Folk
said she snared birds and rabbits, in the thicket that came down to her
hovel. How it came to pass I cannot say, but many a one fell sick in
the village, and much cattle died one spring, when I was near four
years old. I never heard much about it, for my father said it was ill
talking about such things; I only know I got a sick fright one
afternoon, when the maid had gone out for milk and had taken me with
her, and we were passing a meadow where the Avon, circling, makes a
deep round pool, and there was a crowd of folk, all still--and a still,
breathless crowd makes the heart beat worse than a shouting, noisy one.
They were all gazing towards the water, and the maid held me up in her
arms to see the sight above the shoulders of the people; and I saw old
Hannah in the water, her grey hair all streaming down her shoulders,
and her face bloody and black with the stones and the mud they had been
throwing at her, and her cat tied round her neck. I hid my face, I
know, as soon as I saw the fearsome sight, for her eyes met mine as
they were glaring with fury--poor, helpless, baited creature!--and she
caught the sight of me, and cried out, "Parson's wench, parson's wench,
yonder, in thy nurse's arms, thy dad hath never tried for to save me,
and none shall save thee when thou art brought up for a witch." Oh! the
words rang in my ears, when I was dropping asleep, for years after. I
used to dream that I was in that pond, all men hating me with their
eyes because I was a witch; and, at times, her black cat used to seem
living again, and say over those dreadful words.'

Lois stopped: the two daughters looked at her excitement with a kind of
shrinking surprise, for the tears were in her eyes. Elder Hawkins shook
his head, and muttered texts from Scripture; but cheerful Widow Smith,
not liking the gloomy turn of the conversation, tried to give it a
lighter cast by saying, 'And I don't doubt but what the parson's bonny
lass has bewitched many a one since, with her dimples and her pleasant
ways--eh, Captain Holdernesse? It's you must tell us tales of this
young lass' doings in England.'

'Ay, ay,' said the captain, 'there's one under her charms in
Warwickshire who will never get the better of it, I'm thinking.'

Elder Hawkins rose to speak; he stood leaning on his hands, which were
placed on the table: 'Brethren,' said he, 'I must upbraid you if ye
speak lightly; charms and witchcraft are evil things. I trust this
maiden hath h