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Page 29
Hereupon he turned to the Sheriff, and cried, angrily, "Why, in the name
of all the ten devils, is it thus your lordship keeps the constable in
order? and truly, in this whole matter, there is something which passes my
understanding." But the Sheriff answered, "Not so; should you not
understand it all when you think upon the eels?"
Hereat _Dom. Consul_ of a sudden turned ghastly pale, and began to
tremble, as it appeared to me, and called the Sheriff aside into another
chamber. I have never been able to learn what that about the eels could
mean.--
Meanwhile _Dominus Camerarius_ Gebhard Wenzel sat biting his pen, and
looking furiously--now at me, and now at my child, but said not a word;
neither did he answer _Scriba_, who often whispered somewhat into his ear,
save by a growl. At length both their worships came back into the chamber
together, and _Dom. Consul_, after he and the Sheriff had seated
themselves, began to reproach my poor child violently, saying that she had
sought to make a disturbance in the worshipful court; that his lordship
had shown him the very dog which had scratched his nose, and that,
moreover, the fact had been sworn to by the old housekeeper.
(Truly _she_ was not likely to betray him, for the old harlot had lived
with him for years, and she had a good big boy by him, as will be seen
hereafter.)
_Item_, he said that so many _indicia_ of her guilt had come to light,
that it was impossible to believe anything she might say; she was
therefore to give glory to God, and openly to confess everything, so as to
soften her punishment; whereby she might perchance, in pity for her youth,
escape with life, etc.
Hereupon he put his spectacles on his nose, and began to cross-question
her, during near four hours, from a paper which he held in his hand. These
were the main articles, as far as we both can remember:
_Quaestio_. Whether she could bewitch?
_Responsio_. No; she knew nothing of witchcraft.
_Q_. Whether she could charm?
_R_. Of that she knew as little.
_Q_. Whether she had ever been on the Blocksberg?
_R_. That was too far off for her; she knew few hills save the
Streckelberg, where she had been very often.
_Q_. What had she done there?
_R_. She had looked out over the sea, or gathered flowers; _item_, at
times carried home an apronful of dry brushwood.
_Q_. Whether she had ever called upon the devil there?
_R_. That had never come into her mind.
_Q_. Whether, then, the devil had appeared to her there, uncalled?
_R_. God defend her from such a thing.
_Q_. So she could not bewitch?
_R_. No.
_Q_. What, then, befell Kit Zuter his spotted cow, that it suddenly died
in her presence?
_R_. She did not know; and that was a strange question.
_Q_. Then it would be as strange a question, why Katie Berow her little
pig had died?
_R_. Assuredly; she wondered what they would lay to her charge.
_Q_. Then she had not bewitched them?
_R_. No; God forbid it.
_Q_. Why, then, if she were innocent, had she promised old Katie another
little pig, when her sow should litter?
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