n the
dungeon--and by the oppression of the air she perceived that they were
many--kept on eager talking in low voices. She did not try to make out
the sense of the fragments of sentences that reached her dulled brain,
till, all at once, a word or two made her understand they were
discussing the desirableness of applying the whip or the torture to
make her confess, and reveal by what means the spell she had cast upon
those whom she had bewitched could be dissolved. A thrill of affright
ran through her; and she cried out, beseechingly:

'I beg you, sirs, for God's mercy sake, that you do not use such awful
means. I may say anything--nay, I may accuse any one if I am subjected
to such torment as I have heard tell about. For I am but a young girl,
and not very brave, or very good, as some are.'

It touched the hearts of one or two to see her standing there; the
tears streaming down from below the coarse handkerchief tightly bound
over her eyes; the clanking chain fastening the heavy weight to the
slight ankle; the two hands held together as if to keep down a
convulsive motion.

'Look!' said one of these. 'She is weeping. They say no witch can weep
tears.'

But another scoffed at this test, and bade the first remember how those
of her own family, the Hicksons even, bore witness against her.

Once more she was bidden to confess. The charges, esteemed by all men
(as they said) to have been proven against her, were read over to her,
with all the testimony borne against her in proof thereof. They told
her that, considering the godly family to which she belonged, it had
been decided by the magistrates and ministers of Salem that he should
have her life spared, if she would own her guilt, make reparation, and
submit to penance; but that if not, she, and others convicted of
witchcraft along with her, were to be hung in Salem market-place on the
next Thursday morning (Thursday being market day). And when they had
thus spoken, they waited silently for her answer. It was a minute or
two before she spoke. She had sat down again upon the bed meanwhile,
for indeed she was very weak. She asked, 'May I have this handkerchief
unbound from my eyes, for indeed, sirs, it hurts me?'

The occasion for which she was blindfolded being over, the bandage was
taken off, and she was allowed to see. She looked pitifully at the
stern faces around her, in grim suspense as to what her answer would
be. Then she spoke:

'Sirs, I must choose death