h whom he had
begun, and address his words to the said Sister Claire, who during the
entire duration of the exorcism continued to talk at random, without
paying any heed to Grandier's words, which were also interrupted by
the mother superior, to whom he of last gave attention, leaving Sister
Claire. But it is to be noted that before beginning to exorcise the
superior, he said, speaking in Latin as heretofore, that knowing she
understood Latin, he would question her in Greek. To which the devil
replied by the mouth of the possessed:

"'Ah! how clever you are! You know it was one of the first conditions of
our pact that I was not to answer in Greek.'

"Upon this, he cried, 'O pulchra illusio, egregica evasio!' ( O superb
fraud, outrageous evasion!)

"He was then told that he was permitted to exorcise in Greek, provided
he first wrote down what he wished to say, and the superior hereupon
said that he should be answered in what language he pleased; but it was
impossible, for as soon as he opened his mouth all the nuns recommenced
their shrieks and paroxysms, showing unexampled despair, and giving way
to convulsions, which in each patient assumed a new form, and persisting
in accusing Grandier of using magic and the black art to torment them;
offering to wring his neck if they were allowed, and trying to
outrage his feelings in every possible way. But this being against the
prohibitions of the Church, the priests and monks present worked
with the utmost zeal to calm the frenzy which had seized on the nuns.
Grandier meanwhile remained calm and unmoved, gazing fixedly at the
maniacs, protesting his innocence, and praying to God for protection.
Then addressing himself to the bishop and M. de Laubardemont, he
implored them by the ecclesiastical and royal authority of which they
were the ministers to command these demons to wring his neck, or at
least to put a mark in his forehead, if he were guilty of the crime of
which they accused him, that the glory of God might be shown forth, the
authority of the Church vindicated, and himself brought to confusion,
provided that the nuns did not touch him with their hands. But to this
the bishop and the commissioner would not consent, because they did not
want to be responsible for what might happen to him, neither would they
expose the authority of the Church to the wiles of the devils, who might
have made some pact on that point with Grandier. Then the exorcists,
to the number of eight