Dulcibel: A Tale of Old Salem
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CHAPTER XXVII.
The Dissimulation of Master Raymond.
About this time the gossips of Salem village began to remark upon theattentions that were being paid by the wealthy young Englishman, MasterEllis Raymond, to various members of the "afflicted circle." He pettedthose bright and terribly precocious children of twelve, Ann Putnam andAbigail Williams; he almost courted the older girls, Mary Walcot, MercyLewis and Leah Herrick and had a kindly word for Mary Warren, SarahChurchill and others, whenever he saw them. As for Mistress Ann Putnam,the mother, he always had been very respectful to her. While in Bostonhe had purchased quite an assortment of those little articles which thePuritan elders usually denominated "gew-gaws" and "vain adornments" andit was observed that Abigail Williams especially had been given a numberof these, while the other girls had one or more of them, which they werevery careful in not displaying except at those times when no grave elderor deacon was present to be shocked by them.
I will acknowledge that there was some dissimulation in this conduct ofMaster Raymond's, and Joseph Putnam by no means approved of it.
"How you can go smiling around that den of big and little she-wolves,patting the head of one, and playing with the paw of another, I cannotunderstand, friend Raymond. I would not do it to save my life."
"Nor I," answered Master Raymond gravely. "But I would do it to saveyour life, friend Joseph, or that of your sweet young wife there--orthat of the baby which she holds upon her knee."
"Or that of Mistress Dulcibel Burton!" added sweet Mistress Putnamkindly.
"Yes, or that of Dulcibel Burton."
"You know, my dear friends, the plan I have in view may fail. If thatshould fail, I am laying the foundation of another--so that if Dulcibelshould be brought to trial, the witnesses that are relied upon may failto testify so wantonly against her. Even little Abigail Williams has theassurance and ingenuity to save her, if she will."
"Yes, that precocious child is a very imp of Satan," said Joseph Putnam."What a terrible woman she will make."
"Oh, no, she may sink down into a very tame and commonplace woman, afterthis tremendous excitement is over," rejoined his friend. "I think attimes I see symptoms of it now. The strain is too great for her childishbrain."
"Well, I suppose your dissimulation is allowable if it is to save thelife of your betrothed," said Master Putnam, "but I would not do it if Icould and I could not if I would."
"Do you remember Junius Brutus playing idiot--and King David playingimbecile?"
"Oh, I know you have plenty of authority for your dissimulation."
"It seems to me," joined in young Mistress Putnam, "that the differencebetween you is simply this. Joseph could not conscientiously do it; andyou can."
"Yes, that is about the gist of it," said her young husband. "And nowthat I have relieved my conscience by protesting against your course, Iam satisfied you should go on in your own way just the same."
"And yet you feel no conscientious scruples against abducting theminister," rejoined Raymond laughing; "a thing which I am rather loathto do."
"I see," replied Joseph, also laughing. "I scruple at taking mustard,and you at cayenne pepper. It is a matter of mental organizationprobably."
"Yes--and if a few or many doses of mustard will prevent my beingarrested as a witch, which would put it entirely out of my power to aidDulcibel in her affliction--and perhaps turn some of the "afflicted"girls over to her side, in case she has to stand a trial for her life--Ishall certainly swallow them with as much grace as if they were so manyspoonfuls of honey. There is a time to be over-scrupulous, friendJoseph, but not when my beloved one is in the cage of the tigers. Yes, Ishall not hesitate to meet craft with craft."
And Mistress Putnam, sweet, good woman as she was, nodded her head,woman-like, approvingly, carried away perhaps by the young man'searnestness, and by the strength of his love.