the form prescribed by the ritual. But as soon as
he began to question her he was interrupted, for all the other nuns were
attacked by devils, and uttered strange and terrible noises. Amongst the
rest, Sister Claire came near, and reproached him for his blindness and
obstinacy, so that he was forced to leave the nun with 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