companions
laughed; the rough blackguards felt themselves suddenly pushed and
jostled aside by a furious thrust, a tall man dressed in black rushes
up the steps of the Tower, and shoves past the guards placed at the
door with the strength of a madman. He presses forwards guided by the
dolorous cry which pealed down from above. He has reached the door. All
is now deadly still. He knocks--no answer,--he shakes the lock with
violence. "Immediately, immediately," says a coarse voice from within.
Finally the door is opened. Paul made out in the semi-dark room the
half-naked figure of the executioner and his assistants. "She is
innocent, I will testify in her favor, where are the judges?" stammered
the breathless young man.

"Then you come too late, the Devil has just taken the witch to
himself," answered Master Ulrich with a coarse laugh, and pushing the
shutters open Paul was enabled to see stretched on the bench of torture
a shrivelled brown corpse. The executioner roughly seized the head and
turned the face towards him, Paul recognized the pale contracted
features of the herb picker on the crossroads.

"Where is Lydia?" he stammered.

"She sits in the Castle near her father," said the executioner
grinning. "She was too fine a tit-bit for us. The members of the
commission on witchcraft are now at lunch. It is paid for out of the
witches' money. If you think of testifying in favor of that bread and
butter miss, wait an hour or two and then lay your deposition before
them."

At that moment the door opened and Pigavetta walked in. He looked in
astonishment at Laurenzano. "You here, Magister," he said with quick
composure. "I waited for you in the Castle. So much the better," and
then he whispered approaching close to him: "I will tell you in a few
words what you have to say, and if necessary swear to."

"Get thee behind me, Satan," cried Paul aiming a violent blow at the
traitor's breast. But the active Italian moved to one side, and Paul
himself tumbled up against the wall.

"Are matters thus!" muttered Pigavetta. "Master Ulrich, place this man
at once in the press and take care, that no one gains admittance to
him."

"What, traitor!" cried out Paul, madly rushing at Pigavetta. But at
that instant he felt himself seized from behind, Pigavetta himself
closing his mouth with his hand. He was pulled across a beam, his feet
thrust into two slits and imprisoned by another beam, which fell
across. Then his arms were pres