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was charged that she had cured bad headaches by kneading the person's
head and neck with her fingersas she saidbut really by the Devil's
help； as everybody knew。 They were going to examine her； but she stopped
them； and confessed straight off that her power was from the Devil。 So
they appointed to burn her next morning； early； in our market…square。
The officer who was to prepare the fire was there first； and prepared it。
She was there nextbrought by the constables； who left her and went to
fetch another witch。 Her family did not come with her。 They might be
reviled； maybe stoned； if the people were excited。 I came； and gave her
an apple。 She was squatting at the fire； warming herself and waiting；
and her old lips and hands were blue with the cold。 A stranger came
next。 He was a traveler； passing through； and he spoke to her gently；
and； seeing nobody but me there to hear； said he was sorry for her。 And
he asked if what she confessed was true； and she said no。 He looked
surprised and still more sorry then； and asked her：
〃Then why did you confess？〃
〃I am old and very poor；〃 she said； 〃and I work for my living。 There was
no way but to confess。 If I hadn't they might have set me free。 That
would ruin me； for no one would forget that I had been suspected of being
a witch； and so I would get no more work； and wherever I went they would
set the dogs on me。 In a little while I would starve。 The fire is best；
it is soon over。 You have been good to me； you two； and I thank you。〃
She snuggled closer to the fire； and put out her hands to warm them； the
snow…flakes descending soft and still on her old gray head and making it
white and whiter。 The crowd was gathering now； and an egg came flying
and struck her in the eye； and broke and ran down her face。 There was a
laugh at that。
I told Satan all about the eleven girls and the old woman； once； but it
did not affect him。 He only said it was the human race； and what the
human race did was of no consequence。 And he said he had seen it made；
and it was not made of clay； it was made of mudpart of it was； anyway。
I knew what he meant by thatthe Moral Sense。 He saw the thought in my
head； and it tickled him and made him laugh。 Then he called a bullock
out of a pasture and petted it and talked with it； and said：
〃Therehe wouldn't drive children mad with hunger and fright and
loneliness； and then burn them for confessing to things invented for them
which had never happened。 And neither would he break the hearts of
innocent； poor old women and make them afraid to trust themselves among
their own race； and he would not insult them in their death…agony。 For
he is not besmirched with the Moral Sense； but is as the angels are； and
knows no wrong； and never does it。〃
Lovely as he was； Satan could be cruelly offensive when he chose； and he
always chose when the human race was brought to his attention。 He always
turned up his nose at it； and never had a kind word for it。
Well； as I was saying； we boys doubted if it was a good time for Ursula
to be hiring a member of the Narr family。 We were right。 When the
people found it out they were naturally indignant。 And； moreover； since
Marget and Ursula hadn't enough to eat themselves； where was the money
coming from to feed another mouth？ That is what they wanted to know； and
in order to find out they stopped avoiding Gottfried and began to seek
his society and have sociable conversations with him。 He was pleased
not thinking any harm and not seeing the trapand so he talked
innocently along； and was no discreeter than a cow。
〃Money！〃 he said； 〃they've got plenty of it。 They pay me two groschen a
week； besides my keep。 And they live on the fat of the land； I can tell
you； the prince himself can't beat their table。〃
This astonishing statement was conveyed by the astrologer to Father Adolf
on a Sunday morning when he was returning from mass。 He was deeply
moved； and said：
〃This must be looked into。〃
He said there must be witchcraft at the bottom of it； and told the
villagers to resume relations with Marget and Ursula in a private and
unostentatious way； and keep both eyes open。 They were told to keep
their own counsel； and not rouse the suspicions of the household。 The
villagers were at first a bit reluctant to enter such a dreadful place；
but the priest said they would be under his protection while there； and
no harm could come to them； particularly if they carried a trifle of holy
water along and kept their beads and crosses handy。 This satisfied them
and made them willing to go； envy and malice made the baser sort even
eager to go。
And so poor Marget began to have company again； and was as pleased as a
cat。 She was like 'most anybody elsejust human； and happy in her
prosperities and not averse from showing them off a little； and she was
humanly grateful to have the warm shoulder turned to her and be smiled
upon by her friends and the village again； for of all the hard things to
bear； to be cut by your neighbors and left in contemptuous solitude is
maybe the hardest。
The bars were down； and we could all go there now； and we didour
parents and allday after day。 The cat began to strain herself。 She
provided the top of everything for those companies； and in abundance
among them many a dish and many a wine which they had not tasted before
and which they had not even heard of except at second…hand from the
prince's servants。 And the tableware was much above ordinary； too。
Marget was troubled at times； and pursued Ursula with questions to an
uncomfortable degree； but Ursula stood her ground and stuck to it that it
was Providence； and said no word about the cat。 Marget knew that nothing
was impossible to Providence； but she could not help having doubts that
this effort was from there； though she was afraid to say so； lest
disaster come of it。 Witchcraft occurred to her； but she put the thought
aside； for this was before Gottfried joined the household； and she knew
Ursula was pious and a bitter hater of witches。 By the time Gottfried
arrived Providence was established； unshakably intrenched； and getting
all the gratitude。 The cat made no murmur； but went on composedly
improving in style and prodigality by experience。
In any community； big or little； there is always a fair proportion of
people who are not malicious or unkind by nature； and who never do unkind
things except when they are overmastered by fear； or when their self…
interest is greatly in danger； or some such matter as that。 Eseldorf had
its proportion of such people； and ordinarily their good and gentle
influence was felt； but these were not ordinary timeson account of the
witch…dreadand so we did not seem to have any gentle and compassionate
hearts left； to speak of。 Every person was frightened at the
unaccountable state of things at Marget's house； not doubting that
witchcraft was at the bottom of it； and fright frenzied their reason。
Naturally there were some who pitied Marget and Ursula for the danger
that was gathering about them； but naturally they did not say so； it
would not have been safe。 So the others had it all their own way； and
there was none to advise the ignorant girl and the foolish woman and warn
them to modify their doings。 We boys wanted to warn them； but we backed
down when it came to the pinch； being afraid。 We found that we were not
manly enough nor brave enough to do a generous action when there was a
chance that it could get us into trouble。 Neither of us confessed this
poor spirit to the others； but did as other people would have done
dropped the subject and talked about something else。 And I knew we all
felt mean； eating and drinking Marget's fine things along with those
companies of spies； and petting her and complimenting her with the rest；
and seeing with self…reproach how foolishly happy she was； and never
saying a word to put her on her guard。 And； indeed； she was happy； and
as proud as a princess； and so grateful to have friends again。 And all
the time these people were watching with all their eyes and reporting all
they saw to Father Adolf。
But he couldn't make head or tail of the situation。 There must be an
enchanter somewhere on the premises； but who was it？ Marget was not seen
to do any jugglery； nor was Ursula； nor yet Gottfried； and still the
wines and dainties never ran short； and a guest could not call for a
thing and not get it。 To produce these effects was usual enough with
witches and enchantersthat part of it was not new； but to do it without
any incantations； or even any rumblings or earthquakes or lightnings or
apparitionsthat was new； novel； wholly irregular。 There was nothing in
the books like this。 Enchanted things were always unreal。 Gold turned
to dirt in an unenchanted atmosphere； food withered away and vanished。
But this test failed in the present case。 The spies brought samples：
Father Adolf prayed over them； exorcised them； but it did no good； they
remained sound and real； they yielded to natural decay only； and took the
usual time to do it。
Father Adolf was not merely puzzled； he was also exasperated； for these
evidences very nearly convince