THE WITCH
It was night in the city of the Ephesian goddess. Gathered around the
glare of a rude lamp sat Endora and a few who had come to consult her.
Said one:
'Thou hast heard of the new faith springing up around us?'
'I have.'
'Shall it prosper?'
'I know not,' replied the witch.
'I thought thou knewest everything, nothing being hid from thy
scrutinizing gaze.'
'Ah, my sons, there are mysteries which I cannot penetrate! Ask me to
call spirits from the gloomiest hell, I might do so, but this new faith
relates to a spirit-plane above this earth, where men, they say, are
gods. Of this place I know nothing; over it I have no control.'
'What is the emblem of this faith?'
'A cross.'
''Tis easily made. Let us form one and adjure.'
'Nay, nay,' said the woman; 'let such things be.'
'No, no; we will make it, and thou bring out thy potent spells. Let the
faiths fight now! To-morrow we shall war with the new one before the
sun. The people of Asia are gone mad over the new doctrines, and those
infatuated by them will on the next day to this gather within the Agora,
burn their charms and amulets, and fires will blaze with fuel formed
from choicest books on Asian magic. Up quickly, we say, and to thy work!
We fear not. Do thy best, and let the gods of this vile sect do theirs!'
With a raven-clouded brow, the witch brought out her potions.
'What hast thou, woman?'
'Various kinds.'
'Hast thou those which cast out demons?'
'I have.'
'Then stand forth Samo--Samo has a legion in him. Art thou ready,
Endora? Proceed.'
Then she chanted:
'Demon legion, listen, listen!
Hear the voice of Hecate,
Hear the thundering of her feet!
I, her minion, bid you tremble
Ere ye hasten back to Tartarus.
Seek ye bodies more befitting,
With your spirits more in union.
Come ye out, ye reeking fiends,
Never more return to hinder
This old man from groping forwards
To the radiant fields Elysian.'
Putting her hands forward towards the man and lowering them towards the
ground, she paused with greedy expectation, whilst the possessed stood
still with vacant stare, and naught was heard but the barking of the
night-hounds.
'Thou hast failed, mother,' said Sceva--'thou hast failed!'
'Yes, I know--I know! Look ye--look at the cross yonder! See how it
streams with living light! 'Tis guarded by spirits of flame more
powerful than Hecate--ah, more powerful than Hecate is here!'
'Nonsense, woman! cease thy prattling! Thou hast drunk the Samian
wine--thou art weak to-night. We will abjure. Eh? By Solomon! who left
us incantations stronger than thine.'
Sceva said: 'Set a basin full of water on the floor. It shall be
upturned by unseen hands, that we may be assured of the departure of the
demons.'
Then, drawing from the folds of his dress a blood stone ring, he placed
it near the nostrils of the demoniac, commanding the legion to come out
of him, chanting:
'By the Jewish altar throne,
By the temple at fair Salem,
By the rites of Solomon,
By the sovereign power of Judah,
Children loved by God of gods,
Come ye forth, ye fiends rebellious,
Hasten with the waning hour
Back to hell, your endless house!'
Still the look of Samo was one of blank despair. No voice came from him,
no paroxysms, no falling to the ground, and the water was unspilt.
Then the men gazed at each other, and Endora said with her sardonic
smile:
'What ails the gods to-night? They are powerless, and ye also have drunk
the Samian wine.'
'No, we will not yield,' said Sceva. 'Now for the test! Let us adjure by
this Jesus whom the wandering Paul preaches, and, by Heaven, we will use
the cross.'
Rushing forward, he seized it and held the emblem before the man.
Endora cried out: 'Stay! stay! Do it not! I see one by it who looks like
a God!'
But Sceva said, 'Nay!' and cried out:
'We, the holders of this symbol,
Bid you by the name of Jesus
Come ye forth, and ever be so
While eternal ages roll!'
Then a voice came forth from Samo, 'Jesus I know, but who are ye?' and
with the wild frenzy of madness he rushed upon them, tearing their
garments to pieces until they fled the cave and down the steep sides of
Mount Pion towards the city.
The poor demoniac had clutched the radiant cross, and fell with it to
the ground. As he pressed it to his lips, a joyous smile swept over his
face. He was changed. The tempest-tossed soul was riding at anchor in a
haven of calm, and the weary spirit shone with glorious sheen.
Endora had fled with the rest. She hid herself behind some black poplars
until the freed man departed. Then she crept back to her cave, and found
utter confusion reigning. Things were soon put straight, for she had few
luxuries.
She sat down meditating on those passing strange events. Suddenly she
started, crying, 'The Cross! the Cross!' and springing forward, she
grasped it, broke it to pieces, and flung it from the cave.
'No good can come to me whilst it remains within. It represents not
Hecate--of that I am sure.'
Then she sat down again, like a spider in its den, trusting some
visitors might come to consult and bring her gain, for the night was
clear and the stars shone out like children of the sun.