Alais, some hundreds
of them assemble, great and small, old and young, prophecying among one
another, that the walls of their prison might be broken down. The
medical college of Montpellier has transferred itself thither, each
doctor has taken with him his hat and cloak; I believe they have also
carried with them the antique mantle of Rabelais, in order to be quite
perfect in their art. I hear they have now observed, discoursed,
disputed, calculated, speculated, deduced, and what is the result? that
we are as wise as before. These learned gentlemen declare, that it
cannot be taken for divine inspiration because it is opposed to the
king and the clergy; and still less can they be possessed by the devil,
in as much as they speak and sing only spiritual things and do not as
yet know the ways of that gentleman, neither, say they, could it
proceed from fits, or any other bodily infirmity, but it was to them
something quite unheard of and new; it may well be termed new, and,
therefore, must appropriately be called fanaticism and the people
denominated fanatics." "There may be many things," interrupted the
huntsman hastily, "that are inexplicable; with your reverence's
permission, my opinion is, that they are all bewitched; for, if you
have no objection, that is the easiest explanation of the matter;
therefore, there is no such great injustice in burning them--always
excepting Mr. Cavalier, for whom I should be very sorry--and the reason
which might tolerate such proceedings is, that they may not by degrees
infect the whole community, for it is very evident that the evil is
spreading daily and is communicated from one to the other. Witchcraft
is just as much something corporeal as well as spiritual, something
visible as well as invisible, and not only men, but also houses,
mountains and rivers may be enchanted; I have experienced this myself
in the course of my life."

"And how?" enquired the Counsellor. "Do you not know the wide-spreading
ash, which stands in the field between the castle of Castelnau and
the town of Alais? at no great distance from that is the large, old
olive-tree, which, they say, is three, or four hundred years old, but
it is so far certain, that both the trees, particularly the ash, may be
seen at the distance of many miles from the plain as well as from the
mountains."

"I know both these trees very well," said Edmond.

"Now," continued the huntsman, "under the ash it is not safe. While I
was yet a