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filled with such terrible emotions that they had to warn her to be careful or she'd get herself denounced as a witch? Yes, she was one of them, they recognized her as one of them, and instead of accusing them, she should have accused herself. The beginning of redemption. "Oh, I want to have the love of God again. Will you help me, Mr. Quill?"

He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "Miss Purity, I come to you with the kiss of fellowship, as the Saints greeted each other in days of old. Deep inside you is a Christian soul. I will help you waken the Christian within you, and get shut of the devil."

Weeping now, she clutched his hands within hers. "Thank you, sir."

"Let us begin in earnest, then," said Quill. "In your fear you first named only strangers, people passing through. But you have been a witch for many years, and it is time for you to name the witches of Cambridge."

She echoed him stupidly. "Witches of Cambridge?"

"It's been many, many years since this part of Massachusetts has had a witch trial. Witchery and witchism are thick here, and with your repentance we have a chance to root them out."

"Witchism?"

"The belief system surrounding witchery, which protects it and allows it to flourish. I'm sure you've heard these lies. The claim that knacks are natural or even a gift from God - this clearly is a satanic lie designed to keep people from getting rid of witchcraft. The claim that knacks don't exist - absurdly, that is what many supposedly wise men claim! - that also provides a shelter under which the covens can remain safe to work their evil. It is well known that while many witchists are simply echoing the beliefs of strong-willed people around them, others are secret witches, pretending to disbelieve in witchery even as they practice it. These are terrible hypocrites who must be exposed; and yet often they are the most attractive or interesting of the witchists, keeping you from recognizing their true nature. Can you think of any who speak this way?"

"But I can't imagine any of them are witches," said Purity.

"That's not for you to decide, is it?" said Quill. "Name the names, and let me examine them. If they're witches, I'll have it out of them eventually. If they're innocent, God will preserve them and they'll go free."

"Then let God show them to you."

"But I am not the one being tested," said Quill. "You are. This is your chance to prove that your repentance is real. You have denounced the stranger. Now denounce the snake in our own garden."

She imagined herself naming names. Whom would she denounce? Emerson? Reverend Study? These were men she loved and admired. There was not witchery in them, nor witchism either.

"All I know of witchcraft is my own knack," she said. "That and the men I already denounced."

Suddenly tears appeared in Quill's eyes. "Now Satan fears that his whole kingdom in this land is in jeopardy, and he terrifies you and forbids you to speak."

"No sir," said Purity. "Honor forbids me to name those who are not witches and who to my knowledge have done only good in the world."

"So you are the judge?" whispered Quill. "You dare to speak of honor? Let God judge them; you have only to name them."

Now she remembered Reverend Study's admonition. Why did I ever speak at all? Is this where it always leads? I cannot be considered pure unless I falsely accuse others?

"There are no other witches but myself, as far as I know," she said.

"I ask for witchists, too, remember," said Quill. "Come now, child, don't fall back into the cruel embrace of Satan out of a misplaced sense of loyalty. If they are Christians, Christ will keep them safe. And if they are not Christians, then do you not better serve them and the world at large by exposing them for what they are?"

"You twist everything I say," she said. "You'll do the same to them."

"I twist things?" said Quill. "Are you now denying your confession of witchcraft?"

For a moment she wanted to say yes, but then remembered: The only people ever hanged as witches were those who confessed and then either did more witchcraft - or recanted their confession.

"No sir, I don't deny that I'm a witch. I just deny that I ever saw anyone from Cambridge do anything that I might call witchery or even... witchism."

"It's not a good