Копи царя Соломона
The Witch-Hunt
"Letthelawtakeitscourse,whitemen. Thesedogsaremagiciansandevil-doers;itiswellthattheyshoulddie,"wastheonlyanswervouchsafedtous.
Abouthalf-pasttentherewasapause. Thewitch-findersgatheredthemselvestogether,apparentlyexhaustedwiththeirbloodywork,andwethoughtthattheperformancewasdonewith. Butitwasnotso,forpresently,tooursurprise,theancientwoman,Gagool,rosefromhercrouchingposition, andsupportingherselfwithastick,staggeredoffintotheopenspace. Itwasanextraordinarysighttoseethisfrightfulvulture-headedoldcreature,bentnearlydoublewithextremeage,gatherstrengthbydegrees,untilatlastsherushedaboutalmostasactivelyasherill-omenedpupils. Toandfrosheran,chantingtoherself,tillsuddenlyshemadeadashatatallmanstandinginfrontofoneoftheregiments,andtouchedhim. Asshedidthisasortofgroanwentupfromtheregimentwhichevidentlyhecommanded. Buttwoofitsofficersseizedhimallthesame,andbroughthimupforexecution. Welearnedafterwardsthathewasamanofgreatwealthandimportance,beingindeedacousinoftheking.
Hewasslain,andTwalacountedonehundredandthree. ThenGagoolagainsprangtoandfro,graduallydrawingnearerandnearertoourselves.
"HangmeifIdon’tbelievesheisgoingtotryhergamesonus,"ejaculatedGoodinhorror.
"Nonsense!"saidSirHenry.
Asformyself,whenIsawthatoldfienddancingnearerandnearer,myheartpositivelysankintomyboots. Iglancedbehindusatthelongrowsofcorpses,andshivered.
