ief and regret for having killed her own child. At
last, the servant maintaining that she was not a good spirit, she said
to her, "Give me hold of your petticoat (or skirt)." She would do no
such thing; at the same time the spirit said to her, "Look at your
petticoat; my mark is upon it." She looked and saw upon her skirt the
five fingers of the hand so distinctly that it did not appear possible
for any living creature to have marked them better. This affair lasted
about two months; and at this day, at St. Avold, as in all the
country, they talk of the spirit of St. Avold as of a game played by
that girl, in concert, doubtless, with some persons who wished to
divert themselves by puzzling the good cure with his sisters, and all
those who fell into the trap. They printed at Cusson's, at Nancy, in
1718, a relation of this event, which at first gained credence with a
number of people, but who were quite undeceived in the end.

I shall add to this story that which is related by Philip
Melancthon,[366] whose testimony in this matter ought not to be
doubted. He says that his aunt having lost her husband when she was
enceinte and near her time, she saw one day, towards evening, two
persons come into her house; one of them wore the form of her deceased
husband, the other that of a tall Franciscan. At first she was
frightened, but her husband reassured her, and told her that he had
important things to communicate to her; at the same time he begged the
Franciscan to pass into the next room, whilst he imparted his wishes
to his wife. Then he begged of her to have some masses said for the
relief of his soul, and tried to persuade her to give her hand without
fear; as she was unwilling to give it, he assured her she would feel
no pain. She gave him her hand, and her hand felt no pain when she
withdrew it, but was so blackened that it remained discolored all her
life. After that, the husband called in the Franciscan; they went out,
and disappeared. Melancthon believes that these were two spectres; he
adds that he knows several similar instances related by persons worthy
of credit.

If these two men were only spectres, having neither flesh nor bones,
how could one of them imprint a black color on the hand of this widow?
How could he who appeared to the tailor Bauh imprint his hand on the
board which he presented to him? If they were evil genii, why did they
ask for masses and order restitution? Does Satan destroy his own
empire, and