"Truly, Eben Dudley hath done marvels in this hunt; he hath
come in with a thunderbolt in his head, instead of a fat buck on his
shoulders!"
"Speak reverently, girl, of that thou dost not comprehend," said Mark
Heathcote, with stern authority. "Marvels are manifested equally to the
ignorant and to the learned; and although vain-minded pretenders to
philosophy affirm, that the warring of the elements is no more than nature
working out its own purification, yet do we know, from all ancient
authorities, that other manifestations are therein exhibited. Satan may
have control over the magazines of the air; he can 'let off the ordnance
of Heaven.' That the Prince of the Powers of Darkness hath as good a share
in chemistry as goes to the making of Aurum Fulminans, is asserted by one
of the wisest writers of our age."
From this declaration, and more particularly from the learning
discovered in the Puritan's speech, there was no one so hardy as to
dissent. Faith was glad to shrink back among the bevy of awe-struck
maidens; while Content, after a sufficiently respectful pause, invited
the woodsman, who was yet teeming with the most important part of his
communication, to proceed.
Pages:
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218