be broken; and the jailers forced up Dulcibel's neckwith their coarse, dirty hands. Dulcibel had not attended any of the other examinations, but similardemonstrations on the part of the "afflicted" had been described to her. It was very different, however, to hear of such things and to experiencethem in her own person. And if she had been at all a nervous and lesshealthy young woman, she might have been overcome by them, and even ledto admit, as so many others had admitted under similar influences, thatshe really was a witch, and compelled by her master, the devil, couldnot help tormenting these poor victims. "Why do you not cease this?" at last cried Squire Hathorne, sternly andwrathfully. "Cease what?" she replied indignantly. "Tormenting these poor, suffering children and women!" "You see I am not tormenting them. Bid these men unloose my hands, theyare hurting me. " "They say your spectre and your familiar are tormenting them. " "They are bearing false witness against me. " "Who does hurt them then?" "Their master, the devil, I suppose and his imps. " "Why should he hurt them?" "Because they are liars, and bear false witness; being hungry forinnocent blood. " The spirit of the free-thinking, free-spoken old sea-captain--nurturedby the free winds and the free waves for forty years--was fully alivenow in his daughter. A righteous, holy indignation at the abominablefarce that was going on with all its gross lying and injustice had takenpossession of her, and she cared no longer for the opinions of any onearound her, and thought not even of her lover looking on, but only oftruth and justice. "Yes, they are possessed with devils--being childrenof their father, the devil!" she continued scornfully. "And they shallhave their reward. As for you, Ann Putnam, in seven years from this dayI summon you to meet those you have slain with your wicked, lyingtongue, at the bar of Almighty God! It shall be a long dying for you!"Then, seeing Thomas Putnam by his wife's side, "And you, Thomas Putnam, you puppet in a bad woman's hands, chief aider and abettor of her wickedways, you shall die two weeks before her, to make ready for her coming!And you, " turning to the constables on each side of her, "for your crueltreatment of innocent women, shall die by this time next year!" The constables loosened their grasp of her hands and shrank back indismay. The "afflicted" suddenly hushed their cries and regained theircomposure, as they saw the accused maiden's eyes, lit up with thewildness of inspiration, glancing around their circle with lightningflashes that might strike at any moment. Even Squire Hathorne's wine-crimsoned face paled, lest she would turnaround and denounce him too. Even if she were a witch, witches it wasknown sometimes spoke truly. And when she slowly turned and looked uponhim, the haughty judge was ready to sink to the floor. "As for you, John Hathorne, for your part in these wicked doings, " hereshe paused as if waiting to hear a supernatural voice, while the crowdedmeeting-house was quiet as a tomb--"No! you are only grossly deluded;you shall not die. But a curse shall be upon you and your descendantsfor a hundred years. They shall not prosper. Then a Hathorne shall arisewho shall repudiate you and all your wicked works, and the curse shallpass away!" Squire Hathorne regained his courage the instant she said he should notdie, little he cared for misfortunes that might come upon hisdescendants. "Off with the witch to prison--we have heard enough!" he cried hoarsely. "Tell the jailer to load her well with irons, hands and feet; and giveher nothing to eat but bread and water of repentance. She is committedfor trial before the special court, in her turn, and at the worshipfuljudges' convenience. " CHAPTER XVIII. Well, What Now? The crowd drew long breaths as they emerged from the meeting-house. Thiswas the first time that the accused had fully turned upon the accusers. It was a pity that it had not been done before; because such was thesuperstition of the day, that to have your death predicted by one whowas considered a witch was no laughing matter. The blood ran cold evenin Mistress Ann Putnam's veins, as she thought of Dulcibel's prediction;and the rest of the "afflicted" inwardly congratulated themselves thatthey had escaped her malediction, and resolved that they would not bepresent at her trial as witnesses against her, if they could possiblyavoid it. But then that might not be so easy. Even the crowd of beholders were a little more careful in the utteranceof their opinions about Dulcibel than they had been relative to theother accused persons. Not that they had much doubt as to the maiden'sbeing a born witch--the serpent-mark seemed to most of them a conclusiveproof of that--but what if one of those "spectres, " the "yellow bird"or the uncontrollable "black mare" should be near and listening to whatthey were even then saying? "What do I think about it?" said one of the crowd to his companion. "WhyI think that if he who sups with the devil should have a long spoon, hewho abuses a witch should be certain her yellow bird is not listeningabove his left shoulder, " and he gave a quick glance in the directionalluded to, while half of those near him, as they heard his warningwords, did the same. And there was not much talking against Dulcibelafter this, among that portion of the villagers. Ellis Raymond had heard this speech as he walked silently out of themeeting-house with Joseph Putnam, and a grim smile flitted over hisface. He felt prouder than ever of his beautiful betrothed. He was not aman who admired amazons or other masculine women, such, as in thesedays, we call "strong-minded;" he liked a woman to keep in her woman'ssphere, such as the Creator had marked out for her by making her awoman; but circumstances may rightly overrule social conventions, anddemand action suitable to the emergency. Standing at bay, among a packof howling wolves, the heroic is a womanly as well as manly quality;and the gun and the knife as feminine implements, as the needle and thescissors. Dulcibel had never reasoned about such things; she was amaiden who naturally shrank from masculine self-assertion and publicity;but, called to confront a great peril, she was true to the nobleinstincts of her family and her race, and could meet falsehood withindignant denial and contempt. How she had been led to utter thosepredictions she never fully understood--not at the time nor afterwards. She seemed to herself to be a mere reed through which some indignantangel was speaking. "Well, " said Joseph Putnam, as they got clear of the crowd, "brotherThomas and sister Ann have wakened up the tiger at last. They will be"afflicted" now in dead earnest. Did you see how sister Ann, with allher assurance, grew pale and almost fainted? It serves her right; shedeserves it; and Thomas too, for being such a dupe and fool. " "Do you think it will come true?" said Master Raymond. "Of course it will; the prediction will fulfill itself. Thomas issuperstitious beyond all reasonableness; and good Mistress Ann, mypious sister-in-law, is almost as bad as he is, notwithstanding herlies and trickery. Do you know what I saw that Leah Herrick doing?" "What was it?" "In her pretended spasms, when bending nearly double, she was taking alot of pins out of the upper edge of her stomacher with her mouth, preparatory of course, to making the accusation that it was Dulcibel'sdoings. " "But she did not?" "No, it was just before the time that Dulcibel scared them so with thepredictions; and Leah was so frightened, lest she also should bepredicted against, that she quietly spit all the pins into her handagain. " "Ah, that was the game played by a girl about ten years ago atTaunton-Dean, in England. Judge North told my father about it. One ofthe magistrates saw her do it. " "Well, now, what shall we do? They will convict her just as surely asthey try her. " "Undoubtedly!" "Shall we attack and break open the jail some dark night, sword in hand?I can raise a party of young men, friends of the imprisoned, to do it;they only want a leader. " "And all of you go off into perpetual banishment and have all yourproperty confiscated?" "I do not care. I am ready to do it. " "If you choose to encounter such a risk for others, I have no objection. I believe myself that if the friends and relatives of the accusedpersons would take up arms in defense of them, and demand their release, it would be the very manliest and most sensible thing they could do. Butthe consciences of the people here make cowards of them. They are all inbondage to a blind and conceited set of ministers, and to a narrow andbigoted creed. " "Then what do you plan?" "Dulcibel's escape. You know that I managed to see her for a few minutesearly this morning. She has a friend within the prison. Wait till we geton our horses, and I will explain it all to you. " CHAPTER XIX. Antipas Works a Miracle. The next morning Antipas Newton was brought before the Magistrates forexamination. Antipas seemed so quiet and peaceful in his demeanor, thatSquire Hathorne could hardly credit the story told by the constables ofhis violent behavior on the night of the arrest. "I thought you were a Quaker, " said he to the prisoner. "No, only half Quaker; the other half gospeller, " replied the old manmeekly. Mistress Ann was not present; her husband brought report that she wassick in bed. Probably she did not care to come, the game being tooinsignificant. Perhaps she had not quite recovered from the stunningeffect of Dulcibel's prediction. Though it was not likely that a doomthat was to be seven years in coming, would, after the first impressionwas past, be felt very keenly. There was time for so much to happenduring seven years. But the Rev. Master Parris's little niece, Abigail Williams, waspresent, and several other older members of the "circle, " prepared towitness against the old man to any extent that seemed to be necessary. After these had made their customary charges, and had gone through someof their usual paroxysms, Joseph Putnam, accompanied by Goodman Buckley, came forward. "This is all folly, " said Joseph Putnam stoutly. "We all know AntipasNewton; and that he has been deranged in his intellects, and of unsoundmind for the last twenty years. He is generally peaceful and quiet;though in times of excitement like the present, liable to be driven intooutbreaks of violent madness. Here is his employer, Goodman Buckley, whoof course knows him best, and who will testify to all this even moreconclusively than I can. " Then Goodman Buckley took the oath with uplifted hand, and gave similarevidence. No one had even doubted for twenty years past, that Antipaswas simple-minded. He often said and did strange things; but only wheneverybody around him was greatly excited, was he at all liable toviolent outbreaks of passion. Squire Hathorne seemed half-convinced; but the Reverend Master Parrisrose from the bench where he had been sitting, and said he would liketo be heard for a few moments. Permission being accorded: "What isinsanity?" said he. "What is the scriptural view of it? Is it anythingbut a judgment of the Lord for sin, as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar; ora possession by a devil, or devils, as in the Case of the Gadarene whomade his dwelling among the tombs as told in the fifth chapter of Markand the eighth of Luke? That these were real devils is evident--for whenpermission was given them to enter into the herd of swine, they enteredinto them, and the swine ran down a steep place into the sea and weredrowned. And as there were about two thousand swine, there must havebeen at least two thousand devils in that one so-called insane man;which no doubt accounted for his excessive violence. After the devilshad left him, we are told that his countrymen came and saw him sittingat the feet of Jesus, no longer naked, but clothed and in his rightmind. Therefore it follows as a logical deduction, that his not beingbefore in his right mind was because he was possessed with devils. " The magistrates and people evidently were greatly impressed with whatMaster Parris had said. And, as he sat down, Master Noyes, who wassitting beside his reverend brother, rose and said that he consideredthe argument they had just heard unanswerable. It could only be refutedby doubting the infallibility of the Scripture itself. And he wouldfurther add, as to the case before them, that this so-called insanity ofthe prisoner had not manifested itself until he had been repeatedlyguilty of harboring two of that heretical and abominable sect calledQuakers and had incurred imprisonment and heavy fines for so doing; topay which fines his property had been rightfully sold. This punishment, and the death of his daughter by the decree of a just God, apparentlynot being sufficient to persuade him of the error of his ways, no doubthe had been given over to the devil, that he might become a sign and awarning to evil-doers. But, instead of repenting of his evil ways, heseems to have entered the service of Captain Burton, who was alwaysknown to be very loose in his religious views and observances; and whoit now seems was himself a witch, or, as he might be rather morecorrectly termed, a wizard, and the father of the dangerous girl who wasproperly committed for trial yesterday. Going thus downward from bad toworse, this Antipas had at last become a witch himself; roaming aroundtormenting godly and unoffending people to please his mistress and herSatanic master. In conclusion he said that he fully agreed with hisreverend brother, that what some of the world's people, who thoughtthemselves wise above that which was written, called insanity, wassimply, as taught in the holy scriptures, a possession by the devil. Magistrate Hathorne nodded to Magistrate Corwin, and Magistrate Corwinnodded in turn decidedly to his learned brother. They evidentlyconsidered that the ministers had settled that point. "Well, then, " said Joseph Putnam, a little roughly to the ministers, "why do you not do as the Savior did, cast out the devils, that Antipasmay sit down here in his right mind? We do not read that any of theseafflicted people in Judea were cast into prison. In all cases they werepitied, not punished. " "This is an unseemly interruption, Master Putnam, " said Squire Hathornesternly. "We all know that the early disciples were given the power tocast out devils and that they exercised the power continually, but thatin later times the power has been withdrawn. If it were not so, ourfaithful elders would cast out the spectres that are continuallytormenting these poor afflicted persons. " While this discussion had been going on, Antipas had been listening toall that was said with the greatest attention. Once only had hemanifested any emotion; that was when the reference had been made to thedeath of his daughter, who had died from her exposure to the severity ofthe winter season in Salem jail. At this time he put his hand to hiseyes and wiped away a few tears. Before and after this, the expressionof his face was rather as of one who was pleased and amused at the ideaof being the center of attraction to such a large and goodly company. Atthe conclusion of Squire Hathorne's last remark, a new idea seemed toenter the old man's confused brain. He looked steadily at the line ofthe "afflicted" before him, who were now beginning a new display ofparoxysms and contortions, and putting his right hand into one of hispockets, he drew forth a coil of stout leather strap. Grasping one endof it, he shouted, "I can heal them! I know what will cure them!" andspringing from between the two constables that guarded him, beganbelaboring the "afflicted" with his strap over their backs and shouldersin a very energetic fashion. Dividing his energies between keeping off the constable and "healing theafflicted, " and aided rather than hindered by Joseph Putnam'sintentionally ill-directed efforts to restrain him, the insane manmanaged to administer in a short time no small amount of very exemplarypunishment. And, as Masters Putnam and Raymond agreed in talking overthe scene afterwards, he certainly did seem to effect an instantaneouscure of the "afflicted, " for they came to their sober senses at thefirst cut of the leather strap, and rushed pell-mell down the passage asrapidly as they could regardless of the other tormenting "spectres. " "This is outrageous!" said Squire Hathorne hotly to the constables asAntipas was at last overpowered by a host of assailants, and stood nowfirmly secured and panting between the two officers. "How dared youbring him here without being handcuffed?" "We had no idea of his breaking out anew, he seemed as meek as a lamb, "said constable Herrick. "Why, we thought he was a Quaker!" added his assistant. "I am a Quaker!" said Antipas, looking a little dangerous again. "You are not. " "Thou liest!" said the insane man. "This is one of my off days. " Joseph Putnam laughed outright; and a few others, who were notchurch-members, laughed with him. "Silence!" thundered Squire Hathorne. "Is this a time for idle levity?"and he glared around the room. "We have heard enough, " continued the Squire, after a few words with hiscolleague. "This is a dangerous man. Take him off again to prison; andsee that his chains are strong enough to keep him out of mischief. " CHAPTER XX. Master Raymond Goes to Boston. Whatever the immediate effect of Dulcibel's prediction had been, Mistress Ann Putnam was now about again, as full of wicked plans, and asdangerous as ever. She knew, for everybody knew, that Master EllisRaymond had gone to Boston. In a village like Salem at that time, suchfact could hardly be concealed. "What had he gone for? "To see a friend, " Joseph Putnam had said. "What friend?" queried Mistress Ann. That seemed important for her toknow. She had accused Dulcibel in the first place as a means of hurting JosephPutnam. But now since the trial, she hated her for herself. It was notso much on account of the prediction, as on account of Dulcibel'sterrific arraignment of her. The accusation that her husband was herdupe and tool was, on account of its palpable truth, that which gave herperhaps the greatest offence. The charge being once made, others mightsee its truth also. Thus all the anger of her cunning, revengeful naturewas directed against Dulcibel. And just at this time she heard from a friend in Boston, who sent her abudget of news, that Master Raymond had taken dinner with Captain Alden. "Ah, " she thought, "I see it now. " The name was a clue to her. CaptainAlden was an old friend of Captain Burton. He it was, so Dulcibel hadsaid, from whom she had the gift of the "yellow bird. " She knew Captain Alden by reputation. Like the other seamen of the timehe was superstitious in some directions, but not at all in others. Hewould not for the world leave port on a Friday--or kill a mother Carey'schicken--or whistle at sea; but as to seeing witches in pretty younggirls, or sweet old ladies, that was entirely outside of the averageseaman's thoughts. Toward all women in fact, young or old, pretty orugly, every sailor's heart at that day, as in this, warmedinvoluntarily. She also knew that the seamen as a class were rather inclined to whatthe godly called license in their religious opinions. Had not thesea-captains in Boston Harbor, some years before, unanimously refused tocarry the young Quakeress, Cassandra Southwick, and her brother, to theWest Indies and sell them there for slaves, to pay the fines incurred bytheir refusal to attend church regularly? Had not one answered for therest, as paraphrased by a gifted descendant of the Quakers?-- "Pile my ship with bars of silver--pack with coins of Spanish gold, From keelpiece up to deck-plank the roomage of her hold, By the living God who made me! I would sooner in your bay Sink ship and crew and cargo, than bear this child away!" And so Master Raymond, who it was rumored had been a great admirer ofDulcibel Burton, was on a visit to Boston, to see her father's oldfriend, Captain John Alden! Mistress Putnam thought she could put twoand two together, if any woman could. She would check-mate that game--andwith one of her boldest strokes, too--that should strike fear into thesoul of even Joseph Putnam himself, and teach him that no one was toohigh to be above the reach of her indignation. The woman was so fierce in this matter, that I sometimes havequestioned, could she ever have loved and been scorned by Joseph Putnam? CHAPTER XXI. A Night Interview. A few days passed and Master Raymond was back again; with a pleasantword and smile for all he met, as he rode through the village. MistressAnn Putnam herself met him on the street and he pulled up his horse atthe side-path as she stopped, and greeted her. "So you have been to Boston?" she said. "Yes, I thought I would take a little turn and hear what was going on upthere. " "Who did you see--any of our people?" "Oh, yes--the Nortons and the Mathers and the Higginsons and theSewalls--I don't know all. "Good day; remember me to my kind brother Joseph and his wife, " saidshe, and Raymond rode on. "What did that crafty creature wish to find out by stopping me?" hethought to himself. "He did not mention Captain Alden. Yes, he went to consult him, " thoughtMistress Putnam. Master Joseph Putnam was so anxious to meet his friend, that he wasstanding at the turning in the lane that led up to his house. "Well, what did the Captain say?" "He was astounded. Then he gave utterance to some emphatic expressionsabout hell-fire and damnation which he had probably heard in church. " "I know no more appropriate occasion to use them, " commented youngMaster Joseph drily. "If it were not for certain portions of the psalmsand the prophets, I could hardly get through the time comfortablynowadays. " "If we can get her safely to Boston, he will see that a fast vessel isready to take us to New York; and he will further see that his ownvessel--the Colony's rather, which he commands--never catches us. " "That looks well. I managed to see Dulcibel for a few minutes to-day, and"-- "How is she?" inquired Raymond eagerly. "Does she suffer much?" "Not very much I think. No more than is necessary to save appearances. She told me that the jailer was devoted to her. He will meet youto-night after dark on the hill, to arrange matters. " "Say that we get from the prison by midnight. Then it will take at leastthree hours riding to reach Boston--though we shall not enter thetown. " "Three hours! Yes, four, " commented his friend; "or even five if thenight be dark and stormy; and such a night has manifest advantages. Still, as I suppose you must wait for a northwest wind, that is prettysure to be a clear one. " "Yes, the main thing is to get out into the open sea. Captain Aldenplans to procure a Danish vessel, whose skipper once out of sight ofland, will oppose any recapture by force. " "I suppose however you will sail for New York?" "Yes, that is the nearest port and we shall be perfectly safe there. Still Jamestown would do. The Delaware is nearer than the James, but Iam afraid the Quakers would not be able to protect us, as they are toogood to oppose force by force. " "Too good! too cranky!" said Master Putnam. "A pretty world the rascalswould make of it, if the honest men were too good to fight. It seems tome there is something absolutely wicked in their non-resistant notions. " "Yes, it is no worse to kill a two-legged tiger or wolf than afour-legged one; one has just as good a right to live as the other. " "A better, I think, " replied Master Putnam. "The tiger or wolf isfollowing out his proper nature; the human tiger or wolf is violatinghis. " "You know I rather like the Quakers, " rejoined Master Raymond. "I liketheir general idea of considering the vital spirit of the Scripture morethan the mere outward letter. But in this case, it seems to me, they arein bondage to the mere letter 'thou shalt not kill;' not seeing that tokill, in many cases, is really to save, not only life, but all thatmakes life valuable. " That evening just about dusk, the two young men mounted their horses, and rode down one of the roads that led to Salem town, leaving Salemvillage on the right--thinking best not to pass through the village. Within a mile or so of the town, Master Putnam said, "here is the place"and led the way into a bridle path that ran into the woods. In aboutfive minutes he halted again, gave a low whistle, and a voice said, ashort distance from them, "Who are you, strangers?" "Friends in need, " replied Master Putnam. "Then ye are friends indeed, " said the voice; and Robert Foster, thejailer, stepped from behind the trunk of a tree into the path. "Well, Robie, how's the little girl?" said Master Joseph. "Bonnie as could be expected, " was the answer. "She sends word to you, sir, " addressing Master Raymond, "that you hadbetter not come to see her. She knows well all you could say--just aswell as if she heard it, the brave, bonnie lassie!" "I know it, " replied Master Raymond. "Tell her I think of her everymoment--and that things look bright. " "Let us get out of this glooming, and where we can see a rod around us, "suggested the jailer. "I like to see at least as far as my elbow, when Iam talking confidentially. " "I will go--you stay here with the horses, " said Raymond to MasterPutnam. "I do not want you mixed up with this thing any more than isabsolutely necessary. " "Oh, I do not care for the risk--I like it, " replied his friend. "Stay, nevertheless, " insisted Master Raymond. And getting down from hishorse, and handing the bridle rein to Master Putnam, he followed thejailer out into an open space, where the rocks coming to the surface, had prevented the growth of the forest. Here it was a little lighterthan it had been in the wood-path; but, the clouds having gathered overthe sky since they started, it was not possible to see very far aroundthem. "Hold up there!" cried Robie, catching Raymond by the arm--"why, man, do you mean to walk straight over the cliff?" "I did not know any chasm was there, " said Raymond. "I never saw thisplace before. Master Putnam said it was a spot where we should not belikely to be molested. And it does look desolate enough. " He leaned backagainst one of two upright planks which seemed to have been placed therefor some purpose, and looked at a little pile of dirt and stones not farfrom his feet. "No, " said the jailer. "I opine we shall not be disturbed here. I do notbelieve there is more than three persons in Salem that would be willingto come to this hill at this time of day, --and they are here already. "And the jailer smiled audibly. "Why, how is that?" "Because they are all so damnably sooperstitious!" replied Robie, withan air of vast superiority. "Ah! is this place then said to be haunted?" "Yes, --poor Goodwife Bishop's speerit is said to haunt it. But as shenever did anybody any harm while she was living, I see not why sheshould harm any one now that she is dead. " "And so brave Bridget was executed near this place? Where was the foulmurder done?" "You are leaning against the gallows, " said Robie quietly. "And thatpile of stones at your feet is over her grave. " Raymond was a brave man, physically and morally, and not at allsuperstitious; but he recoiled involuntarily from the plank againstwhich he had been leaning, and no longer allowed his right foot to restupon the top stones of the little heap that marked the grave. "Oh, I thought you knew it, " said the jailer calmly. "I say, let themfear goodwife Bishop's ghost who did her wrong. As for me, I favored herall I dared; and her last word to me was a blessing. But now for yourhonor's business, I have not long to stay. " "I have planned all but the getting out of jail. Can it be easily done?" "As easy as walking out of a room. " "Will you not be suspected?" "Not at all, I think--they are so mightily sooperstitious. I shall lockeverything tight after her; and make up a good story about my wakeningup in the middle of the night, just in time to see her flying out of thetop o' the house, on her black mare, and thrashing the animal with abroom-handle. The bigger the lie the quicker they will believe it. " "If they should suspect you, let Master Putnam know, and he will get youoff, if wit and money together can do it. " "Oh, I believe that, " said the jailer. "Master Putnam is well known inall these parts, as a man that never deserts a friend; and I'll warrantyou are one of the same grit. " "My hand on it, Robie!" and he shook the jailer's hand warmly. "I shallnever forget this service. " "I am a rough, ignorant man, " replied Robie quietly; "but I know gentleblood when I see it. " "What time of night will suit you best?" "Just about twelve o'clock at night. That is the time all the ghosts andgoblins and weetches choose; and when all honest people are in theirbeds, and in their first and soundest sleep. " "We shall not be able to give you much warning, for we must wait afavorable wind and tide. " "So you let me know by nightfall, it will do. " "And now for the last point--what do I pay you? I know we are asking youto run a great risk. The men that whip gentlewomen, at the cart's tail, and put little children into jail, and sell them as slaves, will notspare you, if they find out what you have done. Thank God, I am richenough to pay you well for taking such a fearful risk and shall be onlytoo glad to reward your unselfish deed. " "Not a shilling!" replied Robie proudly. "I am not doing this thing forpay. It is for the old Captain's little girl, that I have held in thesearms many a day--and for the old Captain himself. While these bloodylandsmen, " continued the old sailor, "plague and persecute each other, Master Raymond, what is that to us, we men of the sea, who have a creedand a belief of our own, and who never even think of hurting a woman ora child? But as for these landsmen, sticking at home all the time, howcan they be expected to know anything--compared to men that have doubledboth Capes, and seen people living all sorts of ways, and believing allsorts of things? No, no, " and Robie laughed disdainfully, "let theseland-lubbers attend to their own affairs; but let them keep their handsoff us seamen and our families. " "So be it then, Robie; I honor your feelings! But nevertheless I shallnot forget you. And one of these days, if we get off safely, you shallhear from me again about this matter. " And then, their plans settled, Robie trudged down to the town; while theyoung men rode back the way they had come, to Master Putnam's. CHAPTER XXII. The Reverend Master Parris Exorcises "Little Witch. " It will be remembered that Squire Hathorne had directed that Dulcibel'slittle horse should be handed over to the Reverend Master Parris, inorder that it might be brought into due subjection. This had pleased Master Parris very much. In the first place he was of adecidedly acquisitive turn--as had been shown in his scheming to obtaina gift of the minister's house and orchard--and moreover, if he was ableto cast out the devil that evidently possessed this horse, and make it asober and docile riding animal, it would not only be the gain of a verypretty beast, but would prove that something of the power of casting outdevils, which had been given to the disciples of old, had come down untohim. In such a case, his fame probably would equal, if not surpass, thatof the great Boston ministers, Increase and Cotton Mather. Goodman Buckley had brought down the little mare, the next morning afterthe examination. The mare would lead very well, if the person leadingher was on horseback--very badly, if he were not, except under peculiarcircumstances. She was safely housed in the minister's stable, and gazedat with mingled fear and admiration by the family and their immediateneighbors. Master Parris liked horses, had some knowledge of the rightway to handle them, and showed more wisdom in his treatment of thisrather perverse animal of Dulcibel's than he had ever manifested in hischurch difficulties. He began by what he called a course of conciliation--to placate thedevil, as it were. How he could bring his conscience to allow of this, Iam not able to understand. But then the mare, if the devil were oncecast out, would be, on account of her rare beauty, a very valuableanimal. And so the minister, twice a day, made a point of going into thelittle passage, at the head of the stall, speaking kindly to the animal, and giving her a small lump of maple sugar. Like most of her sex, Susannah--as Master Parris had renamed her, knowing the great importance of a good name--was very fond of sugar; andher first apparent aversion to the minister seemed gradually to changeinto a kind of tacit respect and toleration, under the influence of hisdaily medications. Finally, the wary animal would allow him to pat herneck without striking at him with one of her front feet, or trying tobite him; and even to stroke her glossy flanks without lunging at himwith her hind heels, in an exceedingly dangerous fashion. But spiritual means also were not neglected. The meeting-house was verynear, and the mare was brought over regularly when there were religiousservices, and fastened in the near vicinity of the other more sober andorthodox horses, that she might learn how to behave and perhaps the evilspirit be thus induced to abandon one so constantly exposed to thedoubtless unpleasant sounds (to it) of psalm and prayer and sermon. A horse is an imitative animal, and very susceptible toimpressions, --both of a material and a mental character--and I mustconfess that these proceedings of the minister's were very well adaptedto the object he had in view. The minister also had gone farther--but of this no one at the time knewbut himself. He had gone into the stable on a certain evening, when hisservant John Indian was off on an errand; and had pronounced a prayerover the possessed animal winding up with an exorcism which ought tohave been sufficient to banish any reasonable devil, not only from themare, but from the neighborhood. As he concluded, what seemed to be ahuge creature, with outstretched wings, had buffeted him over the ears, and then disappeared through the open window of the stable. The creaturewas in the form of a big bat; but then it was well known that this wasone of the forms which evil spirits were most fond of assuming. The minister therefore had strong reasons for supposing that the goodwork was now accomplished; and that he should find the mare hereafter aSusannah not only in name but in nature--a black lily, as it were. Butof course this could not be certainly told, unless some one shouldattempt to ride her; and he suggested it one day to John Indian. ButJohn Indian--unknown to anybody but himself--had already tried theexperiment; and after a fierce contest, was satisfied with his share ofthe glory. His answer was:-- "No, no, master--debbil hab no 'spect for Indian man. Master he goodman! gospel man! debbil 'fraid of him--him too much for debbil!" This seemed very reasonable for a poor, untutored Indian. MistressParris, too, said that she was certain he could succeed if any onecould. The evil spirits would be careful how they conducted themselvestowards such a highly respected and godly minister as her reveredhusband. Several of her acquaintances, pious and orthodox goodwives ofthe village, said the same thing. Master Parris thought he was a verygood horseman besides; and began to take the same view. There was thehorse, and he was the man! So one afternoon John Indian saddled and bridled the mare, and broughther up to the horse-block. Susannah had allowed herself to be saddledwithout the slightest manifestation of ill-humor; probably the idea ofstretching her limbs a little, was decidedly pleasant in view of thesmall amount of exercise she had taken lately. But the wisest plan was not thought of. The minister's niece, AbigailWilliams--one of the "afflicted"--had looked upon the black mare withlonging eyes; and if she had made the experiment, it probably would havebeen successful. But they did not surmise that it might be the man'ssaddle and mode of riding, to which the animal was entirelyunaccustomed, that were at the bottom of the difficulty. And, besides, Master Parris wanted the mare for his own riding, not for the womenfolks of his household. Detained by various matters, it was not until quite late in theafternoon, that the minister found time to try the experiment of ridingthe now unbewitched animal. It was getting too near night to ride veryfar, but he could at least try a short ride of a mile or so; whichperhaps would be better for the first attempt than a longer one. So hecame out to the horse-block, attended by his wife and Abigail Williams, and a couple of parishioners who had been holding a consultation withhim, but had stopped a moment to see him ride off upon the animal ofwhich so many marvelous stories had been told. "Yes, " said the minister, as he came out to the horse-block, in answerto a remark made by one of his visitors, "I think I have been able withthe Lord's help, to redeem this animal and make her a useful member ofsociety. You will observe that she now manifests none of thatviciousness for which formerly she was so noted. " The mare did stand as composedly and peacefully as the most dignifiedminister could desire. "You will remember that she has never been ridden by any one, man orwoman, save her witch mistress Dulcibel--Jezebel, I think would be amore fitting name for her, considering her wicked doings. " Here Master Parris took the bridle rein from John Indian and threw hisright leg over the animal. As the foot and leg came down on that side, and the stirrup gave her a smart crack, the mare's ears, which had beenpricked up, went backwards and she began to prance around, John Indianstill holding her by the mouth. "Let her go, John, " said the minister; "she does not like to be held, "and he tightened the rein. John, by his master's orders, had put on a curbbit; in place of theeasy snaffle to which the mare had always been accustomed. And now asthe minister tightened the rein, and the chain of the curb began topress upon and pain the mouth of the sensitive creature, she began toback and rear in a most excited fashion. "Loose de rein!" cried John Indian. The minister did so. But the animal now was fully alarmed; and noloosening or tightening would avail much. She was her old self again--asbewitched as ever. She reared, she plunged, she kicked, she sidled, andwent through all the motions, which, on previous occasions, she hadalways found eventually successful in ridding her back of its undesiredburden. "Oh, do get off of the wild beast, " cried Mistress Parris, in greatalarm. "She is still bewitched, " cried Abigail Williams. "I see a spectre now, tormenting her with a pitchfork. " "Oh, Samuel, you will be killed!--do get off that crazy beast!" againcried weeping Mistress Parris. "'Get off!' yes!" thought the minister; "but how am I going to do it, with the beast plunging and tearing in this fashion?" The animalevidently wanted him off, and he was very anxious to get off; but shewould not hold still long enough for him to dismount peaceably. "Hold her while I dismount!" he cried to John Indian. But when JohnIndian came near to take hold of the rein by her mouth, the mare snappedat him viciously with her teeth; and then wheeled around and flung outher heels at his head, in the most embarrassing manner. Finally, as with a new idea, the mare started down the lane at a quickgallop, turned to the left, where a rivulet had been damned up into alittle pond not more than two feet deep, and plunged into the water, splashing it up around her like a many jetted fountain. By this time, the minister, being only human, naturally was very angry;and commenced lashing her sides with his riding whip to get her into thelane again. This made the fiery little creature perfectly desperate, andshe reared up and backwards, until she came down plump into the water;so that, if the saddle girth had not broken, and the saddle come off, and the minister with it, she might have tumbled upon him and perhapsseriously hurt him. But, as it was, no great damage was done; and thebridle also breaking, the mare spit the bit out of her mouth, and wentdown the lane in a run to the road, and thence on into the nowfast-gathering night, no one could see whither. Mistress Parris, John Indian and the rest were by this time at the sideof the pond, and ready to receive the chapfallen minister as he emergedwith the saddle and the broken bridle from the water. "You are a sight, Samuel Parris!" said his wife, in that pleasant tonewith which many wives are apt to receive their liege lords upon suchunpleasant occasions. "Do get into the house at once. You will catchyour death of cold, I know. And such a mess your clothes will be! But Ionly wonder you are not killed--trying to ride a mad witch's horse likethat is. " The minister made no reply. The situation transcended words. And did notallow even of sympathy, as his visitors evidently thought--not at leastuntil he got on some clean and dry clothes. So they simply shook theirheads, and took their course homewards. While the bedraggled anddripping Master Parris made his way to the house wiping the water andmud from his face with his wife's handkerchief, and stopping to shakehimself well, before he entered the door, lest, as his wife said, "heshould spoil everything in his chamber. " Abigail Williams, when she went to see Mistress Ann Putnam that night, had a marvelous tale to tell; which in the course of the next day, wentlike wildfire through the village, growing still more and more marvelousas it went. Abigail had seen, as I have already said, the spectre of a witch goadingthe furious animal with a pitchfork. When the horse tore down the lane, it came to the little brook and of course could not cross it--for awitch cannot cross running water. Therefore, in its new access of fury, it sprang into the pond--and threw off the minister. Abigail furtherdeclared that then, dashing down the lane it came to the gate which shutit off from the road, and took the gate in a flying leap. But the animalnever came down again. It was getting quite dark then, but she couldstill plainly see that a witch was upon its back, belaboring it with abroomstick. And she knew very well who that witch was. It was the"spectre" of Dulcibel Burton--for it had a scarlet bodice on, just suchas Dulcibel nearly always wore. They two--the mare and its rider--wentoff sailing up into the sky, and disappeared behind a black cloud. AndAbigail was almost certain that just as they reached the cloud, therewas a low rumbling like thunder. It was noticeable that every time Abigail told this story, sheremembered something that she had not before thought of; until in thecourse of a week or two, there were very few stories in the "ArabianNights" that could surpass it in marvelousness. As the mare had not returned to her old stable at Goodman Buckley's, andcould not be heard of in any other direction, Abigail's story began tocommend itself even to the older and cooler heads of the village. For ifthe elfish creature had not vanished in the black cloud, to the soundof thunder, where was she? Joseph Putnam, and his household however held a different view of thesubject, but they wisely kept their own counsel; though they had many asly joke among themselves at the credulity of their neighbors. They knewthat a little while after dark, a strange noise had been heard at thebarn, and that one of the hired men going out, had found Dulcibel'shorse, without saddle or bridle, pawing at the door of the stable foradmission. As this was a place the animal had been in the habit ofcoming to, and where she was always well treated and even petted, it wasvery natural that she should fly here from her persecutors, as shedoubtless considered them. Upon being told of it, and not knowing what had occurred Master Josephthought it most prudent not to put the animal into his stable, butordered the man to get half-a-peck of oats, and some hay, and take themare to a small cow-pen, in the woods in an out of the way place, whereshe might be for years, and no one outside his own people be any thewiser for it. The mare seemed quite docile, and was easily led, being incompany with the oats, of which a handful occasionally was given toher; and so, being watered at a stream near by and fed daily, she wasno doubt far more comfortable than she would have been in the blackcloud that Abigail Williams was perfectly ready to swear she had seenher enter and where though there might be plenty of water, oatsdoubtless were not often meet with. CHAPTER XXIII. Master Raymond Also Complains of an "Evil Hand. " Master Raymond had everything now prepared upon his part, and wasawaiting a message from Captain Alden, to the effect that he had made apositive engagement with the Danish captain. He had caught a serious cold on his return from Boston and, turning thematter over in his mind--for it is a wise thing to try to get some goodresult out of even apparently evil occurrences--he had called in thevillage doctor. But the good Doctor's medicine did not seem to work as it ought to--forone reason, Master Raymond regularly emptied the doses out of thewindow; thinking as he told Master Joseph, to put them where they woulddo the most good. And when the Doctor came, and found that neitherpurging nor vomiting had been produced, these with bleeding and sweatingbeing the great panaceas of that day--as perhaps of this--he wasnaturally astonished. In a case where neither castor oil, senna andmanna, nor large doses of Glauber's salts would work, a medical man wascertainly justified in thinking that something must be wrong. Master Raymond suggested whether "an evil hand" might not be upon him. This was the common explanation at that time in Salem and itsneighborhood. The doctors and the druggists nowadays miss a great dealin not having such an excuse made ready to their hands--it would accountalike for adulterated drugs and ill-judged remedies. Master Raymond had the reputation of being rich, and the Doctor had beenmortified by the bad behavior of his medicines--for if a patient be notcured, if he is at least vigorously handled, there seems to be somethingthat can with propriety be heavily charged for. But if a doctor doesnothing--neither cures, nor anything else--with what face can he bringin a weighty bill? And so good Doctor Griggs readily acquiesced in his patient'ssupposition that "an evil hand, " was at work, and even suggested that heshould bring Abigail Williams or some other "afflicted" girl with himthe next time he came, to see with her sharpened eyes who it was thatwas bewitching him. But Master Raymond declined the offer--at least for the present. If thething continued, and grew worse, he might be able himself to see who itwas. Why should he not be as able to do it as Abigail Williams, or anyother of the "afflicted" circle? Of course the doctor was not able toanswer why; there seemed to be no good reason why one set of "afflicted"people should have a monopoly of the accusing business. Of course this came very quickly from the Doctor to Mistress AnnPutnam--for he was a regular attendant of that lady, whose nervoussystem indeed was in a fearful state by this time. And she puzzled agood deal over it. Did Master Raymond intend to accuse anyone? Who wasit? Or was it merely a hint thrown out, that it was a game that twoparties could play at? But then she smiled--she had the two ministers, and through them all theother ministers of the colony--the magistrates and judges--and theadvantages of the original position. Imitators always failed. Still sherather liked the young man's craft and boldness--Joseph Putnam wouldnever have thought of such a thing. But still let him beware how heattempted to thwart her plans. He would soon find that she was thestronger. Joseph Putnam then began to answer inquiries as to the health of hisguest, --that he was not much better, and thought somewhat of going up toBoston for further medical advice--as the medicines given him so far didnot seem to work as well as they should do. "Could he bear the ride?" "Oh, very well indeed--his illness had not so far affected his strengthmuch. " CHAPTER XXIV. Master Raymond's Little Plan Blocked. "Our game is blocked!" said Joseph Putnam to Master Raymond as he rodeup one afternoon soon after, and dismounted at the garden gate, wherehis guest was awaiting him, impatient to hear if anything had yet comefrom Captain Alden. "What do you mean?" said his guest. "Mean? Why, that yon she-wolf is too much for us. Captain Alden isarrested!" "What! Captain John Alden!" "Yes, Captain John Alden!" "On what charge?" Master Joseph smiled grimly, "For witchcraft!" "Nonsense!" "Yes, devilish nonsense! but true as gospel, nevertheless. " "And he submits to it?" "With all around him crazy, he cannot help it. Besides, as an officer ofthe government, he must submit to the laws. " "On whose complaint?" "Oh, the she-wolf's of course--that delectable smooth-spoken wife of mybrother Thomas. How any man can love a catty creature like that, beatsme out. " "I suppose she found out that I went frequently to see the Captain, whenin Boston?" "I suppose so. " "Who could have informed her?" "Her master, the devil, I suppose. " "Where is the Captain to be examined?" "Oh, here in Salem, where his accusers are. It comes off tomorrow. Theylose no time you see. " "Well, I would not have believed it possible. Whom will they attacknext?" "The Governor, I suppose, " replied Master Joseph satirically. "Or you?" "If she does, I'll run my sword through her--not as being a woman, butas a foul fiend. I told her so. Let her dare to touch me, or any oneunder this roof!" "What did she say when you threatened her?" "She put on an injured expression; and said she could never believeanything wrong of her dear husband's family, if all the 'spectres' inthe world told her so. " "Well, I hope you are safe, but as for me--" "Oh, you are, too. You are within my gates. To touch you, is to touchme. She fully realizes that. Besides brother Thomas is her abject toolin most things; but some things even he would not allow. " Yes, Captain John Alden, son of that John Alden who was told by thepretty Puritan maiden, "Speak for yourself John, " when he went pleadingthe love-suit of his friend Captain Miles Standish; John Alden, captainof the only vessel of war belonging to the colony, a man of largeproperty, and occupying a place in the very front rank of Bostonsociety, had been arrested for witchcraft! What a state of insanity thereligious delusion had reached, can be seen by this high-handedproceeding. Here again we come on to ground in which the details given in the oldmanuscript book, are fully confirmed, in every essential particular byexisting public records. Mr. Upham, whose admirable account of "SalemWitchcraft" has been of great aid to me in the preparation of thisvolume, is evidently puzzled to account for Captain Alden's arrest. Heis not able to see how the gallant Captain could have excited the ire ofthe "afflicted circle. " He seems to have been entirely ignorant of thiscase of Dulcibel Burton--hers doubtless being one of the many cases inwhich the official records were purposely destroyed. If he had known ofthis case, he would have seen the connection between it and CaptainAlden. It also might have explained the continual allusions to the"yellow bird" in so many of the trials--based possibly on Dulcibel'scanary, which had been given to her by the Captain, and whose habit ofkissing her lips with its little bill had appeared so mysterious anddiabolical to the superstitious inhabitants of Salem village. Master Raymond's health, as is not to be wondered at, had improvedsufficiently by the next day, to allow of his accompanying Joseph Putnamto the village, to attend Captain Alden's examination. The meeting-housewas even more crowded than usual, such was the absorbing interest takenin the case, owing to the Captain's high standing in the province. The veteran Captain's own brief account of this matter, which has comedown to us, does not go into many details, and is valuable mainly asshowing that he regarded it very much in the same light that it isregarded now--owing probably to the fact that while a church member ingood standing, he doubtless was a good deal better seaman than churchmember. For he says he was "sent for by the Magistrates of Salem, uponthe accusation of a company of poor distracted or possessed creatures orwitches. " And he speaks further of them as "wenches who played theirjuggling tricks, falling down, crying out, and staring in people'sfaces. " The worthy Captain's account is however, as I have said, very brief--andhas the tone of one who had been a participant, however unwillingly, ina grossly shameful affair, alike disgraceful to the colony and toeverybody concerned in it. For some additional details, I am indebted tothe manuscript volume. Captain Alden had not been arrested in Boston. He says himself in hisstatement, that "he was sent to Salem by Mr. Stoughton"--the DeputyGovernor, and Chief-Justice of the Special Court that had condemned andexecuted Bridget Bishop, and which was now about to meet again. Before the meeting of the magistrates, Master Raymond had managed tohave a few words with him in private, and found that no arrangementswith any skipper had yet been made. The first negotiations had fallenthrough, and there was no other foreign vessel at that time in portwhose master possessed what Captain Alden considered the requisitetrustworthiness and daring. For he wanted a skipper that would showfight if he was pursued and overtaken; not that any actual fightingwould probably be necessary, for a simple show of resistance woulddoubtless be all that was needed. "When I get back to Boston, I think I shall be able to arrange mattersin the course of a week or two. " "What--in Boston jail?" queried Master Raymond. "You do not suppose the magistrates will commit me on such a trumped-upnonsensical charge as this?" said the stout old captain indignantly. "Indeed I do, " was the reply. "Why, there is not a particle of truth in it. I never saw these girls. Inever even heard of their being in existence. " "Oh, that makes no difference. " "The devil it doesn't!" said the old man, hotly. My readers mustremember that he was a seaman. Here the sheriff came up and told the Captain he was wanted. CHAPTER XXV. Captain Alden before the Magistrates. There was an additional magistrate sitting on this occasion, MasterBartholomew Gedney--making three in all. Mistress Ann Putnam, the she-wolf, as her young brother-in-law hadcalled her, was not present among the accusers--leaving the part of the"afflicted" to be played by the other and younger members of the circle. There was another Captain present, also a stranger, a Captain Hill; andhe being also a tall man, perplexed some of the girls at first. One evenpointed at him, until she was better informed in a whisper by a man whowas holding her up. And then she cried out that it was "Alden! Alden!"who was afflicting her. At length one of the magistrates ordering Captain Alden to stand upon achair, there was no further trouble upon that point; and the usualdemonstrations began. As the accused naturally looked upon the"afflicted" girls, they went off into spasms, shrieks and convulsions. This was nearly always the first proceeding, as it created a profoundsympathy for them, and was almost sufficient of itself to condemn theaccused. "The tall man is pinching me!" "Oh, he is choking me!" "He is choking me! do hold his hands!" "He stabs me with his sword--oh, take it away from him!" Such were the exclamations that came from the writhing and convulsedgirls. "Turn away his head! and hold his hands!" cried Squire Hathorne. "Takeaway his sword!" said Squire Gedney while the old Captain grew red andwrathful at the babel around him, and at the indignities to which he wassubject. "Captain Alden, why do you torment these poor girls who never injuredyou?" "Torment them!--you see I am not touching them. I do not even know them;I never saw them before in my life, " growled the indignant old seaman. "See! there is the little yellow bird kissing his lips!" cried AbigailWilliams. "Now it is whispering into his ear. It is bringing him amessage from the other witch Dulcibel Burton. See! see! there it goesback again to her--through the window!" So well was this done, that probably half of the people present wouldhave been willing to swear the next day, that they actually saw theyellow bird as she described it. "Ask him if he did not give her the yellow bird, " said Leah Herrick. "But probably he will lie about it. " "Did you not give the witch, Dulcibel Burton, a yellow bird, which isone of her familiars?" said Squire Hathorne sternly. "I gave her a canary bird that I brought from the West Indies, if thatis what you mean, " replied the Captain. "But what harm was there inthat?" "I knew it! The yellow bird told me so, when it came to peck out myeyes, " cried Mercy Lewis. "Oh! there it is again!" and she struck wildlyinto the air before her face. "Drive it away! Do drive it away, someone!" Here a young man pulled out his rapier, and began thrusting at theinvisible bird in a furious manner. "Now it comes to me!" cried Sarah Churchill. And then the other girlsalso cried out, and began striking into the air before their faces, tillthere was anew a perfect babel of cries, shrieks and sympathizingvoices. Master Raymond, amid all his indignation at such barefaced and wickedand yet successful imposture, could hardly avoid smiling at theexpression of the old seaman's face as he stood on the chair, andfronted all this tempest of absurd and villainous accusation. At firstthere had been a deep crimson glow of the hottest wrath upon the oldman's cheeks and brow; but now he seemed to have been shocked into akind of stupor, so unexpected and weighty were the charges against him, and made with such vindictive fierceness; and yet so utterly absurd, while at the same time, so impossible of being refuted. "He bought the yellow bird from Tituba's mother--her spectre told meso!" cried Abigail Williams. "What do you say to that, Master Alden?" said Squire Gedney. "That is aserious charge. " "I never saw any Tituba or her mother, " exclaimed the Captain, againgrowing indignant. "Who then did you buy the witch's familiar of?" asked Squire Hathorne. "I do not know--some old negro wench!" Here the magistrates looked at each other sagely, and nodded theirwooden heads. It was a fatal admission. "You had better confess all, and give glory to God!" said Squire Gedney solemnly. "I trust I shall always be ready to give glory to God, " answered the oldman stoutly; "but I do not see that it would glorify Him to confess to apack of lies. You have known me for many years, Master Gedney, but didyou ever know me to speak an untruth, or seek to injure any innocentpersons, much less women and children?" Squire Gedney said that he had known the accused many years, and hadeven been at sea with him, and had always supposed him to be an honestman; but now he saw good cause to alter that judgment. "Turn and look now again upon those afflicted persons, " concluded SquireGedney. As the accused turned and again looked upon them, all of the "afflicted"fell down on the floor as if he had struck them a heavy blow--moaningand crying out against him. "I judge you by your works; and believe you now to be a wicked man and awitch, " said Squire Gedney in a very severe tone. Captain Alden turned then and looked directly at the magistrate forseveral moments. "Why does not my look knock you down too?" he saidindignantly. "If it hurts them so much, would it not hurt you a little?" "He wills it not to hurt you, " cried Leah Herrick. "He is looking atyou, but his spectre has its back towards you. " There was quite a roar of applause through the crowded house at such anexposure of the old Captain's trickery. He was very cunning to be sure;but the "afflicted" girls could see through his knavery. "Make him touch the poor girls, " said the Reverend Master Noyes. For itwas the accepted theory that by doing this, the witch, in spite ofhimself, reabsorbed into his own body the devilish energy that had goneout of him, and the afflicted were healed. This was repeatedly donethrough the progress of these examinations and the after trials; and wasalways found to be successful, both as a cure of the sufferers, and anundeniable proof that the person accused was really a witch. In this case the "afflicted" girls were brought up to Captain Alden, oneafter the other and upon his being made to touch them with his hand, they invariably drew a deep breath of relief, and said they feltentirely well again. "You see Captain Alden, " said Squire Gedney solemnly, "none of thetests fail in your case. If there were only one proof, we might doubt;but as the Scripture says, by the mouths of two or three witnesses shallthe truth be established. If you were innocent a just God would notallow you to be overcome in this manner. " "I know that there is a just God, and I know that I am entirelyinnocent" replied the noble old seaman in a firm voice. "But it is notfor an uninspired man like me, to attempt to reconcile the mysteries ofHis providence. Far better men than I am, even prophets and apostles, have been brought before magistrates and judges, and their good nameslied away, and they condemned to the prison and the scaffold and thecross. Why then, should I expect to fare better than they did? All I cando, like Job of old, is to maintain my integrity--even though Satan andall his imps be let loose for a time against me. " Here the Reverend Master Noyes rose excitedly, and said that thedecisions of heathen courts and judges were one thing; and the decisionsof godly magistrates, who were all members of the church of the trueGod, and therefore inspired by his spirit, was a very different thing. He said it was simply but another proof of the guilt of the accused, that he should compare himself with the apostles and the martyrs; andthese worshipful Christian magistrates with heathen magistrates andjudges. Hearing him talk in this ribald way, he could no longer doubtthe accusation brought against him; for there was no surer proof of aman or woman having dealings with Satan, than to defame and calumniateGod's chosen people. As Mr. Noyes took his seat, the magistrates said they had heardsufficient, and ordered the committal of the accused to Boston prison toawait trial. "I will give bail for Captain Alden's appearance, to the whole amount ofmy estate, " said Joseph Putnam coming forward. "A man of his age, whohas served the colony in so many important positions, should be treatedwith some leniency. " "We are very sorry for the Captain, " answered Squire Gedney, "but asthis is a capital offence, no bail can be taken. " "Thank you, Master Putnam, but I want no bail, " said the old seamanproudly. "If the colony of Massachusetts Bay, which my father helped tobuild up, and for which I have labored so long and faithfully, choosesto requite my services in this ungrateful fashion, let it be so. Theshame is on Massachusetts not on me!" CHAPTER XXVI. Considering New Plans. "Well, what now?" said Master Joseph Putnam to his guest, as they rodehomeward. "You might give up the sea-route and try a push through thewilderness to the Hudson River. " "Rather dangerous that. " "Yes, unless you could secure the services of some heathen savages topilot you through. " "Could we trust them?" "Twenty years ago, according to my father's old stories, we could; butthey are very bitter now--they do not keep much faith with white men. "Perhaps the white men have not kept much faith with them. " "Of course not. You know they are the heathen; and we have a Biblecommunion to exterminate them, and drive them out of our promised land. " "Do you believe that?" "Well, not exactly, " and Master Joseph laughed. "Besides, I think theQuaker plan both cheaper in the end and a great deal safer. Not that Ibelieve they have any more right to the land than we have. " "Penn and the Quakers think differently. " "I know they do--but they are a set of crazy enthusiasts. " "What is your view? That of your ministers? The earth is the Lord's. Hehas given it to His saints. We are the saints. " Master Joseph laughed again. "Well, something like that. The earth isthe Lord's. He has intended it for the use of His children. We are Hischildren quite as much as the savages. Therefore we have as much rightto it as they have. " "Only they happen to be in possession, " replied Master Raymond, drily. "Are they in possession? So far as they are actually in possession, Iadmit their right. But do you seriously mean that a few hundred orthousand of wild heathen, have a right to prior occupancy to the wholeNorth American continent? It seems to me absurd?" "A relative of mine has ten square miles in Scotland that he neveroccupies, in your sense of the word any more than your red-men do; andyet he is held to have a valid right to it, against the hundreds ofpeasants who would like to enter in and take possession. " "Oh, plenty of things are done wrong in the old world, " replied MasterPutnam; "that is why we Puritans are over here. But still the factremains that the earth is the Lord's and that He intended it for Hischildren's use; and no merely legal or personal right can be above that. If ever the time comes that your relative's land is really needed by thepeople at large, why then some way will have to be contrived to get holdof it for them. " "The Putnam family have a good many broad acres too, " said MasterRaymond, with a smile, looking around him. "Oh, you cannot scare me, " replied his friend, also smiling. "What issauce for the Campbell goose is sauce for the Putnam gander. If the timeever comes when the public good requires that the broad lands of thePutnams--if there be any Putnams at that time--have to be appropriatedto meet the wants of their fellow men, then the broad Putnam lands willhave to go like the rest, I imagine. We have taken them from theIndians, just as the Normans took them from the Saxons--and as theSaxons took them from the Danes and the ancient inhabitants--by thestrong hand. But the sword can give no right--save as the claim of thepublic good is behind it. Show me that the public good requires it, andI am willing that the title-deeds for my own share of the broad Putnamlands shall be burnt up tomorrow. " "I believe you, my dear friend, " said Master Raymond, gazing withadmiration upon the manly, glowing face of this nature's nobleman. "AndI am inclined to think that your whole view of the matter is correct. But, coming back to our first point, do you know of any savage that wecould trust to guide us safely to the settlements on the Hudson?" "If old king Philip, whose head has been savagely exposed to allweathers on the gibbet at Plymouth for the last sixteen years, werealive, something perhaps might be done. His safeguard would have carriedyou through. " "Is there not another chief, called Nucas?" "Oh, old Nucas, of the Mohegans. He was a character! But he died tenyears ago. Lassacus, too, was killed. There are a couple of Pequodsettlements down near New Haven I believe; but they are too far off. " "And then you could not tell me where to put my hand on some dozen or soof the Indians, whom I might engage as a convoy. " "Not now. A roving party may pass in the woods at any time. But theywould not be very reliable. If they could make more by selling yourscalps than by keeping them safely on your heads, they would be prettysure to sell them. " "Then I see nothing to do, but to go again to Boston, and arrangeanother scheme on the old plan. " "You ought not to travel long in Dulcibel's company without beingmarried, " said Master Putnam bluntly. "Very true--but we can not well be married without giving our names tothe minister; and to do that, would be to deliver ourselves up to theauthorities. " "Mistress Putnam and myself might accompany you to New York--we shouldnot mind a little trip. " "And thus make yourselves parties to Dulcibel's escape? No, no, my goodfriend--that would be to put you both in prison in her place. " "It is not likely there would be any other woman on board thevessel--that is of any reputation. You must try to get some one to gowith you. " "And incur the certainty of punishment when she returns?" "Perhaps you could find some one who would like to settle permanently inNew York. I should like to go myself if I could, and get out of thisden of wild beasts. " "Yes, I may be able to do that--though I shall not dare to try thatuntil the last day almost--for the women always have some man toconsult, and thus our secret plan would get blown about, to our greatperil. " "I have a scheme!" cried Master Joseph in exultation. "It is the verything, " and he burst out laughing. "Kidnap Cotton Mather, or one of theother Boston ministers, and take him with you. " "That would be a bold stroke, " replied Master Raymond, also laughingheartily. "But, like belling the cat, it is easier said than done. Ministers are apt to be cautious and wary. They are timid folk. " "Not when a wedding is to be solemnized, and a purse of gold-pieces isshaken before them, " returned Master Putnam. "Have everything ready tosail. Then decoy the minister on board, to marry a wealthy foreigngentleman, a friend of the skipper's--and do not let him go again. Payhim enough and the skipper will think it a first rate joke. " "But he might be so angry that he would refuse to marry us after all ourtrouble. " "Oh, do not you believe that--if you make the fee large enough. Treathim kindly, represent to him the absolute necessity of the case, saythat you never would have thought of such a thing if it could in any wayhave been avoided, and I'll warrant he will do the job before you reachNew York. " "I wish I felt as certain as you do. " "Well, suppose he will not be mollified. What then? Your end isattained. He has acted as chaperon, and involuntary master of proprietywhether he would or not. A minister is just as good as a matron tochaperon the maiden. Of course he will have his action for damagesagainst you, and you will be willing to pay him fairly, but if he bringsyou before a jury of New Yorkers, and you simply relate the facts, andthe necessity of the case, little will he get of damages beyond aplentiful supply of jokes and laughter. You know there is very littlelove lost between the people of the two colonies; and that the Manhattanpeople have no more respect for all the witchcraft business, than youand I have. " Master Raymond made no reply. He did not want to kidnap a minister, ifit could be in any way avoided. With Master Putnam, however, thatseemed to be one of the most desirable features of the proposed plan, only he was tenfold more sorry now than ever, that such weightyprudential reasons prevented his taking any active share in theenterprise. To kidnap a minister--especially if it could be the ReverendCotton Mather--seemed to him something which was worth almost therisking of his liberty and property in which to take a hand. CHAPTER XXVII. The Dissimulation of Master Raymond. About this time the gossips of Salem village began to remark upon theattentions that were being paid by the wealthy young Englishman, MasterEllis Raymond, to various members of the "afflicted circle. " He pettedthose bright and terribly precocious children of twelve, Ann Putnam andAbigail Williams; he almost courted the older girls, Mary Walcot, MercyLewis and Leah Herrick and had a kindly word for Mary Warren, SarahChurchill and others, whenever he saw them. As for Mistress Ann Putnam, the mother, he always had been very respectful to her. While in Bostonhe had purchased quite an assortment of those little articles which thePuritan elders usually denominated "gew-gaws" and "vain adornments" andit was observed that Abigail Williams especially had been given a numberof these, while the other girls had one or more of them, which they werevery careful in not displaying except at those times when no grave elderor deacon was present to be shocked by them. I will acknowledge that there was some dissimulation in this conduct ofMaster Raymond's, and Joseph Putnam by no means approved of it. "How you can go smiling around that den of big and little she-wolves, patting the head of one, and playing with the paw of another, I cannotunderstand, friend Raymond. I would not do it to save my life. " "Nor I, " answered Master Raymond gravely. "But I would do it to saveyour life, friend Joseph, or that of your sweet young wife there--orthat of the baby which she holds upon her knee. " "Or that of Mistress Dulcibel Burton!" added sweet Mistress Putnamkindly. "Yes, or that of Dulcibel Burton. " "You know, my dear friends, the plan I have in view may fail. If thatshould fail, I am laying the foundation of another--so that if Dulcibelshould be brought to trial, the witnesses that are relied upon may failto testify so wantonly against her. Even little Abigail Williams has theassurance and ingenuity to save her, if she will. " "Yes, that precocious child is a very imp of Satan, " said Joseph Putnam. "What a terrible woman she will make. " "Oh, no, she may sink down into a very tame and commonplace woman, afterthis tremendous excitement is over, " rejoined his friend. "I think attimes I see symptoms of it now. The strain is too great for her childishbrain. " "Well, I suppose your dissimulation is allowable if it is to save thelife of your betrothed, " said Master Putnam, "but I would not do it if Icould and I could not if I would. " "Do you remember Junius Brutus playing idiot--and King David playingimbecile?" "Oh, I know you have plenty of authority for your dissimulation. " "It seems to me, " joined in young Mistress Putnam, "that the differencebetween you is simply this. Joseph could not conscientiously do it; andyou can. " "Yes, that is about the gist of it, " said her young husband. "And nowthat I have relieved my conscience by protesting against your course, Iam satisfied you should go on in your own way just the same. " "And yet you feel no conscientious scruples against abducting theminister, " rejoined Raymond laughing; "a thing which I am rather loathto do. " "I see, " replied Joseph, also laughing. "I scruple at taking mustard, and you at cayenne pepper. It is a matter of mental organizationprobably. " "Yes--and if a few or many doses of mustard will prevent my beingarrested as a witch, which would put it entirely out of my power to aidDulcibel in her affliction--and perhaps turn some of the "afflicted"girls over to her side, in case she has to stand a trial for her life--Ishall certainly swallow them with as much grace as if they were so manyspoonfuls of honey. There is a time to be over-scrupulous, friendJoseph, but not when my beloved one is in the cage of the tigers. Yes, Ishall not hesitate to meet craft with craft. " And Mistress Putnam, sweet, good woman as she was, nodded her head, woman-like, approvingly, carried away perhaps by the young man'searnestness, and by the strength of his love. CHAPTER XXVIII. The Cruel Doings of the Special Court. Meanwhile the Special Court of seven Judges--a majority of whom werefrom Boston, with the Deputy Governor of the Colony, William Stoughten, as Chief-Justice--was by no means indolent. Of the proceedings of thiscourt, which embodied apparently the best legal intellect of the colony, no official record is in existence. Its shameful pages, smeared all overwith bigotry and blood, no doubt were purposely destroyed. So far as weare acquainted with the evidence given before it, it was substantiallythe same as had been given at the previous examinations before thecommitting magistrates. That nothing was too extravagant and absurd to be received as evidenceby this learned court, is proven by the statement of the Reverend CottonMather, already alluded to, relative to a demon entering themeeting-house and tearing down a part of it, in obedience to a look fromMistress Bridget Bishop--of which diabolical outrage the Court was dulyinformed. Besides, there could have been no other kind of evidenceforthcoming, that would apply to the crime of which all the accusedwere charged, Witchcraft. Many of the prisoners indeed were accused ofmurdering children and others, whose illness had been beyond thephysician's power to cure; but the murders were all committed, it wasalleged, by the use of "spectres, " "familiars, " "puppets, " and othersupernatural means. Against such accusations it was impossible for menand women of the highest character and reputation to make any effectualdefence, before a court and jury given over so completely to religiousfanaticism and superstitious fancies. To be accused was therefore to becondemned. Yes, this Special Court, having had all its misgivings, if it everreally had any, quieted by the answer of the council of ministers, wasdoing quick and fearful work. Meeting again in the latter part of June, it speedily tried, convictedand sentenced to death five persons:--Sarah Good, Sarah Wildes, Elizabeth How, Susanna Martin and Rebecca Nurse. Then, adjourning till August 5th, it tried and convicted GeorgeBurroughs, John Procter, Elizabeth Procter, George Jacobs, John Willardand Martha Carrier. Then meeting on September 9th, it tried and condemned Martha Corey, MaryEasty, Alice Parker and Ann Pudcator; and on September 17th, MargaretScott, Wilmot Reed, Samuel Wardwell and Mary Parker. It will be noticed that of the above nineteen persons, only five weremen. As the greater number of the accusers were also of the female sex, it was natural, I suppose, that this should be so. And thus we find thatthe word witch is applied indifferently in the old records, to men andwomen; the masculine term wizard being seldom used. That the learned Judges were fully as superstitious as the people atlarge, is conclusively proved by certain facts that have come down tous. In the case of that lovely and venerable matron, Rebecca Nurse, thejury at first brought in the verdict "Not guilty. " But immediately all the accusers in the Court, and all the "afflicted"out of it, made a hideous outcry. Two of the Judges said they were notsatisfied. The Chief-Justice intimated that there was one admission ofthe prisoner that the jury had not properly considered. These thingsinduced the jurors to go out again, and come back with a verdict of"Guilty. " One of the charges against Rebecca Nurse, testified to by Edward Putnam, was that, after the said Rebecca Nurse had been committed to jail, andwas thus several miles distant in the town of Salem, "she, the saidNurse, struck Mistress Ann Putnam with her spectral chain, leaving amark, being a kind of round ring, and three streaks across the ring. Shehad six blows with a chain in the space of half-an-hour; and she had oneremarkable one, with six streaks across her arm. Ann Putnam, Jr. , alsowas bitten by the spectre of the said Rebecca Nurse about two o'clock ofthe day. I, Edward Putnam, saw the marks, both of bite and chains. " It was a great hardship in all these trials, that the prisoners were notallowed any counsel; while on the other hand, the members of the Courtseemed to take it for granted from the first, that they were guilty. Theonly favor allowed them was the right of objecting to a certain extentto those jurors whose fairness they mistrusted. One of the accused, a reputable and aged farmer named Giles Corey, refused to plead. His wife, Martha Corey, was among the convicted. Ather examination, some time previous, he had allowed himself to testifyin certain respects against her; involved as he was for a time in theprevailing delusion. But he was a man of strong mind and character; andthough not entirely able to throw off the chains which superstition hadwoven around him, he repented very sorely the part he had taken againsthis wife. This was enough to procure his own accusation. The "afflictedgirls" brought their usual complaints that his spectre tormented them. They fell down and shrieked so wildly at his examination, that SquireHathorne asked him with great indignation, "Is it not enough that youshould afflict these girls at other times without doing it now in ourpresence?" The honest and sturdy man was visibly affected. He knew he was notconsciously doing anything; but what could it all mean? If he turned hishead, the girls said he was hurting them and turned their heads the sameway. The Court ordered his hands tied--and then the girls said they wereeasier. But he drew in his cheeks, after a habit he had, and the cheeksof the girls were sucked in also, giving them great pain. The old manwas fairly dumfounded. When however one of the girls testified thatGoodman Corey had told her that he saw the devil in the shape of a blackhog in the cow-house, and was very much frightened by it, the spiritedold man said that he never was frightened by man or devil in his life. But he had a fair property, and two sons-in-law to whom he wished toleave it. He knew well that if he were tried he would be convicted, andthat would carry with it the confiscation of his property. So, as othernoble-hearted men had done in that and the previous age, he refused whenbrought before the Special Court, to plead either "guilty" or "notguilty. " In these later times the presiding Judge would simply order aplea of "not guilty" to be entered, and the trial would proceed. Butthen it was otherwise--the accused himself must plead, or the trialcould not go on. Therefore he must be made to plead--by placing heavyweights upon his breast, and adding to them until the accused eitheragreed to plead, or died under the torture. In which last case, theprisoner lost his life as contumacious; but gained his point ofpreserving his estate, and title of nobility if he had any, to hisfamily. So, manly old Giles Corey, remorseful for the fate he had helped tobring upon his wife, and determined that his children should inherit theproperty he had acquired, maintained a determined silence when broughtbefore the Special Court. Being warned, again and again, he simplysmiled. He could bear all that they in their cruel mockery of justicecould inflict upon him. Joseph Putnam and Master Raymond rode down to Salem that day--to theorchard where the brave old man was led out of jail to meet his doom. They saw him, tied hand and foot, and heavy flat stones and iron weightslaid one by one upon him. "More! More!" pleaded the old man at last. "I shall never yield. But, ifye be men, make the time short!" "I cannot stand this, " said Master Raymond. "We are powerless to help him--let us go. " "To torture an old man of eighty years in this way! What a sight forthis new world!" exclaimed Master Putnam, as they turned their horses'heads and rode off. His executioners took Giles Corey at his word. They knew the old manwould never yield. So they mercifully heaped the heavy weights upon himuntil they had crushed out his life. CHAPTER XXIX. Dulcibel's Life in Prison. Dulcibel's life in prison was of course a very monotonous one. She didnot suffer however as did many other women of equally gentle nature. Inthe jails of Ipswich, Boston and Cambridge, there were keepers whoconformed in most cases strictly to the law. In many instances delicateand weakly women, often of advanced years, were chained, hands and feet, with heavy irons, night and day. But Robert Foster and his son, who assisted him as under-keeper, whileindulging before the marshal and the constables in the utmost violenceand severity of language, and who were supposed to be strict enforcersof all the instructions received from the magistrates, were as we haveseen, at heart, very liberal and kind-hearted men. And the only fear theprisoners had, was that they would throw up their positions some day indisgust. Uncle Robie often declared to Dulcibel that he would, when shewas once fairly out of the clutches of her enemies. Every now and then instructions would come to jailer Foster from one ofthe magistrates--generally Squire Hathorne--to put heavier irons on someone of the prisoners, whose spectre was still tormenting the "afflictedgirls. " It being generally held that the more heavily you chained awitch, the less able she was to afflict her victims. And at these timesMaster Foster would get out his heaviest irons, parade them before theeyes of the constables, declare in a fierce tone what he was about todo, get the constable off on one pretext or another--and do nothing. It was thought best and wisest for neither Master Joseph Putnam norMaster Raymond to seek many interviews with Dulcibel; the means ofintercourse between the two lovers being restricted to little notes, which goodwife Buckley, who frequently visited the maiden, transmittedfrom one to the other through the agency of either her husband or ofJoseph Putnam. This kept them both in heart; and Dulcibel beingsustained by the frequent assurances of her lover's devotion, and by thehope of escape, kept the roses of her cheeks in marvelous bloom duringher close confinement. One of the constables, who managed to get sight of her one day throughthe half-opened door of her cell, expressed surprise to the jailer thatshe should still look so blooming, considering the weight of the heavychains to which she was continually subjected. "And why should not the young witch look so?" replied the jailer. "Isnot her spectre riding around on that devil's mare half the night, andhaving a good time of it?" The constable assented to this view of the case; and his suspicions, ifhe had any, were quieted. In fact even Squire Hathorne himself probablywould have been perfectly satisfied with an explanation of so undeniablea character. Of course it was not considered prudent by Uncle Robie, that thefurniture or general appearance of Dulcibel's cell should be changed inthe least for the better. Not even a bunch of flowers that GoodwifeBuckley once brought to Dulcibel, could be allowed to remain there. While in a corner of the cell, lay the heavy chains which, if themarshal or one of the magistrates, should insist upon seeing theprisoner, could be slipped on her wrists and ankles in a few minutes. Fortunately, however, for Dulcibel, the interest of all these was nowcentered upon the trials that were in progress, the contumaciousobstinacy of Giles Corey, the host of new accusations at Ipswich andother neighboring places, and the preparations for the execution ofthose already condemned to death. If they had a passing thought of the young witch Dulcibel Burton, it wasthat her time would come rapidly around in its turn, when speedy justiceno doubt would be done to her. As to Antipas, her faithful servitor, he had relapsed again into his oldstaidness and sobriety in the comparative quietude of the prison. Onlyon the day of Giles Corey's execution had the prevailing excitementattending that event, and which naturally affected the constables andjailers, made him raging. To pass the constable's inspection, as well asfor his own safety, the jailer had chained him; but his voice could beheard ringing through the closed door of his cell at intervals frommorning till evening. The burden of his thoughts seemed to be a blending of denunciation andexultation. The predictions of the four Quakers executed many yearsbefore on Boston common, and those of men and women who had been whippedat the cart's tail through the towns of the colony, evidently seemed tohim in progress of fulfillment:-- "They have torn the righteous to pieces; now the judgment is upon them, and they are tearing each other! Woe to the bloody towns of Boston andSalem and Ipswich! Satan is let loose by the Lord upon them! They haveslain the saints, they have supped full of innocent blood; now the bloodof their own sons, their own daughters, is filling the cup of God'svengeance! They have tortured the innocent women, the innocentchildren--and banished them and sold them to the Philistines as slaves. But the Lord will avenge His own elect! They are given up to believe alie! The persecutors are persecuting each other! They are pressing eachother to death beneath heavy stones! They are hanging each other on thegallows of Haman! Where they hung the innocent, they are hangingthemselves! Oh, God! avenge now the blood of thy Saints! As they havedone, let it be done unto them! Whip and kill! Whip and kill! Ha! ha!ha!"--and with a blood-curdling laugh that rang through the narrowpassages of the prison, the insane old man would fall down for a time onhis bed exhausted. That was an awful day, both outside and inside the prison--for all theprisoners knew what a savage death old Giles Corey was meeting. Itseemed to Dulcibel afterwards, that if she had not been sustained by thepower of love, and a hopeful looking forward to other scenes, she musthave herself gone crazy during that and the other evil days that wereupon them. To some of the prisoners, the most fragile and sensitiveones, even the hour of their execution seemed to come as a relief. Anything, to get outside of those close dark cells--and to make an endof it! CHAPTER XXX. Eight Legal Murders on Witch Hill. A mile or so outside of the town of Salem, the ground rises into a rockyledge, from the top of which, to the south and the east and the west, avast expanse of land and sea is visible. You overlook the town; the tworivers, or branches of the sea, between which the town lies; the thicklywooded country, as it was then, to the south and west; and the wide, open sea to the eastward. Such a magnificent prospect of widespread land and water is seldom seenaway from the mountain regions; and, as one stands on the naked brow ofthe hill, on a clear summer day, as the sunset begins to dye the west, and gazes on the scene before and around him, he feels that the heavensare not so very far distant, and as if he could almost touch with thesemortal hands the radiance and the glory. The natural sublimity of this spot seems to have struck the Puritanfathers of Salem, and looking around on its capabilities, they appear tohave come to the conclusion that of all places it was the one expresslydesigned by the loving Father of mankind for--a gallows! "Yes, the very spot for a gallows!" said the first settlers. "The veryspot!" echoed their descendants. "See, the wild "Heathen Salvages" canbehold it from far and near; the free spoken, law-abiding sailors candescry it, far out at sea; and both know by this sign that they areapproaching a land of Christian civilization and of godly law!" I think if I were puzzled for an emblem to denote the harsher and moreuncharitable side of the Puritan character, I should pick out thisgallows on Witch Hill near Salem, as being a most befitting one. This was the spot where, as we have already related, approaching it fromthe north, Master Raymond had his interview with jailer Foster. But thatwas night, and it was so dark that Master Raymond had no idea of itscommanding so fine a view of both land and water. He had been in Bostonduring the execution of poor Bridget Bishop; and though he had oftenseen the gallows from below, and wondered at the grim taste which hadreared it in such a conspicuous spot, he had never felt the leastdesire, but rather a natural aversion, to approach the place where suchan unrighteous deed had been enacted. But now the carpenters had been again at work and supplanted the oldscaffolding by another and larger one. Now the uprights had been addedtoo--and on the beam which they supported there was room for at leastten persons. This seemed to be enough space to Marshall Herrick andSquire Hathorne; though at the rate the arrests and convictions weregoing on, it might be that one-half of the people in the two Salems andin Ipswich, would be hung in the course of a year or so by the otherhalf. But for this special hanging, only eight ropes and nooses were prepared. The workmen had been employed the preceding afternoon; and now in thefresh morning light, everything was ready; and eight of those who hadbeen condemned were to be executed. The town, and village, and country around turned out, as was natural, ina mass, to see the terrible sight. And yet the crowd was comparatively asmall one, the colony then being so thinly settled. But this, to MasterRaymond's eyes, gave a new horror to the scene. If there had been acrowd like that when London brought together its thousands at Tyburn, itwould have seemed less appalling. But here were a few people--notalienated from each other by ancestral differences in creed or politics, and who had never seen each other's faces before--but members of thesame little band which had fled together from their old home, holdingthe same political views, the same religious faith; who had sat on thesame benches at church, eaten at the same table of the Lord's supper, near neighbors on their farms, or in the town and village streets; nowhunting each other down like wolves, and hanging each other up in coldblood! This it was that set apart the Salem persecution from all otherpersecutions of those old days against witches and heretics; and whichhas given it a painful pre-eminence in horror. It was neighbor hangingneighbor; and brother and sister persecuting to death with the foulestlies and juggling tricks their spiritual brothers and sisters. And theplea of "delusion" will not excuse it, except to those who have notinvestigated its studied cruelty and malice. Sheer, unadulteratedwickedness had its full share in the persecution; and that wickednesscan only be partly extenuated by the plea of possible insanity or ofdemoniacal possession. [Illustration: Marched from jail for the last time] The route to the gallows hill was a rough and difficult one; but thecondemned were marched from the jail for the last time, one by one, andcompelled to walk attended by a small guard and a rude and jeeringcompany. There was Rebecca Nurse, infirm but venerable and lovely, thebeloved mother of a large family; there was the Reverend GeorgeBurroughs, a small dark man, whose great physical strength was enough, as the Reverend Increase Mather, then President of Harvard College, said, to prove he was a witch; but who did not believe in infantbaptism, and probably was not up to the orthodox standard of the day inother respects, though in conduct a very correct and exemplary man;there was old John Procter, with his two staffs, and long thin whitehair; there was John Willard, a good, innocent young man, lied to deathby Susanna Sheldon, aged eighteen; there was unhappy Martha Carrier fourof whose children, one a girl of eight, had been frightened intotestifying before the Special Court against her; saying that theirmother had taken them to a witch meeting, and that the Devil hadpromised her that she should be queen of hell; there was gentle, patientand saintlike Elizabeth How, with "Father, forgive them!" on her mildlips; and two others of whom we now know little, save that they weremost falsely and wickedly accused. There also were the circle of the "afflicted, " gazing with hard dry eyeson the murder they had done and with jeers and scoffs on their thin andcruel lips. There, too, were the reverend ministers, Master Parris of Salem village, and Master Noyes of Salem town, and Master Cotton Mather, who had comedown from Boston in his black clothes, like a buzzard that scents deathand blood a long way off, to lend his spiritual countenance to theterrible occasion. Master Noyes, however, the most of the time, seemed rather quiet andsubdued. He was thinking perhaps of Sarah Good's fierce prediction, whenhe urged her, as she came up to the gallows to confess, saying to herthat, "she was a witch, and she knew it!" Outraged beyond all enduranceat this last insult at such a moment, Sarah Good cried out: "It is alie! I am no more a witch than you are. God will yet give you blood todrink for this day's cruel work!" Which prediction it is said in Salem, came true--Master Noyes dying of an internal hemorrhage bleedingprofusely at the mouth. It was not a scene that men of sound and kindly hearts would wish towitness; and yet Joseph Putnam and Ellis Raymond felt drawn to it by anirresistible sense of duty. Hard, indeed, it was for Master Raymond; forthe necessity of the case compelled him to suppress all show of sympathywith the sufferer, in order that he might more effectually carry out hisplans for Dulcibel's escape from the similar penalty that menaced her. And he, therefore, could not even ride around like Master Putnam, with afrowning face, uttering occasional emphatic expressions of hisindignation and horror, that the crowd would probably not have enduredfrom any one else. There were some incidents that were especially noticeable. SamuelWardwell had "confessed" in his fear, but subsequently taken back hisfalse confession, and met his death. While he was speaking at the footof the gallows declaring his innocence, the tobacco smoke from the pipeof the executioner, blew into his face and interrupted him. Then one of the accusing girls laughed out, and said that "the Devil didhinder him, " but Joseph Putnam cried, "If the Devil does hinder him, then it is good proof that he is not one of his. " At which some few ofthe crowd applauded; while others said that Master Putnam himself was nobetter than he ought to be. The Reverend Master Burroughs, when upon the ladder, addressing thecrowd, asserted earnestly his entire innocence. Such was the effect ofhis words that Master Raymond even hoped that an effort would be made torescue him. But one of the "afflicted girls" cried out, "See! therestands the black man in the air at his side. " Then another said, "The black man is telling him what to say. " But Master Burroughs answered: "Then I will repeat the Lord's prayer. Would the Devil tell me to say that?" But when he had ended, Master Cotton Mather, who was riding around onhis horse, said to the people that "the Devil often transformed himselfinto an angel of light; and that Master Burroughs was not a rightlyordained minister;" and the executioner at a sign from the official, cutthe matter short by turning off the condemned man. Rebecca Nurse and the other women, with the exception of their lastshort prayers, said nothing--submitting quietly and composedly to theirlegal murder. And before the close of one short hour eight lifelessbodies hung dangling beneath the summer sun. Joseph Putnam and Master Raymond, and a few others upon whom the solemnwords of the condemned had made an evident impression, turned away fromthe sad sight, and wiped their tearful eyes. But Master Parris andMaster Noyes, and Master Cotton Mather seemed rather exultant thanotherwise; though Master Noyes did say; "What a sad thing it is to seeeight firebrands of hell hanging there!" But, as Master Cotton Mathermore consistently answered: "Why should godly ministers be sad to seethe firebrands of hell in the burning. " Then, as the hours went on, the bodies were cut down, and stuck intoshort and shallow graves, dug out with difficulty between the rocks--insome instances, the ground not covering them entirely. There someremained without further attention; but, in the case of others, whoserelatives were still true to them, there came loving hands by night, andbore the remains away to find a secret sepulcher, where none couldmolest them. But the gallows remained on the Hill, where it could be seen from agreat distance; causing a thrill of wonder in the bosom of the wanderingsavage, as of the wandering sailor, gazing at its skeleton outlineagainst the sunset sky from far out at sea--waiting for ten morevictims! CHAPTER XXXI. A New Plan of Escape. About this time a new plan of escape was suggested to Master Raymond;coming to him in a note from Dulcibel. Master Philip English, one of the wealthiest inhabitants of Salem town, and his wife Mary, had been arrested--the latter a short time previousto her husband. He was a merchant managing a large business, owningfourteen houses in the town, a wharf, and twenty-one vessels. He had oneof the best dwellings in Salem--situated at its eastern end, and havinga fine outlook over the adjacent seas. He had probably offended some onein his business transactions; or, supposing that he was safelyentrenched in his wealth and high social position, he might haveexpressed some decided opinions, relative to Mistress Ann Putnam and the"afflicted children. " As for his wife, she was a lady of exalted character who had been anonly child and had inherited a large property from her father. Thedeputy-marshall, Manning, came to arrest her in the night time, duringher husband's absence. She had retired to her bed; but he was admittedto her chamber, where he read the warrant for her apprehension. Heallowed her till morning, however, placing guards around the house thatshe might not escape. Knowing that such an accusation generally meantconviction and death, "she arose calmly in the morning, attended thefamily prayers, spoke to a near relative of the best plan for theeducation of her children, kissed them with great composure, amid theiragony of cries and tears, and then told the officer that she was readyto die. " On her examination the usual scene ensued, and the usual falsehoods weretold. Perhaps the "afflicted girls" were a little more bitter than theywould have been, had she not laughed outright at a portion of theirtestimony. She was a very nice person in her habits, and it wastestified against her, that being out one day in the streets of Salemwalking around on visits to her friends during a whole morning, notwithstanding the streets were exceedingly sloppy and muddy, it couldnot be perceived that her shoes and white stockings were soiled in theleast. As we have said, at this singular proof of her being a witch, theintelligent lady had laughed outright. And this of course brought outthe additional statement, that she had been carried along on the back ofan invisible "familiar"--a spectral blue boar--the whole way. Ofcourse this was sufficient, and she was committed for trial. And now wealthy Master Philip English and his wife were both in prison;and he daily concocting plans by which he might find himself on the deckof the fastest sailer of all those twenty-one vessels of his. Uncle Robie had thought this might be also a good opportunity forDulcibel. And it struck Master Raymond the same way; while MasterEnglish had no objection, especially as it was mainly for Dulcibel thatthe jailer would open the prison doors. And this was better than theviolence he had at first contemplated; for, as his vessels graduallybegan to accumulate in port, owing to the interruption to his businesscaused by his arrest, he had only to give the word, and a party of hissailors would have broken open the prison some dark night, and releasedhim from captivity. The "Albatross, " Master English's fastest sailer at length came intoport; and the arrangements were speedily made. The first north-westerlywind, whether the night were clear or stormy--though of course with sucha wind it would probably be clear--the attempt was to be made, immediately after midnight. Uncle Robie was to unlock the jail-doors, let them out, lock the doors again behind them, and have a plentifulsupply of witch stories to account for the escape. And Master Raymondhad some hopes also, that Abigail Williams would come to the jailer'ssupport in anything that seemed to compromise him in the least; for hehad promised to send her a beautiful gift from England, when he returnedhome again. And with such a sharpener to the vision, the precociouschild would be able to see even more wonderful things than any she hadalready testified to. The favorable wind came at length, and with it an exceedingly propitiousnight; there being a moon just large enough to enable them to see theirway, with not enough light to disclose anything sharply. Master Raymondhad planned all along to take Dulcibel's horse also with them; and if hecould ride the animal, it would obviate the necessity of taking anotherhorse also, and being plagued what to do with it when they arrived atthe prison. For he was very desirous that Master Putnam should not bein the least involved in the matter. Master Raymond therefore had been practising up in the woods for about aweek, at what the minister had failed so deplorably in, the riding ofthe little black mare. At first he could absolutely do nothing with her;she would not be ridden by any male biped. But finally he adopted asuggestion of quick-witted Mistress Putnam. He put on a side saddle anda skirt, and rode the animal woman fashion--and all without the leastdifficulty. The little mare seeming to say by her behavior, "Ah, now, that is sensible. Why did you not do it before?" So, late on the evening appointed for the attempted escape, after takingan affectionate leave of his host and hostess, and putting a fewnecessary articles of apparel into a portmanteau strapped behind thesaddle, Master Raymond started for Salem town. Leaving the village to the right, he made good time to the town, meetingno one at that late hour. He had covered the mare with a largehorse-blanket, so that she should not easily be recognized by any onewho might happen to meet them. There was a night watchman in Salem town;but a party of sailors had undertaken to get him off the principalstreet at the appointed hour, by the offer of refreshments at one oftheir haunts; and by this time he was too full of Jamaica spirits towalk very steadily or see very clearly. Arrived at the prison, Master Raymond found the Captain and mate of the"Albatross" impatiently awaiting him. It was not full time yet, but theyconcluded to give the signal, three hoots of an owl; which the mate gavewith great force and precision. Still all seemed dark and quiet asbefore. Then they waited, walking up and down to keep the blood in their veinsin motion, as the nights were a little cool. "It is full time now, " said the Captain, "give the signal again, Brady. " Brady gave it--if anything with greater force and precision than before. But not a sign from within. Had the jailer's courage given away at the last moment? Or could he havebetrayed them? They paced up and down for an hour longer. It was evidentthat, for some reason or other, the plan had miscarried. "Well, there is no use awaiting here, " exclaimed the Captain of the"Albatross" with an oath; "I am going back to the ship. " Master Raymond acquiesced. There was no use in waiting longer. And so here-donned his petticoat--much to the amusement of the seamen and startedback to Master Putnam's arriving there in the darkest hours of thenight, just before the breaking of the day. CHAPTER XXXII. Why the Plan Failed. The reason of the failure of the plan of escape may be gathered from alittle conversation that took place between Squire Hathorne and ThomasPutnam the morning of the day fixed upon by Master Philip English. Thomas Putnam had called to see the magistrate at the suggestion of thatnot very admirable but certainly very sharp-witted wife of his. I do notsuppose that Thomas Putnam was at all a bad man, but it is a lamentablesight to see, as we so often do, a good kind honest-hearted man made amere tool of by some keen-witted and unscrupulous woman; in whosegoodness he believes, in a kind of small-minded and yet not altogetherignoble spirit of devotion, mainly because she is a woman. Being awoman, she cannot be, as he foolishly supposes, the shallow-hearted, mischievous being that she really is. "Do you know, Squire, how Master English's sailors are talking aroundthe wharves?" "No! What are the rascals saying?" "Well, Mistress Putnam has been told by a friend of hers in the town, that he heard a half-drunken sailor, belonging to one of MasterEnglish's vessels, say that they meant to tear down the jail some night, hang the jailers, and carry off their Master and Mistress. " "Ah, " said the Squire, "this must be looked into. " "Another of the sailors is reported to have said, that if themagistrates attempted to hang Mistress English they would hang SquireHathorne, and Squire Gedney, if they could catch him, by the side ofher. " "The impudent varlets!" exclaimed Squire Hathorne, his wine-red facegrowing redder. "Master English shall sweat for this. How many of hissailors are in port now?" "Oh, I suppose there are fifty of them; and all reckless, unprincipledmen. To my certain knowledge, there is not a member of church amongthem. " "The godless knaves!" cried the magistrate. "I should like to set thewhole lot of them in the stocks, and then whip them out of the town atthe cart's tail. " "Yes, that is what they deserve, but then we cannot forget that they arenecessary to the interests of the town--unless Salem is to give up allher shipping business--and these sailors are so clannish that if youstrike one of them, you strike all. No, it seems to me, Squire, we hadbetter take no public notice of their vaporing; but simply adopt meansto counteract any plans they may be laying. " "Well, what would you suggest, Master Putnam? Has Mistress Putnam anyideas upon the subject? I have always found her a very sensible woman. " "Yes, my wife is a very remarkable woman if I do say it, " replied MasterPutnam. "Her plan is to send Master English and his wife off at once toBoston--that will save us all further trouble with them and theirsailors. " "A capital idea! It shall be carried out this very day, " said themagistrate. "And she also suggests that the young witch woman, Dulcibel Burton, should be sent with them. That friend of my brother Joseph, is stillstaying around here; and Mistress Putnam does not exactly comprehend hismotives for so long a visit. " "Ah, indeed--what motive has he?" And Squire Hathorne rubbed his broadforehead. "There was some talk at one time of his keeping company with MistressBurton. " "What, the witch! that is too bad. For he seems like a rather pleasantyoung gentleman; and I hear he is the heir of a large estate in the oldcountry. " "Of course there may be nothing in it--but Mistress Putnam also heardfrom one of her female cronies the other day, that jailer Foster was atone time a mate on board Captain Burton's vessel. " "Ah!" "And you know how very handsome that Mistress Dulcibel is; and, beingbesides a witch of great power, it seems to Mistress Putnam that it isexposing jailer Foster to very great temptation. " "Mistress Putnam is quite correct, " said Squire Hathorne. "MistressDulcibel had better be transferred to Boston also. There the worshipfulMaster Haughton has the power and the will to see that all these imps ofSatan are kept safely. " "As the seamen may be lying around and make a disturbance if the removalcomes to their knowledge, Mistress Putnam suggested that it had betternot be done until evening. It would be a night ride; but then, asMistress Putnam said, witches rather preferred to make their journeys inthe night time--so that it would be a positive kindness to theprisoners. " "Very true! very well thought of!" replied Squire Hathorne, with a grimsmile. "And no doubt they will be very thankful that we furnish themwith horses instead of broomsticks. Though as for Mistress Dulcibel, Isuppose she would prefer her familiar, the black mare, to any otheranimal. " "That was very marvelous. Abigail Williams says that she is certain thatthe mare, after jumping the gate, never came down to earth again, butflew straight on up into the thundercloud. " "And it thundered when the black beast entered the cloud, did it not?"said the magistrate in a sobered tone. He evidently saw nothingunreasonable in the story. "Yes--it thundered--but not the common kind of thunder--it was enough tomake your flesh creep. The minister says he is only too thankful thatthe Satanic beast did throw him off. He might have been carried off tohell with her. " "Yes, it was a very foolish thing to get on the back of a witch'sfamiliar, " said the magistrate. "It was tempting Providence. And MasterParris has cause for thankfulness that only such a mild reproof as aslight wetting, was allowed to be inflicted upon him. These are periloustimes, Master Putnam. Satan is truly going about like a roaring lion, seeking what he may devour. Against this chosen seed, --this littleremnant of God's people left upon the whole earth--no wonder that he istearing and raging. " "Ah me, my Christian friend, it is too true! And no wonder that he is sobold, and full of joyful subtlety. For is he not prevailing, in spite ofall our efforts? You know there are at least four hundred members ofwhat rightly calls itself the Church of England--for certainly it is notthe church of Christ--in Boston alone! When the royal Governor made thetown authorities give up the South Church--even our own Church, builtwith our own money--to their so-called Rector to hold their idolatrousservices in, we might have known that Satan was at our doors!" "Oh, that such horrible things should happen in the godly town ofBoston!" responded Squire Hathorne. "But when the King interferedbetween Justice and the Quakers, and forbade the righteous disciplinewe were exercising upon them, of course a door was opened for all otherlatitudinarianism and false doctrine. Why, I am told that there are nowquite a number of Quakers in Boston; and that they even had theassurance to apply to the magistrates the other day, for permission toerect a meeting-house!" "Impossible!" exclaimed Master Putnam. "They ought to have been whippedout of their presence. " "Yes, " continued the worthy Magistrate irefully; "but when the Kingordered that the right of voting for our rulers should no longer berestricted to church-members; but that every man of fair estate and goodmoral character, as he phrases it, should be allowed to vote, even if heis not a member at all, he aimed a blow at the very Magistracy itself. " "Yes, that is worse than heresy! And how can a man possess a good moralcharacter, without being a member of the true church?" "Of course--that is self-evident. But it shows how the righteous seed isbeing over-flooded with iniquity, even in its last chosen house; how ourCanaan is being given up to the Philistines. And therefore it is, doubtless, that Satan, in the pride of his success, is introducing hisemissaries into the very house of the Lord itself; and promising greatrewards to them who will bow down and sign their names in his red book, and worship him. Ah! we have fallen on evil times, Master Putnam. " And so the two worthy Puritans condoled with each other, until, MasterPutnam, bethinking himself that he had some worldly business to attendto, Squire Hathorne proceeded to give the necessary directions for theremoval of the three prisoners from Salem to Boston jail. This was accomplished that very night, as Mistress Putnam had suggested;Deputy Marshall Herrick and a constable guarding the party. Dulcibeloccupied a pillion behind jailer Foster; Master English and his wiferode together; while Master Herrick and the constable each had a horseto himself. The original plan was for Dulcibel to ride behind Master Herrick; butupon jailer Foster representing that there might be some danger of arescue, and offering to join the party, it was arranged that he shouldhave special charge of Mistress Dulcibel, whom he represented to Herrickas being in his opinion a most marvelous witch. Uncle Robie's true reason for going, however, was that the jailer inBoston was an old friend of his, and he wished to speak a secret word tohim that might insure Dulcibel kinder treatment than was usually givenin Boston jail to any alleged transgressor. CHAPTER XXXIII. Mistress Ann Putnam's Fair Warning. In the course of the next day the removal of the three prisoners becameknown to everybody. Master Raymond wondered when he heard it, whether itwas a check-mate to the plan of escape, with which the magistrates, insome way had become acquainted; or whether it was a mere chancecoincidence. Finally he satisfied himself that it was the latter--thoughno doubt suggested by the rather loose threats of Master English's manysailors. When jailer Foster returned, he found means to inform Master Raymondthat it had been entirely impossible--so suddenly was the whole thingsprung upon him--to let anyone in their secret know of what was goingon. He had not even taken the assistant jailer, his own son, into hisconfidence, because he did not wish to expose him to needless danger. His son was not required to afford any help, and therefore it would beunwise to incur any risk of punishment. Besides, while Uncle Robie hadmade up his mind to do some tall lying of his own for the sake of savinginnocent lives, he saw no reason why his son, should be placed under asimilar necessity. Lying seemed to be absolutely needful in the case;but it was well to do as little of it as possible. From his conversation with Master Herrick, Uncle Robie concluded thatnothing had been divulged; and that the magistrates had acted only onthe supposition that trouble of some kind might result from the sailors. And, looked at from that point of view, it was quite sufficient toaccount for the removal of two of the prisoners. As to why Dulcibel alsoshould be sent to Boston, he could get no satisfactory explanation. Itseemed in fact to be a matter of mere caprice, so far as uncle Robiecould find out. They had pushed on through the night to Boston--about a four hours' slowride--and delivered the three prisoners safely to the keeper of Bostonjail. Uncle Robie adding the assurance to Goodwife Buckley--who acted asMaster Raymond's confidential agent in the matter--that he had spoken aword to his old crony who believed no more in witches than he did, whichwould insure to her as kind treatment as possible. And Robie furthersaid that he had been assured by the Boston jailer, that Mistress Phips, the wife of the Governor, had no sympathy whatever with the witchcraftprosecutions, but a great deal of sympathy for the victims of it. The game was therefore played out at Salem, now that Dulcibel had beentransferred to Boston; and Master Raymond began to make arrangements atonce to leave the place. In some respects the change of scene was forthe worse; for he had no hold upon the Boston jailer, and had no friendthere like Joseph Putnam, prepared to go to any length on his behalf. But, on the other hand, in Boston they seemed outside of the circle ofMistress Ann Putnam's powerful and malign influence. This of itself wasno small gain; and, thinking over the whole matter, Master Raymond cameto the conclusion that perhaps the chances of escape would be evengreater in Boston than in Salem. So, in the course of the ensuing week, Master Raymond took anaffectionate leave of his kind young host and hostess, and departed forBoston town, avowedly on his way back to his English home. This last wasof course brought out prominently in all his leave-takings--he was, after a short stay in Boston, to embark for England. "What shall I sendyou from England?" was among his last questions to the various membersof the "afflicted circle. " And one said laughingly one thing, and oneanother; the young man taking it gravely, and making a note in hislittle notebook of each request. If things should come to the worst, hewas putting himself in a good position to influence the character of thetestimony. A hundred pounds in this way would be money well employed. Even to Mistress Ann Putnam he did not hesitate to put the samequestion, after a friendly leave-taking. Mistress Putnam rather likedthe young Englishman; it was mainly against Dulcibel as the friend ofher brother-in-law that she had warred; and if Master Raymond had notalso been the warm friend and guest of Joseph Putnam, she might haverelented in her persecution of Dulcibel for his sake. But her desire topain and punish Master Joseph, --who had said so many things against herin the Putnam family--overpowered all such sentimental considerations. Besides, what Dulcibel had said of her when before the magistrates, hadgreatly incensed her. "What shall you send me from England? And are you really going backthere?" And she fixed her cold green eyes upon the young man's face. "Oh, yes, I am going back again, like the bad penny, " replied MasterRaymond smiling. "How soon?" "Oh, I cannot say exactly. Perhaps the Boston gentlemen may be sofascinating that they will detain me longer than I have planned. " "Is it because the Salem gentlewomen are so fascinating that you haveremained here? We feel quite complimented in the village by the lengthof your visit. " "Yes, I have found the Salem gentlewomen among the most charming oftheir sex. But you have not told me what I shall send you from Londonwhen I return?" "Oh, I leave that entirely with you, and to your own good taste. Perhapsby the time you get back to London, you will not wish to send meanything. " "I cannot imagine such a case. But I shall endeavor, as you leave it allto me, to find something pretty and appropriate; something suited to themost gifted person, among men and women, that I have found in the NewWorld. " Mistress Putnam's face colored with evident pleasure--even she was notaverse to a compliment of this kind; knowing, as she did, that she hada wonderful intellectual capacity for planning and scheming. In fact ifshe had possessed as large a heart as brain, she would have been a verynoble and even wonderful woman. Master Raymond thought he had told nofalsehood in calling her the "most gifted"--he considered her so incertain directions. And so they parted--the last words of Mistress Putnam being, the youngman thought, very significant ones. "I would not, " she said in a light, but still impressive manner, "if Iwere you, stay a very long time in Boston. There is, I think, somethingdangerous to the health of strangers in the air of that town, of late. It would be a very great pity for you to catch one of our deadly fevers, and never be able to return to your home and friends. Take my advicenow--it is honest and well meant--and do not linger long in thedangerous air of Boston. " Thanking her for her solicitude as to his health, Master Raymond shookher thin hand and departed. But all the ride back to Joseph Putnam's, hewas thinking over those last words. What was their real meaning? What could they mean but this? "You aregoing to Boston to try to save Dulcibel Burton. I do not want to hurtyou; but I may be compelled to do it. Leave Boston as soon as you can, and spare me the necessity that may arise of denouncing you also. JosephPutnam, whom I hate, but whose person and household I am for familyreasons compelled to respect, when you are in Boston is no longer yourprotector. I can just as easily, and even far more easily, reach youthan I could reach Captain Alden. Beware how you interfere with myplans. Even while I pity you, I shall not spare you!" CHAPTER XXXIV. Master Raymond Goes Again to Boston. Master Raymond had agreed to keep his friend Joseph Putnam informed byletter of his movements--for there had been a postal system establisheda number of years before through the Massachusetts colony--but of coursehe had to be very careful as to what he put upon paper; the Puritanofficial mind not being over-scrupulous as to the means it took ofattaining its ends. He had brought excellent letters to persons of the highest character inBoston, and had received invitations from many of them to make his homein their houses--for the Boston people of all classes, and especiallythe wealthy, obeyed the Scriptural injunction, and were "given tohospitality;" which I believe is true to the present day. But MasterRaymond, considering the errand he was on, thought it wisest to take uphis abode at an Inn--lest he might involve his entertainers in the perilattending his unlawful but righteous designs. So he took a cheery roomat the Red Lion, in the northern part of the town, which was quite areputable house, and convenient for many purposes not the least beingits proximity to the harbor, which made it a favorite resort for thebetter class of sea-captains. Calling around upon the families to which he had presented letters onhis first visit, immediately after his arrival in the colony, hespeedily established very pleasant social relations with a good manyvery different circles. And he soon was able to sum up the condition ofaffairs in the town as follows: First, there was by far the most numerous and the ruling sect, thePuritans. The previous Governor, shut out by King James, Sir EdmundAndros, had been an Episcopalian; but the present one sent out on theaccession of William and Mary, Sir William Phips, was himself a Puritan, sitting under the weekly teachings of the Reverend Master Cotton Matherat the North church. Then there was an Episcopal circle, composed of about four hundredpeople in all, meeting at King's Chapel, built about three years before, with the Reverend Master Robert Ratcliffe as Rector. Besides these, there was a small number of Quakers, now dwelling inpeace, so far as personal manifestations were concerned, being protectedby the King's mandate. These had even grown so bold of late, as to beseeking permission to erect a meeting-house; which almost moved thePuritan divines to prophesy famine, earthquakes and pestilence as theresults of such an ungodly toleration of heresy. Then there were a number of Baptists, who also now dwelt in peace, underthe King's protection. Adding to the foregoing the people without any religion to speak of, whoprincipally belonged to or were connected with the seafaring class, andMaster Raymond found that he had a pretty clear idea of the inhabitantsof Boston. In relation to the Witchcraft prosecutions, the young Englishmanascertained that the above classes seemed to favor the prosecutions justin proportion to the extent of their Puritan orthodoxy. The greatmajority of the Puritans believed devoutly in witches, and in the dutyof obeying the command, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. " Andgenerally in proportion to a Puritan church-member's orthodoxy, was theextent of his belief in witchcraft, and the fierceness of hisexterminating zeal. The Episcopalians and the Baptists were either very lukewarm, or elsein decided opposition to the prosecutions looking upon them as simplyadditional proofs of Puritan narrowness, intolerance and bigotry. The Quakers held to the latter opinion even more firmly than the liberalEpiscopalians and Baptists: adding to it the belief that it was ajudgment allowed to come upon the Puritans, to punish them for theircruelty to God's chosen messengers. As for the seafaring class, they looked upon the whole affair as a pieceof madness, which could only overtake people whose contracted notionswere a result of perpetually living in one place, and that on the land. And since the arrest of a man so well thought of, and of their own classas Captain Alden, the vocabulary allowed by the law in Boston wasentirely too limited to embrace adequately a seaman's emphatic sense ofthe iniquitous proceedings. As one of them forcibly expressed himself toMaster Raymond:--"He would be _condemned_, if he wouldn't like to seethe _condemned_ town of Boston, and all its _condemned_ preachers, buried like Port Royal, ten _condemned_ fathoms deep, under the_condemned_ soil upon which it was built!" He used another emphatic wordof course, in the place of the word _condemned_; but that doubtless wasbecause at that time they had not our "revised version" of the NewTestament. The sea-captain who expressed himself in this emphatic way to MasterRaymond, was the captain in whose vessel he had come over from England, and who had made another voyage back and forth since that time. Theyoung man was strolling around the wharves, gazing at the vessels whenhe had been accosted by the aforesaid captain. At that particular momenthowever, he had come to a stand, earnestly regarding, as he had severaltimes before, a vessel that was lying anchored out in the stream. After passing some additional words with the captain upon variousmatters, and especially upon the witches, a subject that everyconversation at that time was apt to be very full of, he turned towardsthe water and said:-- "That seems to be a good craft out there. " It was a vessel of two masts, slender and raking, and with a long, lowhull--something of the model which a good many years later, went by thename of the Baltimore clipper. "Yes, she is a beauty!" replied the captain. "She looks as if she might be a good sailer. " "Good! I reckon she is. The Storm King can show her heels to any vesselthat goes out of this port--or out of London either, for that matter. " "What is she engaged in?" Here the captain gave a low whistle, and followed it up with a wink. "Buccaneers occasionally, I suppose?" "Oh, Captain Tolley is not so very _condemned_ particular what hedoes--so that of course it is entirely lawful, " and the captain winkedagain. "He owns his vessel, you see--carries her in his pocket--and hasno _condemned_ lot of land-lubber owners on shore who cannot get away ifthere is any trouble, from the _condemned_ magistrates and constables. " "That is an advantage sometimes, " said the young man. He was thinking ofhis own case probably. "Of course it is. Law is a very good thing--in its place. But if I buy abag of coffee in the East Indies or in South America, why should I haveto pay a lot of money on it, before I am allowed to sell it to thepeople that like coffee in some other country? _Condemn_ it! There's nojustice in it. " Master Raymond was in no mood just then to argue great moral questions. So he answered by asking:-- "Captain Tolley does not make too many inquiries then when a good offeris made him?" "Do not misunderstand me, young man, " replied the captain gravely. "Myfriend, Captain Tolley, would be the last man to commit piracy, oranything of that kind. But just look at the case. Here Captain Tolleyis, off at sea, attending to his proper business. Well, he comes intosome _condemned_ port, just to get a little water perhaps, and somefresh provisions; and hears that while he has been away, these_condemned_ land-lubbers have been making some new rules andregulations, without even asking any of us seafaring men anything aboutit. Then, if we do not obey their foolish rules, they nab us when wecome into port again, and fine us--perhaps put us in the bilboes. Now, as a fair man, do you call that justice?" Master Raymond laughed good-humoredly. "I see it has its unfair side, "said he. "By the way, I should like to look over that vessel of his. Could you give me a line of introduction to him?" "Of course I can--nothing pleases Tolley more than to have people admirehis vessel--even though a landsman's admiration, you know, really cannotseem of much account to a sailor. But I cannot write here; let usadjourn to the Lion. " CHAPTER XXXV. Captain Tolley and the Storm King. The next day furnished with a brief note of introduction, MasterRaymond, with the aid of a skiff, put himself on the deck of the StormKing. Captain Tolley received him with due courtesy, wondering who thestranger was. The Captain was a well-built, athletic, though not verylarge man, with a face naturally dark in hue, and bronzed by exposure tothe southern sun. As Master Raymond ascertained afterwards, he was theson of an English father and a Spanish mother; and he could speakEnglish, French and Spanish with equal facility. While he consideredhimself an Englishman of birth, his nationality sat very loosely uponhim; and, if need be, he was just as willing to run up the French orSpanish colors on the Storm King, as the red cross of St. George. After reading the note of introduction, Captain Tolley gave a keen lookat his visitor. "Yes, the Storm King is a bird and a beauty, " said heproudly. "Look at her! See what great wings she has! And what a hull, tocut the seas! She was built after my own plans. Give me plenty ofsea-room, and a fair start, and I will laugh at all the gun frigates ofthe royal navy. " "She looks to be all you say, " said his visitor admiringly--but rathersurprised that not an oath had yet fallen from the lips of the Captain. He had not learned that Captain Tolley, to use his own language, "neverwashed his ammunition in port or in mild weather. " When aroused by asevere storm or other peril, the Captain was transformed into adifferent man. Then, in the war of the elements, or of man's angrypassions, he also lightened and thundered, and swore big guns. "Let us go down into the cabin, " said the Captain. Reaching there, hefilled a couple of glasses with wine and putting the decanter on thetable, invited his visitor to be seated. Then, closing the door, he saidwith a smile, "nothing that is said inside this cabin ever is toldanywhere else. " There was that in the speech, bearing and looks of Captain Tolley whichinspired Master Raymond with great confidence in him. "I feel that I maytrust you, Captain, " he said earnestly. "I have done business for a great many gentlemen, and no one ever foundme untrue to him, " replied Captain Tolley, proudly. "Some things I willnot do for anybody, or for any price; but that ends it. I never betrayconfidence. " "Do you believe in witches, Captain?" "Indeed I do. " "Well I suppose that settles it, " replied the young man in adisappointed tone, rising to his feet. "I know a little witch down in Jamaica, that has been tormenting mealmost to death for the last three years. But I tell you she is abeauty--as pretty as, as--the Storm King! She doesn't carry quite asmany petticoats though, " added the Captain laughing. "Oh! That is the kind of witch you mean!" and Master Raymond sat downagain. "It is the only kind that I ever came across--and they are bad enoughfor me, " responded the Captain drily. "I know a little witch of that kind, " said Master Raymond, humoring theCaptain's fancy; "but she is now in Boston prison, and in danger of herlife. " "Ah! I think I have heard something of her--very beautiful, is she not?I caught a glimpse of her when I went up to see Captain Alden, who thebigoted fools have got in limbo there. I could not help laughing atAlden--the idea of calling him a witch. Alden is a religious man, youknow!" "But it may cost him his life!" "That is what I went to see him about. I offered to come up with a partysome night, break open the jail, and carry him off to New York in theStorm King. " "Well?" "Oh, you know the better people are not in the jail, but in the jailer'shouse--having given their promise to Keeper Arnold that they will nottry to escape, if thus kindly treated. And besides, if he runs off, theywill confiscate his property; of which Alden foolishly has a good dealin houses and lands. So he thinks it the best policy to hold on to hisanchor, and see if the storm will not blow itself out. " "And so you have no conscientious scruples against breaking the law, bycarrying off any of these imprisoned persons?" "Conscientious scruples and the Puritan laws be d----!" exclaimed theCaptain; thinking perhaps that this was an occasion when he might withpropriety break his rule as to swearing while in port. "Your language expresses my sentiments exactly!" responded the youngEnglishman, who had never uttered an oath in his life. "Captain, I ambetrothed to that young lady you saw when you went to see Captain Alden. If she is ever brought to trial, those Salem hell-hounds will swear awayher life. I mean to rescue her--or die with her. I am able and willingto pay you any reasonable price for your aid and assistance, Will youhelp me?" The Captain sprang to his feet. "Will I help you? The great God dash theStorm King to pieces on her next voyage if I fail you! See here, " takinga letter out of a drawer, "it is a profitable offer just made me. But itis a mere matter of merchandise; and this is a matter of a woman's life!You shall pay me what you can afford to, and what you think right; but, money or no money, I and the Storm King, and her brave crew, who willfollow wherever I lead, are at your service!" As Captain Tolley uttered these words, in an impassioned, though lowvoice, and with a glowing face and sparkling blue eyes, Master Raymondthought he had never seen a handsomer man. He grasped the Captain'sextended hand, and shook it warmly. "I shall never forget this nobleoffer, " he exclaimed. And he never did forget it; for from that momentthe two were life-long friends. "What is your plan?" said the Captain. "A peaceable escape if possible. If not, what you propose to CaptainAlden. " "I should like the last the best, " said the Captain. "Why, it would expose you to penalties--and keep your vessel hereafterout of Boston harbor. " "You see that I have an old grudge of my own, " replied the Captain. "These Puritan rascals once arrested me for bringing some Quakers fromBarbados--good, honest, innocent people, a little touched here, youknow, "--and the Captain tapped his broad, brown brow with his finger. "They caught me on shore, fined me, and would have put me in the stocks;but my mate got word of it, we were lying out in the storm, trained twobig guns to bear upon the town, and gave them just fifteen minutes tosend me on board again. That was twenty years ago, and I have not beenhere since. " "They sent you on board, I suppose?" "Oh, the Saints are not fools, " replied the Captain, laughing. "As forbeing shut out of Boston harbor hereafter, I do not fear that much. Thereign of the Saints is nearly over. Do you not see that the Quakers areback, and the Baptists, and the prayer-book men, as they call theEpiscopalians!--and they do not touch them, though they would whip thewhole of them out of the Province, at the cart's tail, if they dared. But there are Kings in Israel again!" and the Captain laughed heartily. "And the Kings are always better shepherds to the flock than thePriests. " "You may have to lie here idle for a while; but I will bear the expenseof it, " said Master Raymond. "Have the proper papers drawn up, and Iwill sign them. " "No, there shall be no papers between you and me, " rejoined the Captainstoutly. "I hate these lawyers' pledges. I never deal with a man, if Ican help it, who needs a signed and sealed paper to keep him to hisword. I know what you are, and you ought to be able to see by this timewhat I am. The Storm King shall lie here three months, if need be--andyou shall pay me monthly my reasonable charges. But I will make out nobill, and you shall have no receipt, to cause any trouble to anybody, hereafter. " "That will suit me, " replied Master Raymond, "I shall be in thebar-room of the Red Lion every morning at ten. You must be there too. But we will only nod to each other, unless I have something to tell you. Then I will slip a note into your hand, making an appointment for aninterview. I fear there may be spies upon my movements. " Captain Tolley assenting to these arrangements, Master Raymond and heagain shook hands, and the latter was put ashore in one of the StormKing's boats. It was a little curious that as the young man reached thewharf, ascending a few wooden steps from the boat, whom should he see ata little distance, walking briskly into the town, but one who he thoughtwas Master Thomas Putnam. He could not see the man's face, for his backwas toward him; but he felt certain that it was the loving and obedienthusband of Mistress Ann Putnam. CHAPTER XXXVI. Sir William Phips and Lady Mary. When Mistress Dulcibel Burton, in company with Master Philip English andhis wife, arrived at Boston jail, and were delivered into the care ofKeeper Arnold, they received far better treatment than they hadexpected. The prison itself, situated in a portion of Boston which is nowconsidered the centre of fashion and elegance, was one of those cruelBridewells, which were a befitting illustration of what some suppose tohave been the superior manners and customs of the "good old times. " Itwas built of stone, its walls being three feet thick. Its windows werebarred with iron to prevent escape; but being without glazed sashes, thewind and rain and snow and cold of winter found ready access to thecells within. The doors were covered with the large heads of ironspikes--the cells being formed by partitions of heavy plank. And thepassage ways of the prison were described by one who had been confinedin this Boston Bridewell, as being "like the dark valley of the shadowof death. " But the jailers seem to have been more humane than the builders of theprison; and those awaiting trial, especially, were frequently allowedrooms in the Keeper's house--probably always paying well, however, forthe privilege. Thus, as Captain Tolley had said, Captain Alden was confined in KeeperArnold's house; and, when the party in which the readers of this storyare especially interested, arrived late at night from Salem, they weretaken to comparatively comfortable apartments. The jailer knew thatMaster Philip English was a very wealthy man; and, as for Dulcibel, Uncle Robie did not forget to say to his old crony Arnold, among otherfavorable things, that she not only had warm friends, among the bestpeople of Salem, but that in her own right, she possessed a very prettylittle fortune, and was fully able to pay a good price for any favorsextended to her. The magistrates in Salem had refused to take bail for Captain Alden; butMaster English was soon able to make an arrangement, by which he and hiswife were allowed the freedom of the town in the daytime; it beingunderstood that they should return regularly, and pass the night in thejail--or, speaking strictly, in the Keeper's house. For things in Boston were different from what they were at Salem. InSalem the Puritan spirit reigned supreme in magistrates and inministers. But in Boston, there was, as we have said, a stronganti-Puritan influence. The officials sent over from England weregenerally Episcopalians--the officers of the English men-of-warfrequently in port, also were generally Episcopalians. And though thepresent Governor, Sir William Phips, was a member of the North Church, the Reverend Cotton Mather taking the place of his father, the ReverendIncrease Mather--and though the Governor was greatly under the influenceof that dogmatic and superstitious divine--his wife, Lady Mary, wasutterly opposed to the whole witchcraft delusion and persecution. Sir William himself had quite a romantic career. Starting in life as oneof the later offspring of a father and mother who had twenty-sixchildren, and had come as poor emigrants to Maine, he was a simple andignorant caretaker of sheep until eighteen years of age. Then he becamea ship carpenter; and at the age of twenty-two went to Boston, workingat his trade in the day time, and learning how to read and write atnight. In Boston he had the good fortune to capture the heart of a fairwidow by the name of Mistress Hull, who was a daughter of CaptainRobert Spencer. With her hand he received a fair estate; which was thebeginning of a large fortune. For, it enabled him to set up a ship-yardof his own; and by ventures to recover lost treasure, sunk inshipwrecked Spanish galleons, under the patronage of the Duke ofAlbemarle, he took back to England at one time the large amount of£300, 000 in gold, silver and precious stones, of which his share was£16, 000--and in addition a gold cup, valued at £1, 000 presented to hiswife Mary. And such was the able conduct and the strict integrity he hadshown in the face of many difficulties and temptations, that King Jamesknighted him, making him Sir William. Now, through his own deserts, and the influence of the Reverend IncreaseMather, agent in England of the colony, he was Governor-in-Chief of theProvince of Massachusetts Bay, and Captain General (for militarypurposes) of all New England. And he was living in that "fair brickhouse in Green lane, " which, years before, he had promised his wife thathe would some day build for her to live in. Lady Mary was a very sweet, nice woman; but she had a will of her own, and never could be persuaded that Sir William's rise in the world wasnot owing entirely to her having taken pity on him, and married belowher station. And really there was considerable truth in this view of thematter, which she was not inclined to have him forget; and Sir William, being a manly and generous, though at times rather choleric gentleman, generally admitted the truth of her assertion that "she had made him, "rather than have any controversy with her about it. One of the firstacts of Sir William on arriving to fill his position as Governor, was toorder chains put upon all the alleged witches in the prisons. In thisorder might be very plainly traced the hand of his pastor, the ReverendCotton Mather. Lady Mary was outraged by such a command. One of herfirst visits had been to the jail, to see Captain Alden, whom she knewwell. Keeper Arnold had shown her the order. "Put on the irons, " saidLady Mary. The jailer did so. "Now that you have obeyed Sir William, take them off again. " The jailer smiled, but hesitated. "Do as I commandyou, and I will be accountable to Sir William. " Very gladly did KeeperArnold obey--he had no faith in such accusations, brought against someof the best behaved people he ever had in his charge. "Now, do the same to all the other prisoners!" commanded the spiritedlady. "I may as well be hung for a cow as a calf, " said the jailerlaughing--and he went gravely with one pair of fetters all through thecells, complying literally with the new Governor's orders. Of course this soon got to the ears of the Rev. Cotton Mather, who wentin high indignation to the Governor. But the latter seemed to be verymuch amused, and could not be brought to manifest any great amount ofindignation. "You know that Lady Mary has a will of her own, " said he tohis pastor. "If you choose to go and talk to her, I will take you to herboudoir; but I am not anxious to get into hot water for the sake of afew witches. " The minister thought of it a moment; but then concludedwisely not to go. For, as Lady Mary said to her husband afterwards, "Iwish that you had brought him to me. I would have told him just what Ithink of him, and his superstitious, hard-hearted doings. For me, Inever mean to enter North Church more. I shall go hereafter to SouthChurch; Masters Willard and Moody have some Christian charity left inthem. " "I think you are too hard on Master Cotton Mather, my dear, " repliedSir William mildly. "Too hard, am I? What would you say if those girl imps at Salem shouldaccuse me next! Your own loving wife, --to the world. " "Oh, my dear wife, that is too monstrous even to think of!" "No more monstrous than their accusation of Mistress English of Salem, and her husband. You know them--what do you think of that?" "Certainly, that is very singular and impossible; but Master Mathersays--" "Master Mather ought to be hung himself, " said the indignant lady; "forhe has helped to murder better people than he is, a great deal. " "My dear, I must remonstrate--" "And there is Captain Alden--he is a witch, too, it seems!" And LadyMary laughed scornfully. "Why not you too? You are no better a man thanCaptain Alden. " "Oh, the Captain shall not be hurt. " "It will not be through any mercy of his judges then. But, answer myquestion: what will you do, if they dare to accuse me? Answer me that!" "You certainly are not serious, Lady Mary?" "I am perfectly serious. I have heard already a whisper from Salem thatthey are thinking of it. They even have wished me warned against theconsequences of my high-handed proceedings. Now if they cry out againstme, what will you do?" We have said that Sir William was naturally choleric--though he alwaysput a strong constraint upon himself when talking with his wife, whom hereally loved; but now he started to his feet. "If they dare to breathe a whisper against you, my wife, Lady Mary, Iwill blow the whole concern to perdition! Confound it, Madam, there arelimits to everything!" She went up to him and put her arm around his neck and kissed him. "Ithought that before they touched me, they would have to chain the lionthat lies at my door, " she said proudly and affectionately; for, notwithstanding these little tiffs, she really was fond of her husband, and proud of his romantic career. But--coming back to our sheep--Dulcibel not having the same amount ofwealth and influence behind her as Master English had, was very wellcontented at being allowed a room in Keeper Arnold's house; and was onthe whole getting along very comfortably. Master Raymond had seen hersoon after his arrival, but it was in company with the jailer; theprincipal result being that he had secretly passed her a letter, and hadassured himself that she was not in a suffering condition. But things of late were looking brighter, for Master Raymond had madethe acquaintance of Lady Mary through a friend to whom he had lettersfrom England, and Lady Mary had begun to take an interest in Dulcibel, whom she had seen on one of her visits to Mistress English. Through Lady Mary, in some way, Dulcibel hoped to escape from theprison; trusting that, if once at large, Master Raymond would be able toprovide for her safety. But there was one great difficulty. She, withthe others, had given her word to the Keeper not to escape, as the priceof her present exemption from confinement in an exposed, unhealthy cell. How this promise was to be managed, neither of them had been able tothink of. Keeper Arnold might be approached; but Dulcibel feared not--atleast under present circumstances. If brought to trial and convictedthen to save her life, Dulcibel thought he might be persuaded to aidher. As to breaking her word to the Keeper, that never entered the mindof the truthful maiden, or of her lover. Death even was more endurablethan the thought of dishonor--if they had thought of the matter at all. But as I have said, they never even thought of a such thing. Andtherefore how to manage the affair was a very perplexing question. CHAPTER XXXVII. The First Rattle of the Rattlesnake. One day about this time Master Raymond was sitting in the porch of theRed Lion, thinking over a sight he had just seen;--a man had passed bywearing on the back of his drab coat a capital I two inches long, cutout of black cloth, and sewed upon it. On inquiry he found the man hadmarried his deceased wife's sister; and both he and the woman had beenfirst whipped, and then condemned to wear this letter for the rest oftheir lives, according to the law of the colony. [3] [Footnote 3: See Drake's History of Boston] Master Raymond was puzzling over the matter not being able to make outthat any real offence had been committed, when who should walk up to theporch but Master Joseph Putnam. After a hearty hand-shaking between thetwo, they retired to Master Raymond's apartments. "Well, how are things getting along at Salem?" "Oh, about as usual!" "Any more accusations?" "Plenty of them, people are beginning to find out that the best way toprotect themselves is to sham being 'afflicted, ' and accuse somebodyelse. " "I saw that a good while ago. " "And when a girl or a woman is accused, her relatives and her friendsgather around her, and implore her to confess, to save her life. Forthey have found that not one person who has been accused of being awitch, and has admitted the fact, has been convicted. "And yet it would seem that a confession of witchcraft ought to be abetter proof of it, than the mere assertion of possible enemies, "responded Master Raymond. "Of course--if there was any show of reason or fairness in theprosecutions, from first to last; but as it is all sheer malice andwickedness, on the part of the accusers, from the beginning to the end, it would be vain to expect any reasonableness or fairness from them. " "We must admit, however, that there is some delusion in it. It would betoo uncharitable to believe otherwise, " said Master Raymondthoughtfully. "There may have been at the very first--on the part of the children, "replied Master Putnam. "They might have supposed that Tituba andfriendless Sarah Good tormented them--but since then, there has notbeen more than one part of delusion to twenty parts of wickedness. Why, can any sane man suppose that she-wolf sister-in-law of mine does notknow she is lying, when she brings such horrible charges against thebest men and women in Salem?" "No, I give up Mistress Ann, she is possessed by a lying devil, "admitted Master Raymond. "It is well she does not hear that speech, " said Joseph Putnam. "Why?" "Because, up to this time, you seem to have managed to soften her hearta little. " "I have tried to. I have thought myself justified in playing a part--asKing David once did you know. " "It is that which brings me here. I met her at the house of a friendwhom I called to see on some business a day or two ago. " "Ah!" "She said to me, in that soft purring voice of hers, 'Brother Joseph, Ihear that your good friend Master Raymond is still in Boston. ' Ianswered that I believed he was. 'When he took leave of me, ' shecontinued, 'I advised him not to stay long in that town--as it wasoften a bad climate for strangers. I am sorry he does not take wisecounsel. ' Then she passed on, and out of the house. Have you any ideawhat she meant?" Master Raymond studied a moment over it in silence. Then he said:--"Itis the first warning of the rattlesnake, I suppose. How many do theyusually give before they spring?" "Three, the saying goes. But I guess this rattlesnake cannot be trustedto give more than one. " "I was convinced I saw your brother Thomas as I came ashore from theStorm King the other day. " "Ah, that explains it then. She understands it all then. She understandsit all now just as well as if you had told her. " "But why should she pursue so fiendishly an innocent girl like Dulcibel, who is not conscious of ever having offended her?" "Why do tigers slay, and scorpions sting? Because it is their nature, Isuppose, " replied Master Putnam philosophically. "Because, MistressDulcibel openly ridiculed and denounced her and the whole witchcraftbusiness. And you will note that there has not been a single instanceof this being done, that the circle of accusers have not seemedmaddened to frenzy. " "Yes, --there has been one case--your own. " "That is true--because I am Thomas Putnam's brother. And, dupe and toolas he is of that she-wolf, and though there is no great amount of lovelost between us--still I am his brother! And that protects me. Besidesthey know that it is as much any two men's lives are worth to attempt toarrest me. " "And then you think there is no special enmity against Dulcibel?" "I have not said so. Jethro Sands hates her because she refused him;Leah Herrick wants her driven away, because she herself wants to marryJethro, and fears Jethro might after all, succeed in getting Dulcibel;and Sister Ann hates her, because--" "Well, because what?" "Oh, it seems too egotistical to say it--because she knows she is one ofmy dear friends. " "She must dislike you very much then?" "She does. " "Why?" "Oh, there is no good reason. At the first, she was inclined to likeme--but I always knew she was a cold-blooded snake and she-wolf, and Iwould have nothing to do with her. Then when brother Thomas began tosink his manhood and become the mere dupe and tool of a scheming woman, I remonstrated with him. I think, friend Raymond, that I am aschivalrous as any man ought to be. I admire a woman in her true place asmuch as any man--and would fight and die for her. But for these men thatforget their manhood, these Marc Antonies who yield up their soundreason and their manly strength to the wiles and tears and charms ofselfish and ambitious Cleopatras, I have nothing but contempt. There areplenty of them around in all ages of the world, and they generally gloryin their shame. Of course brother Thomas did not enjoy very much my meanopinion of his conduct--and as for sister Ann, she has never forgivenme, and never will. " "And so you think she hates Dulcibel, mainly because you love her?" "That is about the shape of it, " said Master Putnam drily. "ThatDulcibel feels for me the affection of a sister, only intensifies mysister-in-law's aversion to her. But then, you see, that merely on thegeneral principle of denouncing all who set themselves in opposition tothe so-called afflicted circle, Dulcibel would be accused ofwitchcraft. " "Well, for my part, I think the whole affair can only be accounted foras being a piece of what we men of the world, who do not belong to anychurch, call devilishness, " said Master Raymond hotly. "You see, " responded Master Putnam, "that you men of the world have tocome to the same conclusion that we church members do. You impute it to'devilishness' and we to being 'possessed by the devil. ' It is about thesame thing. And now give me an idea of your latest plans. Perhaps I canforward them in some way, either here or at Salem. " CHAPTER XXXVIII. Conflicting Currents in Boston. All this time the under-current of opposition to these criminalproceedings against the alleged witches, was growing stronger, atBoston. The Reverend Samuel Willard and Joshua Moody both ministers ofundoubted orthodoxy from the Puritan stand-point, did not scruple tovisit the accused in the keeping of jailer Arnold, and sympathize openlywith them. Captain Alden and Master Philip English and his wifeespecially, were persons of too great wealth and reputation not to havemany sympathizing friends. On the other hand, the great majority of the Puritans, under the lead ofthe Reverend Cotton Mather, and the two Salem ministers, Parris andNoyes were determined that the prosecution should go on, until thewitches, those children of the Evil One, were thoroughly cast out; evenif half of their congregations should have to be hung by the other half. At a recent trial in Salem, one of the "afflicted" had even gone so faras to cry out against the Rev. Master Willard. But the Court, it seemed, was not quite ready for that; for the girl was sent out of court, beingtold that she must have mistaken the person. When this was reported toMaster Willard, it by no means tended to lessen his growing belief thatthe prosecutions were inspired by evil spirits. Of course in this condition of things, the position of the Governor, SirWilliam Phips, became a matter of the first importance. As he owed hisoffice mainly to the influence of the Rev. Increase Mather, and satunder the weekly ministrations of his learned son, Cotton Mather, thewitch prosecutors had a very great hold upon him. With a good naturalintellect, Sir William had received a very scanty education; and wastherefore much impressed by the prodigious attainments of such men asthe two Mathers. To differ with them on a theological matter seemed tohim rather presumptuous. If they did not know what was sound intheology, and right in practise; why was there any use in havingministers at all, or who could be expected to be certain of anything? Then if Sir William turned to the law, he was met by an almost unanimousarray of lawyers and judges who endorsed the witchcraft prosecution. Chief-Justice Stoughton, honest and learned Judge Sewall--and nearlyall the rest of the judiciary--were sure of the truth in this matter. Not one magistrate could be found in the whole province, to decide as asensible English judge is reported by tradition to have done, in thecase of an old woman who at last acknowledged in the feebleness of herconfused intellect that she was a witch, and in the habit of ridingabout on a broomstick: "Well, as I know of no law that forbids old womenriding about on broomsticks, if they fancy that mode of conveyance, youare discharged. " But there was not one magistrate at that time, wise orlearned enough to make such a sensible decision in the whole of NewEngland. Thus with the almost unanimous bar, and the great preponderance of theclergy, advising him to pursue a certain course, Sir William undoubtedlywould have followed it, had he not been a man whose sympathies naturallywere with sea-captains, military officers, and other men-of-the-world;and, moreover, if he had not a wife, herself the daughter of asea-captain, who was an utter disbeliever in her accused friends beingwitches, and who had moreover a very strong will of her own. Of course if the Governor should come to Lady Mary's opinion, theprosecution might as well be abandoned--for, with a stroke of his pen, he could remit the sentences of all the convicted persons. Left tohimself and Lady Mary, he doubtless would have done this; but he wishedto continue in his office, and to be a successful Governor; and he knewthat to array himself against the prosecution and punishment of thealleged witches was to displease the great majority of the people of theprovince; including, as I have shown, the most influential persons. Infact, it was simply to retire from his government in disgrace. All this the Reverend Cotton Mather represented to Sir William, withmuch else of a less worldly, but no doubt still more effectivecharacter, based upon various passages of the old Testament rather thanupon anything corresponding to them in the New. And so the prosecutions and convictions went on; but the furtherexecutions waited upon the Governor's decision. CHAPTER XXXIX. The Rattlesnake Makes a Spring. It was a Thursday afternoon, and the "afflicted circle" was having oneof its informal meetings at the house of Mistress Ann Putnam. At thesemeetings the latest developments were talked over; and all the scandalof the neighborhood, and even of Boston and other towns, gathered anddiscussed. Thus in the examination of Captain Alden in addition to thematerial charges of witchcraft against him, which I have noted, wereentirely irrelevant slanders of the grossest kind against his moralcharacter which the "afflicted girls" must have gathered from very lowand vulgar sources. The only man present on this occasion was Jethro Sands; and the girls, especially Leah Herrick, could not but wonder who now was to be "criedout against, " that Jethro was brought into their counsels. It is a curious natural instinct which leads every faculty--even thebasest--to crave more food in proportion to the extent in which it hasbeen already gratified. In the first place, the "afflicted" girls nodoubt had their little spites, revenges, and jealousies to indulge, butafterwards they seemed to "cry out" against those of whom they hardlyknew anything, either to oblige another of the party, or to punish foran expressed disbelief in their sincerity, or even out of the merewantonness of power to do evil. Mistress Ann Putnam opened the serious business of the afternoon, afteran hour or so had been spent in gossip and tale-bearing, by an accountof some recent troubles of hers. "A few nights ago, " said she, "I awakened in the middle of the nightwith choking and strangling. I knew at once that a new 'evil hand' wasupon me; for the torment was different from any I had ever experienced. I thought the hand that grasped me around the throat would have killedme--and there was a heavy weight upon my breast, so that I could hardlybreathe. I clutched at the thing that pressed upon my breast, and itfelt hard and bony like a horse's hoof--and it was a horse. By the faintmoonlight I saw it was the wild black 'familiar' that belongs to thesnake-marked witch, Dulcibel Burton. But the hand that grasped my throatwas the strong hand of a man. I caught a sight of his face. I knew itwell. But I pity him so much that I hesitate to reveal it. I feel as ifI would almost rather suffer myself, than accuse so fine a young man ashe seemed to be of such wicked conduct. " "But it appears to me that it is your duty to expose him, MistressPutnam, " said Jethro Sands. "I know the young man whose spectre you saw, for he and that black witch of a mare seem to be making their nightlyrounds together. They 'afflicted' me the other night the same way. Iflung them off; and I asked him what he meant by acting in that way? Andhe said he was a lover of the witch Dulcibel; who was one of the queensof Hell--I might know that by the snake-mark on her bosom. And she hadtold him that he must afflict all those who had testified against her;and she would lend him her 'familiar, ' the black mare, to help him doit. " By this time, even the dullest of the girls of course saw very plainlywho was being aimed at; but Mistress Putnam added, "upon learning thatMaster Jethro had also been afflicted by this person, I had very littledoubt that I should find the guilty young man had been doing the same toall of you; for we have seen heretofore that when these witches attackone of us, they attack all, hating all for the same reason, that weexpose and denounce them. I may add that I have also heard that theyoung man in question is now in Boston doing all he can in aid of thesnake-witch Dulcibel Burton; and representing all of us to Lady MaryPhips and other influential persons, as being untruthful and maliciousaccusers of innocent people. " Here she turned to one who had always beenher right-hand as it were, and said:--"I suppose you have been tormentedin the same way, dear Abigail?" Ann Putnam, her daughter, however, that precocious and unmanageable girlof twelve, here broke in: "I think my mother is entirely mistaken. I wastreated just the same way about a week ago; but it was not the spectreof Master Raymond at all--it was the spectre of another man whom I neversaw before. It was not at all like Master Raymond; and I, for one, willnot join in crying out against him. " In those old times, parents were treated with a much greater show, atleast, of respect and veneration than they are at present; and thereforeMistress Putnam was greatly shocked at her daughter's language; but herdaughter was well known to all present as an exceptional child, beingvery forward and self-willed, and therefore her mother simply said, "Ihad not expected such unkind behavior from you, Ann. " "Master Raymond has been very kind to all of us, you know--has given uspretty things, and has promised to send us all presents when he getsback from England; and I have heard you and father both say, that thePutnams always stand up for their friends. " This reference to the promised presents from England, evidently told allaround the circle. They had nothing to gain by "crying out" againstMaster Raymond, they had something to gain by not doing it; besides, hewas a very handsome young man, who had tried to make himself agreeableto almost all of them as he had opportunity. And though Dulcibel'sbeauty went for nothing in their eyes, a young man's good looks andgallant bearing were something entirely different. And so Abigail Williams, and Mary Walcot, and Mercy Lewis, and LeahHerrick, and Sarah Churchill, and Elizabeth Hubbard all had the sametale to tell with suitable variations, as young Ann Putnam had. Theywere certain that the face of the "spectre" was not the face of MasterRaymond; but of some person they had never before seen. Mercy Lewis andSarah Churchill, in fact, were inclined to think it was the face ofSatan himself; and they all wondered very much that Mistress Putnamcould have mistaken such an old and ugly face, for that of the comelyyoung Englishman. As for Leah Herrick, she did not care in her secret heart if MasterRaymond were in love with Dulcibel--so that he would only take her outof the country, where there was no danger of Jethro's seeing her anymore. All her belief that Dulcibel was a witch was based upon jealousy, and now that it was utterly improbable that Jethro would ever turn histhoughts in that direction again, she had no hard feeling towards her;while, as she also had reason to expect a handsome present from England, she did not share in the least Jethro's bitterness against the youngEnglishman. But although Mistress Putnam was thus utterly foiled in her effort toenlist the "afflicted circle" in her support, she was not the woman togive up her settled purpose on that account. She knew well that she wasa host in herself, so far as the magistrates were concerned. And, havingJethro Sands to join her, it made up the two witnesses that wereabsolutely necessary by the law of Massachusetts as of Moses. The"afflicted circle" might not aid her, but it was not likely that theywould openly revolt, and take part against her in public; and so shewent the very next morning in company with that obedient tool, herhusband and Jethro Sands, to the office of Squire Hathorne, and got himto issue a warrant for the arrest of Master Ellis Raymond, on the usualcharge of practicing witchcraft. CHAPTER XL. An Interview with Lady Mary. Master Raymond, having obtained an introduction to the Governor's wife, Lady Mary, lost no time in endeavoring to "cultivate the amenities oflife, " so far as that very influential person was concerned. He had paidthe most deferential court to her on several occasions where he had beenable to meet her socially; and had impressed the Governor's lady veryfavorably, as being an unusually handsome, well-bred and highlycultivated young man. A comely and high-spirited lady of forty, she wasbetter pleased to be the recipient of the courteous and deferentialattentions of a young Englishman of good connections like MasterRaymond, than even to listen to the wise and weighty counsel of solearned a man as Master Cotton Mather. Only in the last minutes of their last meeting however, when handing herladyship to her carriage, did Master Raymond feel at liberty to ask herif he could have a short private interview with her the next morning. She looked a little surprised, and then said, "Of course, MasterRaymond. " "At what hour will it suit your ladyship?" "At twelve, precisely, I have an engagement at one;" and the carriagedrove off. A minute or two before twelve, Master Raymond was at the Governor'shouse in Green lane; and was duly admitted, as one expected, and showninto her ladyship's boudoir. "Now, come right to the point, Master Raymond; and tell me what I can dofor you, " said her ladyship smiling. "If I can help you, I will; if Icannot, or must not, I shall say so at once--and you must continue to bejust as good a friend to me as ever. " "I promise that to your ladyship, " replied the young man earnestly. Hereally liked and admired Lady Mary very much. "Is it love, or money?--young men always want one of these. " "Your ladyship is as quick-witted in this as in everything else. " "Well, which is it?" "Love. " "Ah--who?" "Mistress Dulcibel Burton. " "What!--not the girl with the snake-mark?" Raymond bowed his head very low in answer. Lady Mary laughed. "She is a witch then, it seems; for she has bewitchedyou. " "We were betrothed to each other only a few days before that absurd andlying charge was made against her. " "And her horse--her black mare--that upset the Reverend Master Parrisinto the duck pond; and then went up into the clouds; and, as MasterCotton Mather solemnly assured me, has never been seen or heard ofsince--what of it--where is it, really?" "In an out-of-the-way place, up in Master Joseph Putnam's woods, "replied the young man smiling. "And you are certain of it?" "As certain as riding the mare for about ten miles will warrant. " "Master Mather assured me that no man--except perhaps Satan or one ofhis imps--could ride her. " "Then I must be Satan or one of his imps, I suppose. " "How did you manage it?" "I put a side-saddle on the beast; and a woman's skirt on myself. " The lady laughed outright. "Oh, that is too good! It reminds me of whatSir William often says, 'Anything can be done, if you know how to doit!' I must tell it to him he will enjoy it so much. And it will be agood thing to plague Master Mather with. " "Please do not tell anyone just now, " protested the young man earnestly. "It may bring my good friend, Joseph Putnam, into trouble. And it wouldonly make them all angrier than they are with Dulcibel. " "Dulcibel--that is a strange name. It is Italian--is it not. " "I judge so. It is a family name. I suppose there is Italian blood inthe family. At least Mistress Dulcibel looks it. " "She does. She is very beautiful--of a kind of strange, fascinatingbeauty. I do not wonder she bewitched you. Was that serpent mark toofrom Italy?" "I think it very likely. " "Perhaps she is descended from Cleopatra--and that is the mark left bythe serpent on the famous queen's breast. " "I think it exceedingly probable, " said Master Raymond. My readers willhave observed before this, that he was an exceedingly polite andpolitic young man. "Well, and so you want me to get Mistress Dulcibel, this witchdescendant of that famous old witch, Cleopatra, out of prison?" "I hoped that, from the well-known kindness of heart of your ladyship, you would be able to do something for us. " "You see the difficulty is simply here. I know that all these charges ofwitchcraft against such good, nice people as Captain Alden, Master andMistress English, your betrothed Dulcibel, and a hundred others, aremere bigotry and superstition at the best, and sheer spite andmaliciousness at the worst--but what can I do? Sir William owes hisposition to the Reverend Increase Mather--and, besides, not being agreatly learned man himself, is more impressed than he ought to be bythe learning of the ministers and the lawyers. I tell him that a learnedfool is the greatest fool alive; but still he is much puzzled. If hedoes not conform to the wishes of the ministers and the judges, who areable to lead the great majority of the people in any direction theychoose, he will lose his position as Governor. Now, while this is not somuch in itself, it will be a bar to his future advancement--forpreferment does not often seek the men who fail, even when they failfrom having superior wisdom and nobleness to the multitude. " It was evident that Sir William and Lady Mary had talked over thiswitchcraft matter, and its bearing upon his position, a good many times. And Master Raymond saw very clearly the difficulties of the case. "And still, if the robe of the Governor can only continue to be worn bydyeing it with innocent blood, I think that a man of the naturalgreatness and nobility of Sir William, would not hesitate as to hisdecision. " "But a new Governor in his place might do worse. " "Yes, he might easily do that. " "When it comes to taking more lives by his order, then he will decideupon his course. So far he is temporizing, " said the lady. "And Dulcibel?" "She is not suffering, " was the reply. "Oh, if I only could say the sameof the poor old women, and poor young women, now lying in those cold andloathsome cells--innocent of any crime whatever either against God oragainst man--I should not feel it all here so heavily, " and Lady Marypressed her hand against her heart. "But we are not responsible for it!I have taken off every chain--and do all I dare; while Sir William shutshis eyes to my unlawful doings. " "Will you aid her to escape, should her life be in danger? You told meto speak out frankly and to the point. " The lady hesitated only for a moment. "I will do all I can--even toputting my own life in peril. When something _must_ be done, come to meagain. And now judge me and Sir William kindly; knowing that we are notdespots, but compelled to rule somewhat in accordance with the desiresof those whom we have been sent here to govern. " Lady Mary extended her hand; the young man took it, as he might havetaken the hand of his sovereign Queen, and pressed it with his lips. Then he bowed himself out of the boudoir. CHAPTER XLI. Master Raymond is Arrested for Witchcraft. As Master Raymond walked up the street toward the Red Lion, he felt inbetter spirits. He had secured the aid, if things should come to theworst of a very influential friend--and one who, woman-like, would be aptto go even farther than her word, as noble spirits in such cases are aptto do. Therefore he was comparatively light-hearted. Suddenly he felt a strong grasp upon his shoulder; and turning, he saw acouple of men beside him. One he knew well as deputy-marshall Herrick, of Salem. "You are wanted at Salem, Master Raymond, " said Marshall Herrickgravely, producing a paper. Raymond felt a sinking of heart as he glanced over it--it was thewarrant for his arrest, issued by Squire Hathorne. "At whose complaint?" he asked, controlling his emotions, and speakingquite calmly and pleasantly. "At the complaint of Mistress Ann Putnam and Master Jethro Sands, "replied the officer. "Of witchcraft? That is very curious. For as Dr. Griggs knows, justbefore I left Salem Farms, I was suffering from 'an evil hand' myself. " "Indeed!" said the officer. "When am I to go?" "Immediately. We have provided a horse for you. " "I should like to get my valise, and some clothes from the Red Lion. " The officer hesitated. Master Raymond smiled pleasantly. "You must be hungry about this time ofday, and they have some of the best wine at the Lion I ever tasted. Youshall drink a bottle or two with me. You know that a man travels all thebetter for a good dinner and a bottle of good wine. " The officers hesitated no longer. "You are a sensible man, MasterRaymond, whether you are a witch or not, " said the deputy marshall. "I think if the wine were better and plentier around Salem, there wouldbe fewer witches, " rejoined Master Raymond; which the other officerconsidered a very witty remark, judging by the way he laughed at it. The result of this strategic movement of Master Raymond's, was that hehad a couple of very pleasant and good-humored officials to attend himall the way to Salem jail, where they arrived in the course of theevening. Proving that thus by the aid of a little metaphorical oil andsugar, even official machinery could be made to work a good dealsmoother than it otherwise would. While the officers themselvesexpressed their utter disbelief to the people they met, of the truth ofthe charges that had been brought against Master Raymond; who in truthwas himself "an afflicted person, " and had been suffering some time froman "evil hand, " as the wise Dr. Griggs had declared. The Salem keeper, Uncle Robie, true to his accustomed plan of action, received Master Raymond very gruffly; but after he had got rid of theother professionals, he had a good long talk, and made his cell quitecomfortable for him. He also took him in to visit Antipas, who wasdelighted to see him, and also to hear that Mistress Dulcibel, was quitecomfortably lodged with Keeper Arnold. Then the young man threw himself upon his bed, and slept soundly tillmorning. He did not need much study to decide upon his plans, as he hadcontemplated such a possibility as that, ever since the arrest ofDulcibel, and had fully made up his mind in what manner he would meetit. If, however, he had known the results of the conference of the"afflicted circle" two days previous, he would have felt more encouragedas to the probable success of the defence he meditated. The constablethat had aided the deputy-marshall in making the arrest, had agreedhowever to send word to Joseph Putnam of what had occurred; andcomforted by the thought of having at least one staunch friend to standby him, Master Raymond had slept soundly even on a prison pallet. The next morning, as early as the rules of the jail would admit, JosephPutnam came to see him. "I had intended to come and see you in Bostonto-day, " said Master Joseph, "but the she-wolf was too quick for me. " "Why, had you heard anything?" "Yes, and I hardly understand it. Abigail Williams called to seeGoodwife Buckley yesterday, and told her in confidence that it wasprobable you would be cried out against by Sister Ann and Jethro Sands;and to warn me of it. " "Abigail Williams!" "Yes; and she also dropped a hint that none of the other 'afflictedgirls' had anything to do with it--for they looked upon you as a verynice young man, and a friend. " "Well, that is good news indeed, " said Master Raymond brightening up. "And I called upon Doctor Griggs on my way here, and he says he isconfident there was an 'evil hand' upon you when you were suffering atmy house; and he will be on hand at the examination to give histestimony, if it is needed, to that effect. " "But that terrible sister-in-law of yours! If she could only be keptaway from the examination for half-an-hour; and give me time to impressthe magistrates and the people a little. " "It might be done perhaps, " said Joseph Putnam musing. "Do not be too conscientious about the means, my dear friend, " continuedMaster Raymond. "Do not stand so straight that you lean backward. Remember that this is war and a just war against false witnesses, theshedders of innocent blood, and wicked or deceived rulers. If I amimprisoned, what is to become of Dulcibel? Think of her--do not think ofme. " Joseph Putnam was greatly agitated. "I will do all I can for both ofyou. But my soul recoils from anything like deceit, as from wickednessitself. But I will think over it, and see if I cannot devise some way tokeep Sister Ann away, for a time or altogether. " "Give me at least fifteen minutes to work on the Magistrates, and toenlist the sympathies of the people in my behalf. For me, so far as myconscience is concerned, I should not hesitate to shoot that Jezebel. For the murder of the twenty innocent men and women who have now beenput to death, she is mainly responsible. And to kill her who surelydeserves to die, might save the lives of fifty others. " Joseph Putnam shook his head. "I cannot see the matter in that light, Friend Raymond. " "Oh, " replied Raymond, "of course I do not mean you should kill MistressAnn. I only put it as giving my idea of how far _my_ conscience wouldallow me to go in the matter. Draw her off in some way though--keep herout of the room for awhile--give me a little time to work in. " "I will do all I can; you may be sure of that, " responded Master Putnamemphatically. Here further confidential conversation was prevented by the entrance ofthe marshall. CHAPTER XLII. Master Raymond Astonishes the Magistrates. The examination was to commence at three o'clock in the afternoon, andto be held in the Court House in the town, as being more convenient toSquire Hathorne than the meeting-house in the village. As Master Thomas Putnam's house and farm were several miles beyond thevillage, it made quite a long ride for them to attend the examination. He had arranged with his wife, however, to start immediately after theirusual twelve o'clock dinner, taking her behind him on a pillion, as wascustomary at that day--his daughter Ann being already in town, where shewas paying a visit to a friend. He had received however a message aboutten o'clock, requesting his immediate presence at Ipswich, on a matterof the most urgent importance; and though he was greatly puzzled by it, he concluded to go at once to Ipswich and go from there direct to Salemtown, without coming home again, as it would be very much out of hisroad to do so. According to this new arrangement, Mistress Ann would take the otherhorse, and a lady's saddle, and ride to town by herself. They had stilla third horse, but that was already in town with her daughter. The Court House was but a short distance from the prison; and, as it wasa good Puritan fashion to be punctual to the minute, at three o'clockprecisely Squires Hathorne and Corwin were in their arm-chairs, andMaster Raymond standing on the raised platform in front of them. As thelatter looked carefully around the room, he saw that neither ThomasPutnam nor his mischievous wife, nor his own best friend Joseph Putnam, was present. Squire Hathorne also observed that Mistress Ann Putnam wasnot present; but, as she was usually very punctual, he concluded thatshe would be there in a few minutes, and after some whispered words withhis colleague, resolved to proceed with the examination. Turning to the young Englishman, he said in his usual sterntones:--"Ellis Raymond, you are brought before authority, upon highsuspicion of sundry acts of witchcraft. Now tell us the truth of thismatter. " But no answer came from the accused. Then, when all eyes were intentlyregarding him, he gave a wild shriek, and fell outstretched upon theplatform. "Let me to him!" said Dr. Griggs, elbowing his way through the crowd. "Isaid a month ago that an 'evil hand' was upon him; and now I am certainof it. " Master Raymond had not been an attentive observer of the recent trialsfor nothing; and he now gave the audience an exhibition which wouldcompare favorably with the best, even with Mistress Ann Putnam's andAbigail William's. His face became shockingly contorted, and he writhedand twisted and turned convulsively. He tore imaginary spectral handsfrom around his neck. He pushed imaginary weights from off his breast. He cried, "Take them away! Pray, take them away!" until the wholecompany were very much affected; and even the magistrates were greatlyastounded. Dr. Griggs loosened his collar and unbuttoned his doublet, and had waterbrought to sprinkle his face keeping up a running fire of words at thesame time, to the effect that he knew, and had said, as least a monthbefore, that Master Raymond had an "evil hand" upon him. "Who is it hurts you?" at length asked credulous Squire Hathorne. "See, there is the yellow bird!" cried the young man, staring intovacancy. "He is coming to peck my eyes out! Kill it! kill it!" dashinghis hands out from his face violently. "Has no one a sword--pray do tryto kill it!" Here an impetuous young villager, standing by, drew his rapier, andstabbed violently in the direction of the supposed spectral bird. "Oh! Oh! You almost killed it! See, there are some of its feathers!" Andthree yellow feathers were seen floating in the air; being small chickenfeathers with which he had been provided that very morning by UncleRobie, the jailer; and which the adroit Master Raymond rightly thoughtwould have a prodigious effect. And the result was fully equal to his expectations. From that moment, itwas evident that he had all the beholders with him; and Squire Hathorne, disposed as he had been to condemn him almost without a hearing, wascompletely staggered. He had the feathers from the "yellow bird"carefully placed upon his desk, with the purpose of transmitting them atonce to Master Cotton Mather who, with these palpable proofs of thereality of the spectral appearance would be able utterly to demolishall the skeptical unbelievers. Finding that such an effect had been produced, Master Raymond allowedhimself to regain his composure somewhat. "Mistress Ann Putnam, who is one of the two complainants, unaccountablyis not here, " said Squire Hathorne. "Master Jethro Sands, what have youto say against this young man? You are the other complainant. " "Probably my mother has come to the conclusion that she was mistaken, asI told her; and therefore she has remained at home, " said Ann Putnam, the daughter; who was delighted with the feather exhibition, and wassecretly wondering how it was done. "Well, what have you to say, --Jethro Sands?" The audience looked around at Jethro with scornful faces, evidentlyconsidering him an imposter. What did he know about witches--compared tothis rich young man from over the seas? "Tell him you find you were mistaken also, " whispered Leah Herrick. "After seeing what we have seen, I withdraw my charges, Squire. I thinkthat Mistress Putnam and myself must have been visited by the spectreof somebody else, and not by Master Raymond. " "I hope that next time you will wait until you are quite certain, "replied Squire Hathorne gruffly. "Do you know that Master Raymond canhave his action against you for very heavy damages, for slander anddefamation?" "I certainly am very sorry, and humbly beg Master Raymond's pardon, "said Jethro, very much alarmed. He had never thought that the affairmight take this turn--as indeed it did in many cases, some six monthsafterward; and which was a very effective damper upon the spirits of theprosecutors. Then the magistrates could do nothing less than discharge the prisoner;and Master Raymond stepped down from the platform a free man, to besurrounded by quite a circle of sympathizing friends. But his firstthanks were due to Dr. Griggs for his professional services. "Doctor, those things you did for me when in the convulsions, relievedme greatly, " and he took out his purse. "Yes, Doctor, I insist upon it. Skill like yours is always worth its recompense. We must not muzzle theox, you know, that treads out the corn. " And he put a gold piece intoDr. Grigg's palm--which was not often favored with anything but silverin Salem. Dr. Griggs was glad that he had been able to render him a littleservice; and said that, if there had been the least necessity for it, hewould have gone on the platform, and testified as to the completeabsurdity of the charge that that excellent woman, Mistress Ann Putnam, evidently in mistake, had brought against him. Then the "afflicted circle" had to be spoken to, who this afternoon didnot appear to be in the least afflicted, but in the very best ofspirits. They now felt more admiration for him than ever; and greetedhim with great cordiality as he came to where they were standing. "Whenare you going back to England?" was a frequent question; and he assuredthem he now hoped to go before many weeks; and then, smiling, added thatthey would be certain to hear from him. As the crowd thinned out a little, Abigail Williams called him aside;"and did you really see the yellow bird, Master Raymond?" said shearchly. "The yellow bird!" replied he dreamily. "Ah! you know that when we thatare 'afflicted' go into trances, we are not conscious of all that wesee. " "For it seemed to me, " continued the girl in a low tone, "that thosefeathers looked very much like chicken feathers. " Then she laughedcunningly, and peered into his face. "Indeed!" replied the young man gravely; "well, a chicken's bill, pecking at your eyes, is not a thing to be made light of. I knew of agirl, one of whose eyes was put entirely out by her pet canary. " And as he moved at once toward the rest of the group, the quick-wittedand precocious child was compelled to follow. The magistrates had left the Court House, with the majority of thepeople, including Jethro Sands, when who should come in, walkinghastily, and his face flushed with hard riding, but Thomas Putnam. "Am I too late? What was done?" he said quickly to Leah Herrick, who wasstanding near the door. "Oh, the charge broke down, and Master Raymond was discharged. " "Ah! Where is my wife?" "She did not come. It was said by your daughter, that she probablyfound she was mistaken in the person, and stayed for that reason. " "I do not believe it--she would have told me. What did Jethro Sands do?" "Oh, he withdrew the charges, so far as he was concerned. There was agreat deal more danger that Master Raymond would prove him to be awitch, than he Master Raymond. " "I see--it is a case of conspiracy!" exclaimed Master Putnam hotly. "Hadyou any hand in this, Master Raymond?" turning to the young Englishman, who had drawn near, on his way to the door. "Ah, Master Putnam, glad to see you. You did get here early enoughhowever to witness my triumphant vindication. Here is learned Dr. Griggs, and young Mistress Williams, and your own gifted daughter, andhandsome Mistress Herrick, and half-a-dozen others of my old friends whowere ready to testify in my behalf, if any testimony had been needed. Make my compliments to Mistress Putnam; and give her my best thanks forher noble course, in confessing by her absence that she was mistaken, and that she had accused the wrong person. " The cool assurance with which this was uttered, quite confused ThomasPutnam. Could his wife have stayed away purposely? Perhaps so, for shewas accustomed to rapid changes of her plans. But why then had he beenlured off on a wild-goose chase all the way to Ipswich? While he was standing there musing, his daughter came up. "I think, father, you and mother, next time, had better take my advice, " said thatincorrigible and unmanageable young lady; just about as opposite acharacter to the usual child of that period as could well be imagined. But these witchcraft trials, in which she figured so prominently hadutterly demoralized her in this as in certain other respects. CHAPTER XLIII. Why Thomas Putnam Went to Ipswich. What young Master Joseph Putnam undertook to do, he was apt to do prettythoroughly. When he had once made up his mind to keep both his brother'swife and his brother himself, away from the examination, he had rapidlythought over various plans, and adopted two which he felt pretty certainwould not fail. They all involved a little deceit, or at least doubledealing--and he hated both those things with a righteous hatred--but itwas to prevent a great injustice, and perhaps to save life. As he rode rapidly homeward, turning over various plans, in his mind, hehad passed through the village, when he saw some one approaching on whatseemed to be the skeleton of an old horse. He at once recognized therider as an odd character, a carpenter, whom he at one time had occasionto employ in doing some work on a small property he owned in Ipswich. Reining up his horse, Master Putnam stopped to have a chat with theman--whose oddity mainly consisted in his taciturnity, which was brokenonly by brief and pithy sentences. "A fine day Ezekiel--how are things in Ipswich?" "Grunty!" "Ah! I am sorry to hear it. Why, what is the matter?" "Broomsticks, chiefly. " "You mean the witches. That is a bad business. But how shall we mendit?" The old carpenter was too shrewd to commit himself. He glanced at MasterPutnam, and then turning his head aside, and giving a little laugh, said, "Burn all the broomsticks. " "A good idea, " replied Master Putnam, also laughing. "Oh, by the way, Ezekiel, I wonder if you could do a little errand for me?" and the youngman took out his purse and began opening it. "You are not in a greathurry, are you?" "Hurry, is for fools!" "You know where my brother Thomas lives? Up this road?" They were justwhere two roads joined, one leading by his own house, and the other pasthis brother's. "I wish I knew the road to heaven as well. " "You know how to keep silent, and how to talk also, Ezekiel--especiallywhen you are well paid for it?" The old man laughed. "A little bullet sometimes makes a big hole, " hesaid. "I want you to go to my brother Thomas, and say simply thesewords:--Ipswich Crown and Anchor. Very important indeed. At once. Waittill he comes. " "All right. " And he held out his hand, into which Master Joseph put asmuch silver as the old man could make in a whole week's work. "You are not to remember who sent you, or anything else than thosewords. Perhaps you have been drinking rather too much cider, you know. Do you understand?" The old man's face assumed at once a very dull and vacant expression, and he said in that impressive manner which rather too many glasses isapt to give, "Ipswich. Crown and Anchor. Very important indeed. At once. Wait till he comes. " "That will do very well, Ezekiel. But not a word more, mind!" "Tight as a rat-trap, " replied the old man--and he turned his skeleton'shead, and went up the road towards Thomas Putnam's. Joseph felt certain that this would take his brother to Ipswich. Both ofthem were greatly interested in a lawsuit with certain of the Ipswichpeople, regarding the northern boundary of the Putnam farms. Thomas wasmanaging the matter for the family; and was continually on the look-outfor fresh evidence to support the Putnam claim. In fact, bright MasterRaymond had once said that, between the Salem witches and theIps-witches, Master Thomas seemed to have no peace of his life. But thiswas before the witch persecutions had assumed such a tragical aspect. When Ezekiel had found Thomas Putnam and delivered his brief message, without dismounting from his skeleton steed, Master Putnam asked at oncewho sent the message. "Ipswich. Crown and Anchor. Very important indeed! At once. Wait till hecomes, " repeated the old man, with a face of the most impassivesolemnity, and emphasizing every sentence with his long fore-finger. And that was all Master Thomas could get out of him. That much came justas often as he wished it; but no more--not a word. Mistress Ann Putnam had come out to the gate by that time. "He has beendrinking too much cider, " she said. This gave a suggestion to Ezekiel. "Yes, too much cider. Rum--steady me!" Mistress Putnam thought that it might produce an effect of that kind, and, going back into the house, soon reappeared with a rather stiffdrink of West India rum; which the old man tossed off with noperceptible difficulty. He smiled as he handed back the tin cup which had held it. "Yes--steadynow!" he said. "Who gave you the message?" again asked Master Putnam. Ezekiel looked solemn and thoughtful. "Who gave 'im the message, "replied Ezekiel slowly. "Yes--who sent you to me?" "Who sent yer--to--me?" again repeated Ezekiel. "Ipswich. Crown andAnchor. At once. Wait till he comes. " Then the old man's countenancecleared up, as if everything now must be perfectly satisfactory. "Oh there is no use in trying to get any more out of him--he is too muchfuddled, " said Mistress Putnam impatiently. "More rum--steady me!" mumbled Ezekiel. "No, not a drop more, " said Thomas Putnam peremptorily. "You have hadtoo much already. " The old man frowned--and turning the skeleton steed after considerableeffort, he gave his parting shot--"Crown and anchor--wait till hecomes!" and rode off in a spasmodic trot down the lane. "I shall have to go to Ipswich, and see about this, it may supply themissing link in our chain of evidence!" "But how about this afternoon?" queried his wife. "Oh, I can get to Salem by three o'clock, by fast riding. I will leavethe roan horse for you. " "Saddle the grey mare, Jehosaphat. " And thus it was that his brother Joseph, looking out of his sitting-roomwindow, about an hour after his arrival at home, saw Master ThomasPutnam, on his well-known grey mare, riding along the road past hishouse on the most direct route to Ipswich. "He is out of the way, for one--if he waits an hour or two for anyperson to meet him on important business at the Crown and Anchor, "thought the young man. "It is important indeed though that he should go, and keep himself out of mischief; and from helping to take any moreinnocent lives. And when he comes to his senses--in the next world, ifnot in this--he will thank me for deceiving him. Now let me see whetherI can do as good a turn for that delectable wife of his. " CHAPTER XLIV. How Master Joseph Circumvented Mistress Ann. About an hour afterwards, Master Joseph saw one of his farm-hands comingover the fields from the direction of his brother's house, which wasabout two miles almost directly to the west of his own house. Going outto meet him, he said-- "Well, Simon Peter, I see that you got the rake. " "Yes, Master Joseph; but they wish me to return it as soon as we can. " "That is right. Finish your job in the garden this afternoon, and takeit back early tomorrow morning. You can go to work now. " The man walked off toward the garden. "Wait a moment!" his master cried. The man stopped. "Anything new atbrother Thomas's? Are they all at home?" "No, indeed! Master Thomas has gone off to Ipswich--and little Ann is atSalem town. " "I could not borrow a horse, then, of them, you think?" "No, indeed, sir. There is only one left in the stable; and MistressPutnam means to use that to go to the trial this afternoon. " "Oh, well, I do not care much;" and his master walked off to the house, while Simon Peter went to his work. Then, after a somewhat earlier dinner than usual, Master Joseph orderedhis young horse, Sweetbriar, saddled; and after kissing his wife "in ascandalous manner"--that is, out of doors, where some one might haveseen him do it--he mounted, and cantered off down the lane. The young man loved a good horse and he claimed that Sweetbriar, with ayear or two more of age and hardening, would be the fastest horse in theProvince. As to temper, the horse was well named; for he could be assweet, when properly handled, as a rose; and as sharp and briary as anyrose-stalk under contrary conditions. A nervous, sensitive, high-mettledanimal; Mistress Putnam, though a good rider, said it was too much workto manage him. While her husband always responded that Sweetbriar couldbe ridden by any one, for he was as gentle as a lamb. Just as Mistress Ann Putnam had got through her dinner, she saw herbrother-in-law Joseph riding up the lane. The brothers, as has beenseen, differed very widely relative to the Witchcraft prosecutions; butstill they visited one another, as they were held together by variousfamily ties, and especially by the old lawsuit against certain of theIpswich men, to which I have alluded. Therefore Mistress Putnam opened the door and went out to the gardengate, where by this time the young man had dismounted, and fastened hishorse. "Is brother Thomas at home, Sister Ann?" "No--he had a call to Ipswich this morning. " "Ah--the lawsuit business. " "I suppose so. But the messenger was so overcome with liquor, that hecould not even remember who sent him. " "Why, how could Thomas know where to go then?" "Oh, the man managed to say that his employee would be waiting forThomas at the "Crown and Anchor, " where he usually stops you know. " "Well, I am glad that Thomas went. I stopped to see if Jehosaphat coulddo a little errand for me--I might have sent one of my own men, but Iforget matters sometimes. " "You will find him at the barn, " replied Mistress Putnam, a little anxious to cut short the conversation, as she wished toget ready for her ride to Salem. Going to the barn, Master Joseph soon found Jehosaphat. "How do, Fatty!"this was the not very dignified diminutive into which Jehosaphat haddwindled in common use. "How are you getting along?" "Fair to middlin, sir. Not as well though as on the old place, MasterJoseph. " "I do not want to interfere with my brother, remember; but if at anytime he should not want you any more, remember the old place is stillopen for you. It was your own fault, you know, that you went. " "I did not know when I was well off, Master Joseph. I was a fool, thatwas all. " "I thought so, " replied Master Joseph pithily. "But no matter about thatnow--can you do an errand for me?" "Of course I can--the mistress willing. " "Well, I said I wished to send you on an errand, and she told me whereto find you. " "That is all right then. " "Go to Goodman Buckley's, in Salem village, and ask him for a bundle Ileft--bring it to my house, you know, you can take the roan horsethere. And, by the way, Fatty, if you want to stop an hour or two to seethe widow Jones's pretty daughter, I guess no great harm will be done. " Jehosaphat giggled--but then his face clouded. "But Mistress Putnamwants to take the roan herself this afternoon. The trial comes off, youknow. " "Oh, it is not a trial--it is only an examination. And it is allfiddlesticks, anyhow. My sister-in-law is ruining her health by all thiswitch business. But if she insists upon going, I will lend her one of myhorses. Therefore that need not keep you. " So Jehosaphat, in high glee at having an afternoon's holiday, with theroan horse, threw on the saddle and mounted. As he rode at a rapid canter down the lane, Mistress Ann heard thenoise, but supposed it was Master Joseph riding off again, --and did noteven trouble herself to look out of the window, especially as she wasjust then changing her gown. Not long after, coming into the family room, who should she see there, sitting demurely, reading one of the Reverend Cotton Mather's mostpopular sermons, but the same Master Joseph Putnam whom she had thoughtshe was well rid of. "I thought you had gone. I surely heard you riding down the lane, " shesaid in a surprised tone. "Oh, no, I wanted to speak with you about something. " "Who was it then?--I surely heard some one. " "Perhaps it was one of those spectral horses, with a spectral rider. AsMaster Mather says: These are very wonderful and appalling times!" Andthe young man laughed a little scornfully. "Brother Joseph, I do not care to talk with you upon this question. Igreatly regret, as do your brothers and your uncles, that you have goneover to the infidels and the scoffers. " "And I regret that they are making such fools of themselves, " repliedJoseph hotly. "I have no time to discuss this question, brother Joseph, " said MistressAnn with dignity. "I am going to Salem town this afternoon, very much inthe cross, to give my testimony against a young friend of yours. Wouldthat I could have been spared this trial!" and his sister-in-law lookedup to the ceiling sanctimoniously. As Joseph told his young wife thatnight, her hypocrisy hardened his heart against her; so that he couldhave kept her at home by sheer force, if it were necessary, and at allexpedient--in fact he would have preferred that rough but sincere way. "If you testify to anything that throws doubt upon Master Raymond'sperfect innocency and goodness, you will testify to a lie, " repliedMaster Joseph severely. "As I said, I have no time for argument. Will you be good enough to tellJehosaphat to saddle the roan for me. " "You know that I had your permission to send Fatty off on an errand--andhe is not back yet. " Mistress Putnam started and bit her lip. She had made a mistake. "Isuppose he will be back before long. " "I doubt it. I sent him to the village. " "Well, I suppose I can put on the saddle myself. Your conscienceprobably would not allow you to do it--even if common courtesy towards awoman, and that woman your sister, demanded it. " "Without deciding the latter point, I should think it almost impossiblefor me to put a saddle on the roan just now. " "Why? I do not understand you. " "Because he is doubtless miles away by this time. " "Jehosaphat did not take the horse!" "It is precisely what he did do. " "He knew I wanted the roan to ride to Salem town this afternoon. " "He told me you did; but I said that I thought you would have too muchsense to go. Still, if you would go, that I would lend you one of myhorses. " "Well, where is your horse?" "There, at the door. You can take off my saddle, and put on yourside-saddle, and, if you are in a hurry, Sweetbriar can do the distancein half the time that the roan could. " Mistress Putnam could have cried with anger and vexation. Like manypeople of strong and resolute will, she was a good deal of a coward onhorseback; and she knew that Sweetbriar was what the farmers called "ayoung and very skittish animal. " Still her determined spirit roseagainst thus being outdone; besides, she knew well that in a case likethis, where none of the "afflicted circle, " not even her own daughter, would aid her, the whole thing might fall through if she were notpresent. So she said, "Well, I will saddle your horse myself. " Here Master Joseph relented--because he now felt certain of his game. "Ihave conscientious scruples against lifting even my little finger toaid you in this unholy business, " he said more placidly, "but under thecircumstances, I will saddle Sweetbriar for you. " So saying, he took off his saddle from the horse, and substituted theside-saddle which he brought from the barn. Then he led Sweetbriar tothe horse-block, and his sister-in-law mounted. She glanced at his spurs. "You ride him with spurs, I see. Hand me myriding-whip, " she said, pointing to where she had laid it, when shefirst came out. "I would not strike him, if I were you. He is not used to the whip--itmight make him troublesome. " Mistress Putnam made no reply; but gathered up the reins, and the horsestarted down the lane. A singular smile came across the young man's features. He went back andclosed the door of the house, and then started in a rapid walk acrossthe field towards his own home. Neither of them thought it mattered thatthe house was left for a time unprotected. Mistress Putnam knew that acouple of farm-hands were at work in a distant field, who would be backat sundown; and there were so few strollers at that time, that nofarmer thought of bolting up his doors and windows when he went tomeeting, or to see a neighbor. The way home across the fields was a good deal nearer than to go by theroad, as the latter made quite an angle. And, as the young man strodeswiftly, on he could see in many places his sister-in-law, ridingdeliberately along, and approaching the forks of the road, where anyonegoing to his own house, would turn and ride away from, instead of towardSalem. "When she gets to the forks of the road, look out for squalls, " saidMaster Joseph to himself. For many had been his own fights withSweetbriar, when the horse wanted to go towards his stable, after a longride, and his young master wanted him to go in the opposite direction. Sweetbriar had already gone about twenty miles that day--and, besides, had been given only the merest mouthful for dinner, with the object ofpreparing him for this special occasion. The next swell in the ground afforded the young man an excellent view. Sweetbriar had arrived at the turn which led to his stable; where restand oats awaited him; and it evidently seemed to Him the height ofinjustice and unreason to be asked to go all the way back to Salemagain. Mistress Ann, however, knew nothing of these previousexperiences of the animal, but imputed his insubordinate behaviorentirely to self-will and obstinacy. And thus, as the great globe movesaround the sun in a perpetual circle, as the result of the twoconflicting forces of gravitation and fly-off-it-iveness, so Sweetbriarcircled around and around, like a cat chasing his tail, as the result ofthe conflicting wills of himself and his rider. Master Joseph watched the progress of the whole affair with decidedpleasure. "No woman but a witch could get Sweetbriar past that turn, " hesaid to himself, laughing outright, "And no man, who had not a pair ofspurs on. " At last, getting out of all patience, Mistress Putnam raised her whipand brought it down sharply on her horse's shoulder. This decided thestruggle; for, unused to such punishment, the fiery animal reared, andthen turning, sprang up the road that led to his stable at a wildgallop. His rider as I have said, was not a very good horse-woman, and she nowtook hold of the horn of the saddle with her right hand, to enable herto keep her seat; and tried to moderate the gait of the horse with thereins and the voice, abandoning all further resistance to his will asuseless. Setting off at a run, Master Joseph was able to reach home just aboutthe same time as his sister-in-law did. "Ah! I am glad you changed your mind, Sister Ann, about going to Salem. It is a great deal more sensible to come and spend the afternoon withElizabeth. " "Very glad to see you, Sister Ann, " said Mistress Joseph, coming out tothe horse-block, at which Sweetbriar, from force of habit, had stopped. Mistress Ann looked offended, and replied coldly, "I had no intention ofcoming here this afternoon, Sister Elizabeth; but this vile brute, whichJoseph lent me, after sending away my own horse, would neither obey thereins nor the whip. " "You rascal!" said Master Joseph severely, addressing the horse. "You donot deserve to have a lady ride you. " "Can you not lend me another horse--say the one Elizabeth always rides?" "All the other horses are out at work, " replied Master Joseph; "andbefore I could get one of them in, and at all groomed up, ready for thesaddle, I am afraid it would be too late for your purpose. " "So I must be compelled to do as you wish, and stay away from theexamination?" said Mistress Ann bitterly. "Oh, if you choose, I will put a pillion on Sweetbriar, and see how thatworks?" replied Master Joseph with a meek and patient expression ofcountenance, as of one upbraided without cause. "To be sure, Sweetbriarhas never been asked to carry double; but he might as well learn now asever. " "That seems to be the only thing that can be done now, " and theexpression of Mistress Ann's face resembled that of a martyr who wasabout to be tied to the stake; for riding on a pillion brought the ladyalways into the closest proximity with the gentleman, and she was nowcherishing towards Master Joseph a temper that could hardly be calledsisterly. There was necessarily a great waste of time in getting the pillion onSweetbriar. He never had carried double, and he evidently felt insultedby being asked to do it. Master Joseph glanced at the sun, and knew itmust be now full two o'clock. Only by fast riding, would it be possibleto get to Salem court-house by three; and the roads, as they then were, did not admit of fast riding except in a few places. It was no easy thing for Mistress Ann to get on Sweetbriar, for thehorse backed and sidled off from the horse-block whenever she attemptedit--all his sweetness seemed gone by this time, and the briars aloneremained. At least fifteen minutes more were lost in this way. But atlast the difficult feat was accomplished. "Hold on to me tightly, " said the young man, "or you will be thrownoff--" for the irritated animal began to curvet around in alldirections, manifesting a strong determination to go back to his stable, instead of forward towards Salem. "I think we had better try the other road, and not pass the forks whereyou had so much trouble with him, " said Master Joseph, as the horse wentmore quietly, going up the first hill. "As you think best, " said his sister-in-law, in a sharp tone, "If I hada horse like this I would shoot him!" "Oh, Sweetbriar is good enough usually. I never saw him so violent andtroublesome as he is to-day. And I think I know the reason of it. " "What is the reason?" "I fear he has an 'evil hand' upon him, " said Master Joseph with greatsolemnity. "Nonsense, " replied Mistress Ann sharply. "He has got the wicked One in him; that is the matter with him. " "That is about the same thing, " said Master Joseph. Now they were at the top of the hill, and the horse broke into tantrumsagain; requiring all of Master Joseph's skill to prevent his topplinghimself and his two riders over one of the many boulders that obstructedthe road. "If you do not hold on to me more tightly, Sister Ann, you will bethrown off, " said Master Joseph, putting back his right hand to steadyher. And Mistress Ann was compelled to lock her arms around him, or takethe chance of serious injury from being dashed to the rough highway. Theyoung man would have liked to relieve his feelings by a hearty burst oflaughter, as he felt her arms embracing him so warmly, but of course hedared not. They soon came near the main road, running due north and south, andwhich it was necessary to take, as it led directly down to Salem. Sweetbriar knew that road well--and that he never stopped when onceturned to the south on it, short of a six mile ride. He remembered hisrecent victorious struggle at the Forks, and now resolved upon anotherbattle. All of Master Putnam's efforts--or what seemed so--could not gethim headed southward on that road. In truth, burdened as he was, theyoung man really could not do it, without incurring too much risk to thelady behind him. Those who have ever had such a battle with a wilful, mettlesome horse, know that it often requires the utmost patience anddetermination on the part of his rider, to come out victorious. The bestplan--the writer speaks from some experience--is to pull the animalround in a circle until his brain becomes confused, and then start himoff in the right direction. But Sweetbriar evidently had a better brain than usual, for when thewhirl came to an end, it always found his pointing like the magneticneedle to the north. It had been Master Joseph's plan to pretend a gooddeal of earnestness in the struggle which he was certain would come inthis place; but he was pleased to find that there was no need of anypretence in the matter. The horse, under the circumstances, the youngman having a lady's safety to consult, was the master. Repeated trialsonly proved it. Whenever the fierce, final tug of war came, MistressAnn's safety had to be consulted, and the horse had his own way. So, asthe result Sweetbriar started off in a sharp canter up, instead of down, the road. "Take me home then, " said his sister-in-law--"if you will not take me toSalem. " "If I _will_ not, " repeated Master Joseph. "I give you my honest word, Sister Ann, that I could not make this horse go down the road, with ustwo on his back, if I stayed here all the afternoon trying. I shouldthink you must have seen that. " "No matter. Take me home. " "Besides, we could not get to Salem before four o'clock now, ifSweetbriar went his best and prettiest. " "I give it up. Let us turn and go home. " "If we turn and go back the way we came, I do not think I shall be ableto get this self-willed animal past my own gate. " "Well, what do you mean to do?" said the lady bitterly. "Ride on up toTopsfield?" Master Joseph laughed. "No--there is a road strikes off towards yourhouse a short distance above here, and I think I can get you home by it, without any further trouble. " "Very well--get me home as soon as you can. I do not feel like anyfurther riding, or much more talking. " "Of course it is very aggravating, " replied Master Putnam soothingly, "but then you know as Master Parris says, that all these earthlydisappointments are our most valuable experiences--teaching us not toset our hopes upon worldly things, but upon those of a more enduring andsatisfying character. " His sister-in-law's face, that he could not see, she being behind him, wore a look as she listened to this, which could be hardly calledevangelical. "You wished very much I know to go this afternoon to Salem, " continuedMaster Joseph, in the same sermonizing tone; "but doubtless your wishhas been overruled for good. I think, as a member of church, you shouldbe willing to acquiesce patiently in the singular turn that affairs havetaken, and console yourself with the thought that you have beeninnocently riding these peaceful roads instead of being in Salem, doingperchance an infinite deal of mischief. " "No doubt what you are saying seems to you very wise and edifying, Joseph Putnam, but I have a bad headache, and do not care to converseany further. " "But you must admit that your projected visit has been frustrated in avery singular, if not remarkable manner?" Master Joseph knew that hehad her now at an advantage; she was compelled to listen to everythinghe chose to say. His saddle was even better in that respect than theminister's pulpit--you might leave a church, but she could not leave thehorse. "I do not see anything very miraculous, brother Joseph, in a young manlike you having a self-willed and unprincipled horse. In truth, thewonder would be if you had a decent and well-governed animal, " repliedhis sister-in-law wrathfully. The young man smiled at the retort, but she could not see the gleam ofsunshine as it passed rapidly over his face; lingering a moment in thesoft depths of his sweet blue eyes. There was no smile however in hisvoice, but the previous solemnity, as he continued:-- "And yet if Balaam's ass could see the angel of the Lord, with hisdrawn-sword, standing in the way, and barring his further progress inwrongdoing, why might not this horse--who is much more intelligent thanan ass--have seen a similar vision?" The young man had begun this speech somewhat in sport; but as he endedit, the assumed tone of solemnity had passed into one of realearnestness. For, as he asked himself, "Why should it not be? This womanwith him was bound on a wicked errand. Why should not the angel or theLord stand in her way also--and the horse see him, even if his ridersdid not?" Mistress Putnam made no answer. Perhaps now that the young man wasreally in earnest, what he said made some impression upon her, but, moreprobably it did not. He, too, relapsed into silence. It seemed to him a good place to stophis preaching, and let his sister-in-law think over what he had said. "Thank Heaven we are here at last!" said the baffled woman, as they rodeup to the horse-block at her own door. Sweetbriar stood very quiet, andshe stepped on the block, Master Joseph keeping his seat. "Will you dismount and stay to supper, brother Joseph?" said MistressAnn, in a soft purring tone. Master Joseph fairly started with hissurprise, and looked steadily into her dark, inscrutable eyes--eyes likeJael's as she gazed upon sleeping Sisera. "No, I thank you--I expect a friend to supper. I hope brother Thomasheard some good news at Ipswich. Come and see us when you feel likeit. " And he rode off. As he told his wife afterwards, he would not have taken supper with hissister Ann that evening as he valued his life. And yet perhaps it was all imagination--and he did not see that thinglurking in the depths of his sister-in-law's cold, unfathomable eyesthat he thought he did. And yet her testimony against Rebecca Nurse, reads to us, even at this late day, with all the charity that we aredisposed to exercise towards things so long past, as cold-blooded, deliberate murder. CHAPTER XLV. The Two Plotters Congratulate Each Other. When Master Joseph arrived home, he told his wife of what a perversecourse things had taken, amid his own and her frequent laughter. Andthen he could do nothing else than walk up and down impatiently, glancing at frequent intervals towards the road, to see if anybody werecoming. In the course of an hour or so, nobody appearing and Sweetbriar beingsweetened up again by a good feed, he ordered the horse brought out. Then he was persuaded by his wife to recall the order, and waitpatiently till sundown. "What impatient creatures you men are!" said Mistress Elizabeth withfeminine superiority. "Doubtless he will be along. Give him sufficienttime. Now, do not worry, husband mine, but take things patiently. " So Master Joseph was induced to control his restlessness and just assoon as he could have been reasonably expected, Master Raymond was seenriding up the lane at a light canter. "Hurrah!" cried Master Joseph, running to meet him. "And is it allover?" "We have smitten Ammon, hip and thigh, from Aroer even till thou come toMinnith!" answered Master Raymond, laughing. "It was you that kept theshe-wolf away, I know. How did you do it?" "Come in and I will tell you all about it. And I want to hear how allwent off in Salem. " After a couple of hours' conversation, broken frequently byirresponsible bursts of laughter, the young men were mutuallyenlightened; and complimented each other upon the success with whichthey had worked out their respective schemes--while young MistressElizabeth complimented them both, thinking honestly in her innocentheart that two such wonderful young men certainly had never beforeexisted. "How I should like to have seen you astonishing old Squire Hathorne, "said Master Joseph. "I am afraid you would have spoiled all by laughing, " said his youngwife. "You know you never can control your merriment, Joseph. " "I cannot? You should have seen me preaching to sister Ann thisafternoon. I kept my face all the time as sober as a judge's. You knowshe had to take it all quietly--she could not even run away from it. " "I would have given one of your five-pound Massachusetts notes to seeit, " said Master Raymond. "And five pounds more to see your brotherThomas stamping up and down the bar-room of the 'Crown and Anchor, 'waiting for that Ipswich man to meet him. " "I was very careful all through not to tell a direct falsehood, " saidMaster Joseph; "it is bad enough to deceive people, without being guiltyof downright lying. " "Oh, of course, " replied Master Raymond. "I do not know that I told adownright lie either, all day; although I must admit that I acted apretty big one. But you must deal with fools according to theirfolly--you know we have Scripture for that. " "I do not think I would have done it merely to save myself, " said MasterJoseph, evidently a little conscience-smitten. "But to save you, myfriend, that seems to be different. " "And Dulcibel, " added Master Raymond. "If I were imprisoned what wouldbecome of her?" "Yes, I am glad I did it, " responded his friend, regaining hisconfidence. "I have really hurt neither brother Thomas nor Sister Ann;on the contrary, I have prevented them from doing a great wrong. I amwilling to answer for this day's work at the Last Day--and I feelcertain that then at least, both of them will thank me for it. " "I have no doubt of it, " said Mistress Elizabeth who herself brought upin the rigid Puritan school, had felt the same misgivings as herhusband, but whose scruples were also removed by this lastconsideration. As for Master Raymond, he, being more a man of the world, had felt noscruples at playing such a deceitful part. I am afraid, that to saveDulcibel, he would not have scrupled at open and downright lying. Notthat he had not all the sensitiveness of an honorable man as to hisword; but because he looked upon the whole affair as a piece ofmalicious wickedness, in defiance of all just law, and which everytrue-hearted man was bound to oppose and defeat by all means allowablein open or secret warfare. "I suppose you go back to Boston to morrow?" said his host, as they wereabout to separate for the night. "Yes, immediately after breakfast. This affair is a warning to me, topush my plans to a consummation as soon as possible. I think I know whattheir next move will be--a shrewd man once said, just think what is thewisest thing for your enemies to do, and provide against that. " "What is it?" "Remove the Governor. " "Why, I understood he was a mere puppet in the hands of the twoMathers. " "He would be perhaps; but there is a Lady Phips. " "Ah!' the gray mare is the better horse, ' is she, as it is over atbrother Thomas's?" "Yes, I think so. Now mark my prediction, friend Joseph; the first blowwill be struck at Lady Mary. If Sir William resists, as I feel certainthat he will--for he is, if not well educated, a thoroughly manlyman--then he will be ousted from his position. You will note that it hasbeen the game all through to strike at any one, man or woman, who camebetween these vampires and their prey. I know of only one exception. " "Ah, who is that?" "Yourself. " Master Joseph smiled grimly. "They value their own lives very highly, friend Raymond; and know that to arrest me would be no child's play. Besides, Sweetbriar is never long unsaddled; and he is the fastest horsein Salem. " "Yes, and to add to all that, you are a Putnam; and your wife is closelyconnected with Squire Hathorne. " "There may be something in that, " said his friend. "Yes, even Mistress Ann has her limits, which her husband--submissive inso many things--will not allow her to pass. But we are both a littletired, after such an eventful day. Good night!" CHAPTER XLVI. Mistress Ann's Opinion of the Matter. While the foregoing conversation was taking place, one of a verydifferent kind was passing between Mistress Ann and her worthy husband. He had gathered up all the particulars he could of the examination andhad brought them home to his wife for her instruction. After listening to all that he had to tell, with at least outwardcalmness, she said bitterly: "The whole thing was a trick, you see, tokeep you and me away from Salem. " "Do you think so? Do you think then, that no man really wanted to see meat Ipswich?" "It is as plain as the nose on your face, " replied his wife. "You wereto be decoyed off to Ipswich, my horse sent out of the way, and thenJoseph's madcap horse offered to me, they knowing well that theworthless creature would not behave himself with any woman on his back. " "Oh, pshaw, Ann; you do not mean that my simple-hearted brother, JosephPutnam, ever planned and carried out a subtle scheme of that kind?" saidhonest Thomas, with an older brother's undervaluation of thecapabilities of a mere boy like Joseph. "I do not say that Joseph thought it all out, for very probably he didnot; doubtless that Master Raymond put him up to it--for he seemscunning and unprincipled enough for anything, judging, by what you havetold me of his ridiculous doings. " "You may call them ridiculous, Ann; but they impressed everybody verymuch indeed. Dr. Griggs, told me that he had no doubt whatever that an'evil hand' was on him. " "Dr. Griggs is an old simpleton, " said his wife crossly. "And even Squire Hathorne says that he never saw a stronger case ofspectral persecution. Why, when one of the young men thrust the point ofhis rapier at the yellow bird, some of its feathers were cut off andcame fluttering to the ground. Squire Hathorne says he never sawanything more wonderful. " "Nonsense--it is all trickery!" "Trickery? Why, my dear wife, the Squire has the feathers!--and he meansto send them at once to Master Cotton Mather by a special messenger, toconfute all the scoffers and unbelievers in Boston and Plymouth!" A scornful reply was at the end of his wife's tongue but, on secondthought, she did not allow it to get any farther. Suppose that she didconvince her husband and Squire Hathorne that they had been grosslydeceived and imposed upon--and that Master Raymond's apparentafflictions and spectral appearance were the result of skilful juggling, what then? Would their enlightenment stop there? How about the pins thatthe girls had concealed around their necks, and taken up with theirmouths? How about Mary Walcot secretly biting herself, and thenscreaming out that good Rebecca Nurse had bitten her? How about thelittle prints on the arms of the "afflicted girls, " which they allowedwere made by the teeth of little Dorcas Good, that child not five yearsold; and which Mistress Ann knew were made by the girls themselves? Howabout the bites and streaks and bruises which she herself had shown asthe visible proof that the spectre of good Rebecca Nurse, then lying injail, was biting her and beating her with her chains? For Edward Putnamhad sworn: "I saw the marks both of bite and chains. " Perhaps it was safer to let Master Raymond's juggling go unexposed, considering that she herself and the "afflicted girls" had done so verymuch of it. Therefore she said, "I have no faith in Master Raymond nevertheless; nomore than Moses had in King Pharaoh's sorcerers, when they did the verysame miracles before the king that he had done. I believe him now to bea cunning and a very bad young man, and I think if I had been on thespot, instead of his being at this very moment as I have very littledoubt, over at brother's, where they are congratulating each other onthe success of their unprincipled plans, Master Raymond would now belying in Salem jail. " "Probably you are correct, my dear, " responded her husband meekly; "andI think it not unlikely that Master Raymond may have thought the same, and planned to keep you away--but it was evident to me, that if the'afflicted girls' had taken one side or the other in the matter, itwould not have been yours. Why, even our own daughter Ann, was laughingand joking with him when I entered the court room. " "Yes, " said his wife disdainfully--"that is girl-nature, all over theearth! Just put a handsome young man before them, who has seen theworld, and is full of his smiles and flatteries and cajolements, andthe wisest of women can do nothing with them. But the cold years bringthem out of that!" she added bitterly. "They find what they call love, is a folly and a snare. " Her husband looked out of the window into the dark night, and made noreply to this outburst. He had always loved his wife, and he thought, when he married her, that she loved him--although he was an excellentmatch, so far as property and family were concerned. Still she wouldoccasionally talk in this way; and he hoped and trusted that it did notmean much. "I think myself, " he said at length, "that it is quite as much thepretty gifts he has made them, and has promised to send them fromEngland, as his handsome face and pleasant manners. " "Oh, of course, it all goes together. They are a set of mere gigglinggirls; and that is all you can make of them. And our daughter Ann is asbad as any of the lot. I wish she did not take so much after yourfamily, Thomas. " This roused her husband a little. "I am sure, Ann, that our family aremuch stronger and healthier than your own are. And as to Ann's beinglike the other girls, I wish she was. She is about the only delicate andnervous one among them. " "Well, Thomas, if you have got at last upon that matter of thesuperiority of the Putnams to everybody else in the Province, I think Ishall go to bed, " retorted his wife. "That is the only thing that youare thoroughly unreasonable about. But I do not think you ever had asingle minister, or any learned scholar, in your family, or ever owned awhole island, in the Merrimack river as my family, the Harmons, alwayshave done, since the country was first settled--and probably alwaysshall, for the next five hundred years. " To this Thomas Putnam had no answer. He knew well that he had nominister and no island in his family--and those two things, in hiswife's estimation, were things that no family of any reputation shouldbe without. He had not brought on the discussion, although his wife hadaccused him of so doing, and had only asserted what he thought the truthin stating that the Putnams were the stronger and sturdier race. "I do not wish to hurt your feelings, Thomas, in reminding you of thesethings, " continued his wife, finding he was not intending to reply; "Iwill admit that your family is a very reputable and worthy one, even ifit is not especially gifted with intellect like the Harmons, else youmay be sure that I should not have married into it. But I have aheadache, and do not wish to continue this discussion any longer, as itis unpleasant to me, and besides in very bad taste. " And so, taking the hint, Master Putnam, like a dutiful husband, whoreally loved his somewhat peevish and fretful wife, acknowledged by hissilence in the future that the Harmons were much superior to any familythat could not boast of possessing a minister and an island; the latterfor five hundred years! CHAPTER XLVII. Master Raymond Visits Lady Mary. When Master Raymond returned to Boston, he found that an important eventhad taken place in his absence. Captain Alden and Master Philip Englishand his wife, had all escaped from prison, and were nowhere to be found. How Captain Alden had managed things with the jailer the young man wasnot able to ascertain--probably however, by a liberal use of money. Asfor Master English and his wife, they were, as I have already said, atliberty in the day time, under heavy bonds; and had nothing to do butwalk off sometime between sunrise and sundown. As Master English's ship, "The Porcupine, " had been lying for a week or two in Boston harbor, andleft with a brisk northwest wind early in the morning of the day whenthey were reported missing, it was not difficult for anyone to surmiseas to their mode of escape. As to Captain Alden, he might or might nothave gone with them. As was natural, there was a good deal of righteous indignation expressedby all in authority. The jailer was reprimanded for his carelessness inthe case of Captain Alden, and warned that if another prisoner escaped, he would forfeit his, of late, very profitable position. And the largeproperties of both gentlemen were attached and held as being subject toconfiscation. But while the magistrates and officials usually were in earnest in theseproceedings, it was generally believed that the Governor, influenced byLady Mary, had secretly favored the escaping parties. The two ministersof South Church--Masters Willard and Moody--were also known to havefrequently visited the Captain and Master English in their confinement, and to have expressed themselves very freely in public, relative to theabsurdity of the charges which had been made against them. Master Moodyhad even gone so far as to preach a sermon on the text, 'When theypersecute you in this city, flee ye into another, ' which was supposed bymany to have a direct bearing on the case of the accused. And it iscertain that soon afterwards, the Reverend Master Moody found itexpedient to resign his position in South Church and go back to his oldhome in Portsmouth. Anxious to learn the true inwardness of all this matter, Master Raymondcalled a few days after his return to see Lady Mary. Upon sending inhis name, a maid immediately appeared, and he was taken as before to theboudoir where he found her ladyship eagerly awaiting him. "And so you are safely out of the lion's den, Master Raymond, " said she, laughing. "I heard you had passed through securely. " The young man smiled. "Yes, thanks to Providence, and to a good friendof mine in Salem. " "Tell me all about it, " said the lady. "I have had the magisterialaccount already, and now wish to have yours. " "Will your ladyship pardon me if I ask a question first? I am so anxiousto hear about Mistress Dulcibel. Have you seen her lately--and is shewell?" "As well and as blooming as ever. The keeper and his wife treat her verykindly--and I think would continue to do so--even if the supply ofBritish gold pieces were to fail. By the way, she might be on the highseas now--or rather in New York--if she had so chosen. " "I wish she had. Why did she not go with them?" "Because your arrest complicated things so. She would not go and leaveyou in the hands of the Philistines. " "Oh, that was foolish. " "I think so, too; but I do not think that you are exactly the person tosay so, " responded the lady, a little offended at what seemed a want ofappreciation of the sacrifice that Dulcibel had made on his account. But Master Raymond appeared not to notice the rebuke. He simply added:"If I could have been there to counsel her, I would have convinced herthat I was in no serious danger--for, even if imprisoned, I do not thinkthere is a jail in the Province that could hold me. " "Well, there was a difficulty with the Keeper also--for she had givenher word, you know, not to escape, when she was taken into his house. " "But Captain Alden had also given his word. How did he manage it?" "I do not know, " replied the lady. "But, to a hint dropped by Dulcibel, the jailer shook his head resolutely, and said that no money would tempthim. " "The difficulty in her case then remains the same as ever, " said theyoung man thoughtfully, and a little gloomily. "She might go into theprison. But that would be to give warning that she had planned toescape. Besides, it is such a vile place, that I hate the idea of herpassing a single night in one of its sickening cells. " "Perhaps I can wring a pardon out of Sir William, " said the lady musing. "Oh, Lady Mary, if you only could, we should both forever worship you!" The lady smiled at the young man's impassioned language and manner--helooked as if he would throw himself at her feet. "I should be too glad to do it. But Sir William just now is more rigidthan ever. He had a call yesterday from his pastor, Master CottonMather, and a long talk from him about the witches. Master Mather, itseems, has had further evidence and of the most convincing character, ofthe reality of these spectral appearances. " "Indeed!" said Master Raymond showing great interest for he had an ideaof what was coming. "Yes, in a recent examination at Salem before Squire Hathorne, a youngman struck with his sword at a spectral yellow bird which was tormentingan afflicted person; and several small yellow feathers were cut off bythe thrust, and floated down to the floor. Squire Hathorne writes toMaster Mather that he would not have believed it, if he had not seen it;but, as it was, he would be willing to take his oath before any Court inChristendom, that this wonderful thing really occurred. " Master Raymond could not help laughing. "I see you have no more faith in the story than I have, " continued LadyMary. "But it had a great effect upon Sir William, coming from a man ofsuch wonderful learning and wisdom as Master Cotton Mather. Especiallyas he said that he had seen the yellow feathers himself; which had sincebeen sent to him by Squire Hathorne, and which had a singular smell ofsulphur about them. " The young man broke into a heartier laugh than before. Then he saidscornfully, "It seems to me that no amount of learning, however great, can make a sensible man out of a fool. " "Why, you know something about this then? Did it happen while you werein Salem?" "I know everything about it, " said Master Raymond, "I am the very manthat worked the miracle. " And he proceeded to give Lady Mary a detailedaccount of the whole affair, substantially as it is known to the reader. "By the way, as to the feathers smelling of sulphur, " concluded theyoung man, "I think that it is very probable, inasmuch as I observed thejailer's wife that very morning giving the younger chickens powderedbrimstone to cure them of the pip. " "I think you are a marvelously clever young man, " was the lady's firstremark as he concluded his account. "Thank your ladyship!" replied Master Raymond smiling. "I hope I shallalways act so as to deserve such a good opinion. " "I would have given my gold cup--which the Duke of Albemarle gave me--tohave been there; especially when the yellow bird's feathers camefloating down to Squire Hathorne's reverential amazement, " said LadyMary, laughing heartily. "You must come up here tomorrow morning atnoon. Master Mather is to bring his feathers to show the Governor, andto astound the Governor's skeptical wife. You are not afraid to come, are you?" "I shall enjoy it very much--that is, if the Governor will promise thatI shall not suffer for my disclosures. I am free now, and I do not wishto be arrested again. " "Oh, I will see to that. The Governor will be so curious to hear yourstory, that he will promise all that you desire as to your safety. Besides, he will not be sorry to take down Master Mather a little; thesePuritan ministers presume on their vocation too much. They all thinkthey are perfectly capable of governing not only Provinces, butKingdoms; while the whole history of the world proves their utterincapacity to govern even a village wisely. " "That is true as the gospel, Lady Mary. But one thing I have alwaysnoticed. That while every minister thinks this, he would himself farrather be governed even by one of the world's people, than by a ministerof any other belief than his own. So you see they really do think thesame as we do about it; only they do not always know it. " "You are a bright young man, " Lady Mary replied pleasantly, "and I thinkalmost good enough to wear such a sweet rose next your heart as MistressDulcibel. " CHAPTER XLVIII. Captain Tolley's Propositions. That evening as Master Raymond was standing in the bar-room of the RedLion, Captain Tolley came in, and after tossing off a stout glass of rumand water, went out again, giving the young Englishman a nod and theagreed-upon-signal, a smoothing of his black beard with the left hand. After the lapse of a few minutes, Master Raymond followed, going towardsthe wharves, which in the evening were almost deserted. Arrived at theend of one of the wharves, he found the Captain of the Storm King. "So you got out of the clutches of those Salem rascals safely?" said theCaptain. "I was afraid I should have to go all the way to Salem foryou. " "You would not have deserted me then, Captain?" "That is not the kind of a marlinespike I am, " replied the Captainquaintly. "I'd have got you out of Salem jail, unless it is a good dealstronger than the Boston one. " "Thank you, Captain, but I am glad there was no need of your trying. " "You heard of course that Captain Alden was off, and Master and MistressEnglish?" "Yes--and very glad I was too. " "Why did not your sweetheart go with the Englishes?" "There were several reasons--one, a rather foolish one, she would notleave me in prison. " "She would not?" "No. " "D---- me! Why that girl is fit to be a sailor's wife! When we get heroff safely I intend to have her as the figure-head of the Storm King. " "I am afraid that would be a very unhealthy position--she might catch abad cold, " replied Master Raymond. "Oh, of course I mean in wood, painted white with red cheeks, " saidCaptain Tolley. "It brings good luck to have a fine woman for afigure-head--pleases old Nep, you know. " "But we must get her off first, " rejoined Master Raymond. "Now to keepout of that hateful jail, she has given her word to Keeper Arnold not toescape. You know she cannot break her word. " "Of course not, " replied the Captain; "a lady is like a sailor, shecannot go back on her promise. " "And there is where the trouble comes in. " "Buy Keeper Arnold over. " "I am afraid I cannot--not for a good while at least. They are all downupon him for Captain Alden's escape. They might give him a terriblewhipping if another prisoner got off. " The Captain shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, I saw them whip some Quakersonce. It was not a good honest lash, but something the hangman had gotup on purpose, and which cut to the very bone. I have seen men and womenkilled, down on the Spanish main, but I never saw a sight like that!Good, harmless men and women too! A little touched here, you know, " andthe Captain tapped his forehead lightly with his fore-finger. "Yes--I should not like to hear that Master Arnold had been torturedlike that on our account. " "Suppose we carry her off some night by force, she having no hand in thearrangements? She can even refuse to go, you know, if she pleases--wewill handle her as gently as a little bird, and you can come up andrescue her, if you choose, and knock down two or three of us. How wouldthat do? Half-a-dozen of the Storm King's men could easily do that. Choose a night with a brisk nor'wester, and we would be past thecastle's guns before the sleepy land-lubbers had their eyes open. " Master Raymond shook his head dubiously. "I do not like it--and yet Isuppose it must do, if nothing better can be found. Of course if wecarry her off bodily, against her will, it would neither be a breakingof her pledge nor expose Keeper Arnold to any danger of afterpunishment, though he might perhaps get pretty seriously hurt inresisting us, and she would not like that much. " "I suppose then we must wait a while longer, " said the Captain. "I amready any time you say the word--only be careful that a good west or anor'west wind is blowing. When once out on the high seas, we can takecare of ourselves. " "Many French privateers out there?" "Thick as blackberries. But they are of no account. Those we cannotfight, we can easily run away from. There is no craft on these seas, that can overhaul the Storm King!" With a hearty shake of the hand the two parted, the Captain for thevessel of which he was so proud; Master Raymond for his room in the RedLion. CHAPTER XLIX. Master Raymond Confounds Master Cotton Mather. The next day, a little before noon, Master Raymond knocked at the doorof the Governor's Mansion, and was at once conducted to Lady Mary'sboudoir. "The Reverend Master Mather is already with the Governor, " saidher ladyship, "and I expect to receive a summons to join them everymoment. " And in fact the words were hardly out of her mouth, when SirWilliam's private secretary, Master Josslyn, appeared, with a requestfor her ladyship's presence. "Come with me, " said she to Master Raymond; "but do not sayanything--much less smile or laugh--until I call upon you for yourtestimony. " As they entered, the courteous Governor handed his lady to a seat on thesofa; and Master Mather made a dignified obeisance. "I have brought along a young friend of mine, who was with me, and wouldalso like to hear of all these wonderful things, " said her ladyship; andMaster Raymond bowed very deferentially to both the high dignities, theyreturning the bow, while Sir William politely requested him to beseated. "I was just on the point of showing to Sir William the most remarkablecuriosities of even this very remarkable era--and he suggested that youalso doubtless would like to see them, " said the minister; at this timea man of about thirty years of age. He was a rather comely andintelligent looking man, and Master Raymond wondered that one whoappeared so intellectual, should be the victim of such absurdhallucinations. Lady Mary bent her head approvingly, in answer to the minister. "Ishould like very much to see them, " she replied courteously; and MasterMather continued:-- "In the work I have been preparing on the "Wonders of the InvisibleWorld, " several of the sheets of which I have already shown to SirWilliam, I have collected many curious and wonderful instances. Thus inthe case of the eldest daughter of Master John Goodwin, whom I took tomy own house, in order that I might more thoroughly investigate thespiritual and physical phenomena of witchcraft, I found that while thedevils that tormented her were familiar with Latin, Greek and Hebrew, they seemed to have very little knowledge of the various Indiandialects. " "That certainly is very curious, " replied Sir William, "inasmuch asthose heathen are undeniably the children of the devil, as all ourwisest and most godly ministers agree. " "Yes, " continued the minister, "it is true; and that makes meconjecture, that these devils were in fact only playing a part; todeceive me into thinking that the red heathen around us were not reallythe children of Satan, as they undoubtedly are. " "I think that the most reasonable view, " responded the Governor. "As to the reality of this new assault by Satan upon this little seed ofGod's people in the new world, " continued Master Mather, fervently, "Ihave now no doubt whatever. Proof has been multiplied upon proof, andthe man, or woman, who does not by this time believe, is simply one ofthose deplorable doubters, like Thomas, who never can be convinced. Formy part, I consider Witchcraft the most nefandous high treason againstthe Majesty on High! And a principal design of my book is to manifestits hideous enormity, and to promote a pious thankfulness to God thatJustice so far is being inflexibly executed among us. " Lady Mary's face flushed a little, for she saw the drift of theminister's censure. It was well known in all the inner circles, that shehad neither faith in the reality of witchcraft, nor the least sympathywith the numerous prosecutions, and the inflexible justice which theminister lauded. The Governor knew his wife's temper, and hastened tosay:-- "Still we must admit, Master Mather, that some persons, with tenderconscience, require more convincing proofs than do others. And thereforeI was anxious that Lady Mary should see these feathers you spoke of, cutfrom the wings of one of those yellow birds which appear to be used sofrequently as familiars by the Salem witches. " "Oh, yes, I had forgotten them for the moment. " And putting his handinto his breast pocket, Master Mather produced a small box, which heopened carefully and called their attention to a couple of small yellowfeathers placed on a piece of black cloth within. "I would not take ahundred pounds for these spectral feathers, " said the ministerexultingly. "They are the only positive proof of the kind, now existingin the whole world. With these little feathers I shall dash out thebrains of a host of unbelievers--especially of that silly Calef, orCaitiff, who is all the time going around among the merchants, wagginghis vile tongue against me. " Sir William and Lady Mary had been looking upon the feathers verycuriously. At last Lady Mary gave a low, incredulous laugh. Her husbandlooked at her inquiringly. "They are nothing but common chicken feathers which could be picked upin any barn yard, " she said scornfully. "Your ladyship is very much mistaken, you never saw chicken featherslike those, " said the minister, his face now also flushing. "Who was the yellow bird afflicting, when these feathers were cut?" thelady asked. "A young man was on his examination for witchcraft, Squire Hathornewrites me; but he was found to be himself a victim, and wasreleased--which proves, by the way, how careful the worshipfulmagistrates are in Salem, lest any who are innocent should be implicatedwith the guilty. The young man began to cry out that an 'evil hand' wason him, and that a yellow bird was trying to peck out his eyes. Whereupon one of the by-standers pulled out his rapier, and smote at thespectral bird--when these feathers were cut off; becoming visible ofcourse as soon as they were detached from the bird and its evilinfluence. It is one of the most wonderful things that I ever heard of, "and Master Mather gazed on the feathers with admiring and almostreverential eyes. "Sir William, " said his lady, "you have, I hope, a little common senseleft, if these Massachusetts ministers and magistrates have all gonecrazy on this subject. You know what a chicken is, if they do not. Arenot those simply chicken feathers?" "Why, my dear, " replied the Governor, wriggling in his great arm-chair, "I grant that they certainly do look like chicken feathers; but then youknow, the yellow bird the witches use, may have feathers like unto achicken's. " "Nonsense!" replied Lady Mary. "None are so blind as those that will notsee. I suppose that if I were to bring that afflicted young man here, and he were to acknowledge that the whole thing was a trick, got up byhim to save his life, you would not believe him?" "Indeed I should, " replied Sir William. "Yes, Lady Mary, find the young man, and question him yourself, " saidMaster Mather. "None are so certain as those that have never informedthemselves. I have made inquiry into these marvelous things; I eventook that afflicted girl, as I have told you, into my own house, inorder to inform myself of the truth. When you have investigated thematter to one-tenth the extent that I have, you will be prepared to givea reasonable opinion as to its truth or falsehood. Until then, somemodesty of statement would become a lady who sets up her crude opinionagainst all the ministers and the magistracy of the land. " This was a tone which the leading ministers of that day among thePuritans, did not hesitate to take, even where high dignitaries wereconcerned and Master Mather had the highest ideas of the privilege ofhis order. "Then I suppose, Master Mather, that if the afflicted young man himselfshould testify that these feathers were simply chicken feathers, that hehad artfully thrown up into the air, you would not acknowledge that hehad deceived you?" "If such an impossible thing could happen, though I know that it couldnot, of course I should be compelled to admit that Squire Hathorne and ahundred others, who all saw this marvelous thing plainly, in open day, were deceived by the trick of an unprincipled mountebank and juggler. " "I shall hold both you and Sir William to your word, " replied Lady Maryemphatically. Then, turning to the young Englishman, who had remainedentirely silent so far, paying evident attention to all that was spoken, but giving no sign of approval or disapproval, she said, "MasterRaymond, what do you think of this matter?" Master Raymond rose from his chair and stepped a pace or two forward. Then he said, "If I answer your ladyship's question freely, it might beto my own hurt. Having had my head once in the lion's mouth, I am notanxious to put it there again. " The lady looked significantly at Sir William. "Speak out truly, and fear nothing, young man, " said the Governor. "Nothing that you say here shall ever work you injury while I amGovernor of the Province. " "What do you wish to know, Lady Mary?" "You, I believe, were the afflicted young man, to whom Master Mather hasreferred?" Master Raymond bowed. "Was there any reality in those pretended afflictions?" "Only a bad cold to begin with, " said the young man smiling. "How about the yellow bird?" "It was all a sham. I dealt with credulous and dangerous fools accordingto their folly. " "How about those feathers?" "They are feathers I got from the wings of one of the Salem jailor'schickens. " Sir William laughed, "How about the smell of sulphur which Squire Hathorne and Master Matherhave detected in the feathers?" "I think it very probable; as I observed Goodwife Foster that morninggiving her chickens powdered brimstone for the pip. " Here the Governor laughed loudly and long until Master Mather saidindignantly, "I am sorry, Sir William, that you can treat so lightlythis infamous confession of falsehood and villainy. This impudent youngman deserves to be set for three days in the pillory, and then whippedat the cart's tail out of town. " "Of course it is a very shameful piece of business, " replied the Governor, regaining his gravity. "But you know that as the confession has beenmade only on the promise of perfect immunity, I cannot, as a man of myword, suffer the least harm to come to the young person for making it. " "Oh, of course not, " said the minister, taking up his hat, andpreparing to leave the room; "but it is scandalous! scandalous! Allrespect for the Magistracy and authority seems to be fading out of thepopular mind. I consider you a dangerous man, a very dangerous youngman!" This last of course to Master Raymond. "And I consider you tenfold more dangerous with your clerical influence, and credulity, and superstition!" replied the young Englishman hotly. Being of good family, he was not inclined to take such insults mildly. "How dare you, with your hands all red with the blood of twenty innocentmen and women, talk to me about being dangerous!" "Peace!" said Sir William with dignity. "My audience chamber is no placeto quarrel in. "I beg your Excellency's pardon!" said Master Raymond, humbly. "One moment, before you go, " said Lady Mary, stepping in front of theminister. "I suppose you will be as good as your word, Master Mather andadmit that with all your wisdom you were entirely mistaken?" "I acknowledge that Squire Hathorne and myself have been grosslydeceived by an unprincipled adventurer--but that proves nothing. Because Jannes and Jambres imitated with their sorceries the miraclesof Moses, did it prove that Moses was an impostor? There was one Judasamong the twelve apostles, but does that invalidate the credibility ofthe eleven others, who were not liars and cheats? It is the great andoverwhelming burden of the testimony which decides in this as in allother disputed matters--not mere isolated cases. Good afternoon, madam. I will see you soon again, Sir William, when we can have a quiet talk toourselves. " "Stay!" cried Lady Mary, as the offended minister was stalking out ofthe room. "You have forgotten something, " and she pointed to the littlebox, containing the chicken's feathers which had been left lying uponthe table. The minister gave a gesture expressive of mingled contempt andindignation--but did not come back for it. It was evident that he valuedthe feathers now at considerably less than one hundred pounds. "Young man, " said the Governor, smiling, "you are a very bright andkeen-witted person, but I would advise you not to linger in thisprovince any longer than is absolutely necessary. Master Mather is muchstronger here than I am. " CHAPTER L. Bringing Affairs to a Crisis. The next morning a note came to Master Raymond from Joseph Putnam, brought by one of the farm-hands. It was important. Abigail Williams had called upon Goodwife Buckley, andtold her in confidence that it was in contemplation, as she had learnedfrom Ann Putnam, to bring Dulcibel Burton back to Salem jail again. Theescape of Captain Alden and the Englishes from the Bridewell in Boston, had caused a doubt in Salem as to its security. Besides, Lady Phips hadtaken ground so openly against the witch prosecutions, that there was noknowing to how great an extent she might not go to aid any prisoner inwhom she took an interest. Abigail Williams further said that Mistress Ann Putnam had become verybitter both against her brother-in-law Joseph and his friend MasterRaymond. She was busy combatting the idea that the latter really everhad been afflicted--and was endeavoring to rouse Squire Hathorne'sindignation against him as being a deceiver. As the young man read this last, he wondered what effect would beproduced upon the credulous magistrate, when he received word fromMaster Mather as to what had occurred in the Governor's presence. Wouldhe be so angry as to take very arbitrary measures; or so ashamed as tolet it all pass, rather than expose the extent to which he had beenduped? He feared the former--knowing in which way Mistress Ann Putnam'sgreat influence with him would be directed. Master Joseph advised immediate action--if peaceable means would notserve, then the use of violent ones. If Captain Tolley could not findamong his sailors those who would undertake the job, he, Master Joseph, would come down any night with three stout men, overpower the keepers, and carry off Mistress Dulcibel, with the requisite amount of violenceto keep her promise unbroken. Master Raymond wrote a note in return. He was much obliged for theinformation. It was evident that the time had come for action; and thatit was dangerous to delay much longer. Of course peaceable means were tobe preferred; and it was possible he might be able either to bribe thekeeper, or to get a release from the Governor; but, if force had to beresorted to, Captain Tolley could command his whole crew for such aservice, as they were the kind of men who would like nothing better. Infact, they would not hesitate to open fire upon the town, if he orderedit--and even run up the flag of a French privateer. After dispatching this business, Master Raymond went out on the porch ofthe Red Lion, and began an examination of the clouds and theweather-cocks. It had been raining slightly for a day or two, with thewind from the southeast; but though the vanes still pointed to thesoutheast, and the light lower clouds were moving from the same pointof the compass, he caught glimpses through the scud of higher cloudsthat were moving in an entirely opposite direction. "How do you make it out?" said a well-known voice. He had heard some oneapproaching, but had supposed it to be a stranger. "I am not much of a sailor; but I should say it would clear up, with abrisk wind from the west or the northwest by afternoon. " "Aye!" said Captain Tolley, for it was he; "and a stiff nor'wester bynight. If it isn't I'll give my head for a foot-ball. Were I bound outof the harbor, I would not whistle for a better wind than we shall havebefore six hours are over. " Master Raymond glanced around; no one was near them. "Are you certain ofthat, Captain? Would it do to bet upon? "You may bet all you are worth, and your sweetheart into the bargain, "replied the Captain laughing, with a significant look out of his eyes. "When are you going, Captain?" "Oh, to-night, perhaps--if I can get all my live stock on board. "To-night then let it be, " said the young man in a whisper; "by fairmeans, or by foul. I may succeed by fair means; have a boat waiting atthe wharf for me. It will be light enough to get out of the harbor?" "There is a gibbous moon--plenty. Once past the castle, and we are safe. We can easily break open the keeper's house--and quiet him with a pistolat his head. " "You must not harm him--he has been a good friend to her. " "Of course--only scare him a little. Besides, he is not a good friend, if he makes a noise. " "Well, I will see you by ten o'clock--with her or without her--Yes, Iwill bet you a gold piece, Captain, that the wind gets around to thewest by four o'clock. " This last was in Master Raymond's usualtones--the previous conversation having been in whispers. "You will be safe enough in that, Master Raymond, " said the landlord ofthe Red Lion, whose steps the young Englishman had heard approaching. "Do you think so? I do not want to take the young man's money, he isonly a landsman you know, Mate; but I will bet you a piece of eight thatthe wind will not get around till a half hour after that time. And wewill take it all out in drinks at your bar, at our leisure. " "Done!" said the landlord. "And now let us go in, and take a drink allaround in advance. " CHAPTER LI. Lady Mary's Coup D'Etat. Master Raymond's next proceeding was to call on Lady Phips. Sending inhis name, with a request to see her ladyship on very important business, he was ushered as usual into her boudoir. "I must be doing something, Lady Mary, " he said, after a few wordsrelative to the evident change of weather; "I have news from Salem thatthe Magistrates are about to send Mistress Dulcibel back to Salem jail. " "That is sad, " she answered. "And, besides, there is no knowing what new proceedings they may beconcocting against me. I must take Sir William's advice, and get out ofthis hornet's nest as soon as possible. " "Well what can I do for you?" "Get an order from Sir William releasing Dulcibel from prison. " "Oh, that I could! God knows how gladly I would do it. " "You can at least try, " said Master Raymond desperately. The lady hesitated a moment. "Yes, as you say, I can at least try. Butyou know how impossible it is to carry on the government of thisProvince without the support of the ministers and the magistrates. SirWilliam is naturally anxious to succeed; for, if he fails here, it willblock his road to further preferment. " "And he will allow the shedding of innocent blood to go on, in order topromote his own selfish ambition?" said the young man indignantly. "You are unjust to the Governor. He will do all he can to moderate thisfanaticism; and, if it comes to the worst, he will order a generaljail-delivery, and meet the consequences. But he hopes much from time, and from such developments as those of your chicken feathers"--and thelady smiled at the thought of the minister's discomfiture. "Some things can wait, but I cannot wait, " insisted Master Raymond. "Youmust acknowledge that. " "Sir William starts this afternoon on a visit to Plymouth, to remain fora day or so; but I will have a talk with him, and see what I can do, "replied the lady. "Call here again at six o'clock this evening. " "Such beauty and spirit as yours must be irresistible in the cause ofvirtue and innocence, " said the young man, rising to depart. "No flattery, Master Raymond; I will do all I can without that;" butLady Mary being still a very comely woman, as she certainly was a veryspirited one, was not much displeased at the compliment, coming fromsuch a handsome young man as Master Raymond. Eulogy that the hearerhopes embodies but the simple truth, is always pleasant alike to men andwomen. It is falsehood, and not truth, that constitutes the essence ofFlattery. The day dragged on very drearily and slowly to Master Raymond. Thewaiting for the hour of action is so irksome, that even the approach ofdanger is a relief. But patience will at last weary out the slowesthours; and punctually at six o'clock, the young man stood again at thedoor of the Governor's mansion. Lady Mary evidently was expecting him--for he was shown in at once. Shelooked up wearily as he entered. "I can do nothing to-day, " she said. "What ground did the Governor take?" "That sound policy forbade him to move in the matter at present. Thepersecuting party were very indignant at the escape of Captain Aldenand the Englishes; and now for him to grant a pardon to another of theaccused, would be to irritate them to madness. " Master Raymond acknowledged to himself the soundness of the Governor'spolicy; but he only said: "Then it seems that Dulcibel must go back toSalem prison; and I run a good chance of going to prison also, as aself-confessed deceiver and impostor. " "If she were released, could you both get away from Boston--at once?" Master Raymond's voice sank to a whisper. "I have all my plans arranged. By the third hour after midnight, we shall be where we can snap ourfingers at the magistrates of Boston. " "I have been thinking of a plan. It may work--or may not. But it isworth trying. " The young man's face lightened. "You know that England is ruled by William and Mary, why should not theProvince of Massachusetts also be?" "I do not understand you. " "Upon leaving Sir William, I was somewhat indignant that he would notgrant my request. And to pacify me, he said he was sorry that I had notthe same share in the government here, that Queen Mary had at home--andthen I could do more as I pleased. " Still Master Raymond's face showed that he was puzzled to catch hermeaning. She laughed and rose from her chair; the old, resolute expression uponher spirited face, and, opening the door into the next room, which wasthe Governor's private office, she said: "Come here a moment, Master Josslyn. " The private Secretary entered. "Prepare me, " she said to the Secretary, "the proper paper, to be signedby the Governor, ordering Keeper Arnold to release at once MistressDulcibel Burton from confinement in the Boston Bridewell. " "But the Governor, you know, is absent, Lady Mary, " said the Secretary, "and his signature will be necessary. " "Oh, I will see to that, " replied the lady a little haughtily. Master Raymond sat quietly--waiting for what was to come next. He couldnot conceive how Lady Mary intended to manage it. As for the lady, shetapped the table with her shapely fingers impatiently. In a few minutes Master Josslyn reappeared with the paper. "All it nowwants is the signature of the Governor, " said he. The lady took up a pen from the table by which she was sitting, andfilled it with ink; then with a firm hand she signed the paper, "WilliamPhips, Governor, by Lady Mary Phips. " "But, your ladyship, the keeper will not acknowledge the validity ofthat signature, or obey it, " said Master Josslyn in some alarm. "He will not? We shall see!" responded her ladyship rising. "Order mycarriage, Master Josslyn. " In fifteen minutes, Lady Mary, accompanied by Master Raymond, was atKeeper Arnold's house. "I bring you good news, Master Arnold, " said Lady Mary, "I know you willrejoice, such a tender-hearted man as you are at the release of MistressDulcibel Burton. Here is the official document. " She flourished it athim, but still kept it in her hand. Dulcibel was soon informed of the good news; and came flying out to meether benefactor and her lover. "Put on a shawl and your veil at once; and make a bundle of yourbelongings, " said Lady Mary, kissing her. "Master Raymond is in a greathurry to carry you off--at which I confess that I do not wonder. "Dulcibel tripped off--the sooner she was out of that close place thebetter. "Well, what is it, Master Arnold?" said Lady Mary to the keeper, whoacted as if he wished to say something. "It is only a form, my lady; but you have not shown me the Governor'swarrant yet?" "Why, yes I have, " said Lady Mary, fluttering it at him as before. But Keeper Arnold was fully aware of the responsibility of his position;and putting out his hand, he steadied the fluttering paper sufficientlyto glance over its contents. When he came to the signature, his facepaled. "Pardon me, my lady; but this is not the Governor's writing. " "Of course it is not--why, you silly loon, how could it be when he hasgone to Plymouth? But you will perceive that it is in Master Josslyn'swriting--and the Governor ought to have signed it before he started. " "This is hardly in regular form, my lady. " "It is not? Do you not see the Governor's name; and there below it ismy name, as proof of the Governor's. Do you mean to impeach myattestation of Sir William's signature? There is my name, Lady MaryPhips: and I will take the responsibility of this paper being a legalone. If anybody finds fault with you, send him to me; and I will say youdid it, in the Governor's absence from town, at my peremptory order. "The lady's face glowed, and her eyes flashed, with her excitement anddetermination. "It would be as much as my position is worth to disobey it and me!"rejoined Lady Mary. "I will have you out of this place in three days'time, if you cast disrespect upon my written name. " "There can be no great haste in this matter. Bring the release tomorrow, and I will consult authority in the meanwhile, " said the keeperpleadingly. "Authority? The Governor's name is authority! I am authority! Who dareyou set up beside us? You forget your proper respect and duty, MasterArnold. " The keeper was overborne at last. "You will uphold me, if I do thisthing, Lady Mary?" said he imploringly. "You know me, Master Arnold--and that I never desert my friends! Ishall accept the full responsibility of this deed before Sir William andthe magistrates. And they cannot order any punishment which he cannotpardon. " By this time it had grown quite dark. "Shall I take you anywhere in mycarriage?" said Lady Mary, as Dulcibel reappeared with a bundle. "It is not necessary, " replied Master Raymond joyfully, "I will notcompromise you any further. God forever bless your ladyship! There isnot another woman in New England with the spirit and courage to do whatyou have done this day--and the reader of our history a hundred years tocome, as he reads this page, shall cry fervently, God bless the fearlessand generous soul of Lady Mary!" "Let me know when you are safe, " she whispered to the young man, as hestood by her carriage. "Master and Mistress English are now the guestsof Governor Fletcher of New York--changing a Boston prison for aGovernor's mansion. You will be perfectly secure in that Province--or inPennsylvania, or Maryland or Virginia. " And the carriage drove off. It was in that early hour of the evening, when the streets in town andcity, are more deserted than they are for some hours afterwards;everyone being indoors, and not come out for visiting or amusement. Andso the young man and his companion walked towards the north-eastern partof the town, meeting only one or two persons, who took no special noticeof them. "You do not ask where we are going, Dulcibel?" at last said MasterRaymond. She could not see the sweet smile on his face; but she could feel it inhis voice. "Anywhere, with you!" the maiden replied in a low tone. "We are going to be married. " He felt the pressure of her hand upon his arm in response. "That is, if we can find a minister to perform the ceremony. " "That will be difficult, I should think. " "Yes, difficult, but not impossible. After getting you out of prison, asLady Mary did, I should not like to call anything impossible. " "Lady Mary is an angel!" "Yes, one of the kind with wings, " replied her companion laughing. "Shehas kindly loaned us her wings though--and we are flying away on them. " Before long they were at one of the wharves; then on a small boat--thenon the deck of the "Storm King. " "I am better than my word, Captain Tolley. " "Aye! indeed you are. And this is the birdie! Fair Mistress, the "StormKing" and his brood are ready to die to shield you from harm. " Dulcibel looked wonder out of her clear blue eyes. What did it all mean?She smiled at the Captain's devoted speech. "I do not want any one todie for me, Captain. I would rather have you sing me a good sea-song, such as my father, who was also a sea-captain, used to delight me withat home. " "Oh, we can do that too, " answered the Captain gaily. "I hope we shallhave a jolly time of it, before we reach our destination. Now, come downinto the cabin and see the preparations I have made for you; a sailor'sdaughter must have the best of sailor's cheer. " "One word, Captain, " said Master Raymond, as the Captain came up on deckagain, leaving Dulcibel to the privacy of her state-room. "It does notseem fitting that a young unmarried woman should be alone on a vessellike this, with no matron to bear her company. " "Sir!" said the Captain, "I would have you know that the maiden is assafe from aught that could offend her modesty on the decks of the "StormKing, " as if she were in her father's house. " "Of course she is. I know that well--and mean not the least offense. Andshe, innocent as she is, has no other thought. But this is a slanderousworld, Captain, and we men who know the world, must think for her. " "Oh, I admit that, " said Captain Tolley, somewhat mollified, "we cannotexpect of mere land's people, who put an innocent girl like that intoprison for no offense, the gentle behavior towards women that comesnaturally from a seaman; but what do you propose?" "To send for one of the Boston ministers, and marry her before we leaveport. " "Why, of course, " replied the Captain. "It is the very thing. Whom shallwe send for? The North Church is nearest--how would Master Cotton Matherdo?" The young man stood thoughtfully silent for a moment or two. Theministers of South Church and of King's chapel were more heterodox inall this witchcraft business; but for that very reason he did not wishto compromise them in any way. Besides, he owed a grudge to MasterMather, for his general course in sustaining the persecution, and hisrecent language in particular towards himself. So his lips graduallysettled into a stern determination, and he replied "Master Mather is thevery man. " "It may require a little ingenuity to get him aboard at this time of theevening, " said the Captain. "But I reckon my first mate, Simmons, can doit, if any one can. " "Here, Simmons, " to the first mate, who was standing near, "you looklike a pillar of the church, go ashore and bring off Master CottonMather with you. A wealthy young Englishman is dying--and he cannot passaway from Boston in peace without his ministerial services. " "Dying?" ejaculated Master Raymond. "Yes, dying! dying to get married--and you cannot pass out of Bostonharbor in peace, without his ministerial services. " "Would it not do as well to ask him to come and marry us?" "I doubt it, " replied the Captain. "Master Mather is honest in hisfaith, even if he is bigoted and superstitious--and death cannot be putoff like marriage till tomorrow. But take your own course, Simmons--only bring him. " "Shall I use force, sir, if he will not come peaceably?" asked the matecoolly. "Not if it will make a disturbance, " said his commander. "We do not wantto run the gauntlet of the castle's guns as we go out of the harbor. Thewind is hardly lively enough for that. " "I will go down and tell Dulcibel, " said Master Raymond. "It is rathersudden, but she is a maiden of great good sense, and will see clearlythe necessity of the case. And as she is an orphan, she has no father ormother whose consent she might consider necessary. But Mate"--going tothe side of the vessel, which the boat was just leaving, "not a word asto my name or that of the maiden. That would spoil all. " "Aye, aye, sir! Trust me to bring him!" and the boat started for theshore, under the vigorous strokes of two oarsmen. CHAPTER LII. An Unwilling Parson. Not quite an hour had elapsed, when the sound of oars was again heard;and Captain Tolley, peering through the dark, saw that another form wasseated opposite the mate in the stern-sheets of the boat. "I thought that Simmons would bring him, " said Captain Tolley to thesecond mate; "such a smooth tongue as he has. It is a pity he wasn't aminister himself--his genius is half wasted here. " "Glad to see you on board the Storm King, Master Mather, " was thegreeting of the Captain, as the minister was helped up to the deck bythe mates. "The Storm King! Why I was told that it was an English frigate, justcome into port, " said the minister in a surprised voice. "The messenger must have made a mistake, " replied the Captain coolly. "You know that landsmen always do get things mixed. "Well, as I am here, no matter. Show me the dying man. " "Walk down into the cabin, " said the Captain politely. Entering the cabin which was well lighted, Master Raymond steppedforward, "I am happy to see you, Master Mather. You remember me, do younot?" "Master Raymond, I believe, " returned the minister coldly. "Where is thedying man who requires my spiritual ministrations?" "Dying!" laughed the Captain. "How strangely that fellow got thingsmixed. I said dying to get married--did I not, Master Raymond?" "Of course you did--that is, after you had explained yourself. " Master Mather's face looked blank, he did not know what to make of it. "In truth, Master Mather, " said the young Englishman, "I was under thenecessity of getting married this evening; and, thinking over theworshipful ministers of Boston town, I singled you out as the one Ishould prefer to officiate on the happy occasion. " "I decline to have anything to do with it, " said Master Matherindignantly, turning on his heel, and going to the door of the cabin. But here a muscular sailor, with a boarding pike, promptly forbade hispassage by putting the pike across the door way. "What do you mean by barring my way in this manner?" said the ministerin great wrath to the captain. "Have you no reverence for the law?" "Not a particle for Boston law, " replied Captain Tolley. "The only lawrecognized on board the Storm King is the command of its Captain. Youhave been brought here to marry these two young friends of mine; and youwill not leave the vessel before you do it--if I have to take you withus all the way to China. " Master Mather pondered the matter for a moment. "This is too informal, there are certain preliminaries that are necessary in such cases. " "Advisable--but I am told not absolutely necessary, " replied MasterRaymond. "Wait then for an hour or two; and we shall be on the high seas--and outof any jurisdiction, " added Captain Tolley. "Who is this maiden? Who gives her away?" asked the minister. "This maiden is Mistress Dulcibel Burton, " said Master Raymond, takingher by the hand. "She is an orphan; but I give her away, " added the Captain. "Dulcibel Burton! the serpent witch!" exclaimed Master Mather. "What isthat convict doing here? Has she broken jail?" "Master Mather, " said the Captain in an excited tone, "if you utteranother word of insult against this innocent and beautiful maiden, Iwill have you flung overboard to the sharks! So take care of what yousay!" and the indignant seaman shook his finger in the minister's facewarningly. "Master Mather, " added Raymond, more coolly, "Mistress Burton has notbroken jail. She was duly released from custody by Keeper Arnold on thepresentation of an official paper by Lady Mary Phips. Therefore yourconscience need not be uneasy on that score. " "Why are you here then--why making this haste? It is evident that thereis something wrong about it. " "Boston has not treated either of us so well that we are very desirousof remaining, " replied Master Raymond. "And as we are going together, itis only decorous that we should get married. If you however refuse tomarry us, we shall be compelled to take you with us--for the merepresence of such a respected minister will be sufficient to shield themaiden's name from all reckless calumniators. " The second mate came to the door of the cabin. "Captain, there is a finebreeze blowing, it is a pity not to use it. " "Make all ready, sir, " replied the Captain. Then turning to theminister, "There is no particular hurry, Master Mather. You can take thenight to think over it. To-morrow morning probably, if you come to yoursenses, we may be able to send you ashore somewhere, between here andthe capes of the Delaware. " "This is outrageous!" said Master Mather. "I will hold both of youaccountable for it. " "It is a bad time to threaten, when your head is in the lion's mouth, Master Mather, " returned Captain Tolley fiercely. "No one knows but myown men that you ever came on board the 'Storm King. ' How do you knowthat I am not Captain Kidd himself?" The minister's face grew pale. It was no disparagement to his manhood. Even Master Raymond's face grew very serious--for did even he know thatthis Captain Tolley might not be the renowned freebooter, of whose manyacts of daring and violence the wide seas rang? "I would counsel you for your own good to do at once what you will haveto do ultimately, " said Master Raymond gravely. "I owe you no thanks foranything; but"--and the young man laughed as he turned to Dulcibel--"Inever could trap even a fox without pitying the animal. " Dulcibel went up to the minister, and put her hand upon his arm:--"Do Ilook so much like a witch?" she said in a playful tone. "We are told that Satan can enrobe himself like an angel of light, "replied Master Mather severely. "I judge you by what I have heard ofyour cruel deeds. " "As you judged the cruel yellow bird that turned out to be only aharmless little chicken, " said Master Raymond sarcastically. "Enough ofthis folly. Will you marry us now--or not? If you will, you shall be putashore unharmed. If you will not, you shall go along with us. Make upyour mind at once, for we shall soon be out of Boston harbor. " Master Mather had a strong will--and an equally strong won't--but thePhilistines were, for this time, too much for him. That reference toCaptain Kidd had frightened him badly. "Stand up--and I will marry you. Unscrupulous as you both are, it is better that you should be marriedby legal rites, than allowed to go your own way to destruction. " And then--the important ceremony being duly gone through--he pronouncedMaster Ellis Raymond and Mistress Dulcibel Burton man and wife. TheCaptain being allowed by Master Raymond to take the first kiss, asacting in the place of the bride's father. "No, not a penny!" said the minister, closing his hand against thegolden pieces that the groom held out to him. "All I ask is, that youcomply with your promise--and put me on shore again as soon aspossible. " "Better take a drink of wine first, " said the Captain, filling up aglass and handing it to him. "I will neither break bread nor drink wine on this"--he was going to say_accursed_ ship; but the fierce eyes of the possible freebooter wereupon him, and he said, "on this unhappy vessel. " Captain Tolley laughed heartily. "Oh well, good wine never goes begging. The anchor is not up yet, and we will put you off just where you cameon. Come along!" Without a word of leave-taking to the two whom he had joined together, Master Mather followed the Captain. In fact though, Master Raymond andDulcibel scarcely noted his going, for they were now seated on a smallsofa, the arm of the young husband around the shapely waist of hisnewly-made wife, and the minister dismissed from their minds ascompletely as the wine-glass out of which they had just drank. He hadanswered their purpose and in the deep bliss of their new relation, theythought no more about him. As Master Mather turned to descend to the boat again--not wasting anyformal words of leave-taking upon the Captain either--the latter graspedhim by the arm. "Wait one moment, " said Captain Tolley. "You will speak of what hasoccurred here this evening Master Mather, or not, at your pleasure. Butbe careful of what you say--for there is no power on this coast, strongenough to protect you against my vengeance!" And with a scowl upon hisface, that would not have done injustice to the dreaded Captain Kiddhimself, he added in a hoarse, fierce tone the one impressive word"Beware!" The minister made no reply. It was a day of fierce men and wilddeeds--especially on the high seas. Prudence in some positions is farbetter than valor. "Now, my hearties! let us get out of this harbor as soon as possible!"cried the Captain. "I might have held him till we were opposite thecastle, and put him ashore there; but it is safer as it is. We have aregular clearance, and he cannot do anything legally under an hour ortwo at least--while in half-an-hour we shall be outside. With a stiffbreeze like this, once on the open seas, I fear neither man nor devil!" CHAPTER LIII. The Wedding Trip and Where Then. Whether Master Mather did make any serious effort to prevent the "StormKing" from leaving the harbor, I am unable to say; but as I find noreference to this affair either in his biography or his numerous works, I am inclined to think that like a wise man, he held his peace as towhat had occurred, and resolved never to go on board another vesselafter nightfall. Certainly no cannon ball cut the waves as the "Storm King" sailedswiftly past the castle, and no signal was displayed signifying that shemust come at once to anchor. And the little trip to New York was as pleasant in all respects as ayoung couple on a bridal tour could desire--even if the mere relief fromthe anxieties and threatened dangers of the previous long months had notbeen of itself a cause of happiness. Arrived at New York, Master Philip English and his wife received themwith open arms. Master Raymond had brought letters from England toGovernor Fletcher and others, and soon made warm friends among the verybest people. There was no sympathy whatever in New York at that timewith the witchcraft persecutions in Massachusetts; and all fugitiveswere received, as in the case of the Englishes, with great sympathy andkindness. Much to my regret, at this point, the old manuscript book to which Ihave been so largely indebted, suddenly closes its record of thefortunes of Master and Mistress Raymond. Whether they went to England, and took up their residence there among Master Raymond's friends, orfound a home in this new world, I am therefore not able with absolutecertainty to say. From what I have been able, however, to gather fromother quarters, I have come to the conclusion that they were so muchpleased with their reception in New York, that Master Raymond purchasedan estate on the east side of the Hudson River, where he and thecharming Dulcibel lived and loved to a good old age, leaving three sonsand three daughters. If this couple really were our hero and heroine, then the Raymonds became connected, through the three daughters, withthe Smiths, the Joneses and the Browns. In one way, perhaps, thequestion might be set at rest, were it not too delicate a one forsuccessful handling. There is little doubt that among the descendants ofMistress Dulcibel, on the female side, the birth-mark of the serpent, more or less distinct, will be found occasionally occurring, even now, at the lapse of almost two centuries. Therefore, if among the secrettraditions of any of the families I have mentioned, there be onerelative to this curious birth-mark, doubtless that would be sufficientproof that in their veins runs the rich blood of the charming DulcibelRaymond. CHAPTER LIV. Some Concluding Remarks. Perhaps before I conclude I should state that the keeper of the BostonBridewell, Master Arnold, was summarily dismissed for accepting thevalidity of the Governor's signature. But he did not take it verygrievously to heart for Master Raymond, Captain Alden and others whom hehad obliged saw him largely recompensed. Captain Alden, by the way, hadfled for concealment to his relatives in Duxbury. Being asked when heappeared there, "Where he came from?" the old captain said "he wasfleeing from the devil--who was still after him. " However his relativesmanaged to keep him safely, until all danger was passed, both from thedevil and from his imps. As for Lady Mary, the indignation of "the faithful" was hot againsther--and finally against Sir William, who could not be made to see in itanything but a very good joke. "You know that Lady Mary will have herown way, " he said to Master Mather. "Wives should be kept in due gospel subjection!" returned the minister. "Oh, yes, rejoined the Governor smiling; but I wish you had a wife likeLady Mary, and would try it on her! I think we should hear somethingbreaking. " But when Mistress Ann Putnam and others began "to cry out" against LadyMary as a witch, the Governor waxed angry in his turn. "It is time to put a stop to all this, " he said indignantly. "They willdenounce me as a witch next. " So he issued a general pardon and jaildelivery--alike to the ten persons who were then under sentence ofdeath, to those who had escaped from prison, and to the one hundred andfifty lying in different jails, and the two hundred others who had beendenounced for prosecution. It was a fair blow, delivered at the very front and forehead of thecruel persecution and it did its good work, though it lost Sir Williamhis position--sending him back to England to answer the charges of hisenemies, and to die there soon afterwards in his forty-fifth year. When Chief-Justice Stoughton, engaged in fresh trials against thereputed witches, read the Governor's proclamation of Pardon, he was soindignant that he left his seat on the bench, and could not be prevailedupon to return to it. Neither could he, to the day of his death, be brought to see that he haddone anything else than what was right in the whole matter. Not so the jury--which, several years after, confessed its greatmistake, and publicly asked forgiveness. Nor Judge Sewall, who roseopenly in church, and confessed his fault, and afterward kept one of thedays of execution, with every returning year, sacred to repentance andprayer--seeing no person from sunrise to nightfall, mourning in theprivacy of his own room the sin he had committed. Mistress Ann Putnam and her husband both died within the seven years, asDulcibel in her moment of spiritual exaltation had predicted. Herdaughter Ann lived to make a public confession, asking pardon of thosewhom she had (she said unintentionally) injured, and died at the age ofthirty-five--her grave being one that nobody wanted their loved ones tolie next to. As for the majority of the "afflicted circle, " they fell as the yearswent on into various evil ways--one authority describing them as"abandoned to open and shameless vice. " Master Philip English, after the issue of the Governor's pardon, returned to Salem. Seventeen years afterwards, he was still trying torecover his property from the officials of the Province. Of £1500seized, he never recovered more than £300; while his wife died in twoyears, at the age of forty-two, in consequence of the treatment to whichshe had been subjected. Master Joseph Putnam and his fair Elizabeth lived on in peace at the oldplace; taking into his service the Quaker Antipas upon his release fromprison. The latter was always quiet and peaceful, save when any allusionwas made to the witches. But he had easy service and good treatment; andwas a great favorite with the children, especially with that image ofhis father, who afterwards became distinguished as the Major GeneralPutnam of Revolutionary fame. As for the presents that had been promised to the "afflicted circle, "they came to them duly, and from London too. And they were rich giftsalso; but such a collection of odd and grotesque articles, certainly arenot often got together. Master Raymond had commissioned an eccentricfriend of his in London to purchase them, and send them on; acquaintinghim with the peculiar circumstances. There were yellow birds, and reddragons, and other fantastic animals, birds and beasts. But they camefrom London and the "circle" found them just suited to their peculiartastes; and they always maintained, even in defiance of Mistress Ann, that Master Raymond was a lovely gentleman and an "afflicted" personhimself. It will thus be seen that these Salem maidens were in their daytruly esthetic--having that sympathetic fondness for unlovely andrepulsive things, which is the unerring indication of a daughter ofLilith. * * * * * And now, in conclusion, some one may ask, "Did the Province ofMassachusetts ever make any suitable atonement for the great wrongs herCourts of Injustice had committed?" I answer Never! Massachusetts hasnever made any, adequate atonement--no, not to this day! The General Assembly, eighteen years afterwards, did indeed pass an actreversing the convictions and attainders in all but six of the cases;and ordering the distribution of the paltry sum of £578 among the heirsof twenty-four persons, as a kind of compensation to the families ofthose who had suffered; but this was all--nothing, or next to nothing! Perhaps the day will some time come, when the cry of innocent blood fromthe rocky platform of Witch Hill, shall swell into sufficient volume tobe heard across the chasm of two centuries. Then, on some high pedestal, where the world can see it, Massachusetts shall proclaim in enduringmarble her penitence and ask a late forgiveness of the twenty innocentmen and women whom she so terribly wronged. And as all around, and eventhe mariner far out at sea, shall behold the gleaming shaft, standingwhere stood the rude gallows of two centuries ago, they shall say withsoftening eyes and glowing cheeks: "It is never too late to right agreat wrong; and Massachusetts now makes all the expiation that ispossible to those whom her deluded forefathers dishonored and persecutedand slew!" _By the Author of Dulcibel_ PEMBERTON; OR, ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO "A well-told romance of old Philadelphia and its vicinity. The incidents of the story are interwoven with the struggle for independence. The book is intensely American in character and sentiment, and healthful in its stimulation of patriotism. "--_New York Observer_. Cloth. 12mo. 400 pages. $1. 50 THE JOHN C. 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