Page:Salem - a tale of the seventeenth century (IA taleseventeenth00derbrich).pdf/114

 perennial pauperism had outworn the patience of nearly all her benefactors, and whose name, if not positively evil, was not respectable—an abject thing to be pitied, not persecuted.

We shall endeavor to give her examination according to the minutes which have been preserved; but let it be remembered that this examination was in the form of questions put to her by Justice Hathorne, evidently expressive of his belief in her guilt, and in the truth of the evidence brought by "the afflicted girls" against her; that no friend or counsel was allowed her; that she was very ignorant, wholly unused to such a cross-examination as she was subjected to, totally unaware of the danger of being entrapped in her unguarded answers, or that what she might say in her wild, random replies was liable to be misunderstood or misrepresented.

Justice Hathorne commenced the examination as follows:

"Sarah Good, what evil spirit have you familiarity with?"

To which the prisoner responded, "None!"

"Have you made no contracts with the devil?"