Part 22 (1/2)
”Yeigh, that con soon be tried,” cried Jem, with a savage laugh.
And taking a pin from his sleeve, the ruffian plunged it deeply into the poor creature's flesh. Nance winced, but she set her teeth hardly, and repressed the cry that must otherwise have been wrung from her.
”A clear witch!” cried Jem, drawing forth the pin; ”not a drop o' blood flows, an hoo feels nowt!”
”Feel nowt?” rejoined Nance, between her ground teeth. ”May ye ha a pang os sharp i' your cancart eart, ye villain.”
After this barbarous test, the crowd, confirmed by it in their notions of Nan's guiltiness, hurried on, their numbers increasing as they proceeded along the main street of the village leading towards the river; all the villagers left at home rus.h.i.+ng forth on hearing a witch was about to be swum, and when they came within a bow-shot of the stream, Sparshot called to Baggiley to lay hold of Nance, while he himself, accompanied by several of the crowd, ran over the bridge, the part he had to enact requiring him to be on the other side of the water.
Meantime, the main party turned down a little footpath protected by a gate on the left, which led between garden hedges to the gra.s.sy banks of the Calder, and in taking this course they pa.s.sed by the cottage of Elizabeth Device. Hearing the shouts of the rabble, little Jennet, who had been in no very happy frame of mind since she had been brought home, came forth, and seeing her brother, called out to him, in her usual sharp tones, ”What's the matter, Jem? Who han ye gotten there?”
”A witch,” replied Jem, gruffly. ”Nance Redferne, Mother Chattox's grand-daughter. Come an see her swum i' th' Calder.”
Jennet readily complied, for her curiosity was aroused, and she shared in the family feelings of dislike to Mother Chattox and her descendants.
”Is this Nance Redferne?” she cried, keeping close to her brother, ”Ey'm glad yo'n caught her at last. How dun ye find yersel, Nance?”
”Ill at ease, Jennet,” replied Nance, with a bitter look; ”boh it ill becomes ye to jeer me, la.s.s, seein' yo're a born witch yoursel.”
”Aha!” cried Potts, looking at the little girl, ”So this is a born witch-eh, Nance?”
”A born an' bred witch,” rejoined Nance; ”jist as her brother Jem here is a wizard. They're the gran-childer o' Mother Demdike o' Pendle, the greatest witch i' these parts, an childer o' Bess Device, who's nah much better. Ask me to witness agen 'em, that's aw.”
”Howd thy tongue, woman, or ey'n drown thee,” muttered Jem, in a tone of deep menace.
”Ye canna, mon, if ey'm the witch ye ca' me,” rejoined Nance. ”Jennet's turn'll come os weel os mine, one o' these days. Mark my words.”
”Efore that ey shan see ye burned, ye f.a.ggot,” cried Jennet, almost fiercely.
”Ye'n gotten the fiend's mark o' your sleeve,” cried Nance. ”Ey see it written i' letters ov blood.”
”That's where our cat scratted me,” replied Jennet, hiding her arm quickly.
”Good!-very good!” observed Potts, rubbing his hands. ”'Who but witches can be proof against witches?' saith our sagacious sovereign. I shall make something of this girl. She seems a remarkably quick child-remarkably quick-ha, ha!”
By this time, the party having gained the broad flat mead through which the Calder flowed, took their way quickly towards its banks, the spot selected for the ordeal lying about fifty yards above the weir, where the current, ordinarily rapid, was checked by the dam, offering a smooth surface, with considerable depth of water. If soft natural beauties could have subdued the hearts of those engaged in this cruel and wicked experiment, never was scene better calculated for the purpose than that under contemplation. Through a lovely green valley meandered the Calder, now winding round some verdant knoll, now was.h.i.+ng the base of lofty heights feathered with timber to their very summits, now lost amid thick woods, and only discernible at intervals by a glimmer amongst the trees. Immediately in front of the a.s.semblage rose Whalley Nab, its steep sides and brow partially covered with timber, with green patches in the uplands where sheep and cattle fed. Just below the spot where the crowd were collected, the stream, here of some width, pa.s.sed over the weir, and swept in a foaming cascade over the huge stones supporting the dam, giving the rus.h.i.+ng current the semblance and almost the beauty of a natural waterfall. Below this the stream ran brawling on in a wider, but shallower channel, making pleasant music as it went, and leaving many dry beds of sand and gravel in the midst; while a hundred yards lower down, it was crossed by the arches of the bridge. Further still, a row of tall cypresses lined the bank of the river, and screened that part of the Abbey, converted into a residence by the a.s.shetons; and after this came the ruins of the refectory, the cloisters, the dormitory, the conventual church, and other parts of the venerable structure, overshadowed by n.o.ble lime-trees and elms. Lovelier or more peaceful scene could not be imagined. The green meads, the bright clear stream, with its white foaming weir, the woody heights reflected in the gla.s.sy waters, the picturesque old bridge, and the dark grey ruins beyond it, all might have engaged the attention and melted the heart. Then the hour, when evening was coming on, and when each beautiful object, deriving new beauty from the medium through which it was viewed, exercised a softening influence, and awakened kindly emotions. To most the scene was familiar, and therefore could have no charm of novelty. To Potts, however, it was altogether new; but he was susceptible of few gentle impressions, and neither the tender beauty of the evening, nor the wooing loveliness of the spot, awakened any responsive emotion in his breast. He was dead to every thing except the ruthless experiment about to be made.
Almost at the same time that Jem Device and his party reached the near bank of the stream, the beadle and the others appeared on the opposite side. Little was said, but instant preparations were made for the ordeal. Two long coils of rope having been brought by Baggiley, one of them was made fast to the right arm of the victim, and the other to the left; and this done, Jem Device, shouting to Sparshot to look out, flung one coil of rope across the river, where it was caught with much dexterity by the beadle. The a.s.semblage then spread out on the bank, while Jem, taking the poor young woman in his arms, who neither spoke nor struggled, but held her breath tightly, approached the river.
”Dunna drown her, Jem,” said Jennet, who had turned very pale.
”Be quiet, wench,” rejoined Jem, gruffly.
And without bestowing further attention upon her, he let down his burden carefully into the water; and this achieved, he called out to the beadle, who drew her slowly towards him, while Jem guided her with the other rope.
The crowd watched the experiment for a few moments in profound silence, but as the poor young woman, who had now reached the centre of the stream, still floated, being supported either by the tension of the cords, or by her woollen apparel, a loud shout was raised that she could not sink, and was, therefore, an undeniable witch.
”Steady, lads-steady a moment,” cried Potts, enchanted with the success of the experiment; ”leave her where she is, that her buoyancy may be fully attested. You know, masters,” he cried, with a loud voice, ”the meaning of this water ordeal. Our sovereign lord and master the king, in his wisdom, hath graciously vouchsafed to explain the matter thus: 'Water,' he saith, 'shall refuse to receive them (meaning witches, of course) in her bosom, that have shaken off their sacred water of baptism, and wilfully refused the benefit thereof.' It is manifest, you see, that this diabolical young woman hath renounced her baptism, for the water rejecteth her. Non potest mergi, as Pliny saith. She floats like a cork, or as if the clear water of the Calder had suddenly become like the slab, salt waves of the Dead Sea, in which, nothing can sink. You behold the marvel with your own eyes, my masters.”
”Ay, ay!” rejoined Baggiley and several others.