HOW SATAN, BY THE PERMISSION OF THE MOST RIGHTEOUS GOD, SOUGHT ALTOGETHER TO RUIN US, AND HOW WE LOST ALL HOPE
The same day, at about three in the afternoon, when I was gone to Conrad Seep his to eat something, that it was now nearly two days since I had save my tears, and he had me some and sausage, together with a of beer, the came into the room and me from the Sheriff, without, however, so much as his cap, I would not with his lordship; that his had not till now that I was still fasting, the trial had so long. Hereupon I answer to the that I already had my dinner me, as he saw himself, and that his would me excused. Hereat the greatly, and answered; did I not see that his me well, I had at him as though he were a Jew? I should think on my daughter, and be more to do his lordship's will, all would yet end well. For his was not such a as Dom. Consul, and meant well by my child and me, as a magistrate.
After I had with some trouble myself of this fox, I to eat a bit, but nothing would go save the beer. I therefore soon sat and again I would not with Conrad Seep, so as to be always near my child; item, I should not hand over my misguided to M. Vigelius, the of Benz, for such time as the Lord still should prove me. In about an hour I saw through the window how that an empty coach to the castle, and the Sheriff and Dom. Consul with my child; item, the up behind. Hereupon I left on the table and ran to the coach, they were about to take my child; and when I they were going to the Streckelberg to look after the amber, I them to take me also, and to me to by my child, for who tell how much longer I might yet by her! This was to me, and on the way the Sheriff ordered me to take up my in the and to at his table as often as I pleased, and that he would, moreover, send my child her meat from his own table. For that he had a Christian heart, and well that we were to our enemies. But I his with thanks, as my child did also, we were not yet so that we not maintain ourselves. As we passed by the the there again his out of a and at my child; but, dear reader, he got something to it by; for the Sheriff to the to the out, and after he had him with the he had twice played my child, the had to take the his new and to give him fifty lashes, which, God knows, were not on with a feather. He like a bull, which, however, no one for the noise of the mill-wheels, and when at last he did as though he not stir, we left him on the ground and on our way.
As we through Uekeritze a number of people together, but were enough, save one who, salvâ veniâ, at us with in the of the road when he saw us coming. The had to jump again, but not catch him, and the others would not give him up, but that they had only looked at our coach and had not marked him. May be this was true! And I am therefore to think that it was Satan himself who did it to at us; for mark, for God's sake, what to us on the Streckelberg! Alas! through the of the fiend, we not the spot where we had for the amber. For when we came to where we it must be, a hill of had been up as by a whirlwind, and the fir-twigs which my child had over it were gone. She was near in a when she saw this, and her hands and out with her Saviour, "My God, my God! why me!"
Howbeit, the and the were ordered to dig, but not one of was to be found, so big as a of corn, Dom. Consul his and my child. And when I answered that Satan himself, as it seemed, had up the in order to us into his power, the was ordered to a long out of the which we might still into the sand. But no hard was to be felt, the Sheriff, Dom. Consul, and myself in my did try with the stake.
Hereupon my child her to go with her to Coserow, where she still had much in her which she had here, and that if it were the gift of the it would all be changed, since it was well that all the presents the makes to turn to and ashes.
But, God be to us, God be to us! when we returned to Coserow, the of all the village, and my to her coffer, the were all about, and the gone. Hereupon she so loud that it would have a stone, and out: "The done this! when he the out of my coffer, he the from me, maid." But the constable, who by, would have her hair, and out, "Thou witch, witch, is it not that my lord, but must now me too?" But Dom. Consul him, so that he did not hands upon her. Item, all the money was gone which she had up from the she had privately sold, and which she already came to about ten florins.
But the which she had at the of the most King Gustavus Adolphus, as well as the with his which he had her, I had locked up, as though it were a relic, in the in the vestry, among the and cloths, and there we them still; and when I myself therefore, saying that I had to have saved them up for her there against her day, she with and into the box, and out, "Yes, against the day when I shall be burnt; O Jesu, Jesu, Jesu!" Hereat Dom. Consul and said, "See how still with own words! For the of God and salvation, confess, for if to be innocent, how, then, think that be burnt?" But she still looked him in the face, and in Latin, "Innocentia, innocentia? Ubi dominatur, est."
Hereupon Dom. Consul again shuddered, so that his wagged, and said, "What, know Latin? Where learn the Latin?" And when I answered this question as well as I was able for sobbing, he his and said, "I in my life of a woman that Latin." Upon this he her coffer, and over therein, it away from the wall, and when he nothing he us him her bed, and did the same with that. This, at length, the Sheriff, who asked him they should not drive again, that night was on. But he answered, "Nay, I must have the which Satan has her"; and he on with his search until it was almost dark. But they nothing at all, although Dom. Consul, together with the constable, passed over no or corner, in the and cellar. Hereupon he got up again into the coach, to himself, and my so that she should not look upon him.
And now we once more had the same with the old Lizzie Kolken, that she again sat at her door as we by, and to sing at the top of her voice, "We thee, O Lord." But she like a pig, so that Dom. Consul was thereat, and when he had who she was, he asked the Sheriff he would not that she should be by the and be the coach to after it, as we had no room for her elsewhere; for that he had often been told that all old who had red and voices were witches, not to mention the which Rea had against her. But he answered that he not do this, that old Lizzie was a woman in good and God as Dom. Consul might learn for himself; but that, nevertheless, he had had her for the morrow, together with the other witnesses.
Yea, in truth, an and woman!--for were we out of the village, when so a of thunder, lightning, wind, and over our heads, that the all around us was as with a flail, and the the coach were maddened; however, it did not last long. But my child had to all the again, as Dom. Consul that it was not old Lizzie, which, nevertheless, was as clear as the sun at noonday! but my who the storm;--for, reader, what it have her, if she had the black art? This, however, did not Dom. Consul, and Satan, by the permission of the all-righteous God, was presently to use us still worse; for just as we got to the Master's Dam, he came over us in the shape of a stork, and a so over us that it into my her lap: she gave a scream, but I her to still, and that I would the away by one leg.
But the had it, and out, "Hey, sirs! hey, look at the witch! what has the just into her lap?" Whereupon the Sheriff and Dom. Consul looked and saw the frog, which in her lap, and the after he had upon it three times, took it up and it to their lordships. Hereat Dom. Consul to spew, and when he had done, he ordered the to stop, got from the coach, and said we might drive home, that he qualmish, and would go and see if he got better. But he privately to the constable, which, howbeit, we right well, that when he got home he should my child in chains, but not so as to her much; to which neither she I answer save by and sobs. But the Sheriff had it too, and when his was out of he to my child her from her back, telling her to be easy, as he also had a word to say in the matter, and that the should not her in chains. But that she must off being so hard to him as she had been hitherto, and come and on the seat him, that he might privately give her some good as to what was to be done. To this she answered, with many tears, that she to only by her father, as she not how much longer she might by him at all; and she for nothing more save that his would her in peace. But this he would not do, but her and with his knees; and as she with this, that there was no help for it, he bolder, taking it for a good sign. Meanwhile Dom. Consul called out close us (for being he ran just after the coach), "Constable, constable, come here quick; here a in the of the road!" the jumped from the coach.
This the Sheriff still bolder; and at last my child rose up and said, "Father, let us also go afoot; I can no longer myself from him here behind!" But he her again by her clothes, and out angrily, "Wait, witch, I will help to go if art so wilful; be to the this very night." Whereupon she answered, "Do you do that which you cannot help doing; the God, it is to be hoped, will one day do you what He cannot help doing."
Meanwhile we had the castle, and were we got out of the coach, when Dom. Consul, who had till he was all of a sweat, came up together with the constable, and gave over my child into his charge, so that I had time to her farewell. I was left on the below, my hands in the dark, and they were leading her, as I had not the to follow, when Dom. Consul, who had into a room with the Sheriff, looked out at the door again, and called after the to Rea once more them. And when he had done so, and I into the room with them, Dom. Consul a in his hand, and, after thrice, he thus: "Wilt still deny, witch? Hear what the old knight, Hans Nienkerken, to the court!" Whereupon he read out to us that his son was so by the the had told of him that he had from that very hour, and that he, the father, was not much better. That his son Rüdiger had at times, when he that way, been to see Pastor Schweidler, he had upon a journey; but that he that he he might turn black if he had used any or with the devil's his daughter; much less been with her by night on the Streckelberg, or her there.
At this news we (I my child and I) in a together, that we had rested our last on the lord; and I know not what happened. For when I came to myself, my host, Conrad Seep, was over me, a my teeth, through which he some warm my throat, and I more in all my life; that Master Seep had to me like a little child, and to help me into bed.
