Part 51 (1/2)
All answered in the affirmative except old Mitton, who still raised a dissenting voice.
”They be th' owd boundary marks, sure enough,” he said; ”boh they are neaw i' their owd places.”
”It is quite clear that the twenty acres belong to Mistress Nutter,” observed Nicholas, ”and that you must content yourself with ten, Master Nowell. Make an entry to that effect, Master Potts, unless you will have the ground measured.”
”No, it is needless,” replied the magistrate, sharply; ”let us go on.”
During this survey, some of the features of the country appeared changed to the rustics, but how or in what way they could not precisely tell, and they were easily induced by James Device to give their testimony in Mistress Nutter's favour.
A small rivulet was now reached, and another halt being called upon its sedgy banks, the plans were again consulted.
”What have we here, Master Potts-marks or boundaries?” inquired Richard, with a smile.
”Both,” replied Potts, angrily. ”This rivulet, which I take to be Moss Brook, is a boundary, and that sheepfold and the two posts standing in a line with it are marks. But hold! how is this?” he cried, regarding the plan in dismay; ”the five acres of waste land should be on the left of the brook.”
”It would doubtless suit Master Nowell better if it were so,” said Nicholas; ”but as they chance to be on the right, they belong to Mistress Nutter. I merely speak from the plan.”
”Your plan is naught, sir,” cried Nowell, furiously, ”By what foul practice these changes have been wrought I pretend not to say, though I can give a good guess; but the audacious witch who has thus deluded me shall bitterly rue it.”
”Hold, hold, Master Nowell!” rejoined Nicholas; ”I can make great allowance for your anger, which is natural considering your disappointment, but I will not permit such unwarrantable insinuations to be thrown out against Mistress Nutter. You agreed to abide by Sir Ralph a.s.sheton's award, and you must not complain if it be made against you. Do you imagine that this stream can have changed its course in a single night; or that yon sheepfold has been removed to the further side of it?”
”I do,” replied Nowell.
”And so do I,” cried Potts; ”it has been accomplished by the aid of-”
But feeling himself checked by a glance from the reeve, he stammered out, ”of-of Mother Demdike.”
”You declared just now that marks, meres, and boundaries, were unremovable, Master Potts,” said the reeve, with a sneer; ”you have altered your opinion.”
The crestfallen attorney was dumb.
”Master Roger Nowell must find some better plea than the imputation of witchcraft to set aside Mistress Nutter's claim,” observed Richard.
”Yeigh, that he mun,” cried James Device, and the hinds who supported him.
The magistrate bit his lips with vexation.
”There is witchcraft in it, I repeat,” he said.
”Yeigh, that there be,” responded old Mitton.
But the words were scarcely uttered, when he was felled to the ground by the bludgeon of James Device.
”Ey'd sarve thee i' t' same way, fo' two pins,” said Jem, regarding Potts with a savage look.
”No violence, Jem,” cried Nicholas, authoritatively-”you do harm to the cause you would serve by your outrageous conduct.”
”Beg pardon, squoire,” replied Jem, ”boh ey winna hear lies towd abowt Mistress Nutter.”
”No one shan speak ill on her here,” cried the hinds.