The boy was at
first rather terrified, but as his helpers became more vehement and
their antics more grotesque, he lost his fright and was intensely
amused. Finally the whole congregation rose and, headed by the
preacher, rushed out of the house with wild cries that the evil spirit
had left Tommy and that they would hunt it out of the village. None
the less the boy remained dumb; so that the evil spirit, if ever it had
thought of going, had certainly changed its mind very quickly.
Both doctor and preacher having failed, Mrs. Fry was at her wits' end;
but her neighbours pointed out that witchcraft could be met only by
witchcraft; and a remark made by her nearest neighbour, Mrs. Mugford,
soon brought her round to their mind. "'Tisn't witchcraft," said Mrs.
Mugford very loudly in Mrs. Fry's hearing, "'tis a jidgment on evil
tongues, and the sins of parents that's visited on the children. The
mother goeth back and vor biting and slandering, and the mouth of the
innocent child is stopped." Mrs. Fry wept with rage as she heard the
words, for she had no answer ready. But she was more than ever
convinced from that moment that it was witchcraft which had wrought the
mischief in poor Tommy, and that only further witchcraft could undo it.
Despite the sad end of her pig, owing to the malignant influence of the
white witch of Gratton, she now lamented the death of the old man and
wished that he were back, if only for one day, that she might consult
him and show her contempt for Mrs.
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