Part 64 (1/2)
”More than three hours,” replied the hag.
”Three hours!” exclaimed Mistress Nutter. ”Why did you not wake me before? You would have saved me from terrible dreams. We are not too late?”
”No, no,” replied Mother Chattox; ”there is plenty of time. Come into the other room. All is ready.”
As Mistress Nutter followed the old hag into the adjoining room, a strong odour, arising from a chafing-dish, in which herbs, roots, and other ingredients were burning, a.s.sailed her, and, versed in all weird ceremonials, she knew that a powerful suffumigation had been made, though with what intent she had yet to learn. The scanty furniture had been cleared away, and a circle was described on the clay floor by skulls and bones, alternated by dried toads, adders, and other reptiles. In the midst of this magical circle, the caldron, which had been brought from the chimney, was placed, and, the lid being removed, a thick vapour arose from it. Mistress Nutter looked around for the raven, but the bird was nowhere to be seen, nor did any other living thing appear to be present beside themselves.
Taking the lady's hand, Mother Chattox drew her into the circle, and began to mutter a spell; after which, still maintaining her hold of her companion, she bade her look into the caldron, and declare what she saw.
”I see nothing,” replied the lady, after she had gazed upon the bubbling waters for a few moments. ”Ah! yes-I discern certain figures, but they are confused by the steam, and broken by the agitation of the water.”
”Caldron-cease boiling! and smoke-disperse!” cried Mother Chattox, stamping her foot. ”Now, can you see more plainly?”
”I can,” replied Mistress Nutter; ”I behold the subterranean chamber beneath Malkin Tower, with its nine ponderous columns, its altar in the midst of them, its demon image, and the well with waters black as Lethe beside it.”
”The water within the caldron came from that well,” said Mother Chattox, with a chuckling laugh; ”my familiar risked his liberty to bring it, but he succeeded. Ha! ha! My precious Fancy, thou art the best of servants, and shalt have my best blood to reward thee to-morrow-thou shalt, my sweetheart, my chuck, my dandyprat. But hie thee back to Malkin Tower, and contrive that this lady may hear, as well as see, all that pa.s.ses. Away!”
Mistress Nutter concluded that the injunction would be obeyed; but, as the familiar was invisible to her, she could not detect his departure.
”Do you see no one within the dungeon?” inquired Mother Chattox.
”Ah! yes,” exclaimed the lady; ”I have at last discovered Alizon. She was behind one of the pillars. A little girl is with her. It is Jennet Device, and, from the spiteful looks of the latter, I judge she is mocking her. Oh! what malice lurks in the breast of that hateful child! She is a true descendant of Mother Demdike. But Alizon-sweet, patient Alizon-she seems to bear all her taunts with a meekness and resignation enough to move the hardest heart. I would weep for her if I could. And now Jennet shakes her hand at her, and leaves her. She is alone. What will she do now? Has she no thoughts of escape? Oh, yes! She looks about her distractedly-runs round the vault-tries the door of every cell: they are all bolted and barred-there is no outlet-none!”
”What next?” inquired the hag.
”She shrieks aloud,” rejoined Mistress Nutter, ”and the cry thrills through every fibre in my frame. She calls upon me for aid-upon me, her mother, and little thinks I hear her, and am unable to help her. Oh! it is horrible. Take me to her, good Chattox-take me to her, I implore you!”
”Impossible!” replied the hag: ”you must await the fitting time. If you cannot control yourself, I shall remove the caldron.”
”Oh! no, no,” cried the distracted lady. ”I will be calm. Ah! what is this I see?” she added, belying her former words by sudden vehemence, while rage and astonishment were depicted upon her countenance. ”What infernal delusion is practised upon my child! This is monstrous-intolerable. Oh! that I could undeceive her-could warn her of the snare!”
”What is the nature of the delusion?” asked Mother Chattox, with some curiosity. ”I am so blind I cannot see the figures on the water.”
”It is an evil spirit in my likeness,” replied Mistress Nutter.
”In your likeness!” exclaimed the hag. ”A cunning device-and worthy of old Demdike-ho! ho!”
”I can scarce bear to look on,” cried Mistress Nutter; ”but I must, though it tears my heart in pieces to witness such cruelty. The poor girl has rushed to her false parent-has thrown her arms around her, and is weeping on her shoulder. Oh! it is a maddening sight. But it is nothing to what follows. The temptress, with the subtlety of the old serpent, is pouring lies into her ear, telling her they both are captives, and both will perish unless she consents to purchase their deliverance at the price of her soul, and she offers her a bond to sign-such a bond as, alas! thou and I, Chattox, have signed. But Alizon rejects it with horror, and gazes at her false mother as if she suspected the delusion. But the temptress is not to be beaten thus. She renews her entreaties, casts herself on the ground, and clasps my child's knees in humblest supplication. Oh! that Alizon would place her foot upon her neck and crush her. But it is not so the good act. She raises her, and tells her she will willingly die for her; but her soul was given to her by her Creator, and must be returned to him. Oh! that I had thought of this.”
”And what answer makes the spirit?” asked the witch.
”It laughs derisively,” replied Mistress Nutter; ”and proceeds to use all those sophistical arguments, which we have so often heard, to pervert her mind, and overthrow her principles. But Alizon is proof against them all. Religion and virtue support her, and make her more than a match for her opponent. Equally vain are the spirit's attempts to seduce her by the offer of a life of sinful enjoyment. She rejects it with angry scorn. Failing in argument and entreaty, the spirit now endeavours to work upon her fears, and paints, in appalling colours, the tortures she will have to endure, contrasting them with the delight she is voluntarily abandoning, with the lover she might espouse, with the high worldly position she might fill. 'What are worldly joys and honours compared with those of heaven!' exclaims Alizon; 'I would not exchange them.' The spirit then, in a vision, shows her her lover, Richard, and asks her if she can resist his entreaties. The trial is very sore, as she gazes on that beloved form, seeming, by its pa.s.sionate gestures, to implore her to a.s.sent, but she is firm, and the vision disappears. The ordeal is now over. Alizon has triumphed over all their arts. The spirit in my likeness resumes its fiendish shape, and, with a dreadful menace against the poor girl, vanishes from her sight.”
”Mother Demdike has not done with her yet,” observed Chattox.
”You are right,” replied Mistress Nutter. ”The old hag descends the staircase leading to the vault, and approaches the miserable captive. With her there are no supplications-no arguments; but commands and terrible threats. She is as unsuccessful as her envoy. Alizon has gained courage and defies her.”
”Ha! does she so?” exclaimed Mother Chattox. ”I am glad of it.”
”The solid floor resounds with the stamping of the enraged witch,” pursued Mistress Nutter. ”She tells Alizon she will take her to Pendle Hill at midnight, and there offer her up as a sacrifice to the Fiend. My child replies that she trusts for her deliverance to Heaven-that her body may be destroyed-that her soul cannot be harmed. Scarcely are the words uttered than a terrible clangour is heard. The walls of the dungeon seem breaking down, and the ponderous columns reel. The demon statue rises on its throne, and a stream of flame issues from its brow. The doors of the cells burst open, and with the clanking of chains, and other dismal noises, skeleton shapes stalk forth, from them, each with a pale blue light above its head. Monstrous beasts, like tiger-cats, with rough black skins and flaming eyes, are moving about, and looking as if they would spring upon the captive. Two gravestones are now pushed aside, and from the cold earth arise the forms of Blackburn, the robber, and his paramour, the dissolute Isole de Heton. She joins the grisly throng now approaching the distracted girl, who falls insensible to the ground.”