And as Alizon was borne away, Mistress Nutter uttered a cry of anguish.
"Do not stay here," said Mother Chattox, raising herself with difficulty. "Go after her; you may yet save your daughter."
"But how?" cried Mistress Nutter, distractedly. "I have no power now."
As she spoke a dusky form rose up beside her. It was her familiar.
"Will you return to your duty if I help you in this extremity?" he said.
"Ay, do, do!" cried Mother Chattox. "Anything to avenge yourself upon that murtherous hag."
"Peace!" cried the familiar, spurning her with his cloven foot.
"I do not want vengeance," said Mistress Nutter; "I only want to save my child."
"Then you consent on that condition?" said the familiar.
"No!" replied Mistress Nutter, firmly. "I now perceive I am not utterly lost, since you try to regain me. I have renounced thy master, and will make no new bargain with him. Get hence, tempter!"
"Think not to escape us," cried the familiar; "no penitence-no absolution can save thee. Thy name is written on the judgment scroll, and cannot be effaced. I would have aided thee, but, since my offer is rejected, I leave thee."
"You will not let him go!" screamed Mother Chattox. "Oh that the chance were mine!"
"Be silent, or I will beat thy brains out!" said the familiar. "Once more, am I dismissed?"
"Ay, for ever!" replied Mistress Nutter.
And as the familiar disappeared, she flew to the spot where her child had been taken.
About twenty paces from the beacon, a circle had again been formed by the unhallowed crew, in the midst of which stood Mother Demdike, with the gory knife in her hand, muttering spells and incantations, and performing mystical ceremonials.
Every now and then her companions joined in these rites, and chanted a song couched in a wild, unintelligible jargon. Beside the witch knelt Alizon, with her hands tied behind her back, so that she could not raise them in supplication; her hair unbound, and cast loosely over her person, and a thick bandage fastened over her eyes and mouth.
The initiatory ceremonies over, the old hag approached her victim, when Mistress Nutter forced herself through the circle, and cast herself at her feet.
"Spare her!" she cried, clinging to her knees; "it shall be well for thee if thou dost so."
"Again interrupted!" cried the witch, furiously. "This time I will show thee no mercy. Take thy fate, meddlesome woman!"
And she raised the knife, but ere the weapon could descend, it was seized by Mistress Nutter, and wrested from her grasp. In another instant, Alizon"s arms were liberated, and the bandage removed from her eyes.
"Now it is my turn to threaten. I have thee in my power, infernal hag!" cried Mistress Nutter, holding the knife to the witch"s throat, and clasping her daughter with the other arm. "Wilt let us go?"
"No!" replied Mother Demdike, springing nimbly backwards. "You shall both die. I will soon disarm thee."
And making one or two pa.s.ses with her hands, Mistress Nutter dropped the weapon, and instantly became fixed and motionless, with her daughter, equally rigid, in her arms. They looked as if suddenly turned to marble.
"Now to complete the ceremonial," cried Mother Demdike, picking up the knife.
And then she began to mutter an impious address preparatory to the sacrifice, when a loud clangour was heard like the stroke of a hammer upon a bell.
"What was that?" exclaimed the witch, in alarm.
"Were there a clock here, I should say it had struck one," replied Mould-heels.
"It must be our master"s timepiece," said another witch.
"One o"clock!" exclaimed Mother Demdike, who appeared stupefied with fear, "and the sacrifice not made-then I am lost!"
A derisive laugh reached her ears. It proceeded from Mother Chattox, who had contrived to raise herself to her feet, and, tottering forward, now pa.s.sed through the appalled circle.
"Ay, thy term is out-thy soul is forfeited like mine-ha! ha!" And she fell to the ground.
"Perhaps it may not be too late," cried Mother Demdike, grasping the knife, and rushing towards Alizon.
But at this moment a bright flame shot up from the beacon.
Astonishment and terror seized the hag, and she uttered a loud cry, which was echoed by the rest of the crew.
The flame mounted higher and higher, and burnt each moment more brightly, illumining the whole summit of the hill. By its light could be seen a band of men, some of whom were on horseback, speeding towards the place of meeting.
Scared by the sight, the witches fled, but were turned by another band advancing from the opposite quarter. They then made towards the spot where their broomsticks were deposited, but ere they could reach it, a third party gained the summit of the hill at this precise point, and immediately started in pursuit of them.
Meanwhile, a young man issuing from behind the beacon, flew towards Mistress Nutter and her daughter. The moment the flame burst forth, the spell cast over them by Mother Demdike was broken, and motion and speech restored.
"Alizon!" exclaimed the young man, as he came up, "your trials are over. You are safe."
"Oh, Richard!" she replied, falling into his arms, "have we been preserved by you?"
"I am a mere instrument in the hands of Heaven," he replied.
Mother Demdike made no attempt at flight with the rest of the witches, but remained for a few moments absorbed in contemplation of the flaming beacon. Her hand still grasped the murderous weapon she had raised against Alizon, but it had dropped to her side when the fire burst forth. At length she turned fiercely to Richard, and demanded-
"Was it thou who kindled the beacon?"
"It was!" replied the young man.
"And who bade thee do it-who brought thee hither?" pursued the witch.
"An enemy of thine, old woman!" replied Richard, "His vengeance has been slow in coming, but it has arrived at last."
"But who is he? I see him not!" rejoined Mother Demdike.
"You will see him before yon flame expires," said Richard. "I should have come to your a.s.sistance sooner, Alizon," he continued, turning to her, "but I was forbidden. And I knew I should best ensure your safety by compliance with the injunctions I had received."
"Some guardian spirit must have interposed to preserve us," replied Alizon; "for such only could have successfully combated with the evil beings from whom we have been delivered."
"Thy spirit is unable to preserve thee now!" cried Mother Demdike, aiming a deadly blow at her with the knife. But, fortunately, the attempt was foreseen by Richard, who caught her arm, and wrested the weapon from her.