d the innocent slain. Beware
of false prophets, Mr. Parris. They are more to be dreaded than the
protean devil of which you speak. Be sure that you remove the beam from
your own eye, before you try to see the mote in the eye of your
brother."

The sallow face of the fanatic grew more ghastly than before. His teeth
gnashed, and his great eyes seemed starting in hatred from his head.
Seizing the wrist of Charles with his hand, he clutched it so tightly as
to almost make him cry out in pain.

"Charles, Charles, why persecutest thou me? Have not the scales of
infidelity fallen from your eyes? Would you deny the power of God?"

Charles Stevens, by an effort, freed his hand and, with a boldness which
increased as he spoke, answered:

"It is not God whom I deny, but man. God is good and just and kind. He
who, in the name of the Lord, would pervert His holy word is an impostor
and blasphemer more base than a thief or an infidel."

"Charles, beware!"

"I have listened patiently to you, Mr. Parris. Now listen to me. Where
do you find in Scripture justification for the charges you lay at the
doors of innocent people such as Goody Nurse, Goody Easty, Goody Cloyse
and the poor little maid Cora Waters? What harm have they ever done you,
that you, as a Christian man, might not forgive them?"

"Charles----" interrupted Mr. Parris.

"Hold, sir; you shall hear me through. Mr. Parris, you must be a man of
singular shamelessness, craft, ruthlessness and impudence, withal. You
began your operations with sharp bargaining about your stipend and sharp
practice in appropriating the house and land assigned for the use of
successive pastors. You wrought so diligently, under the stimulus of
your ambition, that you have got the meeting-house sanctioned as a true
church and yourself ordained as the first pastor of Salem Village.
Because you were opposed by Goody Nurse, her sisters and others, you
seek to charge them with offences made punishable under our laws with
death."

The sallow face of the pastor grew almost white; but, in a voice of
forced calmness, he said:

"Go on--go on!"

"No; it is for you to tell, without further discussion, why you brought
me here. Rather let me guess it. You have brought me to say something to
me about Cora Waters. You have come to tell me she is a witch, and I
tell you it is false."

The passionate minister glared at the youth for a moment and said:

"Charles, do you deny that she is the child of a