“I will,” replied Mistress Nutter.

“You will!” exclaimed Nowell.  “Then the fellow did not deceive us, Master Potts.”

“Has any one been with you?” asked the lady, uneasily.

“Ay, the reeve of the forest,” replied Nowell.  “He told us you would be with us presently, and would make fair offers to us.”

“And he told us also why you would make them, madam,” added Potts, in an insolent and menacing tone; “he told us you would make a merit of doing what you could not help—­that your power had gone from you—­that your works of darkness would be destroyed—­and that, in a word, you were abandoned by the devil, your master.”

“He deceived you,” replied Mistress Nutter.  “I have made you the offer out of pure good-will, and you can reject it or not, as you please.  All I stipulate, if you do accept it, is, that you pledge me your word not to bring any charge of witchcraft against me.”

“Do not give the pledge,” whispered a voice in the ear of the magistrate.

“Did you speak?” he said, turning to Potts.

“No, sir,” replied the attorney, in a low tone; “but I thought you cautioned me against—­”

“Hush!” interrupted Nowell; “it must be the reeve.  We cannot comply with your request, madam,” he added, aloud.

“Certainly not,” said Potts.  “We can make no bargain with an avowed witch.  We should gain nothing by it; on the contrary, we should be losers, for we have the positive assurance of a gentleman whom we believe to be upon terms of intimacy with a certain black gentleman of your acquaintance, madam, that the latter has given you up entirely, and that law and justice may, therefore, take their course.  We protest against our unlawful detention; but we give ourselves small concern about it, as Sir Ralph Assheton, who will be advised of our situation by Parson Holden, will speedily come to our liberation.”

“Yes, we are now quite easy on that score, madam,” added Nowell; “and to-morrow we shall have the pleasure of escorting you to Lancaster Castle.”

“And your trial will come on at the next assizes, about the middle of August,” said Potts, “You have only four months to run.”

“That is indeed my term,” muttered the lady.  “I shall not tarry to listen to your taunts,” she added, aloud.  “You may possibly regret rejecting my proposal.”

So saying, she quitted the room.

As she returned to the hall, Nicholas awoke.

“What a devil of a storm!” he exclaimed, stretching himself and rubbing his eyes.  “Zounds! that flash of lightning was enough to blind me, and the thunder wellnigh splits one’s ears.”

“Yet you have slept through louder peals, Nicholas,” said Mistress Nutter, coming up to him.  “Richard has not returned from his mission, and I must go myself to Malkin Tower.  In my absence, I must entrust you with the defence of my house.”

“I am willing to undertake it,” replied Nicholas, “provided no witchcraft be used.”