The VVitch: A New-England Folktale Page #4

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I'll have proof, or Heaven help thee.

On thy knees!

Look me in the eye, daughter.

- Dost thou love the word of God?

- Yes.

Love you The Bible?

Love you prayer?

Yes. Yes!

We are children of sin all,

yet I tell thee, I have raised up

no witch in this house.

Let us pray,

then we need fear nothing.

We shall never lie open

to the wicked one.

Pray for thy brother.

- You must believe us!

- Evil wretches!

- Thomasin!

- [screams]

Pray.

[all] Our Father, which art in

Heaven, hallowed be thy name...

Jonas, pray.

I... I cannot remember my prayer.

[moans]

- What?

- Nor l. I cannot.

What nonsense is this?

Speak, children.

Our Father, which

art in Heaven...

- [cries]

- ...hallowed be thy name

[both crying]

Stop it! Stop it!

Pray, you beasts.

[cries]

- Get on thy knees and pray!

- [screams]

- Thomasin!

- [screams]

I don't hear this. This is not so.

[screams]

[gasps]

It's her!

A cat.

A crow.

A raven. A three-legged dog. A wolf!

[moans]

She desires of my blood.

She desires of my blood.

- Satan upon me!

- She desires of my blood!

[all the children

speaking over one another]

She sends 'em upon me.

My Lord, my Jesus!

Save me!

- Think on Christ!

- She sends her devils!

I am thine enemy, wallowing

in the blood of my sins!

The Lord is my shepherd,

I shall not want

He maketh me to lie

in green pastures,

and leadeth me by the still water...

[Caleb] I am thine enemy...

[prayers overlap]

I am thine enemy,

wallowing on the blood

and filth of my sin!

- ...I will fear no evil

- [Caleb]:
For thou art with me.

[panting]

Caleb... Caleb...

Cast a light of countenance

upon me.

Spread over me

the lap of Thy love.

Wash me in the everflowing

fountains of Thy blood.

Holy Thine I am,

my sweet Lord Jesus.

My Lord, my love, kiss me

with the kisses of Thy mouth.

How lovely art Thou.

Thy embrace!

My Lord!

[laughs]

My Lord!

My love!

My sole salvation!

Take me to Thy lap!

[laughs]

[gasps]

[moans of joy]

Caleb...

Caleb?

Caleb?

Caleb.

Caleb...

[sobs]

Wake up, please! Wake up!

Wake up, wake up.

[sobs]

Wake up.

[wailing]

He is dead!

[wailing]

He is dead!

[sobbing]

Jonas, Mercy, get up.

Get up!

Get away from him!

Get thee gone!

[sobbing]

Thomasin!

Thomasin. Thomasin...

My girl...

[weeping]

This tree will be

lovely come spring.

Do you remember

when we came hither?

Such a pretty tree.

Next year I'll just own us

a wheat field.

Start it at this tree

and end it thither.

We'd have been a proper farm then.

Brought us a big fat milk cow,

finished us the barn.

You must tell me, Thomasin.

Tomorrow I cannot keep secret of this.

The council will be called

and thy life is...

- Thy life...

- Will you not believe me?

I saw The Serpent in my son.

You stopped their prayer, Thom...

- They lie!

- I saw it.

Caleb disappeared with thee.

- I love Caleb.

- And who then found him,

pale as death,

naked as sin and witch'd?

Thomasin, listen to me.

The bargain that was made

is of no effect.

- I made no bargain.

- Thy soul belongeth to Christ.

- I made no bargain.

- The Devil hath no interest in thee.

- I am no witch, father.

- What did I but see in my house?

- Will you not hear me?

- Prithee, confess.

Why have you turned against me?

Christ can un-witch us

if you will but speak truth to me.

As I love thee, speak truth.

- You ask me to speak truth?

- I beg thee.

You and Mother planned

to rid the farm of me.

Aye, I heard you speak of it.

Is that truth?

You took of Mother's cup

and let her rail at me.

You confessed not

till it was too late.

- Is that truth?

- Peace thee.

- I will not.

- I am thy father.

- You are a hypocrite!

- Hold thy tongue, daughter mine.

You took Caleb to the wood and let me

take the blame of that too.

Is that truth?

You let Mother be as thy master.

You cannot bring the crops to yield!

You cannot hunt!

- Is that truth enough?

- Enough.

Thou canst do nothing

save cut wood!

B*tch!

[screams]

And you will not hear me!

[sobbing]

Must I hear the Devil

wag his tongue in thy mouth?

[sobs]

Ask the twins then!

Go on, ask them!

They spend all day long

babbling to that horned beast.

They know well his voice.

Go to.

The Adversary oft comes

in the shape of a he-goat.

And whispers.

Aye, whispers!

He is Lucifer.

You know it.

- The twins know it too.

- Slander thy brethren no more.

- It is they!

- From my sight!

T'was they and that goat

what bewitched this whole farm.

Lies.

Was't a wolf stole Sam?

I never saw no wolf.

Mercy told me herself

by the stream,

"I be the Witch of the Wood."

Get up. Rise!

[screams]

[grunts]

[heavy breathing]

[thud]

[grunt]

[gasp]

- What is this?

- [William] Speak.

I am no witch.

Get her from me sight!

I'll not have her in this house!

[William]

She is no witch, Katherine.

What is the cause, daughter?

Tell thy Mother!

I cannot know for certain.

[William]

Thou toldst me well thou knew.

[Katherine]

I cannot look at her.

[William] Aye, but ye shall.

Thomasin. Thomasin!

Jonas and Mercy.

They make covenant with the Devil

in the shape of Black Phillip.

[William]

Dost hear that, ye black minions?

Dost hear that, you devils?

Wake! Wake from this!

Did ye makes some

unholy bond with that goat?

Speak, if this be pretense.

[William laughs]

Dissemblers!

Grave pretenders all.

Hear me this:

I will not play a fool

to children's games!

This is no sport, William.

Yet these lies from our babes' mouths

are but trifles to them.

- I do not lie.

- Silence, creature!

Thy son is dead, damned!

- Caleb did but cry Jesus.

- The Devil!

Thou know it not.

- The Devil will speak scripture too!

- Thou know it not.

- Tis not true!

- We are damned!

Wake!

Fetch the billhook, wife,

and I will smite Jonas as Abraham

would have done his seed.

No, stop it! Stop it!

Fetch the billhook

and I will dash his skull!

[screams]

- No!

- Do you see?

- Stop it...

- Do you see now?

[Katherine sobs]

Please, father.

No, it's not safe. Not with them!

Keep me from this goat.

If that old billy be the Devil,

I'd have danced with him myself.

I'll break thee out upon the dawn

and we'll set back to the plantation.

Think on thy sins.

[crying]

[goat breathing]

Are you witches?

Does father think I am?

Are you?

No.

Does he really speak to thee?

[heavy breathing]

[grunts]

It is my fault.

[sobs]

I confess it.

I confess it.

[sobs]

Oh, my God.

My own fault.

I am infected with the filth of pride.

I know it.

I am.

Dispose of me how Thou will't...

...yet redeem my children.

They cannot tame their natural evils.

[sobs]

I lie before Thee a coward...

...and Thine enemy.

And I lick the dust of Thine earth.

[sobs]

I beg thee.

Save my children.

I beg Thee, my Christ,

I have not damned my family.

[rustling]

[gasps]

Me lambs... me angels!

[whispering]

Mother, we have longed to see you so.

As I to thee.

I must wake thy father!

He will be so glad.

[whispering]

No, let him sleep.

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