The Selkie Bride Read Online Free PDF

afraid of the Devil—not in the cold light of day—but because such strongly articulated ideas are more dangerous than casual notions kept to oneself, and actual belief—especially of the religious kind and especially in a crowd—is mostdangerous of all. History has shown us that belief can make otherwise reasonable men do things that are vindictive or even insane. There had been a lynching in our town when I was a child, and I feared I was about to again see something of that nature. “But…what can he do? If it was truly the Devil?”
    “Listen,” Mistress MacLaren instructed, and I reluctantly did.
    The minister had a fine voice, one that would have done splendidly upon the stage but I suppose suited him as well in the pulpit. His choice of material was rather grim, though, and I found myself feeling oddly offended, both that he thought his audience gullible enough to believe that his brand of religious witchcraft would do anything practical against intruders and the contradictory though equally strong belief that if my night visitor had been of the supernatural persuasion, that he would be immediately driven off by this man without even an inquiry into his purpose for visiting. It seemed unneighborly to me and even a bit shocking, given that by tradition the visitor seeking shelter in Scotland is sacrosanct.
    “Brethren, be sober! Be vigilant! Because yer adversary, the De’il, goeth aboot as a roaring lion, seeking wham he may devour.” The minister looked heavenward as he continued. “O unquiet spirit, who at thy release from the contagion of flesh chooseth tae remain earthbound, hear the words of exhortation and admonish now addressed tae thee!”
    The Roman exorcism rang strange when delivered with a Scottish accent, but it was still terrifying, and looking at the mesmerized faces around me, I suddenlyfelt a bit ill and wary of my neighbors in a way I never had been before. There is something horribly inflexible about religious passions in a mob that frightens outsiders. It wasn’t that I desired to have unwanted visitors about, perhaps getting up to mischief and stealing books, but surely strangers in the night weren’t as damaging as, say, termites, or as vicious as the midges who came out at sunset; and trying to cast a person out into the spiritual void for making a late-night call seemed drastic. Even if he were a book thief.
    Not that I believed in the nonsense the reverend was speaking. His were just silly words that couldn’t really hurt anyone. But still. Mobs, having no infirmity of purpose when aroused by fear and a seductive voice, are known to inflict more than spiritual ill will or exorcism on strangers. In many ways, the mindset of this village was still quite medieval.
    “I exorcise thee by the element of salt, by the Almighty God who, by the hand of Elijah, the prophet, mingled thee wi’ the earth, that the barrenness of the land might be healed. Receive this salt from which the spirit of evil has been cast out, for the eternal rest of thee and of all the faithful, that there may be vanished frae this place every kind of hallucination, wickedness, craft and de’ilish deceit.” Reverend MacNeil lifted up a candle and a piece of bread. “I carry here the symbol of Christ, the light of the warld and the food of the angels.”
    Unable to stand any more, I backed away. I wanted answers about the night visitor, but this wasn’t the moment to ask questions of the frightened crowd, which was clearly ready to embrace any kind of superstitiousgobbledygook and perhaps do something violent. I did not want them invading my home looking for devils if their fear turned in my direction. I had not forgotten that not so many years ago Scotland was in the habit of burning witches, werewolves and other creatures of that ilk.
    I meandered among the dunes, heading for the shore at a slow trudge, where I could hear waves pounding away with more than usual vigor against the shallow sea caves that were