Indian woman.  She professed much love to that child,—­Betty Parris; but it was her apparition did the mischief:  and why should not you also be guilty, for your apparition doth hurt also?” Her answer was, “Would you have me belie myself?” Weary, probably, of the protracted proceedings, her head drooped on one side; and forthwith the necks of the afflicted children were bent in the same way.  This new demonstration of the diabolical power that proceeded from her filled the house with increased awe, and spread horrible conviction of her guilt through all minds.  Elizabeth Hubbard’s neck was fixed in that direction, and could not be moved.  Abigail Williams cried out, “Set up Goody Nurse’s head, the maid’s neck will be broke.”  Whereupon, some persons held the prisoner’s head up, and “Aaron Way observed that Betty Hubbard’s was immediately righted.”  To consummate the effect of the whole proceeding, Mr. Parris, by direction of the magistrates, “read what he had in characters taken from Mr. Thomas Putnam’s wife in her fits.”  We shall come to the matter thus introduced by Mr. Parris, at a future stage of the story.  It is sufficient here to say, that it contained the most positive and minute declarations that the apparition of Rebecca Nurse had appeared to her, on several occasions, and horribly tortured her.  After hearing Parris’s statement, Hathorne asked the prisoner, “What do you think of this?” Her reply was, “I cannot help it:  the Devil may appear in my shape.”  It may be mentioned, that Mrs. Ann Putnam was present during this examination, and, in the course of it, went into the most dreadful bodily agony, charging it on Rebecca Nurse.  Her sufferings were so violent, and held on so long, that the magistrates gave permission to her husband to carry her out of the meeting-house, to free her from the malignant presence of the prisoner.  The record of the examination closes thus:—­

     “Salem Village, March 24th, 1691/2.—­The Reverend Mr. Samuel
     Parris, being desired to take in writing the examination of
     Rebecca Nurse, hath returned it as aforesaid.

“Upon hearing the aforesaid, and seeing what we then did see, together with the charges of the persons then present, we committed Rebecca Nurse, the wife of Francis Nurse of Salem Village, unto Her Majesty’s jail in Salem, as per mittimus then given out, in order to further examination.”

     [Illustration:  [signatures]]

The presence of Ann Putnam, the mother, on this occasion; the statement from her, read by Mr. Parris; and the terrible sufferings she exhibited, produced, no doubt, a deep effect upon the magistrates and all present.  Her social position and personal appearance undoubtedly contributed to heighten it.  For two months, her house had been the constant scene of the extraordinary actings of the circle of girls of which her daughter and maid-servant were the leading spirits.  Her mind had been absorbed in the mysteries of spiritualism.