Meanwhile the feeling in the village against her became so
intensified that it was resolved by the people, pending the decision
on the complaint that had been lodged, to take the law into their
hands so far as to fasten her up in her cottage.

The execution of this resolve was not delayed a moment. Led by
Kauschin, Nikisorow, Starovij, and an old man of seventy, one
Schipensk, whose wife and daughters were at the time supposed to be
suffering from her witchcraft, a crowd of villagers set out on the
way to Ignatjewa's dwelling. Nikisorow had provided himself with
hammer and nails, and Iwanow with some chips of pinewood "to smoke
out the bad spirits." Finding the cottage door locked, they beat it
in, and while a portion of them nailed up the windows the remainder
crowded in and announced to the terrified woman that, by unanimous
decision, she was, for the present, to be kept fastened up in her
house. Some of them then proceeded to look through the rooms, where
they found, unfortunately, several bottles containing medicaments.
Believing these to be enchanted potions, and therefore conclusive
proofs of Ignatjewa's guilt, it was decided, on the suggestion of
Nikisorow, to burn her and her devilish work there and then. "We
must put an end to it," shouted the peasants in chorus; "if we let
her off now we shall be bewitched one and all."

Kauschin, who held in his hand a lighted chip of pine-wood, which he
had used "to smoke out the spirits" and to light him about the
premises, instantly applied it to a bundle of straw lying in a room,
after which all hastily left. Ignatjewa attempted in vain to follow
them. The agonised woman then tried to get out at the windows, but
these were already nailed up. In front of the cottage stood the
people, blankly staring at the spreading flames, and listening to the
cries of their victim without moving a muscle.

At this point Ignatjewa's brother came on the scene, and ran towards
the cottage to rescue his sister. But a dozen arms held him back.
"Don't let her out," shouted the venerable Schipensk, the husband and
father of the bewitched women. "I'll answer for it, that we won't,
father; we have put up with her long enough," replied one of the
band. "The Lord be praised!" exclaimed another, "let her burn away;
she bewitched my daughters