ff who had signed the writ
was the friendly alderman. He took courage and assured his captor there
was some error. But finding he made no impression, demanded to be taken
before the alderman.

"What say you to that, Jacques?"

"Impossible. We have no orders to take him before his worship. Read the
writ!"

"Nay, but good kind fellows, what harm can it be? I will give you each
an ecu."

"Jacques, what say you to that?"

"Humph! I say we have no orders not to take him to his worship. Read the
writ!"

"Then say we take him to prison round by his worship."

It was agreed. They got the money; and bade Gerard observe they were
doing him a favour. He saw they wanted a little gratitude as well as
much silver. He tried to satisfy this cupidity, but it stuck in his
throat. Feigning was not his forte.

He entered the alderman's presence with his heart in his mouth, and
begged with faltering voice to know what he had done to offend since he
left that very room with Manon and Denys.

"Nought that I know of," said the alderman.

On the writ being shown him, he told Gerard he had signed it at
daybreak. "I get old, and my memory faileth me: a discussing of the girl
I quite forgot your own offence: but I remember now. All is well. You
are he I committed for sorcery. Stay! ere you go to gaol, you shall hear
what your accuser says: run and fetch him, you."

The man could not find the accuser all at once. So the alderman, getting
impatient, told Gerard the main charge was that he had set a dead body a
burning with diabolical fire, that flamed, but did not consume. "And if
'tis true, young man, I'm sorry for thee, for thou wilt assuredly burn
with fire of good pine logs in the market-place of Neufchasteau."

"Oh, sir, for pity's sake let me have speech with his reverence the
cure."

The alderman advised Gerard against it. "The Church was harder upon
sorcerers than was the corporation."

"But, sir, I am innocent," said Gerard, between snarling and whining.

"Oh, if you think you are innocent--officer, go with him to the cure;
but see he 'scape you not. Innocent, quotha?"

They found the cure in his doublet repairing a wheelbarrow. Gerard
told him all, and appealed piteously to him. "Just for using a little
phosphorus in self-defence against cut-throats they are going to hang."

It was lucky for our magician that he had already told his tale in full
to the cure, for thus that shrewd personage had hold of the stick at the