Scene One
The Members of the Tribunal, Fray Eugenio Calabazas, and Fray Teofilo Ibarra, Dominicans, later Cleofas, Oliveira, Fray Miguel Molina and Fray Hernando Albornos, Franciscans. An Usher of the Tribunal, at the foot of the stage.
As the curtain rises, Calabazas, seated, and Ibarra, at the left outside, are discovered talking in a low voice. Cleofas and Fray Hernando Albornos enter at the right.
Cleofas. (Advancing into the scene) I have slept so well after that excellent feast! Nothing is more injurious to the health than being startlingly awakened during one’s first sleep.
Albornos. What business is so urgent that we must convene before daybreak?
Cleofas. (Joining the group at the left) You Excellencies should have the goodness to tell us.
Calabazas. We know no more about it than you.
Ibarra. We were greatly surprised at the morning visit of the agent of the Tribunal. We are here at the special request of His Eminence to consider a pressing and serious matter.
Albornos. Then you have no idea what it is?
Ibarra and Calabazas. None.
Cleofas. (To Molina, who enters at right) And you, my reverend father?
Molina. No more than you.
Calabazas. In any case, I think, without question, that the two women whom we again examined after vespers are guilty of sorcery.
Molina. Moreover, they confessed.
Ibarra. That will simplify the task.
Cleofas. (Seeing Oliveira, who enters at the left) Is it not the opinion of my excellent colleague. Master Oliveira, that there is not sufficient evidence to condemn them?
All turn toward Oliveira with questioning looks.
Oliveira. Since my very venerable colleague has obliged me to give my humble opinion, I must confess that one of the two women, the one called Afrida, appears to me to be an old fool, who after having been forced to listen to sorcery and witchcraft, is possessed with the idea that she is on intimate terms with a demon. She accepts her dreams and nightmares as realities and every woman and girl whom she knows she accuses of having attended a witches’ revel. A dozen of these unfortunates have been placed in our dungeons since yesterday. If we listened to that vixen all of the women of Toledo would be sorceresses—especially the young ones!
Calabazas. Has she not a reason for accusing them if she has seen them at these revels?
Murmurs of discreet approbation.
Oliveira. For her to have seen them, my father, it would have been necessary for her to have gone there herself.
Ibarra. She partook in them.
Molina. And you doubt that?
Oliveira. For a good reason!—As she pretended, in spite of the confining walls of her dungeons, to be able to attend the revels again, I determined to see for myself whether she was telling the truth. Three times during the night I found her sleeping deeply on the pallet in her cell in the prison. When she awoke she told me all that she thought she had seen at the home of the devil!
Albornos. If you were more experienced in these matters. Master Oliveira, you would know that these sorceresses can leave their bodies lying in their beds and at the same time attend these Satanic love-feasts.
Murmurs of approbation.
Cleofas. And that in the same body the devil can place one of his imps, who will not change its appearance.
Renewed approbation.
Calabazas. And the other sorceress?—This young peasant woman from Torrijos, whom they found in a wood at dawn stretched naked on ground which had been trampled by infernal dances and which was still littered with the remains of an infernal feast and firebrands and ashes—Master Oliveira, do you believe she too is innocent?
Oliveira. I have good cause to believe it!—She is a poor girl from the fields who was seduced by her master, who abandoned her and her child and left them in deep misery. A passing vagrant invited her to go to a witches’ meeting where Satan would provide her with plenty of gold. He took her to a nocturnal gathering of beggars and ragamuffins, who with the aid of some rogue put her into a sleep, from which she awakened at dawn with the vague memory of horrible debauchery!—An orgie! Yes! But witches’ meeting?—Who will prove it?——
Cleofas. The sigillum or stigma Diaboli, Master Oliveira! That mark which the devil makes with his pitchfork, or the horny spots on the bodies of his creatures, such as we have found, you and I, in two places on this girl’s skin. Our needles penetrated them without drawing blood and they were not felt.
Murmurs of approval.
Oliveira. I found three on the body of the Superior of the Incarnation, who afterward died in unquestioned sainthood!
He walks toward the foot of the stage, followed by the eyes of the displeased Inquisitors.
Calabazas. (In a low voice) This surgeon is too much of a reasoner!
Cleofas. You need say nothing to me about it!—If they listened to him they would burn no one!