CHAPTER XXV.
Captain Alden before the Magistrates.
There was an additional magistrate sitting on this occasion, Master Bartholomew Gedney--making three in all.
Mistress Ann Putnam, the she-wolf, as her young brother-in-law had called her, was not present among the accusers--leaving the part of the "afflicted" to be played by the other and younger members of the circle.
There was another Captain present, also a stranger, a Captain Hill; and he being also a tall man, perplexed some of the girls at first.

One even pointed at him, until she was better informed in a whisper by a man who was holding her up.

And then she cried out that it was "Alden! Alden!" who was afflicting her.
At length one of the magistrates ordering Captain Alden to stand upon a chair, there was no further trouble upon that point; and the usual demonstrations began.

As the accused naturally looked upon the "afflicted" girls, they went off into spasms, shrieks and convulsions.
This was nearly always the first proceeding, as it created a profound sympathy for them, and was almost sufficient of itself to condemn the accused.
"The tall man is pinching me!" "Oh, he is choking me!" "He is choking me! do hold his hands!" "He stabs me with his sword--oh, take it away from him!" Such were the exclamations that came from the writhing and convulsed girls.
"Turn away his head! and hold his hands!" cried Squire Hathorne.

"Take away his sword!" said Squire Gedney while the old Captain grew red and wrathful at the babel around him, and at the indignities to which he was subject.
"Captain Alden, why do you torment these poor girls who never injured you ?" "Torment them!--you see I am not touching them.