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had been stuffing her with。 She got no satisfaction out of us； our
tongues being tied。
Ursula gave us a small item of information： money being plenty now； she
had taken on a servant to help about the house and run errands。 She
tried to tell it in a commonplace； matter…of…course way； but she was so
set up by it and so vain of it that her pride in it leaked out pretty
plainly。 It was beautiful to see her veiled delight in this grandeur；
poor old thing； but when we heard the name of the servant we wondered if
she had been altogether wise； for although we were young； and often
thoughtless； we had fairly good perception on some matters。 This boy was
Gottfried Narr； a dull； good creature； with no harm in him and nothing
against him personally； still； he was under a cloud； and properly so； for
it had not been six months since a social blight had mildewed the family
his grandmother had been burned as a witch。 When that kind of a malady
is in the blood it does not always come out with just one burning。 Just
now was not a good time for Ursula and Marget to be having dealings with
a member of such a family； for the witch…terror had risen higher during
the past year than it had ever reached in the memory of the oldest
villagers。 The mere mention of a witch was almost enough to frighten us
out of our wits。 This was natural enough； because of late years there
were more kinds of witches than there used to be； in old times it had
been only old women； but of late years they were of all ageseven
children of eight and nine； it was getting so that anybody might turn out
to be a familiar of the Devilage and sex hadn't anything to do with it。
In our little region we had tried to extirpate the witches； but the more
of them we burned the more of the breed rose up in their places。
Once； in a school for girls only ten miles away； the teachers found that
the back of one of the girls was all red and inflamed； and they were
greatly frightened； believing it to be the Devil's marks。 The girl was
scared； and begged them not to denounce her； and said it was only fleas；
but of course it would not do to let the matter rest there。 All the
girls were examined； and eleven out of the fifty were badly marked； the
rest less so。 A commission was appointed； but the eleven only cried for
their mothers and would not confess。 Then they were shut up； each by
herself； in the dark； and put on black bread and water for ten days and
nights； and by that time they were haggard and wild； and their eyes were
dry and they did not cry any more； but only sat and mumbled； and would
not take the food。 Then one of them confessed； and said they had often
ridden through the air on broomsticks to the witches' Sabbath； and in a
bleak place high up in the mountains had danced and drunk and caroused
with several hundred other witches and the Evil One； and all had
conducted themselves in a scandalous way and had reviled the priests and
blasphemed God。 That is what she saidnot in narrative form； for she
was not able to remember any of the details without having them called to
her mind one after the other； but the commission did that； for they knew
just what questions to ask； they being all written down for the use of
witch…commissioners two centuries before。 They asked； 〃Did you do so and
so？〃 and she always said yes； and looked weary and tired； and took no
interest in it。 And so when the other ten heard that this one confessed；
they confessed； too； and answered yes to the questions。 Then they were
burned at the stake all together； which was just and right； and everybody
went from all the countryside to see it。 I went； too； but when I saw
that one of them was a bonny； sweet girl I used to play with； and looked
so pitiful there chained to the stake； and her mother crying over her and
devouring her with kisses and clinging around her neck； and saying； 〃Oh；
my God！ oh； my God！〃 it was too dreadful； and I went away。
It was bitter cold weather when Gottfried's grandmother was burned。 It
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 we