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diff --git a/20569-8.txt b/20569-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..738fc24 --- /dev/null +++ b/20569-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9923 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dulcibel, by Henry Peterson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Dulcibel + A Tale of Old Salem + +Author: Henry Peterson + +Illustrator: Howard Pyle + +Release Date: February 11, 2007 [EBook #20569] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DULCIBEL *** + + + + +Produced by Marcia, Suzanne Shell and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + +[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, a +young man was walking along one of the newly opened roads which led into +Salem village, or what is now called Danvers Centre, in the then +Province 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 land +formed by two inlets of the sea, called now as then North and South +Rivers. Next to Plymouth it is the oldest town in New England, having +been first settled in 1626. Not till three years after were Boston and +Charlestown commenced by the arrival of eleven ships from England. It is +a significant fact, as showing the hardships to which the early settlers +were exposed, that of the fifteen hundred persons composing this Boston +expedition, two hundred died during the first winter. Salem has also the +honor of establishing the first New England church organization, in +1629, with the Reverend Francis Higginson as its pastor. + +Salem village was an adjunct of Salem, the town taking in the adjacent +lands for the purpose of tillage to a distance of six miles from the +meeting-house. But in the progress of settlement, Salem village also +became entitled to a church of its own; and it had one regularly +established at the date of our story, with the Reverend Samuel Parris as +presiding elder or minister. + +There had been many bickerings and disputes before a minister could be +found acceptable to all in Salem village. And the present minister was +by no means a universal favorite. The principal point of contention on +his part was the parsonage and its adjacent two acres of ground. Master +Parris claimed that the church had voted him a free gift of these; while +his opponents not only denied that it had been done, but that it +lawfully could be done. This latter view was undoubtedly correct; for +the parsonage land was a gift to the church, for the perpetual use of +its pastor, whosoever he might be. But Master Parris would not listen to +reason on this subject, and was not inclined to look kindly upon the men +who 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 as +other disputes and lawsuits relative to the bounds of their respective +properties, there was no little amount of ill feeling among them. Small +causes in a village are just as effective as larger ones in a nation, in +producing discord and strife; and the Puritans as a people were +distinguished by all that determination to insist upon their rights, and +that scorn of compromising difficulties, which men of earnest and honest +but narrow natures have manifested in all ages of the world. Selfishness +and uncharitableness are never so dangerous as when they assume the +character of a conscientious devotion to the just and the true. + +But all this time the young man has been walking almost due north from +the meeting house in Salem village. + +The road was not what would be called a good one in these days, for it +was not much more than a bridle-path; the riding being generally at that +time on horseback. But it was not the rather broken and uneven condition +of the path which caused the frown on the young pedestrian's face, or +the irritability shown by the sharp slashes of the maple switch in his +hand upon the aspiring weeds along the roadside. + +"If ever mortal man was so bothered," he muttered at last, coming to a +stop. "Of course she is the best match, the other is below me, and has a +spice 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 gazed +up the road before him. There, about half a mile distant, was a young +woman riding toward him. Then she stopped her horse under a tree, and +evidently was trying to break off a switch, while her horse pranced +around in a most excited fashion. The horse at last starts in a rapid +gallop. The young man sees that in trying to get the switch, she has +allowed the bridle to get loose and over the horse's head, and can no +longer control the fiery animal. Down the road towards him she comes in +a sharp gallop, striving to stop the animal with her voice, evidently +not the least frightened, but holding on to the pommel of the saddle +with one hand while she makes desperate grasps at the hanging rein with +the other. + +The young Puritan smiled, he took in the situation with a glance, and +felt no fear for her but rather amusement. He was on the top of a steep +hill, and he knew he could easily stop the horse as it came up; even if +she did not succeed in regaining her bridle, owing to the better chances +the hill gave her. + +"She is plucky, anyhow, if she is rather a tame wench," said he, as the +girl 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 man +smiling. + +"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 of +the animal changed as if by magic. You might have thought the little +mare had been raised in the enclosure of a Quaker meeting-house, so +sober and docile did she seem. + +"It is always so," said the girl laughing. "The little witch knows at +once whether I have a whip with me or not, and acts accordingly. No, I +will 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 little +now; I should like to punish you severely." + +They made a very pretty picture, the little jet-black mare, and the +mistress with her scarlet paragon bodice, even if the latter was +entirely too pronounced for the taste of the great majority of the +inhabitants, 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 Joseph +Putnam's. So I thought I would walk up the road and meet you coming +back." + +"What a sweet creature Mistress Putnam is, and both so young for man and +wife." + +"Yes, Jo married early, but he is big enough and strong enough, don't +you 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 his +attire, and swelled up with the conceit that he is better than any of us +colonists." + +"I do not think so," and the girl's cheek colored a deeper red. "He +seems 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 of +Belial, 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 at +her a little suspiciously. "Did Leah Herrick say anything to you against +me the other night at the husking?" + +"I do not allow people to talk to me against my friends," replied she +earnestly. + +"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 the +minister's house. She says that old Tituba has promised to show them how +the Indians of Barbados conjure and powwow, and that it will be great +sport 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 no +liking for them, and that I thought it was wrong to tamper with such +matters." + +"That was all she said to you?" and the young man seemed to breathe more +freely. + +The girl was sharp-witted--what girl is not so in all affairs of the +heart?--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 of +very little importance to him, and a matter which he had thought very +little 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--when +we were merely boy and girl." + +"There never was any troth plighted between you?" + +"How foolish you are, Dulcibel! What has started you off on this +track?" + +"Yourself. Answer me plainly. Was there ever any love compact between +you?" + +"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 a +boy and girl affair--calling her my little wife, and that kind of +nonsense." + +"I think that a great deal. Did that continue up to the time I came to +the 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 do +not answer me fully and truly, Jethro, I shall ask Leah." + +"Yes," said the young man desperately "there was a kind of childish +troth up to that time, but it was, as I said, a mere boy and girl +affair." + +"Boy and girl! You were eighteen, Jethro; and she sixteen nearly as old +as 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. I +recall my troth. I will not marry you without her consent." + +"You will not!" said the young man passionately--for well he knew that +Leah's consent would never be given. + +"No, I will not!" + +"Then take your troth back in welcome. In truth, I met you here this day +to tell you that. I love Leah Herrick's little finger better than your +whole body with your Jezebel's bodice, and your fine lady's airs. You +had 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 might +not be forced to accompany her back to the village. + +Dulcibel was not prepared for such a burst of wrath, and such an +uncovering of the heart. Which of us has not been struck with wonder, +even far more than indignation, at such times? A sudden difference +occurs, and the man or the woman in whom you have had faith, and whom +you have believed noble and admirable, suddenly appears what he or she +really is, a very common and vulgar nature. It makes us sick at heart +that we could have been so deceived. + +Such was the effect upon Dulcibel. What a chasm she had escaped. To +think she had really agreed to marry such a spirit as that! But +fortunately it was now all over. + +She not only had lost a lover, but a friend. And one day before, this +also would have had its unpleasant side to her. But now she felt even a +sensation of relief. Was it because this very day a new vision had +entered into the charmed circle of her life? If it were so, she did not +acknowledge the fact to herself; or even wonder in her own mind, why the +sudden 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 upon +her 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 in +doctrine, and being greatly pleased with the larger liberty of +conscience offered by William Penn to his colonists in Pennsylvania, had +leased his house and lands to a farmer by the name of Buckley, and +departed for Philadelphia. This was some ten years previous to the +opening of our story. After living happily in Philadelphia for about +eight years he died suddenly, and his wife decided to return to her old +home in Salem village, having arranged to board with Goodman Buckley, +whose lease had not yet expired. But in the course of the following +winter she also died, leaving this only child, Dulcibel, now a beautiful +girl of eighteen years. Dulcibel, as was natural, went on living with +the Buckleys, who had no children of their own, and were very +good-hearted and affectionate people. + +Dulcibel therefore was an heiress, in a not very large way, besides +having wealthy relatives in England, from some of whom in the course of +years more or less might reasonably be expected. And as our Puritan +ancestors were by no means blind to their worldly interests, believing +that godliness had the promise of this world as well as that which is to +come--the bereaved maiden became quite an object of interest to the +young men of the vicinity. + +I have called her beautiful, and not without good reason. With the old +manuscript volume--a family heirloom of some Quaker friends of +mine--from which I have drawn the facts of this narrative, came also an +old miniature, the work of a well-known English artist of that period. +The colors have faded considerably, but the general contour and the +features are well preserved. The face is oval, with a rather higher and +fuller forehead than usual; the hair, which was evidently of a rather +light brown, being parted in the center, and brought down with a little +variation from the strict Madonna fashion. The eyes are large, and blue. +The lips rather full. A snood or fillet of blue ribbon confined her +luxuriant hair. In form she was rather above the usual height of women, +and slender as became her age; though with a perceptible tendency +towards 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 celebrated +New England poet. He himself being named for one of the Judges who sat +in the Special Court appointed for the trial of the alleged witches, it +would be curious if the beautiful and angelic wife of his youth were +allied by blood to one of those who had the misfortune to come under the +ban of witchcraft. + +Being both beautiful and an heiress, Dulcibel naturally attracted the +attention of her near neighbor in the village, Jethro Sands. Jethro was +quite a handsome young man after a certain style, though, as his life +proved, narrow minded, vindictive and avaricious. Still he had a high +reputation as a young man with the elders of the village; for he had +early seen how advantageous it was to have a good standing in the +church, and was very orthodox in his faith, and very regular in his +attendance at all the church services. Besides, he was a staunch +champion of the Reverend Mr. Parris in all his difficulties with the +parish, and in return was invariably spoken of by the minister as one of +the most promising young men in that neighborhood. + +Jethro resided with his aunt, the widow Sands. She inherited from her +husband the whole of his property. His deed for the land narrated that +the boundary line ran "from an old dry stump, due south, to the +southwest corner of his hog-pen, then east by southerly to the top of +the hill near a little pond, then north by west to the highway side, and +thence along the highway to the old dry stump again aforesaid." There is +a tradition in the village that by an adroit removal of his hog-pen to +another location, and the uprooting and transplanting of the old dry +stump, at a time when nobody seemed to take a very active interest in +the adjoining land, owing to its title being disputed in successive +lawsuits, Jethro, who inherited at the death of his aunt, became the +possessor of a large tract of land that did not originally belong to +him. But then such stories are apt to crop up after the death of every +man who has acquired the reputation of being crafty and close in his +dealings. + +We left Jethro, after his interview with Dulcibel, walking on in order +that he might avoid her further company. After going a short distance he +turned and saw that she was riding rapidly homeward. Then he began to +retrace his steps. + +"It was bound to come," he muttered. "I have seen she was getting cold +and thought it was Leah's work, but it seems she was true to her promise +after all. Well, Leah is poor, and not of so good a family, but she is +worth a dozen of such as Dulcibel Burton." + +Then after some minutes' silent striding, "I hate her though for it, all +the same. Everybody will know she has thrown me off. But nobody shall +get ahead of Jethro Sands in the long run. I'll make her sorry for it +before 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 Parris +responsible for the wild doings that went on in the parsonage house +during the winter evenings of 1691-2, in the face of his solemn +assertion, made several years afterwards, that he was ignorant of them. +And yet, how could such things have been without the knowledge either of +himself or his wife? Mistress Parris has come down to us with the +reputation of a kindly and discreet woman--nothing having been said to +her discredit, so far as I am aware, even by those who had a bitter +controversy with her husband. And yet she certainly must have known of +the doings of the famous "circle," even if she refrained from speaking +of them to her husband. + +At the very bottom of the whole thing, perhaps, were the West Indian +slaves--"John Indias" and his wife Tituba, whom Master Parris had +brought with him from Barbados. There were two children in the house, a +little daughter of nine, named Elizabeth; and Abigail Williams, three +years older. These very probably, Tituba often had sought to impress, as +is the manner of negro servants, with tales of witchcraft, the +"evil-eye" and "evil hand" spirits, powwowing, etc. Ann Putnam, another +precocious child of twelve, the daughter of a near neighbor, Sergeant +Putnam, the parish clerk, also was soon drawn into the knowledge of the +savage mysteries. And, before very long, a regular "circle" of these and +older girls was formed for the purpose of amusing and startling +themselves with the investigation and performance of forbidden things. + +At the present day this would not be so reprehensible. We are +comparatively an unbelieving generation; and what are called "spiritual +circles" are common, though not always unattended with mischievous +results. But at that time when it was considered a deadly sin to seek +intercourse with those who claimed to have "a familiar spirit," that +such practices should be allowed to go on for a whole winter, in the +house of a Puritan minister, seems unaccountable. But the fact itself is +undoubted, and the consequences are written in mingled tears and blood +upon 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, also +seventeen; Elizabeth Booth and Susannah Sheldon, aged eighteen; and Mary +Warren, Sarah Churchhill and Leah Herrick, aged twenty; these latter +being the oldest of the party. They were all the daughters of +respectable and even leading men, with the exception of Mercy Lewis, +Mary Warren, Leah Herrick and Sarah Churchhill, who were living out as +domestics, but who seem to have visited as friends and equals the other +girls in the village. In fact, it was not considered at that time +degrading in country neighborhoods--perhaps it is not so now in many +places--for the sons and daughters of men of respectability, and even of +property, to occupy the position of "help" or servant, eating at the +same table with, and being considered members of the family. In the case +before us, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren and Sarah Churchhill seem to have +been among the most active and influential members of the party. Though +Abigail Williams, the minister's niece, and Ann Putnam, only eleven and +twelve years of age respectively, proved themselves capable of an +immense deal of mischief. + +What the proceedings of these young women actually were, neither +tradition nor any records that I have met with, informs us; but the +result was even worse than could have been expected. By the close of the +winter they had managed to get their nervous systems, their +imaginations, and their minds and hearts, into a most dreadful +condition. If they had regularly sold themselves to be the servants of +the Evil One, as was then universally believed to be possible--and which +may really be possible, for anything I know to the contrary--their +condition could hardly have been worse than it was. They were liable to +sudden faintings of an unnatural character, to spasmodic movements and +jerkings of the head and limbs, to trances, to the seeing of witches and +devils, to deafness, to dumbness, to alarming outcries, to impudent and +lying speeches and statements, and to almost everything else that was +false, irregular and unnatural. + +Some of these things were doubtless involuntary but the voluntary and +involuntary seemed to be so mingled in their behavior, that it was +difficult sometimes to determine which was one and which the other. The +moral sense seemed to have become confused, if not utterly lost for the +time. + +They were full of tricks. They stuck concealed pins into their bodies, +and accused others of doing it--their contortions and trances were to a +great extent mere shams--they lied without scruple--they bore false +witness, and what in many, if not most, cases they knew was false +witness, against not only those to whom they bore ill will but against +the most virtuous and kindly women of the neighborhood; and if the +religious delusion had taken another shape, and we see no reason why it +should not have done so, and put the whole of them on trial as seekers +after "familiar spirits" and condemned the older girls to death, there +would 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 judicial +gloom. + +When at last Mr. Parris and Thomas Putnam became aware of the condition +of their children, they called in the village physician, Dr. Griggs. The +latter, finding he could do nothing with his medicines, gave it as his +opinion that they were "under an evil hand"--the polite medical phrase +of that day, for being bewitched. + +That important point being settled, the next followed of course, "Who +has 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 could +not the whole thing have stopped just there? No doubt Tituba was guilty, +if any one was. But Tituba escaped, by shrewdly also becoming an +accuser. + +"Who else?" This set the children's imagination roving. Their first +charges were not so unreasonable. Why, the vagrant Sarah Good, a social +outcast, wandering about without any settled habitation; and Sarah +Osburn, a bed-ridden woman, half distracted by family troubles who had +seen better days. There the truth was out. Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah +Osburn were the agents of the devil in this foul attempt against the +peace of the godly inhabitants of Salem village. + +For it was a common belief even amongst the wisest and best of our +Puritan fathers, that the devil had a special spite against the New +England colonies. They looked at it in this way. He had conquered in +the fight against the Lord in the old world. He was the supreme and +undoubted lord of the "heathen salvages" in the new. Now that the +Puritan forces had commenced an onslaught upon him in the western +hemisphere, to which he had an immemorial right as it were, could it be +wondered at that he was incensed beyond all calculation? Was he, after +having Europe, Asia and Africa, to be driven out of North America by a +small body of steeple-hatted, psalm-singing, and conceited Puritans? No +wonder his satanic ire was aroused; and that he was up to all manner of +devices to harass, disorganize and afflict the camp of his enemies. + +I am afraid this seems a little ridiculous to readers nowadays; but to +the men and women of two hundred years ago it was grim and sober +earnest, honestly and earnestly believed in. + +Who, in the face of such wonderful changes in our religious views, can +venture to predict what will be the belief of our descendants two +hundred years hence? + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +Leah Herrick's Position and Feelings. + + +I have classed Leah Herrick among the domestics; but her position was +rather above that. She had lived with the Widow Sands, Jethro's aunt, +since she had been twelve years old, assisting in the housework, and +receiving her board and clothing in return. Now, at the age of twenty, +she was worth more than that recompense; but she still remained on the +old terms, as if she were a daughter instead of a servant. + +She remained, asking nothing more, because she had made up her mind to +be Jethro's wife. She had a passion for Jethro, and she knew that Jethro +reciprocated it. But his aunt, who was ambitious, wished him to look +higher; and therefore did not encourage such an alliance. Leah was +however too valuable and too cheap an assistant to be dispensed with, +and thus removed from such a dangerous proximity, besides the widow +really had no objection to her, save on account of her poverty. + +Leah said nothing when she saw that Jethro's attentions were directed in +another direction; but without saying anything directly to Dulcibel, +she contrived to impress her with the fact that she had trespassed upon +her rightful domain. For Leah was a cat; and amidst her soft purrings, +she would occasionally put out her velvety paw, and give a wicked little +scratch that made the blood come, and so softly and innocently too, that +the sufferer could hardly take offence at it. + +Between these sharp intimations of Leah, and the unpleasant revelations +of the innate hardness of the young man's character, which resulted from +the closer intimacy of a betrothal, Dulcibel's affection had been +gradually cooling for several months. But although the longed-for +estrangement between the two had at length taken place, Leah did not +feel 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 Dulcibel +to her engagement. "She has a good house and farm already, and she will +be certain to receive much more on the death of her bachelor uncle in +England," said the aunt sharply. "You must strive to undo that foolish +hour's work. It was only a tiff on her part, and you should have cried +your eyes out if necessary." + +And so Leah, thinking in her own heart that Jethro was a prize for any +girl, was in constant dread of a renewal of the engagement, and ready to +go to any length to prevent it. + +Although a member of the "circle" that met at the minister's house, Leah +was not so regular an attendant as the others; for there were no men +there and she never liked to miss the opportunity of a private +conversation with Jethro, opportunities which were somewhat limited, +owing to the continual watchfulness of her mistress. Still she went +frequently enough to be fully imbued with the spirit of their doings, +while not becoming such a victim as most of them were to disordered +nerves, 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 of +the "afflicted children," as they were generally termed, naturally +produced in Salem village and the adjoining neighborhood, it was a scene +in the village church one Sunday morning. + +The church was a low, small structure, with rough, unplastered roof and +walls, and wooden benches instead of pews. The sexes were divided, the +men sitting on one side and the women on the other, but each person in +his or her regular and appointed seat. + +It was the custom at that time to select a seating committee of +judicious and careful men, whose very important duty it was to seat the +congregation. In doing this they proceeded on certain well-defined +principles. + +The front seats were to be filled with the older members of the +congregation, a due reverence for age, as well as for the fact that +these were more apt to be weak of sight and infirm of hearing, +necessitated this. Then came the elders and deacons of the church; then +the wealthier citizens of the parish; then the younger people and the +children. + +The Puritan fathers had their faults; but they never would have +tolerated the fashionable custom of these days, whereby the wealthy, +without regard to their age, occupy the front pews; and the poorer +members, no matter how aged, or infirm of sight or hearing are often +forced back where they can neither see the minister nor hear the sermon. +And one can imagine in what forcible terms they would have denounced +some city meeting-houses of the present era where the church is regarded +somewhat in the light of an opera house, and the doors of the pews kept +locked and closed until those who have purchased the right to reserved +seats shall have had the first chance to enter. + +The Reverend Master Lawson, a visiting elder, was the officiating +minister on the Sunday to which we have referred. The psalm had been +sung after the opening prayer and the minister was about to come forward +to give his sermon, when, before he could rise from his seat, Abigail +Williams, the niece of the Reverend Master Parris, only twelve years +old, and one of the "circle" cried out loudly:--"Now stand up and name +your 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 no +doctrine you mentioned. If you named any, I have forgotten it." + +And then when he had concluded, she cried out, "Look! there sits Goody +Osburn upon the beam, suckling her yellow-bird betwixt her fingers." + +Then Ann Putnam, that other child of twelve, joined in; "There flies the +yellow-bird to the minister's hat, hanging on the pin in the pulpit." + +Of course such disorderly proceedings produced a great excitement in the +congregation; but the two children do not appear to have been rebuked by +either of the ministers, or by any of the officers of the church; it +seeming to have been the general conclusion that they were not +responsible for what they said, but were constrained by an irresistible +and diabolical influence. In truth, the children were regarded with awe +and pity instead of reproof and blame, and therefore naturally felt +encouraged to further efforts in the same direction. + +I have said that this was the general feeling, but that feeling was not +universal. Several of the members, notably young Joseph Putnam, Francis +Nurse and Peter Cloyse were very much displeased at the toleration shown +to such disorderly doings, and began to absent themselves from public +worship, with the result of incurring the anger of the children, who +were rapidly assuming the role of destroying angels to the people of +Salem village and its vicinity. + +As fasting and prayer were the usual resources of our Puritan fathers in +difficulties, these were naturally resorted to at once upon this +occasion. The families to which the "afflicted children" belonged +assembled the neighbors--who had also fasted--and, under the guidance of +the Reverend Master Parris, besought the Lord to deliver them from the +power of the Evil One. These were exciting occasions, for, whenever +there was a pause in the proceedings, such of the "afflicted" as were +present would break out into demoniac howlings, followed by contortions +and rigid trances, which, in the words of our manuscript, were "enough +to make the devil himself weep." + +These village prayers, however, seeming to be insufficient, Master +Parris called a meeting of the neighboring ministers; but the prayers of +these also had no effect. The "children" even surpassed themselves on +this occasion. The ministers could not doubt the evidence of their own +reverend eyes and ears, and united in the declaration of their belief +that Satan had been let loose in this little Massachusetts village, to +confound and annoy the godly, to a greater extent than they had ever +before known or heard of. And now that the ministers had spoken, it was +almost irreligious and atheistical for others to express any doubt. For +if the ministers could not speak with authority in a case of this kind, +which seemed to be within their peculiar field and province, what was +their judgment worth upon any matter? + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +A Conversation with Dulcibel. + + +As Dulcibel sat in the little room which she had furnished in a pretty +but simple way for a parlor, some days after the meeting of the +ministers, her thoughts naturally dwelt upon all these exciting events +which were occurring around her. It was an April day, and the snow had +melted earlier than usual, and it seemed as if the spring might be an +exceptionally forward one. The sun was pleasantly warm, and the wind +blowing soft and gently from the south; and a canary bird in the rustic +cage that hung on the wall was singing at intervals a hymn of rejoicing +at the coming of the spring. The bird was one that had been given her by +a distinguished sea-captain of Boston town, who had brought it home from +the West Indies. Dulcibel had tamed and petted it, until she could let +it out from the cage and allow it to fly around the room; then, at the +words, "Come Cherry," as she opened the little door of the cage, the +bird would fly in again, knowing that he would be rewarded for his good +conduct with a little piece of sweet cake. + +Cherry would perch on her finger and sing his prettiest strains on some +occasions; and at others eat out of her hand. But his prettiest feat was +to kiss his mistress by putting his little beak to her lips, when she +would say in a caressing tone, "Kiss me, pretty Cherry." + +After playing with the canary for a little while, Dulcibel sighed and +put him back in his cage, hearing a knock at the front door of the +cottage. And she had just turned from the cage to take a seat, when the +door opened and two persons entered. + +"I am glad to see you, friends," she said calmly, inviting them to be +seated. + +It was Joseph Putnam, accompanied by his friend and visitor, Ellis +Raymond, the young man of whom Dulcibel had spoken to Jethro Sands. + +Joseph Putnam was one of that somewhat distinguished family from whom +came the Putnams of Revolutionary fame; Major-General Israel Putnam, the +wolf-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 was +one of the very few in Salem village who despised the whole +witch-delusion from the beginning. He did not disbelieve in the +existence of witches--or that the devil was tormenting the "afflicted +children"--but that faith should be put in their wild stories was quite +another matter. + +Of his companion, Master Ellis Raymond, I find no other certain account +anywhere than in my Quaker friend's manuscript. From the little that is +there given of personal description I have only the three phrases "a +comelie young man," "a very quick-witted person," "a very determined and +courageous man," out of which to build a physical and spiritual +description. And so I think it rather safer to leave the portraiture to +the 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 what +prospects the new world holds out to young men." + +"I want Master Raymond to purchase the Orchard Farm, and settle down +among 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 will +seem very low. My father saw the time when a good cow was worth as much +as a fifty-acre farm, but land is continually rising in value." + +"I shall look farther south before deciding," said Raymond. "I am told +the land is better there; besides there are too many witches here," and +he smiled. + +"We have been up to see my brother Thomas," continued Joseph Putnam. "He +always has had the reputation of being a sober-headed man, but he is all +off his balance now." + +"What does Mistress Putnam say?" asked Dulcibel. + +"Oh, she is at the bottom of all his craziness, she and that elfish +daughter. Sister Ann is a very intelligent woman in some respects, but +she 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. "I +knew not what to make of it. She flung herself down on the floor, she +crept under the table, she shrieked, she said Goody Osburn was sticking +pins 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 the +ministers have given their solemn opinion that she is bewitched; and +brother Thomas and Sister Ann, and about all the rest of the family +agree with them." + +"I am afraid it will go hard with those two old women," interposed Ellis +Raymond. + +"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 speak +of; but they have a right to a fair trial nevertheless, and they cannot +get 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 to +torment innocent children." + +"Oh, I don't know that it will do to say there are no witches," replied +Joseph Putnam gravely. "It seems to me we must give up the Bible if we +say that. For the Old Testament expressly commands that we must not +suffer a witch to live; and it would be absurd to give such a command if +there 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 to +persons possessed with devils, and others who had familiar spirits, and +if such persons existed then, why not now?" + +"Oh, of course, it is so," again admitted Dulcibel with even a deeper +sigh 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 smile +once or twice, unperceived by the others, during their conversation. +Thus we read in the life of that eminent jurist, the Honorable Francis +North, who presided at a trial for witchcraft about ten years before the +period of which we are writing, that he looked upon the whole thing as a +vulgar delusion, though he said it was necessary to be very careful to +conceal such opinions from the juries of the time, or else they would +set down the judges at once as irreligious persons, and bring in the +prisoners guilty. + +"I am not so certain of it," said Ellis Raymond. + +"How! What do you mean, Master Raymond?" exclaimed Joseph Putnam; like +all his family, he was orthodox to the bone in his opinions. + +"My idea is that in the old times they supposed all distracted and +insane people--especially the violent ones, the maniacs--to be possessed +with devils." + +"Do you think so?" queried Dulcibel in a glad voice, a light seeming to +break in upon her. + +"Well, I take it for granted that there were plenty of insane people in +the old times as there are now; and yet I see no mention of them as +such, in either the Old or the New Testament." + +"I never thought of that before; it seems to me a very reasonable +explanation, does it not strike you so, Master Putnam?" + +"So reasonable, that it reasons away all our faith in the absolute +truthfulness of every word of the holy scriptures," replied Joseph +Putnam sternly. "Do you suppose the Evangelists, when they spoke of +persons having 'familiar spirits,' and being 'possessed of devils,' did +not know what they were talking about? I would rather believe that every +insane person now is possessed with a devil, and that such is the true +explanation of his or her insanity, than to fly in the face of the holy +scriptures 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 upon +her beautiful sad face. But of course he did not express himself to such +an effect, except by his gaze; and Dulcibel happening to look up and +catch the admiring expression of two clear brown eyes, turned her own +instantly down again, while a faint blush mantled her cheeks. + +The young Englishman knew that in arousing such heterodox opinions he +was getting on dangerous ground. For expressing not a greater degree of +heresy than he had uttered, other men and even women had been turned +neck and heels out of the Puritan settlements. And as he had no desire +to leave Salem just at present, he began to "hedge" a little, as betting +men sometimes say. + +"Insane people, maniacs especially, do sometimes act as if they were +possessed of the devil," he said frankly. "And no doubt their insanity +is often the result of the sinful indulgence of their wicked +propensities and passions." + +"Yes, that seems to be very reasonable," said Dulcibel. "Every sinful +act seems to me a yielding to the evil one, and such yielding becoming +common, he may at least be able to enter into the soul, and take +absolute 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 the +scriptures, and is very mischievous. It is that the devil cannot act +directly upon human beings to afflict and torment them; but that he is +forced to have recourse to the agency of other human beings, who have +become his worshipers and agents. Thus in the cases of these children +and young girls, instead of admitting that the devil and his imps are +directly afflicting them, they begin to look around for witches and +wizards as the sources of the trouble." + +"Yes," responded Joseph Putnam earnestly, "that false and unscriptural +doctrine is the source of all the trouble. That little Ann Putnam, +Abigail Williams and the others are bewitched, may perhaps be true--a +number of godly ministers say so, and they ought to know. But, if they +are bewitched, it is the devil and his imps that have done it. If they +are 'possessed with devils'--and does not that scripture mean that the +devils directly take possession of them--what is their testimony worth +against others? It is nearly the testimony of Satan and his imps, +speaking through them. While they are in that state, their evidence +should not be allowed credence by any magistrate, any more than the +devil's should." + +It seems very curious to those of the present day who have investigated +this matter of witch persecutions, that such a sound and orthodox view +as this of Joseph Putnam's should have had such little weight with the +judges 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 own +life, the great majority not only of the common people but of the +leading classes, regarded it as unsound and irreligious. But the whole +history 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, and +the mountain tops first receive the rays. The last new truth is always +first perceived by the small minority of superior minds and souls. How +indeed could it be otherwise, so long as truth like light always shines +down from above? + +"Have you communicated this view to your brother and sister?" asked +Dulcibel. + +"I have talked with them for a whole evening, but I do think Sister Ann +is possessed too," replied Joseph Putnam. "She fairly raves sometimes. +You know how bitterly she feels about that old church quarrel, when a +small minority of the Parish succeeded in preventing the permanent +settlement of her sister's husband as minister. She seems to have the +idea that all that party are emissaries of Satan. I do not wonder her +little girl should be so nervous and excitable, being the child of such +a nervous, high-strung woman. But I am going to see them again this +afternoon; will you go too, Master Raymond?' + +"I think not," replied the latter with a smile, "I should do harm, I +fear, instead of good. I will stay here and talk with Mistress Dulcibel +a little while longer." + +Master Putnam departed, and then the conversation became of a lighter +character. The young Englishman told Dulcibel of his home in the old +world, and of his travels in France and Switzerland. And they talked of +all those little things which young people will--little things, but +which afford constant peeps into each other's mind and heart. Dulcibel +thought she had never met such a cultivated young man, although she had +read of such; and he felt very certain that he never met with such a +lovely young woman. Not that she was over intelligent--one of those +precociously "smart" young women that, thanks to the female colleges and +the "higher culture" are being "developed" in such alarming numbers +nowadays. If she had been such a being, I fancy Master Raymond would +have found her less attractive. Ah, well, after a time perhaps, we of +the present day shall have another craze--that of barbarism--in which +the "coming woman" shall pride herself mainly upon possessing a strong, +healthy and vigorous physical organization, developed within the +feminine lines of beauty, and only a reasonable degree of intelligence +and "culture." And then I hope we shall see the last of walking female +encyclopedias, with thin waists, and sickly and enfeebled bodies; fit to +be the mothers only of a rapidly dwindling race, even if they have the +wish and power to become mothers at all. + +I am not much of a believer in love at first sight, but certainly +persons may become very much interested in each other after a few hours' +conversation; and so it was in the case before us. When Ellis Raymond +took up his hat, and then lingered minute after minute, as if he could +not bring himself to the point of departure, he simply manifested anew +to 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 to +open the door at last, and make his final adieu. "And indeed I shall if +you will permit me," was his earnest response. + +But some fair reader may ask, "What were these two doing during all the +winter, that they had not seen each other?" + +I answer that Dulcibel had withdrawn from the village gatherings since +the breaking of the engagement with Jethro. At the best, it was an +acknowledgment that she had been too hasty in a matter that she should +not have allowed herself to fail in; and she felt humbled under the +thought. Besides, it seemed to her refined and sensitive nature only +decorous that she should withdraw for a time into the seclusion of her +own 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 the +matter, they came to the conclusion that he had thrown her off, and that +she was moping at home, because she felt the blow so keenly. + +Thus it was that while the young Englishman had attended many social +gatherings during the winter he had never met the one person whom he was +especially desirous of again meeting. + +One little passage of the conversation between the two it may be well +however to refer to expressly for its bearing upon a very serious +matter. Raymond had mentioned that he had not seen her recently flying +around on that little jet black horse, and had asked whether she still +owned it. + +"Oh, yes," replied Dulcibel; "I doubt that I should be able to sell +Little 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 has +ever 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 any +other 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, lies +down on the ground and refuses to stir. "Why, that is very flattering +to you, Dulcibel," said Raymond smiling. "I never knew an animal of +better taste." + +"That may be," replied the maiden blushing; "but you see how it is that +I shall never be able to sell Little Witch if I desire to do so. She is +not 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, and +all over the world, did not believe in witches. He named her "Little +Witch" because she was so black, and so bent on her own way. But I must +change her name now that people are talking so about witches. In truth +my mother never liked it." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +An Examination of Reputed Witches. + + +Warrants had been duly issued against Sarah Good, Sarah Osburn, and the +Indian woman Tituba, and they were now to be tried for the very serious +offence of bewitching the "afflicted children." + +One way that the witches of that day were supposed to work, was to make +images out of rags, like dolls, which they named for the persons they +meant to torment. Then, by sticking pins and needles into the dolls, +tightening cords around their throats, and similar doings, the witches +caused the same amount of pain as if they had done it to the living +objects 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 could +find none." + +On the day appointed for the examination of these poor women, the two +leading magistrates of the neighborhood, John Hathorne and Jonathan +Corwin, rode up the principal street of the village attended by the +marshal and constables, in quite an imposing array. The crowd was so +great that they had to hold the session in the meeting-house The +magistrates belonged to the highest legislative and judicial body in the +colony. Hathorne, as the name was then spelt, was the ancestor of the +gifted author, Nathaniel Hawthorne--the alteration in the spelling of +the name probably being made to make it conform more nearly to the +pronunciation. Hathorne was a man of force and ability--though evidently +also as narrow-minded and unfair as only a bigot can be. All through the +examination that ensued he took a leading part, and with him, to be +accused was to be set down at once as guilty. Never, among either +Christian or heathen people, was there a greater travesty of justice +than these examinations and trials for witchcraft, conducted by the very +foremost men of the Massachusetts colony. + +The accounts of the examination of these three women in the manuscript +book I have alluded to, are substantially the same as in the official +records, which are among those that have been preserved. I will give +some 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 dreadfully +tormented; and then when their torments were over for the time, again +accused her, and also Sarah Osburn. + +"Sarah Good, why do you not tell us the truth? Why do you thus torment +them?" + +"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 and +malignant." + +It must be remembered in reading these reports, that the accused were +not allowed any counsel, either at the preliminary examinations, or on +the trials; that the apparent sufferings of the children were very +great, producing almost a frenzied state of feeling in the crowd who +looked on; and that they themselves were often as much puzzled as their +accusers, to account for what was taking place before their eyes. + +In the examination of Sarah Osburn, we have similar questions and +similar answers. In addition, however, three witnesses alleged that she +had said that very morning, that she was "more like to be bewitched +herself." Mr. Hathorne asked why she said that. She answered that either +she 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 back +part of the head to the door of the house. And there was also a lying +spirit. + +"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 the +next Sabbath day." + +"Were you ever tempted further?" + +"No." + +"Why did you yield then to the Devil, not to go to meeting for the last +three 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 attendant +and inspirer of the "circle" from the first; and had marvelous things to +tell. 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 in +various ways, that she really was guilty of trying to do the things she +was 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've +seen the debbil. The debbil came an' said, 'Serb me, Tituba.' But I +would not hurt the child'en." + +"Who else have you seen?" + +"Four women. Goody Osburn and Sarah Good, and two other women. Dey all +hurt de child'en." + +"How does the Devil appear to you?" + +"Sometimes he is like a dog, and sometimes like a hog. The black dog +always 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 daughter +Ann?" + +"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 Osburn +has 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 into +the shape of Goody Osburn.") + +"Tituba further said that she had also seen a hairy animal with Goody +Osburn, that had only two legs, and walked like a man. And that she saw +Sarah Good, last Saturday, set a wolf upon Elizabeth Hubbard." + +("The friends of Elizabeth Hubbard here said that she did complain of +being torn by a wolf on that day.") + +"Tituba being asked further to describe her ride to Thomas Putnam's, for +the purpose of tormenting his daughter Ann, said that she rode upon a +stick or pole, and Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn behind her, all taking +hold of one another. Did not know how it was done, for she saw no trees +nor path, but was presently there." + +These examinations were continued for several days, each of the accused +being brought at various times before the magistrates, who seem to have +taken great interest in the absurd stories with which the "afflicted +children" and Tituba regaled them. Finally, all three of the accused +were committed to Boston jail, there to await their trial for practising +witchcraft; being heavily ironed, as, being witches, it was supposed to +be very difficult to keep them from escaping; and as their ability to +torment people with their spectres, was considered lessened in +proportion to the weight and tightness of the chains with which they +were fettered. It is not to be wondered at, that under these +inflictions, at the end of two months, the invalid, Sarah Osburn, died. +Tituba, however, lay in jail until, finally, at the expiration of a year +and a month, she was sold in payment of her jail fees. One account +saying that her owner, the Rev. Master Parris, refused to pay her jail +fees, unless she would still adhere to what she had testified on her +examination, instead of alleging that he whipped and otherwise abused +her, 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. Tituba +had spoken of two other women, but had given no names. The "afflicted +children" were still afflicted, and growing worse, instead of better. +The Rev. Master Noyes of Salem town, the Rev. Master Parris of Salem +village, Sergeant Thomas Putnam, and his wife,--which last also was +becoming bewitched, and had many old enmities--and many other +influential people and church members, were growing more excited, and +vindictive against the troubles of their peace, with every passing day. + +"Who are they that still torment you in this horrible manner?" was the +question asked of the children and young women, and they had their +answers ready. + +There had been an old quarrel between the Endicotts and the Nurses, a +family which owned the Bishop Farm, about the eastern boundary of said +farm. There had been the quarrel about who should be minister, in which +the Nurses had sided with the determined opponents of Mistress Ann +Putnam's reverend brother-in-law. The Nurses and other families were +staunch opposers of Master Parris's claim to ownership of the Parsonage +and its grounds. And it was not to be wondered at, that the accusations +should be made against opponents rather than against friends. + +Besides, there were those who had very little faith in the children +themselves, 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 Rebecca +Nurse, and Bridget Bishop, and so on; the charges being made now against +the members, often the heads, of the most reputable families in Salem +town and village and the surrounding neighborhoods. Before the coming of +the winter snows probably one hundred and fifty persons were in prison +at Salem and Ipswich and Boston and Cambridge. Two-thirds of these were +women; many of them were aged and venerable men and women of the highest +reputation for behavior and piety. Yet, they were bound with chains, and +exposed to all the hardships that attended incarceration in small and +badly constructed prisons. + +A special court composed of the leading judges in the province being +appointed by the Governor for the trial of these accused persons, a mass +of what would be now styled "utter nonsense" was brought against them. +No wonder that the official record of this co-called court of justice is +now nowhere to be found. The partial accounts that have come down to us +are sufficient to brand its proceeding with everlasting infamy. Let us +recur 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 _newly +entertained_. As this woman was passing by the meeting-house, she gave a +look towards the house; and immediately a demon, invisibly entering the +house, tore down a part of it; so that, though there was no person to be +seen there, yet the people, at the noise, running in, found a board, +which was strongly fastened with several nails, transported into another +quarter of the house." + +A court of very ignorant men would be "entertained" now with such a +story, in a very different sense from that in which the Rev. Cotton +Mather used the word. The Court of 1692, doubtless swallowed the story +whole, for it was no more absurd than the bulk of the evidence upon +which they condemned the reputed witches. + +One of the charges against the Rev. Master Burroughs, who had himself +been a minister for a short time in the village, was, that though a +small, slender man, he was a giant in strength. Several persons +witnessed that "he had held out a gun of seven foot barrel with one +hand; 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 the +answer was ready. "That was the black man, or the Devil, who looks like +an Indian." + +Another charge against Master Burroughs was, that he went on a certain +occasion between two places in a shorter time than was possible, if the +Devil had not assisted him. Both Increase Mather, the father, and his +son Cotton, two of the most prominent and influential of the Boston +ministers, said that the testimony as to Mr. Burroughs' giant strength +was alone sufficient rightfully to convict him. It is not improbable +that the real animus of the feeling against Master Burroughs was the +belief that he was not sound in the faith; for Master Cotton Mather, +after his execution, declared to the people that he was "no ordained +minister," and called their attention to the fact that Satan often +appeared 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, and +Mistress Ann Putnam, and many others, were imitating their example. + +To doubt was to be accused; but very few managed to keep their heads +sufficiently 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 indignant +censurers of the whole affair. Dulcibel Burton also, though in a gentler +and less emphatic way, sided naturally with them, but, although she was +much less violent in her condemnation, she provoked even more anger from +the orthodox believers in the delusion. + +For Joseph Putnam, as belonging to one of the most influential and +wealthy families in Salem, seemed to have some right to have an opinion. +And Master Raymond was visiting at his house, and naturally would be +influenced by him. + +Besides, he was only a stranger at the best; and therefore, not entirely +responsible to them for his views. But Dulcibel was a woman, and it was +outrageous that she, at her years, should set up her crude opinions +against the authority of the ministers and the elders. + +Besides, Joseph Putnam was known to be a determined and even rather +desperate young man when his passions were aroused, as they seldom were +though, save in some just cause; and he had let it be known that it +would be worth any person's life to attempt to arrest him. It was almost +the universal habit of that day, to wear the belt and sword; and Messrs. +Putnam and Raymond went thus constantly armed. Master Putnam also kept +two horses constantly saddled in his stable, day and night, to escape +with if necessary, into the forest, through which they might make their +way to New York. For the people of that province, who did not admire +their 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 becoming +dangerous, he determined to remain, notwithstanding the period which he +had fixed for his departure had long before arrived. His avowed reason +given to Joseph Putnam, was that he was resolved to see the crazy affair +through. His avowed reason, which Master Putnam perfectly understood, +was to prosecute his suit to Dulcibel, and see her safely through the +dangerous 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 bore +herself against such a mass of stupid and senseless testimony. Did you +know her?" + +"I have often stopped at her Inn. A fine, free-spoken woman; a little +bold in her manners, but nothing wrong about her." + +"Did you ever hear such nonsense as that about her tearing down a part +of the meeting-house simply by looking at it? And yet there sat the best +lawyers in the colony on the bench as her judges, and swallowed it all +down 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 the +illness and death of her neighbors' children; what could be more +absurd?" + +"And of the finding of puppets, made of rags and hogs' bristles, in the +walls and crevices of her cellar! Really, it would be utterly +contemptible if it were not so horrible." + +"Yes, she is to be executed on Gallows Hill; and next week! I can +scarcely believe it, Master Raymond. If I could muster a score or two of +other stout fellows, I would carry her off from the very foot of the +gallows." + +"Oh, the frenzy has only begun, my friend," replied Raymond. "You know +whose trial comes on next?" + +"How any one can say a word against Mistress Nurse--that lovely and +venerable woman--passeth my comprehension," said Joseph Putnam's young +wife, who had been a listener to the conversation, while engaged in some +household 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 while +talking of her." + +"The examination of Mistress Nurse before the magistrate comes off +to-day. Shall we not attend it?" + +"Of course, but be careful of thy language, Friend Raymond. Do not let +thy indignation run away with thy discretion." + +Raymond laughed outright, as did young Mistress Putnam. "This advice +from you, Master Joseph! who art such a very model of prudence and +cold-bloodedness! If thou wilt be only half as cautious and discreet as +I 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 a +culprit before the magistrates, who doubtless had often met her in the +social 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 her +grown-up sons and daughters. + +One of the strangest features of the time, as it strikes the reader of +this day, was the peaceful submission to the lawful authorities +practised by the husbands and fathers, and grown-up sons and brothers of +the women accused. Reaching as the list of alleged witches did in a +short time, to between one hundred and fifty and two hundred +persons--nearly the whole of them members of the most respectable +families--it is wonderful that a determined stand in their behalf was +not the result. One hundred resolute men, resolved to sacrifice their +lives if need be, would have put a stop to the whole matter. And if +there had been even twenty men in Salem, like Joseph Putnam, the thing +no doubt would have been done. + +And in the opinion of the present writer, such a course would have been +far more worthy of praise, than the slavish submission to such outrages +as were perpetrated under the names of law, justice and religion. The +sons of these men, eighty years later, showed at Lexington and Concord +and 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 religious +belief, that the great majority of the people were mentally paralyzed by +the accepted faith, so that they were not able in many respects to +distinguish light from darkness. When an estimable man or woman was +accused of being a witch, for the term was indifferently applied to both +sexes, even their own married partners, their own children, had a more +or less strong conviction that it might possibly be so. And this made +the 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 the +influence of their relatives, who implored them to confess; for to +confess was invariably to be acquitted, or to be let off with simple +imprisonment. + +But to return to poor Rebecca Nurse, haled without warning from her +prosperous, happy home at the Bishop Farm, carried to jail, loaded with +chains, and now brought up for the tragic farce of a judicial +examination. In this case also, the account given in my friend's little +book is amply confirmed by other records. Mistress Ann Putnam, Abigail +Williams (the minister's niece), Elizabeth Hubbard and Mary Walcott, +were the accusers. + +"Abigail Williams, have you been hurt by this woman?" said magistrate +Hathorne. + +"Yes," replied Abigail. And then Mistress Ann Putnam fell to the floor +in a fit; crying out between her violent spasms, that it was Rebecca +Nurse who was then afflicting her. + +"What do you say to those charges?" The accused replied: "I can say +before 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 Nurse +frequently tormented him also; and that even since he had been there +that day, he had been seized twice with an amazed condition. + +"The villain!" muttered Joseph Putnam to those around him, "if I had him +left to me for a time, I would have him in an amazed condition!" + +"You are an unbeliever, and everybody knows it, Master Putnam," said one +near him. "But we who are of the godly, know that Satan goes about like +a 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 Nurse +was the person who did it. + +"These are serious charges, Mistress Nurse," said Squire Hathorne, "are +they true?" + +"I have told you that they are false. Why, I was confined to my sick bed +at 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 cried +out: "Did you not bring the black man with you? Did you not tell me to +tempt God and die? Did you not eat and drink the red blood to your own +damnation?" + +These words were shrieked out so wildly, that all the people were +greatly agitated and murmured against such wickedness. But the prisoner +releasing her hand for a moment cried out, "Oh, Lord, help me!" + +"Hold her hands," some cried then, for the afflicted persons seemed to +be grievously tormented by her. But her hands being again firmly held by +the guards, they seemed comforted. + +Then the worthy magistrate Hathorne said, "Do you not see that when your +hands 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 to +God." + +"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 be +afflicted 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 her +head to droop on one side. Instantly the heads of the accusers were bent +the same way. + +Abigail Williams cried out, "Set up Mistress Nurse's neck, our necks +will all be broken." The jailers held up the prisoner's neck; and the +necks of all the accused were instantly made straight again. This was +considered a marvelous proof; and produced a wonderful effect upon the +magistrates and the people. Mistress Ann Putnam went into such great +bodily agony at this time, charging it all upon the prisoner, that the +magistrates gave her husband permission to carry her out of the house. +Only then, when no longer in the sight of the prisoner, could she regain +her peace. + +"Mistress Nurse was then recommitted to the jail in Salem, in order to +further 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 all +of them as a daring--and when angered even a desperate young man--and +they allowed him to say with impunity, freely what no one else could +even have whispered. His son in after years, looked not into the wolf's +eyes in the dark den with a sterner gaze, than he looked into the +superstitious and vengeful wolves' eyes around him. + +"To think that a godly old woman like Mistress Nurse, should be +tormented by this Devil's brood of witches, led on by that she-devil +sister of mine, Ann Putnam." + +Many around heard him, but none cared to meet the young man's fierce +eyes, as they blazed upon those that were nearest. + +"Do control yourself, my friend," whispered Master Raymond. "Preserve +yourself 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 the +complaint of Edward and Jonathan Putnam. + +The evidence against this little girl of five was overwhelming. Mistress +Ann Putnam, Mercy Lewis, and Mary Walcott were the accusers--charging +the innocent and pretty little creature with biting, pinching and +choking them--the little girl smiling while they were giving their +testimony. She was not old enough to understand what it was all about, +and that even her life was in danger from these demoniacs. They +absolutely pretended to show the marks of her little teeth in their +arms. Then, after going through the usual convulsions, they shrieked out +that she was running pins into them; and the pins were found on +examination sticking into their bodies. + +The little girl was, as I have said, at first inclined to laugh at all +the curious proceedings, and the spasms and contortions of the +witnesses, but at last, seeing everyone so solemn and looking so +wickedly at her, she began to cry; until Joseph Putnam went up to her +and gave her some sweet cake to eat, which he had provided for his own +luncheon and then, looking into his kind face, she began to smile again. + +The Magistrates frowned upon Master Putnam, as he did this, but he paid +no attention to their frowns. And when the little girl was ordered back +to jail as a prisoner to await her trial, he bent down and kissed her +before she was led away by the constable. + +This was the end of the proceedings for that day and the crowd began to +disperse. + +"This is a pretty day's work you have made of it, sister-in-law," said +Joseph Putnam, striding up to his brother's wife. "You say that you are +tormented by many devils, and I believe it. Now I want to give you, and +all the Devil's brood around you, fair warning that if you dare to touch +with your foul lies any one belonging to my house including the stranger +within my gates, you shall answer it with your lives, in spite of all +your judges and prisons." + +So saying, he glared at his two brothers, who made no reply, and walked +out of the meeting-house in which this ungodly business had been +transacted. + +"Oh, it is only Joe," said Thomas Putnam; "he always was the spoiled +child of the family." + +His wife said nothing, but soon a hard, bitter smile took the place of +the angry flush that the young man's words had produced. Dulcibel Burton +was 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 of +seven Judges--a majority of whom were leading citizens of Boston, the +Deputy Governor of the Province, acting as Chief-Justice--decided to +take further counsel in this wonderful and important matter of the +fathers of the church. So the Court took a recess, while it consulted +the ministers of Boston and other places, respecting its duty in the +case. The response of the ministers, while urging in general terms the +importance of caution and circumspection, recommended the earnest and +vigorous carrying on of the war against Satan and his disciples. + +Among the new victims, one of the most striking cases was that of George +Jacobs and his grand-daughter Margaret. The former was a +venerable-looking man, very tall, with long, thin white hair, who was +compelled by his infirmities to support himself in walking with two +staffs. Sarah Churchill, a chief witness, against him, was a servant in +his 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 it +right after many trials." + +"Well," said the brave old man finally, after they had badgered him with +all kinds of nonsensical questions, "Well, burn me, or hang me, I will +stand in the truth of Christ!" + +As his manly bearing was evidently producing an effect, the "afflicted +girls" 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 fits +and 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 to +write in the red book; and promises if I will do so, to make me as well +as 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 Mary +Walcott. + +Mercy Lewis for her part walked towards him; but as soon as she got +near, fell into great fits. + +Then Ann Putnam and Abigail Williams "had each of them a pin stuck in +their hands and they said it was done by this old Jacobs." + +The Magistrates took all this wicked acting in sober earnest; and asked +the prisoner, "what he had to say to it?" + +"Only that it is false," he replied. "I know no more of it than the +child that was born last night." + +But the honest old man's denial went of course, for nothing. Neither did +Sarah Ingersoll's deposition made a short time afterwards; in which she +testified that "Sarah Churchill came to her after giving her evidence, +crying and wringing her hands, and saying that she has belied herself +and others in saying she had set her hand to the Devil's book." She said +that "they had threatened her that if she did not say it, they would put +her in the dungeon along with Master Burroughs." + +And that, "if she told Master Noyes, the minister, but once that she had +set her hand to the book, he would believe her; but if she told him the +truth 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, having +committed themselves fully to the prosecution of the witches, would +listen to nothing that tended to prove that the principal witnesses were +deliberate and malicious liars; and that, so far as the other witnesses +were concerned, they were grossly superstitious and deluded persons. + +No charity that is fairly clear-sighted, can cover over the evidence of +the "afflicted circle" with the mantle of self-delusion. Self-delusion +does not conceal pins, stick them into its own body, and charge the +accused person with doing it, knowing that the accusation may be the +prisoner's death. This was done repeatedly by Mistress Ann Putnam, and +her Satanic brood of false accusers. + +Sarah Churchill was no worse than the others, judging by her remorse +after she had helped to murder with her lying tongue her venerable +master and we have in the deposition of Sarah Ingersoll, undoubted proof +that she testified falsely. + +When Ann Putnam, Mercy Lewis and Mary Walcott all united in charging +little Dorcas Good--five years old!--with biting, pinching and almost +choking them; "showing the marks of her little teeth on their arms, and +the pins sticking in their bodies, where they had averred she was +piercing them"--can any sane, clear-minded man or woman suppose it was +an 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" so +that "it could hardly be taken off without cutting," was there not only +deception, 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 the +by-standers until it became visible by being snatched by the sufferer +from the spectre's hand, was there any self-delusion there? Was it not +merely 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 to +the conclusion that the "afflicted girls," who led off in this matter, +and were the principal witnesses, continually testified to what they +knew to be utterly false. There is no possible excuse for them on the +ground of "delusion." However much we may recoil from the sad belief +that they testified in the large majority of cases to what they knew to +be entirely false, the facts of the case compel us with an irresistible +force to such an unhappy conclusion. When we are positively certain that +a witness, in a case of life or death, has testified falsely against the +prisoner again and again, is it possible that we can give him or her the +benefit of even a doubt as to the animus of the testimony? The +falsehoods I have referred to were cases of palpable, unmistakable and +deliberate lying. And the only escape from considering it _wilful_ +lying, is to make a supposition not much in accord with the temper of +the present times, that, having tampered with evil spirits, and invoked +the Devil continually during the long evenings of the preceding winter, +the prince of powers of the air had at last come at their call, and +ordered a legion of his creatures to take possession of the minds and +bodies that they had so freely offered to him. For certainly there is no +way of explaining the conduct of the "afflicted circle" of girls and +women, than by supposing either that they were guilty of the most +enormous 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 more +excitable portion of the inhabitants of Salem almost crazy. The work of +the house and of the farm was neglected; a large number of suspected +persons and their relatives were sunk in the deepest grief, the families +of some of the imprisoned knew not where to get their daily food; for +their property was generally taken possession of by the officers of the +law at the time of the arrest, the accused being considered guilty until +they were proved to be innocent. Upon conviction of a capital offence +the property of the condemned was attainted, being confiscated by the +state; and the constables took possession at once, in order that it +might not be spirited away. + +And no one outside of the circle of the accusers knew whose turn might +come next. Neither sex, nor age, nor high character, as we have seen, +was a bar against the malice, or the wantonness of the "afflicted." The +man or woman who had lived a righteous life for over eighty years, the +little child who wondered what it all meant, the maiden whose only +fault might be to have a jealous rival, all were alike in danger. + +Especially were those in peril, however, who dared to take the side of +any of the accused, and express even the faintest disbelief in the +justice of the legal proceedings, or the honesty of the witnesses. These +would be surely singled out for punishment. Again and again, had this +been done until the voices of all but the very boldest were effectually +silenced. Those arrested now, as a general thing, would confess at once +to the truthfulness of all the charges brought against them, and even +invent still more improbable stories of their own, as this mollified the +accusers, and they often would be let off with a solemn reprimand by the +magistrates. + +Joseph Putnam and his male servants went constantly armed; and two +horses were kept saddled day and night, in his stable. He never went to +the village unaccompanied; and made no secret of his determination to +resist the arrest of himself or, as he had phrased it, "any one within +his gates," to the last drop of his blood. + +Living with the Goodman Buckley who had leased the Burton property, was +a hired man named Antipas Newton. He was a good worker though now +getting old, and had in one sense been leased with the place by +Dulcibel's father. + +Antipas's history had been a sad one. Adopted when left an orphan by a +benevolent farmer who had no children, he managed by diligence and +strict economy to acquire by the age of thirty, quite a comfortable +property of his own. Then the old couple that he called Father and +Mother became converts to Quakerism. Fined and imprisoned, deprived of +their property, and, after the expiration of their term of imprisonment, +ordered to leave the colony, they had been "harbored" by the man for +whom they had done so much in his early years. + +Antipas was a person of limited intelligence, but of strong affections +and wide sympathies. Again and again, he harbored these persecuted ones, +who despite their whippings and banishment would persist in returning to +Salem. Finally, Antipas himself was heavily fined, and his property sold +to pay the fines. His wife had died early, but a young daughter who kept +his house in order, and who had failed in her attendance at the church +which was engaged in persecuting her father, was also fined heavily. As +her 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 to +Barbados, 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 the +young girl; and she died before means of transportation could be found. + +As a result of these persecutions, Antipas became demented. As his +insanity grew evident, the prosecutions ceased; but he was still in +danger of starvation, so few would give him employment, both on account +of his impaired mind, and of the odium which attached to any friend of +the abhorred Quakers. + +Captain Burton, Dulcibel's father, came to the village at this time. He +had been one of the sea-captains who had indignantly refused to take the +Southwick children, or any other of the Salem children, to Barbados; +and he pitied the poor insane man, and gave him employment. Not only did +he do this, but, as we have said, made it an article of the lease of his +property, that the Buckleys should also keep Antipas as a farm servant. + +Antipas, to the general surprise of the villagers had proved to be an +excellent servant, notwithstanding his insanity. Only on training days +and other periods of excitement, did his insanity obtrude itself. At +all other times he seemed to be a cheerful, simple-hearted, and very +capable and industrious "hand." + +To Dulcibel, as was natural, Antipas always manifested the greatest +devotion. Her little black mare was always groomed to perfection, he +never being satisfied until he took a white linen handkerchief that he +kept for the purpose, and, passing it over the mare's shining coat, saw +that no stain or loose black hair remained on it. + +"You think that Mistress Dulcibel is an angel, do you not?" said one of +the 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 read +about her once, she is the woman that is 'clothed with the sun and has +the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.'" + +"That is wicked, Antipas. If Master Parris heard that you said things +like 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 getting +very frequent of late. + +For the general excitement was proving too much for Antipas. Fie stopped +frequently in his work, and muttered to himself; and then laughed +wildly, or shed tears. He talked about the witches and the Devil and +evil spirits, and the strange things that he saw at night, in the insane +fashion that characterized the "afflicted children." + +As for Dulcibel in these times, she kept pretty much to herself, going +out very little. As she could not sympathize with the general gossip of +the neighborhood, she remained at home, and consequently had very few +visitors. 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 serious +character. The conversation generally turned upon the exciting events +continually occurring, some new arrest, some new confession, some new +and outrageously absurd charges. + +Master Raymond's hand, if anyone accosted him suddenly, instinctively +sought the hilt of his rapier. He was better skilled in the use of that +weapon than was usual, and had no fear that he should be unable to +escape from the constables, if not taken at a disadvantage. Still, as +that would compel him to fly into the woods, and as it would separate +him from Dulcibel, he had been very careful not to express in public his +abhorrence of all the recent proceedings. I am afraid that he was guilty +of considerable dissimulation, even paying his court to some of the +"afflicted" maidens when he had the opportunity, with soft words and +handsome presents; and trying in this way to enlist a party in his +behalf, in case he or any of his friends should need supporters. + +Joseph Putnam censured him one day for his double dealing, which was a +thing not only out of Master Joseph's line, but one which his frank and +outspoken nature rendered it very difficult for him to practise. But +Raymond 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 weighty +for Joseph, whose forte was sensible assertion rather than ingenious +argument. And so Master Raymond persevered in his course, feeling no +more compunction in deceiving the Salemites, as he said to himself, than +he would in deceiving and cheating a pack of savage wolves, who were +themselves arrayed in sheep's clothing. + +Jethro Sands had of late shown a disposition to renew his attentions to +Dulcibel; but, after two or three visits, in the last of which he had +given the maiden the desired opportunity, she had plainly intimated to +him 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 that +English popinjay, who rides about as if we colonists were not fit to +dust 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, and +all his native coarseness came to the surface. + +"I will show you," said Dulcibel, the Norse blood of her father glowing +in her face. "Good evening, Sir!" and she left the room. + +Jethro had not expected such a quiet, but effective answer. He sat +twirling his thumbs, for awhile, hoping that she would return. But +realizing at last that she would not, he took his departure in a +towering anger. Of course this was the last of his visits. But Dulcibel +had made a deadly enemy. + +It was unfortunate, for the maiden already had many who disliked her +among the young people of the village. She was a superior person for one +thing, and "gave herself airs," as some said. To be superior, without +having wealth or an acknowledged high social position, is always to be +envied, and often to be hated. Then again, Dulcibel dressed with more +richness and variety of costume than was usual in the Puritan villages. +This set many of the women, both young and old, against her. Her scarlet +bodice, especially, was a favorite theme for animadversion; some even +going so far as to call her ironically "the scarlet woman." It is +curious how unpopular a perfectly amiable, sweet-tempered and +sweet-tongued maiden may often become, especially with her own sex, +because of their innate feeling that she is not, in spite of all her +courteous endeavors, really one of them. It is an evil day for the swan +when she finds herself the only swan among a large flock of geese. + +Dulcibel's antecedents also were not as orthodox as they might be. Her +mother, it was granted, was "pious," and of a "godly" connection; but +her 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 to +Salem, as to whether he was "a professor of religion," that he was "only +a sea captain, and had no other profession." And a certain freedom of +thought characterized Dulcibel, that she could scarcely have derived +from her pious mother. In fact, it was something like the freedom of the +winds and of the clouds, blowing where they liked; and had been probably +caught up by her father in his many voyages over the untrammeled seas. + +At first Dulcibel had been rather impressed by the sermons of Master +Parris and Master Noyes and the other ministers, to the effect that +Satan was making a deadly assault upon the "saints," in revenge for +their interference with his hitherto undisputed domination of the new +world. But the longer she thought about it, the more she was inclined to +adopt Joseph Putnam's theory, that his sister-in-law and niece and the +other "afflicted" persons were possessed by devils. + +She inclined to this view in preference even to what she knew was Ellis +Raymond's real conviction, that they were a set of hysterical and +vicious girls and women who had rendered themselves half-insane by +tampering for a whole winter with their nervous and spiritual +organizations; until they could scarcely now distinguish the true from +the untrue, the real from the unreal, good from evil, or light from +darkness. + +"They have become reprobates and given over to an evil mind," said +Master Raymond to her one day; clothing his thought as nearly as he +could in scriptural language, in order to commend it to her. + +"Yes, this seems to be a reasonable explanation of their wicked +conduct," replied Dulcibel. "But I think after all, that it amounts to +about the same thing as Joseph Putnam says, only that his is the +stronger 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 had +expressed themselves in different phrases. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +Bad News. + + +The blow fell at last, and where they might have expected it. As Joseph +Putnam said afterwards, "Why did I not bring them out to my house? They +would not have dared to take them from under my roof, and they could not +have done it if they had dared." + +One of his servants had been sent to the village on an errand; he had +not performed his errand, but he had hurried back at once with the news. +Dulcibel Burton had been arrested the previous evening, about nine +o'clock, on the charge of being a witch. Antipas Newton had also been +arrested. Both had been taken to prison, and put in irons. + +A desperate, determined look came into the faces of the two men as they +gathered every word the servant had to tell. Young Mistress Putnam burst +into tears. But the men dashed a tear or two from their eyes, and began +to collect their thoughts. It was not weeping but stern daring, that +would be needed before this thing was through. + +The prisoners were to be brought up that afternoon for examination. "I +have my two men, who will follow wherever I lead them," said Master +Putnam. "That makes four of us. Shall we carry her off from under their +very eyes?" And his face glowed--the fighting instinct of his race was +very strong within him. + +"It might not succeed, those men are neither cowards nor babies," +answered his guest. "Besides, it would lead probably to your banishment +and the confiscation of your property. No, we must have the wisdom of +the serpent, as well as the boldness of the lion." + +"The result of the examination may be favorable, so young and good and +beautiful as she is," said Mistress Putnam. + +"They lap their tongues in the blood of lambs, and say it is sweet as +honey," replied her husband, shaking his head. "No, they will show no +mercy; but we must try to match them." + +"Yes, and with as little hazard and cost to you, my noble friend, as +possible," said Master Raymond. "Let me act, and take all the risk. They +cannot get hold of my property; and I would just as lief live in New +York 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 wise +counsel." + +"Still, my good friend, you must admit that, as Dulcibel betrothed +herself to me only two days ago, I am the one to take the greatest risk +in this matter." + +"Indeed!" said Mistress Putnam. "I knew it would be so; and I told +Joseph it would be, only yesterday." + +"I give you joy of such a mistress!" cried Master Putnam, grasping his +friend's hand. "Yes, I grant now your right of precedence in this +danger, and I will follow your lead--yes, to the death!" + +"I hold you to that," said Master Raymond. "Remember you are pledged to +follow my lead. Now, whatever I do, do not wonder, much less express any +wonder. 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 with +her." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +The Arrest of Dulcibel and Antipas. + + +The arrest of Dulcibel had been entirely unexpected to herself and the +Buckleys. Dulcibel indeed had wondered, when walking through the village +in the morning, that several persons she knew had seemed to avoid +meeting her. But she was too full of happiness in her recent betrothal +to take umbrage or alarm at such an unimportant circumstance. A few +months now, and Salem, she hoped, would see her no more forever. She +knew, for Master Raymond had told her, that there were plenty of places +in the world where life was reasonably gay and sunny and hopeful; not +like this dull valley of the shadow of death in which she was now +living. Raymond's plan was to get married; sell her property, which +might take a few months, more or less; and then sail for England, to +introduce his charming wife to a large circle of relatives. + +Dulcibel had been reading a book that Raymond had brought to her--a +volume of Shakespeare's plays--a prohibited book among the Puritan +fathers, and which would have been made the text for one of Master +Parris's most denunciatory sermons if he had known that it was in the +village. Having finished "Macbeth" she laid the book down upon the table +and began playing with her canary, holding it to her cheek, putting its +bill to her lips, and otherwise fondling it. While she was thus engaged, +she began to have the uncomfortable feeling which sensitive persons +often have when some one is watching them; and turning involuntarily to +the window which looked out on a garden at the side of the house, she +saw in the dim light that dark faces, with curious eyes, seemed nearly +to fill up the lower half of the casement. In great surprise, and with a +sudden tremor, she rose quickly from the seat; and, as she did so, the +weird faces and glistening eyes disappeared, and two constables, +attended by a crowd of the villagers, entered the room. One of these +walked at once to her side, and seizing her by the arm said, "I arrest +you, Dulcibel Burton, by the authority of Magistrate Hathorne. Come +along with me." + +"What does all this mean, friend Herrick?" said Goodman Buckley, coming +into the room. + +"It means," said the constable, "that this young woman is no better than +the other witches, who have been joining hand with Satan against the +peace and dignity of this province." Then, turning to Dame Buckley, "Get +her a shawl and bonnet, goodwife; if you do not wish her to go out +unprotected in the night's cold." + +"A witch--what nonsense!" said Dame Buckley. + +"Nonsense, is it?" said the other constable. "What is this?" taking up +the book from the table. "A book of plays! profane and wicked stage +plays, in Salem village! You had better hold your peace, goodwife; or +you may go to prison yourself for harboring such licentious devices of +Satan in your house." + +Goodwife Buckley started and grew pale. A book of wicked stage-plays +under her roof! She could make no reply, but went off without speaking +to pack up a bundle of the accused maiden's clothing. + +"See here!" continued the constable, opening the book, "All about +witches, 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 a +little cool, and the other constable threw the book amidst the live +coals; 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 Devil +looks out for his own." + +"Yes, we shall have to stay here all night, if we wait for that book to +burn up," said Master Herrick. "Now if it had been a Bible, or a +Psalm-book, it would have been consumed by this time." + +"My father told me," said one of the crowd, "that they were once six +weeks trying to burn up some witch's book in Holland, and then had to +tear each leaf separately before they could burn it." + +"Where is the yellow bird--her familiar--that she was sending on some +witch's errand when we were watching at the window?" said another of the +crowd. + +"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 the +door, where the canary-bird had flown in its fright. + +"Kill it! kill the familiar! Kill the devil's imp!" came in various +voices, the angry tones being not without an inflection of fear. + +Several pulled out their rapiers. Jethro was the quickest. He made a +desperate lunge at the little creature, and impaled it on the point of +his weapon. + +Dulcibel shook off the hold of the constable and sprang forward. "Oh, my +pretty Cherry," she cried, taking the dead bird from the point of the +rapier. "You wretch! to harm an innocent little creature like that!" and +she smoothed the feathers of the bird and kissed its little head. + +"Take it from her! kill the witch!" cried some rude women in the outer +circles of the crowd. + +"Yes, mistress, this is more than good Christian people can be expected +to endure," said constable Herrick, sternly, snatching the bird from her +and tossing it into the fire. "Let us see if the imp will burn any +quicker than the book." + +"Ah, she forgot to charm it," said the other constable, as the little +feathers blazed up in a blue flame. + +"Yes, but note the color," said Jethro. "No Christian bird ever blazed +in that color." + +"Neither they ever did!" echoed another, and they looked into each +other's faces and shook their heads solemnly. + +At this moment Antipas Newton was led to the door of the room, in the +custody of another officer. The old man seemed to be taking the whole +proceeding very quietly and patiently, as the Quakers always did. But +the 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 springing +like an enraged lion upon Master Herrick, he dashed him against the +opposite wall, tore his constable's staff from his hands and laying the +staff around him wildly and ferociously cleared the room of everybody +save 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 the +constables; but shouting, "the sword of the Lord and of Gideon!" the +deranged man, with the stout oaken staff, dashed the rapier from +Jethro'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 the +staff behind him, laughed wildly as he saw the crowd, constable and +all, tumbling out of the door of the next room into the front garden of +the house as if Satan himself in very deed, were after them. + +"I will teach them how they abuse my pretty little Dulcibel," said the +now thoroughly demented man, laughing grimly. "Come on, ye imps of +Satan, and I will toast you at the end of my fork," he cried, +flourishing Jethro's rapier, whose red point, crimson with the blood of +the canary-bird, seemed to act upon the mind of the old man as a spark +of fire upon tow. + +"Antipas," said Dulcibel, coming forward and gazing sadly into the eyes +of her faithful follower, "is it not written, 'Put up thy sword; for he +that takes the sword shall perish by the sword'? Give me the weapon!" + +The old man gazed into her face, at first wonderingly; then, with the +instinct 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. They +came in, at first a little warily. "He is insane; but the spell is over +now for the present. But treat him tenderly, I pray you. When he is in +one of these fits, he has the strength of ten men." + +The constables could not help being impressed favorably by the maiden's +conduct; and they treated her with a certain respect and tenderness +which they had not previously shown, until they had delivered her, and +the afterwards entirely humble and peaceful Antipas, to the keeper of +Salem prison. + +But the crowd said to one another as they sought their houses: "What a +powerful 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 it +because her power is of the devil." + +They did not remember that this was the very course of reasoning used on +a 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, the +details given in my manuscript volume were fully corroborated, even +almost to the minutest particulars, by official records now in +existence. But in what I have related, and am about to relate, relative +to Dulcibel Burton, I shall have to rely entirely upon the manuscript +volume. Still, as there is nothing there averred more unreasonable and +absurd than what is found in the existing official records, I see no +reason to doubt the entire truthfulness of the story. In fact, it would +be difficult to imagine grosser and more ridiculous accusations than +were made by Mistress Ann Putnam against that venerable and truly devout +and Christian matron, Rebecca Nurse. + +When Dulcibel and Antipas, in the custody of four constables, reached +the 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 was +a stout, strong-built man, with not a bad countenance for a jailer; but +seemed thoroughly imbued with the prevailing superstition, judging by +the 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 small +rooms or cells. In each of these cells was a narrow bedstead and a stone +jug and slop bucket. Antipas was hustled into one cell, and, after being +chained, the door was bolted upon him. Then Dulcibel was taken into +another, though rather larger cell, and the jailor said, "Now she will +not 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 a +powerful witch as she is. Trust her to me, Master Herrick. She'll be too +heavy 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 its +socket, 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 and +burst into tears. It was like a change from Paradise into the infernal +regions. A few hours before and she had been musing in an ecstasy of joy +over her betrothal, and dreaming bright dreams of the future, such +perhaps as only a maiden can dream in the rapture of her first love. Now +she was sitting in a prison cell, accused of a deadly crime, and her +life and good reputation in the most imminent danger. One thing alone +buoyed her up--the knowledge that her lover was fully aware of her +innocence; and that he and Joseph Putnam would do all that they could do +in her behalf. But then the sad thought came, that to aid her in any way +might be only to bring upon themselves a similar accusation. And then, +with a noble woman's spirit of self-sacrifice, she thought: "No, let +them not be brought into danger. Better, far better, that I should +suffer alone, than drag down my friends with me." + +Here she heard the noise of the bolt being withdrawn, and saw the dim +light of the jailer's candle. + +As the jailer entered he threw down some heavy irons in the corner of +the room. Then, he closed the door behind him, and came up to the +unhappy 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 it +were not unfamiliar to her; and she looked up hastily. + +"Do you not remember me, little Dulcy? Why I rocked you on my foot in +the old Captain's house in Boston many a day." + +"Is it not uncle Robie?" said the girl. She had not seen him since she +was four years old. + +The jailer smiled. "Of course it is," he replied, "just uncle Robie. The +old captain never went to sea that Robie Foster did not go as first +mate. And a blessed day it was when I came to be first mate of this +jail-ship; though I never thought to see the old captain's bonnie bird +among 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 a +chuckle. "Now, when I come in here tomorrow morning nae doobt I will +find all your chains off. It is just sae with pretty much all the +others. 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 a +powerful 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 the +devil, or anything else? There is only one true church, Mistress +Dulcibel. I have sa mooch respect for the clergy as any man; but I don't +take my sailing orders from a set of sourfaced old pirates." + +Then, leaving her a candle and telling her to keep up a stout heart, the +jailer left the cell; and Dulcibel heard the heavy bolt again drawn upon +her, with a much lighter heart, than before. Examining the bundle of +clothes that Goodwife Buckley had made up, she found that nothing +essential to her comfort had been forgotten, and she soon was sleeping +as peacefully in her prison cell as if she were in her own pretty little +chamber. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +Dulcibel before the Magistrates. + + +The next afternoon the meeting-house at Salem village was crowded to its +utmost capacity; for Dulcibel Burton and Antipas Newton were to be +brought before the worshipful magistrates, John Hathorne and Jonathan +Corwin. These worthies were not only magistrates, but persons of great +note and influence, being members of the highest legislative and +judicial body in the Province of Massachusetts Bay. + +Among the audience were Joseph Putnam and Ellis Raymond; the former +looking stern and indignant, the latter wearing an apparently cheerful +countenance, genial to all that he knew, and they were many; and +especially courteous and agreeable to Mistress Ann Putnam, and the +"afflicted" maidens. It was evident that Master Raymond was determined +to preserve for himself the freedom of the village, if complimentary and +pleasant speeches would effect it. It would not do to be arrested or +banished, now that Dulcibel was in prison. + +When the constable, Joseph Herrick, brought in Dulcibel, he stated that +having made "diligent search for images and such like," they had found a +"yellow bird," of the kind that witches were known to affect; a wicked +book of stage-plays, which seemed to be about witches, especially one +called "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 the +fire." + +"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 the +back-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 little +rag-babies, that Dulcibel was making for a neighbor's children. + +The crowd looked breathlessly on as "these diabolical instruments of +torture" were placed upon the table before the magistrates. + +"Dulcibel Burton, stand up and look upon your accusers," said Squire +Hathorne. + +Dulcibel had sunk upon a bench while the above conversation was going +on--she felt overpowered by the curious and malignant eyes turned upon +her 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 was +standing erect, even proudly; his arms crossed over his breast, his face +composed and firm, his dark eyes glowing and determined. He dared not +utter 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 her +sensitive and impassioned nature, understood him to mean. And from that +moment a marked change came over her whole appearance. The shrinking, +timid girl of a moment before stood up serene but heroic, fearless and +undaunted; prepared to assert the truth, and to defy all the malice of +her enemies, if need be, to the martyr's death. + +And she had need of all her courage. For, before three minutes had +passed--Squire Hathorne pausing to look over the deposition on which +the arrest had been made--Mistress Ann Putnam shrieked out, "Turn her +head away, she is tormenting us! See, her yellow-bird is whispering to +her!" And with that, she and her little daughter Ann, and Abigail +Williams and Sarah Churchill and Leah Herrick and several others, flung +themselves 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 one +of the constables caught Dulcibel by the arm, and turned her around +roughly. + +"This is horrible!" cried Thomas Putnam--"and so young and fair-looking, +too!" + +"Ah, they are the worst ones, Master Putnam," said his sympathetic +friend, 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 in +this grievous fashion?" + +"I do not torment them," replied Dulcibel calmly, but a little +scornfully. + +"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 the +agency of other human beings?" + +"No, I do not." + +"Well, he cannot--our wisest ministers are united upon that. Is it not +so, Master Parris?" + +"That is God's solemn truth," was the reply. + +"Who is it that torments you, Mistress Putnam?" continued Squire +Hathorne, addressing Mistress Ann Putnam, who had sent so many already +to prison and on the way to death. + +Mistress Putnam was angered beyond measure at Dulcibel's intimation that +she and her party were instigated and tormented directly by the devil. +And yet she could not, if she would, bear falser witness than she +already had done against Rebecca Nurse and other women of equally good +family and reputation. But at this appeal of the Magistrate, she flung +her arms into the air, and spoke with the vehemence and excitement of a +half-crazy woman. + +"It is she, Dulcibel Burton. She was a witch from her very birth. Her +father sold her to Satan before she was born, that he might prosper in +houses and lands. She has the witch's mark--a snake--on her breast, just +over her heart. I know it, because goodwife Bartley, the midwife, told +me so three years ago last March. Midwife Bartley is dead; but have a +jury of women examine her, and you will see that it is true." + +At this, as all thought it, horrible charge, a cold thrill ran through +the crowd. They all had heard of witch-marks, but never of one like +this--the very serpent, perhaps, which had deluded Eve. Joseph Putnam +smiled disdainfully. "A set of stupid, superstitious fools!" he muttered +through his teeth. "Half the De Bellevilles had that mark."[1] + +[Footnote 1: "Most part of this noble lineage carried upon their body +for a natural birth-mark, from their mother's womb, a snake."--_North_.] + +"I will have that looked into," said Squire Hathorne. "In what shape +does the spectre come, Mistress Putnam?" + +"In the shape of a yellow-bird. She whispers to it who it is that she +wants tormented, and it comes and pecks at my eyes." + +Here she screamed out wildly, and began as if defending her eyes from an +invisible 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 our +eyes." + +There was a scene of great excitement, several men drawing their swords +and pushing and slashing at the places where they supposed the spectral +bird might be. + +Leah Herrick said the spectre that hurt her came oftenest in the shape +of a small black horse, like that which Dulcibel Burton was known to +keep and ride. Everybody supposed, she said, that the horse was itself a +witch, for it was perfectly black, with not a white hair on it, and +nobody could ride it but its mistress. + +Here Sarah Churchill said she had seen Dulcibel Burton riding about +twelve o'clock one night, on her black horse, to a witches' meeting. + +Ann Putnam, the child, said she had seen the same thing. One curious +thing about it was that Dulcibel had neither a saddle nor a bridle to +ride with. She thought this was very strange; but her mother told her +that witches always rode in that manner. + +Here the two ministers of Salem, Rev. Master Parris and Rev. Master +Noyes, said that this was undeniably true, that it was a curious fact +that witches never used saddles nor bridles. Master Noyes explaining +further that there was no necessity for such articles, as the familiar +was instantly cognizant of every slightest wish or command of the witch +to whom he was subject, and going thus through the air, there being no +rocks or gullies or other rough places, there was no necessity of a +saddle. Both the magistrates and the people seemed to be very much +instructed by the remarks of these two godly ministers. + +That "pious and excellent young man," Jethro Sands, here came forward +and testified as follows: He had been at one time on very intimate terms +with the accused; but her conduct on one occasion was so very singular +that he declined thereafter to keep company with her. Hearing one day +that she had gone to Master Joseph Putnam's, he had walked up the road +to meet her on her return to the village. He looked up after walking +about a mile, and saw her coming towards him on a furious gallop. There +seemed 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 she +snatched a rod that he had cut in the woods, out of his hand, and that +moment the familiar stopped and became as submissive as a pet dog. He +could not understand what it meant, until it suddenly occurred to him +that the rod was a branch of witch-hazel! + +Here the audience drew a long breath, the whole thing was satisfactorily +explained. 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 him +that 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 vicious +animal, worth nothing to anybody save one who was a witch himself. He +thought it ought to be stoned, or otherwise killed, at once. + +The Rev. Master Noyes suggested that if it were handed over to his +reverend brother Parris, he might be able, by a course of religious +exercises, to cast out the evil spirit and render the animal +serviceable. The apostles and disciples, it would be remembered, often +succeeded in casting out evil spirits; though sometimes, we are told, +they lamentably failed. + +The magistrates here consulted a few minutes, and Squire Hathorne then +ordered that the black mare should be handed over to the Rev. Master +Parris for his use, and that he might endeavor to exorcise the evil +spirit that possessed it. + +Dulcibel had regarded with calm and serious eyes the concourse around +her while this wild evidence was being given. Notwithstanding the peril +of her position, she could not avoid smiling occasionally at the +absurdity of the charges made against her; while at other times her brow +and cheeks glowed with indignation at the maliciousness of her accusers. +Then she thought, how could I ever have injured these neighbors so +seriously 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 much +sanctimonious talk about religion, and such an utter absence of it in +those that prated the most of its possession. Down among the despised +Quakers of Pennsylvania there was not one-half as much talking about +religion but three times as much of that kindly charity which is its +essential life. + +"Dulcibel Burton," said Squire Hathorne, "you have heard what these +evidence against you; what answer can you make to them?" + +Blood will assert itself. The daughter of the old sea-captain, himself +of Norse descent on the mother's side, felt her father's spirit glowing +in her full veins. + +"The charges that have been made are too absurd and ridiculous for +serious denial. The 'yellow bird' is my canary bird, Cherry, given me by +Captain Alden when we lived in Boston. He brought it home with him from +the West Indies. Ask him whether it is a familiar. My black horse +misbehaved on that afternoon Jethro Sands tells of, as I told him at the +time; simply because I had no whip. When he gave me his switch, the +vixenish animal came at once into subjection to save herself a good +whipping. It was not a hazel switch, his statement is false, and he +knows 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's +brand of a snake over your heart?" + +"I have some such mark, but it is a birth-mark, and not a witch-mark. It +is a simple curving line of red," and the girl blushed crimson at being +compelled to such a reference to a personal peculiarity. But she +faltered not in her speech, though her tones were more indignant than +before. "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 snake +coming into her chamber; and her child was born with this mark upon her +breast. That is all of it. There is no necessity of any examination, for +I admit the charge." + +"Yes," screamed Mistress Putnam again, "your ancestress too was a noted +witch. It runs in the family. Go away with you!" she cried striking +apparently at something with her clenched hand. "It is her old great +grandmother! 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 rearing +up 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 sprang +to each side of the accused maiden and held her arms and hands in a +grasp of iron. + +Joseph Putnam made an exclamation that almost sounded like an oath, and +made a step forward; but a firm hand was laid upon his shoulder. "Be +patient!" whispered Ellis Raymond, though his own mouth was twitching +considerably. "We are the anvil now; wait till our turn comes to be +sledgehammer!" + +Such a din and babel as the "afflicted" kept up! By the curious power of +sympathy it affected the crowd almost to madness. If Dulcibel looked at +them, they cried she was tormenting them. If she looked upward in +resignation 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 if +their necks would be broken; and the jailers forced up Dulcibel's neck +with their coarse, dirty hands. + +Dulcibel had not attended any of the other examinations, but similar +demonstrations on the part of the "afflicted" had been described to her. +It was very different, however, to hear of such things and to experience +them in her own person. And if she had been at all a nervous and less +healthy young woman, she might have been overcome by them, and even led +to admit, as so many others had admitted under similar influences, that +she really was a witch, and compelled by her master, the devil, could +not help tormenting these poor victims. + +"Why do you not cease this?" at last cried Squire Hathorne, sternly and +wrathfully. + +"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, they +are 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 for +innocent blood." + +The spirit of the free-thinking, free-spoken old sea-captain--nurtured +by the free winds and the free waves for forty years--was fully alive +now in his daughter. A righteous, holy indignation at the abominable +farce that was going on with all its gross lying and injustice had taken +possession of her, and she cared no longer for the opinions of any one +around her, and thought not even of her lover looking on, but only of +truth and justice. "Yes, they are possessed with devils--being children +of their father, the devil!" she continued scornfully. "And they shall +have their reward. As for you, Ann Putnam, in seven years from this day +I summon you to meet those you have slain with your wicked, lying +tongue, 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 wicked +ways, 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 cruel +treatment of innocent women, shall die by this time next year!" + +The constables loosened their grasp of her hands and shrank back in +dismay. The "afflicted" suddenly hushed their cries and regained their +composure, as they saw the accused maiden's eyes, lit up with the +wildness of inspiration, glancing around their circle with lightning +flashes that might strike at any moment. + +Even Squire Hathorne's wine-crimsoned face paled, lest she would turn +around and denounce him too. Even if she were a witch, witches it was +known sometimes spoke truly. And when she slowly turned and looked upon +him, the haughty judge was ready to sink to the floor. + +"As for you, John Hathorne, for your part in these wicked doings," here +she paused as if waiting to hear a supernatural voice, while the crowded +meeting-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 descendants +for a hundred years. They shall not prosper. Then a Hathorne shall arise +who shall repudiate you and all your wicked works, and the curse shall +pass away!" + +Squire Hathorne regained his courage the instant she said he should not +die, little he cared for misfortunes that might come upon his +descendants. + +"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 give +her nothing to eat but bread and water of repentance. She is committed +for trial before the special court, in her turn, and at the worshipful +judges' convenience." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +Well, What Now? + + +The crowd drew long breaths as they emerged from the meeting-house. This +was 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 the +superstition of the day, that to have your death predicted by one who +was considered a witch was no laughing matter. The blood ran cold even +in Mistress Ann Putnam's veins, as she thought of Dulcibel's prediction; +and the rest of the "afflicted" inwardly congratulated themselves that +they had escaped her malediction, and resolved that they would not be +present at her trial as witnesses against her, if they could possibly +avoid it. But then that might not be so easy. + +Even the crowd of beholders were a little more careful in the utterance +of their opinions about Dulcibel than they had been relative to the +other accused persons. Not that they had much doubt as to the maiden's +being a born witch--the serpent-mark seemed to most of them a conclusive +proof of that--but what if one of those "spectres," the "yellow bird" +or the uncontrollable "black mare" should be near and listening to what +they were even then saying? + +"What do I think about it?" said one of the crowd to his companion. "Why +I think that if he who sups with the devil should have a long spoon, he +who abuses a witch should be certain her yellow bird is not listening +above his left shoulder," and he gave a quick glance in the direction +alluded to, while half of those near him, as they heard his warning +words, did the same. And there was not much talking against Dulcibel +after this, among that portion of the villagers. + +Ellis Raymond had heard this speech as he walked silently out of the +meeting-house with Joseph Putnam, and a grim smile flitted over his +face. He felt prouder than ever of his beautiful betrothed. He was not a +man who admired amazons or other masculine women, such, as in these +days, we call "strong-minded;" he liked a woman to keep in her woman's +sphere, such as the Creator had marked out for her by making her a +woman; but circumstances may rightly overrule social conventions, and +demand action suitable to the emergency. Standing at bay, among a pack +of 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 the +scissors. Dulcibel had never reasoned about such things; she was a +maiden who naturally shrank from masculine self-assertion and publicity; +but, called to confront a great peril, she was true to the noble +instincts of her family and her race, and could meet falsehood with +indignant denial and contempt. How she had been led to utter those +predictions she never fully understood--not at the time nor afterwards. +She seemed to herself to be a mere reed through which some indignant +angel was speaking. + +"Well," said Joseph Putnam, as they got clear of the crowd, "brother +Thomas 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 all +her assurance, grew pale and almost fainted? It serves her right; she +deserves 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 is +superstitious beyond all reasonableness; and good Mistress Ann, my +pious sister-in-law, is almost as bad as he is, notwithstanding her +lies 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 a +lot of pins out of the upper edge of her stomacher with her mouth, +preparatory of course, to making the accusation that it was Dulcibel's +doings." + +"But she did not?" + +"No, it was just before the time that Dulcibel scared them so with the +predictions; and Leah was so frightened, lest she also should be +predicted against, that she quietly spit all the pins into her hand +again." + +"Ah, that was the game played by a girl about ten years ago at +Taunton-Dean, in England. Judge North told my father about it. One of +the magistrates saw her do it." + +"Well, now, what shall we do? They will convict her just as surely as +they 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 your +property 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 accused +persons 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. But +the consciences of the people here make cowards of them. They are all in +bondage to a blind and conceited set of ministers, and to a narrow and +bigoted creed." + +"Then what do you plan?" + +"Dulcibel's escape. You know that I managed to see her for a few minutes +early this morning. She has a friend within the prison. Wait till we get +on 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 for +examination. Antipas seemed so quiet and peaceful in his demeanor, that +Squire Hathorne could hardly credit the story told by the constables of +his 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 man +meekly. + +Mistress Ann was not present; her husband brought report that she was +sick in bed. Probably she did not care to come, the game being too +insignificant. Perhaps she had not quite recovered from the stunning +effect of Dulcibel's prediction. Though it was not likely that a doom +that was to be seven years in coming, would, after the first impression +was past, be felt very keenly. There was time for so much to happen +during seven years. + +But the Rev. Master Parris's little niece, Abigail Williams, was +present, and several other older members of the "circle," prepared to +witness against the old man to any extent that seemed to be necessary. + +After these had made their customary charges, and had gone through some +of their usual paroxysms, Joseph Putnam, accompanied by Goodman Buckley, +came forward. + +"This is all folly," said Joseph Putnam stoutly. "We all know Antipas +Newton; and that he has been deranged in his intellects, and of unsound +mind for the last twenty years. He is generally peaceful and quiet; +though in times of excitement like the present, liable to be driven into +outbreaks of violent madness. Here is his employer, Goodman Buckley, who +of course knows him best, and who will testify to all this even more +conclusively than I can." + +Then Goodman Buckley took the oath with uplifted hand, and gave similar +evidence. No one had even doubted for twenty years past, that Antipas +was simple-minded. He often said and did strange things; but only when +everybody around him was greatly excited, was he at all liable to +violent outbreaks of passion. + +Squire Hathorne seemed half-convinced; but the Reverend Master Parris +rose from the bench where he had been sitting, and said he would like +to be heard for a few moments. Permission being accorded: "What is +insanity?" said he. "What is the scriptural view of it? Is it anything +but a judgment of the Lord for sin, as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar; or +a possession by a devil, or devils, as in the Case of the Gadarene who +made his dwelling among the tombs as told in the fifth chapter of Mark +and the eighth of Luke? That these were real devils is evident--for when +permission was given them to enter into the herd of swine, they entered +into them, and the swine ran down a steep place into the sea and were +drowned. And as there were about two thousand swine, there must have +been at least two thousand devils in that one so-called insane man; +which no doubt accounted for his excessive violence. After the devils +had left him, we are told that his countrymen came and saw him sitting +at the feet of Jesus, no longer naked, but clothed and in his right +mind. Therefore it follows as a logical deduction, that his not being +before in his right mind was because he was possessed with devils." + +The magistrates and people evidently were greatly impressed with what +Master Parris had said. And, as he sat down, Master Noyes, who was +sitting beside his reverend brother, rose and said that he considered +the argument they had just heard unanswerable. It could only be refuted +by doubting the infallibility of the Scripture itself. And he would +further add, as to the case before them, that this so-called insanity of +the prisoner had not manifested itself until he had been repeatedly +guilty of harboring two of that heretical and abominable sect called +Quakers and had incurred imprisonment and heavy fines for so doing; to +pay which fines his property had been rightfully sold. This punishment, +and the death of his daughter by the decree of a just God, apparently +not being sufficient to persuade him of the error of his ways, no doubt +he had been given over to the devil, that he might become a sign and a +warning to evil-doers. But, instead of repenting of his evil ways, he +seems to have entered the service of Captain Burton, who was always +known to be very loose in his religious views and observances; and who +it now seems was himself a witch, or, as he might be rather more +correctly termed, a wizard, and the father of the dangerous girl who was +properly committed for trial yesterday. Going thus downward from bad to +worse, this Antipas had at last become a witch himself; roaming around +tormenting godly and unoffending people to please his mistress and her +Satanic master. In conclusion he said that he fully agreed with his +reverend brother, that what some of the world's people, who thought +themselves wise above that which was written, called insanity, was +simply, as taught in the holy scriptures, a possession by the devil. + +Magistrate Hathorne nodded to Magistrate Corwin, and Magistrate Corwin +nodded in turn decidedly to his learned brother. They evidently +considered 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 Antipas +may sit down here in his right mind? We do not read that any of these +afflicted people in Judea were cast into prison. In all cases they were +pitied, not punished." + +"This is an unseemly interruption, Master Putnam," said Squire Hathorne +sternly. "We all know that the early disciples were given the power to +cast out devils and that they exercised the power continually, but that +in later times the power has been withdrawn. If it were not so, our +faithful elders would cast out the spectres that are continually +tormenting these poor afflicted persons." + +While this discussion had been going on, Antipas had been listening to +all that was said with the greatest attention. Once only had he +manifested any emotion; that was when the reference had been made to the +death of his daughter, who had died from her exposure to the severity of +the winter season in Salem jail. At this time he put his hand to his +eyes and wiped away a few tears. Before and after this, the expression +of his face was rather as of one who was pleased and amused at the idea +of being the center of attraction to such a large and goodly company. At +the conclusion of Squire Hathorne's last remark, a new idea seemed to +enter the old man's confused brain. He looked steadily at the line of +the "afflicted" before him, who were now beginning a new display of +paroxysms and contortions, and putting his right hand into one of his +pockets, he drew forth a coil of stout leather strap. Grasping one end +of it, he shouted, "I can heal them! I know what will cure them!" and +springing from between the two constables that guarded him, began +belaboring the "afflicted" with his strap over their backs and shoulders +in a very energetic fashion. + +Dividing his energies between keeping off the constable and "healing the +afflicted," and aided rather than hindered by Joseph Putnam's +intentionally ill-directed efforts to restrain him, the insane man +managed to administer in a short time no small amount of very exemplary +punishment. And, as Masters Putnam and Raymond agreed in talking over +the scene afterwards, he certainly did seem to effect an instantaneous +cure of the "afflicted," for they came to their sober senses at the +first cut of the leather strap, and rushed pell-mell down the passage as +rapidly as they could regardless of the other tormenting "spectres." + +"This is outrageous!" said Squire Hathorne hotly to the constables as +Antipas was at last overpowered by a host of assailants, and stood now +firmly secured and panting between the two officers. "How dared you +bring 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 not +church-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 his +colleague. "This is a dangerous man. Take him off again to prison; and +see 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 as +dangerous as ever. She knew, for everybody knew, that Master Ellis +Raymond had gone to Boston. In a village like Salem at that time, such +fact 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 to +know. + +She had accused Dulcibel in the first place as a means of hurting Joseph +Putnam. But now since the trial, she hated her for herself. It was not +so much on account of the prediction, as on account of Dulcibel's +terrific arraignment of her. The accusation that her husband was her +dupe and tool was, on account of its palpable truth, that which gave her +perhaps the greatest offence. The charge being once made, others might +see its truth also. Thus all the anger of her cunning, revengeful nature +was directed against Dulcibel. + +And just at this time she heard from a friend in Boston, who sent her a +budget 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. Captain +Alden was an old friend of Captain Burton. He it was, so Dulcibel had +said, from whom she had the gift of the "yellow bird." + +She knew Captain Alden by reputation. Like the other seamen of the time +he was superstitious in some directions, but not at all in others. He +would not for the world leave port on a Friday--or kill a mother Carey's +chicken--or whistle at sea; but as to seeing witches in pretty young +girls, or sweet old ladies, that was entirely outside of the average +seaman's thoughts. Toward all women in fact, young or old, pretty or +ugly, every sailor's heart at that day, as in this, warmed +involuntarily. + +She also knew that the seamen as a class were rather inclined to what +the godly called license in their religious opinions. Had not the +sea-captains in Boston Harbor, some years before, unanimously refused to +carry the young Quakeress, Cassandra Southwick, and her brother, to the +West Indies and sell them there for slaves, to pay the fines incurred by +their refusal to attend church regularly? Had not one answered for the +rest, 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 of +Dulcibel Burton, was on a visit to Boston, to see her father's old +friend, Captain John Alden! Mistress Putnam thought she could put two +and two together, if any woman could. She would check-mate that game--and +with one of her boldest strokes, too--that should strike fear into the +soul of even Joseph Putnam himself, and teach him that no one was too +high to be above the reach of her indignation. + +The woman was so fierce in this matter, that I sometimes have +questioned, 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 pleasant +word and smile for all he met, as he rode through the village. Mistress +Ann Putnam herself met him on the street and he pulled up his horse at +the 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 up +there." + +"Who did you see--any of our people?" + +"Oh, yes--the Nortons and the Mathers and the Higginsons and the +Sewalls--I don't know all. + +"Good day; remember me to my kind brother Joseph and his wife," said +she, and Raymond rode on. + +"What did that crafty creature wish to find out by stopping me?" he +thought to himself. + +"He did not mention Captain Alden. Yes, he went to consult him," thought +Mistress Putnam. + +Master Joseph Putnam was so anxious to meet his friend, that he was +standing 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 expressions +about hell-fire and damnation which he had probably heard in church." + +"I know no more appropriate occasion to use them," commented young +Master Joseph drily. "If it were not for certain portions of the psalms +and the prophets, I could hardly get through the time comfortably +nowadays." + +"If we can get her safely to Boston, he will see that a fast vessel is +ready to take us to New York; and he will further see that his own +vessel--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 you +to-night after dark on the hill, to arrange matters." + +"Say that we get from the prison by midnight. Then it will take at least +three hours riding to reach Boston--though we shall not enter the +town." + +"Three hours! Yes, four," commented his friend; "or even five if the +night be dark and stormy; and such a night has manifest advantages. +Still, as I suppose you must wait for a northwest wind, that is pretty +sure to be a clear one." + +"Yes, the main thing is to get out into the open sea. Captain Alden +plans to procure a Danish vessel, whose skipper once out of sight of +land, 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 I +am afraid the Quakers would not be able to protect us, as they are too +good to oppose force by force." + +"Too good! too cranky!" said Master Putnam. "A pretty world the rascals +would make of it, if the honest men were too good to fight. It seems to +me there is something absolutely wicked in their non-resistant notions." + +"Yes, it is no worse to kill a two-legged tiger or wolf than a +four-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 is +following out his proper nature; the human tiger or wolf is violating +his." + +"You know I rather like the Quakers," rejoined Master Raymond. "I like +their general idea of considering the vital spirit of the Scripture more +than the mere outward letter. But in this case, it seems to me, they are +in bondage to the mere letter 'thou shalt not kill;' not seeing that to +kill, in many cases, is really to save, not only life, but all that +makes 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 Salem +village 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 about +five minutes he halted again, gave a low whistle, and a voice said, a +short distance from them, "Who are you, strangers?" + +"Friends in need," replied Master Putnam. + +"Then ye are friends indeed," said the voice; and Robert Foster, the +jailer, 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 had +better not come to see her. She knows well all you could say--just as +well as if she heard it, the brave, bonnie lassie!" + +"I know it," replied Master Raymond. "Tell her I think of her every +moment--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 I +am talking confidentially." + +"I will go--you stay here with the horses," said Raymond to Master +Putnam. "I do not want you mixed up with this thing any more than is +absolutely necessary." + +"Oh, I do not care for the risk--I like it," replied his friend. + +"Stay, nevertheless," insisted Master Raymond. And getting down from his +horse, and handing the bridle rein to Master Putnam, he followed the +jailer out into an open space, where the rocks coming to the surface, +had prevented the growth of the forest. Here it was a little lighter +than it had been in the wood-path; but, the clouds having gathered over +the sky since they started, it was not possible to see very far around +them. + +"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 this +place before. Master Putnam said it was a spot where we should not be +likely to be molested. And it does look desolate enough." He leaned back +against one of two upright planks which seemed to have been placed there +for some purpose, and looked at a little pile of dirt and stones not far +from his feet. + +"No," said the jailer. "I opine we shall not be disturbed here. I do not +believe there is more than three persons in Salem that would be willing +to 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, with +an 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 she +never did anybody any harm while she was living, I see not why she +should harm any one now that she is dead." + +"And so brave Bridget was executed near this place? Where was the foul +murder done?" + +"You are leaning against the gallows," said Robie quietly. "And that +pile of stones at your feet is over her grave." + +Raymond was a brave man, physically and morally, and not at all +superstitious; but he recoiled involuntarily from the plank against +which he had been leaning, and no longer allowed his right foot to rest +upon the top stones of the little heap that marked the grave. + +"Oh, I thought you knew it," said the jailer calmly. "I say, let them +fear goodwife Bishop's ghost who did her wrong. As for me, I favored her +all I dared; and her last word to me was a blessing. But now for your +honor'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 lock +everything tight after her; and make up a good story about my wakening +up in the middle of the night, just in time to see her flying out of the +top o' the house, on her black mare, and thrashing the animal with a +broom-handle. The bigger the lie the quicker they will believe it." + +"If they should suspect you, let Master Putnam know, and he will get you +off, if wit and money together can do it." + +"Oh, I believe that," said the jailer. "Master Putnam is well known in +all these parts, as a man that never deserts a friend; and I'll warrant +you are one of the same grit." + +"My hand on it, Robie!" and he shook the jailer's hand warmly. "I shall +never forget this service." + +"I am a rough, ignorant man," replied Robie quietly; "but I know gentle +blood 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 and +goblins and weetches choose; and when all honest people are in their +beds, and in their first and soundest sleep." + +"We shall not be able to give you much warning, for we must wait a +favorable 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 you +to 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 not +spare you, if they find out what you have done. Thank God, I am rich +enough to pay you well for taking such a fearful risk and shall be only +too glad to reward your unselfish deed." + +"Not a shilling!" replied Robie proudly. "I am not doing this thing for +pay. It is for the old Captain's little girl, that I have held in these +arms many a day--and for the old Captain himself. While these bloody +landsmen," continued the old sailor, "plague and persecute each other, +Master Raymond, what is that to us, we men of the sea, who have a creed +and a belief of our own, and who never even think of hurting a woman or +a child? But as for these landsmen, sticking at home all the time, how +can they be expected to know anything--compared to men that have doubled +both Capes, and seen people living all sorts of ways, and believing all +sorts of things? No, no," and Robie laughed disdainfully, "let these +land-lubbers attend to their own affairs; but let them keep their hands +off us seamen and our families." + +"So be it then, Robie; I honor your feelings! But nevertheless I shall +not forget you. And one of these days, if we get off safely, you shall +hear from me again about this matter." + +And then, their plans settled, Robie trudged down to the town; while the +young 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's +little horse should be handed over to the Reverend Master Parris, in +order that it might be brought into due subjection. + +This had pleased Master Parris very much. In the first place he was of a +decidedly acquisitive turn--as had been shown in his scheming to obtain +a gift of the minister's house and orchard--and moreover, if he was able +to cast out the devil that evidently possessed this horse, and make it a +sober and docile riding animal, it would not only be the gain of a very +pretty beast, but would prove that something of the power of casting out +devils, which had been given to the disciples of old, had come down unto +him. In such a case, his fame probably would equal, if not surpass, that +of the great Boston ministers, Increase and Cotton Mather. + +Goodman Buckley had brought down the little mare, the next morning after +the examination. The mare would lead very well, if the person leading +her was on horseback--very badly, if he were not, except under peculiar +circumstances. She was safely housed in the minister's stable, and gazed +at with mingled fear and admiration by the family and their immediate +neighbors. Master Parris liked horses, had some knowledge of the right +way to handle them, and showed more wisdom in his treatment of this +rather perverse animal of Dulcibel's than he had ever manifested in his +church difficulties. + +He began by what he called a course of conciliation--to placate the +devil, as it were. How he could bring his conscience to allow of this, I +am not able to understand. But then the mare, if the devil were once +cast out, would be, on account of her rare beauty, a very valuable +animal. And so the minister, twice a day, made a point of going into the +little 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; and +her first apparent aversion to the minister seemed gradually to change +into a kind of tacit respect and toleration, under the influence of his +daily medications. Finally, the wary animal would allow him to pat her +neck without striking at him with one of her front feet, or trying to +bite him; and even to stroke her glossy flanks without lunging at him +with her hind heels, in an exceedingly dangerous fashion. + +But spiritual means also were not neglected. The meeting-house was very +near, and the mare was brought over regularly when there were religious +services, and fastened in the near vicinity of the other more sober and +orthodox horses, that she might learn how to behave and perhaps the evil +spirit be thus induced to abandon one so constantly exposed to the +doubtless unpleasant sounds (to it) of psalm and prayer and sermon. + +A horse is an imitative animal, and very susceptible to +impressions,--both of a material and a mental character--and I must +confess that these proceedings of the minister's were very well adapted +to the object he had in view. + +The minister also had gone farther--but of this no one at the time knew +but himself. He had gone into the stable on a certain evening, when his +servant John Indian was off on an errand; and had pronounced a prayer +over the possessed animal winding up with an exorcism which ought to +have been sufficient to banish any reasonable devil, not only from the +mare, but from the neighborhood. As he concluded, what seemed to be a +huge creature, with outstretched wings, had buffeted him over the ears, +and then disappeared through the open window of the stable. The creature +was in the form of a big bat; but then it was well known that this was +one of the forms which evil spirits were most fond of assuming. + +The minister therefore had strong reasons for supposing that the good +work was now accomplished; and that he should find the mare hereafter a +Susannah not only in name but in nature--a black lily, as it were. But +of course this could not be certainly told, unless some one should +attempt to ride her; and he suggested it one day to John Indian. But +John Indian--unknown to anybody but himself--had already tried the +experiment; and after a fierce contest, was satisfied with his share of +the glory. His answer was:-- + +"No, no, master--debbil hab no 'spect for Indian man. Master he good +man! gospel man! debbil 'fraid of him--him too much for debbil!" + +This seemed very reasonable for a poor, untutored Indian. Mistress +Parris, too, said that she was certain he could succeed if any one +could. The evil spirits would be careful how they conducted themselves +towards such a highly respected and godly minister as her revered +husband. Several of her acquaintances, pious and orthodox goodwives of +the village, said the same thing. Master Parris thought he was a very +good horseman besides; and began to take the same view. There was the +horse, and he was the man! + +So one afternoon John Indian saddled and bridled the mare, and brought +her up to the horse-block. Susannah had allowed herself to be saddled +without the slightest manifestation of ill-humor; probably the idea of +stretching her limbs a little, was decidedly pleasant in view of the +small amount of exercise she had taken lately. + +But the wisest plan was not thought of. The minister's niece, Abigail +Williams--one of the "afflicted"--had looked upon the black mare with +longing eyes; and if she had made the experiment, it probably would have +been successful. But they did not surmise that it might be the man's +saddle and mode of riding, to which the animal was entirely +unaccustomed, that were at the bottom of the difficulty. And, besides, +Master Parris wanted the mare for his own riding, not for the women +folks of his household. + +Detained by various matters, it was not until quite late in the +afternoon, that the minister found time to try the experiment of riding +the now unbewitched animal. It was getting too near night to ride very +far, but he could at least try a short ride of a mile or so; which +perhaps would be better for the first attempt than a longer one. So he +came out to the horse-block, attended by his wife and Abigail Williams, +and a couple of parishioners who had been holding a consultation with +him, but had stopped a moment to see him ride off upon the animal of +which so many marvelous stories had been told. + +"Yes," said the minister, as he came out to the horse-block, in answer +to a remark made by one of his visitors, "I think I have been able with +the Lord's help, to redeem this animal and make her a useful member of +society. You will observe that she now manifests none of that +viciousness for which formerly she was so noted." + +The mare did stand as composedly and peacefully as the most dignified +minister could desire. + +"You will remember that she has never been ridden by any one, man or +woman, save her witch mistress Dulcibel--Jezebel, I think would be a +more fitting name for her, considering her wicked doings." + +Here Master Parris took the bridle rein from John Indian and threw his +right 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 been +pricked up, went backwards and she began to prance around, John Indian +still 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 the +easy snaffle to which the mare had always been accustomed. And now as +the minister tightened the rein, and the chain of the curb began to +press upon and pain the mouth of the sensitive creature, she began to +back 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 no +loosening or tightening would avail much. She was her old self again--as +bewitched as ever. She reared, she plunged, she kicked, she sidled, and +went through all the motions, which, on previous occasions, she had +always found eventually successful in ridding her back of its undesired +burden. + +"Oh, do get off of the wild beast," cried Mistress Parris, in great +alarm. + +"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!" again +cried 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 animal +evidently wanted him off, and he was very anxious to get off; but she +would not hold still long enough for him to dismount peaceably. + +"Hold her while I dismount!" he cried to John Indian. But when John +Indian came near to take hold of the rein by her mouth, the mare snapped +at him viciously with her teeth; and then wheeled around and flung out +her heels at his head, in the most embarrassing manner. + +Finally, as with a new idea, the mare started down the lane at a quick +gallop, turned to the left, where a rivulet had been damned up into a +little 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 the +lane again. This made the fiery little creature perfectly desperate, and +she 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 perhaps +seriously hurt him. But, as it was, no great damage was done; and the +bridle also breaking, the mare spit the bit out of her mouth, and went +down the lane in a run to the road, and thence on into the now +fast-gathering night, no one could see whither. + +Mistress Parris, John Indian and the rest were by this time at the side +of the pond, and ready to receive the chapfallen minister as he emerged +with the saddle and the broken bridle from the water. + +"You are a sight, Samuel Parris!" said his wife, in that pleasant tone +with which many wives are apt to receive their liege lords upon such +unpleasant occasions. "Do get into the house at once. You will catch +your death of cold, I know. And such a mess your clothes will be! But I +only wonder you are not killed--trying to ride a mad witch's horse like +that is." + +The minister made no reply. The situation transcended words. And did not +allow even of sympathy, as his visitors evidently thought--not at least +until he got on some clean and dry clothes. So they simply shook their +heads, and took their course homewards. While the bedraggled and +dripping Master Parris made his way to the house wiping the water and +mud from his face with his wife's handkerchief, and stopping to shake +himself well, before he entered the door, lest, as his wife said, "he +should 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, went +like wildfire through the village, growing still more and more marvelous +as it went. + +Abigail had seen, as I have already said, the spectre of a witch goading +the 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 a +witch cannot cross running water. Therefore, in its new access of fury, +it sprang into the pond--and threw off the minister. Abigail further +declared that then, dashing down the lane it came to the gate which shut +it off from the road, and took the gate in a flying leap. But the animal +never came down again. It was getting quite dark then, but she could +still plainly see that a witch was upon its back, belaboring it with a +broomstick. And she knew very well who that witch was. It was the +"spectre" of Dulcibel Burton--for it had a scarlet bodice on, just such +as Dulcibel nearly always wore. They two--the mare and its rider--went +off sailing up into the sky, and disappeared behind a black cloud. And +Abigail was almost certain that just as they reached the cloud, there +was a low rumbling like thunder. + +It was noticeable that every time Abigail told this story, she +remembered something that she had not before thought of; until in the +course of a week or two, there were very few stories in the "Arabian +Nights" that could surpass it in marvelousness. + +As the mare had not returned to her old stable at Goodman Buckley's, and +could not be heard of in any other direction, Abigail's story began to +commend itself even to the older and cooler heads of the village. For if +the elfish creature had not vanished in the black cloud, to the sound +of thunder, where was she? + +Joseph Putnam, and his household however held a different view of the +subject, but they wisely kept their own counsel; though they had many a +sly joke among themselves at the credulity of their neighbors. They knew +that a little while after dark, a strange noise had been heard at the +barn, and that one of the hired men going out, had found Dulcibel's +horse, without saddle or bridle, pawing at the door of the stable for +admission. As this was a place the animal had been in the habit of +coming to, and where she was always well treated and even petted, it was +very natural that she should fly here from her persecutors, as she +doubtless considered them. + +Upon being told of it, and not knowing what had occurred Master Joseph +thought it most prudent not to put the animal into his stable, but +ordered the man to get half-a-peck of oats, and some hay, and take the +mare to a small cow-pen, in the woods in an out of the way place, where +she might be for years, and no one outside his own people be any the +wiser for it. The mare seemed quite docile, and was easily led, being in +company with the oats, of which a handful occasionally was given to +her; and so, being watered at a stream near by and fed daily, she was +no doubt far more comfortable than she would have been in the black +cloud that Abigail Williams was perfectly ready to swear she had seen +her enter and where though there might be plenty of water, oats +doubtless 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 was +awaiting a message from Captain Alden, to the effect that he had made a +positive engagement with the Danish captain. + +He had caught a serious cold on his return from Boston and, turning the +matter over in his mind--for it is a wise thing to try to get some good +result out of even apparently evil occurrences--he had called in the +village doctor. + +But the good Doctor's medicine did not seem to work as it ought to--for +one reason, Master Raymond regularly emptied the doses out of the +window; thinking as he told Master Joseph, to put them where they would +do the most good. And when the Doctor came, and found that neither +purging nor vomiting had been produced, these with bleeding and sweating +being the great panaceas of that day--as perhaps of this--he was +naturally astonished. In a case where neither castor oil, senna and +manna, nor large doses of Glauber's salts would work, a medical man was +certainly 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 its +neighborhood. The doctors and the druggists nowadays miss a great deal +in not having such an excuse made ready to their hands--it would account +alike for adulterated drugs and ill-judged remedies. + +Master Raymond had the reputation of being rich, and the Doctor had been +mortified by the bad behavior of his medicines--for if a patient be not +cured, if he is at least vigorously handled, there seems to be something +that can with propriety be heavily charged for. But if a doctor does +nothing--neither cures, nor anything else--with what face can he bring +in a weighty bill? + +And so good Doctor Griggs readily acquiesced in his patient's +supposition that "an evil hand," was at work, and even suggested that he +should bring Abigail Williams or some other "afflicted" girl with him +the next time he came, to see with her sharpened eyes who it was that +was bewitching him. + +But Master Raymond declined the offer--at least for the present. If the +thing continued, and grew worse, he might be able himself to see who it +was. Why should he not be as able to do it as Abigail Williams, or any +other of the "afflicted" circle? Of course the doctor was not able to +answer 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 Ann +Putnam--for he was a regular attendant of that lady, whose nervous +system indeed was in a fearful state by this time. And she puzzled a +good deal over it. Did Master Raymond intend to accuse anyone? Who was +it? Or was it merely a hint thrown out, that it was a game that two +parties could play at? + +But then she smiled--she had the two ministers, and through them all the +other ministers of the colony--the magistrates and judges--and the +advantages of the original position. Imitators always failed. Still she +rather liked the young man's craft and boldness--Joseph Putnam would +never have thought of such a thing. But still let him beware how he +attempted to thwart her plans. He would soon find that she was the +stronger. + +Joseph Putnam then began to answer inquiries as to the health of his +guest,--that he was not much better, and thought somewhat of going up to +Boston for further medical advice--as the medicines given him so far did +not 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 strength +much." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +Master Raymond's Little Plan Blocked. + + +"Our game is blocked!" said Joseph Putnam to Master Raymond as he rode +up one afternoon soon after, and dismounted at the garden gate, where +his guest was awaiting him, impatient to hear if anything had yet come +from Captain Alden. + +"What do you mean?" said his guest. + +"Mean? Why, that yon she-wolf is too much for us. Captain Alden is +arrested!" + +"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 of +the government, he must submit to the laws." + +"On whose complaint?" + +"Oh, the she-wolf's of course--that delectable smooth-spoken wife of my +brother Thomas. How any man can love a catty creature like that, beats +me out." + +"I suppose she found out that I went frequently to see the Captain, when +in 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. They +lose no time you see." + +"Well, I would not have believed it possible. Whom will they attack +next?" + +"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, but +as a foul fiend. I told her so. Let her dare to touch me, or any one +under this roof!" + +"What did she say when you threatened her?" + +"She put on an injured expression; and said she could never believe +anything wrong of her dear husband's family, if all the 'spectres' in +the 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 touch +me. She fully realizes that. Besides brother Thomas is her abject tool +in most things; but some things even he would not allow." + +Yes, Captain John Alden, son of that John Alden who was told by the +pretty Puritan maiden, "Speak for yourself John," when he went pleading +the love-suit of his friend Captain Miles Standish; John Alden, captain +of the only vessel of war belonging to the colony, a man of large +property, and occupying a place in the very front rank of Boston +society, had been arrested for witchcraft! What a state of insanity the +religious delusion had reached, can be seen by this high-handed +proceeding. + +Here again we come on to ground in which the details given in the old +manuscript book, are fully confirmed, in every essential particular by +existing public records. Mr. Upham, whose admirable account of "Salem +Witchcraft" has been of great aid to me in the preparation of this +volume, is evidently puzzled to account for Captain Alden's arrest. He +is not able to see how the gallant Captain could have excited the ire of +the "afflicted circle." He seems to have been entirely ignorant of this +case of Dulcibel Burton--hers doubtless being one of the many cases in +which the official records were purposely destroyed. If he had known of +this case, he would have seen the connection between it and Captain +Alden. It also might have explained the continual allusions to the +"yellow bird" in so many of the trials--based possibly on Dulcibel's +canary, which had been given to her by the Captain, and whose habit of +kissing her lips with its little bill had appeared so mysterious and +diabolical to the superstitious inhabitants of Salem village. + +Master Raymond's health, as is not to be wondered at, had improved +sufficiently by the next day, to allow of his accompanying Joseph Putnam +to the village, to attend Captain Alden's examination. The meeting-house +was even more crowded than usual, such was the absorbing interest taken +in the case, owing to the Captain's high standing in the province. + +The veteran Captain's own brief account of this matter, which has come +down to us, does not go into many details, and is valuable mainly as +showing that he regarded it very much in the same light that it is +regarded now--owing probably to the fact that while a church member in +good standing, he doubtless was a good deal better seaman than church +member. For he says he was "sent for by the Magistrates of Salem, upon +the accusation of a company of poor distracted or possessed creatures or +witches." And he speaks further of them as "wenches who played their +juggling tricks, falling down, crying out, and staring in people's +faces." + +The worthy Captain's account is however, as I have said, very brief--and +has the tone of one who had been a participant, however unwillingly, in +a grossly shameful affair, alike disgraceful to the colony and to +everybody concerned in it. For some additional details, I am indebted to +the manuscript volume. + +Captain Alden had not been arrested in Boston. He says himself in his +statement, that "he was sent to Salem by Mr. Stoughton"--the Deputy +Governor, and Chief-Justice of the Special Court that had condemned and +executed Bridget Bishop, and which was now about to meet again. + +Before the meeting of the magistrates, Master Raymond had managed to +have a few words with him in private, and found that no arrangements +with any skipper had yet been made. The first negotiations had fallen +through, and there was no other foreign vessel at that time in port +whose master possessed what Captain Alden considered the requisite +trustworthiness and daring. For he wanted a skipper that would show +fight if he was pursued and overtaken; not that any actual fighting +would probably be necessary, for a simple show of resistance would +doubtless be all that was needed. + +"When I get back to Boston, I think I shall be able to arrange matters +in 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-up +nonsensical 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. I +never even heard of their being in existence." + +"Oh, that makes no difference." + +"The devil it doesn't!" said the old man, hotly. My readers must +remember 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, Master +Bartholomew Gedney--making three in all. + +Mistress Ann Putnam, the she-wolf, as her young brother-in-law had +called 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; and +he being also a tall man, perplexed some of the girls at first. One even +pointed at him, until she was better informed in a whisper by a man who +was 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 a +chair, there was no further trouble upon that point; and the usual +demonstrations 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 profound +sympathy for them, and was almost sufficient of itself to condemn the +accused. + +"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 convulsed +girls. + +"Turn away his head! and hold his hands!" cried Squire Hathorne. "Take +away his sword!" said Squire Gedney while the old Captain grew red and +wrathful at the babel around him, and at the indignities to which he was +subject. + +"Captain Alden, why do you torment these poor girls who never injured +you?" + +"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 Abigail +Williams. "Now it is whispering into his ear. It is bringing him a +message from the other witch Dulcibel Burton. See! see! there it goes +back again to her--through the window!" + +So well was this done, that probably half of the people present would +have been willing to swear the next day, that they actually saw the +yellow 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 is +one of her familiars?" said Squire Hathorne sternly. + +"I gave her a canary bird that I brought from the West Indies, if that +is what you mean," replied the Captain. "But what harm was there in +that?" + +"I knew it! The yellow bird told me so, when it came to peck out my +eyes," cried Mercy Lewis. "Oh! there it is again!" and she struck wildly +into the air before her face. "Drive it away! Do drive it away, some +one!" + +Here a young man pulled out his rapier, and began thrusting at the +invisible bird in a furious manner. + +"Now it comes to me!" cried Sarah Churchill. And then the other girls +also cried out, and began striking into the air before their faces, till +there was anew a perfect babel of cries, shrieks and sympathizing +voices. + +Master Raymond, amid all his indignation at such barefaced and wicked +and yet successful imposture, could hardly avoid smiling at the +expression of the old seaman's face as he stood on the chair, and +fronted all this tempest of absurd and villainous accusation. At first +there had been a deep crimson glow of the hottest wrath upon the old +man's cheeks and brow; but now he seemed to have been shocked into a +kind 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 me +so!" cried Abigail Williams. + +"What do you say to that, Master Alden?" said Squire Gedney. "That is a +serious charge." + +"I never saw any Tituba or her mother," exclaimed the Captain, again +growing 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 their +wooden 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 old +man stoutly; "but I do not see that it would glorify Him to confess to a +pack of lies. You have known me for many years, Master Gedney, but did +you ever know me to speak an untruth, or seek to injure any innocent +persons, much less women and children?" + +Squire Gedney said that he had known the accused many years, and had +even been at sea with him, and had always supposed him to be an honest +man; but now he saw good cause to alter that judgment. + +"Turn and look now again upon those afflicted persons," concluded Squire +Gedney. + +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--moaning +and crying out against him. + +"I judge you by your works; and believe you now to be a wicked man and a +witch," said Squire Gedney in a very severe tone. + +Captain Alden turned then and looked directly at the magistrate for +several moments. "Why does not my look knock you down too?" he said +indignantly. "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 at +you, but his spectre has its back towards you." + +There was quite a roar of applause through the crowded house at such an +exposure 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 it +was the accepted theory that by doing this, the witch, in spite of +himself, reabsorbed into his own body the devilish energy that had gone +out of him, and the afflicted were healed. This was repeatedly done +through the progress of these examinations and the after trials; and was +always found to be successful, both as a cure of the sufferers, and an +undeniable proof that the person accused was really a witch. + +In this case the "afflicted" girls were brought up to Captain Alden, one +after the other and upon his being made to touch them with his hand, +they invariably drew a deep breath of relief, and said they felt +entirely well again. + +"You see Captain Alden," said Squire Gedney solemnly, "none of the +tests 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 shall +the truth be established. If you were innocent a just God would not +allow you to be overcome in this manner." + +"I know that there is a just God, and I know that I am entirely +innocent" replied the noble old seaman in a firm voice. "But it is not +for an uninspired man like me, to attempt to reconcile the mysteries of +His providence. Far better men than I am, even prophets and apostles, +have been brought before magistrates and judges, and their good names +lied away, and they condemned to the prison and the scaffold and the +cross. Why then, should I expect to fare better than they did? All I can +do, like Job of old, is to maintain my integrity--even though Satan and +all his imps be let loose for a time against me." + +Here the Reverend Master Noyes rose excitedly, and said that the +decisions of heathen courts and judges were one thing; and the decisions +of godly magistrates, who were all members of the church of the true +God, 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; and +these worshipful Christian magistrates with heathen magistrates and +judges. Hearing him talk in this ribald way, he could no longer doubt +the accusation brought against him; for there was no surer proof of a +man or woman having dealings with Satan, than to defame and calumniate +God's chosen people. + +As Mr. Noyes took his seat, the magistrates said they had heard +sufficient, and ordered the committal of the accused to Boston prison to +await trial. + +"I will give bail for Captain Alden's appearance, to the whole amount of +my estate," said Joseph Putnam coming forward. "A man of his age, who +has served the colony in so many important positions, should be treated +with some leniency." + +"We are very sorry for the Captain," answered Squire Gedney, "but as +this is a capital offence, no bail can be taken." + +"Thank you, Master Putnam, but I want no bail," said the old seaman +proudly. "If the colony of Massachusetts Bay, which my father helped to +build up, and for which I have labored so long and faithfully, chooses +to requite my services in this ungrateful fashion, let it be so. The +shame is on Massachusetts not on me!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +Considering New Plans. + + +"Well, what now?" said Master Joseph Putnam to his guest, as they rode +homeward. "You might give up the sea-route and try a push through the +wilderness to the Hudson River." + +"Rather dangerous that." + +"Yes, unless you could secure the services of some heathen savages to +pilot you through." + +"Could we trust them?" + +"Twenty years ago, according to my father's old stories, we could; but +they 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 Bible +communion 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 the +Quaker plan both cheaper in the end and a great deal safer. Not that I +believe 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. He +has given it to His saints. We are the saints." + +Master Joseph laughed again. "Well, something like that. The earth is +the Lord's. He has intended it for the use of His children. We are His +children quite as much as the savages. Therefore we have as much right +to 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, I +admit their right. But do you seriously mean that a few hundred or +thousand of wild heathen, have a right to prior occupancy to the whole +North American continent? It seems to me absurd?" + +"A relative of mine has ten square miles in Scotland that he never +occupies, in your sense of the word any more than your red-men do; and +yet he is held to have a valid right to it, against the hundreds of +peasants who would like to enter in and take possession." + +"Oh, plenty of things are done wrong in the old world," replied Master +Putnam; "that is why we Puritans are over here. But still the fact +remains that the earth is the Lord's and that He intended it for His +children'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 the +people at large, why then some way will have to be contrived to get hold +of it for them." + +"The Putnam family have a good many broad acres too," said Master +Raymond, with a smile, looking around him. + +"Oh, you cannot scare me," replied his friend, also smiling. "What is +sauce for the Campbell goose is sauce for the Putnam gander. If the time +ever comes when the public good requires that the broad lands of the +Putnams--if there be any Putnams at that time--have to be appropriated +to meet the wants of their fellow men, then the broad Putnam lands will +have to go like the rest, I imagine. We have taken them from the +Indians, just as the Normans took them from the Saxons--and as the +Saxons took them from the Danes and the ancient inhabitants--by the +strong hand. But the sword can give no right--save as the claim of the +public good is behind it. Show me that the public good requires it, and +I am willing that the title-deeds for my own share of the broad Putnam +lands shall be burnt up tomorrow." + +"I believe you, my dear friend," said Master Raymond, gazing with +admiration upon the manly, glowing face of this nature's nobleman. "And +I 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 we +could trust to guide us safely to the settlements on the Hudson?" + +"If old king Philip, whose head has been savagely exposed to all +weathers on the gibbet at Plymouth for the last sixteen years, were +alive, something perhaps might be done. His safeguard would have carried +you through." + +"Is there not another chief, called Nucas?" + +"Oh, old Nucas, of the Mohegans. He was a character! But he died ten +years ago. Lassacus, too, was killed. There are a couple of Pequod +settlements 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 so +of the Indians, whom I might engage as a convoy." + +"Not now. A roving party may pass in the woods at any time. But they +would not be very reliable. If they could make more by selling your +scalps than by keeping them safely on your heads, they would be pretty +sure to sell them." + +"Then I see nothing to do, but to go again to Boston, and arrange +another scheme on the old plan." + +"You ought not to travel long in Dulcibel's company without being +married," said Master Putnam bluntly. + +"Very true--but we can not well be married without giving our names to +the minister; and to do that, would be to deliver ourselves up to the +authorities." + +"Mistress Putnam and myself might accompany you to New York--we should +not mind a little trip." + +"And thus make yourselves parties to Dulcibel's escape? No, no, my good +friend--that would be to put you both in prison in her place." + +"It is not likely there would be any other woman on board the +vessel--that is of any reputation. You must try to get some one to go +with you." + +"And incur the certainty of punishment when she returns?" + +"Perhaps you could find some one who would like to settle permanently in +New York. I should like to go myself if I could, and get out of this +den of wild beasts." + +"Yes, I may be able to do that--though I shall not dare to try that +until the last day almost--for the women always have some man to +consult, and thus our secret plan would get blown about, to our great +peril." + +"I have a scheme!" cried Master Joseph in exultation. "It is the very +thing," and he burst out laughing. "Kidnap Cotton Mather, or one of the +other Boston ministers, and take him with you." + +"That would be a bold stroke," replied Master Raymond, also laughing +heartily. "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 is +shaken before them," returned Master Putnam. "Have everything ready to +sail. Then decoy the minister on board, to marry a wealthy foreign +gentleman, a friend of the skipper's--and do not let him go again. Pay +him 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 our +trouble." + +"Oh, do not you believe that--if you make the fee large enough. Treat +him kindly, represent to him the absolute necessity of the case, say +that you never would have thought of such a thing if it could in any way +have been avoided, and I'll warrant he will do the job before you reach +New York." + +"I wish I felt as certain as you do." + +"Well, suppose he will not be mollified. What then? Your end is +attained. He has acted as chaperon, and involuntary master of propriety +whether he would or not. A minister is just as good as a matron to +chaperon the maiden. Of course he will have his action for damages +against you, and you will be willing to pay him fairly, but if he brings +you before a jury of New Yorkers, and you simply relate the facts, and +the necessity of the case, little will he get of damages beyond a +plentiful supply of jokes and laughter. You know there is very little +love lost between the people of the two colonies; and that the Manhattan +people have no more respect for all the witchcraft business, than you +and I have." + +Master Raymond made no reply. He did not want to kidnap a minister, if +it could be in any way avoided. With Master Putnam, however, that +seemed to be one of the most desirable features of the proposed plan, +only he was tenfold more sorry now than ever, that such weighty +prudential reasons prevented his taking any active share in the +enterprise. To kidnap a minister--especially if it could be the Reverend +Cotton Mather--seemed to him something which was worth almost the +risking 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 the +attentions that were being paid by the wealthy young Englishman, Master +Ellis Raymond, to various members of the "afflicted circle." He petted +those bright and terribly precocious children of twelve, Ann Putnam and +Abigail Williams; he almost courted the older girls, Mary Walcot, Mercy +Lewis and Leah Herrick and had a kindly word for Mary Warren, Sarah +Churchill and others, whenever he saw them. As for Mistress Ann Putnam, +the mother, he always had been very respectful to her. While in Boston +he had purchased quite an assortment of those little articles which the +Puritan elders usually denominated "gew-gaws" and "vain adornments" and +it was observed that Abigail Williams especially had been given a number +of these, while the other girls had one or more of them, which they were +very careful in not displaying except at those times when no grave elder +or deacon was present to be shocked by them. + +I will acknowledge that there was some dissimulation in this conduct of +Master 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 cannot +understand, friend Raymond. I would not do it to save my life." + +"Nor I," answered Master Raymond gravely. "But I would do it to save +your life, friend Joseph, or that of your sweet young wife there--or +that of the baby which she holds upon her knee." + +"Or that of Mistress Dulcibel Burton!" added sweet Mistress Putnam +kindly. + +"Yes, or that of Dulcibel Burton." + +"You know, my dear friends, the plan I have in view may fail. If that +should fail, I am laying the foundation of another--so that if Dulcibel +should be brought to trial, the witnesses that are relied upon may fail +to testify so wantonly against her. Even little Abigail Williams has the +assurance 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, after +this tremendous excitement is over," rejoined his friend. "I think at +times I see symptoms of it now. The strain is too great for her childish +brain." + +"Well, I suppose your dissimulation is allowable if it is to save the +life of your betrothed," said Master Putnam, "but I would not do it if I +could and I could not if I would." + +"Do you remember Junius Brutus playing idiot--and King David playing +imbecile?" + +"Oh, I know you have plenty of authority for your dissimulation." + +"It seems to me," joined in young Mistress Putnam, "that the difference +between you is simply this. Joseph could not conscientiously do it; and +you can." + +"Yes, that is about the gist of it," said her young husband. "And now +that I have relieved my conscience by protesting against your course, I +am satisfied you should go on in your own way just the same." + +"And yet you feel no conscientious scruples against abducting the +minister," rejoined Raymond laughing; "a thing which I am rather loath +to do." + +"I see," replied Joseph, also laughing. "I scruple at taking mustard, +and you at cayenne pepper. It is a matter of mental organization +probably." + +"Yes--and if a few or many doses of mustard will prevent my being +arrested as a witch, which would put it entirely out of my power to aid +Dulcibel 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--I +shall certainly swallow them with as much grace as if they were so many +spoonfuls of honey. There is a time to be over-scrupulous, friend +Joseph, but not when my beloved one is in the cage of the tigers. Yes, I +shall 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's +earnestness, 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 were +from Boston, with the Deputy Governor of the Colony, William Stoughten, +as Chief-Justice--was by no means indolent. Of the proceedings of this +court, which embodied apparently the best legal intellect of the colony, +no official record is in existence. Its shameful pages, smeared all over +with bigotry and blood, no doubt were purposely destroyed. So far as we +are acquainted with the evidence given before it, it was substantially +the same as had been given at the previous examinations before the +committing magistrates. + +That nothing was too extravagant and absurd to be received as evidence +by this learned court, is proven by the statement of the Reverend Cotton +Mather, already alluded to, relative to a demon entering the +meeting-house and tearing down a part of it, in obedience to a look from +Mistress Bridget Bishop--of which diabolical outrage the Court was duly +informed. Besides, there could have been no other kind of evidence +forthcoming, that would apply to the crime of which all the accused +were charged, Witchcraft. Many of the prisoners indeed were accused of +murdering children and others, whose illness had been beyond the +physician's power to cure; but the murders were all committed, it was +alleged, by the use of "spectres," "familiars," "puppets," and other +supernatural means. Against such accusations it was impossible for men +and women of the highest character and reputation to make any effectual +defence, before a court and jury given over so completely to religious +fanaticism and superstitious fancies. To be accused was therefore to be +condemned. + +Yes, this Special Court, having had all its misgivings, if it ever +really had any, quieted by the answer of the council of ministers, was +doing quick and fearful work. + +Meeting again in the latter part of June, it speedily tried, convicted +and 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 George +Burroughs, John Procter, Elizabeth Procter, George Jacobs, John Willard +and Martha Carrier. + +Then meeting on September 9th, it tried and condemned Martha Corey, Mary +Easty, Alice Parker and Ann Pudcator; and on September 17th, Margaret +Scott, Wilmot Reed, Samuel Wardwell and Mary Parker. + +It will be noticed that of the above nineteen persons, only five were +men. 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 that +the word witch is applied indifferently in the old records, to men and +women; the masculine term wizard being seldom used. + +That the learned Judges were fully as superstitious as the people at +large, is conclusively proved by certain facts that have come down to +us. In the case of that lovely and venerable matron, Rebecca Nurse, the +jury 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 not +satisfied. The Chief-Justice intimated that there was one admission of +the prisoner that the jury had not properly considered. These things +induced 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, and +was thus several miles distant in the town of Salem, "she, the said +Nurse, struck Mistress Ann Putnam with her spectral chain, leaving a +mark, being a kind of round ring, and three streaks across the ring. She +had six blows with a chain in the space of half-an-hour; and she had one +remarkable one, with six streaks across her arm. Ann Putnam, Jr., also +was bitten by the spectre of the said Rebecca Nurse about two o'clock of +the 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 not +allowed any counsel; while on the other hand, the members of the Court +seemed to take it for granted from the first, that they were guilty. The +only favor allowed them was the right of objecting to a certain extent +to 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. At +her examination, some time previous, he had allowed himself to testify +in certain respects against her; involved as he was for a time in the +prevailing delusion. But he was a man of strong mind and character; and +though not entirely able to throw off the chains which superstition had +woven around him, he repented very sorely the part he had taken against +his wife. This was enough to procure his own accusation. The "afflicted +girls" brought their usual complaints that his spectre tormented them. +They fell down and shrieked so wildly at his examination, that Squire +Hathorne asked him with great indignation, "Is it not enough that you +should afflict these girls at other times without doing it now in our +presence?" + +The honest and sturdy man was visibly affected. He knew he was not +consciously doing anything; but what could it all mean? If he turned his +head, the girls said he was hurting them and turned their heads the same +way. The Court ordered his hands tied--and then the girls said they were +easier. But he drew in his cheeks, after a habit he had, and the cheeks +of the girls were sucked in also, giving them great pain. The old man +was fairly dumfounded. When however one of the girls testified that +Goodman Corey had told her that he saw the devil in the shape of a black +hog in the cow-house, and was very much frightened by it, the spirited +old 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 to +leave it. He knew well that if he were tried he would be convicted, and +that would carry with it the confiscation of his property. So, as other +noble-hearted men had done in that and the previous age, he refused when +brought before the Special Court, to plead either "guilty" or "not +guilty." In these later times the presiding Judge would simply order a +plea of "not guilty" to be entered, and the trial would proceed. But +then it was otherwise--the accused himself must plead, or the trial +could not go on. Therefore he must be made to plead--by placing heavy +weights upon his breast, and adding to them until the accused either +agreed to plead, or died under the torture. In which last case, the +prisoner lost his life as contumacious; but gained his point of +preserving his estate, and title of nobility if he had any, to his +family. + +So, manly old Giles Corey, remorseful for the fate he had helped to +bring upon his wife, and determined that his children should inherit the +property he had acquired, maintained a determined silence when brought +before the Special Court. Being warned, again and again, he simply +smiled. He could bear all that they in their cruel mockery of justice +could inflict upon him. + +Joseph Putnam and Master Raymond rode down to Salem that day--to the +orchard 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 weights +laid one by one upon him. + +"More! More!" pleaded the old man at last. "I shall never yield. But, if +ye 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 for +this 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 man +would never yield. So they mercifully heaped the heavy weights upon him +until 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 did +not suffer however as did many other women of equally gentle nature. In +the jails of Ipswich, Boston and Cambridge, there were keepers who +conformed in most cases strictly to the law. In many instances delicate +and 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, while +indulging before the marshal and the constables in the utmost violence +and severity of language, and who were supposed to be strict enforcers +of all the instructions received from the magistrates, were as we have +seen, at heart, very liberal and kind-hearted men. And the only fear the +prisoners had, was that they would throw up their positions some day in +disgust. Uncle Robie often declared to Dulcibel that he would, when she +was once fairly out of the clutches of her enemies. + +Every now and then instructions would come to jailer Foster from one of +the magistrates--generally Squire Hathorne--to put heavier irons on some +one of the prisoners, whose spectre was still tormenting the "afflicted +girls." It being generally held that the more heavily you chained a +witch, the less able she was to afflict her victims. And at these times +Master Foster would get out his heaviest irons, parade them before the +eyes of the constables, declare in a fierce tone what he was about to +do, get the constable off on one pretext or another--and do nothing. + +It was thought best and wisest for neither Master Joseph Putnam nor +Master Raymond to seek many interviews with Dulcibel; the means of +intercourse between the two lovers being restricted to little notes, +which goodwife Buckley, who frequently visited the maiden, transmitted +from one to the other through the agency of either her husband or of +Joseph Putnam. This kept them both in heart; and Dulcibel being +sustained by the frequent assurances of her lover's devotion, and by the +hope of escape, kept the roses of her cheeks in marvelous bloom during +her close confinement. + +One of the constables, who managed to get sight of her one day through +the half-opened door of her cell, expressed surprise to the jailer that +she should still look so blooming, considering the weight of the heavy +chains to which she was continually subjected. + +"And why should not the young witch look so?" replied the jailer. "Is +not her spectre riding around on that devil's mare half the night, and +having a good time of it?" + +The constable assented to this view of the case; and his suspicions, if +he had any, were quieted. In fact even Squire Hathorne himself probably +would have been perfectly satisfied with an explanation of so undeniable +a character. + +Of course it was not considered prudent by Uncle Robie, that the +furniture or general appearance of Dulcibel's cell should be changed in +the least for the better. Not even a bunch of flowers that Goodwife +Buckley once brought to Dulcibel, could be allowed to remain there. +While in a corner of the cell, lay the heavy chains which, if the +marshal or one of the magistrates, should insist upon seeing the +prisoner, could be slipped on her wrists and ankles in a few minutes. +Fortunately, however, for Dulcibel, the interest of all these was now +centered upon the trials that were in progress, the contumacious +obstinacy of Giles Corey, the host of new accusations at Ipswich and +other neighboring places, and the preparations for the execution of +those already condemned to death. + +If they had a passing thought of the young witch Dulcibel Burton, it was +that her time would come rapidly around in its turn, when speedy justice +no doubt would be done to her. + +As to Antipas, her faithful servitor, he had relapsed again into his old +staidness and sobriety in the comparative quietude of the prison. Only +on the day of Giles Corey's execution had the prevailing excitement +attending that event, and which naturally affected the constables and +jailers, made him raging. To pass the constable's inspection, as well as +for his own safety, the jailer had chained him; but his voice could be +heard ringing through the closed door of his cell at intervals from +morning till evening. + +The burden of his thoughts seemed to be a blending of denunciation and +exultation. The predictions of the four Quakers executed many years +before on Boston common, and those of men and women who had been whipped +at the cart's tail through the towns of the colony, evidently seemed to +him 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 and +Salem and Ipswich! Satan is let loose by the Lord upon them! They have +slain the saints, they have supped full of innocent blood; now the blood +of their own sons, their own daughters, is filling the cup of God's +vengeance! They have tortured the innocent women, the innocent +children--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 a +lie! The persecutors are persecuting each other! They are pressing each +other to death beneath heavy stones! They are hanging each other on the +gallows of Haman! Where they hung the innocent, they are hanging +themselves! Oh, God! avenge now the blood of thy Saints! As they have +done, 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 narrow +passages of the prison, the insane old man would fall down for a time on +his bed exhausted. + +That was an awful day, both outside and inside the prison--for all the +prisoners knew what a savage death old Giles Corey was meeting. It +seemed to Dulcibel afterwards, that if she had not been sustained by the +power of love, and a hopeful looking forward to other scenes, she must +have herself gone crazy during that and the other evil days that were +upon them. To some of the prisoners, the most fragile and sensitive +ones, 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 end +of it! + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +Eight Legal Murders on Witch Hill. + + +A mile or so outside of the town of Salem, the ground rises into a rocky +ledge, from the top of which, to the south and the east and the west, a +vast expanse of land and sea is visible. You overlook the town; the two +rivers, or branches of the sea, between which the town lies; the thickly +wooded 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 seen +away from the mountain regions; and, as one stands on the naked brow of +the 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 heavens +are not so very far distant, and as if he could almost touch with these +mortal hands the radiance and the glory. + +The natural sublimity of this spot seems to have struck the Puritan +fathers of Salem, and looking around on its capabilities, they appear to +have come to the conclusion that of all places it was the one expressly +designed by the loving Father of mankind for--a gallows! + +"Yes, the very spot for a gallows!" said the first settlers. "The very +spot!" echoed their descendants. "See, the wild "Heathen Salvages" can +behold it from far and near; the free spoken, law-abiding sailors can +descry it, far out at sea; and both know by this sign that they are +approaching a land of Christian civilization and of godly law!" + +I think if I were puzzled for an emblem to denote the harsher and more +uncharitable side of the Puritan character, I should pick out this +gallows on Witch Hill near Salem, as being a most befitting one. + +This was the spot where, as we have already related, approaching it from +the north, Master Raymond had his interview with jailer Foster. But that +was night, and it was so dark that Master Raymond had no idea of its +commanding so fine a view of both land and water. He had been in Boston +during the execution of poor Bridget Bishop; and though he had often +seen the gallows from below, and wondered at the grim taste which had +reared it in such a conspicuous spot, he had never felt the least +desire, but rather a natural aversion, to approach the place where such +an unrighteous deed had been enacted. + +But now the carpenters had been again at work and supplanted the old +scaffolding by another and larger one. Now the uprights had been added +too--and on the beam which they supported there was room for at least +ten persons. This seemed to be enough space to Marshall Herrick and +Squire Hathorne; though at the rate the arrests and convictions were +going on, it might be that one-half of the people in the two Salems and +in Ipswich, would be hung in the course of a year or so by the other +half. + +But for this special hanging, only eight ropes and nooses were prepared. +The workmen had been employed the preceding afternoon; and now in the +fresh morning light, everything was ready; and eight of those who had +been condemned were to be executed. + +The town, and village, and country around turned out, as was natural, in +a mass, to see the terrible sight. And yet the crowd was comparatively a +small one, the colony then being so thinly settled. But this, to Master +Raymond's eyes, gave a new horror to the scene. If there had been a +crowd like that when London brought together its thousands at Tyburn, it +would have seemed less appalling. But here were a few people--not +alienated from each other by ancestral differences in creed or politics, +and who had never seen each other's faces before--but members of the +same little band which had fled together from their old home, holding +the same political views, the same religious faith; who had sat on the +same 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; now +hunting each other down like wolves, and hanging each other up in cold +blood! This it was that set apart the Salem persecution from all other +persecutions of those old days against witches and heretics; and which +has given it a painful pre-eminence in horror. It was neighbor hanging +neighbor; and brother and sister persecuting to death with the foulest +lies and juggling tricks their spiritual brothers and sisters. And the +plea of "delusion" will not excuse it, except to those who have not +investigated its studied cruelty and malice. Sheer, unadulterated +wickedness had its full share in the persecution; and that wickedness +can only be partly extenuated by the plea of possible insanity or of +demoniacal possession. + +[Illustration: Marched from jail for the last time] + +The route to the gallows hill was a rough and difficult one; but the +condemned were marched from the jail for the last time, one by one, and +compelled to walk attended by a small guard and a rude and jeering +company. There was Rebecca Nurse, infirm but venerable and lovely, the +beloved mother of a large family; there was the Reverend George +Burroughs, 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 infant +baptism, and probably was not up to the orthodox standard of the day in +other respects, though in conduct a very correct and exemplary man; +there was old John Procter, with his two staffs, and long thin white +hair; there was John Willard, a good, innocent young man, lied to death +by Susanna Sheldon, aged eighteen; there was unhappy Martha Carrier four +of whose children, one a girl of eight, had been frightened into +testifying before the Special Court against her; saying that their +mother had taken them to a witch meeting, and that the Devil had +promised her that she should be queen of hell; there was gentle, patient +and saintlike Elizabeth How, with "Father, forgive them!" on her mild +lips; and two others of whom we now know little, save that they were +most falsely and wickedly accused. + +There also were the circle of the "afflicted," gazing with hard dry eyes +on the murder they had done and with jeers and scoffs on their thin and +cruel lips. + +There, too, were the reverend ministers, Master Parris of Salem village, +and Master Noyes of Salem town, and Master Cotton Mather, who had come +down from Boston in his black clothes, like a buzzard that scents death +and blood a long way off, to lend his spiritual countenance to the +terrible occasion. + +Master Noyes, however, the most of the time, seemed rather quiet and +subdued. He was thinking perhaps of Sarah Good's fierce prediction, when +he urged her, as she came up to the gallows to confess, saying to her +that, "she was a witch, and she knew it!" Outraged beyond all endurance +at this last insult at such a moment, Sarah Good cried out: "It is a +lie! I am no more a witch than you are. God will yet give you blood to +drink for this day's cruel work!" Which prediction it is said in Salem, +came true--Master Noyes dying of an internal hemorrhage bleeding +profusely at the mouth. + +It was not a scene that men of sound and kindly hearts would wish to +witness; and yet Joseph Putnam and Ellis Raymond felt drawn to it by an +irresistible sense of duty. Hard, indeed, it was for Master Raymond; for +the necessity of the case compelled him to suppress all show of sympathy +with the sufferer, in order that he might more effectually carry out his +plans for Dulcibel's escape from the similar penalty that menaced her. +And he, therefore, could not even ride around like Master Putnam, with a +frowning face, uttering occasional emphatic expressions of his +indignation and horror, that the crowd would probably not have endured +from any one else. + +There were some incidents that were especially noticeable. Samuel +Wardwell had "confessed" in his fear, but subsequently taken back his +false confession, and met his death. While he was speaking at the foot +of the gallows declaring his innocence, the tobacco smoke from the pipe +of the executioner, blew into his face and interrupted him. + +Then one of the accusing girls laughed out, and said that "the Devil did +hinder 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 of +the crowd applauded; while others said that Master Putnam himself was no +better than he ought to be. + +The Reverend Master Burroughs, when upon the ladder, addressing the +crowd, asserted earnestly his entire innocence. Such was the effect of +his words that Master Raymond even hoped that an effort would be made to +rescue him. But one of the "afflicted girls" cried out, "See! there +stands 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 on +his horse, said to the people that "the Devil often transformed himself +into an angel of light; and that Master Burroughs was not a rightly +ordained minister;" and the executioner at a sign from the official, cut +the matter short by turning off the condemned man. + +Rebecca Nurse and the other women, with the exception of their last +short prayers, said nothing--submitting quietly and composedly to their +legal murder. And before the close of one short hour eight lifeless +bodies hung dangling beneath the summer sun. + +Joseph Putnam and Master Raymond, and a few others upon whom the solemn +words of the condemned had made an evident impression, turned away from +the sad sight, and wiped their tearful eyes. But Master Parris and +Master Noyes, and Master Cotton Mather seemed rather exultant than +otherwise; though Master Noyes did say; "What a sad thing it is to see +eight firebrands of hell hanging there!" But, as Master Cotton Mather +more consistently answered: "Why should godly ministers be sad to see +the firebrands of hell in the burning." + +Then, as the hours went on, the bodies were cut down, and stuck into +short and shallow graves, dug out with difficulty between the rocks--in +some instances, the ground not covering them entirely. There some +remained without further attention; but, in the case of others, whose +relatives were still true to them, there came loving hands by night, and +bore the remains away to find a secret sepulcher, where none could +molest them. + +But the gallows remained on the Hill, where it could be seen from a +great distance; causing a thrill of wonder in the bosom of the wandering +savage, as of the wandering sailor, gazing at its skeleton outline +against the sunset sky from far out at sea--waiting for ten more +victims! + + + + +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 previous +to her husband. He was a merchant managing a large business, owning +fourteen houses in the town, a wharf, and twenty-one vessels. He had one +of the best dwellings in Salem--situated at its eastern end, and having +a fine outlook over the adjacent seas. He had probably offended some one +in his business transactions; or, supposing that he was safely +entrenched in his wealth and high social position, he might have +expressed 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 an +only child and had inherited a large property from her father. The +deputy-marshall, Manning, came to arrest her in the night time, during +her husband's absence. She had retired to her bed; but he was admitted +to her chamber, where he read the warrant for her apprehension. He +allowed her till morning, however, placing guards around the house that +she might not escape. Knowing that such an accusation generally meant +conviction and death, "she arose calmly in the morning, attended the +family prayers, spoke to a near relative of the best plan for the +education of her children, kissed them with great composure, amid their +agony of cries and tears, and then told the officer that she was ready +to die." + +On her examination the usual scene ensued, and the usual falsehoods were +told. Perhaps the "afflicted girls" were a little more bitter than they +would have been, had she not laughed outright at a portion of their +testimony. She was a very nice person in her habits, and it was +testified against her, that being out one day in the streets of Salem +walking around on visits to her friends during a whole morning, +notwithstanding the streets were exceedingly sloppy and muddy, it could +not be perceived that her shoes and white stockings were soiled in the +least. As we have said, at this singular proof of her being a witch, the +intelligent lady had laughed outright. And this of course brought out +the additional statement, that she had been carried along on the back of +an invisible "familiar"--a spectral blue boar--the whole way. Of +course 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 deck +of the fastest sailer of all those twenty-one vessels of his. + +Uncle Robie had thought this might be also a good opportunity for +Dulcibel. And it struck Master Raymond the same way; while Master +English had no objection, especially as it was mainly for Dulcibel that +the jailer would open the prison doors. And this was better than the +violence he had at first contemplated; for, as his vessels gradually +began to accumulate in port, owing to the interruption to his business +caused by his arrest, he had only to give the word, and a party of his +sailors would have broken open the prison some dark night, and released +him from captivity. + +The "Albatross," Master English's fastest sailer at length came into +port; and the arrangements were speedily made. The first north-westerly +wind, whether the night were clear or stormy--though of course with such +a 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 plentiful +supply of witch stories to account for the escape. And Master Raymond +had some hopes also, that Abigail Williams would come to the jailer's +support in anything that seemed to compromise him in the least; for he +had promised to send her a beautiful gift from England, when he returned +home again. And with such a sharpener to the vision, the precocious +child would be able to see even more wonderful things than any she had +already testified to. + +The favorable wind came at length, and with it an exceedingly propitious +night; there being a moon just large enough to enable them to see their +way, with not enough light to disclose anything sharply. Master Raymond +had planned all along to take Dulcibel's horse also with them; and if he +could ride the animal, it would obviate the necessity of taking another +horse also, and being plagued what to do with it when they arrived at +the prison. For he was very desirous that Master Putnam should not be +in the least involved in the matter. + +Master Raymond therefore had been practising up in the woods for about a +week, at what the minister had failed so deplorably in, the riding of +the 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 a +suggestion of quick-witted Mistress Putnam. He put on a side saddle and +a skirt, and rode the animal woman fashion--and all without the least +difficulty. 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 taking +an affectionate leave of his host and hostess, and putting a few +necessary articles of apparel into a portmanteau strapped behind the +saddle, Master Raymond started for Salem town. + +Leaving the village to the right, he made good time to the town, meeting +no one at that late hour. He had covered the mare with a large +horse-blanket, so that she should not easily be recognized by any one +who 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 principal +street at the appointed hour, by the offer of refreshments at one of +their haunts; and by this time he was too full of Jamaica spirits to +walk 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 they +concluded to give the signal, three hoots of an owl; which the mate gave +with great force and precision. Still all seemed dark and quiet as +before. + +Then they waited, walking up and down to keep the blood in their veins +in 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 have +betrayed them? They paced up and down for an hour longer. It was evident +that, 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 he +re-donned his petticoat--much to the amusement of the seamen and started +back to Master Putnam's arriving there in the darkest hours of the +night, 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 a +little conversation that took place between Squire Hathorne and Thomas +Putnam the morning of the day fixed upon by Master Philip English. + +Thomas Putnam had called to see the magistrate at the suggestion of that +not very admirable but certainly very sharp-witted wife of his. I do not +suppose that Thomas Putnam was at all a bad man, but it is a lamentable +sight to see, as we so often do, a good kind honest-hearted man made a +mere tool of by some keen-witted and unscrupulous woman; in whose +goodness he believes, in a kind of small-minded and yet not altogether +ignoble spirit of devotion, mainly because she is a woman. Being a +woman, 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 around +the 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 Master +English'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 the +magistrates attempted to hang Mistress English they would hang Squire +Hathorne, and Squire Gedney, if they could catch him, by the side of +her." + +"The impudent varlets!" exclaimed Squire Hathorne, his wine-red face +growing redder. "Master English shall sweat for this. How many of his +sailors are in port now?" + +"Oh, I suppose there are fifty of them; and all reckless, unprincipled +men. To my certain knowledge, there is not a member of church among +them." + +"The godless knaves!" cried the magistrate. "I should like to set the +whole lot of them in the stocks, and then whip them out of the town at +the cart's tail." + +"Yes, that is what they deserve, but then we cannot forget that they are +necessary to the interests of the town--unless Salem is to give up all +her shipping business--and these sailors are so clannish that if you +strike one of them, you strike all. No, it seems to me, Squire, we had +better take no public notice of their vaporing; but simply adopt means +to counteract any plans they may be laying." + +"Well, what would you suggest, Master Putnam? Has Mistress Putnam any +ideas 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 Master +Putnam. "Her plan is to send Master English and his wife off at once to +Boston--that will save us all further trouble with them and their +sailors." + +"A capital idea! It shall be carried out this very day," said the +magistrate. + +"And she also suggests that the young witch woman, Dulcibel Burton, +should be sent with them. That friend of my brother Joseph, is still +staying around here; and Mistress Putnam does not exactly comprehend his +motives for so long a visit." + +"Ah, indeed--what motive has he?" And Squire Hathorne rubbed his broad +forehead. + +"There was some talk at one time of his keeping company with Mistress +Burton." + +"What, the witch! that is too bad. For he seems like a rather pleasant +young gentleman; and I hear he is the heir of a large estate in the old +country." + +"Of course there may be nothing in it--but Mistress Putnam also heard +from one of her female cronies the other day, that jailer Foster was at +one time a mate on board Captain Burton's vessel." + +"Ah!" + +"And you know how very handsome that Mistress Dulcibel is; and, being +besides a witch of great power, it seems to Mistress Putnam that it is +exposing jailer Foster to very great temptation." + +"Mistress Putnam is quite correct," said Squire Hathorne. "Mistress +Dulcibel had better be transferred to Boston also. There the worshipful +Master Haughton has the power and the will to see that all these imps of +Satan are kept safely." + +"As the seamen may be lying around and make a disturbance if the removal +comes to their knowledge, Mistress Putnam suggested that it had better +not be done until evening. It would be a night ride; but then, as +Mistress Putnam said, witches rather preferred to make their journeys in +the night time--so that it would be a positive kindness to the +prisoners." + +"Very true! very well thought of!" replied Squire Hathorne, with a grim +smile. "And no doubt they will be very thankful that we furnish them +with horses instead of broomsticks. Though as for Mistress Dulcibel, I +suppose she would prefer her familiar, the black mare, to any other +animal." + +"That was very marvelous. Abigail Williams says that she is certain that +the mare, after jumping the gate, never came down to earth again, but +flew 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 nothing +unreasonable in the story. + +"Yes--it thundered--but not the common kind of thunder--it was enough to +make your flesh creep. The minister says he is only too thankful that +the Satanic beast did throw him off. He might have been carried off to +hell with her." + +"Yes, it was a very foolish thing to get on the back of a witch's +familiar," said the magistrate. "It was tempting Providence. And Master +Parris has cause for thankfulness that only such a mild reproof as a +slight wetting, was allowed to be inflicted upon him. These are perilous +times, Master Putnam. Satan is truly going about like a roaring lion, +seeking what he may devour. Against this chosen seed,--this little +remnant of God's people left upon the whole earth--no wonder that he is +tearing and raging." + +"Ah me, my Christian friend, it is too true! And no wonder that he is so +bold, and full of joyful subtlety. For is he not prevailing, in spite of +all our efforts? You know there are at least four hundred members of +what rightly calls itself the Church of England--for certainly it is not +the church of Christ--in Boston alone! When the royal Governor made the +town authorities give up the South Church--even our own Church, built +with our own money--to their so-called Rector to hold their idolatrous +services in, we might have known that Satan was at our doors!" + +"Oh, that such horrible things should happen in the godly town of +Boston!" responded Squire Hathorne. "But when the King interfered +between Justice and the Quakers, and forbade the righteous discipline +we were exercising upon them, of course a door was opened for all other +latitudinarianism and false doctrine. Why, I am told that there are now +quite a number of Quakers in Boston; and that they even had the +assurance to apply to the magistrates the other day, for permission to +erect a meeting-house!" + +"Impossible!" exclaimed Master Putnam. "They ought to have been whipped +out of their presence." + +"Yes," continued the worthy Magistrate irefully; "but when the King +ordered that the right of voting for our rulers should no longer be +restricted to church-members; but that every man of fair estate and good +moral character, as he phrases it, should be allowed to vote, even if he +is 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 moral +character, without being a member of the true church?" + +"Of course--that is self-evident. But it shows how the righteous seed is +being over-flooded with iniquity, even in its last chosen house; how our +Canaan is being given up to the Philistines. And therefore it is, +doubtless, that Satan, in the pride of his success, is introducing his +emissaries into the very house of the Lord itself; and promising great +rewards 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, Master +Putnam, bethinking himself that he had some worldly business to attend +to, Squire Hathorne proceeded to give the necessary directions for the +removal 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. Dulcibel +occupied a pillion behind jailer Foster; Master English and his wife +rode together; while Master Herrick and the constable each had a horse +to himself. + +The original plan was for Dulcibel to ride behind Master Herrick; but +upon jailer Foster representing that there might be some danger of a +rescue, and offering to join the party, it was arranged that he should +have special charge of Mistress Dulcibel, whom he represented to Herrick +as being in his opinion a most marvelous witch. + +Uncle Robie's true reason for going, however, was that the jailer in +Boston was an old friend of his, and he wished to speak a secret word to +him that might insure Dulcibel kinder treatment than was usually given +in 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 became +known to everybody. Master Raymond wondered when he heard it, whether it +was a check-mate to the plan of escape, with which the magistrates, in +some way had become acquainted; or whether it was a mere chance +coincidence. Finally he satisfied himself that it was the latter--though +no doubt suggested by the rather loose threats of Master English's many +sailors. + +When jailer Foster returned, he found means to inform Master Raymond +that it had been entirely impossible--so suddenly was the whole thing +sprung upon him--to let anyone in their secret know of what was going +on. He had not even taken the assistant jailer, his own son, into his +confidence, because he did not wish to expose him to needless danger. +His son was not required to afford any help, and therefore it would be +unwise to incur any risk of punishment. Besides, while Uncle Robie had +made up his mind to do some tall lying of his own for the sake of saving +innocent lives, he saw no reason why his son, should be placed under a +similar 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 that +nothing had been divulged; and that the magistrates had acted only on +the supposition that trouble of some kind might result from the sailors. +And, looked at from that point of view, it was quite sufficient to +account for the removal of two of the prisoners. As to why Dulcibel also +should be sent to Boston, he could get no satisfactory explanation. It +seemed in fact to be a matter of mere caprice, so far as uncle Robie +could find out. + +They had pushed on through the night to Boston--about a four hours' slow +ride--and delivered the three prisoners safely to the keeper of Boston +jail. Uncle Robie adding the assurance to Goodwife Buckley--who acted as +Master Raymond's confidential agent in the matter--that he had spoken a +word to his old crony who believed no more in witches than he did, which +would insure to her as kind treatment as possible. And Robie further +said that he had been assured by the Boston jailer, that Mistress Phips, +the wife of the Governor, had no sympathy whatever with the witchcraft +prosecutions, but a great deal of sympathy for the victims of it. + +The game was therefore played out at Salem, now that Dulcibel had been +transferred to Boston; and Master Raymond began to make arrangements at +once to leave the place. In some respects the change of scene was for +the worse; for he had no hold upon the Boston jailer, and had no friend +there 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 of +Mistress Ann Putnam's powerful and malign influence. This of itself was +no small gain; and, thinking over the whole matter, Master Raymond came +to the conclusion that perhaps the chances of escape would be even +greater in Boston than in Salem. + +So, in the course of the ensuing week, Master Raymond took an +affectionate leave of his kind young host and hostess, and departed for +Boston town, avowedly on his way back to his English home. This last was +of course brought out prominently in all his leave-takings--he was, +after a short stay in Boston, to embark for England. "What shall I send +you from England?" was among his last questions to the various members +of the "afflicted circle." And one said laughingly one thing, and one +another; the young man taking it gravely, and making a note in his +little notebook of each request. If things should come to the worst, he +was putting himself in a good position to influence the character of the +testimony. A hundred pounds in this way would be money well employed. + +Even to Mistress Ann Putnam he did not hesitate to put the same +question, after a friendly leave-taking. Mistress Putnam rather liked +the young Englishman; it was mainly against Dulcibel as the friend of +her brother-in-law that she had warred; and if Master Raymond had not +also been the warm friend and guest of Joseph Putnam, she might have +relented in her persecution of Dulcibel for his sake. But her desire to +pain and punish Master Joseph,--who had said so many things against her +in the Putnam family--overpowered all such sentimental considerations. +Besides, what Dulcibel had said of her when before the magistrates, had +greatly incensed her. + +"What shall you send me from England? And are you really going back +there?" 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 Master +Raymond smiling. + +"How soon?" + +"Oh, I cannot say exactly. Perhaps the Boston gentlemen may be so +fascinating that they will detain me longer than I have planned." + +"Is it because the Salem gentlewomen are so fascinating that you have +remained here? We feel quite complimented in the village by the length +of your visit." + +"Yes, I have found the Salem gentlewomen among the most charming of +their sex. But you have not told me what I shall send you from London +when I return?" + +"Oh, I leave that entirely with you, and to your own good taste. Perhaps +by the time you get back to London, you will not wish to send me +anything." + +"I cannot imagine such a case. But I shall endeavor, as you leave it all +to me, to find something pretty and appropriate; something suited to the +most gifted person, among men and women, that I have found in the New +World." + +Mistress Putnam's face colored with evident pleasure--even she was not +averse to a compliment of this kind; knowing, as she did, that she had +a wonderful intellectual capacity for planning and scheming. In fact if +she had possessed as large a heart as brain, she would have been a very +noble and even wonderful woman. Master Raymond thought he had told no +falsehood in calling her the "most gifted"--he considered her so in +certain directions. + +And so they parted--the last words of Mistress Putnam being, the young +man thought, very significant ones. + +"I would not," she said in a light, but still impressive manner, "if I +were you, stay a very long time in Boston. There is, I think, something +dangerous 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 advice +now--it is honest and well meant--and do not linger long in the +dangerous air of Boston." + +Thanking her for her solicitude as to his health, Master Raymond shook +her thin hand and departed. But all the ride back to Joseph Putnam's, he +was thinking over those last words. + +What was their real meaning? What could they mean but this? "You are +going to Boston to try to save Dulcibel Burton. I do not want to hurt +you; 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. Joseph +Putnam, whom I hate, but whose person and household I am for family +reasons compelled to respect, when you are in Boston is no longer your +protector. I can just as easily, and even far more easily, reach you +than I could reach Captain Alden. Beware how you interfere with my +plans. 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 by +letter of his movements--for there had been a postal system established +a number of years before through the Massachusetts colony--but of course +he had to be very careful as to what he put upon paper; the Puritan +official mind not being over-scrupulous as to the means it took of +attaining its ends. + +He had brought excellent letters to persons of the highest character in +Boston, and had received invitations from many of them to make his home +in their houses--for the Boston people of all classes, and especially +the wealthy, obeyed the Scriptural injunction, and were "given to +hospitality;" which I believe is true to the present day. But Master +Raymond, considering the errand he was on, thought it wisest to take up +his abode at an Inn--lest he might involve his entertainers in the peril +attending his unlawful but righteous designs. So he took a cheery room +at the Red Lion, in the northern part of the town, which was quite a +reputable house, and convenient for many purposes not the least being +its proximity to the harbor, which made it a favorite resort for the +better class of sea-captains. + +Calling around upon the families to which he had presented letters on +his first visit, immediately after his arrival in the colony, he +speedily established very pleasant social relations with a good many +very different circles. And he soon was able to sum up the condition of +affairs in the town as follows: + +First, there was by far the most numerous and the ruling sect, the +Puritans. The previous Governor, shut out by King James, Sir Edmund +Andros, had been an Episcopalian; but the present one sent out on the +accession of William and Mary, Sir William Phips, was himself a Puritan, +sitting under the weekly teachings of the Reverend Master Cotton Mather +at the North church. + +Then there was an Episcopal circle, composed of about four hundred +people 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 in +peace, so far as personal manifestations were concerned, being protected +by the King's mandate. These had even grown so bold of late, as to be +seeking permission to erect a meeting-house; which almost moved the +Puritan divines to prophesy famine, earthquakes and pestilence as the +results of such an ungodly toleration of heresy. + +Then there were a number of Baptists, who also now dwelt in peace, under +the King's protection. + +Adding to the foregoing the people without any religion to speak of, who +principally belonged to or were connected with the seafaring class, and +Master Raymond found that he had a pretty clear idea of the inhabitants +of Boston. + +In relation to the Witchcraft prosecutions, the young Englishman +ascertained that the above classes seemed to favor the prosecutions just +in proportion to the extent of their Puritan orthodoxy. The great +majority of the Puritans believed devoutly in witches, and in the duty +of obeying the command, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." And +generally in proportion to a Puritan church-member's orthodoxy, was the +extent of his belief in witchcraft, and the fierceness of his +exterminating zeal. + +The Episcopalians and the Baptists were either very lukewarm, or else +in decided opposition to the prosecutions looking upon them as simply +additional proofs of Puritan narrowness, intolerance and bigotry. + +The Quakers held to the latter opinion even more firmly than the liberal +Episcopalians and Baptists: adding to it the belief that it was a +judgment allowed to come upon the Puritans, to punish them for their +cruelty to God's chosen messengers. + +As for the seafaring class, they looked upon the whole affair as a piece +of madness, which could only overtake people whose contracted notions +were 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 class +as Captain Alden, the vocabulary allowed by the law in Boston was +entirely too limited to embrace adequately a seaman's emphatic sense of +the iniquitous proceedings. As one of them forcibly expressed himself to +Master Raymond:--"He would be _condemned_, if he wouldn't like to see +the _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 word +of course, in the place of the word _condemned_; but that doubtless was +because at that time they had not our "revised version" of the New +Testament. + +The sea-captain who expressed himself in this emphatic way to Master +Raymond, was the captain in whose vessel he had come over from England, +and who had made another voyage back and forth since that time. The +young man was strolling around the wharves, gazing at the vessels when +he had been accosted by the aforesaid captain. At that particular moment +however, he had come to a stand, earnestly regarding, as he had several +times before, a vessel that was lying anchored out in the stream. + +After passing some additional words with the captain upon various +matters, and especially upon the witches, a subject that every +conversation at that time was apt to be very full of, he turned towards +the 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, low +hull--something of the model which a good many years later, went by the +name 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 vessel +that 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 he +does--so that of course it is entirely lawful," and the captain winked +again. "He owns his vessel, you see--carries her in his pocket--and has +no _condemned_ lot of land-lubber owners on shore who cannot get away if +there is any trouble, from the _condemned_ magistrates and constables." + +"That is an advantage sometimes," said the young man. He was thinking of +his own case probably. + +"Of course it is. Law is a very good thing--in its place. But if I buy a +bag of coffee in the East Indies or in South America, why should I have +to pay a lot of money on it, before I am allowed to sell it to the +people that like coffee in some other country? _Condemn_ it! There's no +justice 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 offer +is made him?" + +"Do not misunderstand me, young man," replied the captain gravely. "My +friend, Captain Tolley, would be the last man to commit piracy, or +anything of that kind. But just look at the case. Here Captain Tolley +is, off at sea, attending to his proper business. Well, he comes into +some _condemned_ port, just to get a little water perhaps, and some +fresh provisions; and hears that while he has been away, these +_condemned_ land-lubbers have been making some new rules and +regulations, without even asking any of us seafaring men anything about +it. Then, if we do not obey their foolish rules, they nab us when we +come 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 admire +his vessel--even though a landsman's admiration, you know, really cannot +seem of much account to a sailor. But I cannot write here; let us +adjourn to the Lion." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + +Captain Tolley and the Storm King. + + +The next day furnished with a brief note of introduction, Master +Raymond, with the aid of a skiff, put himself on the deck of the Storm +King. Captain Tolley received him with due courtesy, wondering who the +stranger was. The Captain was a well-built, athletic, though not very +large man, with a face naturally dark in hue, and bronzed by exposure to +the southern sun. As Master Raymond ascertained afterwards, he was the +son of an English father and a Spanish mother; and he could speak +English, French and Spanish with equal facility. While he considered +himself an Englishman of birth, his nationality sat very loosely upon +him; and, if need be, he was just as willing to run up the French or +Spanish colors on the Storm King, as the red cross of St. George. + +After reading the note of introduction, Captain Tolley gave a keen look +at his visitor. "Yes, the Storm King is a bird and a beauty," said he +proudly. "Look at her! See what great wings she has! And what a hull, to +cut the seas! She was built after my own plans. Give me plenty of +sea-room, and a fair start, and I will laugh at all the gun frigates of +the royal navy." + +"She looks to be all you say," said his visitor admiringly--but rather +surprised 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, "never +washed his ammunition in port or in mild weather." When aroused by a +severe storm or other peril, the Captain was transformed into a +different man. Then, in the war of the elements, or of man's angry +passions, he also lightened and thundered, and swore big guns. + +"Let us go down into the cabin," said the Captain. Reaching there, he +filled a couple of glasses with wine and putting the decanter on the +table, invited his visitor to be seated. Then, closing the door, he said +with a smile, "nothing that is said inside this cabin ever is told +anywhere else." + +There was that in the speech, bearing and looks of Captain Tolley which +inspired Master Raymond with great confidence in him. "I feel that I may +trust you, Captain," he said earnestly. + +"I have done business for a great many gentlemen, and no one ever found +me untrue to him," replied Captain Tolley, proudly. "Some things I will +not do for anybody, or for any price; but that ends it. I never betray +confidence." + +"Do you believe in witches, Captain?" + +"Indeed I do." + +"Well I suppose that settles it," replied the young man in a +disappointed tone, rising to his feet. + +"I know a little witch down in Jamaica, that has been tormenting me +almost to death for the last three years. But I tell you she is a +beauty--as pretty as, as--the Storm King! She doesn't carry quite as +many petticoats though," added the Captain laughing. + +"Oh! That is the kind of witch you mean!" and Master Raymond sat down +again. + +"It is the only kind that I ever came across--and they are bad enough +for me," responded the Captain drily. + +"I know a little witch of that kind," said Master Raymond, humoring the +Captain's fancy; "but she is now in Boston prison, and in danger of her +life." + +"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 the +bigoted fools have got in limbo there. I could not help laughing at +Alden--the idea of calling him a witch. Alden is a religious man, you +know!" + +"But it may cost him his life!" + +"That is what I went to see him about. I offered to come up with a party +some night, break open the jail, and carry him off to New York in the +Storm King." + +"Well?" + +"Oh, you know the better people are not in the jail, but in the jailer's +house--having given their promise to Keeper Arnold that they will not +try to escape, if thus kindly treated. And besides, if he runs off, they +will confiscate his property; of which Alden foolishly has a good deal +in houses and lands. So he thinks it the best policy to hold on to his +anchor, and see if the storm will not blow itself out." + +"And so you have no conscientious scruples against breaking the law, by +carrying off any of these imprisoned persons?" + +"Conscientious scruples and the Puritan laws be d----!" exclaimed the +Captain; thinking perhaps that this was an occasion when he might with +propriety break his rule as to swearing while in port. + +"Your language expresses my sentiments exactly!" responded the young +Englishman, who had never uttered an oath in his life. "Captain, I am +betrothed 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 away +her life. I mean to rescue her--or die with her. I am able and willing +to pay you any reasonable price for your aid and assistance, Will you +help me?" + +The Captain sprang to his feet. "Will I help you? The great God dash the +Storm King to pieces on her next voyage if I fail you! See here," taking +a letter out of a drawer, "it is a profitable offer just made me. But it +is 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 will +follow wherever I lead, are at your service!" + +As Captain Tolley uttered these words, in an impassioned, though low +voice, and with a glowing face and sparkling blue eyes, Master Raymond +thought he had never seen a handsomer man. He grasped the Captain's +extended hand, and shook it warmly. "I shall never forget this noble +offer," he exclaimed. And he never did forget it; for from that moment +the two were life-long friends. + +"What is your plan?" said the Captain. + +"A peaceable escape if possible. If not, what you propose to Captain +Alden." + +"I should like the last the best," said the Captain. + +"Why, it would expose you to penalties--and keep your vessel hereafter +out 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 from +Barbados--good, honest, innocent people, a little touched here, you +know,"--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 two +big guns to bear upon the town, and gave them just fifteen minutes to +send me on board again. That was twenty years ago, and I have not been +here since." + +"They sent you on board, I suppose?" + +"Oh, the Saints are not fools," replied the Captain, laughing. "As for +being shut out of Boston harbor hereafter, I do not fear that much. The +reign of the Saints is nearly over. Do you not see that the Quakers are +back, and the Baptists, and the prayer-book men, as they call the +Episcopalians!--and they do not touch them, though they would whip the +whole 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 the +Priests." + +"You may have to lie here idle for a while; but I will bear the expense +of it," said Master Raymond. "Have the proper papers drawn up, and I +will sign them." + +"No, there shall be no papers between you and me," rejoined the Captain +stoutly. "I hate these lawyers' pledges. I never deal with a man, if I +can help it, who needs a signed and sealed paper to keep him to his +word. I know what you are, and you ought to be able to see by this time +what I am. The Storm King shall lie here three months, if need be--and +you shall pay me monthly my reasonable charges. But I will make out no +bill, and you shall have no receipt, to cause any trouble to anybody, +hereafter." + +"That will suit me," replied Master Raymond, "I shall be in the +bar-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 an +interview. I fear there may be spies upon my movements." + +Captain Tolley assenting to these arrangements, Master Raymond and he +again shook hands, and the latter was put ashore in one of the Storm +King's boats. It was a little curious that as the young man reached the +wharf, ascending a few wooden steps from the boat, whom should he see at +a little distance, walking briskly into the town, but one who he thought +was Master Thomas Putnam. He could not see the man's face, for his back +was toward him; but he felt certain that it was the loving and obedient +husband of Mistress Ann Putnam. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + +Sir William Phips and Lady Mary. + + +When Mistress Dulcibel Burton, in company with Master Philip English and +his wife, arrived at Boston jail, and were delivered into the care of +Keeper Arnold, they received far better treatment than they had +expected. + +The prison itself, situated in a portion of Boston which is now +considered the centre of fashion and elegance, was one of those cruel +Bridewells, which were a befitting illustration of what some suppose to +have been the superior manners and customs of the "good old times." It +was built of stone, its walls being three feet thick. Its windows were +barred with iron to prevent escape; but being without glazed sashes, the +wind and rain and snow and cold of winter found ready access to the +cells within. The doors were covered with the large heads of iron +spikes--the cells being formed by partitions of heavy plank. And the +passage ways of the prison were described by one who had been confined +in this Boston Bridewell, as being "like the dark valley of the shadow +of death." + +But the jailers seem to have been more humane than the builders of the +prison; and those awaiting trial, especially, were frequently allowed +rooms in the Keeper's house--probably always paying well, however, for +the privilege. + +Thus, as Captain Tolley had said, Captain Alden was confined in Keeper +Arnold's house; and, when the party in which the readers of this story +are especially interested, arrived late at night from Salem, they were +taken to comparatively comfortable apartments. The jailer knew that +Master Philip English was a very wealthy man; and, as for Dulcibel, +Uncle Robie did not forget to say to his old crony Arnold, among other +favorable things, that she not only had warm friends, among the best +people of Salem, but that in her own right, she possessed a very pretty +little fortune, and was fully able to pay a good price for any favors +extended to her. + +The magistrates in Salem had refused to take bail for Captain Alden; but +Master English was soon able to make an arrangement, by which he and his +wife were allowed the freedom of the town in the daytime; it being +understood that they should return regularly, and pass the night in the +jail--or, speaking strictly, in the Keeper's house. + +For things in Boston were different from what they were at Salem. In +Salem the Puritan spirit reigned supreme in magistrates and in +ministers. But in Boston, there was, as we have said, a strong +anti-Puritan influence. The officials sent over from England were +generally Episcopalians--the officers of the English men-of-war +frequently in port, also were generally Episcopalians. And though the +present Governor, Sir William Phips, was a member of the North Church, +the Reverend Cotton Mather taking the place of his father, the Reverend +Increase Mather--and though the Governor was greatly under the influence +of that dogmatic and superstitious divine--his wife, Lady Mary, was +utterly opposed to the whole witchcraft delusion and persecution. + +Sir William himself had quite a romantic career. Starting in life as one +of the later offspring of a father and mother who had twenty-six +children, and had come as poor emigrants to Maine, he was a simple and +ignorant caretaker of sheep until eighteen years of age. Then he became +a ship carpenter; and at the age of twenty-two went to Boston, working +at his trade in the day time, and learning how to read and write at +night. In Boston he had the good fortune to capture the heart of a fair +widow by the name of Mistress Hull, who was a daughter of Captain +Robert Spencer. With her hand he received a fair estate; which was the +beginning of a large fortune. For, it enabled him to set up a ship-yard +of his own; and by ventures to recover lost treasure, sunk in +shipwrecked Spanish galleons, under the patronage of the Duke of +Albemarle, 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 his +wife Mary. And such was the able conduct and the strict integrity he had +shown in the face of many difficulties and temptations, that King James +knighted him, making him Sir William. + +Now, through his own deserts, and the influence of the Reverend Increase +Mather, agent in England of the colony, he was Governor-in-Chief of the +Province of Massachusetts Bay, and Captain General (for military +purposes) of all New England. And he was living in that "fair brick +house in Green lane," which, years before, he had promised his wife that +he 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 was +not owing entirely to her having taken pity on him, and married below +her station. And really there was considerable truth in this view of the +matter, 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 first +acts of Sir William on arriving to fill his position as Governor, was to +order chains put upon all the alleged witches in the prisons. In this +order might be very plainly traced the hand of his pastor, the Reverend +Cotton Mather. Lady Mary was outraged by such a command. One of her +first visits had been to the jail, to see Captain Alden, whom she knew +well. Keeper Arnold had shown her the order. "Put on the irons," said +Lady Mary. The jailer did so. "Now that you have obeyed Sir William, +take them off again." The jailer smiled, but hesitated. "Do as I command +you, and I will be accountable to Sir William." Very gladly did Keeper +Arnold obey--he had no faith in such accusations, brought against some +of the best behaved people he ever had in his charge. + +"Now, do the same to all the other prisoners!" commanded the spirited +lady. + +"I may as well be hung for a cow as a calf," said the jailer +laughing--and he went gravely with one pair of fetters all through the +cells, complying literally with the new Governor's orders. + +Of course this soon got to the ears of the Rev. Cotton Mather, who went +in high indignation to the Governor. But the latter seemed to be very +much amused, and could not be brought to manifest any great amount of +indignation. "You know that Lady Mary has a will of her own," said he to +his pastor. "If you choose to go and talk to her, I will take you to her +boudoir; but I am not anxious to get into hot water for the sake of a +few witches." The minister thought of it a moment; but then concluded +wisely not to go. For, as Lady Mary said to her husband afterwards, "I +wish that you had brought him to me. I would have told him just what I +think of him, and his superstitious, hard-hearted doings. For me, I +never mean to enter North Church more. I shall go hereafter to South +Church; Masters Willard and Moody have some Christian charity left in +them." + +"I think you are too hard on Master Cotton Mather, my dear," replied +Sir William mildly. + +"Too hard, am I? What would you say if those girl imps at Salem should +accuse 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 Mather +says--" + +"Master Mather ought to be hung himself," said the indignant lady; "for +he 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 Lady +Mary laughed scornfully. "Why not you too? You are no better a man than +Captain Alden." + +"Oh, the Captain shall not be hurt." + +"It will not be through any mercy of his judges then. But, answer my +question: 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 that +they are thinking of it. They even have wished me warned against the +consequences of my high-handed proceedings. Now if they cry out against +me, what will you do?" + +We have said that Sir William was naturally choleric--though he always +put a strong constraint upon himself when talking with his wife, whom he +really loved; but now he started to his feet. + +"If they dare to breathe a whisper against you, my wife, Lady Mary, I +will blow the whole concern to perdition! Confound it, Madam, there are +limits to everything!" + +She went up to him and put her arm around his neck and kissed him. "I +thought that before they touched me, they would have to chain the lion +that 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 of +wealth and influence behind her as Master English had, was very well +contented at being allowed a room in Keeper Arnold's house; and was on +the whole getting along very comfortably. Master Raymond had seen her +soon after his arrival, but it was in company with the jailer; the +principal result being that he had secretly passed her a letter, and had +assured himself that she was not in a suffering condition. + +But things of late were looking brighter, for Master Raymond had made +the acquaintance of Lady Mary through a friend to whom he had letters +from 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 the +prison; trusting that, if once at large, Master Raymond would be able to +provide for her safety. But there was one great difficulty. She, with +the others, had given her word to the Keeper not to escape, as the price +of her present exemption from confinement in an exposed, unhealthy cell. +How this promise was to be managed, neither of them had been able to +think of. Keeper Arnold might be approached; but Dulcibel feared not--at +least under present circumstances. If brought to trial and convicted +then to save her life, Dulcibel thought he might be persuaded to aid +her. As to breaking her word to the Keeper, that never entered the mind +of the truthful maiden, or of her lover. Death even was more endurable +than 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. And +therefore 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 the +Red Lion, thinking over a sight he had just seen;--a man had passed by +wearing on the back of his drab coat a capital I two inches long, cut +out of black cloth, and sewed upon it. On inquiry he found the man had +married his deceased wife's sister; and both he and the woman had been +first whipped, and then condemned to wear this letter for the rest of +their 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 out +that any real offence had been committed, when who should walk up to the +porch but Master Joseph Putnam. After a hearty hand-shaking between the +two, 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 to +protect themselves is to sham being 'afflicted,' and accuse somebody +else." + +"I saw that a good while ago." + +"And when a girl or a woman is accused, her relatives and her friends +gather around her, and implore her to confess, to save her life. For +they have found that not one person who has been accused of being a +witch, and has admitted the fact, has been convicted. + +"And yet it would seem that a confession of witchcraft ought to be a +better 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 the +prosecutions, from first to last; but as it is all sheer malice and +wickedness, 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 be +too uncharitable to believe otherwise," said Master Raymond +thoughtfully. + +"There may have been at the very first--on the part of the children," +replied Master Putnam. "They might have supposed that Tituba and +friendless Sarah Good tormented them--but since then, there has not +been 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 not +know she is lying, when she brings such horrible charges against the +best 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 heart +a little." + +"I have tried to. I have thought myself justified in playing a part--as +King David once did you know." + +"It is that which brings me here. I met her at the house of a friend +whom 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, I +hear that your good friend Master Raymond is still in Boston.' I +answered that I believed he was. 'When he took leave of me,' she +continued, 'I advised him not to stay long in that town--as it was +often a bad climate for strangers. I am sorry he does not take wise +counsel.' Then she passed on, and out of the house. Have you any idea +what she meant?" + +Master Raymond studied a moment over it in silence. Then he said:--"It +is the first warning of the rattlesnake, I suppose. How many do they +usually give before they spring?" + +"Three, the saying goes. But I guess this rattlesnake cannot be trusted +to give more than one." + +"I was convinced I saw your brother Thomas as I came ashore from the +Storm King the other day." + +"Ah, that explains it then. She understands it all then. She understands +it 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, I +suppose," replied Master Putnam philosophically. "Because, Mistress +Dulcibel openly ridiculed and denounced her and the whole witchcraft +business. And you will note that there has not been a single instance +of this being done, that the circle of accusers have not seemed +maddened to frenzy." + +"Yes,--there has been one case--your own." + +"That is true--because I am Thomas Putnam's brother. And, dupe and tool +as he is of that she-wolf, and though there is no great amount of love +lost between us--still I am his brother! And that protects me. Besides +they know that it is as much any two men's lives are worth to attempt to +arrest 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 marry +Jethro, 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 of +my 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 like +me--but I always knew she was a cold-blooded snake and she-wolf, and I +would have nothing to do with her. Then when brother Thomas began to +sink his manhood and become the mere dupe and tool of a scheming woman, +I remonstrated with him. I think, friend Raymond, that I am as +chivalrous as any man ought to be. I admire a woman in her true place as +much as any man--and would fight and die for her. But for these men that +forget their manhood, these Marc Antonies who yield up their sound +reason and their manly strength to the wiles and tears and charms of +selfish and ambitious Cleopatras, I have nothing but contempt. There are +plenty of them around in all ages of the world, and they generally glory +in their shame. Of course brother Thomas did not enjoy very much my mean +opinion of his conduct--and as for sister Ann, she has never forgiven +me, 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. "That +Dulcibel feels for me the affection of a sister, only intensifies my +sister-in-law's aversion to her. But then, you see, that merely on the +general principle of denouncing all who set themselves in opposition to +the so-called afflicted circle, Dulcibel would be accused of +witchcraft." + +"Well, for my part, I think the whole affair can only be accounted for +as being a piece of what we men of the world, who do not belong to any +church, call devilishness," said Master Raymond hotly. + +"You see," responded Master Putnam, "that you men of the world have to +come 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 the +same thing. And now give me an idea of your latest plans. Perhaps I can +forward 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 criminal +proceedings against the alleged witches, was growing stronger, at +Boston. The Reverend Samuel Willard and Joshua Moody both ministers of +undoubted orthodoxy from the Puritan stand-point, did not scruple to +visit the accused in the keeping of jailer Arnold, and sympathize openly +with them. Captain Alden and Master Philip English and his wife +especially, were persons of too great wealth and reputation not to have +many sympathizing friends. + +On the other hand, the great majority of the Puritans, under the lead of +the Reverend Cotton Mather, and the two Salem ministers, Parris and +Noyes were determined that the prosecution should go on, until the +witches, those children of the Evil One, were thoroughly cast out; even +if 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 far +as 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, being +told that she must have mistaken the person. When this was reported to +Master Willard, it by no means tended to lessen his growing belief that +the prosecutions were inspired by evil spirits. + +Of course in this condition of things, the position of the Governor, Sir +William Phips, became a matter of the first importance. As he owed his +office mainly to the influence of the Rev. Increase Mather, and sat +under the weekly ministrations of his learned son, Cotton Mather, the +witch prosecutors had a very great hold upon him. With a good natural +intellect, Sir William had received a very scanty education; and was +therefore much impressed by the prodigious attainments of such men as +the two Mathers. To differ with them on a theological matter seemed to +him rather presumptuous. If they did not know what was sound in +theology, and right in practise; why was there any use in having +ministers 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 unanimous +array of lawyers and judges who endorsed the witchcraft prosecution. +Chief-Justice Stoughton, honest and learned Judge Sewall--and nearly +all 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 a +sensible English judge is reported by tradition to have done, in the +case of an old woman who at last acknowledged in the feebleness of her +confused intellect that she was a witch, and in the habit of riding +about on a broomstick: "Well, as I know of no law that forbids old women +riding about on broomsticks, if they fancy that mode of conveyance, you +are discharged." But there was not one magistrate at that time, wise or +learned enough to make such a sensible decision in the whole of New +England. + +Thus with the almost unanimous bar, and the great preponderance of the +clergy, advising him to pursue a certain course, Sir William undoubtedly +would have followed it, had he not been a man whose sympathies naturally +were with sea-captains, military officers, and other men-of-the-world; +and, moreover, if he had not a wife, herself the daughter of a +sea-captain, who was an utter disbeliever in her accused friends being +witches, and who had moreover a very strong will of her own. + +Of course if the Governor should come to Lady Mary's opinion, the +prosecution might as well be abandoned--for, with a stroke of his pen, +he could remit the sentences of all the convicted persons. Left to +himself and Lady Mary, he doubtless would have done this; but he wished +to continue in his office, and to be a successful Governor; and he knew +that to array himself against the prosecution and punishment of the +alleged witches was to displease the great majority of the people of the +province; including, as I have shown, the most influential persons. In +fact, it was simply to retire from his government in disgrace. + +All this the Reverend Cotton Mather represented to Sir William, with +much else of a less worldly, but no doubt still more effective +character, based upon various passages of the old Testament rather than +upon anything corresponding to them in the New. + +And so the prosecutions and convictions went on; but the further +executions waited upon the Governor's decision. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + +The Rattlesnake Makes a Spring. + + +It was a Thursday afternoon, and the "afflicted circle" was having one +of its informal meetings at the house of Mistress Ann Putnam. At these +meetings the latest developments were talked over; and all the scandal +of the neighborhood, and even of Boston and other towns, gathered and +discussed. Thus in the examination of Captain Alden in addition to the +material charges of witchcraft against him, which I have noted, were +entirely irrelevant slanders of the grossest kind against his moral +character which the "afflicted girls" must have gathered from very low +and 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 "cried +out against," that Jethro was brought into their counsels. + +It is a curious natural instinct which leads every faculty--even the +basest--to crave more food in proportion to the extent in which it has +been already gratified. In the first place, the "afflicted" girls no +doubt had their little spites, revenges, and jealousies to indulge, but +afterwards they seemed to "cry out" against those of whom they hardly +knew anything, either to oblige another of the party, or to punish for +an expressed disbelief in their sincerity, or even out of the mere +wantonness of power to do evil. + +Mistress Ann Putnam opened the serious business of the afternoon, after +an hour or so had been spent in gossip and tale-bearing, by an account +of some recent troubles of hers. + +"A few nights ago," said she, "I awakened in the middle of the night +with choking and strangling. I knew at once that a new 'evil hand' was +upon me; for the torment was different from any I had ever experienced. +I thought the hand that grasped me around the throat would have killed +me--and there was a heavy weight upon my breast, so that I could hardly +breathe. I clutched at the thing that pressed upon my breast, and it +felt hard and bony like a horse's hoof--and it was a horse. By the faint +moonlight I saw it was the wild black 'familiar' that belongs to the +snake-marked witch, Dulcibel Burton. But the hand that grasped my throat +was the strong hand of a man. I caught a sight of his face. I knew it +well. But I pity him so much that I hesitate to reveal it. I feel as if +I would almost rather suffer myself, than accuse so fine a young man as +he seemed to be of such wicked conduct." + +"But it appears to me that it is your duty to expose him, Mistress +Putnam," 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 nightly +rounds together. They 'afflicted' me the other night the same way. I +flung them off; and I asked him what he meant by acting in that way? And +he said he was a lover of the witch Dulcibel; who was one of the queens +of Hell--I might know that by the snake-mark on her bosom. And she had +told 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 do +it." + +By this time, even the dullest of the girls of course saw very plainly +who was being aimed at; but Mistress Putnam added, "upon learning that +Master Jethro had also been afflicted by this person, I had very little +doubt that I should find the guilty young man had been doing the same to +all of you; for we have seen heretofore that when these witches attack +one of us, they attack all, hating all for the same reason, that we +expose and denounce them. I may add that I have also heard that the +young man in question is now in Boston doing all he can in aid of the +snake-witch Dulcibel Burton; and representing all of us to Lady Mary +Phips and other influential persons, as being untruthful and malicious +accusers of innocent people." Here she turned to one who had always been +her right-hand as it were, and said:--"I suppose you have been tormented +in the same way, dear Abigail?" + +Ann Putnam, her daughter, however, that precocious and unmanageable girl +of twelve, here broke in: "I think my mother is entirely mistaken. I was +treated just the same way about a week ago; but it was not the spectre +of Master Raymond at all--it was the spectre of another man whom I never +saw before. It was not at all like Master Raymond; and I, for one, will +not join in crying out against him." + +In those old times, parents were treated with a much greater show, at +least, of respect and veneration than they are at present; and therefore +Mistress Putnam was greatly shocked at her daughter's language; but her +daughter was well known to all present as an exceptional child, being +very forward and self-willed, and therefore her mother simply said, "I +had not expected such unkind behavior from you, Ann." + +"Master Raymond has been very kind to all of us, you know--has given us +pretty things, and has promised to send us all presents when he gets +back from England; and I have heard you and father both say, that the +Putnams always stand up for their friends." + +This reference to the promised presents from England, evidently told all +around the circle. They had nothing to gain by "crying out" against +Master Raymond, they had something to gain by not doing it; besides, he +was a very handsome young man, who had tried to make himself agreeable +to almost all of them as he had opportunity. And though Dulcibel's +beauty went for nothing in their eyes, a young man's good looks and +gallant bearing were something entirely different. + +And so Abigail Williams, and Mary Walcot, and Mercy Lewis, and Leah +Herrick, and Sarah Churchill, and Elizabeth Hubbard all had the same +tale to tell with suitable variations, as young Ann Putnam had. They +were certain that the face of the "spectre" was not the face of Master +Raymond; but of some person they had never before seen. Mercy Lewis and +Sarah Churchill, in fact, were inclined to think it was the face of +Satan himself; and they all wondered very much that Mistress Putnam +could have mistaken such an old and ugly face, for that of the comely +young Englishman. + +As for Leah Herrick, she did not care in her secret heart if Master +Raymond were in love with Dulcibel--so that he would only take her out +of the country, where there was no danger of Jethro's seeing her any +more. All her belief that Dulcibel was a witch was based upon jealousy, +and now that it was utterly improbable that Jethro would ever turn his +thoughts 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 young +Englishman. + +But although Mistress Putnam was thus utterly foiled in her effort to +enlist the "afflicted circle" in her support, she was not the woman to +give up her settled purpose on that account. She knew well that she was +a host in herself, so far as the magistrates were concerned. And, having +Jethro Sands to join her, it made up the two witnesses that were +absolutely necessary by the law of Massachusetts as of Moses. The +"afflicted circle" might not aid her, but it was not likely that they +would openly revolt, and take part against her in public; and so she +went the very next morning in company with that obedient tool, her +husband and Jethro Sands, to the office of Squire Hathorne, and got him +to issue a warrant for the arrest of Master Ellis Raymond, on the usual +charge 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 of +life," so far as that very influential person was concerned. He had paid +the most deferential court to her on several occasions where he had been +able to meet her socially; and had impressed the Governor's lady very +favorably, as being an unusually handsome, well-bred and highly +cultivated young man. A comely and high-spirited lady of forty, she was +better pleased to be the recipient of the courteous and deferential +attentions of a young Englishman of good connections like Master +Raymond, than even to listen to the wise and weighty counsel of so +learned a man as Master Cotton Mather. + +Only in the last minutes of their last meeting however, when handing her +ladyship to her carriage, did Master Raymond feel at liberty to ask her +if he could have a short private interview with her the next morning. +She looked a little surprised, and then said, "Of course, Master +Raymond." + +"At what hour will it suit your ladyship?" + +"At twelve, precisely, I have an engagement at one;" and the carriage +drove off. + +A minute or two before twelve, Master Raymond was at the Governor's +house in Green lane; and was duly admitted, as one expected, and shown +into her ladyship's boudoir. + +"Now, come right to the point, Master Raymond; and tell me what I can do +for you," said her ladyship smiling. "If I can help you, I will; if I +cannot, or must not, I shall say so at once--and you must continue to be +just as good a friend to me as ever." + +"I promise that to your ladyship," replied the young man earnestly. He +really 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 bewitched +you." + +"We were betrothed to each other only a few days before that absurd and +lying charge was made against her." + +"And her horse--her black mare--that upset the Reverend Master Parris +into the duck pond; and then went up into the clouds; and, as Master +Cotton Mather solemnly assured me, has never been seen or heard of +since--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 of +his 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 what +Sir William often says, 'Anything can be done, if you know how to do +it!' I must tell it to him he will enjoy it so much. And it will be a +good 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 would +only 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 in +the family. At least Mistress Dulcibel looks it." + +"She does. She is very beautiful--of a kind of strange, fascinating +beauty. I do not wonder she bewitched you. Was that serpent mark too +from Italy?" + +"I think it very likely." + +"Perhaps she is descended from Cleopatra--and that is the mark left by +the serpent on the famous queen's breast." + +"I think it exceedingly probable," said Master Raymond. My readers will +have observed before this, that he was an exceedingly polite and +politic young man. + +"Well, and so you want me to get Mistress Dulcibel, this witch +descendant 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 of +witchcraft against such good, nice people as Captain Alden, Master and +Mistress English, your betrothed Dulcibel, and a hundred others, are +mere bigotry and superstition at the best, and sheer spite and +maliciousness at the worst--but what can I do? Sir William owes his +position to the Reverend Increase Mather--and, besides, not being a +greatly learned man himself, is more impressed than he ought to be by +the learning of the ministers and the lawyers. I tell him that a learned +fool is the greatest fool alive; but still he is much puzzled. If he +does not conform to the wishes of the ministers and the judges, who are +able to lead the great majority of the people in any direction they +choose, he will lose his position as Governor. Now, while this is not so +much in itself, it will be a bar to his future advancement--for +preferment does not often seek the men who fail, even when they fail +from having superior wisdom and nobleness to the multitude." + +It was evident that Sir William and Lady Mary had talked over this +witchcraft 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 by +dyeing it with innocent blood, I think that a man of the natural +greatness and nobility of Sir William, would not hesitate as to his +decision." + +"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 decide +upon 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 same +of the poor old women, and poor young women, now lying in those cold and +loathsome cells--innocent of any crime whatever either against God or +against man--I should not feel it all here so heavily," and Lady Mary +pressed 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 shuts +his eyes to my unlawful doings." + +"Will you aid her to escape, should her life be in danger? You told me +to speak out frankly and to the point." + +The lady hesitated only for a moment. "I will do all I can--even to +putting my own life in peril. When something _must_ be done, come to me +again. And now judge me and Sir William kindly; knowing that we are not +despots, but compelled to rule somewhat in accordance with the desires +of those whom we have been sent here to govern." + +Lady Mary extended her hand; the young man took it, as he might have +taken 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 in +better spirits. He had secured the aid, if things should come to the +worst of a very influential friend--and one who, woman-like, would be apt +to go even farther than her word, as noble spirits in such cases are apt +to do. Therefore he was comparatively light-hearted. + +Suddenly he felt a strong grasp upon his shoulder; and turning, he saw a +couple of men beside him. One he knew well as deputy-marshall Herrick, +of Salem. + +"You are wanted at Salem, Master Raymond," said Marshall Herrick +gravely, producing a paper. + +Raymond felt a sinking of heart as he glanced over it--it was the +warrant for his arrest, issued by Squire Hathorne. + +"At whose complaint?" he asked, controlling his emotions, and speaking +quite 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, just +before 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 of +day, and they have some of the best wine at the Lion I ever tasted. You +shall drink a bottle or two with me. You know that a man travels all the +better for a good dinner and a bottle of good wine." + +The officers hesitated no longer. "You are a sensible man, Master +Raymond, whether you are a witch or not," said the deputy marshall. + +"I think if the wine were better and plentier around Salem, there would +be fewer witches," rejoined Master Raymond; which the other officer +considered a very witty remark, judging by the way he laughed at it. + +The result of this strategic movement of Master Raymond's, was that he +had a couple of very pleasant and good-humored officials to attend him +all the way to Salem jail, where they arrived in the course of the +evening. Proving that thus by the aid of a little metaphorical oil and +sugar, even official machinery could be made to work a good deal +smoother than it otherwise would. While the officers themselves +expressed their utter disbelief to the people they met, of the truth of +the charges that had been brought against Master Raymond; who in truth +was himself "an afflicted person," and had been suffering some time from +an "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 the +other professionals, he had a good long talk, and made his cell quite +comfortable for him. He also took him in to visit Antipas, who was +delighted to see him, and also to hear that Mistress Dulcibel, was quite +comfortably lodged with Keeper Arnold. + +Then the young man threw himself upon his bed, and slept soundly till +morning. He did not need much study to decide upon his plans, as he had +contemplated such a possibility as that, ever since the arrest of +Dulcibel, and had fully made up his mind in what manner he would meet +it. If, however, he had known the results of the conference of the +"afflicted circle" two days previous, he would have felt more encouraged +as to the probable success of the defence he meditated. The constable +that had aided the deputy-marshall in making the arrest, had agreed +however to send word to Joseph Putnam of what had occurred; and +comforted by the thought of having at least one staunch friend to stand +by him, Master Raymond had slept soundly even on a prison pallet. + +The next morning, as early as the rules of the jail would admit, Joseph +Putnam came to see him. "I had intended to come and see you in Boston +to-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 see +Goodwife Buckley yesterday, and told her in confidence that it was +probable 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 'afflicted +girls' had anything to do with it--for they looked upon you as a very +nice 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 is +confident there was an 'evil hand' upon you when you were suffering at +my house; and he will be on hand at the examination to give his +testimony, if it is needed, to that effect." + +"But that terrible sister-in-law of yours! If she could only be kept +away from the examination for half-an-hour; and give me time to impress +the 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," continued +Master Raymond. "Do not stand so straight that you lean backward. +Remember that this is war and a just war against false witnesses, the +shedders of innocent blood, and wicked or deceived rulers. If I am +imprisoned, what is to become of Dulcibel? Think of her--do not think of +me." + +Joseph Putnam was greatly agitated. "I will do all I can for both of +you. But my soul recoils from anything like deceit, as from wickedness +itself. But I will think over it, and see if I cannot devise some way to +keep Sister Ann away, for a time or altogether." + +"Give me at least fifteen minutes to work on the Magistrates, and to +enlist the sympathies of the people in my behalf. For me, so far as my +conscience is concerned, I should not hesitate to shoot that Jezebel. +For the murder of the twenty innocent men and women who have now been +put to death, she is mainly responsible. And to kill her who surely +deserves 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 Mistress +Ann. I only put it as giving my idea of how far _my_ conscience would +allow me to go in the matter. Draw her off in some way though--keep her +out 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 Putnam +emphatically. + +Here further confidential conversation was prevented by the entrance of +the marshall. + + + + +CHAPTER XLII. + +Master Raymond Astonishes the Magistrates. + + +The examination was to commence at three o'clock in the afternoon, and +to be held in the Court House in the town, as being more convenient to +Squire Hathorne than the meeting-house in the village. + +As Master Thomas Putnam's house and farm were several miles beyond the +village, it made quite a long ride for them to attend the examination. +He had arranged with his wife, however, to start immediately after their +usual twelve o'clock dinner, taking her behind him on a pillion, as was +customary at that day--his daughter Ann being already in town, where she +was paying a visit to a friend. He had received however a message about +ten o'clock, requesting his immediate presence at Ipswich, on a matter +of 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 Salem +town, without coming home again, as it would be very much out of his +road to do so. + +According to this new arrangement, Mistress Ann would take the other +horse, and a lady's saddle, and ride to town by herself. They had still +a 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 was +a good Puritan fashion to be punctual to the minute, at three o'clock +precisely Squires Hathorne and Corwin were in their arm-chairs, and +Master Raymond standing on the raised platform in front of them. As the +latter looked carefully around the room, he saw that neither Thomas +Putnam nor his mischievous wife, nor his own best friend Joseph Putnam, +was present. Squire Hathorne also observed that Mistress Ann Putnam was +not present; but, as she was usually very punctual, he concluded that +she would be there in a few minutes, and after some whispered words with +his colleague, resolved to proceed with the examination. + +Turning to the young Englishman, he said in his usual stern +tones:--"Ellis Raymond, you are brought before authority, upon high +suspicion of sundry acts of witchcraft. Now tell us the truth of this +matter." + +But no answer came from the accused. Then, when all eyes were intently +regarding him, he gave a wild shriek, and fell outstretched upon the +platform. + +"Let me to him!" said Dr. Griggs, elbowing his way through the crowd. "I +said a month ago that an 'evil hand' was upon him; and now I am certain +of it." + +Master Raymond had not been an attentive observer of the recent trials +for nothing; and he now gave the audience an exhibition which would +compare favorably with the best, even with Mistress Ann Putnam's and +Abigail William's. His face became shockingly contorted, and he writhed +and twisted and turned convulsively. He tore imaginary spectral hands +from around his neck. He pushed imaginary weights from off his breast. +He cried, "Take them away! Pray, take them away!" until the whole +company were very much affected; and even the magistrates were greatly +astounded. + +Dr. Griggs loosened his collar and unbuttoned his doublet, and had water +brought to sprinkle his face keeping up a running fire of words at the +same time, to the effect that he knew, and had said, as least a month +before, 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 into +vacancy. "He is coming to peck my eyes out! Kill it! kill it!" dashing +his hands out from his face violently. "Has no one a sword--pray do try +to kill it!" + +Here an impetuous young villager, standing by, drew his rapier, and +stabbed violently in the direction of the supposed spectral bird. + +"Oh! Oh! You almost killed it! See, there are some of its feathers!" And +three yellow feathers were seen floating in the air; being small chicken +feathers with which he had been provided that very morning by Uncle +Robie, the jailer; and which the adroit Master Raymond rightly thought +would have a prodigious effect. + +And the result was fully equal to his expectations. From that moment, it +was evident that he had all the beholders with him; and Squire Hathorne, +disposed as he had been to condemn him almost without a hearing, was +completely staggered. He had the feathers from the "yellow bird" +carefully placed upon his desk, with the purpose of transmitting them at +once to Master Cotton Mather who, with these palpable proofs of the +reality of the spectral appearance would be able utterly to demolish +all the skeptical unbelievers. + +Finding that such an effect had been produced, Master Raymond allowed +himself to regain his composure somewhat. + +"Mistress Ann Putnam, who is one of the two complainants, unaccountably +is not here," said Squire Hathorne. "Master Jethro Sands, what have you +to say against this young man? You are the other complainant." + +"Probably my mother has come to the conclusion that she was mistaken, as +I told her; and therefore she has remained at home," said Ann Putnam, +the daughter; who was delighted with the feather exhibition, and was +secretly wondering how it was done. + +"Well, what have you to say,--Jethro Sands?" + +The audience looked around at Jethro with scornful faces, evidently +considering him an imposter. What did he know about witches--compared to +this 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 think +that Mistress Putnam and myself must have been visited by the spectre +of 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 can +have his action against you for very heavy damages, for slander and +defamation?" + +"I certainly am very sorry, and humbly beg Master Raymond's pardon," +said Jethro, very much alarmed. He had never thought that the affair +might take this turn--as indeed it did in many cases, some six months +afterward; and which was a very effective damper upon the spirits of the +prosecutors. + +Then the magistrates could do nothing less than discharge the prisoner; +and Master Raymond stepped down from the platform a free man, to be +surrounded by quite a circle of sympathizing friends. But his first +thanks were due to Dr. Griggs for his professional services. + +"Doctor, those things you did for me when in the convulsions, relieved +me 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 the +ox, you know, that treads out the corn." And he put a gold piece into +Dr. Grigg's palm--which was not often favored with anything but silver +in Salem. + +Dr. Griggs was glad that he had been able to render him a little +service; and said that, if there had been the least necessity for it, he +would have gone on the platform, and testified as to the complete +absurdity 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 did +not appear to be in the least afflicted, but in the very best of +spirits. They now felt more admiration for him than ever; and greeted +him with great cordiality as he came to where they were standing. "When +are you going back to England?" was a frequent question; and he assured +them he now hoped to go before many weeks; and then, smiling, added that +they 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 she +archly. + +"The yellow bird!" replied he dreamily. "Ah! you know that when we that +are 'afflicted' go into trances, we are not conscious of all that we +see." + +"For it seemed to me," continued the girl in a low tone, "that those +feathers looked very much like chicken feathers." Then she laughed +cunningly, 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 a +girl, 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-witted +and precocious child was compelled to follow. + +The magistrates had left the Court House, with the majority of the +people, including Jethro Sands, when who should come in, walking +hastily, and his face flushed with hard riding, but Thomas Putnam. + +"Am I too late? What was done?" he said quickly to Leah Herrick, who was +standing 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 probably +found 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 a +great deal more danger that Master Raymond would prove him to be a +witch, than he Master Raymond." + +"I see--it is a case of conspiracy!" exclaimed Master Putnam hotly. "Had +you 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 enough +however to witness my triumphant vindication. Here is learned Dr. +Griggs, and young Mistress Williams, and your own gifted daughter, and +handsome Mistress Herrick, and half-a-dozen others of my old friends who +were ready to testify in my behalf, if any testimony had been needed. +Make my compliments to Mistress Putnam; and give her my best thanks for +her 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 Thomas +Putnam. Could his wife have stayed away purposely? Perhaps so, for she +was accustomed to rapid changes of her plans. But why then had he been +lured 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 that +incorrigible and unmanageable young lady; just about as opposite a +character to the usual child of that period as could well be imagined. +But these witchcraft trials, in which she figured so prominently had +utterly 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 pretty +thoroughly. When he had once made up his mind to keep both his brother's +wife and his brother himself, away from the examination, he had rapidly +thought over various plans, and adopted two which he felt pretty certain +would not fail. They all involved a little deceit, or at least double +dealing--and he hated both those things with a righteous hatred--but it +was to prevent a great injustice, and perhaps to save life. + +As he rode rapidly homeward, turning over various plans, in his mind, he +had passed through the village, when he saw some one approaching on what +seemed to be the skeleton of an old horse. He at once recognized the +rider as an odd character, a carpenter, whom he at one time had occasion +to 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 the +man--whose oddity mainly consisted in his taciturnity, which was broken +only 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 mend +it?" + +The old carpenter was too shrewd to commit himself. He glanced at Master +Putnam, 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 young +man took out his purse and began opening it. "You are not in a great +hurry, are you?" + +"Hurry, is for fools!" + +"You know where my brother Thomas lives? Up this road?" They were just +where two roads joined, one leading by his own house, and the other past +his brother's. + +"I wish I knew the road to heaven as well." + +"You know how to keep silent, and how to talk also, Ezekiel--especially +when you are well paid for it?" + +The old man laughed. "A little bullet sometimes makes a big hole," he +said. + +"I want you to go to my brother Thomas, and say simply these +words:--Ipswich Crown and Anchor. Very important indeed. At once. Wait +till he comes." + +"All right." And he held out his hand, into which Master Joseph put as +much 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 those +words. 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 is +apt 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's +head, and went up the road towards Thomas Putnam's. + +Joseph felt certain that this would take his brother to Ipswich. Both of +them were greatly interested in a lawsuit with certain of the Ipswich +people, regarding the northern boundary of the Putnam farms. Thomas was +managing the matter for the family; and was continually on the look-out +for fresh evidence to support the Putnam claim. In fact, bright Master +Raymond had once said that, between the Salem witches and the +Ips-witches, Master Thomas seemed to have no peace of his life. But this +was 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 once +who sent the message. + +"Ipswich. Crown and Anchor. Very important indeed! At once. Wait till he +comes," repeated the old man, with a face of the most impassive +solemnity, and emphasizing every sentence with his long fore-finger. + +And that was all Master Thomas could get out of him. That much came just +as 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 been +drinking 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 stiff +drink of West India rum; which the old man tossed off with no +perceptible difficulty. + +He smiled as he handed back the tin cup which had held it. "Yes--steady +now!" 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 and +Anchor. At once. Wait till he comes." Then the old man's countenance +cleared 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 much +fuddled," said Mistress Putnam impatiently. + +"More rum--steady me!" mumbled Ezekiel. + +"No, not a drop more," said Thomas Putnam peremptorily. "You have had +too much already." + +The old man frowned--and turning the skeleton steed after considerable +effort, he gave his parting shot--"Crown and anchor--wait till he +comes!" and rode off in a spasmodic trot down the lane. + +"I shall have to go to Ipswich, and see about this, it may supply the +missing 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 leave +the roan horse for you." + +"Saddle the grey mare, Jehosaphat." + +And thus it was that his brother Joseph, looking out of his sitting-room +window, about an hour after his arrival at home, saw Master Thomas +Putnam, on his well-known grey mare, riding along the road past his +house on the most direct route to Ipswich. + +"He is out of the way, for one--if he waits an hour or two for any +person 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 more +innocent lives. And when he comes to his senses--in the next world, if +not in this--he will thank me for deceiving him. Now let me see whether +I 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 coming +over the fields from the direction of his brother's house, which was +about two miles almost directly to the west of his own house. Going out +to 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 take +it 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 at +brother Thomas's? Are they all at home?" + +"No, indeed! Master Thomas has gone off to Ipswich--and little Ann is at +Salem town." + +"I could not borrow a horse, then, of them, you think?" + +"No, indeed, sir. There is only one left in the stable; and Mistress +Putnam 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 ordered +his young horse, Sweetbriar, saddled; and after kissing his wife "in a +scandalous manner"--that is, out of doors, where some one might have +seen him do it--he mounted, and cantered off down the lane. + +The young man loved a good horse and he claimed that Sweetbriar, with a +year or two more of age and hardening, would be the fastest horse in the +Province. As to temper, the horse was well named; for he could be as +sweet, when properly handled, as a rose; and as sharp and briary as any +rose-stalk under contrary conditions. A nervous, sensitive, high-mettled +animal; Mistress Putnam, though a good rider, said it was too much work +to manage him. While her husband always responded that Sweetbriar could +be ridden by any one, for he was as gentle as a lamb. + +Just as Mistress Ann Putnam had got through her dinner, she saw her +brother-in-law Joseph riding up the lane. The brothers, as has been +seen, differed very widely relative to the Witchcraft prosecutions; but +still they visited one another, as they were held together by various +family ties, and especially by the old lawsuit against certain of the +Ipswich men, to which I have alluded. + +Therefore Mistress Putnam opened the door and went out to the garden +gate, where by this time the young man had dismounted, and fastened his +horse. + +"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 he +could 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 for +Thomas at the "Crown and Anchor," where he usually stops you know." + +"Well, I am glad that Thomas went. I stopped to see if Jehosaphat could +do a little errand for me--I might have sent one of my own men, but I +forget matters sometimes." + +"You will find him at the barn," replied Mistress + +Putnam, a little anxious to cut short the conversation, as she wished to +get 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 had +dwindled in common use. "How are you getting along?" + +"Fair to middlin, sir. Not as well though as on the old place, Master +Joseph." + +"I do not want to interfere with my brother, remember; but if at any +time he should not want you any more, remember the old place is still +open 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, that +was all." + +"I thought so," replied Master Joseph pithily. "But no matter about that +now--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 where +to find you." + +"That is all right then." + +"Go to Goodman Buckley's, in Salem village, and ask him for a bundle I +left--bring it to my house, you know, you can take the roan horse +there. And, by the way, Fatty, if you want to stop an hour or two to see +the widow Jones's pretty daughter, I guess no great harm will be done." + +Jehosaphat giggled--but then his face clouded. "But Mistress Putnam +wants to take the roan herself this afternoon. The trial comes off, you +know." + +"Oh, it is not a trial--it is only an examination. And it is all +fiddlesticks, anyhow. My sister-in-law is ruining her health by all this +witch business. But if she insists upon going, I will lend her one of my +horses. Therefore that need not keep you." + +So Jehosaphat, in high glee at having an afternoon's holiday, with the +roan horse, threw on the saddle and mounted. + +As he rode at a rapid canter down the lane, Mistress Ann heard the +noise, but supposed it was Master Joseph riding off again,--and did not +even trouble herself to look out of the window, especially as she was +just 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 most +popular sermons, but the same Master Joseph Putnam whom she had thought +she was well rid of. + +"I thought you had gone. I surely heard you riding down the lane," she +said 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. As +Master Mather says: These are very wonderful and appalling times!" And +the young man laughed a little scornfully. + +"Brother Joseph, I do not care to talk with you upon this question. I +greatly regret, as do your brothers and your uncles, that you have gone +over to the infidels and the scoffers." + +"And I regret that they are making such fools of themselves," replied +Joseph hotly. + +"I have no time to discuss this question, brother Joseph," said Mistress +Ann with dignity. "I am going to Salem town this afternoon, very much in +the cross, to give my testimony against a young friend of yours. Would +that I could have been spared this trial!" and his sister-in-law looked +up to the ceiling sanctimoniously. As Joseph told his young wife that +night, her hypocrisy hardened his heart against her; so that he could +have kept her at home by sheer force, if it were necessary, and at all +expedient--in fact he would have preferred that rough but sincere way. + +"If you testify to anything that throws doubt upon Master Raymond's +perfect innocency and goodness, you will testify to a lie," replied +Master Joseph severely. + +"As I said, I have no time for argument. Will you be good enough to tell +Jehosaphat to saddle the roan for me." + +"You know that I had your permission to send Fatty off on an errand--and +he is not back yet." + +Mistress Putnam started and bit her lip. She had made a mistake. "I +suppose 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 conscience +probably would not allow you to do it--even if common courtesy towards a +woman, and that woman your sister, demanded it." + +"Without deciding the latter point, I should think it almost impossible +for 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 much +sense to go. Still, if you would go, that I would lend you one of my +horses." + +"Well, where is your horse?" + +"There, at the door. You can take off my saddle, and put on your +side-saddle, and, if you are in a hurry, Sweetbriar can do the distance +in half the time that the roan could." + +Mistress Putnam could have cried with anger and vexation. Like many +people of strong and resolute will, she was a good deal of a coward on +horseback; and she knew that Sweetbriar was what the farmers called "a +young and very skittish animal." Still her determined spirit rose +against thus being outdone; besides, she knew well that in a case like +this, where none of the "afflicted circle," not even her own daughter, +would aid her, the whole thing might fall through if she were not +present. So she said, "Well, I will saddle your horse myself." + +Here Master Joseph relented--because he now felt certain of his game. "I +have conscientious scruples against lifting even my little finger to +aid you in this unholy business," he said more placidly, "but under the +circumstances, I will saddle Sweetbriar for you." + +So saying, he took off his saddle from the horse, and substituted the +side-saddle which he brought from the barn. Then he led Sweetbriar to +the horse-block, and his sister-in-law mounted. + +She glanced at his spurs. "You ride him with spurs, I see. Hand me my +riding-whip," she said, pointing to where she had laid it, when she +first came out. + +"I would not strike him, if I were you. He is not used to the whip--it +might make him troublesome." + +Mistress Putnam made no reply; but gathered up the reins, and the horse +started down the lane. + +A singular smile came across the young man's features. He went back and +closed the door of the house, and then started in a rapid walk across +the field towards his own home. Neither of them thought it mattered that +the house was left for a time unprotected. Mistress Putnam knew that a +couple of farm-hands were at work in a distant field, who would be back +at sundown; and there were so few strollers at that time, that no +farmer thought of bolting up his doors and windows when he went to +meeting, or to see a neighbor. + +The way home across the fields was a good deal nearer than to go by the +road, as the latter made quite an angle. And, as the young man strode +swiftly, on he could see in many places his sister-in-law, riding +deliberately along, and approaching the forks of the road, where anyone +going to his own house, would turn and ride away from, instead of toward +Salem. + +"When she gets to the forks of the road, look out for squalls," said +Master Joseph to himself. For many had been his own fights with +Sweetbriar, when the horse wanted to go towards his stable, after a long +ride, 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 of +preparing 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 rest +and oats awaited him; and it evidently seemed to Him the height of +injustice and unreason to be asked to go all the way back to Salem +again. Mistress Ann, however, knew nothing of these previous +experiences of the animal, but imputed his insubordinate behavior +entirely to self-will and obstinacy. And thus, as the great globe moves +around the sun in a perpetual circle, as the result of the two +conflicting forces of gravitation and fly-off-it-iveness, so Sweetbriar +circled around and around, like a cat chasing his tail, as the result of +the conflicting wills of himself and his rider. + +Master Joseph watched the progress of the whole affair with decided +pleasure. "No woman but a witch could get Sweetbriar past that turn," he +said to himself, laughing outright, "And no man, who had not a pair of +spurs on." + +At last, getting out of all patience, Mistress Putnam raised her whip +and brought it down sharply on her horse's shoulder. This decided the +struggle; for, unused to such punishment, the fiery animal reared, and +then turning, sprang up the road that led to his stable at a wild +gallop. + +His rider as I have said, was not a very good horse-woman, and she now +took hold of the horn of the saddle with her right hand, to enable her +to keep her seat; and tried to moderate the gait of the horse with the +reins and the voice, abandoning all further resistance to his will as +useless. + +Setting off at a run, Master Joseph was able to reach home just about +the 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 with +Elizabeth." + +"Very glad to see you, Sister Ann," said Mistress Joseph, coming out to +the horse-block, at which Sweetbriar, from force of habit, had stopped. + +Mistress Ann looked offended, and replied coldly, "I had no intention of +coming here this afternoon, Sister Elizabeth; but this vile brute, which +Joseph lent me, after sending away my own horse, would neither obey the +reins nor the whip." + +"You rascal!" said Master Joseph severely, addressing the horse. "You do +not 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; "and +before I could get one of them in, and at all groomed up, ready for the +saddle, 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 the +examination?" said Mistress Ann bitterly. + +"Oh, if you choose, I will put a pillion on Sweetbriar, and see how that +works?" replied Master Joseph with a meek and patient expression of +countenance, as of one upbraided without cause. "To be sure, Sweetbriar +has never been asked to carry double; but he might as well learn now as +ever." + +"That seems to be the only thing that can be done now," and the +expression of Mistress Ann's face resembled that of a martyr who was +about to be tied to the stake; for riding on a pillion brought the lady +always into the closest proximity with the gentleman, and she was now +cherishing towards Master Joseph a temper that could hardly be called +sisterly. + +There was necessarily a great waste of time in getting the pillion on +Sweetbriar. He never had carried double, and he evidently felt insulted +by being asked to do it. Master Joseph glanced at the sun, and knew it +must be now full two o'clock. Only by fast riding, would it be possible +to 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 the +horse backed and sidled off from the horse-block whenever she attempted +it--all his sweetness seemed gone by this time, and the briars alone +remained. At least fifteen minutes more were lost in this way. But at +last the difficult feat was accomplished. + +"Hold on to me tightly," said the young man, "or you will be thrown +off--" for the irritated animal began to curvet around in all +directions, 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 where +you had so much trouble with him," said Master Joseph, as the horse went +more quietly, going up the first hill. + +"As you think best," said his sister-in-law, in a sharp tone, "If I had +a horse like this I would shoot him!" + +"Oh, Sweetbriar is good enough usually. I never saw him so violent and +troublesome 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 great +solemnity. + +"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 tantrums +again; requiring all of Master Joseph's skill to prevent his toppling +himself and his two riders over one of the many boulders that obstructed +the road. + +"If you do not hold on to me more tightly, Sister Ann, you will be +thrown off," said Master Joseph, putting back his right hand to steady +her. And Mistress Ann was compelled to lock her arms around him, or take +the chance of serious injury from being dashed to the rough highway. The +young man would have liked to relieve his feelings by a hearty burst of +laughter, as he felt her arms embracing him so warmly, but of course he +dared not. + +They soon came near the main road, running due north and south, and +which it was necessary to take, as it led directly down to Salem. +Sweetbriar knew that road well--and that he never stopped when once +turned to the south on it, short of a six mile ride. He remembered his +recent victorious struggle at the Forks, and now resolved upon another +battle. All of Master Putnam's efforts--or what seemed so--could not get +him headed southward on that road. In truth, burdened as he was, the +young man really could not do it, without incurring too much risk to the +lady behind him. Those who have ever had such a battle with a wilful, +mettlesome horse, know that it often requires the utmost patience and +determination on the part of his rider, to come out victorious. The best +plan--the writer speaks from some experience--is to pull the animal +round in a circle until his brain becomes confused, and then start him +off in the right direction. + +But Sweetbriar evidently had a better brain than usual, for when the +whirl came to an end, it always found his pointing like the magnetic +needle to the north. It had been Master Joseph's plan to pretend a good +deal of earnestness in the struggle which he was certain would come in +this place; but he was pleased to find that there was no need of any +pretence in the matter. The horse, under the circumstances, the young +man having a lady's safety to consult, was the master. Repeated trials +only proved it. Whenever the fierce, final tug of war came, Mistress +Ann's safety had to be consulted, and the horse had his own way. So, as +the 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 to +Salem." + +"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 us +two on his back, if I stayed here all the afternoon trying. I should +think you must have seen that." + +"No matter. Take me home." + +"Besides, we could not get to Salem before four o'clock now, if +Sweetbriar 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 able +to get this self-willed animal past my own gate." + +"Well, what do you mean to do?" said the lady bitterly. "Ride on up to +Topsfield?" + +Master Joseph laughed. "No--there is a road strikes off towards your +house 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 any +further 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 earthly +disappointments are our most valuable experiences--teaching us not to +set our hopes upon worldly things, but upon those of a more enduring and +satisfying 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 called +evangelical. + +"You wished very much I know to go this afternoon to Salem," continued +Master Joseph, in the same sermonizing tone; "but doubtless your wish +has been overruled for good. I think, as a member of church, you should +be willing to acquiesce patiently in the singular turn that affairs have +taken, and console yourself with the thought that you have been +innocently riding these peaceful roads instead of being in Salem, doing +perchance 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 converse +any further." + +"But you must admit that your projected visit has been frustrated in a +very singular, if not remarkable manner?" Master Joseph knew that he +had her now at an advantage; she was compelled to listen to everything +he chose to say. His saddle was even better in that respect than the +minister's pulpit--you might leave a church, but she could not leave the +horse. + +"I do not see anything very miraculous, brother Joseph, in a young man +like you having a self-willed and unprincipled horse. In truth, the +wonder would be if you had a decent and well-governed animal," replied +his sister-in-law wrathfully. + +The young man smiled at the retort, but she could not see the gleam of +sunshine as it passed rapidly over his face; lingering a moment in the +soft depths of his sweet blue eyes. There was no smile however in his +voice, but the previous solemnity, as he continued:-- + +"And yet if Balaam's ass could see the angel of the Lord, with his +drawn-sword, standing in the way, and barring his further progress in +wrongdoing, why might not this horse--who is much more intelligent than +an ass--have seen a similar vision?" + +The young man had begun this speech somewhat in sport; but as he ended +it, the assumed tone of solemnity had passed into one of real +earnestness. For, as he asked himself, "Why should it not be? This woman +with him was bound on a wicked errand. Why should not the angel or the +Lord stand in her way also--and the horse see him, even if his riders +did not?" + +Mistress Putnam made no answer. Perhaps now that the young man was +really in earnest, what he said made some impression upon her, but, more +probably it did not. + +He, too, relapsed into silence. It seemed to him a good place to stop +his 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 rode +up to the horse-block at her own door. Sweetbriar stood very quiet, and +she stepped on the block, Master Joseph keeping his seat. + +"Will you dismount and stay to supper, brother Joseph?" said Mistress +Ann, in a soft purring tone. Master Joseph fairly started with his +surprise, and looked steadily into her dark, inscrutable eyes--eyes like +Jael's as she gazed upon sleeping Sisera. + +"No, I thank you--I expect a friend to supper. I hope brother Thomas +heard some good news at Ipswich. Come and see us when you feel like +it." And he rode off. + +As he told his wife afterwards, he would not have taken supper with his +sister Ann that evening as he valued his life. + +And yet perhaps it was all imagination--and he did not see that thing +lurking in the depths of his sister-in-law's cold, unfathomable eyes +that 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 are +disposed 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 perverse +course things had taken, amid his own and her frequent laughter. And +then he could do nothing else than walk up and down impatiently, +glancing at frequent intervals towards the road, to see if anybody were +coming. + +In the course of an hour or so, nobody appearing and Sweetbriar being +sweetened up again by a good feed, he ordered the horse brought out. +Then he was persuaded by his wife to recall the order, and wait +patiently till sundown. + +"What impatient creatures you men are!" said Mistress Elizabeth with +feminine superiority. "Doubtless he will be along. Give him sufficient +time. Now, do not worry, husband mine, but take things patiently." + +So Master Joseph was induced to control his restlessness and just as +soon as he could have been reasonably expected, Master Raymond was seen +riding up the lane at a light canter. + +"Hurrah!" cried Master Joseph, running to meet him. "And is it all +over?" + +"We have smitten Ammon, hip and thigh, from Aroer even till thou come to +Minnith!" answered Master Raymond, laughing. "It was you that kept the +she-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 all +went off in Salem." + +After a couple of hours' conversation, broken frequently by +irresponsible bursts of laughter, the young men were mutually +enlightened; and complimented each other upon the success with which +they had worked out their respective schemes--while young Mistress +Elizabeth complimented them both, thinking honestly in her innocent +heart that two such wonderful young men certainly had never before +existed. + +"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 young +wife. "You know you never can control your merriment, Joseph." + +"I cannot? You should have seen me preaching to sister Ann this +afternoon. I kept my face all the time as sober as a judge's. You know +she 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 see +it," said Master Raymond. "And five pounds more to see your brother +Thomas 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," said +Master Joseph; "it is bad enough to deceive people, without being guilty +of downright lying." + +"Oh, of course," replied Master Raymond. "I do not know that I told a +downright lie either, all day; although I must admit that I acted a +pretty big one. But you must deal with fools according to their +folly--you know we have Scripture for that." + +"I do not think I would have done it merely to save myself," said Master +Joseph, evidently a little conscience-smitten. "But to save you, my +friend, that seems to be different." + +"And Dulcibel," added Master Raymond. "If I were imprisoned what would +become of her?" + +"Yes, I am glad I did it," responded his friend, regaining his +confidence. "I have really hurt neither brother Thomas nor Sister Ann; +on the contrary, I have prevented them from doing a great wrong. I am +willing to answer for this day's work at the Last Day--and I feel +certain that then at least, both of them will thank me for it." + +"I have no doubt of it," said Mistress Elizabeth who herself brought up +in the rigid Puritan school, had felt the same misgivings as her +husband, but whose scruples were also removed by this last +consideration. + +As for Master Raymond, he, being more a man of the world, had felt no +scruples at playing such a deceitful part. I am afraid, that to save +Dulcibel, he would not have scrupled at open and downright lying. Not +that he had not all the sensitiveness of an honorable man as to his +word; but because he looked upon the whole affair as a piece of +malicious wickedness, in defiance of all just law, and which every +true-hearted man was bound to oppose and defeat by all means allowable +in open or secret warfare. + +"I suppose you go back to Boston to morrow?" said his host, as they were +about to separate for the night. + +"Yes, immediately after breakfast. This affair is a warning to me, to +push my plans to a consummation as soon as possible. I think I know what +their next move will be--a shrewd man once said, just think what is the +wisest 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 two +Mathers." + +"He would be perhaps; but there is a Lady Phips." + +"Ah!' the gray mare is the better horse,' is she, as it is over at +brother Thomas's?" + +"Yes, I think so. Now mark my prediction, friend Joseph; the first blow +will be struck at Lady Mary. If Sir William resists, as I feel certain +that he will--for he is, if not well educated, a thoroughly manly +man--then he will be ousted from his position. You will note that it has +been the game all through to strike at any one, man or woman, who came +between 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 horse +in Salem." + +"Yes, and to add to all that, you are a Putnam; and your wife is closely +connected with Squire Hathorne." + +"There may be something in that," said his friend. + +"Yes, even Mistress Ann has her limits, which her husband--submissive in +so many things--will not allow her to pass. But we are both a little +tired, 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 very +different kind was passing between Mistress Ann and her worthy husband. +He had gathered up all the particulars he could of the examination and +had brought them home to his wife for her instruction. + +After listening to all that he had to tell, with at least outward +calmness, she said bitterly: "The whole thing was a trick, you see, to +keep you and me away from Salem." + +"Do you think so? Do you think then, that no man really wanted to see me +at Ipswich?" + +"It is as plain as the nose on your face," replied his wife. "You were +to be decoyed off to Ipswich, my horse sent out of the way, and then +Joseph's madcap horse offered to me, they knowing well that the +worthless creature would not behave himself with any woman on his back." + +"Oh, pshaw, Ann; you do not mean that my simple-hearted brother, Joseph +Putnam, ever planned and carried out a subtle scheme of that kind?" said +honest Thomas, with an older brother's undervaluation of the +capabilities of a mere boy like Joseph. + +"I do not say that Joseph thought it all out, for very probably he did +not; doubtless that Master Raymond put him up to it--for he seems +cunning and unprincipled enough for anything, judging, by what you have +told me of his ridiculous doings." + +"You may call them ridiculous, Ann; but they impressed everybody very +much 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 of +spectral persecution. Why, when one of the young men thrust the point of +his rapier at the yellow bird, some of its feathers were cut off and +came fluttering to the ground. Squire Hathorne says he never saw +anything more wonderful." + +"Nonsense--it is all trickery!" + +"Trickery? Why, my dear wife, the Squire has the feathers!--and he means +to send them at once to Master Cotton Mather by a special messenger, to +confute all the scoffers and unbelievers in Boston and Plymouth!" + +A scornful reply was at the end of his wife's tongue but, on second +thought, she did not allow it to get any farther. Suppose that she did +convince her husband and Squire Hathorne that they had been grossly +deceived and imposed upon--and that Master Raymond's apparent +afflictions and spectral appearance were the result of skilful juggling, +what then? Would their enlightenment stop there? How about the pins that +the girls had concealed around their necks, and taken up with their +mouths? How about Mary Walcot secretly biting herself, and then +screaming out that good Rebecca Nurse had bitten her? How about the +little prints on the arms of the "afflicted girls," which they allowed +were made by the teeth of little Dorcas Good, that child not five years +old; and which Mistress Ann knew were made by the girls themselves? How +about the bites and streaks and bruises which she herself had shown as +the visible proof that the spectre of good Rebecca Nurse, then lying in +jail, was biting her and beating her with her chains? For Edward Putnam +had 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 very +much of it. + +Therefore she said, "I have no faith in Master Raymond nevertheless; no +more than Moses had in King Pharaoh's sorcerers, when they did the very +same miracles before the king that he had done. I believe him now to be +a cunning and a very bad young man, and I think if I had been on the +spot, instead of his being at this very moment as I have very little +doubt, over at brother's, where they are congratulating each other on +the success of their unprincipled plans, Master Raymond would now be +lying in Salem jail." + +"Probably you are correct, my dear," responded her husband meekly; "and +I 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, it +would not have been yours. Why, even our own daughter Ann, was laughing +and joking with him when I entered the court room." + +"Yes," said his wife disdainfully--"that is girl-nature, all over the +earth! Just put a handsome young man before them, who has seen the +world, and is full of his smiles and flatteries and cajolements, and +the wisest of women can do nothing with them. But the cold years bring +them 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 no +reply to this outburst. He had always loved his wife, and he thought, +when he married her, that she loved him--although he was an excellent +match, so far as property and family were concerned. Still she would +occasionally talk in this way; and he hoped and trusted that it did not +mean much. + +"I think myself," he said at length, "that it is quite as much the +pretty gifts he has made them, and has promised to send them from +England, as his handsome face and pleasant manners." + +"Oh, of course, it all goes together. They are a set of mere giggling +girls; and that is all you can make of them. And our daughter Ann is as +bad as any of the lot. I wish she did not take so much after your +family, Thomas." + +This roused her husband a little. "I am sure, Ann, that our family are +much stronger and healthier than your own are. And as to Ann's being +like the other girls, I wish she was. She is about the only delicate and +nervous one among them." + +"Well, Thomas, if you have got at last upon that matter of the +superiority of the Putnams to everybody else in the Province, I think I +shall go to bed," retorted his wife. "That is the only thing that you +are thoroughly unreasonable about. But I do not think you ever had a +single minister, or any learned scholar, in your family, or ever owned a +whole island, in the Merrimack river as my family, the Harmons, always +have done, since the country was first settled--and probably always +shall, for the next five hundred years." + +To this Thomas Putnam had no answer. He knew well that he had no +minister and no island in his family--and those two things, in his +wife's estimation, were things that no family of any reputation should +be without. He had not brought on the discussion, although his wife had +accused him of so doing, and had only asserted what he thought the truth +in stating that the Putnams were the stronger and sturdier race. + +"I do not wish to hurt your feelings, Thomas, in reminding you of these +things," continued his wife, finding he was not intending to reply; "I +will admit that your family is a very reputable and worthy one, even if +it is not especially gifted with intellect like the Harmons, else you +may be sure that I should not have married into it. But I have a +headache, and do not wish to continue this discussion any longer, as it +is unpleasant to me, and besides in very bad taste." + +And so, taking the hint, Master Putnam, like a dutiful husband, who +really loved his somewhat peevish and fretful wife, acknowledged by his +silence in the future that the Harmons were much superior to any family +that could not boast of possessing a minister and an island; the latter +for five hundred years! + + + + +CHAPTER XLVII. + +Master Raymond Visits Lady Mary. + + +When Master Raymond returned to Boston, he found that an important event +had taken place in his absence. Captain Alden and Master Philip English +and 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 was +not able to ascertain--probably however, by a liberal use of money. As +for Master English and his wife, they were, as I have already said, at +liberty in the day time, under heavy bonds; and had nothing to do but +walk off sometime between sunrise and sundown. As Master English's ship, +"The Porcupine," had been lying for a week or two in Boston harbor, and +left with a brisk northwest wind early in the morning of the day when +they were reported missing, it was not difficult for anyone to surmise +as to their mode of escape. As to Captain Alden, he might or might not +have gone with them. + +As was natural, there was a good deal of righteous indignation expressed +by all in authority. The jailer was reprimanded for his carelessness in +the case of Captain Alden, and warned that if another prisoner escaped, +he would forfeit his, of late, very profitable position. And the large +properties of both gentlemen were attached and held as being subject to +confiscation. + +But while the magistrates and officials usually were in earnest in these +proceedings, it was generally believed that the Governor, influenced by +Lady Mary, had secretly favored the escaping parties. The two ministers +of South Church--Masters Willard and Moody--were also known to have +frequently visited the Captain and Master English in their confinement, +and to have expressed themselves very freely in public, relative to the +absurdity of the charges which had been made against them. Master Moody +had even gone so far as to preach a sermon on the text, 'When they +persecute you in this city, flee ye into another,' which was supposed by +many to have a direct bearing on the case of the accused. And it is +certain that soon afterwards, the Reverend Master Moody found it +expedient to resign his position in South Church and go back to his old +home in Portsmouth. + +Anxious to learn the true inwardness of all this matter, Master Raymond +called a few days after his return to see Lady Mary. Upon sending in +his name, a maid immediately appeared, and he was taken as before to the +boudoir 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 friend +of mine in Salem." + +"Tell me all about it," said the lady. "I have had the magisterial +account already, and now wish to have yours." + +"Will your ladyship pardon me if I ask a question first? I am so anxious +to hear about Mistress Dulcibel. Have you seen her lately--and is she +well?" + +"As well and as blooming as ever. The keeper and his wife treat her very +kindly--and I think would continue to do so--even if the supply of +British gold pieces were to fail. By the way, she might be on the high +seas 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 leave +you 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 to +say so," responded the lady, a little offended at what seemed a want of +appreciation 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 her +that I was in no serious danger--for, even if imprisoned, I do not think +there is a jail in the Province that could hold me." + +"Well, there was a difficulty with the Keeper also--for she had given +her 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 tempt +him." + +"The difficulty in her case then remains the same as ever," said the +young man thoughtfully, and a little gloomily. "She might go into the +prison. But that would be to give warning that she had planned to +escape. Besides, it is such a vile place, that I hate the idea of her +passing 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--he +looked as if he would throw himself at her feet. + +"I should be too glad to do it. But Sir William just now is more rigid +than ever. He had a call yesterday from his pastor, Master Cotton +Mather, and a long talk from him about the witches. Master Mather, it +seems, has had further evidence and of the most convincing character, of +the reality of these spectral appearances." + +"Indeed!" said Master Raymond showing great interest for he had an idea +of what was coming. + +"Yes, in a recent examination at Salem before Squire Hathorne, a young +man struck with his sword at a spectral yellow bird which was tormenting +an afflicted person; and several small yellow feathers were cut off by +the thrust, and floated down to the floor. Squire Hathorne writes to +Master 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 in +Christendom, 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 Lady +Mary. "But it had a great effect upon Sir William, coming from a man of +such wonderful learning and wisdom as Master Cotton Mather. Especially +as he said that he had seen the yellow feathers himself; which had since +been sent to him by Squire Hathorne, and which had a singular smell of +sulphur about them." + +The young man broke into a heartier laugh than before. Then he said +scornfully, "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 were +in Salem?" + +"I know everything about it," said Master Raymond, "I am the very man +that worked the miracle." And he proceeded to give Lady Mary a detailed +account of the whole affair, substantially as it is known to the reader. + +"By the way, as to the feathers smelling of sulphur," concluded the +young man, "I think that it is very probable, inasmuch as I observed the +jailer's wife that very morning giving the younger chickens powdered +brimstone to cure them of the pip." + +"I think you are a marvelously clever young man," was the lady's first +remark as he concluded his account. + +"Thank your ladyship!" replied Master Raymond smiling. "I hope I shall +always act so as to deserve such a good opinion." + +"I would have given my gold cup--which the Duke of Albemarle gave me--to +have been there; especially when the yellow bird's feathers came +floating down to Squire Hathorne's reverential amazement," said Lady +Mary, laughing heartily. "You must come up here tomorrow morning at +noon. Master Mather is to bring his feathers to show the Governor, and +to 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 that +I shall not suffer for my disclosures. I am free now, and I do not wish +to be arrested again." + +"Oh, I will see to that. The Governor will be so curious to hear your +story, 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; these +Puritan ministers presume on their vocation too much. They all think +they are perfectly capable of governing not only Provinces, but +Kingdoms; while the whole history of the world proves their utter +incapacity to govern even a village wisely." + +"That is true as the gospel, Lady Mary. But one thing I have always +noticed. That while every minister thinks this, he would himself far +rather be governed even by one of the world's people, than by a minister +of any other belief than his own. So you see they really do think the +same as we do about it; only they do not always know it." + +"You are a bright young man," Lady Mary replied pleasantly, "and I think +almost good enough to wear such a sweet rose next your heart as Mistress +Dulcibel." + + + + +CHAPTER XLVIII. + +Captain Tolley's Propositions. + + +That evening as Master Raymond was standing in the bar-room of the Red +Lion, Captain Tolley came in, and after tossing off a stout glass of rum +and water, went out again, giving the young Englishman a nod and the +agreed-upon-signal, a smoothing of his black beard with the left hand. +After the lapse of a few minutes, Master Raymond followed, going towards +the wharves, which in the evening were almost deserted. Arrived at the +end 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 the +Captain. "I was afraid I should have to go all the way to Salem for +you." + +"You would not have deserted me then, Captain?" + +"That is not the kind of a marlinespike I am," replied the Captain +quaintly. "I'd have got you out of Salem jail, unless it is a good deal +stronger 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 Mistress +English?" + +"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 not +leave me in prison." + +"She would not?" + +"No." + +"D---- me! Why that girl is fit to be a sailor's wife! When we get her +off 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 a +bad cold," replied Master Raymond. + +"Oh, of course I mean in wood, painted white with red cheeks," said +Captain Tolley. "It brings good luck to have a fine woman for a +figure-head--pleases old Nep, you know." + +"But we must get her off first," rejoined Master Raymond. "Now to keep +out of that hateful jail, she has given her word to Keeper Arnold not to +escape. You know she cannot break her word." + +"Of course not," replied the Captain; "a lady is like a sailor, she +cannot 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 down +upon him for Captain Alden's escape. They might give him a terrible +whipping if another prisoner got off." + +The Captain shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, I saw them whip some Quakers +once. It was not a good honest lash, but something the hangman had got +up on purpose, and which cut to the very bone. I have seen men and women +killed, 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," and +the Captain tapped his forehead lightly with his fore-finger. + +"Yes--I should not like to hear that Master Arnold had been tortured +like that on our account." + +"Suppose we carry her off some night by force, she having no hand in the +arrangements? She can even refuse to go, you know, if she pleases--we +will handle her as gently as a little bird, and you can come up and +rescue her, if you choose, and knock down two or three of us. How would +that 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 the +castle's guns before the sleepy land-lubbers had their eyes open." + +Master Raymond shook his head dubiously. "I do not like it--and yet I +suppose it must do, if nothing better can be found. Of course if we +carry her off bodily, against her will, it would neither be a breaking +of her pledge nor expose Keeper Arnold to any danger of after +punishment, though he might perhaps get pretty seriously hurt in +resisting us, and she would not like that much." + +"I suppose then we must wait a while longer," said the Captain. "I am +ready any time you say the word--only be careful that a good west or a +nor'west wind is blowing. When once out on the high seas, we can take +care of ourselves." + +"Many French privateers out there?" + +"Thick as blackberries. But they are of no account. Those we cannot +fight, 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 the +vessel of which he was so proud; Master Raymond for his room in the Red +Lion. + + + + +CHAPTER XLIX. + +Master Raymond Confounds Master Cotton Mather. + + +The next day, a little before noon, Master Raymond knocked at the door +of the Governor's Mansion, and was at once conducted to Lady Mary's +boudoir. "The Reverend Master Mather is already with the Governor," said +her ladyship, "and I expect to receive a summons to join them every +moment." And in fact the words were hardly out of her mouth, when Sir +William's private secretary, Master Josslyn, appeared, with a request +for her ladyship's presence. + +"Come with me," said she to Master Raymond; "but do not say +anything--much less smile or laugh--until I call upon you for your +testimony." + +As they entered, the courteous Governor handed his lady to a seat on the +sofa; and Master Mather made a dignified obeisance. + +"I have brought along a young friend of mine, who was with me, and would +also like to hear of all these wonderful things," said her ladyship; and +Master Raymond bowed very deferentially to both the high dignities, they +returning the bow, while Sir William politely requested him to be +seated. + +"I was just on the point of showing to Sir William the most remarkable +curiosities of even this very remarkable era--and he suggested that you +also doubtless would like to see them," said the minister; at this time +a man of about thirty years of age. He was a rather comely and +intelligent looking man, and Master Raymond wondered that one who +appeared so intellectual, should be the victim of such absurd +hallucinations. + +Lady Mary bent her head approvingly, in answer to the minister. "I +should like very much to see them," she replied courteously; and Master +Mather continued:-- + +"In the work I have been preparing on the "Wonders of the Invisible +World," several of the sheets of which I have already shown to Sir +William, I have collected many curious and wonderful instances. Thus in +the case of the eldest daughter of Master John Goodwin, whom I took to +my own house, in order that I might more thoroughly investigate the +spiritual and physical phenomena of witchcraft, I found that while the +devils that tormented her were familiar with Latin, Greek and Hebrew, +they seemed to have very little knowledge of the various Indian +dialects." + +"That certainly is very curious," replied Sir William, "inasmuch as +those heathen are undeniably the children of the devil, as all our +wisest and most godly ministers agree." + +"Yes," continued the minister, "it is true; and that makes me +conjecture, that these devils were in fact only playing a part; to +deceive me into thinking that the red heathen around us were not really +the 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 of +God's people in the new world," continued Master Mather, fervently, "I +have now no doubt whatever. Proof has been multiplied upon proof, and +the man, or woman, who does not by this time believe, is simply one of +those deplorable doubters, like Thomas, who never can be convinced. For +my part, I consider Witchcraft the most nefandous high treason against +the Majesty on High! And a principal design of my book is to manifest +its hideous enormity, and to promote a pious thankfulness to God that +Justice so far is being inflexibly executed among us." + +Lady Mary's face flushed a little, for she saw the drift of the +minister's censure. It was well known in all the inner circles, that she +had neither faith in the reality of witchcraft, nor the least sympathy +with the numerous prosecutions, and the inflexible justice which the +minister lauded. The Governor knew his wife's temper, and hastened to +say:-- + +"Still we must admit, Master Mather, that some persons, with tender +conscience, require more convincing proofs than do others. And therefore +I was anxious that Lady Mary should see these feathers you spoke of, cut +from the wings of one of those yellow birds which appear to be used so +frequently as familiars by the Salem witches." + +"Oh, yes, I had forgotten them for the moment." And putting his hand +into his breast pocket, Master Mather produced a small box, which he +opened carefully and called their attention to a couple of small yellow +feathers placed on a piece of black cloth within. "I would not take a +hundred pounds for these spectral feathers," said the minister +exultingly. "They are the only positive proof of the kind, now existing +in the whole world. With these little feathers I shall dash out the +brains of a host of unbelievers--especially of that silly Calef, or +Caitiff, who is all the time going around among the merchants, wagging +his vile tongue against me." + +Sir William and Lady Mary had been looking upon the feathers very +curiously. At last Lady Mary gave a low, incredulous laugh. Her husband +looked at her inquiringly. + +"They are nothing but common chicken feathers which could be picked up +in any barn yard," she said scornfully. + +"Your ladyship is very much mistaken, you never saw chicken feathers +like those," said the minister, his face now also flushing. + +"Who was the yellow bird afflicting, when these feathers were cut?" the +lady asked. + +"A young man was on his examination for witchcraft, Squire Hathorne +writes me; but he was found to be himself a victim, and was +released--which proves, by the way, how careful the worshipful +magistrates are in Salem, lest any who are innocent should be implicated +with the guilty. The young man began to cry out that an 'evil hand' was +on 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 the +spectral bird--when these feathers were cut off; becoming visible of +course as soon as they were detached from the bird and its evil +influence. It is one of the most wonderful things that I ever heard of," +and Master Mather gazed on the feathers with admiring and almost +reverential eyes. + +"Sir William," said his lady, "you have, I hope, a little common sense +left, if these Massachusetts ministers and magistrates have all gone +crazy on this subject. You know what a chicken is, if they do not. Are +not 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 you +know, the yellow bird the witches use, may have feathers like unto a +chicken's." + +"Nonsense!" replied Lady Mary. "None are so blind as those that will not +see. 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 by +him 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," said +Master Mather. "None are so certain as those that have never informed +themselves. I have made inquiry into these marvelous things; I even +took that afflicted girl, as I have told you, into my own house, in +order to inform myself of the truth. When you have investigated the +matter to one-tenth the extent that I have, you will be prepared to give +a reasonable opinion as to its truth or falsehood. Until then, some +modesty of statement would become a lady who sets up her crude opinion +against all the ministers and the magistracy of the land." + +This was a tone which the leading ministers of that day among the +Puritans, did not hesitate to take, even where high dignitaries were +concerned and Master Mather had the highest ideas of the privilege of +his order. + +"Then I suppose, Master Mather, that if the afflicted young man himself +should testify that these feathers were simply chicken feathers, that he +had artfully thrown up into the air, you would not acknowledge that he +had deceived you?" + +"If such an impossible thing could happen, though I know that it could +not, of course I should be compelled to admit that Squire Hathorne and a +hundred 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 Mary +emphatically. Then, turning to the young Englishman, who had remained +entirely silent so far, paying evident attention to all that was spoken, +but giving no sign of approval or disapproval, she said, "Master +Raymond, 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 be +to my own hurt. Having had my head once in the lion's mouth, I am not +anxious 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 am +Governor of the Province." + +"What do you wish to know, Lady Mary?" + +"You, I believe, were the afflicted young man, to whom Master Mather has +referred?" + +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 according +to their folly." + +"How about those feathers?" + +"They are feathers I got from the wings of one of the Salem jailor's +chickens." + +Sir William laughed, + +"How about the smell of sulphur which Squire Hathorne and Master Mather +have detected in the feathers?" + +"I think it very probable; as I observed Goodwife Foster that morning +giving her chickens powdered brimstone for the pip." + +Here the Governor laughed loudly and long until Master Mather said +indignantly, "I am sorry, Sir William, that you can treat so lightly +this infamous confession of falsehood and villainy. This impudent young +man deserves to be set for three days in the pillory, and then whipped +at 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 been +made only on the promise of perfect immunity, I cannot, as a man of my +word, suffer the least harm to come to the young person for making it." + +"Oh, of course not," said the minister, taking up his hat, and +preparing to leave the room; "but it is scandalous! scandalous! All +respect for the Magistracy and authority seems to be fading out of the +popular mind. I consider you a dangerous man, a very dangerous young +man!" 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 innocent +men and women, talk to me about being dangerous!" + +"Peace!" said Sir William with dignity. "My audience chamber is no place +to quarrel in. + +"I beg your Excellency's pardon!" said Master Raymond, humbly. + +"One moment, before you go," said Lady Mary, stepping in front of the +minister. "I suppose you will be as good as your word, Master Mather and +admit that with all your wisdom you were entirely mistaken?" + +"I acknowledge that Squire Hathorne and myself have been grossly +deceived by an unprincipled adventurer--but that proves nothing. +Because Jannes and Jambres imitated with their sorceries the miracles +of Moses, did it prove that Moses was an impostor? There was one Judas +among the twelve apostles, but does that invalidate the credibility of +the eleven others, who were not liars and cheats? It is the great and +overwhelming burden of the testimony which decides in this as in all +other disputed matters--not mere isolated cases. Good afternoon, madam. +I will see you soon again, Sir William, when we can have a quiet talk to +ourselves." + +"Stay!" cried Lady Mary, as the offended minister was stalking out of +the room. "You have forgotten something," and she pointed to the little +box, containing the chicken's feathers which had been left lying upon +the table. + +The minister gave a gesture expressive of mingled contempt and +indignation--but did not come back for it. It was evident that he valued +the feathers now at considerably less than one hundred pounds. + +"Young man," said the Governor, smiling, "you are a very bright and +keen-witted person, but I would advise you not to linger in this +province any longer than is absolutely necessary. Master Mather is much +stronger 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, and +told her in confidence that it was in contemplation, as she had learned +from Ann Putnam, to bring Dulcibel Burton back to Salem jail again. The +escape of Captain Alden and the Englishes from the Bridewell in Boston, +had caused a doubt in Salem as to its security. Besides, Lady Phips had +taken ground so openly against the witch prosecutions, that there was no +knowing to how great an extent she might not go to aid any prisoner in +whom she took an interest. + +Abigail Williams further said that Mistress Ann Putnam had become very +bitter both against her brother-in-law Joseph and his friend Master +Raymond. She was busy combatting the idea that the latter really ever +had been afflicted--and was endeavoring to rouse Squire Hathorne's +indignation against him as being a deceiver. + +As the young man read this last, he wondered what effect would be +produced upon the credulous magistrate, when he received word from +Master Mather as to what had occurred in the Governor's presence. Would +he be so angry as to take very arbitrary measures; or so ashamed as to +let it all pass, rather than expose the extent to which he had been +duped? He feared the former--knowing in which way Mistress Ann Putnam's +great influence with him would be directed. + +Master Joseph advised immediate action--if peaceable means would not +serve, then the use of violent ones. If Captain Tolley could not find +among 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 violence +to keep her promise unbroken. + +Master Raymond wrote a note in return. He was much obliged for the +information. It was evident that the time had come for action; and that +it was dangerous to delay much longer. Of course peaceable means were to +be preferred; and it was possible he might be able either to bribe the +keeper, or to get a release from the Governor; but, if force had to be +resorted to, Captain Tolley could command his whole crew for such a +service, as they were the kind of men who would like nothing better. In +fact, they would not hesitate to open fire upon the town, if he ordered +it--and even run up the flag of a French privateer. + +After dispatching this business, Master Raymond went out on the porch of +the Red Lion, and began an examination of the clouds and the +weather-cocks. It had been raining slightly for a day or two, with the +wind from the southeast; but though the vanes still pointed to the +southeast, and the light lower clouds were moving from the same point +of the compass, he caught glimpses through the scud of higher clouds +that were moving in an entirely opposite direction. + +"How do you make it out?" said a well-known voice. He had heard some one +approaching, but had supposed it to be a stranger. + +"I am not much of a sailor; but I should say it would clear up, with a +brisk wind from the west or the northwest by afternoon." + +"Aye!" said Captain Tolley, for it was he; "and a stiff nor'wester by +night. If it isn't I'll give my head for a foot-ball. Were I bound out +of the harbor, I would not whistle for a better wind than we shall have +before six hours are over." + +Master Raymond glanced around; no one was near them. "Are you certain of +that, 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 fair +means, or by foul. I may succeed by fair means; have a boat waiting at +the 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 pistol +at 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, I +will bet you a gold piece, Captain, that the wind gets around to the +west by four o'clock." This last was in Master Raymond's usual +tones--the previous conversation having been in whispers. + +"You will be safe enough in that, Master Raymond," said the landlord of +the 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 is +only a landsman you know, Mate; but I will bet you a piece of eight that +the wind will not get around till a half hour after that time. And we +will 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 all +around in advance." + + + + +CHAPTER LI. + +Lady Mary's Coup D'Etat. + + +Master Raymond's next proceeding was to call on Lady Phips. Sending in +his 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 words +relative to the evident change of weather; "I have news from Salem that +the 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 be +concocting against me. I must take Sir William's advice, and get out of +this 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. But +you know how impossible it is to carry on the government of this +Province without the support of the ministers and the magistrates. Sir +William is naturally anxious to succeed; for, if he fails here, it will +block his road to further preferment." + +"And he will allow the shedding of innocent blood to go on, in order to +promote his own selfish ambition?" said the young man indignantly. + +"You are unjust to the Governor. He will do all he can to moderate this +fanaticism; and, if it comes to the worst, he will order a general +jail-delivery, and meet the consequences. But he hopes much from time, +and from such developments as those of your chicken feathers"--and the +lady smiled at the thought of the minister's discomfiture. + +"Some things can wait, but I cannot wait," insisted Master Raymond. "You +must acknowledge that." + +"Sir William starts this afternoon on a visit to Plymouth, to remain for +a 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 of +virtue and innocence," said the young man, rising to depart. + +"No flattery, Master Raymond; I will do all I can without that;" but +Lady Mary being still a very comely woman, as she certainly was a very +spirited one, was not much displeased at the compliment, coming from +such a handsome young man as Master Raymond. Eulogy that the hearer +hopes embodies but the simple truth, is always pleasant alike to men and +women. It is falsehood, and not truth, that constitutes the essence of +Flattery. + +The day dragged on very drearily and slowly to Master Raymond. The +waiting for the hour of action is so irksome, that even the approach of +danger is a relief. But patience will at last weary out the slowest +hours; and punctually at six o'clock, the young man stood again at the +door of the Governor's mansion. + +Lady Mary evidently was expecting him--for he was shown in at once. She +looked 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. The +persecuting party were very indignant at the escape of Captain Alden +and the Englishes; and now for him to grant a pardon to another of the +accused, would be to irritate them to madness." + +Master Raymond acknowledged to himself the soundness of the Governor's +policy; but he only said: "Then it seems that Dulcibel must go back to +Salem prison; and I run a good chance of going to prison also, as a +self-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 our +fingers at the magistrates of Boston." + +"I have been thinking of a plan. It may work--or may not. But it is +worth trying." + +The young man's face lightened. + +"You know that England is ruled by William and Mary, why should not the +Province of Massachusetts also be?" + +"I do not understand you." + +"Upon leaving Sir William, I was somewhat indignant that he would not +grant my request. And to pacify me, he said he was sorry that I had not +the same share in the government here, that Queen Mary had at home--and +then I could do more as I pleased." + +Still Master Raymond's face showed that he was puzzled to catch her +meaning. + +She laughed and rose from her chair; the old, resolute expression upon +her spirited face, and, opening the door into the next room, which was +the 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 signed +by the Governor, ordering Keeper Arnold to release at once Mistress +Dulcibel 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 could +not conceive how Lady Mary intended to manage it. As for the lady, she +tapped the table with her shapely fingers impatiently. + +In a few minutes Master Josslyn reappeared with the paper. "All it now +wants is the signature of the Governor," said he. + +The lady took up a pen from the table by which she was sitting, and +filled it with ink; then with a firm hand she signed the paper, "William +Phips, Governor, by Lady Mary Phips." + +"But, your ladyship, the keeper will not acknowledge the validity of +that signature, or obey it," said Master Josslyn in some alarm. + +"He will not? We shall see!" responded her ladyship rising. "Order my +carriage, Master Josslyn." + +In fifteen minutes, Lady Mary, accompanied by Master Raymond, was at +Keeper Arnold's house. + +"I bring you good news, Master Arnold," said Lady Mary, "I know you will +rejoice, such a tender-hearted man as you are at the release of Mistress +Dulcibel Burton. Here is the official document." She flourished it at +him, but still kept it in her hand. + +Dulcibel was soon informed of the good news; and came flying out to meet +her benefactor and her lover. + +"Put on a shawl and your veil at once; and make a bundle of your +belongings," said Lady Mary, kissing her. "Master Raymond is in a great +hurry 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 the +better. + +"Well, what is it, Master Arnold?" said Lady Mary to the keeper, who +acted as if he wished to say something. + +"It is only a form, my lady; but you have not shown me the Governor's +warrant 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 sufficiently +to glance over its contents. When he came to the signature, his face +paled. "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 has +gone to Plymouth? But you will perceive that it is in Master Josslyn's +writing--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 is +my name, as proof of the Governor's. Do you mean to impeach my +attestation of Sir William's signature? There is my name, Lady Mary +Phips: and I will take the responsibility of this paper being a legal +one. If anybody finds fault with you, send him to me; and I will say you +did it, in the Governor's absence from town, at my peremptory order." +The lady's face glowed, and her eyes flashed, with her excitement and +determination. + +"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 keeper +pleadingly. + +"Authority? The Governor's name is authority! I am authority! Who dare +you set up beside us? You forget your proper respect and duty, Master +Arnold." + +The keeper was overborne at last. "You will uphold me, if I do this +thing, Lady Mary?" said he imploringly. + +"You know me, Master Arnold--and that I never desert my friends! I +shall accept the full responsibility of this deed before Sir William and +the magistrates. And they cannot order any punishment which he cannot +pardon." + +By this time it had grown quite dark. "Shall I take you anywhere in my +carriage?" said Lady Mary, as Dulcibel reappeared with a bundle. + +"It is not necessary," replied Master Raymond joyfully, "I will not +compromise you any further. God forever bless your ladyship! There is +not another woman in New England with the spirit and courage to do what +you have done this day--and the reader of our history a hundred years to +come, as he reads this page, shall cry fervently, God bless the fearless +and generous soul of Lady Mary!" + +"Let me know when you are safe," she whispered to the young man, as he +stood by her carriage. "Master and Mistress English are now the guests +of Governor Fletcher of New York--changing a Boston prison for a +Governor's mansion. You will be perfectly secure in that Province--or in +Pennsylvania, or Maryland or Virginia." And the carriage drove off. + +It was in that early hour of the evening, when the streets in town and +city, are more deserted than they are for some hours afterwards; +everyone being indoors, and not come out for visiting or amusement. And +so the young man and his companion walked towards the north-eastern part +of the town, meeting only one or two persons, who took no special notice +of them. + +"You do not ask where we are going, Dulcibel?" at last said Master +Raymond. + +She could not see the sweet smile on his face; but she could feel it in +his 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, as +Lady 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. "She +has 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--then +on 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 "Storm +King" 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 to +die 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 with +at home." + +"Oh, we can do that too," answered the Captain gaily. "I hope we shall +have a jolly time of it, before we reach our destination. Now, come down +into the cabin and see the preparations I have made for you; a sailor's +daughter must have the best of sailor's cheer." + +"One word, Captain," said Master Raymond, as the Captain came up on deck +again, leaving Dulcibel to the privacy of her state-room. "It does not +seem fitting that a young unmarried woman should be alone on a vessel +like this, with no matron to bear her company." + +"Sir!" said the Captain, "I would have you know that the maiden is as +safe from aught that could offend her modesty on the decks of the "Storm +King," as if she were in her father's house." + +"Of course she is. I know that well--and mean not the least offense. And +she, innocent as she is, has no other thought. But this is a slanderous +world, Captain, and we men who know the world, must think for her." + +"Oh, I admit that," said Captain Tolley, somewhat mollified, "we cannot +expect of mere land's people, who put an innocent girl like that into +prison for no offense, the gentle behavior towards women that comes +naturally from a seaman; but what do you propose?" + +"To send for one of the Boston ministers, and marry her before we leave +port." + +"Why, of course," replied the Captain. "It is the very thing. Whom shall +we send for? The North Church is nearest--how would Master Cotton Mather +do?" + +The young man stood thoughtfully silent for a moment or two. The +ministers of South Church and of King's chapel were more heterodox in +all this witchcraft business; but for that very reason he did not wish +to compromise them in any way. Besides, he owed a grudge to Master +Mather, for his general course in sustaining the persecution, and his +recent language in particular towards himself. So his lips gradually +settled into a stern determination, and he replied "Master Mather is the +very man." + +"It may require a little ingenuity to get him aboard at this time of the +evening," said the Captain. "But I reckon my first mate, Simmons, can do +it, if any one can." + +"Here, Simmons," to the first mate, who was standing near, "you look +like a pillar of the church, go ashore and bring off Master Cotton +Mather with you. A wealthy young Englishman is dying--and he cannot pass +away from Boston in peace without his ministerial services." + +"Dying?" ejaculated Master Raymond. + +"Yes, dying! dying to get married--and you cannot pass out of Boston +harbor 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 his +faith, even if he is bigoted and superstitious--and death cannot be put +off 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 mate +coolly. + +"Not if it will make a disturbance," said his commander. "We do not want +to run the gauntlet of the castle's guns as we go out of the harbor. The +wind is hardly lively enough for that." + +"I will go down and tell Dulcibel," said Master Raymond. "It is rather +sudden, but she is a maiden of great good sense, and will see clearly +the necessity of the case. And as she is an orphan, she has no father or +mother whose consent she might consider necessary. But Mate"--going to +the side of the vessel, which the boat was just leaving, "not a word as +to my name or that of the maiden. That would spoil all." + +"Aye, aye, sir! Trust me to bring him!" and the boat started for the +shore, 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 was +seated opposite the mate in the stern-sheets of the boat. + +"I thought that Simmons would bring him," said Captain Tolley to the +second mate; "such a smooth tongue as he has. It is a pity he wasn't a +minister himself--his genius is half wasted here." + +"Glad to see you on board the Storm King, Master Mather," was the +greeting of the Captain, as the minister was helped up to the deck by +the mates. + +"The Storm King! Why I was told that it was an English frigate, just +come 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 stepped +forward, "I am happy to see you, Master Mather. You remember me, do you +not?" + +"Master Raymond, I believe," returned the minister coldly. "Where is the +dying man who requires my spiritual ministrations?" + +"Dying!" laughed the Captain. "How strangely that fellow got things +mixed. 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 the +necessity of getting married this evening; and, thinking over the +worshipful ministers of Boston town, I singled you out as the one I +should prefer to officiate on the happy occasion." + +"I decline to have anything to do with it," said Master Mather +indignantly, turning on his heel, and going to the door of the cabin. +But here a muscular sailor, with a boarding pike, promptly forbade his +passage by putting the pike across the door way. + +"What do you mean by barring my way in this manner?" said the minister +in great wrath to the captain. "Have you no reverence for the law?" + +"Not a particle for Boston law," replied Captain Tolley. "The only law +recognized on board the Storm King is the command of its Captain. You +have been brought here to marry these two young friends of mine; and you +will not leave the vessel before you do it--if I have to take you with +us 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 Master +Raymond. + +"Wait then for an hour or two; and we shall be on the high seas--and out +of 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, taking +her by the hand. + +"She is an orphan; but I give her away," added the Captain. + +"Dulcibel Burton! the serpent witch!" exclaimed Master Mather. "What is +that convict doing here? Has she broken jail?" + +"Master Mather," said the Captain in an excited tone, "if you utter +another word of insult against this innocent and beautiful maiden, I +will have you flung overboard to the sharks! So take care of what you +say!" and the indignant seaman shook his finger in the minister's face +warningly. + +"Master Mather," added Raymond, more coolly, "Mistress Burton has not +broken jail. She was duly released from custody by Keeper Arnold on the +presentation of an official paper by Lady Mary Phips. Therefore your +conscience need not be uneasy on that score." + +"Why are you here then--why making this haste? It is evident that there +is something wrong about it." + +"Boston has not treated either of us so well that we are very desirous +of remaining," replied Master Raymond. "And as we are going together, it +is only decorous that we should get married. If you however refuse to +marry us, we shall be compelled to take you with us--for the mere +presence of such a respected minister will be sufficient to shield the +maiden's name from all reckless calumniators." + +The second mate came to the door of the cabin. "Captain, there is a fine +breeze blowing, it is a pity not to use it." + +"Make all ready, sir," replied the Captain. Then turning to the +minister, "There is no particular hurry, Master Mather. You can take the +night to think over it. To-morrow morning probably, if you come to your +senses, we may be able to send you ashore somewhere, between here and +the capes of the Delaware." + +"This is outrageous!" said Master Mather. "I will hold both of you +accountable 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 my +own men that you ever came on board the 'Storm King.' How do you know +that 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 that +this Captain Tolley might not be the renowned freebooter, of whose many +acts of daring and violence the wide seas rang? + +"I would counsel you for your own good to do at once what you will have +to do ultimately," said Master Raymond gravely. "I owe you no thanks for +anything; but"--and the young man laughed as he turned to Dulcibel--"I +never could trap even a fox without pitying the animal." + +Dulcibel went up to the minister, and put her hand upon his arm:--"Do I +look 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 of +your cruel deeds." + +"As you judged the cruel yellow bird that turned out to be only a +harmless little chicken," said Master Raymond sarcastically. "Enough of +this folly. Will you marry us now--or not? If you will, you shall be put +ashore unharmed. If you will not, you shall go along with us. Make up +your 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 the +Philistines were, for this time, too much for him. That reference to +Captain Kidd had frightened him badly. "Stand up--and I will marry you. +Unscrupulous as you both are, it is better that you should be married +by legal rites, than allowed to go your own way to destruction." + +And then--the important ceremony being duly gone through--he pronounced +Master Ellis Raymond and Mistress Dulcibel Burton man and wife. The +Captain being allowed by Master Raymond to take the first kiss, as +acting in the place of the bride's father. + +"No, not a penny!" said the minister, closing his hand against the +golden pieces that the groom held out to him. "All I ask is, that you +comply with your promise--and put me on shore again as soon as +possible." + +"Better take a drink of wine first," said the Captain, filling up a +glass 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 were +upon 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 came +on. 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 and +Dulcibel scarcely noted his going, for they were now seated on a small +sofa, the arm of the young husband around the shapely waist of his +newly-made wife, and the minister dismissed from their minds as +completely as the wine-glass out of which they had just drank. He had +answered their purpose and in the deep bliss of their new relation, they +thought no more about him. + +As Master Mather turned to descend to the boat again--not wasting any +formal words of leave-taking upon the Captain either--the latter grasped +him by the arm. + +"Wait one moment," said Captain Tolley. "You will speak of what has +occurred here this evening Master Mather, or not, at your pleasure. But +be careful of what you say--for there is no power on this coast, strong +enough to protect you against my vengeance!" And with a scowl upon his +face, that would not have done injustice to the dreaded Captain Kidd +himself, 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 wild +deeds--especially on the high seas. Prudence in some positions is far +better 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 the +castle, and put him ashore there; but it is safer as it is. We have a +regular clearance, and he cannot do anything legally under an hour or +two at least--while in half-an-hour we shall be outside. With a stiff +breeze 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 "Storm +King" from leaving the harbor, I am unable to say; but as I find no +reference 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 to +what had occurred, and resolved never to go on board another vessel +after nightfall. + +Certainly no cannon ball cut the waves as the "Storm King" sailed +swiftly past the castle, and no signal was displayed signifying that she +must come at once to anchor. + +And the little trip to New York was as pleasant in all respects as a +young couple on a bridal tour could desire--even if the mere relief from +the anxieties and threatened dangers of the previous long months had not +been of itself a cause of happiness. + +Arrived at New York, Master Philip English and his wife received them +with open arms. Master Raymond had brought letters from England to +Governor Fletcher and others, and soon made warm friends among the very +best people. There was no sympathy whatever in New York at that time +with the witchcraft persecutions in Massachusetts; and all fugitives +were received, as in the case of the Englishes, with great sympathy and +kindness. + +Much to my regret, at this point, the old manuscript book to which I +have been so largely indebted, suddenly closes its record of the +fortunes of Master and Mistress Raymond. Whether they went to England, +and took up their residence there among Master Raymond's friends, or +found a home in this new world, I am therefore not able with absolute +certainty to say. From what I have been able, however, to gather from +other quarters, I have come to the conclusion that they were so much +pleased with their reception in New York, that Master Raymond purchased +an estate on the east side of the Hudson River, where he and the +charming Dulcibel lived and loved to a good old age, leaving three sons +and three daughters. If this couple really were our hero and heroine, +then the Raymonds became connected, through the three daughters, with +the Smiths, the Joneses and the Browns. In one way, perhaps, the +question might be set at rest, were it not too delicate a one for +successful handling. There is little doubt that among the descendants of +Mistress 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 secret +traditions of any of the families I have mentioned, there be one +relative to this curious birth-mark, doubtless that would be sufficient +proof that in their veins runs the rich blood of the charming Dulcibel +Raymond. + + + + +CHAPTER LIV. + +Some Concluding Remarks. + + +Perhaps before I conclude I should state that the keeper of the Boston +Bridewell, Master Arnold, was summarily dismissed for accepting the +validity of the Governor's signature. But he did not take it very +grievously to heart for Master Raymond, Captain Alden and others whom he +had obliged saw him largely recompensed. Captain Alden, by the way, had +fled for concealment to his relatives in Duxbury. Being asked when he +appeared there, "Where he came from?" the old captain said "he was +fleeing from the devil--who was still after him." However his relatives +managed to keep him safely, until all danger was passed, both from the +devil and from his imps. + +As for Lady Mary, the indignation of "the faithful" was hot against +her--and finally against Sir William, who could not be made to see in it +anything but a very good joke. "You know that Lady Mary will have her +own 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 like +Lady Mary, and would try it on her! I think we should hear something +breaking." + +But when Mistress Ann Putnam and others began "to cry out" against Lady +Mary as a witch, the Governor waxed angry in his turn. + +"It is time to put a stop to all this," he said indignantly. "They will +denounce me as a witch next." So he issued a general pardon and jail +delivery--alike to the ten persons who were then under sentence of +death, to those who had escaped from prison, and to the one hundred and +fifty lying in different jails, and the two hundred others who had been +denounced for prosecution. + +It was a fair blow, delivered at the very front and forehead of the +cruel persecution and it did its good work, though it lost Sir William +his position--sending him back to England to answer the charges of his +enemies, and to die there soon afterwards in his forty-fifth year. + +When Chief-Justice Stoughton, engaged in fresh trials against the +reputed witches, read the Governor's proclamation of Pardon, he was so +indignant that he left his seat on the bench, and could not be prevailed +upon to return to it. + +Neither could he, to the day of his death, be brought to see that he had +done anything else than what was right in the whole matter. + +Not so the jury--which, several years after, confessed its great +mistake, and publicly asked forgiveness. Nor Judge Sewall, who rose +openly in church, and confessed his fault, and afterward kept one of the +days of execution, with every returning year, sacred to repentance and +prayer--seeing no person from sunrise to nightfall, mourning in the +privacy of his own room the sin he had committed. + +Mistress Ann Putnam and her husband both died within the seven years, as +Dulcibel in her moment of spiritual exaltation had predicted. Her +daughter Ann lived to make a public confession, asking pardon of those +whom she had (she said unintentionally) injured, and died at the age of +thirty-five--her grave being one that nobody wanted their loved ones to +lie next to. + +As for the majority of the "afflicted circle," they fell as the years +went 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 to +recover his property from the officials of the Province. Of £1500 +seized, he never recovered more than £300; while his wife died in two +years, at the age of forty-two, in consequence of the treatment to which +she had been subjected. + +Master Joseph Putnam and his fair Elizabeth lived on in peace at the old +place; taking into his service the Quaker Antipas upon his release from +prison. The latter was always quiet and peaceful, save when any allusion +was made to the witches. But he had easy service and good treatment; and +was a great favorite with the children, especially with that image of +his father, who afterwards became distinguished as the Major General +Putnam 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 gifts +also; but such a collection of odd and grotesque articles, certainly are +not often got together. Master Raymond had commissioned an eccentric +friend of his in London to purchase them, and send them on; acquainting +him with the peculiar circumstances. There were yellow birds, and red +dragons, and other fantastic animals, birds and beasts. But they came +from London and the "circle" found them just suited to their peculiar +tastes; and they always maintained, even in defiance of Mistress Ann, +that Master Raymond was a lovely gentleman and an "afflicted" person +himself. It will thus be seen that these Salem maidens were in their day +truly esthetic--having that sympathetic fondness for unlovely and +repulsive things, which is the unerring indication of a daughter of +Lilith. + + * * * * * + +And now, in conclusion, some one may ask, "Did the Province of +Massachusetts ever make any suitable atonement for the great wrongs her +Courts of Injustice had committed?" I answer Never! Massachusetts has +never made any, adequate atonement--no, not to this day! + +The General Assembly, eighteen years afterwards, did indeed pass an act +reversing the convictions and attainders in all but six of the cases; +and ordering the distribution of the paltry sum of £578 among the heirs +of twenty-four persons, as a kind of compensation to the families of +those 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 from +the rocky platform of Witch Hill, shall swell into sufficient volume to +be heard across the chasm of two centuries. Then, on some high pedestal, +where the world can see it, Massachusetts shall proclaim in enduring +marble her penitence and ask a late forgiveness of the twenty innocent +men and women whom she so terribly wronged. And as all around, and even +the mariner far out at sea, shall behold the gleaming shaft, standing +where stood the rude gallows of two centuries ago, they shall say with +softening eyes and glowing cheeks: "It is never too late to right a +great wrong; and Massachusetts now makes all the expiation that is +possible to those whom her deluded forefathers dishonored and persecuted +and 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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Price, + $1.50. + + +=A SUMMER HYMNAL= + +A Romance of Tennessee + + This novel, by Mr. Moore, with its tender sentiment, shrewd + philosophy, poetic feeling and exquisite humor gave the author his + reputation as a portrayer of southern life and character. 12mo. 332 + pages. Illustrated. Cloth extra. Price, $1.25. + + +=Songs and Stories from Tennessee= + + This volume contains Mr. Moore's famous story "Old Mistis," and many + others of equal merit, with some of the poems which in fugitive form + have found so many admirers. 12mo. 358 pages. Illustrated. Cloth + extra. Price, $1.25. + + +THE JOHN C. 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