the complete poetical works-第184节
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Is Cotton Mather； Minister of Boston。
Enter HATHORNE and other Magistrates on horseback； followed by
the Sheriff； constables； and attendants on foot。 The Magistrates
dismount； and enter the Meeting…house； with the rest。
FARMER。
The Meeting…house is full。 I never saw
So great a crowd before。
GLOYD。
No matter。 Come。
We shall find room enough by elbowing
Our way among them。 Put your shoulder to it。
FARMER。
There were not half so many at the trial
Of Goodwife Bishop。
GLOYD。
Keep close after me。
I'll find a place for you。 They'll want me there。
I am a friend of Corey's； as you know；
And he can't do without me just at present。
＇Exeunt。
SCENE II。 Interior of the Meeting…house。 MATHER and the
Magistrates seated in front of the pulpit。 Before them a raised
platform。 MARTHA in chains。 COREY near her。 MARY WALCOT in a
chair。 A crowd of spectators； among them GLOYD。 Confusion and
murmurs during the scene。
HATHORNE。
Call Martha Corey。
MARTHA。
I am here。
HATHORNE。
Come forward。
She ascends the platform。
The Jurors of our Sovereign Lord and Lady
The King and Queen； here present； do accuse you
Of having on the tenth of June last past；
And divers other times before and after；
Wickedly used and practised certain arts
Called Witchcrafts； Sorceries； and Incantations；
Against one Mary Walcot； single woman；
Of Salem Village； by which wicked arts
The aforesaid Mary Walcot was tormented；
Tortured； afflicted； pined； consumed； and wasted；
Against the peace of our Sovereign Lord and Lady
The King and Queen； as well as of the Statute
Made and provided in that case。 What say you？
MARTHA。
Before I answer； give me leave to pray。
HATHORNE。
We have not sent for you； nor are we here；
To hear you pray； but to examine you
In whatsoever is alleged against you。
Why do you hurt this person？
MARTHA。
I do not。
I am not guilty of the charge against me。
MARY。
Avoid； she…devil！ You may torment me now！
Avoid； avoid； Witch！
MARTHA。
I am innocent。
I never had to do with any Witchcraft
Since I was born。 I am a gospel woman。
MARY。
You are a gospel Witch！
MARTHA （clasping her hands）。
Ah me！ ah me！
Oh； give me leave to pray！
MARY （stretching out her hands）。
She hurts me now。
See； she has pinched my hands！
HATHORNE。
Who made these marks
Upon her hands？
MARTHA。
I do not know。 I stand
Apart from her。 I did not touch her hands。
HATHORNE。
Who hurt her then？
MARTHA。
I know not。
HATHORNE。
Do you think
She is bewitched？
MARTHA。
Indeed I do not think so。
I am no Witch； and have no faith in Witches。
HATHORNE。
Then answer me： When certain persons came
To see you yesterday； how did you know
Beforehand why they came？
MARTHA。
I had had speech；
The children said I hurt them； and I thought
These people came to question me about it。
HATHORNE。
How did you know the children had been told
To note the clothes you wore？
MARTHA。
My husband told me
What others said about it。
HATHORNE。
Goodman Corey；
Say； did you tell her？
COREY。
I must speak the truth；
I did not tell her。 It was some one else。
HATHORNE。
Did you not say your husband told you so？
How dare you tell a lie in this assembly？
Who told you of the clothes？ Confess the truth。
MARTHA bites her lips； and is silent。
You bite your lips； but do not answer me！
MARY。
Ah； she is biting me！ Avoid； avoid！
HATHORNE。
You said your husband told you。
MARTHA。
Yes； he told me
The children said I troubled them。
HATHORNE。
Then tell me；
Why do you trouble them？
MARTHA。
I have denied it。
MARY。
She threatened me； stabbed at me with her spindle；
And； when my brother thrust her with his sword；
He tore her gown； and cut a piece away。
Here are they both； the spindle and the cloth。
Shows them。
HATHORNE。
And there are persons here who know the truth
Of what has now been said。 What answer make you？
MARTHA。
I make no answer。 Give me leave to pray。
HATHORNE。
Whom would you pray to？
MARTHA。
To my God and Father。
HATHORNE。
Who is your God and Father？
MARTHA。
The Almighty！
HATHORNE。
Doth he you pray to say that he is God？
It is the Prince of Darkness； and not God。
MARY。
There is a dark shape whispering in her ear。
HATHORNE。
What does it say to you？
MARTHA。
I see no shape。
HATHORNE。
Did you not hear it whisper？
MARTHA。
I heard nothing。
MARY。
What torture！ Ah； what agony I suffer！
Falls into a swoon。
HATHORNE。
You see this woman cannot stand before you。
If you would look for mercy； you must look
In God's way； by confession of your guilt。
Why does your spectre haunt and hurt this person？
MARTHA。
I do not know。 He who appeared of old
In Samuel's shape； a saint and glorified；
May come in whatsoever shape he chooses。
I cannot help it。 I am sick at heart！
COREY。
O Martha； Martha！ let me hold your hand。
HATHORNE。
No； stand aside； old man。
MARY （starting up）。
Look there！ Look there！
I see a little bird； a yellow bird
Perched on her finger； and it pecks at me。
Ah； it will tear mine eyes out！
MARTHA。
I see nothing。
HATHORNE。
'T is the Familiar Spirit that attends her。
MARY。
Now it has flown away。 It sits up there
Upon the rafters。 It is gone； is vanished。
MARTHA。
Giles； wipe these tears of anger from mine eyes。
Wipe the sweat from my forehead。 I am faint。
She leans against the railing。
MARY。
Oh； she is crushing me with all her weight！
HATHORNE。
Did you not carry once the Devil's Book
To this young woman？
MARTHA。
Never。
HATHORNE。
Have you signed it；
Or touched it？
MARTHA。
No； I never saw it。
HATHORNE。
Did you not scourge her with an iron rod？
MARTHA。
No； I did not。 If any Evil Spirit
Has taken my shape to do these evil deeds；
I cannot help it。 I am innocent。
HATHORNE。
Did you not say the Magistrates were blind？
That you would open their eyes？
MARTHA （with a scornful laugh）。
Yes； I said that；
If you call me a sorceress； you are blind！
If you accuse the innocent； you are blind！
Can the innocent be guilty？
HATHORNE。
Did you not
On one occasion hide your husband's saddle
To hinder him from coming to the sessions？
MARTHA。
I thought it was a folly in a farmer
To waste his time pursuing such illusions。
HATHORNE。
What was the bird that this young woman saw
Just now upon your hand？
MARTHA。
I know no bird。
HATHORNE。
Have you not dealt with a Familiar Spirit？
MARTHA。
No； never； never！
HATHORNE。
What then was the Book
You showed to this young woman； and besought her
To write in it？
MARTHA。
Where should I have a book？
I showed her none； nor have none。
MARY。
The next Sabbath
Is the Communion Day； but Martha Corey
Will not be there！
MARTHA。
Ah； you are all against me。
What can I do or say？
HATHORNE。
You can confess。
MARTHA。
No； I cannot； for I am innocent。
HATHORNE。
We have the proof of many witnesses
That you are guilty。
MARTHA。
Give me leave to speak。
Will you condemn me on such evidence；
You who have known me for so many years？
Will you condemn me in this house of God；
Where I so long have worshipped with you all？
Where I have eaten the bread and drunk the wine
So many times at our Lord's Table with you？
Bear witness； you that hear me； you all know
That I have led a blameless life among you；
That never any whisper of suspicion
Was breathed against me till this accusation。
And shall this count for nothing？ Will you take
My life away from me； because this girl；
Who is distraught； and not in her right mind；
Accuses me of things I blush to name？
HATHORNE。
What！ is it not enough？ Would you hear more？
Giles Corey！
COREY。
I am here。
HATHORNE。
Come fo
