, having commanded the devils to be silent and to
cease their tumult, ordered a brazier to be brought, and into this they
threw the pacts one by one, whereupon the convulsions returned with such
awful violence and confused cries, rising into frenzied shrieks, and
accompanied by such horrible contortions, that the scene might have been
taken for an orgy of witches, were it not for the sanctity of the place
and the character of those present, of whom Grandier, in outward seeming
at least, was the least amazed of any, although he had the most reason.
The devils continued their accusations, citing the places, the days,
and the hours of their intercourse with him; the first spell he cast on
them, his scandalous behaviour, his insensibility, his abjurations of
God and the faith. To all this he calmly returned that these accusations
were calumnies, and all the more unjust considering his profession;
that he renounced Satan and all his fiends, having neither knowledge nor
comprehension of them; that in spite of all he was a Christian, and what
was more, an anointed priest; that though he knew himself to be a sinful
man, yet his trust was in God and in His Christ; that he had never
indulged in such abominations, end that it would be impossible to
furnish any pertinent and convincing proof of his guilt.

"At this point no words could express what the senses perceived; eyes
and ears received an impression of being surrounded by furies such as
had never been gathered together before; and unless accustomed to such
ghastly scenes as those who sacrifice to demons, no one could keep his
mind free from astonishment and horror in the midst of such a spectacle.
Grandier alone remained unchanged through it all, seemingly insensible
to the monstrous exhibitions, singing hymns to the Lord with the rest of
the people, as confident as if he were guarded by legions of angels. One
of the demons cried out that Beelzebub was standing between him and Pere
Tranquille the Capuchin, upon which Grandier said to the demon--

"'Obmutescas!' (Hold thy peace).

"Upon this the demon began to curse, and said that was their watchword;
but they could not hold their peace, because God was infinitely
powerful, and the powers of hell could not prevail against Him.
Thereupon they all struggled to get at Grandier, threatening to tear him
limb from limb, to point out his marks, to strangle him although he was
their master; whereupon he seized a chance to say he was