When, after a walk through the town, during which our progress was delayed by a curious throng of people who stared at me as if I had been a wild animal, we came to the court house, there was another gaping crowd at the door.

“Make way! Make way!” cried Constable Putnam. “Make way, good people, for the representative of His Most Gracious Majesty.”

Another time his pompous air and his words might have called forth jibes and ridicule from the thoughtless, but now, such was the time and the occasion, and so deep in every heart was the fear of witchcraft, that not a soul smiled.

The assemblage opened up in a living lane, and through it we passed into the court room. It was filled to overflowing, as it had been on another occasion, which I well remembered. I looked about me, noting little change since I had sat there as a spectator a few months back. And yet what a change there had been.

151The same judges were on the bench, their Honors, John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin, while Master Stephen Sewall was there to act as clerk; to take down with quill scratchings, whatever words should fall from my lips.

On the left of the judges sat the jury. All were men of grave mien, some of whom I knew well. They looked at me as I was brought in, and some whispered among themselves.

Then as I glanced hurriedly over the room I saw many of my old comrades. A few turned their heads away as if they feared I would cast the blight of the evil eye on them. Others looked more kindly at me. One man gazed fixedly into my face, and I was at a loss for a moment to recall who he was. Then after I had thought a bit I knew him for my former lieutenant, Giles Cory. He had grown a beard, and looked travel stained, as if he had just finished a journey around the world. I longed to ask of him what his adventures had been since we last saw each other in Pemaquid, and I wondered if he knew that his old mother was in gaol as a witch.

As I looked at him some one whispered in his ear. It was evidently the news of his mother, for I saw Cory’s face pale, and he hastened from the room. Poor lad, he little knew then, nor did I, how soon he was to stand where I stood, and to suffer a terrible death that I came nigh to.

I marked on many faces looks of ill ease and fright, for no man knew whether he was safe from accusation.

152I looked for Lucille, though I knew no reason why she should be present. Thinking she might be hidden by some pillar, or by those in front, I stood up and gazed about me. At the time I was half minded to jump down among those who, with drawn swords and ready flint-locks, guarded me, and make a fight of it then and there. But my slightest move was watched, and the men closed up around me so that I saw nothing but death should I make the attempt. Then I resumed my seat.

A moment later I observed, half hidden by one of the large upright beams, the devil’s face of my enemy. I caught but a passing glance, but even in that I saw him smile in triumph at me. His hand sought his sword hilt caressingly, and I thought of the day when my weapon was at his throat cursing the impulse that had halted me from driving it home.

While I watched Sir George I saw a man come up behind him and whisper something. I marked the fellow and noted that he was the sailor who had been in the Governor’s ante-chamber, the same one who had been the first to cry out that we must give up Pemaquid. Now, when he came before me in my hour of trial, I began to believe him my evil genius. I was sure he was in the service of Sir George, and had followed me to the war merely to keep track of me for his master.

Sir George turned so that I could see his face as Simon, the sailor, spoke to him. And the eyes of my lord grew 153small, like the half closed orbs of a tiger about to spring, and he started, as if surprised, at the news his henchman brought him. Then the two hurried from the court room, leaving me to wonder what game was afoot now. Something that boded no good, I wagered, and I longed to be free that I might have a hand.

But I must needs look to myself now, for the judges were ready to proceed, and the clerk was reading the charges against me. These were wordy with legal terms, whereby I was accused of witchcraft by Deliverance Hobbs, John Bly and Benjamin Proctor. When the reading was finished Judge Hathorne inquired of me whether I was ready to confess.

“What, your honor?” I asked. “Confess to this most foul lie? Not so. Set me before my accusers and I will answer them.”

Now, had I been wise, I would have admitted that I was a witch, when, perchance, I would have gotten off with no more than some stripes, and being driven from the town. But I stood on my honor, as you shall see with what results.

“Have your way, then,” replied the judge, shrugging his shoulders, as though, like Pilate, he washed his hands of all guilt of my blood.

Then came John Bly to the stand. He was a farmer, whose son had gone with me to the war.

154“Swear the witness,” said the judge, and Clerk Sewall did so.

“May it please your worships,” began John, “I did buy a pig of Master Edward Bishop some two months ago. As I was leading it to sell yesterday I passed Captain Amherst in the road nigh to the tavern of Samuel Willis.”

“Did I aught to you?” I asked from where I sat. “Did I more than bid you a good day and ask after your dame?”

“Aye, that was all you did,” answered Bly, “but I recalled afterward that you did cast a longing look at my pig.”

“’Twas because I had not yet eaten that day,” I said, smiling a bit at the remembrance, “and your porker was a fine fat one. I wished for a bit of bacon from it.”

“Yea, he looked at the pig,” proceeded the witness, “and when I got the animal a little farther on it took strange fits. It leaped into the air, squealing most dreadful, and knocked its head against the fence. So I was sure it was bewitched, for never did pig of mine behave so before.”

“What say you to that?” asked Judge Corwin.

“Naught,” I made reply, “save that the animal had some distemper.”

Then Benjamin Proctor took the stand. He eagerly related that when I had first come to Salem there had been the terrifying scarlet snow, which, though two women witches had doubtless caused it, might have had some 155of my handiwork in also, as I was the only stranger to arrive in town that night.

Next he related how I had such great strength that I could do feats no other man could attempt. I had taken a gun, Proctor said, with a seve............