Chapter 5

           TheprobabilitythatCurwenwasonguardandattemptingunusualthings,assuggestedbytheoddshaftoflight,precipitatedatlasttheactionsocarefullydevisedbythebandofseriouscitizens.AccordingtotheSmithdiaryacompanyofabout100menmetat10p.m.onFriday,April12th,1771,inthegreatroomofThurston’sTavernattheSignoftheGoldenLiononWeybossetPointacrosstheBridge.OftheguidinggroupofprominentmeninadditiontotheleaderJohnBrowntherewerepresentDr.Bowen,withhiscaseofsurgicalinstruments,PresidentManningwithoutthegreatperiwig(thelargestintheColonies)forwhichhewasnoted,GovernorHopkins,wrappedinhisdarkcloakandaccompaniedbyhisseafaringbrotherEsek,whomhehadinitiatedatthelastmomentwiththepermissionoftherest,JohnCarter,Capt.Mathewson,andCapt.Whipple,whowastoleadtheactualraidingparty.Thesechiefsconferredapartinarearchamber,afterwhichCapt.Whippleemergedtothegreatroomandgavethegatheredseamentheirlastoathsandinstructions.EleazarSmithwaswiththeleadersastheysatintherearapartmentawaitingthearrivalofEzraWeeden,whosedutywastokeeptrackofCurwenandreportthedepartureofhiscoachforthefarm.

           About10:30aheavyrumblewasheardontheGreatBridge,followedbythesoundofacoachinthestreetoutside;andatthathourtherewasnoneedofwaitingforWeedeninordertoknowthatthedoomedmanhadsetoutforhislastnightofunhallowedwizardry.