Pagina 935 di 1118

The doors of public edifices and private houses had been again

anointed as at first. The news flew from mouth to mouth; the

people, influenced by present suffering, and by the imminence of

the supposed danger, readily embraced the belief. The idea of

subtle instantaneous poison seemed sufficient to explain the

violence, and the almost incomprehensible circumstances, of the

disease. Add to this the idea of enchantment, and any effect was

possible, every objection was rendered feeble, every difficulty

was explained. If the effects did not immediately succeed the

first attempt, the cause was easy to assign: it had been done by

those to whom the art was new; and now that it was brought to

perfection, the perpetrators were more confirmed in their

infernal resolution. If any one had dared to suggest its having

been done in jest, or denied the existence of a dark plot, he

would have passed for an obstinate fool, if he did not incur the

suspicion of being himself engaged in it.