“Of course they’ll lie about Satan. They never said anything about Satan to me.”

“There. It’s not witchcraft, you see?”

“But isn’t that just what we expect?” said Purity. “Don’t we expect a witch to lie?”

“That’s what happened at Salem!” cried Study. “They started interpreting denials as lies, as attempts to cover up Satan’s penetration of the community. But later it was discovered, it was realized, that there had never been any witchcraft at all, and that the confessions they got were all motivated by a selfish desire to save one’s own life, while the only ones hanged were those who refused to lie.”

“Are you saying that you believe the Bible is wrong when it says we shall not suffer a witch to live?”

“No, no, of course if you actually find a witch, then you must... act, but—”

“I have found a witch, Reverend Study. Please summon the tithingmen to help me obey the Lord’s injunction in the Bible.”

Sick at heart, Reverend Study rose to his feet. “You leave me no choice.”

“As they left me no choice.”

Study stopped at the door and spoke without facing her. “Do you not understand that many long-pent resentments can be released by this sort of thing?”

“These men are intruders here. What resentments can anyone have against them? The judges will be honest. My testimony will be honest.”

Study leaned his head into the doorjamb and almost whispered his answer. “There have been rumors. About you.”

Purity felt a thrill of fear and joy run through her body, making her tremble for a moment. Her guess was right. Her parents did die for witchcraft, just as she figured. “All the more reason, then, for me to prove myself loyal to the scripture and an enemy to Satan.”

“Fire burns all hands that touch it.”

“I serve God, sir. Do you?”

“Sometimes God is best served by obeying his more merciful statements. Judge not lest ye be judged. Think of that before you point a finger.” Then he was gone.

Purity waited alone in Reverend Study’s office. His library, really, it was so stacked and shelved with books. How did he get so many? Had he really read them all? Purity had never had an opportunity to study the titles. Sets of pious literature, of course. Collections of noted sermons. Scriptural commentary. Law books? Interesting—had he thought of studying law at some time? No, it was ecclesiastical law. With several books on the prosecution of witches, the investigation of witches, the purification of witches. Reverend Study might pretend to have no concern with such matters, but he owned these books, which meant that at some time he must have planned to refer to them. He had not been “here” during the witch trials in Salem, which were the last held in eastern Massachusetts. That could mean he hadn’t been born yet—how long ago were they?—at least a century, perhaps half again that long. But he had been involved in witch trials somewhere. Yes, he knew and cared very much about these things.