HOW SATAN SIFTED ME LIKE WHEAT, WHEREAS MY DAUGHTER WITHSTOOD HIM RIGHT BRAVELY
On Monday I left my betimes, and as I in good case, I up to the to see I might to my daughter, but I not either constable, I had a with me to give them as beer-money; neither would the that I met tell me where they were; item, the his wife, who was in the making matches. And when I asked her when her husband would come back, she said not to-morrow early; item, that the other would not be here any sooner. Hereupon I her to lead me to my herself, at the same time her the two groats; but she answered that she had not the keys, and not how to at them: moreover, she said she did not know where my child was now up, that I would have spoken to her through the door; item, the cook, the huntsman, and else I met in my sorrow, said they not in what the might lie.
Hereupon I all about the castle, and my ear against every little window that looked as though it might be her window, and cried, "Mary, my child, where art thou?" Item, at every I I down, my head, and called in like manner into the below. But all in vain; I got no answer anywhere. The Sheriff at length saw what I was about, and came out of the to me with a very air, and, taking me by the hand, he asked me what I sought? But when I answered him that I had not my only child since last Thursday, and prayed him to upon me, and let me be to her, he said that not be, but that I was to come up into his chamber, and talk of the matter. By the way he said, "Well, so the old told you about me, but you see how Almighty God has sent his upon her. She has long been for the fire; but my great long-suffering, a good should to be like the Lord, has me it till datum, and in return for my she this against me." And when I replied, "How your Lordship know that the such an against you?" he to stammer, and then said, "Why, you me the judge. But I you no anger therefor, and God that I you, who are a poor, weak old man, and would help you if I were able." Meanwhile he me up four or five of stairs, so that I, old man that I am, him no further, and still for breath. But he took me by the hand and said, "Come, I must you how stand, or I you will not accept my help, but will into destruction." Hereupon we out upon a at the top of the castle, which looked toward the water; and the on to say, "Reverend Abraham, can you see well off?" and when I answered that I once see very well, but that the many I had had now my eyes, he pointed to the Streckelberg, and said, "Do you, then, see nothing there?" Ego. "Nought save a black speck, which I cannot make out." Ille. "Know, then, that that is the your is to at ten o'clock to-morrow morning, and which the are now raising." When this hell-hound had thus spoken, I gave a loud and swounded. Oh, Lord! I know not how I through such distress; alone me nature, in order, "after so much and wailing, to and upon me; without I have through such misery: therefore to name be all and glory, O God of Israel!"
When I came again to myself I on a in a room, and a taste in my mouth like wine. But as I saw none near me save the Sheriff, who a in his hand, I and closed mine eyes, what I should say or do. This he presently observed, and said, "Do not thus; I well by you, and only wish to put a question to you, which you must answer me on your as a priest. Say, Abraham, which is the sin, to whoredom, or to take the of two persons?" and when I answered him, "To take the of two persons," he on, "Well, then, is not that what your child is about to do? Rather than give herself up to me, who have to save her, and who can yet save her, her is now being raised, she will take away her own life and that of her father, for I think that you, man, will this sorrow. Wherefore do you, for God his sake, her to think of it while I am yet able to save her. For know that about ten miles from hence I have a small house in the of the forest, where no being goes; will I send her this very night, and you may there with her all the days of your life, if so it you. You shall live as well as you can possibly desire, and to-morrow I will spread a report that the and her father have away together the night, and that nobody they are gone." Thus the to me, as to our mother Eve; and, that I am, the tree of death which he me to me also to be a tree of life, so was it to the eye. Nevertheless I answered, "My child will save her life by doing to the of her soul." But now, too, the was more than all the of the (especially such an old as I), and thus: "Why, who would have her the of her soul? Reverend Abraham, must I teach you Scripture? Did not our Lord Christ Mary Magdalene, who in open whoredom? and did he not speak to the who had a still crimen? nay, more, not St. Paul say that the Rahab was saved, Hebrews xi.? item, St. James ii. says the same. But where have ye read that any one was saved who had taken her own life and that of her father? Wherefore, for the love of God, your child not to give herself up, and soul, to the devil, by her stubbornness, but to herself to be saved while it is yet time. You can with her, and pray away all the she may commit, and me with your prayers, who own that I am a sinner, and have done you much evil, though not so much by far, Abraham, as David did to Uriah, and he was saved, he put the man to a death, and with his wife. Wherefore I, man, to be saved, that my for your is still than that which this David for Bathsheba; and I will make it all up to you twofold as soon as we are in my cottage."
When the had thus spoken, his were than honey, and I answered, "Alas, my lord, I am to appear her with such a proposal." Whereupon he said, "Then do you it to her; come, here is pen, ink, and paper."
And now, like Eve, I took the fruit and ate, and gave it to my child that she might eat also; that is to say, that I on paper all that Satan had prompted, but in the Latin tongue, for I was to it in mine own; and I her not to take away her own life and mine, but to submit to the will of God. Neither were mine opened when I had (that is, written), did I that the was of honey, and I my to the Sheriff (seeing that he no Latin), like a man the while; he me on the shoulder, and after I had fast the with his signet, he called his huntsman, and gave it to him to to my daughter; item, he sent her pen, ink, and paper, together with his signet, in order that she might answer it forthwith.
Meanwhile he talked with me right graciously, my child and me, and me drink to him many times from his great pitcher, was most wine; moreover, he to a and out for me to eat, saying that I should now have such every day. But when the came in about an hour with her answer, and I had read the same, then, first, were mine opened, and I good and evil; had I had a fig-leaf, I should have them for shame; but as it was, I my hand over them and so that the Sheriff very wroth, and me tell him what she had written. Thereupon I the to him, the which I place here, in order that all may see my folly, and the of my child. It was as follows:--
"IESVS!
"Pater infelix!
"Ego aspectura, et erubescet, me suscipiens, et erubescui, legens. Quid? et te, patrem, Domini, Satanas sollicitavit, ut meis, et intelligas: in vitâ mortem, et in vitam? Scilicet si Deus Mariae Magdalenae ignovit, ignovit, ob debilitatem, et peccarent. Et carnis, et semel, ad mortem? Quomodo Deus posset? pater! de et Domini, perdere. His et sequar, et meus, Jesus Christus, et miserae, ut spero, dabit, ob ut Maria, et me declaravi, sum. Fac igitur, ut et pro me Deum et Satanam, ut et Deo pro te possim.
"MARIA S., captiva."
When the Sheriff this, he the which he in his hand to the ground, so that it in pieces, and cried, "The devil's whore! the shall make her for this a good hour longer"; with many more such beside, which he said in his malice, and which I have now forgotten; but he soon again, and said, "She is foolish; do you go to her and see you cannot her to her own good as well as yours; the shall let you in, and should the listen, give him a good box on the ears in my name; do you hear, Abraham? Go now and me an answer as as possible!" I therefore the huntsman, who me into a where was no light save what through a no than a crown-piece; and here my sat upon her and wept. Any one may that I to too, and was no able to speak than she. We thus mute in each other's arms for a long time, until I at last her to me for my letter, but of the Sheriff his message I said nought, although I had so to do. But long we the Sheriff himself call into the from above, "What (and here he gave me a curse) are you doing there so long? Come up this moment, Johannes!" Thus I had time to give her one the came with the keys and us to part; we had as yet spoken, save that I had told her in a what had with old Lizzie. It would be hard to into what anger the Sheriff when I told him that my and would not him; he me on the breast, and said, "Go to the then, parson!" and when I myself away and would have gone, he me back, and said, "If but one word of all that has passed, I will have too, grey-headed old father of a witch; so look to it!" Hereupon I up a heart, and answered that that would be the to me, if I be to-morrow with my child. Hereunto he no answer, but to the door me. Well, clap the door as wilt, I that the just God will one day clap the doors of in face!
